By CHRIS COLLINS
(undated) — The first big thunderstorm of the spring season tore through Western Mass. yesterday afternoon, knocking out power to thousands temporarily. Outages were reported locally in Amherst, Conway, Montague, Bernardston and a number of other communities in Hampden and Berkshire counties. A number of towns reported trees and power lines down. Leyden and Bernardston had large trees fall and block roadways, as did Pelham, where two roads were impacted by falling branches.