Here are today's headlines:

SPRINGFIELD - Area hospitals are well over capacity as COVID-19 patients continue to arrive in record numbers amid a coronavirus wave that doesn't yet show any signs of slowing down.On Monday, Baystate Health reported that it was treating 233 COVID-19 patients across its hospital system, 26 of whom...

James Nash named president of Northampton City Council

NORTHAMPTON - By a vote of 5-4, the City Council on Monday selected James Nash over Rachel Maiore to serve as council president for the next two years, elevating Nash from the vice presidency at a time when seven of the nine councilors are starting either their first or second terms.Nash, of Ward 3,...

Easthampton leaders start terms in Fire Department garage

EASTHAMPTON - Mayor Nicole LaChapelle and other officials were sworn in on Monday in the vehicle bays of the Easthampton Fire Department in a ceremony that was followed by the election of the city's first Latino president of the City Council.The venue was a nod to safety amid the COVID-19 pandemic,...

New Holyoke councilor Israel Rivera ends contention by quitting school job

HOLYOKE - The lead-up to Monday's meeting of the Holyoke City Council was filled with dramatic moments, including councilors and members of the public yelling at one another during several recent council meetings.But when the council's 13 members sat down for their first meeting Monday, the expectat...

2021 Gazette Golf Player of the Year: Piet Hartman, Amherst

(Editor's note: This is the first in a series of eight stories, highlighting the players of the year and all-stars from the fall 2021 season in the Gazette coverage area.) The grind of golf attracted Amherst Regional sophomore Piet Hartman when his grandfather introduced him to the game.Robert DeBoe...

Guest Columnist Juliana Merullo: No room for climate denial

When considering what kind of news and information we expect from our newspapers, I would hope we can agree that certain basic facts need not be disputed in every article. In his recent opinion piece, "Another viewpoint on climate change," Bob Couch laments the fact that only "one side" of the subje...

Guest columnist David King: Perplexed by climate column

I am sure I wasn't the only reader who was perplexed at the recent column in the Gazette, "Another viewpoint on climate change," Bob Couch, Dec. 29. In it, the author cites a couple of authors who question the extent to which climate change exists, or is responsible for phenomena such as historicall...

PHOTOS: Holyoke sweeps Easthampton in the pool

Host Holyoke swept the relays, and solid depth throughout the lineup propelled the girls swimming and diving team to a 104-65 victory over Easthampton in action on Monday in the Paper City.Individual event winners for the Purple Knights included Kate Ouellette (500-yard freestyle), Laura Brown (100...