Russell Public Library opens ‘Library of Things’ - The Reminder
RUSSELL — Need some new early childhood toys to try out? Want yard games for an outdoor event? Have a tool you need for one job only?| The Reminder
RUSSELL — Need some new early childhood toys to try out? Want yard games for an outdoor event? Have a tool you need for one job only?| The Reminder
BLANDFORD — At an informational meeting on Sept. 20, the Porter Memorial Library building committee presented the plans for the library’s expansion which are nearing completion.| The Reminder
WESTFIELD — With a little less than a month remaining before the Nov. 4 municipal election, candidates’ signs are starting to fill in on residents’ lawns alongside the falling leaves.| The Reminder
RUSSELL — Elizabeth Hanechak, 18, of Russell has been awarded a $100,000 scholarship for her project, “Solving the Plastic Problem: Developing a Microbial System for the Bioremediation of Plastic Waste into Drinkable Water and Fertilizer Material.”| The Reminder
The Gray Catbird Gift Shop at 22 East Main St. in Huntington, which opened next door from its previous location over the summer under new owner Sherri Church, has had to close for the foreseeable future due to smoke damage from a fire incident.Reminder Publishing photo by Amy Porter HUNTINGTON — Only a few short […]| The Reminder
WESTFIELD — City Clerk Kaitlyn Bruce said in less than 24 hours after announcing the kickoff for the 2026 Top Dog competition, she already received 15 entries.| The Reminder
WESTFIELD — On Sept. 11, 2025, at both the 10 a.m. remembrance at the Westfield Fire Department on 34 Broad St. and the 11 a.m. service in 9/11 Memorial Park, one message was shared by all of the speakers: Westfield will never forget.| The Reminder
CHESTER — The Southern Hilltowns Adult Education Center in Chester has released the September class offering schedule. SHAEC’s classes, which are funded by a Community Development Block Grant, are free and open to residents of Chester, Huntington, Russell and Middlefield.| The Reminder
CHESTER — Andrew Alward, 27, has started as the new town administrator for Chester, replacing former state senator and representative Donald Humason Jr., who served the town as administrator for the past three years.| The Reminder
WESTFIELD — The theme of the Overdose Awareness Vigil on Aug. 28 was “Forget Me Not,” honoring those lost to overdose, but the message from the speakers directed to family members and people struggling with addiction was “You are not alone.”| The Reminder
WESTFIELD — The Blessed Buys Thrift Shoppe gifted proceeds of $1,200 from its third anniversary sale to the Westfield Food Pantry last week. So far this year, the thrift store, located in the Old Town Hall at 20 Broad St., has given almost $5,000 to other nonprofits in Westfield.| The Reminder
WESTFIELD — The final vote by the City Council to approve the fiscal year 2026 budget took only a few minutes out of the special meeting hosted in the Westfield Senior Center on June 30.| The Reminder
WESTFIELD — Westfield Technical Academy Principal Bruce Hastings and Assistant Principal Kevin Dailey could not contain their excitement after internet technology graduate Brady LePage brought back a second-in-a-row gold medal win for Internet of Things: Smart Home technology from the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference competition in Atlanta, Georgia, June 23-27.| The Reminder
WESTFIELD — Amelia Park Arena General Manager Billy Fellows is looking for more players and sponsors for the Arena’s first Golf Tournament presented by Westfield Gas & Electric to celebrate the nonprofit community facility’s 25th anniversary, on Saturday, Aug. 16, at 1 p.m. at the East Mountain Country Club.| The Reminder
WESTFIELD — Mayor Michael McCabe presented the fiscal year 2026 budget of $163.8 million for review to the City Council at its meeting on June 5.| The Reminder
Fort Meadow PTO President and paraprofessional Mariana Sullivan with student Luka Farneth.Reminder Publishing photos by Amy Porter WESTFIELD — The final-ever day of preschool at Fort Meadow Early Childhood Center was hosted on June 10, followed by an end-of-year family picnic on June 11, and a Parent Teachers Organization “Farewell Fort Meadow” celebration on June […]| The Reminder
WESTFIELD — At the completion of the second year of the “Past Meets Present” project, Westfield High School 10th graders who had teamed up with residents of Armbrook Village came to the assisted living community for a wrap-up and lunch with their new senior friends.| The Reminder
HUNTINGTON — Gateway Regional Superintendent Kristen Smidy announced this week that she has accepted a position as an associate director at the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, the recognized accrediting body for schools and colleges in New England.| The Reminder
Mary Krol of Westfield, a Hilltown Safety at Home Victim Advocate, received the 2025 Advocate of the Year Award from the Mass. Office for Victim Assistance and the Victim & Witness Assistance Board on May 5.| The Reminder
WESTFIELD — On June 4, the residents of Armbrook Village were seated outdoors, and honored guests Mayor Michael McCabe and state Sen. John Velis were in attendance as resident Harriet Gilman walked to the front of the gathering for her 104th birthday party.| The Reminder
WESTFIELD — On March 28, Race Director Harry Rock met up with John and Laurie Raymaakers at Half-Mile Park in Westfield to accept a check for $5,000 from ROAR Landscaping Supply, a subsidiary of J. L. Raymaakers & Sons, the top sponsor for the 70th running of the Westfield River Wildwater Races on April 19.| The Reminder
WESTFIELD — The BESS would charge with power from the electric grid during periods when there is excess energy and deliver power back onto the electric grid during times when there is a higher need for electricity. The BESS would charge with power from the electric grid during periods when there is excess energy and deliver power back onto the electric grid during times when there is a higher need for electricity.| The Reminder
WESTFIELD — The Blessed Buys Thrift Shoppe recently donated a portion of its quarterly profits, $1,000, to the Kinship Fund at Westfield High School. The thrift store is a project of the First Congregational Church on 18 Broad St.| The Reminder
WESTFIELD — Twenty-four students, some individually and some in teams, showcased their talents at the Region 1 Science Fair on March 7 at Western New England University.| The Reminder
HUNTINGTON — In honor of the 70th running of the Westfield River Wildwater Races, the race committee is hosting a series of talks on three Thursday evenings in Stanton Hall, celebrating the past, present and future of the Westfield River.| The Reminder
HUNTINGTON — During a lightly attended public hearing on the proposed fiscal year 2025-26 budget of $18.25 million for Gateway Regional Schools, Superintendent Kristen Smidy said the figure represents a 1.57% increase over last year’s budget.| The Reminder
WESTFIELD — Although all 13 of the Allied Health students recognized in Westfield Technical Academy’s 18th annual CNA pinning ceremony on Feb. 14 have received their certificates as certified nursing assistants, their future goals in the health profession are diverse.| The Reminder
WESTFIELD — The colleen who will represent Westfield in the Holyoke St. Patrick’s Day Parade on March 23 and in activities throughout the year is Jillian Battles, 17, a senior at Westfield High School. Members of her court are Jaiden Caban, McKenna Clark, Madison LeClair and Isabella Proietti. The colleen and her court were selected in a two-day interview process, culminating at the Sons of Erin Colleen Ball on Feb. 7.| The Reminder
WESTFIELD — Jill Keenan, Westfield High School English teacher and WHS Community Closet coordinator, recently spoke to the Westfield Education to Business Alliance about the success and continued needs of the closet, which provides needed items to students, faculty and staff at the school at no charge.| The Reminder
CHESTER — On Nov. 22, David Pierce, president of the Chester Foundation, brought the Chester Railway Station and its history, in the form of a G Scale train set, to Chester Elementary School.| The Reminder
WESTFIELD — During Finance Director Shannon Barry’s monthly report to the School Committee on Dec. 2, Barry said there is an unexpected deficit of over $1.5 million in special education and transportation in this year’s budget, largely due to several out-of-district placements that came in after the budget was approved in April.| The Reminder
