News
2 days ago in National
Trump executive order tries to rename the Department of Defense as the Department of War
President Donald Trump signed an executive order Friday aiming to rebrand the Department of Defense as the Department of War — a long-telegraphed move aimed at projecting American military toughness around the globe.
2 days ago in Sports
MLB’s regular season enters its final 3 weeks. Here’s a look at the playoff picture and awards races
The 2025 season has produced a surprising show of parity through the first five months of the regular season. While most of the league's big spenders — teams like the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees and New York Mets — are in good position to make the playoffs and do damage in October, they haven't been as dominant as many expected.
2 days ago in Entertainment, Music
This year’s song of the summer is a ballad, not a banger. Here’s what that says about us
For the past 14 weeks and counting, the top Billboard spot has been held by a love ballad: Alex Warren's "Ordinary." As Berklee College of Music professor and forensic musicologist Joe Bennett notes, the February release is "a fair bit slower than the mean average for the Hot 100, or for a historical song of the summer."
2 days ago in Sports
Defending champion Eagles edge Cowboys 24-20 in wild, lightning-delayed NFL season opener
Through spit and rain, a ceremony and a setback, Jalen Hurts and the Super Bowl champion Eagles weathered the storm and showed why they're again a favorite to hoist a second straight Lombardi Trophy.
2 days ago in Sports
Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka will face Amanda Anisimova in the U.S. Open women’s final
On Saturday, when she faces No. 8 Amanda Anisimova in the final, the No. 1-seeded Sabalenka will be trying to become the first woman to claim consecutive championships at Flushing Meadows since Serena Williams got three in a row from 2012 to 2014.
2 days ago in Entertainment
Julia Roberts, Anna Wintour, Ralph Lauren and more pay tribute to Giorgio Armani
Italian fashion designer Giorgio Armani's work spanned the worlds of celebrity, fashion and power. His death announced Thursday at age 91 has elicited an outpouring of tributes.
2 days ago in Entertainment
Al Roker lends his voice and meteorology skills to the new PBS Kids animated show ‘Weather Hunters’
This fall, everyone's favorite weatherman is getting a kick out of launching his own educational cartoon TV show — "Weather Hunters," which premieres Monday on PBS Kids.
High School Football Week 1
SOUTH DEERFIELD, MA (FRANKLIN COUNTY NOW) — The 2025 High School Football season kicks off locally on Friday, with three…
$180K awarded for Greenfield Electric Light & Power Dam improvements
The Connecticut River Conservancy has been awarded $180,000 for the Greenfield Electric Light & Power Dam improvement project.
Candidate meet and greet Saturday ahead of primary election
A candidate meet and greet event will be held this Saturday morning ahead of the September 9th primary election.
Montague Cultural Council seeking applications for next round of funding
The Montague Cultural Council has opened the application period for the next round of grant funding through the Massachusetts Cultural Council and local matching funds.
Parking enforcement suspended in downtown Athol
The Athol Selectboard voted this week to temporarily make downtown parking free in metered spots for at least the next two weeks as construction downtown in the Lord Pond Plaza is resulting in increased parking needs on Main Street and Exchange Street.
Schools respond to concerns around student information sharing
Concerns were raised by families of Greenfield Public Schools after a photo of a school form from a back-to-school packet circulated across the internet stating that due to a “new law” schools would be sharing junior and senior student names, address and phone number with military recruiters unless parents complete the form to opt out.
3 days ago in Entertainment, Music
Justin Bieber announces ‘Swag ll’ will arrive Friday
Never say never... again? In July, Justin Bieber surprised fans by releasing his seventh studio album, "Swag," hours after he teased it on billboards and social media posts. It turns out, he wasn't done yet. On Thursday morning, Bieber shared that "Swag II" will arrive on Friday.
3 days ago in Entertainment, Trending
Giorgio Armani, who dressed the powerful and famous from boardroom to Hollywood, dies at 91
Giorgio Armani, the iconic Italian designer who turned the concept of understated elegance into a multibillion-dollar fashion empire, died Thursday, his fashion house confirmed. He was 91.
3 days ago in Sports
For decades, US Open women’s champs got a smaller replica trophy than the men. Now they’re equal
Coco Gauff was surprised at how much tinier the replica trophy she got to keep after winning this year's French Open was than the trophy she posed with on court at Roland-Garros for all the world to see. She even did a TikTok about the discrepancy, drawing more than 2 million views.
3 days ago in National
Trump will host top tech CEOs except Musk at a White House dinner
President Donald Trump will host a high-powered list of tech CEOs for a dinner at the White House on Thursday night. The guest list is set to include Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates, Apple CEO Tim Cook, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and a dozen other executives from the biggest artificial intelligence and tech firms, according to the White House.
3 days ago in Lifestyle
Moms’ careers and personal time are hit hard by school drop-off demands, a poll finds
About one-third of parents say taking their kids to school has caused them to miss work, according to the poll. Roughly 3 in 10 say they've been prevented from seeking or taking work opportunities. And 11% say school transportation has even caused them to lose a job.
3 days ago in Sports
Angel Reese voices frustration with Chicago Sky’s losing season
The two-time WNBA All-Star told the Chicago Tribune that she "might have to move in a different direction and do what's best for me" if the team doesn't improve its outlook.
3 days ago in Lifestyle, Trending
Powerball jackpot jumps to $1.7 billion after another night without a big winner
The Powerball jackpot has jumped to an eye-popping $1.7 billion, after yet another drawing passed without a big winner Wednesday. The numbers selected were: 3, 16, 29, 61 and 69, with the Powerball number being 22.