A Look Back, April 22

50 Years Ago

• Big Y Foods, Inc., has set in motion the mechanism that apparently will lead to a request for a zoning change to allow construction of a shopping center on 8.2 acres of land off Route 10. Only two weeks ago Big Y withdrew a request for a zoning variance pending before the zoning board of appeals, claiming there was “too much political pressure” on the ZBA.
• The Northampton Teachers Association last week elected Michael Mahar Jr., a social studies teacher at the high school, president. He replaces Roger W. Clapp. Other new NTA officers are Robert Polhemus, vice president; Joan Tobin, treasurer; William Hanifan, recording secretary; and Margaret Tudryn, corresponding secretary.

25 Years Ago

• Aiming to protect the Mount Holyoke and Mount Tom ranges from over-development, landowners and local politicians have pledged to create a master plan, inventory wildlife, improve trail systems and establish consistent zoning laws in the towns that are home to the ranges. These goals emerged during a “Summit on the Range” conference Saturday.
• The current acting director of the Department of Public Works is likely to be appointed to the position permanently at a meeting Wednesday. George Andrikidis, a 30-year veteran of the department, got support from city councilors last week when they voted to recommend him for the post.

10 Years Ago

• Tennessee Gas Pipeline Co.’s $5 billion Northeast Energy Direct project, which would have cut across eight towns in Franklin County as well as Plainfield in Hampshire County, was canceled Wednesday “as a result of inadequate commitments from prospective customers.” The announcement surprised many of the hundreds of people who for months have built a cascading opposition to the natural gas pipeline.
• The Easthampton City Council on Wednesday gave its support to bills being considered by state lawmakers that would expand protections for transgender people. The Senate and House bills would prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender identity in public accommodations — meaning it would be illegal to prohibit a transgender woman from using a women’s restroom in public places.