Hilltowns

By Amy Porter | Feb 9, 2024

Winter hiking joins festivities at Snow Day on Chester Hill

CHESTER — Elizabeth Massa and the Western Mass. Hilltown Hikers don’t wait for a sunny warm day to go hiking.

Amy Porter

amyporter@thewestfieldnews.com | + posts

By Amy Porter | Feb 1, 2024

Senior transit program looking to expand to serve all adults

HUNTINGTON — On Jan. 23, the Council on Aging met with Becky Basch of Pioneer Valley Planning Commission to discuss expanding the existing demand response transportation program with the Franklin Regional Transit Authority to allow access to more riders on the buses.

Amy Porter

amyporter@thewestfieldnews.com | + posts

By Staasi Heropoulos | Jan 24, 2024

Otis family turns tragic loss into smiles for charitable causes

OTIS — The O’Brien family is approaching the second anniversary of the night their 20-year-old son, Jack, was killed in a snowmobile accident. Since then, they have mourned and cried, but they have also honored his memory by raising nearly $250,000 for charity causes.

Staasi Heropoulos

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Staasi Heropoulos has been a broadcast and print journalist as well as a corporate communications practitioner, in Western Mass. and internationally for more than 40 years. He loves writing feature articles on local people and places but also welcomes story ideas about corporate and government malfeasance. Staasi can be reached at Staasi.Heropoulos@gmail.com.

By Amy Porter | Jan 17, 2024

State budget cuts hurt ambulance’s plan for heart monitor

HUNTINGTON — Gov. Maura Healey’s $375 million in 9C budget cuts, announced last week due to flagging revenue collections, were gut-wrenching to the Hilltown Community Ambulance Association.