LONGMEADOW — In the fall of 2020, amidst the coronavirus pandemic and political upheaval, the Longmeadow Pride Alliance took to the Town Green to host its first celebration of LGBTQ+ people and their belonging in the wider community.

SPRINGFIELD — What started out as a dream and a drawing on their daughter’s tablet has turned into a reality for Isaac and Nancy Reyes.

SPRINGFIELD — Ward 1 City Councilor Maria Perez is taking legal action against her former workmates at New North Citizens Council for what she claims — among other things — was a “wrongful termination” from her job as chief of housing programs.

NORTHAMPTON — Aug. 7 was National Purple Heart Day and the Northampton Veterans Council led a gathering at Memorial Hall in honoring the recipients of America’s oldest military decoration.

AGAWAM — Mayor Christopher Johnson provided a bevy of updates to the Agawam City Council during its Aug. 4 regular meeting, including where the town stands on major undertakings.

SPRINGFIELD — It was standing room only at the UMass Henry M. Thomas Center at Tower Square in Springfield as city residents, those from neighboring Longmeadow and other communities listened to Eversource representatives present their plans to build a natural gas pipeline.

WEST SPRINGFIELD — The paws will hit the pavement to support cancer survivors on Aug. 22 as the nonprofit Each Moment We’re Alive hosts its sixth annual Canines Against Cancer at the Morgan Road Pavilion in West Springfield.

The Somers Little League Junior All Stars team etched their names in local history this summer, claiming their first-ever state championship and making a strong showing at the East Region tournament in Pennsylvania. For Assistant Coach Ryan White and the entire Somers community, the win was more than a milestone — it was the result of years of hard work, perseverance, and deep-rooted camaraderie.

EAST LONGMEADOW — East Longmeadow is a rural town and while farms selling blueberries or apples and other produce are fairly familiar, farms with an array of livestock are less common. Farms where the public can snuggle with goats, ride a horse and learn husbandry are rare.