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Our firefighters take care of us. Courage to confront ultimate hazards is unique to first responders. We reciprocate by trying to assure adequate funding for safety equipment and the means to avert conflagration.

By DOMENIC POLI

WENDELL — The struggle to finalize a Ralph C. Mahar Regional School budget for fiscal year 2026 has spilled into Wendell, where Orange residents and school officials spoke at a Selectboard meeting to advocate for what they want the budget to reflect.

By DOMENIC POLI

WENDELL — Residents voiced concerns about recent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement apprehensions and deportations, and support for a Medicare-for-All system and land conservation, during a town hall-style meeting with the Democrat representing the 7th Hampden District on Monday afternoon.

By ADA DENENFELD KELLY

WENDELL — Before his death in November, Joshua Jay Dostis, better known locally as the politically charged jester Waffles T. Clown, announced his terminal illness in a fashion typical to him, with a communal gathering at the Full Moon Coffeehouse.

I read in newspaper that April 12, 1861 was the “official” start of the American Civil War. It “0fficially” ended some, what, four years later?

WENDELL — Adam Feltman collected 87 votes in his uncontested bid for a three-year Selectboard seat during Monday’s town election.

By ALEXA LEWIS

HOLYOKE — Unperturbed by the rain that pelted their colorful signs, dozens of impassioned community members hailing from cities and towns across the region gathered in song and frustration to protest state clean energy siting practices they think will be more harmful to the environment than helpful.

Thank you, Gene Stamell, for a wonderful My Turn column about my favorite punctuation, the semicolon! For many years I have edited my children’s writing and now that of my grandchildren, even friends and colleagues, all along educating them about the use of the semicolon to clarify and dress up a sentence, bringing crispness and elan to prose writing. You provided a great deal of information new to me about the semicolon’s history and current usage. I appreciate your amusing column which I do not find “rather trivial“; I love the semicolon!

By DOMENIC POLI

WENDELL — Adam Feltman has never served on a municipal board or committee. But that will soon change as long as there are no surprises in Monday’s election.

Addressing climate change is a high priority, both for the governor, and for the human family. But how it is addressed is also important. We in western Massachusetts are stewards of a bio-diverse landscape with rich farmland and a treasury of beautiful vistas.

NEW SALEM — Julie Stepanek’s ukulele lessons at the New Salem Public Library last month proved to be such a success that she has been invited back for “Learn Ukulele (Part 2)” on Thursday, May 1.

By DOMENIC POLI

WENDELL — The citizens group that formed in 2023 in opposition to a since-withdrawn proposal for a 105-megawatt battery storage facility plans to present clean energy siting suitability findings to state policymakers in Holyoke on May 5.

By DOMENIC POLI

WENDELL — With the Selectboard’s approval in hand, the town will use $5,580 from its D.A.R.E. account to replace the police substation’s router.

International Children’s Book Day was celebrated on April 2. “Research shows that children whose parents read to them every day are exposed to at least 290,000 more words by the time they enter kindergarten than kids who aren’t read to regularly.” This fact was found at https://www.earthday.org/libraries-where-books-go-to-party/ as part of that celebration. Former President Ronald Reagan said, “The library is the delivery room for the birth of ideas, a place where history comes to life.” Lifelong learning, for free, is available at our public libraries. I remember the words of our dear friend and library supporter, Margo Culley, who called our greatly appreciated local library, the Wendell Free Library, “Wendell U,” for “Wendell University,” as it is the learning place for residents of all ages.

By DOMENIC POLI

ORANGE — With three members absent for various reasons, the Mahar School Committee on Wednesday approved a 4% budget increase for the next school year.

By DOMENIC POLI

WENDELL — Walk into Kelly Tyler’s new office at 9 Morse Village Road and you’ll see some large pieces of paper on the wall, serving as a reminder of the short-term and long-term projects handled by the town coordinator.

In response to Nelson Schiffrett’s April 2 letter, “Lead and we will follow,” go to Jessica Craven’s “Chop Wood, Carry Water” website, which is published every day with a list of things that one can do to counteract the Trump administration’s antics. The list includes letters to write, people to call and what to say, petitions to sign and information about public demonstrations. It is very uplifting and inspiring to read these posts and take some small action. It has improved my mental health. And today’s news gives me heart that Schiffett and I are not alone. The tide is just beginning to turn!

WENDELL — Gail Mason will convene the first event in the 2025 “Honoring Elders” series at the Wendell Meetinghouse on Tuesday, April 8, with Karen and Michael Idoine as the honorees. The event is scheduled to start at 6:30 p.m.

By CHRIS LARABEE

Three Franklin County libraries will offer increased accessibility resources for patrons with disabilities thanks to grants from the American Library Association’s Libraries Transforming Communities: Accessible Small and Rural Communities program.

By DOMENIC POLI

WENDELL — Have you ever looked back at a crossroads in your life and wondered if you should have handled something differently?