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Westfield native turned Vermont candlemaker returns for Big E

John Fisher was born and raised in Westfield, a fourth-generation resident. His family still lives there. He worked at one of the city’s Big Y supermarkets. Now, his candles are sold in both the city’s stores, as well as Big Ys across the Pioneer Valley.

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Volunteers spend day repairing, beautifying Blandford

BLANDFORD — On Sept. 28, 11 volunteers from Home Depot stores in Westfield, Chicopee and Wilbraham came together with 38 volunteers from town for an all-day Blandford Community Day work event in the center of town.

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Vets help vets be their best selves at West Springfield center

WEST SPRINGFIELD — For Bryan Doe, outreach specialist for the Springfield Vet Center, the organization’s summer cookout on Sept. 6 was not just a fun event, but a community building exercise and foot in the door for local veterans.

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Dancers at Feeding Hills studio set to compete in Poland

AGAWAM — Teenagers from Chicopee, Springfield and Suffield who attend a Feeding Hills dance studio soon will be making a trip to Poland to perform before an international audience as members of a U.S. dance team.

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Friends of Storrs Library: 30 years of engaging with the community

LONGMEADOW — For 30 years, a group of Longmeadow residents has raised money to help bring programs to patrons of the Richard Salter Storrs Library. As it looks to the future, the organization wants to focus on programs and fundraisers that bring the community together.

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Holyoke Community Charter celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month

HOLYOKE — Holyoke Community Charter School highlighted and celebrated Latin culture and history when hosting a schoolwide workshop event with Roshays Latin Dance in a celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month.

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Thunderbirds, Blues announce seven-year affiliation extension

SPRINGFIELD — Oct. 4 was a good day for hockey in Springfield.

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Springfield officials: ‘Zero tolerance’ for hoax threats against schools

SPRINGFIELD — Following two more in a recent spate of phony threats and reports of violence against Springfield public schools, officials met with the media on Oct. 3 to declare their new zero tolerance approach to those behind those hoaxes.

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Ludlow selectmen lukewarm on marketing slogan, chair gives update on mills

LUDLOW — The Board of Selectmen got its first look at a marketing campaign designed to advertise the variety of features, entertainment and businesses available in Ludlow. The selectmen expressed positivity about the campaign but were not sold on everything John Guilfoil and Kristen Potter of John Guilfoil Public Relations presented.

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‘One-stop wellness destination’ opens in Easthampton

EASTHAMPTON — A one-stop shop for integrated health services has officially opened on 40 Main Ave. in Easthampton.

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Laura Mason

Wilbraham, Longmeadow awarded funds for traffic safety

Wilbraham and Longmeadow were among 192 towns awarded $5.6 million in grants as part of Massachusetts’ Municipal Road Safety Grant program, which aims to target and improve local traffic safety issues through enforcement, additional strategies and needed equipment.

Local Headlines

Mike Lydick

Sapelli School soars with state recognition of improvement

Agawam's Sapelli School is one of 57 schools in Massachusetts recognized in September by the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education as part of its annual accountability reporting process. The department identified the schools as a 2024 “School of Recognition” for significant growth and academic achievement.

Sarah Heinonen

Springfield residents demand historic bench returned or replaced

SPRINGFIELD — The park in Stearns Square dates from the end of the 18th century, a green oasis in downtown Springfield. But amid the large trees, manicured grass and brick paths is a jagged hole surrounded by yellow sawhorses — all that remains of a long, pink granite bench that sat on the site for 137 years. And the residents want it back.

Magazines

Dining & Entertainment

Ryan Feyre

Paradise City Arts Festival celebrates 30th anniversary

NORTHAMPTON — Linda Post remembers the first time she walked into the Three County Fairgrounds with her husband Geoffrey. It was 1994, and the husband-and-wife duo were vividly picturing the core tenants of what would become the Paradise City Arts Festival.

Matt Conway

What I’m watching: frightful fall features for all

My plans to attend the Big E this year were thwarted by record-breaking attendance and, by my estimation, record-breaking traffic. For everyone like myself who lacks the patience to wait through lines, here are some fall films that will scare you into the Halloween spirit!

Sarah Heinonen

Fright Fest’s scare actors: your terror is their labor of love

AGAWAM — Willow Farber and Aimee Meunier sat on stools with their eyes closed. The table between them was littered with bottles of paint and airbrush applicators. While Entertainment Supervisor Gregory Seymour put the finishing touches of Meunier’s face with a brush, Melissa Wassell began spraying blue lines on Farber’s skin.

Opinion

Letters to the Editor

In support of schools as polling locations

In response to the article “School Committee (Chicopee) public input speakers seek change” (published Sept. 12-18) regarding the use of school buildings as polling locations, Bowe Elementary Physical Education Teacher Kate Moss, at the Sept. 4 School Committee meeting, presented valid concerns for student safety during election days at Bowe School, a designated voting place.

G. Michael Dobbs

And now to the main political event of the fall

So, last Tuesday evening — Primary Election Day — I was at Smokey Joe’s Cigar Lounge, known the world-wide, having my usual Tuesday stogie and a beverage with some of the smartest guys I know and yet despite enjoying myself, I felt like the retired horse that pulled the fire wagon when there was an alarm going. I had an itch, a feeling that I should be in the fray.