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: 24,859 (+1234)
Last Week: 7686 (+2076).
Number of Unique Sessions
Last 30 Days: 12,313 (+1003)
Last Week: 3990 (+1219)

LOOK HERE FOR OUR YEAR-END 2021 SUMMARY STATS

TOP FIVE MOST-READ ARTICLES LAST WEEK
1. Amherst Residents Demand End To Local Mask Mandates by Art Keene
2. Letter: Amherst Needs A Better Process For Addressing Perceived Conflicts Of Interest by Ira Bryck
3. Councilors Hanneke And Bahl-Milne Reverse Their Support Of Temporary Moratorium For Large Ground-mounted Solar Arrays by Maura Keene
4. Library Committees Confront Missing Director Goals, Seek Better Accounting Software by Jeff Lee
5. Pickleball, Historic Preservation, And Other Recommendations From CPAC by Kitty Axelson-Berry

WHAT”S IN THIS ISSUE

NEW / BREAKING
COVID-19 Update For The Week Of February 23, 2022 by Art and Maura Keene
Film Review:  Students To The Rescue (Of A College) by Alan Goodman
Letter: Indy Should Require Councilor Bahl-Milne To Identify The Experts She Cites by Lynn Nadeau

ARTS
Film Review:  Students To The Rescue (Of A College) by Alan Goodman
Concert To Celebrate The Legacy Of Dr. Fred Tillis
Virtual Screening Of Award Winning Documentary Ashes To Ashes
Photo Of The Week: Stream Ice Studies 2022 by John Root

CAMPUS
Concert To Celebrate The Legacy Of Dr. Fred Tillis
Virtual Screening Of Award Winning Documentary Ashes To Ashes
UMass Energy Transition Institute Will Launch On February by Maura Keene

CLIMATE / ENVIRONMENT / NATURE
UMass Energy Transition Institute Will Launch On February by Maura Keene
Issues & Analyses: World Spends $1.8tn A Year On Subsidies That Harm Environment, Study Finds by Patrick Greenfield (for The Guardian)
Speak Up! Should Amherst Declare A Temporary Moratorium On Large Scale Solar? by Jeff Lee
Almanac: The Sweet Sign Of Spring. by Stephen Braun
Photo Of The Week: Stream Ice Studies 2022 by John Root

DOWNTOWN
Design For New Downtown Bakery Approved by Hilda Greenbaum
Ice Sculptures On The Town Common
Public Comment:  In Support Of Sensible Downtown Parking And A Temporary Moratorium For Large-Scale Solar by Ira Bryck

EVENTS
Truth School Announces Slate Of New Classes For Spring by Renee Moss
Ice Sculptures On The Town Common
Concert To Celebrate The Legacy Of Dr. Fred Tillis
Black Health Matters: A Community Discussion And Virtual Celebration
UMass Energy Transition Institute Will Launch On February by Maura Keene
Town Offers COVID Vaccine Clinic Every Thursday

FEATURES
Film Review:  Students To The Rescue (Of A College) by Alan Goodman
Speak Up! Should Amherst Declare A Temporary Moratorium On Large Scale Solar? by Jeff Lee
Almanac: The Sweet Sign Of Spring by Stephen Braun
Photo Of The Week: Stream Ice Studies 2022 by John Root

HISTORY / HISTORIC PRESERVATION
Trustee Denies Library Grant Application Wrongdoing by Jeff Lee
Historical Commission Plans Update Of Town Preservation Plan by Hilda Greenbaum
Black Health Matters: A Community Discussion And Virtual Celebration

ISSUES & ANALYSES
Issues & Analysis:  Surprising Implications For Which Elementary School Students Will Attend After New School Is Built by Maria Kopicki
Issues & Analyses: World Spends $1.8tn A Year On Subsidies That Harm Environment, Study Finds by Patrick Greenfield (for The Guardian)

LIBRARY
Trustee Denies Library Grant Application Wrongdoing by Jeff Lee
Kestrel Trust To Transplant Portion Of Jones Library Kinsey Garden by Jeff Lee

OPINION
Letter: Indy Should Require Councilor Bahl-Milne To Identify The Experts She Cites by Lynn Nadeau
Public Comment:  In Support Of Sensible Downtown Parking And A Temporary Moratorium For Large-Scale Solar by Ira Bryck
Letter: Amherst Needs A Better Process For Addressing Perceived Conflicts Of Interest by Ira Bryck
Opinion: A Call For Kindness by Maria Kopicki
Opinion: Dreaming About An Elementary School. An Imaginary Checklist by MIchael Greenebaum
Opinion: Jennifer Shiao’s School Committee Blog. Amherst’s School Building Project: We Need To Set Ourselves Up For Success by Jennifer Shiao

PARKING
Audit Yields High Praise For The Town With A Few Cautionary Words by Kitty Axelson-Berry
Public Comment:  In Support Of Sensible Downtown Parking And A Temporary Moratorium For Large-Scale Solar by Ira Bryck

PUBLIC HEALTH
COVID-19 Update For The Week Of February 23, 2022 by Art and Maura Keene
COVID-19 Update For The Week Of February 16, 2022 by Art and Maura Keene
Senior Surveys Are In The Mail by Maura Keene
Black Health Matters: A Community Discussion And Virtual Celebration
Town Offers COVID Vaccine Clinic Every Thursday

SCHOOLS
Community Chat Provides Answers To Questions About The New Elementary School Building by Maura Keene
Regional School Committee Issues Statement On Ongoing Contract Negotiations
Amherst Pelham Education Association Releases Statement On Ongoing Contract Negotiations by Amherst Pelham Educators Association
Issues & Analysis:  Surprising Implications For Which Elementary School Students Will Attend After New School Is Built by Maria Kopicki
Opinion: A Call For Kindness by Maria Kopicki
Opinion: Dreaming About An Elementary School. An Imaginary Checklist by Michael Greenebaum
Opinion: Jennifer Shiao’s School Committee Blog. Amherst’s School Building Project: We Need To Set Ourselves Up For Success by Jennifer Shiao

SOCIAL JUSTICE
Truth School Announces Slate Of New Classes For Spring by Renee Moss
Virtual Screening Of Award Winning Documentary Ashes To Ashes
Black Health Matters: A Community Discussion And Virtual Celebration
UMass Energy Transition Institute Will Launch On February by Maura Keene

SOLAR
Planning Board Discussion On Solar Bylaw Continues by Maura Keene
Public Comment:  In Support Of Sensible Downtown Parking And A Temporary Moratorium For Large-Scale Solar by Ira Bryck
Speak Up! Should Amherst Declare A Temporary Moratorium On Large Scale Solar? by Jeff Lee

TOWN GOVERNMENT
Letter: Indy Should Require Councilor Bahl-Milne To Identify The Experts She Cites by Lynn Nadeau
Planning Board Discussion On Solar Bylaw Continues by Maura Keene
Town Manager Nominates Eight For Appointments To Town Committees by Art Keene
Questions Raised About Avoiding Conflict Of Interest In Amherst by Kitty Axelson-Berry
Audit Yields High Praise For The Town With A Few Cautionary Words by Kitty Axelson-Berry
Design For New Downtown Bakery Approved by Hilda Greenbaum
Historical Commission Plans Update Of Town Preservation Plan by Hilda Greenbaum
Senior Surveys Are In The Mail by Maura Keene
Letter: Amherst Needs A Better Process For Addressing Perceived Conflicts Of Interest by Ira Bryck
Opinion: A Call For Kindness by Maria Kopicki