Here are today's headlines:

Peacebuilder Paula Green, founder of Karuna Center, dies at 84

LEVERETT - After the genocide in Bosnia and Herzegovenia ended in the 1990s, Paula Green ventured to the war-torn country.Going there as a civilian, Green opted against being in the capital city or meeting with the country's elites. Instead, she wanted to understand the collective trauma its citizen...

Leverett boy drowns in Puerto Rico

LEVERETT - A sixth grade student at Leverett Elementary School, known as a soccer star who liked to compete with his friends to see who could read the most books, drowned on Sunday in Puerto Rico after he was swept away by violent waves.The family of Zedekiyahu "Justice" Mekuria Miller, 12, said the...

Bringing Mexico to Amherst: Frontera Grill owner expands with opening of Garcia's Mexican Restaurant

AMHERST - Stepping into Garcia's Mexican Restaurant is a lot like entering Mexico itself - minus the flight south and west - with its festive atmosphere (Mariachi Mondays and Taco Tuesdays, for example), delicious smells and bright colors.Handcrafted tiles border archways, weaving between booths. De...

Speaking of Nature: Blue jays

I recently received an email from a longtime reader named Irene. The message was short and succinct, but it really made an impression on me when I read it. In short (because it was short) she wrote: "Don't you just love blue jays? They are such sassy little guys. Well, actually, NOT so little!"I cou...

Girls Class A Semis: Amherst falls to Central

SPRINGFIELD - The way the Central girls basketball team plays can strike fear in opponents. A press that doesn't relent until the outcome is assured combined with constant pressure on the ball can frustrate and overwhelm.The Amherst girls basketball team didn't succumb to that chaos in Wednesday's...

Guest columnist Joe Pater Seth Cable, Summer Cable, Michael Stein and Susan Voss: School mask mandates still make good sense in Hampshire County

A recent opinion column published in the Gazette claims that "even if at one point in the pandemic it was possible to make a reasonable argument for the masking of children in school, that is no longer the case." ("It's time to end local school mask mandates," Feb. 18)We disagree, since the followin...

EarthTalk: Leading enviro podcasts

Dear EarthTalk: What are some of the leading environmental podcasts out there these days? - Jane Mitchell, Boise, IdahoGiven the popularity of podcasts these days, it's no surprise that several have popped up on environmental topics. Whether you are interested in green tech, environmental justice or...

Class A semis: Amherst comeback falls just short to Longmeadow

AMHERST - In Wednesday night's Western Mass. Class A basketball semifinal, Amherst found itself in serious difficulty with a 13-point deficit early in the fourth quarter, but the Hurricanes flew back into contention before falling agonizingly short.Leading by two, Longmeadow missed the front end of...