Greenfield Recorder - News (2024)

Pioneer Valley School District introduces Yondr pouches

08-30-2024 5:42 PM

By CHRIS LARABEE

NORTHFIELD — As schools kicked off around the valley this week, Pioneer Valley Regional School District students likely saw the biggest change among schools.The district implemented the use of magnetic Yondr pouches to curb cellphone use among...

Fairgrounds in Greenfield to complete repaving project with $75K grant

08-30-2024 5:29 PM

By ANTHONY CAMMALLERI

GREENFIELD — The Franklin County Agricultural Society has received a $75,000 grant from the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism to complete its $250,000 walkway repaving project, aimed at making the grounds more accessible to disabled...

Projects aimed to make Charlemont Fairgrounds more accessible

08-30-2024 5:23 PM

By SAM FERLAND

CHARLEMONT — Plans have been set to complete three construction projects that aim to make the historic Charlemont Fairgrounds more accessible to the community and draw larger crowds for events.Charlemont plans to pursue three construction projects...

Baby on board: Mother details roadside birth of daughter on Route 2 in Gill

08-30-2024 5:20 PM

By ERIN-LEIGH HOFFMAN

ORANGE — Carolyn Gilmore was informed by her midwives that the labor process for a second child typically goes faster than the first. However, Gilmore wasn’t expecting to deliver her second child within a half hour of her water breaking, nor in the...

Local residents react to state’s new gun law

08-30-2024 4:25 PM

By DOMENIC POLI

Area gun enthusiasts and experts have their criticisms of the new state firearms law, but most appear on board with the prohibition of 3D-printed and unserialized “ghost guns,” saying they have no place in Massachusetts or the United States.Gov. Maura...

Twelve articles sail through at Erving special Town Meeting

08-30-2024 3:34 PM

By ERIN-LEIGH HOFFMAN

ERVING — All 12 articles presented at the Ervingspecial Town Meeting were approved unanimously by voters on Wednesday night.The meeting at Erving Elementary School was scheduled to cover a variety of town matters.One of the main articles up for...

Plumber Frank Marchand’s real job: Lifting others up until the end

08-30-2024 3:18 PM

By CHRIS LARABEE

SOUTH DEERFIELD — While a nine-year battle with colon cancer and more than 130 chemotherapy treatments would keep most people from working their day job and giving back to the community, Frank Marchand opted to look on the brighter side.Even as he...

West Nile virus discovered in Greenfield

08-30-2024 2:00 PM

By ANTHONY CAMMALLERI

GREENFIELD — Officials are urging the public to take precautions after the Department of Public Health detected the West Nile virus in Greenfield on Friday morning, a potentially life-threatening virus spread primarily by mosquitoes.Public Health...

Rollover crash on I-91 slows traffic Friday morning in Deerfield

08-30-2024 12:28 PM

Beacon Hill Roll Call: Aug. 19 to Aug. 23, 2024

08-30-2024 12:23 PM

By BOB KATZEN

Beacon Hill Roll Call records local representatives’ votes on roll calls from recent sessions.$650,000 for microloans to businesses (H 4800)House 155-2, overrode Gov. Healey’s veto of $650,000 (reducing funding from $1.5 million to $850,000) for loans...

Evidence of shortnose sturgeon found north of Connecticut River dams

08-29-2024 5:27 PM

By CHRIS LARABEE

GREENFIELD — For decades, it was assumed the federally endangered shortnose sturgeon did not live upstream of the Turners Falls dam on the Connecticut River, although two confirmed sightings in 2017 and 2022 raised some compelling evidence.New...

Greenfield Historical Commission mulls demolition delay for Zion Korean Church

08-29-2024 4:27 PM

By ANTHONY CAMMALLERI

GREENFIELD – The Franklin County YMCA signed a contract with Western Mass Demolition Corporation this week to tear down a 182-year-old church, prompting the Historical Commission to consider a delay on the project, according to city officials.An...

Greenfield Notebook: Aug. 29, 2024

08-29-2024 3:43 PM

Letters of interest sought for at-large councilor seatGREENFIELD – Following At-Large City Council Penny Ricketts’ resignation, effective Aug. 20, the council is accepting letters of interest to fill the vacancy.According to the Greenfield City...

Montague Center Asst. Fire Chief Gary Dion retires after 42 years

08-29-2024 2:12 PM

By ERIN-LEIGH HOFFMAN

Since Assistant Chief Gary Dion began his career at the Montague Center Fire Department 42 years ago, he’s learned many lessons, including the importance of wearing a seat belt.“I never really wore a seat belt a lot,” Dion said. He recalls seeing...

Heath residents wary of utility pole plans

08-29-2024 12:40 PM

By MADISON SCHOFIELD

HEATH — National Grid wants to replace poles and upgrade power lines in Heath and Charlemont, but many localresidents don’t seem interested.During an almost two-hour public information session at theHeath Select Board meeting on Tuesday, residents...

8th annual Heath Arts Exhibition showcases creative community

08-29-2024 11:09 AM

By MADISON SCHOFIELD

It’s time again for a splash of color and creativity to take over Heath’s Community Hall. The 8th annual Heath Arts Exhibition is set to open on Saturday, Aug. 31.“This is a showcase and a celebration of the creativity that thrives in Heath,” said...

Painter to host pop-up art showcase in New Salem

08-29-2024 10:38 AM

By SAM FERLAND

NEW SALEM — Water colorings inspired by scenery from Franklin County to Maine can be found at a pop-up art showcase this Saturday hosted by Donna Eaton, who never stopped painting once she fell in love with it.Eaton lives in New Salem and grew up in...

New owners of Adams Donuts in Greenfield carry on legacy

08-29-2024 10:19 AM

By DOMENIC POLI

GREENFIELD — Time for somebody else to make the doughnuts.Four years after purchasingAdams Donuts at348 Federal St., Sabra Billings has handed her apron strings to Sereyvith “David” Mon and Kosal Chum, who took ownership of the business on Aug....

Rural fire chiefs: New regulations could severely harm small departments

08-29-2024 9:55 AM

By MADISON SCHOFIELD and ALEXA LEWIS

An extensive series of safety standards being proposed by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration is leading to howls of disapproval from rural fire departments whose leaders are warning there’s no way they can implement the changes...