
Closure looms this summer for Fish & Wildlife Services HQ in Hadley; 36 probationary workers already fired
HADLEY — The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Department Service’s Northeast regional headquarters in Hadley is proposed to close on Aug. 31 as part of the federal General Services Administration initiative to end leases for 164 federal office spaces nationwide, according to a list leaked by a government whistleblower.

PHOTOS: New fire chief sworn in
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Sports

Div. 5 boys basketball: Top-seeded Pioneer cruises into Elite 8 via 75-43 win over Old Colony (PHOTOS)
NORTHFIELD — The time may come when Pioneer finds itself in a life-or-death struggle on its path through the Division 5 state basketball tournament, but the first two rounds haven't yet presented any such obstacles for the unbeaten and top-seeded Panthers.


Opinion

Columnist Al Norman: Let’s expedite ‘local power for local people’
This month, Ashfield will become the newest community in the state to start a municipal aggregator electricity supply program. Residents voted in 2023 to allow Ashfield to purchase electricity in bulk from an Eversource competitor to stabilize electricity prices and increase the renewable energy in its supply.





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 Jan. 16 to Feb. 2, 2025
2:31 p.m. - Party calling about witnessing a vehicle all over the road on Templeton Road, almost hitting another vehicle head-on after crossing lanes. Officer spoke with operator and passenger. No sign of impairment. Operator stated he dropped a cigarette and was picking it up off the vehicle floor.




Arts & Life

Speaking of Nature: Opportunity taken: Omnivorous scavengers eat just about anything during the tough months of winter
Last week I regaled you with a story about a red-tailed hawk. This bird kept showing up in my yard and forlornly staring out across my back yard in the hopes of finding something to eat. At the time, the problem was one of precipitation, or, rather, the precise combination of temperature and precipitation. Snow, followed by rain, followed by prolonged temperatures below freezing had resulted in a landscape that was covered by a thick shell of ice.
Obituaries

ORANGE, MA - Christopher T Colo, 64, of Dexter St, Orange passed away on March 1st peacefully at his home after a period of declining health due to Alzheimer's dementia. He was born in Athol on January 7, 1961, and was the son of Marie... remainder of obit for Christopher T. Colo

Rene' A. (Ferrara) Lake-Gagliardi ATHOL, MA - René Angela (Ferrara) Lake-Gagliardi passed away peacefully at her home on Monday, January 20, 2025, surrounded by her loving family: daughter, Angelina (Lake) Sutherland; son, Anthony Lake; ... remainder of obit for Rene' A. Lake-Gagliardi

Marilyn P. (Perry) McIntosh ATHOL, MA - Marilyn P. (Perry) McIntosh, 94, of Winter Street, died early Thursday morning, February 27, 2025 at Athol Hospital. Born in Greenfield on April 30, 1930, she was the daughter of Clarence and Blan... remainder of obit for Marilyn P. McIntosh

ATHOL, MA - ATHOL- Fritz W. Ledford, 98, of Wellington Street, died late Monday evening, February 24, 2025 at Life Care of Leominster. Born in Ducktown, Tennessee on November 13, 1926, he was the son of the late Elmer I. and Edith M. (... remainder of obit for Fritz W. Ledford