A Look Back, May 9

50 Years Ago

■Plans for acquiring state hospital land as the site for a new county jail emerged from last night’s two-hour public hearing only slightly battered despite protests from several local residents that the land should be reserved for recreational purposes.

■A burglar alarm system at Forbes Library paid off last night when police caught two intruders inside the building as they apparently attempted to steal electronic recording equipment. The two intruders did a minor amount of damage during the break as they made their way from the basement to the second floor music listening area, Forbes director James Hazel said today.

25 Years Ago

■After years spent marching away from downtown, organizers of the Northampton Pride March delighted in the fact that on Saturday, the 19th annual procession headed in, not out, of the city. The downtown arrival was a significant symbol of a movement to celebrate and make visible the region’s gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender citizens, according to one march organizer.

■The burning early Saturday of a gay pride banner on the steps of the Unitarian Society of Northampton and Florence, hours before the annual Pride March, produced outrage from community members and a new resolve to combat homophobia. Police said there are no suspects in the incident, which occurred Saturday at 1 a.m. and damaged the banner and the columns in front of the society building at 220 Main St.

10 Years Ago

■The University of Massachusetts is defending its decision that caused the “Focus” public affairs program to be taken off the air of the campus radio station May 3, observing that the potential for a lawsuit outweighed the free-speech implications. A UMass spokesperson said management’s option to turn off transmission of the program hosted by Molly Turner was a matter of caution.

■Local writer Nathaniel Reade of Florence has announced his candidacy for an at-large seat on the Northampton School Committee. Reade, 56, owns a communications business, the Bellows Group, with his wife, Michaela O’Brien, and also works as a freelance writer and journalist.