A Look Back, Nov. 14

50 Years Ago

■The Hampshire County Commission last night voted to build a new county jail on land at Northampton State Hospital. Construction of the new jail facility will not begin before July 1976, according to David Musante, chairman of the county commissioners.

■The Croteau block on Pleasant Street has been sold for $80,000. The well-known block, which houses two popular eating and drinking establishments, Sheehan’s bar and the St. Regis Restaurant, was purchased yesterday by Kenneth E. Gagne and Joseph Gagne Jr. of Haydenville, and Radley R. Nutting of Florence.

25 Years Ago

■Four elderly sisters in the area will receive $61,000 the state is returning to them from four bank accounts their father left them long ago. The four sisters — three of whom are moderately to severely disabled and the youngest of whom is in her 70s — all live together in the Northampton area. They want their names and addresses kept private, according to their lawyer.

■More than a year after it met with resistance from some residents, a National Guard anti-drug, anti-violence program got under way last month at the JFK Middle School. Called Operation Challenge, the program seeks to build leadership, decision-making and conflict resolution skills. The program is one of several after-school activities offered at the school this fall.

10 Years Ago

■Frontier Regional School students Angela Self and Caitlin Burnett, both of Conway, have been appointed to represent Franklin County on the Governor’s Statewide Youth Council. The young women will be sworn in during a ceremony at the Statehouse on Friday and begin working immediately.

■A day after being ordered to cease operations immediately, the Northampton Business Improvement District asked a Hampshire Superior Court judge for extra time to “wind up its affairs” such as settling contracts, paying employees and performing other tasks.