What’s In This Issue?
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ANALYTICS
(numbers in parentheses reflect the + or – change compared with the previous week.
Number of Unique Page Views:
Last 30 days: 23,139 (-1364)
Last Week: 5941 (+1099).
Number of Unique Sessions
Last 30 Days: 10,194 (-419)
Last Week: 2710 (+579)
TOP FIVE MOST READ STORIES LAST WEEK
1. Letter: The Attached Image Shows How Proposed Garage Would Overpower Buildings On North Prospect Street by Suzannah Muspratt
2. Board of Health Hits Pause On Zero Waste Initiative. Notes Uptick In COVID Cases In Amherst by Art Keene
3. Wetlands Boundaries Disputed At Site Of The Proposed Eruptor Project In North Amherst by Maura Keene
4. Town Police And Fire Respond To Report Of Unresponsive Women At UMass Fraternity House
5. Letter: An Exchange Between Steve Bloom and Town Councilor Andy Steinberg On The Garage And Downtown Development by Steve Bloom and Andy Steinberg
WHAT”S IN THIS ISSUE?
NEW / BREAKING (News that’s been posted since last Saturday)
Almanac: Happy Solstice! by Stephen Braun
COVID-19 Update For The Week Of December 15, 2021 by Art and Maura Keene
Community Kwanzaa Celebration
Amherst Health Department Distributes At-Home Test Kits To Vulnerable Populations
A Better World Is Possible: How Community Land Trusts Create Affordable Housing by Anna Bergen
Letter: Amherst Firefighters Union Opposes Extension Of Chief’s Tenure by Ben Graham
ARTS
Parents to School Committee: Restore Elementary Art and Technology Teachers To Full Time by Toni Cunningham
Photo Of The Week: Stop-worthy Morning Skies By Vira Douangmany Cage
CAMPUS
UMass Facilitating A Fast And Fair Energy Transition
UMass Researchers Name Top Air And Water Polluters, Climate Gas Emitters In The U.S.
Mark The Winter Solstice At The UMass Amherst Sunwheel
CAPITAL PROJECTS / DEVELOPMENT
Planning Board Remains Firmly In The Grips Of Developers by Maura Keene
Developers Withdraw Application To Build The Eruptor, A Business Incubator, In North Amherst by Art Keene
MSBA Conference Sings the Praises of Renovation by Maria Kopicki
Public Comment: Critical Information Is Missing In Parking Facility Proposal by Ruth Hazzard
Letter: Council’s Plans For Garage Are Incomprehensible by Gerry Weiss
Letter: Vote No On Parking Facility Overlay And Let Town Planners Do Their Job by Ken Rosenthal
Letter: Will Proposed Parking Garage Cause The Demise Of The Downtown CVS by Sarah McKee
Opinion: Elementary School Building Project Moves Forward by Alison McDonald And Cathy Schoen
CLIMATE / ENVIRONMENT / NATURE
Almanac: Happy Solstice! by Stephen Braun
UMass Facilitating A Fast And Fair Energy Transition
UMass Researchers Name Top Air And Water Polluters, Climate Gas Emitters In The U.S.
Opinion: Remembering Marty Nathan w/ a reprise column by Marty Nathan
Opinion: Spice Up Your Talking About Climate – A Number For Each Day Of The Week by Russ Vernon-Jones
Almanac: Comet Hunting by Stephen Braun
Photo Of The Week: Stop-worthy Morning Skies By Vira Douangmany Cage
EVENTS
Community Kwanzaa Celebration
Mark The Winter Solstice At The UMass Amherst Sunwheel
FEATURES
Almanac: Happy Solstice! by Stephen Braun
A Better World Is Possible: How Community Land Trusts Create Affordable Housing by Ana Bergen
Survey Indicates Most Oppose Parking Garage Rezoning by Jeff Lee
Almanac: Comet Hunting by Stephen Braun
From Other Sources: News For And About Amherst (#42). This Week: Fascism, COVID-19, Local News Roundup. by Art Keene
Photo Of The Week: Stop-worthy Morning Skies By Vira Douangmany Cage
IN MEMORIAM
bell hooks obituary by Margaret Busby
Opinion: Remembering Marty Nathan w/ a reprise column by Marty Nathan
ISSUES & ANALYSES
Issues & Analyses: Government For The Greater Good. What You Need To Know About Conflicts-Of-Interest by Kitty Axelson-Berry
LIBRARY
Jones Trustees Laud Chris Hoffman, Kent Faerber at December Meeting by Jeff Lee
OPINION
Letter: Amherst Firefighters Union Opposes Extension Of Chief’s Tenure by Ben Graham
Public Comment: We Have Bylaws On The Books To Regulate Rogue Lawn Signs But Nothing For Industrial Solar Arrays by Michael Lipinski
Public Comment: Critical Information Is Missing In Parking Facility Proposal by Ruth Hazzard
Letter: Council’s Plans For Garage Are Incomprehensible by Gerry Weiss
Letter: Vote No On Parking Facility Overlay And Let Town Planners Do Their Job by Ken Rosenthal
Letter: Will Proposed Parking Garage Cause The Demise Of The Downtown CVS by Sarah McKee
Opinion: Remembering Marty Nathan w/ a reprise column by Marty Nathan
Opinion: Spice Up Your Talking About Climate – A Number For Each Day Of The Week by Russ Vernon-Jones
Opinion: Elementary School Building Project Moves Forward by Allison McDonald and Cathy Schoen
Opinion: Now More Than Ever, Town Council Needs A Citizen Advisory Committee by Meg Gage
PARKING
Public Comment: Critical Information Is Missing In Parking Facility Proposal by Ruth Hazzard
Letter: Council’s Plans For Garage Are Incomprehensible by Gerry Weiss
Letter: Vote No On Parking Facility Overlay And Let Town Planners Do Their Job by Ken Rosenthal
Letter: Will Proposed Parking Garage Cause The Demise Of The Downtown CVS by Sarah McKee
Survey Indicates Most Oppose Parking Garage Rezoning by Jeff Lee
POLICE AND FIRE
Letter: Amherst Firefighters Union Opposes Extension Of Chief’s Tenure by Ben Graham
Amherst Creates New Departments To Address Racial Equity and Community Safety
Amherst’s William Laramee Recipient Of The Richard Werenski Police Officer Of The Year Award
PUBLIC HEALTH
COVID-19 Update For The Week Of December 15, 2021 by Art and Maura Keene
Amherst Health Department Distributes At-Home Test Kits To Vulnerable Populations
Huge Spike In COVID-19 Cases Prompts Northampton Board Of Health To Ramp Up Testing, Urge Vaccination
COVID-19 Update For The Week Of December 15, 2021 by Art and Maura Keene
Amherst Among High Need Communities Slated To Receive COVID At Home Rapid Tests
From Other Sources: News For And About Amherst (#42). This Week: Fascism, COVID-19, Local News Roundup. by Art Keene
SCHOOLS
Excitement Expressed As School Building Project Officially Launched by Toni Cunningham
MSBA Conference Sings the Praises of Renovation by Maria Kopicki
Parents to School Committee: Restore Elementary Art and Technology Teachers To Full Time by Toni Cunningham
Opinion: Elementary School Building Project Moves Forward by Allison McDonald and Cathy Schoen
SOCIAL JUSTICE
bell hooks obituary by Margaret Busby
Amherst Creates New Departments To Address Racial Equity and Community Safety
SOLAR
Planning Board Remains Firmly In The Grips Of Developers by Maura Keene
Public Comment: We Have Bylaws On The Books To Regulate Rogue Lawn Signs But Nothing For Industrial Solar Arrays by Michael Lipinski
TAXES
Tax Credit Available For Donors To Valley Community Development Corporation
TOWN GOVERNMENT
Planning Board Remains Firmly In The Grips Of Developers by Maura Keene
Excitement Expressed As School Building Project Officially Launched by Toni Cunningham
Amherst Creates New Departments To Address Racial Equity and Community Safety
With Zoning Amendment Votes Postponed, Council Addresses Routine Matters Expeditiously by Maura Keene
Issues & Analyses: Government For The Greater Good. What You Need To Know About Conflicts-Of-Interest by Kitty Axelson-Berry
Public Comment: We Have Bylaws On The Books To Regulate Rogue Lawn Signs But Nothing For Industrial Solar Arrays by Michael Lipinski
Opinion: Now More Than Ever, Town Council Needs A Citizen Advisory Committee by Meg Gage