Weeks after police and health officials targeted two downtown stores for selling products such as “K2,” “Head Trip,” and “Cloud 9,” the products — which exist in a legal gray area in Massachusetts — are no longer available at Shop Therapy and Amazing.net. By AMANDA DRANE NORTHAMPTON — In what city officials called an “education [...]

By AMANDA DRANE NORTHAMPTON—The License Commission hopes to clarify city regulations around the late-night sale of food at bars and restaurants, and has sent a formal notice inviting all liquor licensees to attend tonight’s public hearing on the matter. The meeting will begin at 4:00 in City Council Chambers. The issue came to the city’s [...]

After four seemingly drunk Smith College students said they attended a party at Eclipse on the night of Oct. 30, their dorm supervisor called the police. Now the cops have filed a complaint with the city’s License Commission.   by AMANDA DRANE NORTHAMPTON — Northampton Police Chief Russell Sienkiewicz has requested the city License Commission [...]

Lawyer W. Michael Ryan. (David Reid photos) Former judge and DA Mike Ryan talks candidly with Northampton Media about his recent trial, the case against him, the favorable jury verdict, lessons learned and what steps he will take to make ensure what happened to him doesn’t happen to anyone again.   NORTHAMPTON – The day [...]

“I see a real danger to freedom when police officers or government agents can stop people on the street and ask them where they’re coming from or going to, and demand to see their papers.” — W. Michael Ryan   NORTHAMPTON — The high-profile trial of W. Michael Ryan, a retired judge and former district [...]

  In a batch of new court filings, Mike Ryan’s lawyer claims the arresting office bamboozled the clerk-magistrate into issuing a criminal complaint by withholding key evidence: the cruiser video. NORTHAMPTON – The lawyer for former DA and judge Mike Ryan, who is charged with assault and battery on a police officer, has filed a new [...]

For more than a year, Northampton’s restaurant king has been operating the Paradise City Tavern as a nightclub without a nightclub permit, with no occupancy limit and without the legal number of bathrooms. After the club’s recent trouble with the cops and a slap on the wrist, the city’s building commissioner is poised to lay [...]

Former DA Mike Ryan’s release of a police video, showing his recent arrest for A&B on a police officer, dominates area media coverage on Monday. Police chief defends his refusal to give video to reporters. ACLU lawyer says police search of Ryan’s wallet appears intrusive. NORTHAMPTON – If he was hoping to publicize the video [...]

Project manager says that site work on the new facility can start within weeks, while construction could begin as soon as late February. *** NORTHAMPTON – The firm that will manage construction of the new police station and parking deck, which voters OK’ed Tuesday, expects to quickly advertise for construction services and materials, perhaps as [...]

The new police headquarters project includes a parking deck, as well as upgrades to downtown’s public works and utility infrastructure. Voters are being asked to OK $10 million in new property taxes over 20 years to help pay for the work. *** NORTHAMPTON —  The city’s heavy hitters are going to bat for a new [...]

Three of the four committee members voted to support a Nov. 2 ballot question, a debt-exclusion override for $10 million, needed for construction of a new police station.   NORTHAMPTON – The City Council’s Public Safety Committee voted 3-0 last night to endorse a Nov. 2 ballot question that would, if passed by voters, allocate [...]

NORTHAMPTON — Normally, meetings of the the City Council’s Parking and Transportation Committee are deadly dull. Lane-painting and traffic-calming are typical agenda items, topics are rarely controversial, and the proceedings are civil — a yawner for those of us in the news business. But Tuesday afternoon, a quirky issue landed in the committee’s lap: a [...]