Worcester, MA
News
Video Captures 'UFO' Flying Over Northampton Video Captures 'UFO' Flying Over Northampton
Video Captures 'UFO' Flying Over Northampton Video of an unidentified object flashing and hovering over Northampton earlier this week has people debating the existence of UFOs and other-worldly visitors. On Thursday, Jan . 7, Joe Douglass posted a nearly 2-minute video of a “possible UFO” to YouTube. The video has since garnered more than 1,300 views. The video shows what looks like a white, occasionally translucent hexagon spinning and flashing various colors against a completely black background. The item appears to move in circles as well as up and down, left and right, and appears larger at times than others. The colors flashing…

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by Kristin Palpini
Amherst, MA
News
Time Is Running Out To Save Route 5/10 Native American Site From New Construction Time Is Running Out To Save Route 5/10 Native American Site From New Construction
Time Is Running Out To Save Route 5/10 Native American Site From New Construction A campaign to stop the construction of a roundabout on suspected Native American land has just one week left to raise objections. In mid-December, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) finished a review of a proposed roundabout construction site at the congested intersection of Routes 5/10 in Northampton. So far, items that have been recovered from the area include a “moderate density of artifacts” including flake and hammerstone. Of particular note was the discovery of a pre-historic tool that was previously only found in arctic areas.  The state determined that alt…

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by Kristin Palpini
Springfield, MA
Lifestyle
Is This CNN Or A Frat Party? New Year's Show Irks Local DA Amid Addiction Epidemic Is This CNN Or A Frat Party? New Year's Show Irks Local DA Amid Addiction Epidemic
Is This CNN Or A Frat Party? New Year's Show Irks Local DA Amid Addiction Epidemic A local District Attorney is calling out CNN’s New Year’s Live show for promoting "binge drinking" amid a national addiction epidemic. Earlier this month, Northwestern District Attorney David E. Sullivan sent a letter to the editors of various news publications as well as CNN decrying the news channel’s annual New Year’s coverage. The DA, whose office is in Northampton, noted that about 37 million adults binge drink once a week, according to the Centers for Disease Control. There are about 95,000 deaths per year due to excessive alcohol use, the CDC said. While providing “excellent entertai…

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by Kristin Palpini
Amherst, MA
News
COVID-19: First Night Northampton Goes Virtual For 2021 COVID-19: First Night Northampton Goes Virtual For 2021
Covid-19: First Night Northampton Goes Virtual For 2021 First Night Northampton 2021 is going to be a largely virtual affair. One of the largest and most popular annual New Year’s Eve gatherings in Western Massachusetts, First Night organizers said there will be no in-person entertainment this year - all performances will be streamed online and broadcast on TV (Northampton Comcast Cable channels 12, 15, 23). Streaming links for Facebook, Youtube, and Twitch have been posted to First Night’s website. “In light of COVID-19 there will be many necessary changes to the celebration, most importantly there is no in-person entertainment this year,” Firs…

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by Kristin Palpini
Amherst, MA
Lifestyle
Who Has The Best Pizza In Hampshire County? Top Slices According To Yelp Who Has The Best Pizza In Hampshire County? Top Slices According To Yelp
Who Has The Best Pizza In Hampshire County? Top Slices According To Yelp Are you seeking out the best pizza slices and pies in Hampshire County? COVID-19 has made great take-out and delivery more important than ever. With more than 30 percent of all delivery orders being placed at pizzerias, it seems like a good time to present the top 3 pizza shops in Hampshire County, according to Yelp reviews. Did Yelp get it right? Put the name of your favorite pizza shop in the comments. Hillside Pizza, 173 Russell St., Hadley With vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free options, Hillside Pizza is a perfect choice for a group with diverse dietary needs. Boasting all loca…

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by Christina Coulter
Amherst, MA
News
Snow Plowing - How Much Does Your Town Spend On Snow Removal? Snow Plowing - How Much Does Your Town Spend On Snow Removal?
Snow Plowing - How Much Does Your Town Spend On Snow Removal? Snow plowing is among the most important services a city or town can provide in the winter - but it’s more of a priority in some places than others. In a review of snowplow/snow removal expenditures per community, differences in how much a town is willing to pay for the service quickly emerge. Among the 10 largest communities in Central and Western Massachusetts, it’s hard to beat Worcester. The city spent $8,530 per mile of city roadway on plowing services in 2019. The biggest city spending the least amount of money per mile to plow its streets is Chicopee - which spent $2,635 per mile in…

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by Kristin Palpini
Amherst, MA
News
Regional Pizza Dynasty Patriarch, Sierros, Has Died Regional Pizza Dynasty Patriarch, Sierros, Has Died
Regional Pizza Dynasty Patriarch, Sierros, Has Died The patriarch of a local pizza-making dynasty has died, his family announced Wednesday, Dec. 16. Nickolaos “Nick” Sierros died at age 81, according to an obituary written by his family and published in the Daily Hampshire Gazette. Sierros owned A-1 Pizza in Florence (Northampton), Massachusetts, for nearly 40 years. The popular neighborhood pizzeria became Sierros’ in 1983. Sierros, a Greek native, comes from a family of pizza-makers and A-1 wasn’t his first shop. Along with his brother Christos and sister Panagiota, Sierros opened ABC Pizza in Cromwell, Connecticut. Family members went …

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by Kristin Palpini
Amherst, MA
Lifestyle
Adieu! 12-Year-Old French Restaurant Closes Adieu! 12-Year-Old French Restaurant Closes
Adieu! 12-Year-Old French Restaurant Closes A popular French restaurant in Western Massachusetts has announced it will be closing. The decision to close leaves just a handful of authentic French cuisine restaurants in the area. On Wednesday, Dec. 16, around noon, the owners of Bistro Les Gras in Northampton said they will not be renewing the restaurant’s lease.  Owned by Daniel and Elizabeth Martinez, Bistro Les Gras on West Street served “farm-to-fork” French dishes to the Pioneer Valley for 12 years. Owners said the decision to close was not an easy one but noted that they could no longer hold on during the COVID-19 pandemic…

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by Kristin Palpini
Amherst, MA
Politics
Woman Accused Of Throwing Used Tampon At Trump Rally Gets Pretrial Probation Woman Accused Of Throwing Used Tampon At Trump Rally Gets Pretrial Probation
Woman Accused Of Throwing Used Tampon At Trump Rally Gets Pretrial Probation A woman accused of throwing a used tampon during a political rally has been placed on pretrial probation. If she successfully completes the conditions of parole - which includes 30 hours of community service - the charge against her will be dismissed, according to the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office. Brooke Wallis, 23, of Northampton, was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct for allegedly throwing a used menstruation product into a crowd of Trump supporters on Oct. 18 in downtown Northampton. On Wednesday, Dec. 9, Wallis agreed to be placed on pretrial probation for four m…

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by Kristin Palpini
Springfield, MA
News
Restauranteur Donates 800 Pounds Of Turkey To Soup Kitchen In Need Restauranteur Donates 800 Pounds Of Turkey To Soup Kitchen In Need
Restauranteur Donates 800 Pounds Of Turkey To Soup Kitchen In Need A restaurant owner has donated 800 pounds of turkey to a local soup kitchen that had a holiday dinner scheduled - but no poultry to serve. On Friday, Konstantinos Sierros, owner of Florence Pizza and Filos Greek Taverna in Northampton, was talking with people he knows at the Manna Soup Kitchen when he heard kitchen cooks were unable to purchase turkeys for the nonprofit’s annual, free Thanksgiving Day meal. So, Sierros stepped up - in a big way. The restauranteur purchased 800 pounds of turkey as well as fixings for the community kitchen meal, according to The Daily Hampshire Gazett…

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by Kristin Palpini
Amherst, MA
Business
COVID-19: Northampton Neighborhood Bar/Restaurant Closes For Winter COVID-19: Northampton Neighborhood Bar/Restaurant Closes For Winter
Covid-19: Northampton Neighborhood Bar/Restaurant Closes For Winter A staple of the Northampton late-night scene is closing temporarily this winter due to COVID-19. On Tuesday, Nov. 17, the owners of Packard’s Bar on Masonic Street announced it is closed, but will reopen in the spring. “With difficult decisions, rising number of cases and with the safety of our staff and customers in the forefront of our mind … Packard’s has decided to close for the winter and reopen in the spring,” the restaurant and bar said on its Facebook page. Packard’s is a three-story bar and restaurant with numerous pool tables and rooms for private parties. The neighborhood bar i…

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by Kristin Palpini
Amherst, MA
Police & Fire
Melee Erupts, Truck Drives Through Crowd At Northampton Rallies Melee Erupts, Truck Drives Through Crowd At Northampton Rallies
Melee Erupts, Truck Drives Through Crowd At Northampton Rallies An officer was knocked to the ground, pepper-spray was used, and a truck drove through protesters during opposing, side-by-side rallies on Sunday, Nov. 1. The protests took place in downtown Northampton around 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and involved hundreds of people primarily belonging to either a Trump/Back the Blue group or a pro-democracy/anti-police brutality group. A lot of conflicting information has been reported about the incident. On Monday, a little before noon, Northampton Police released a statement and rundown of the events. Northampton Police did not label the political leanings of t…

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by Kristin Palpini