Northampton News

John Tesh continues to surprise folks. Entertainment news junkies first fell in love with the charming co-host of "Entertainment Tonight," when he joined the daily TV series in 1986.

By FRED CONTRADA fcontrada@repub.com NORTHAMPTON - A former fire captain, his wife and their son pleaded guilty Thursday to their roles in a drinking party that led to the death of a young man who had just left their home.

Joe's Cafe Spaghetti and Pizza House on Market Street in Northampton. By FRAN BELLAMY Currently celebrating its 70th anniversary, Joe's Cafe may be the closest thing Northampton has to a townie hangout.

Art-rock trio Gang Gang Dance named its latest album, Saint Dymphna , after the patron saint of mental illness, epilepsy, and incest.

Disgraced financier Bernard Madoff's frauds have cost the Center for Public Representation in Northampton $540,000 in expected grant money and will likely force the closure of a program that helps children in the juvenile justice system get the mental-health treatment they need.

Massachusetts has already approved $187.4 million in highway and mass-transportation projects funded by the massive federal stimulus bill, besting its goal of approving $153.2 million in projects by Monday, June 29.

By DAN RING dring@repub.com BOSTON - One of the state's top child support delinquents on Monday agreed to pay the mother of his son $15,000 as part of a settlement that allowed him to go free.

Trans Rights marchers in Northampton, Mass., June 2008 The " Transgender Rights and Hate Crimes Bill " is once again pending in the Massachusetts legislature, now with an astonishing 104 sponsors .

A Springfield man was arrested overnight at a Hampshire County bar after a fight got out of control.

Nearly two years after getting city approval for the project, the developers of the Hilton Garden Inn say they are finally ready to break ground.

Cracks are becoming crevasses. Potholes are merging with other potholes. Downtown streets are unraveling and so are roads in far-flung reaches of Leeds.

Whenever there is an unattended death, detectives have to treat it like a possible criminal case.

They're walking to find a cure. 22News has been keeping an eye on Hampshire County's Relay for Life.

Police this morning are investigating the death of a man living at a campsite in the Hockanum Meadows near Interstate 91 and the Connecticut River Oxbow.

By DAVID A. VALLETTE dvallette@repub.com NORTHAMPTON - The city is poised to add to its open spaces, with four properties nearing acquisition, under action taken Thursday night by the Town Council.

A Marine captain-turned-author began a 3,000-mile bicycle trek June 15 that he hopes will be as much an inner journey of the soul as a cross-country campaign to encourage a national conversation on veteran's issues.

With $1 million of override money now slated for city schools, Superintendent Isabelina Rodriguez will present a $26 million budget to School Committee Thursday that preserves 15 to 22 teaching and other school jobs, restores stipends for coaches, and keeps school start and end times the same as this year.

Northampton residents Adrian Staub and Mandy E. Gerry campaign along Conz Street on Tuesday near the polls at the Northampton Senior Center.

By FRED CONTRADA fcontrada@repub.com NORTHAMPTON - A parcel of land in the Meadows could have a new use - community gardening.

Voters will have their chance to decide on a $2 million Proposition 2-1/2 override when they go to the polls on Tuesday.