50 Years Ago

• The Northampton License Commission last night approved the transfer of the all-alcoholic license of Zelda Bloomdido Ltc., Inc., to a corporation headed by Atty. Paul T. Ford of Amherst. The license of the two-year-old Masonic Street tavern, which is owned by Scott Guyon of Northampton and Christopher Stokowski of New York City, was transferred to Northampton Restaurant, Inc.
• A new ice cream store, Bart’s Ice Cream Shop, has opened at 249 Main St. on the site of the old Beckman’s Ice Cream Shop, which closed a decade ago. Bart Smith, owner of the new shop, said that the business will specialize in ice cream and related items.

25 Years Ago

• The Nipmuc Indian leaders are negotiating to purchase land on the Massachusetts-Connecticut border for a world-class gambling casino, the Boston Globe reported. The Nipmucs are looking at property along Interstate 84 between Sturbridge and Union, Conn., an anonymous tribal leader told the Globe.
• About 200 people turned out for festivities at the Hampshire Regional YMCA Saturday, a local celebration commemorating the 150th anniversary of the founding of the first YMCA in Boston. A nationally synchronized race was held in the morning, with carnival-type activities held inside during the afternoon.

10 Years Ago

• Paul Bockelman, the director of administration and finance for the Massachusetts Municipal Association, will be Amherst’s sixth permanent town manager. The Select Board voted unanimously Wednesday on a three-year contract with Bockelman. He will begin his new job Aug. 22.
• After meeting in closed session Wednesday, the Forbes Library board of trustees issued a statement detailing its reasons for taking legal action in probate court against the city and citing concerns about altering the will that established the institution. The trustees said their talks with Mayor David Narkewicz broke down in January after City Solicitor Alan Seewald sent the board an opinion concerning library governance.