In May of 1944, a 100-pound practice bomb dropped from a military training flight landed in the lot behind the Kempkes home on North Main Street in Belchertown. Filled with sand and dropped from more than 2,000 feet, the bomb missed the house by roughly 300 feet. Based on a report from the Belchertown Sentinel, this episode tells the story of a little-known moment when World War II quite literally reached a Belchertown backyard.

If you or your family lived on North Main Street in the 1940s, or if the Kempkes name is familiar to you, we’d like to hear from you. Local history often lives in personal stories long after the headlines fade. Visit Belchertown 360 or reach out to share memories, documents, or photos connected to this incident.

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In this episode, we unpack what really happened at the December 1st Select Board meeting—from opioid settlement decisions and student leadership funding to financial forecasting, noise issues, and everything in between.

Belchertown is facing one of its toughest financial challenges yet—a $2.1 million school budget shortfall. With rising costs, declining enrollment, and a shrinking tax base, the town must decide: raise taxes with a Proposition 2.5 override, cut school programs, or explore regionalization?

In this episode of Belchertown 360, we break down:
🔹 The factors behind the budget crisis
🔹 Heated debates at the Town Meeting over Proposition 2.5
🔹 Whether merging schools with Granby or Palmer could be a solution
🔹 How past financial mismanagement put us in this position
🔹 Ways YOU can get involved in shaping Belchertown’s future

Stay informed, get involved, and help decide what’s next for our town. Tune in now! 🎙️

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Massive budget cuts. School closures. Teacher layoffs. Sports and arts programs on the chopping block.

Belchertown schools are in crisis, facing a $2.1 million budget shortfall that could reshape the entire district. Yet, at a recent school committee meeting, poor audio and confusing financial reports left many residents in the dark.

In this episode, we break down:
🔹 Why Swift River Elementary (SRE) is closing—and what it means for students.
🔹 How Belchertown ranks near the bottom in per-student spending.
🔹 The shocking rise in special education & mental health needs.
🔹 Hidden costs like Smith Voc & Pathfinder tuition.
🔹 What the town CAN do—but isn’t doing—to fix this.

This isn’t just about 2025—it’s about the future of our schools. If nothing changes, we’ll be right back in this same crisis next year. So, what’s the plan? Is a Proposition 2.5 override inevitable? Can sponsorships and school choice close the gap?

Listen now and find out what’s REALLY happening—before it’s too late.

Episode Description – Belchertown 360 (Feb 24, 2025)

In this week’s episode of Belchertown 360, we break down three key meetings that could shape the future of our town.

• Select Board Meeting: Discussion on the town’s $400,000 budget shortfall, concerns over low public participation in planning surveys, and the potential economic benefits of the Mass Central Rail Trail project.
• Rebranding Committee Meeting: Updates on efforts to redefine Belchertown’s image, including a new slogan, website improvements, and marketing strategies.
• Energy & Sustainability Committee Meeting: Progress on climate action planning, an expanded EV charger network, heat pump adoption incentives, and the Electrify Belchertown initiative.

We also provide an overview of the town meetings scheduled for next week and discuss the upcoming Belchertown Earth Day Fair on April 26, an event focused on sustainability, clean energy, and community engagement.

Stay informed and involved in shaping the future of Belchertown.