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Ice Art Festival gears up for biggest celebration yet

NORTHAMPTON — Winter magic is returning to Northampton in the form of the 15th annual Ice Art Festival on Jan. 31, turning the city’s downtown into a walkable winter art gallery.

South Hadley’s Budget Task Force to host two listening sessions in January

SOUTH HADLEY — South Hadley’s Budget Task Force is inviting residents to share their priorities for town services and spending during a listening session on Jan. 15 at 1 p.m. and another listening session on Jan. 22 at 7 p.m.

Gulluni begins “Adopt-a-Class” program at Birchland Park

EAST LONGMEADOW — Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni visited Birchland Park Middle School’s eighth grade class in East Longmeadow to continue this year’s “Adopt-a-Class” program on Jan 6.

Unions raise ethics concerns over Rivera’s ongoing role in Holyoke police affairs

HOLYOKE — Holyoke City Councilor Israel Rivera has caught the attention of two unions that represent the Holyoke Police Department after his OUI arrest on Dec. 20.

Hampden Selectboard begins to weigh options for future of old Town Hall

HAMPDEN — With the November 2025 move into the new Town Hall at 85 Wilbraham Road, the building formally known as the Thornton W. Burgess School, the Hampden Selectboard began the conversation of what will become of the old Town Hall in its Jan. 5 meeting.

Springfield to pay record $14.8 million in child sex abuse civil suits

SPRINGFIELD — The city of Springfield has reached a settlement with the families of two children in two civil suits stemming from 2023 criminal child sex abuse charges against Robert Gayle, a then-social studies teacher at STEM Middle Academy in Springfield.

The Nest ends holidays with successful stocking charity event

EAST LONGMEADOW — For three weeks from November through mid December, The Nest, a boutique gift store at 60 Shaker Road, collected items for their first stocking charity event.

American Farmland Trust to receive farmland protection grant

NORTHAMPTON — The American Farmland Trust in Northampton was awarded close to $274,000 in grants to support farmland protection in various capacities.

State to fund feasibility study for Westfield Reservoir dam removal

WESTFIELD — The Healey-Driscoll Administration recently announced $350,000 to support dam removal studies in seven municipalities.

Holyoke hosts Kwanzaa celebration in City Hall

HOLYOKE — The city of Holyoke hosted a Kwanzaa celebration on Dec. 26, the first day of Kwanzaa in City Hall.

Agawam swears in elected officials

AGAWAM - Agawam City Clerk Vincent Gioscia swore in Mayor Christopher Johnson, City Councilors Dino Mercadante, Robert Rossi, George Bitzas, Anthony Suffriti, Edward Borgatti, Anthony Russo, Thomas Hendrickson, Peter McNair and Christine Rickmon, and School Committee members Heather Zielenski, Shelley M. Borgatti-Reed, Wendy Rua, Michael Perry, A.J. Christopher and Dawn DeMatteo on Jan. 5

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Heartbeat of New Orleans music comes to Springfield

SPRINGFIELD — An all-star ensemble of musicians are coming to Springfield with the “Take Me to the River: New Orleans” concert at HOPE Center for the Arts on Jan. 9 at 7 p.m. The concert is inspired by the 2022 documentary of the same name, which will be shown for free on Jan. 3 at 4 p.m.

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