Latest News



‘A pope of hope’: Local Catholic community remembers Pope Francis
A wave of mourning rolled through the local Catholic community on Monday following the news of Pope Francis’ death at the age of 88.

Mini Game Con this weekend at Athol Library
ATHOL – From the classic to the contemporary, gaming fans will have plenty to choose from at Mini Game Con 2025, this Friday and Saturday at Athol Public Library.
Most Read






Editors Picks




Sports

HS Roundup: Smith Vocational baseball pulls ahead late to defeat Franklin Tech, 6-3
NORTHAMPTON — A fast start by the Smith Vocational baseball team proved to be too much for Franklin Tech to overcome on Tuesday at Arcanum Field.
Opinion

Columnist Judy Wagner: April showers of protest
It’s not possible to protest the weather. March is officially the unsettled lion/lamb month, so we mostly give it a pass. With April we attempt to gloss over its tendency to be damp (“April showers bring May flowers”); still frustration builds after some number of grey and chill days with only a few bedraggled daffodils brave enough to show their faces. On top of the more familiar seasonal anomalies, we are hearing about many “out of season” events — too much rain, twisters, snow and sleet — all vagaries related to climate disruption. While we may feel like sounding off, we know we won’t find much relief hollering into the wind.





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, March 1 – March 17, 2025
12:40 a.m. - Party over 911 stating he believes his wife has an infection in her mouth and is in a lot of pain. When reporting party was advised dispatch would be sending an ambulance, he declined.




Arts & Life

Speaking of Nature: Fascinated by ferns: Ferns figured out how to say goodbye to the aquatic environment hundreds of millions of years ago
It was a morning in early April and Nature was playing tricks on us. The weather had been cold and raw for days, but then suddenly there was a break from the trend and the temperature soared into the high 60s. There was no threat of rain, but there was a blanket of high clouds shielding us from direct sunlight. It was bright without any shadows – perfect conditions for photography.
Obituaries

Greenfield, MA - Dale A. Berry, 82 passed on February 27th 2025 of an illness at Baystate Franklin hospital. Born in Lyndonville, Vermont on September 25th 1942 to Maynard and Arlene (Jesseman) Berry. He was one of 11 brothers and siste... remainder of obit for Dale A. Berry

ERVING, MA - Barbara A. Bacigalupo-Sawicki, 57, of North Street, died early Thursday morning, April 10, 2025 at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield. Born in Montague on May 13, 1967, she was the daughter of Daniel E. and Minnie E... remainder of obit for Barbara A. Bacigalupo-Sawicki

Templeton, MA - Irene Annie (Pietrowsky) Cullen, went home to be with the Lord on March 29, 2025, at Alliance Health at Baldwinville, in Templeton, MA. Irene was born on May 14, 1932, in Athol, MA to Walter and Mary (Szymcik) Pietrowsky... remainder of obit for Irene A. Cullen

TURNERS FALLS, MA - Cicely M. Sawin, 48, of J Street, died on Tuesday, April 1, 2025 at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield following an illness. Born in Greenfield on February 13, 1977, she was the daughter of Larry and Sharon (... remainder of obit for Cicely M. Sawin