Latest News
Bill would extinguish tobacco products in phases
North Quabbin state aid comes in short
Mount Grace secures 40 acres of forest in Ashby
Energy aggregation on the agenda for Athol meeting Tuesday
Energy manager to work on municipal upgrades in Athol, Royalston
Healey bill allocates $1.2B for road, culvert repairs
Anthony Geraci to perform at Winchendon’s Blues, Brews and BBQ
Easthampton Mayor Nicole LaChapelle named DCR commissioner
State legislators mulling fund for school resource officer training
BOSTON — State legislators are considering the value of school resource officers and whether to create a grant fund to support their training.
Fresh numbers show sharp decline in opioid overdose deaths in Massachusetts
BOSTON — Massachusetts experienced a more than 36% decrease in opioid-related overdose deaths in 2024, the state Substance Addiction Services Bureau reported Wednesday.
Most Read
L.S. Starrett lays off 179 employees at Athol and other sites
PHOTOS: Royalston Music Fest opens first concert
Molly Strouse of Athol remembered for fierce loyalty and spirit
North Quabbin veterans join in effort to break skydiving record
HHS chief Walsh stepping down, Mahaniah named successor
Guest columnist William Lambers: What you can do about nuclear weapons — 80 years after Trinity blast
Editors Picks
Athol survey calls for downtown dining
PHOTO: Beating the heat
‘Generational damage’: The fallout of cutting climate science research
UMass climate scientists reeling as Trump administration slashes funding for research
Sports
Bulletin board: Raine Wonsey, Menace advance in Franklin County Summer League
Raine Wonsey struck out 14 in six innings of work, helping sixth-seeded Menace edge No. 3 Magic, 3-2, in a Franklin County Summer Softball League quarterfinal round playoff contest on Wednesday at Murphy Park.
Early errors cost Greenfield Post 81 in loss to red-hot Belchertown (PHOTOS)
A Dream Summer: Greenfield 8U Ducks make history with state title win
UMass enters MAC while conference faces uncertainty
Backyard baseball, reimagined: Greenfield kids launch their own Wiffle ball leagueOpinion
My Turn: Regionalization benefits health of students
For close to 40 years, I have spent almost my entire adult life working with teenagers. My work for the past 20 years has been in public, private and residential schools focusing on students’ mental health as a clinical social worker. As a resident of Northfield, I have worked to support our local public school district and have had a daughter, two nieces and a nephew graduate from Pioneer. For years, I have fundraised, written letters, protested, spoken at town and school committee meetings and engaged with administration and teachers, all in support of the success of this district.
Columnist Judy Wagner: A metamorphosis that sets us free
Joe Hebert: UMass swimming and diving teams a story of success
Norah Dooley: Masked law enforcement blurs the line between authority and abuse
Pushback: Spending locally builds a stronger Greenfield ‘ecosystem’
Your Daily Puzzles
An approachable redesign to a classic. Explore our "hints."
A quick daily flip. Finally, someone cracked the code on digital jigsaw puzzles.
Chess but with chaos: Every day is a unique, wacky board.
Word search but as a strategy game. Clearing the board feels really good.
Align the letters in just the right way to spell a word. And then more words.
Police Logs
Athol Police Logs, May 11 - June 9, 2025
2:01 a.m. - Male party in the lobby to speak with an officer about a cable box missing from his apartment. Male also stated he noticed the mat at his door has been moved.
Athol Police Logs, April 16 – April 26, 2025
Athol Police Logs, March 1 – March 17, 2025
Athol Police Logs: Feb. 6 – Feb. 27, 2025
Athol Police Logs Jan. 16 to Feb. 2, 2025
e-Edition
Arts & Life
Sounds Local: Discover ‘the best band you never heard of’: The Samples perform at the Shea Theater Arts Center in Turners Falls on Friday
“The Best Band You Never Heard Of” is the name of a 2011 documentary about The Samples, a rock group that was part of the jam scene in the late 1980s and 1990s and went on to experience a career with more twists and turns than your favorite mystery novel.
Speaking of Nature: Bouncing through the grass: The flight window for the northern pearly-eye is July
The hot new spot in Shelburne Falls: Hotfire Bar and Grill feels in many ways like a home kitchen
World of wonder: Walter Wick’s dynamic photographic illustrations at Norman Rockwell Museum
Local authors up for statewide awards: Four Franklin County authors nominated in four different Mass Book Awards categoriesObituaries
Patricia A. Ploof
Athol, MA - Patricia Ploof, 76, died on Saturday, July 12, 2025. She leaves behind her husband of 54 years, Timothy Ploof, their son, David Ploof, and his wife, Keila, and her grandchildren, Michel Ploof and Fletcher Sheinheit. She also... remainder of obit for Patricia A. Ploof
Chad R. Ray
Plymouth , MA - Chad Ray, 53 of Plymouth Massachusetts passed away unexpectedly in his home on July 1, 2025. Chad was born and raised in Athol, MA. Chad attended Athol schools and graduated Class of 1991. After graduating Chad served i... remainder of obit for Chad R. Ray
Eugene Richard Rice
San Marcos, TX - Eugene Richard Rice of San Marcos, TX passed away on Tuesday, June 24, 2025 at the age of 96. Born in Islip, NY, he was the son of the late Erwin and Alice (Glassett) Rice. Gene grew up in Athol, MA and graduated f... remainder of obit for Eugene Richard Rice
Donald R. Schlicke
Phillipston, MA - It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of Donald Robert Schlicke on July 3, 2025. Born on May 10, 1953, in Gardner, MA, and a lifelong resident of Phillipston, MA, his presence will be deeply missed. His... remainder of obit for Donald R. Schlicke
