NORTHAMPTON — Word traveled fast among Northampton’s tight community of young indy band musicians, club-goers, artists and activists last Friday afternoon. Jameson Greeley Lavo, 28, a guitar player and drummer who lived for social justice and a better world, was dead of an apparent suicide. Lavo was the man police found deceased on June 1 [...]

Warren to Brown: “If that’s all you’ve got, I’m ready.” By MARY SERREZE SPRINGFIELD — More than 3,500 Democratic Party delegates from across Massachusetts made the pilgrimage to Springfield’s MassMutual Center Saturday to rally with big-name pols and choose their party’s nominee in what promises to be a knock-down-drag-out Senate race this year. When the [...]

By MARY SERREZE NORTHAMPTON — Northwestern District Attorney David Sullivan confirmed today that a man was discovered deceased Friday afternoon next to the Pan Am railroad tracks between Hawley and Pleasant Streets behind Northampton Lumber. His death is not considered suspicious in nature. Sullivan has not yet released the man’s name or the circumstances of [...]

NORTHAMPTON — Northwestern District Attorney David Sullivan announced today that Hadley resident Harry Delmolino, 18, the bicyclist involved in Saturday night’s collision at the corner of Main and Pleasant streets Saturday night, died Tuesday afternoon at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield. The crash occurred shortly after 7 p.m. at the intersection of Main and Pleasant [...]

WILLIAMSBURG — Congressman John Olver lost control of his car while passing another vehicle this morning (Monday) on Rt. 9 and landed in a ditch, according to Natalie Blais, his press spokeswoman. Olver is not hurt, and declined medical attention at the scene after being checked out by emergency medical technicians. The accident occurred near [...]

The Commonwealth failed to prove that state police interrogation techniques were not overly coercive, wrote the judge who penned the decision.   NORTHAMPTON — The state’s Supreme Judicial Court has ruled that accused arsonist-murderer Anthony P. Baye’s taped “confession” to state police regarding his role in the downtown arson fires of Dec. 27, 2009 “should [...]

NORTHAMPTON — A man from Hadley is alive but in serious condition after a collision between his bicycle and a car Saturday evening at the city’s main downtown intersection. Northwestern District Attorney David E. Sullivan identified the injured bicyclist as Harry Delmolino, 18, of Hadley. The crash occurred around 7:45 p.m. at the corner of [...]

NORTHAMPTON — A man riding his bicycle east on Main Street was hit by a car turning left onto Pleasant Street Saturday evening around 7:30 p.m. A state police spokesman said the cyclist’s injuries were “potentially fatal,” but declined to reveal any more details. Pleasant Street northbound from Hampton Avenue to Main Street was blocked [...]

NORTHAMPTON — Following up on a campaign promise, Mayor David J. Narkewicz has named an 11-member economic development commission to guide his decision-making when it comes to business growth and retention in the city. The commission, which will be advisory in nature, draws ambassadors from a number of different economic sectors — banking and finance, [...]

NORTHAMPTON — Soundslide: Senate Candidate Elizabeth Warren, Northampton Mayor David Narkewicz, Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse, and the Pioneer Valley Gay Men’s Chorus graced the stage at the 31st Annual Noho Pride rally at the Three County Fairground on Saturday. Audio Mary Serreze; Photography Paul Shoul; full speeches at bottom of post. Audio: Elizabeth Warren Audio: [...]

NORTHAMPTON — Mayor David J. Narkewicz unveiled his fiscal 2013 municipal budget on Thursday, balanced with staff cuts and other savings. For the first time in many years, the proposed budget does not draw upon reserves. The $95.8 million budget, which represents a 3 percent increase over FY2012, includes the $79.4 million general fund and [...]

It wasn’t your typical anti-nuke protest — nobody got arrested at the crowded, family-friendly event. And top elected officials, instead of ducking controversy, proudly briefed Vermonters on their battle to send the Entergy Corporation packing.   BRATTLEBORO, Vt. — Governor Peter Shumlin, Attorney General William Sorrell, and U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders rallied a crowd of [...]

NORTHAMPTON — A proposal by Mayor David Narkewicz to change the way the city’s ambulance service is funded got a green light from the City Council’s Public Safety Committee last Monday night, and is now headed to the full City Council, despite concerns expressed by Fire Department management and labor. The committee voted 3-1 to [...]

As residents mobilize to rescue a sugar maple on their street, questions arise about the city and the utility’s compliance with a state law that seems to requires public notification before a mature street tree is cut down.   By MARY SERREZE NORTHAMPTON — A group of Harrison Avenue residents are fighting to save an [...]

The ambulance “receipts reserved” account finished the last fiscal year with more than $860,000 in the bank, but on the 7th of July the City Council transferred $745,000 of that to various Emergency Medical Services accounts, including $450,000 for employee stipends. The EMS division is now self-sufficient and has outgrown its need for a dedicated [...]