Dear Reader

Dear Reader:

This week we offer you a considerably abridged version of the Indy.   Maura and I have been in Washington D.C. all week for the (twice postponed) wedding of our youngest son.  We’ll be back in Amherst next week with a full issue.

Here are some updates that you might have missed over the last few weeks.

Easy Access To More Comments
We have expanded to the comments bar on the right hand side of the page from listing the ten most recent comments to the 100 most recent. It does require an additional keystroke.  You can find the link to more comments at the bottom of the comments column or right here. Please take a look and please continue to share your thoughts.

The Organization Of The Indy
A few of you have written to express your disappointment that opinion pieces often appear “buried near the end” of newly posted content.  Regular readers have probably figured out that our content is always organized as follows:  News, Events, Opinion, and Features (with the exception of the Table of Contents and the occasional editors’ message in Dear Reader).   The order of material is predictable from week to week and if it’s the opinions that you seek, you will know that they will always be near the rear of new content (just as they are in the New York Times).  The first item that appears each week is our table of contents (What’s In This Issue?) which should be especially helpful for folks reading on mobile devices and who only see one article at a time. What’s In This Issue? also lists our analytics, noting how our readership is trending up or down and what articles are receiving the most attention.  The final articles in any issue are the Town Manager Report (appearing last, each week when there is a town council meeting) and the Photos Of The Week.  If you have never read Town Manager Paul Bockelman’s bi-monthly reports I encourage you check them out.   Inch for inch the Town Manager report contains more news about town government than anything else we post and often foreshadows news stories that will appear weeks later.  For those who want to stay on top of town news,  the Town Manager report is a must read. There’s no Town Manager Report this week but next week you’ll find it at the very end of our newly posted content. 

Speaking of opinions,  we encourage folks who offer public comment at municipal meetings – either orally or in writing – to share that public comment with the Indy and we in turn will share it with our readers. We are happy to share those public comments in the Indy and in so doing,  ensure that they receive more attention than they would if their exposure was limited to the meeting alone.  You can submit your public comments here:  amherstindy@gmail.com

Looking For Reporters
The Indy is a community journalism project and as such, relies on members of the community to report on what is happening inside of our municipal government.  Currently, we have a number of  important “beats” that are uncovered and we could use some help in making sure that what happens in these committees and boards remain in the public eye.   The task is not especially onerous. It typically involves attending one or two meetings/month, for the moment on Zoom,  and writing up a summary of the proceedings.  I have provided a list of some of the committees and boards that are currently uncovered.  We’d love to have you join us. Want to give it a try?  Drop us a note at amherstindy@gmail.com and we’ll help you get started.

Committees for which The Indy seeks reporters:

African Heritage Reparations Assembly
Community Preservation Act Committee
Council On Aging
Energy and Climate Action Committee
Joint Capital Planning Committee
School Committee
Transportation Advisory Committee

We’re also looking for a reporter interested in covering local media issues including what’s happening with local independent media such as Amherst Media, The Amherst Current, The Amherst Wire, and Valley Free Radio.

thanks and best wishes,

Art

Art Keene
Managing Editor
The Amherst Indy