u/Valuable_Attention20

Huzzah!

Ward 3, Union Street

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There's been a bear wandering about. Make sure to sing a skunk song when you walk at night.

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by Trent Levakis | Jun 11, 2026 | Hampshire County, Local News, Northampton

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Northampton is the winner of the 2026 Terrific Tray of the Year award for its school lunch tray featuring the new field fritter developed by CommonWealth Kitchen, with peas grown in Maine, accompanied by carrots grown in Hadley, apples from New York, lettuce from Shirley, and tzatziki and allergen-free hummus.

Photo credit: Northampton Public Schools / DESE

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NORTHAMPTON — On the heels of the National School Lunch Program’s 80th anniversary, the Northampton Public Schools has been named winner of the state’s 2026 “Terrific Tray” award.

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The highlight goes to school districts that offer outstanding nutritious, locally-sourced free school meals with the help of federal and state support. Northampton has been awarded this year thanks to its new field pea fritter meal, which was developed by CommonWealth Kitchen with peas grown in Maine, accompanied by carrots grown in Hadley, apples from New York, lettuce from Shirley, tzatziki and allergen-free hummus.

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CommonWealth Kitchen is a nonprofit food-business incubator located in Dorchester focused on building an inclusive, equitable and sustainable food economy.

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“Congratulations to Northampton Public Schools on being named this year’s Terrific Tray of the Year winner, and thank you to all of the school nutrition professionals across Massachusetts who work every day to keep students healthy and ready to learn,” said Gov. Maura Healey.

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Massachusetts is proud to have made universal free school meals permanent in our state, which helps students succeed in the classroom and also creates opportunities for local farmers. This recognition highlights the incredible partnerships that make nutritious, locally-sourced meals possible for children across our state.”

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Healey and the state legislature made universal free school meals permanent in 2023. Since then, schools like Northampton’s have seen increased meal participation and reduced stigma around school meals, according to Healey, who added that greater financial stability has allowed schools to use fresher foods and get creative with their menus.

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Northampton Public Schools Nutrition Director Mistelle Hannah said it was exciting for she and her team to be honored with this recognition, because it reflects the efforts they’ve made to improve district offerings.

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“Northampton Public Schools Nutrition Department, we’ve been working really hard to increase our local purchasing and making sure there’s more fresh fruits and vegetables accessible to students every day in both breakfast and lunch, and just overall trying to improve the program over the past several years,” said Hannah. For this school year alone, according to Hannah, almost 30% of all district meal offerings were locally sourced, a huge increase from the less than 1% of locally sourced items offered in 2018.

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Sponsored by DESE’s Office for Food and Nutrition Programs and Massachusetts Farm to School, the Terrific Tray competition invites school nutrition programs to submit a photo of visually-appealing, culturally-relevant menus that include foods sourced from regional farms, dairies and fisheries. Each month’s winner receives $2,500 from the Henry P. Kendall Foundation to reinvest in their school nutrition program and is featured on social media. The public votes on a winner from among the monthly honorees.

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Hannah added that this was the first year the district got involved in the Terrifc Tray competition and it has been great to have their filed pea fritter dish highlighted. Members of Northampton’s school food service program, Freshampton, were presented with the Terrific Tray award at the statewide Healthy Kids, Healthy Programs Summit last month.

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“On a state level, they’re really trying to highlight districts that are doing this type of work. That being sourcing locally, culturally relevant meals, things that are healthy, visually appealing, fresh, all those things,” Hannah said. “It’s a product that we really love. It’s a field pea fritter that is made in Massachusetts at the CommonWealth Kitchen. And then every day, we’re offering local carrots, local apples and local lettuce. We grow lettuce hydroponically … We felt very proud of that tray. Even though it kind of from [photo] perspective looks a little bland, its actually quite unique and its delicious, the kids love it.”

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The tray was recognized by the state in November as that month’s winner, and this “Terrific Tray” 2026 honor was awarded to the district following a public vote on the monthly recognitions from the school year.

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“I truly believe in that a healthy community is the start in trying to keep things as local as possible, and helping our local farmers and producers is definitely part of that healthy community aspect. As far as our journey, we’ve just been biting off really small chunks until we’ve gotten to where we’re at,” said Hannah.

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In addition, DESE and Massachusetts Farm to School launched the Northeast Food for Schools Challenge, a statewide initiative that encourages schools to buy more regionally produced food and to participate in a new local food purchase tracking effort to track local food origins and enhance transparency of where school meal ingredients come from.

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According to the state, during this school year, approximately 588,000 students ate lunch and 292,000 ate breakfast every day across the state. Over 12 million lunches and six million breakfasts were served each month.

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“A huge congratulations to our incredible Freshampton team led by Mistelle Hannah,” said Northampton Superintendent Dr. Portia Bonner. “The team’s dedication to the Terrific Trays initiative ensures that healthy, locally sourced, and completely free school meals aren’t just a district goal — they’re a daily reality for our students. We remain committed to nourishing our community’s future, one fresh, delicious tray at a time.”

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Freshampton is the team within the district’s nutrition department and was branded as such back in 2018 in an effort to help raise awareness of the farm to school efforts the district has been making. Hannah said that from their work, they have prioritized student input and feedback in tandem with connecting locally-sourced and nutritious food options to the district in a more accessible fashion.

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“I always try to make sure it’s aware that it’s not just Mistelle Hannah doing this work; we have an amazing team called the Freshampton team because without a really proactive team that’s invested in their students, these things can’t happen,” said Hannah. “So, I think it’s important to give them the kudos as well for the work they do every day, because not a lot of times do the school lunch workers get those kudos they deserve.”

Trent Levakis

tlevakis@thereminder.com | + posts

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gazettenet.com

Fowl play? Wild turkey halts mail delivery in Ward 3 of Northampton

Anthony Cammalleri

5 - 6 minutes

NORTHAMPTON — Neither snow nor rain nor gloom of night can stop the U.S. Postal Service, but a territorial tom turkey has managed to halt mail delivery in Ward 3.

Residents in the neighborhood around Parsons, Market and Cherry streets have not received their mail after a wild turkey has ruffled some feathers, allegedly harassing neighbors and mail couriers.

Marshall Poe has lived in his house on Cherry Street for approximately nine years. He said he has come to know and appreciate his local mail courier and explained that he has almost always been satisfied with his neighborhood’s prompt mail service — until last week, when he did not receive mail for more than two days.

“I contacted the post office to find out, and they said it was an animal control issue, that there was some animal interfering with the delivery of the mail,” Poe said. “They said, ‘Yes, that’s right, and it’s a turkey.'”

Although Poe reported on Wednesday, June 3, that mail delivery has resumed, Animal Control Officer Dawn Ubelaker noted that the turkey has been an intermittent problem in the neighborhood for nearly a year.

Ubelaker explained that while turkeys are not inherently dangerous creatures, this male turkey has reportedly damaged cars by pecking at his own reflection, as well as the roofs of houses. The bird has even reportedly chased people pushing strollers down the street.

After consulting MassWildlife, Ubelaker learned the turkey roosts in the area because neighbors feed him. Consequently, removing the bird would simply invite another turkey to move into the vacant territory.

“We encouraged residents to stop feeding it, because it was just becoming so habituated to people it now doesn’t really have a fear of people anymore,” Ubelaker said, noting that she intends to begin issuing fines to residents caught feeding the turkey. “The situation just seemed to be escalating, where the turkey was at one point cornering the mail carriers on people’s porches and really just causing some legitimate fear. We educated the neighborhood against feeding the turkey and the fact that feeding wildlife in Northampton is a violation of a city ordinance, but it just doesn’t seem to be taking effect.”

It’s the second time in the last year that a turkey has stolen the show in Northampton, after a loner bird named “Sandwich” became something of a local celebrity and a public health hazard after hanging out around Cooley Dickinson Hospital for the better part of a year. In February, a Huntington woman saw Sandwich on her drive home and took it home with her, saying she was concerned for the turkey’s and drivers’ safety.

In Massachusetts, it is illegal to trap and relocate, or move, any live wild animal from one location to another. Even licensed problem animal control agents are restricted from relocating animals.

While Poe explained that he loves animals and does not wish to see anything happen to the turkey, he worries that the bird’s behavior in his Ward 3 neighborhood has put those who have important documents or medication delivered to them through the postal service at risk. He added that since the turkey wanders the street, obstructing vehicles, it poses a safety threat to motorists.

A tom turkey holds up traffic in Ward 3./CONTRIBUTED Credit: CONTRIBUTED

“The turkey wanders around the middle of the street, and the way people drive on Market Street is crazy. They drive really fast, and I have seen people screech to a halt to avoid hitting this turkey,” Poe said. “I’ve seen them dodge out of the way of the turkey, practically to the sidewalk, to keep from hitting it. It’s only a matter of time until somebody has a big accident because of the turkey, and that’s a public safety hazard.”

Ward 3 resident Katy Wight, who lives on Northern Avenue, said that although she has seen the turkey charge USPS trucks, most mail carriers she encountered laughed off the situation as a nuisance rather than a threat.

Still, Wight has witnessed the turkey leading hens into her garden and, on a few occasions, returned home to find the flock perched in her driveway.

“I have encountered him on Market Street, and there are regularly turkeys in my yard, sometimes a lone tom, but sometimes, especially in the fall, there’s a flock of turkeys around with one tom and a bunch of females,” she said. “I have a wildlife camera in my garden and they regularly set it off and sometimes peer right in it.”

Recalling an incident where she had to help a postal worker by chasing the aggressive bird away from a mail truck, Wight admitted she still enjoys having the turkey around. However, she understands why those trying to do their jobs see it as a hassle.

“I kind of love that we have so much wildlife walking around, and I find the turkey amusing,” Wight said. “I don’t feel threatened by him, but yeah, I understand mail carriers are in a different situation.”

A USPS spokesperson could be reached immediately for comment on Wednesday.

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EDIT: upon further review, it looks like this article was pretty poorly written and doesn't reflect the legislation very correctly.

The actual laws will leave class one and two e-bikes essentially as they are.

Class 3 will see some moderate restrictions

Emotos and other extremely fast bikes will now be treated like mopeds.

Sorry for not more deeply questioning the article that I read. And thank you for everyone who gave me better information.

Healey files bill requiring annual registration, insurance for all motorized bicycles in Massachusetts

Tim Dunn

5 - 6 minutes

Speed-riding motorized bicycle enthusiasts in Massachusetts may be hitting the brakes on a new summertime hobby as Beacon Hill is considering new regulations and costs for moped and motorized bicycle users.

Gov. Maura Healey has filed legislation that would require an annual registration, liability insurance, and an official Massachusetts license plate for high speed motorized bicycles in Massachusetts, while also banning the popular products from bike lanes and walking and bike paths.

The legislation also sets a new regulatory framework for lower speed e-bikes, requiring those riders to follow bike lane and other restrictions and making helmets mandatory for riders 16 and under.

The bill, called An Act to Enhance the Safe Use of Micromobility Devices (S. 3077), was filed by Healey on May 4 and will be taken up by the Joint Committee on Transportation on May 28.

“A motorized bicycle shall not be operated upon any way, as defined in section one, within the commonwealth without obtaining an annual registration and sticker or plate bearing a distinctive number, by application as prescribed by the registrar,” Healey’s legislation reads, going on to impose bans on where the higher speed motorized bikes can be used.

“Motorized bicycles shall be excluded from operating on bike lanes and off-street recreational bicycle paths,” it says.

But Healey’s bill dives even deeper into Bay State motorized bike users’ pockets, even requiring them to acquire and pay for liability insurance. The owners will be required to present a certificate with proof of insurance in order to obtain a Massachusetts registration for the so-called “micromobility devices.”

“No motorized bicycle shall be registered under this section unless the application therefor is accompanied by a certificate as defined in section 34A or unless the registrar is otherwise satisfied that the provision of compulsory liability insurance has been met for such applicant and motorized bicycle,” the bill says.

The bill excludes motorized bicycles from bike lanes and off-street recreational bicycle paths, and separately restricts Speed Tier 2 and Speed Tier 3 devices. Speed Tier 0 and Speed Tier 1 devices remain tied to bicycle and electric-bicycle access rules.

Healey’s bill would also require anyone under the age of 16 to wear a helmet while operating or as a passenger on any e-bike. It would also require anyone, including adults, operating or riding as a passenger on any Tier 1-3 e-bike to wear a helmet.

“Micromobility is already a part of how people get to work, school and around their communities, but right now, the rules are unclear and inconsistent,” Healey said in a release announcing the legislation, which she is calling the Ride Safe Act, for short.

“We are seeing too much reckless behavior, more crashes and close calls, and too many people, especially pedestrians and young riders, are at risk. This bill is about protecting people and preventing tragedies before they happen,” she said.

Before the Transportation Committee even takes up the bill, key members are already voicing their support, signaling a potential smooth transition back to the governor’s desk to be signed into law.

“This legislation builds off of the critical work and recommendations of the Special Commission on Micromobility which focused on providing much-needed guidance for our cities and towns, promoting the responsible development of these new transportation options, and improving the safety of all road users,” said Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Transportation Brendan Crighton (D-3rd Essex).

“Micromobility devices are playing an increasingly important role in how people move throughout the Commonwealth, but our laws have not kept pace with this exponentially growing mode of transportation,” added House Chair of the Committee Rep. James Aciero (D-2nd Middlesex).

“I appreciate the Governor filing this important legislation to begin the discussion to build a better and safer transportation network,” he said.

The legislation also calls for a working group consisting of several representatives from MassDOT, DPH, DCR, the Executive Office of Public Safety and other state entities to “develop recommendations for a regulatory scheme and additional legislation for the operation of micromobility devices,” as well as come up with financial penalties for violators along with additional regulations and requirements.

“The working group shall make recommendations for requirements for micromobility registration or identification decal, licensure to operate, clarify the roles of dealers and manufacturers, education, speed restrictions, signage, travel allowances, insurance requirements, fines and penalties and additional operation and safety standards and requirements for micromobility devices,” the bill says.

If passed and signed into law, the legislation would take effect on January 1, 2028.

Gov. Maura Healey (Photo By Matt Stone/Boston Herald, File)

Howdy y'all!

It's that time of the season where everyone's starting to really think about gardening. I thought it might be nice to set up a thread where people can request or offer live plants that they're digging up.

For instance, I'm in the market for some lilac runners if anyone has any they're looking to get rid of.

Likewise, I'd gladly come and pick up some Fern crowds if anyone is clearing out any.