Bri Eichstaedt News Today

EASTHAMPTON — In the wake of two highly contentious public hearings that packed the City Council chambers, At-Large City Councilor Owen Zaret came before the Board of Health Tuesday night to present a proposed ordinance designed to stop deceptive...

EASTHAMPTON — The city’s Health Department has hired Elizabeth “Liz” Plouffe as its first-ever community social worker. Plouffe, who started the new full-time position at the city’s Municipal Building on Monday, will offer support, education and...

EASTHAMPTON — For the second straight year, the city is advising people and their pets to avoid activities such as swimming, fishing and boating on Rubber Thread Pond due to the possible presence of toxic cyanobacteria.Health Director Bri Eichstaedt...

EASTHAMPTON — The drive-thru COVID-19 testing site at Millside Park is transitioning to a walk-up service via a kiosk starting Thursday.The transition comes as the city’s Parks and Recreation Department will begin to use the park more for summer...

EASTHAMPTON — Access to life-saving medication is now available in small, clear-colored boxes at several public locations across the city. Each box contains three nasal spray doses of naloxone — more commonly known by the brand name of Narcan — which...

EASTHAMPTON — Following a steady decrease in positive cases of COVID-19, the city has lifted its mask mandate for indoor public spaces.The Board of Health voted to remove the restriction effective Wednesday. The current mandate has been in place since...

EASTHAMPTON — As COVID-19 cases reach unprecedented levels in the current wave, communities are continuing to conduct contact tracing work for the disease, even as the infrastructure and protocols around the practice have shifted since the early days...

NORTHAMPTON — The city recorded an average of 22 cases of COVID-19 per day and totaled 311 cases in the two weeks prior to Dec. 28, according to the latest data released by the Health Department on Thursday.Also on Thursday, the Massachusetts...

HOLYOKE — This week, COVID-19 testing sites like Holyoke Community College’s Stop the Spread site have been detecting more than the virus that causes COVID-19. With wait times surpassing the three-hour mark, testers are detecting a high level of...

EASTHAMPTON — The city’s Council on Aging and Enrichment Center building is closed to the public for group activities due to the latest surge of COVID-19 cases.Easthampton Health Director Bri Eichstaedt recently announced for the week of Dec. 8 to...