What’s In This Issue?
Photo: Dreamtime
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ANALYTICS
(numbers in parentheses reflect the + or – change since last week)
Number of Unique Page Views:
Last 30 days: 21,573 (-162)
Last Week: 4731 (-33)
Number of Unique Sessions
Last 30 Days: 9970 (+430)
Last Week: 1706 (-411)
TOP FIVE MOST-READ STORIES LAST WEEK
1. A Primer On Juneteenth by Amilcar and Demetria Shabazz
2. Decision On Site For New Elementary School Expected To Be “Sticky Wicket” by Toni Cunningham
3. A Few Questions For Fire Fighter Nick Chirekos by Kitty Axelson-Berry
4. Town Manager And Community Safety Working Group At Odds Over Next Steps by Art Keene
5. Opinion: Let’s Learn From Our History And Avoid The Same Mistakes. DPW Facility Project Needs Diverse Perspectives At The Planning Table From The Beginning by Maria Kopicki
WHAT”S IN THIS ISSUE?
NEW / BREAKING
Town’s Legal Fees Mount As Amherst Fails To Set Date For Referendum On Library Project by Art Keene
Gallery A3 Reopens July 1
Cooling Center At Bangs
National Pollinator Week. Day 7: Why We Can’t Afford Not To Landscape Naturally by John Root
Letter: Let’s Build – In A Way That’s Good For Amherst! by Pamela Rooney
Letter: Citizens’ Request For Brief Downtown Construction Moratorium Is Reasonable And Should Be Honored By Town Council by Gerald Friedman
National Pollinator Week Day 6: Providing Habitat for Pollinators By John Root
National Pollinator Week Day 5: Know Your Enemies! Identification and Control of Undesirable Vegetation by John Root
ARTS
Gallery A3 Reopens July 1
Culture Club: Striking Up The Anarchestra by William Kaizen
Photo Of The Week. An Indy June Gallery by Art Keene
COVID-19
COVID-19 Weekly Update by Art and Maura Keene
DEMOCRACY
Town’s Legal Fees Mount As Amherst Fails To Set Date For Referendum On Library Project by Art Keene
Town Council Votes To Resume Remote Meetings Until September by Maura Keene
TSO Approves New Surveillance Technology Bylaw. Hears Report On Prospects For Reducing Solid Waste In Amherst by Art Keene
Public Forum On Digital Equity In The Pioneer Valley, June 30
ELECTIONS
Running For Elected Office In Amherst: Nomination Papers Available July 1
ENVIRONMENT/ NATURE
National Pollinator Week. Day 7: Why We Can’t Afford Not To Landscape Naturally by John Root
National Pollinator Week Day 6: Providing Habitat for Pollinators by John Root
National Pollinator Week Day 5: Know Your Enemies! Identification and Control of Undesirable Vegetation by John Root
Energy And Climate Action Committee Presents Town Climate Action Plan by Maura Keene
Almanac: Grand Relics by Stephen Braun
National Pollinator Week Day 4: Establishing Garden Beds And Wildflower Meadows by John Root
National Pollinator Week Day 3: Pollinator Gardens, Pollinator Lawns, and Sidewalk Strips by John Root
National Pollinator Week Day 2 :Think Big! Plant Trees, Shrubs, Vines, And Canes For Pollinators. by John Root
National Pollinator Week is June 21 – June 27. Let’s Make Our Community A Pollinator Haven! by John Root
Photo Of The Week. An Indy June Gallery by Art Keene
EVENTS
Gallery A3 Reopens July 1
Cooling Center At Bangs
It’s Back! Independence Day Children’s Parade And Games On The South Amherst Common – July 3
Community Reading Of Frederick Douglass – July 4 – South Amherst Common by Demetria Shabazz
Public Forum On Digital Equity In The Pioneer Valley, June 30
FEATURES
Almanac: Grand Relics by Stephen Braun
Culture Club: Striking Up The Anarchestra by William Kaizen
National Pollinator Week Day 4: Establishing Garden Beds And Wildflower Meadows by John Root
National Pollinator Week Day 3: Pollinator Gardens, Pollinator Lawns, and Sidewalk Strips by John Root
National Pollinator Week Day 2 :Think Big! Plant Trees, Shrubs, Vines, And Canes For Pollinators. by John Root
National Pollinator Week is June 21 – June 27. Let’s Make Our Community A Pollinator Haven! by John Root
Juvenescence: Graduation Reflections by Annalise Peterson
Photo Of The Week. An Indy June Gallery by Art Keene
Town Manager Report for June 21, 2021
HISTORY
Should The Setback Requirement For Archipelago’s Next Project Be Cut By 50 Percent? by Hilda Greenbaum
Community Reading Of Frederick Douglass – July 4 – South Amherst Common by Demetria Shabazz
OPINION
Letter: Let’s Build – In A Way That’s Good For Amherst! by Pamela Rooney
Letter: Citizens’ Request For Brief Downtown Construction Moratorium Is Reasonable And Should Be Honored By Town Council by Gerald Friedman
Public Comment: This Is What Anti-Racism Looks Like. Fully Fund CSWG Recommendations by Ellisha Wlaker and Brianna Owen
Public Comment: Amherst Sunrise Calls For Rejection Of Proposed Town Budget by Marisol Pierce Bonifaz
Public Comment: Amherst’s Embrace Of Reparations Will Inspire Other Communities To Do The Same by MIchele Miller
Letter: A Longstanding Plea for Better Planning by Ken Rosenthal
Letter: Racism Is A Public Health Problem. Support The Ongoing Work Of The CSWG To Promote Racial Equity In Our Town by Nancy Gilbert
Opinion: Town Council And Its Committees by Meg Gage and Michael Greenebaum
Opinion: Inclusionary Zoning Changes Can Work In Amherst by Gerry Weiss
Opinion: The Struggle for Immigration Justice is Far from Over by Shel Horowitz
PUBLIC HEALTH
COVID-19 Weekly Update by Art and Maura Keene
Amherst Public Health Director Named Commonwealth Heroine
High Bacteria Levels Persist At Amherst Swimming Holes
Letter: Racism Is A Public Health Problem. Support The Ongoing Work Of The CSWG To Promote Racial Equity In Our Town by Nancy Gilbert
SCHOOLS
Can Biden’s Plan Help Amherst Expand Preschool Options? by Toni Cunningham
Special Needs Families May Have Choice On Sibling Enrollment Starting In Fall 2022 by Toni Cunningham
Town Issues Update On Amherst Elementary School Building Project
Public Comment: Amherst Sunrise Calls For Rejection Of Proposed Town Budget By Marisol Pierce Bonifaz
Juvenescence: Graduation Reflections by Annalise Peterson
SOCIAL JUSTICE
Council Approves Funds For Reparations, Debates Funding For Community Responder Program by Maura Keene
Can Biden’s Plan Help Amherst Expand Preschool Options? by Toni Cunningham
Special Needs Families May Have Choice On Sibling Enrollment Starting In Fall 2022 by Toni Cunningham
Public Forum On Digital Equity In The Pioneer Valley, June 30
Public Comment: This Is What Anti-Racism Looks Like. Fully Fund CSWG Recommendations by Ellisha Walker and Brianna Owen
Public Comment: Amherst Sunrise Calls For Rejection Of Proposed Town Budget by Marisol Pierce Bonifaz
Public Comment: Amherst’s Embrace Of Reparations Will Inspire Other Communities To Do The Same by Michele Miller
Letter: Racism Is A Public Health Problem. Support The Ongoing Work Of The CSWG To Promote Racial Equity In Our Town by Nancy Gilbert
Opinion: The Struggle for Immigration Justice is Far from Over by Shel Horowitz
TOWN GOVERNMENT
Town’s Legal Fees Mount As Amherst Fails To Set Date For Referendum On Library Project By Art Keene
Council Approves Funds For Reparations, Debates Funding For Community Responder Program by Maura Keene
Energy And Climate Action Committee Presents Town Climate Action Plan by Maura Keene
Town Council Votes To Resume Remote Meetings Until September by Maura Keene
TSO Approves New Surveillance Technology Bylaw. Hears Report On Prospects For Reducing Solid Waste In Amherst by Art Keene
Should The Setback Requirement For Archipelago’s Next Project Be Cut By 50 Percent? by Hilda Greenbaum
CRC Appoints Meadows, Gilbert, Cochrane, and Winter To Zoning Board of Appeals by Maura Keene
Town Issues Update On Amherst Elementary School Building Project
Amherst Public Health Director Named Commonwealth Heroine
Running For Elected Office In Amherst: Nomination Papers Available July 1
Letter: A Longstanding Plea for Better Planning by Ken Rosenthal
Opinion: Town Council And Its Committees by Meg Gage and Michael Greenebaum
Opinion: Inclusionary Zoning Changes Can Work In Amherst by Gerry Weiss
Town Manager Report for June 21, 2021