Fair 64°
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
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
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
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
News
UPDATE COVID-19: The Towns Where You Can - And Can't - Go Trick-Or-Treating UPDATE COVID-19: The Towns Where You Can - And Can't - Go Trick-Or-Treating
Update Covid-19: The Towns Where You Can - And Can't - Go Trick-Or-Treating Communities across the state are taking different approaches to Halloween this year amid COVID-19 concerns. Some have outright banned trick-or-treating while others have left it up to parents whether their children will participate. If you’re wondering where you can go trick-or-treating this year, below is a list of cities and towns that have made decisions about how their communities will do Halloween amid COVID-19. Most communities are asking people to adhere to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Halloween guidelines.  The CDC advised against door-to-door trick-or-tre…

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by Kristin Palpini
News
Lowering Voting Age To 16 Moves Closer To Reality For Western Mass City Lowering Voting Age To 16 Moves Closer To Reality For Western Mass City
Lowering Voting Age To 16 Moves Closer To Reality For Western Mass City A Western Massachusetts community is seeking to lower the voting age to 16. During the last City Council meeting in Northampton, city officials voted to allow residents age 16 and older to vote in municipal elections. More approvals are needed before such a change can take effect. Even if the age is lowered in Northampton, residents would still need to be age 18 or older to register to vote and participate in state and national elections. The charge to lower the voting age is part of a year-long review of the city’s charter. The City Council unanimously voted on Thursday, Oct. 1, to appr…

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by Kristin Palpini
Police & Fire
Program That Keeps Offenders Out Of Jail Is Expanding In Pioneer Valley Program That Keeps Offenders Out Of Jail Is Expanding In Pioneer Valley
Program That Keeps Offenders Out Of Jail Is Expanding In Pioneer Valley A program meant to keep adults who have done wrong out of the court system and jail is expanding in the Pioneer Valley. Communities for Restorative Justice (C4RJ) is partnering with the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office to provide an alternative to the court system. It's called restorative justice and it's kind of like doing community service to atone for causing harm - but without the perpetrator being charged with a crime. “Restorative justice provides an alternative to the criminal justice process,” said Northwestern District Attorney David Sullivan. It enables “the community to ta…

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by Kristin Palpini
Weather
Is The Drought Over Yet? Southern Part Of State Drier Than The Rest Is The Drought Over Yet? Southern Part Of State Drier Than The Rest
Is The Drought Over Yet? Southern Part Of State Drier Than The Rest The downpour that soaked the region on Tuesday and Wednesday, Sept. 29-30, deposited 1.5-2 inches of rain, but still, much of southern Massachusetts is experiencing extreme drought. According to state data released Thursday, Oct.1, nearly 30 percent of the state is experiencing “extreme” drought - the second highest degree of drought tracked by the state. The worst degree of drought is “exceptional.” The ranking goes, from least to most drought-like conditions, are None, Abnormallly Dry, Moderate Drought, Severe Drought, Extreme Drought, and Exceptional Drought. In…

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by Kristin Palpini
Police & Fire
Trend: Tasty Displays Of Support For Police More Common After BLM Trend: Tasty Displays Of Support For Police More Common After BLM
Trend: Tasty Displays Of Support For Police More Common After BLM Pies, pizzas, cupcakes, cookies, grinders, and more tasty foods are being dropped off at local police stations across Connecticut and Massachusetts as people more and more express their gratitude toward officers. Public displays of support for the police have increased along with the launch of the “Back the Blue” campaign, which started in response to the “Defund the Police” campaign and the Black Lives Matter protests sparked by the Minneapolis police killing George Floyd on May 25. Tasty displays of gratitude toward the police are becoming more common.Rocky Hill PD Officers say they …

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by Kristin Palpini
Business
New Eclectic Shop Coming To Downtown Northampton New Eclectic Shop Coming To Downtown Northampton
New Eclectic Shop Coming To Downtown Northampton An eclectic new business is opening up in downtown Northampton. Phoenix Rising, on Old South Street, sells mid-century, modern, vintage, antique, and curious home decor, furnishings, collectibles, glassware, art, jewelry, and more, according to the new shop’s Facebook description. The store hasn’t opened yet but plans to soon - possibly within the next few weeks. Among the items in the store, according to the shop’s Facebook page: a pair of Harry Potter glasses, bulbous light fixtures, gold-leaf-inlaid nesting tables, an array of painted and etched glassware, vintage cookware, metal statue…

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by Kristin Palpini
Police & Fire
Killer Who Tried To Hide 2018 Crime With Fire Pleads Guilty In Northampton Killer Who Tried To Hide 2018 Crime With Fire Pleads Guilty In Northampton
Killer Who Tried To Hide 2018 Crime With Fire Pleads Guilty In Northampton A Northampton man has admitted to killing an acquaintance and trying to hide the crime with fire. Nerkin Morales, 24, of Northampton, pleaded guilty on Tuesday, Sept. 15, to voluntary manslaughter, improper disposition of a body, burning personal property, intimidation of a witness, withholding evidence from a criminal proceeding, two counts of conspiracy, and unlawful possession of a firearm, according to the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office. Morales confessed to the March 2018 killing of Daniel Cruz. He was sentenced to 15-20 years in prison, the DA said. Morales is currently serv…

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by Kristin Palpini
Business
Business Owners Win: 'Shared Streets' To Be Removed From Northampton Business Owners Win: 'Shared Streets' To Be Removed From Northampton
Business Owners Win: 'Shared Streets' To Be Removed From Northampton Business owners who disliked Northampton’s new Shared Streets and Spaces initiative have gotten their way. Northampton will be removing the temporary changes to Main Street that reduced parking in favor of wider sidewalks and more outdoor dining. The redesign included artwork painted on the streets and additional flower pots between Old South Street/State Street and King Street/Pleasant Street. Monday, Sept. 14, at around 9 p.m., city workers will begin to dismantle the shared streets project - removing barriers, planters, signage, and restoring the street to four lanes of traffic, instead…

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by Kristin Palpini