Here are links to some local stories from the last few weeks that we were unable to cover in the Indy as well as some links to a few stories about Gaza and the latest on plastic pollution.

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Recommended Reads of the Week
As the Amherst town council prepares to consider a resolution calling for an unconditional ceasefire in Gaza, I offer three articles that I found informative, that add more context to the deliberations to come.  

Two-Thirds of US Voters Across Political Spectrum Support Permanent Gaza Ceasefire by Julia Conley (2/27/24). In the latest sign that the Biden administration’s continued defense and support of Israel’s assault on Gaza leaves it representing a shrinking minority of Americans, a new poll out Tuesday found that 67% of Americans of all political affiliations want the United States to join the international call for a permanent cease-fire. That’s up six points from progressive think tank Data for Progress’s last poll, taken in November. Support for a cease-fire among Democratic voters remains strong, with 77% saying U.S. President Joe Biden should demand a permanent cessation of hostilities and a de-escalation in violence. Sixty-nine percent of Independents said the same, up from 61% in December, as well as 56% of Republicans, up from 49%. (Common Dreams)

Making It Work from the River to the Sea by Matthew Teller (2/26/24. Teller takes us on a very select historical journey to visit instances of multi-cultural coexistence. He does this in the service of arguing that historically, partition (such as we would get with a two-state solution) rarely quells hostilities among the parties that the partition is intended to separate (consider the partition of Israel and Palestine in 1948 for example).  And with both states positioned in extremely close quarters (e.g. with Tel Aviv, the capital of Israel only 11 miles from the border of the new Palestinian state) and with the Jerusalem itself to be divided, he has a hard time imagining things turning out for the better. The solution he imagines is a one state solution, a multi-ethnic democratic state with constitutional guarantees protecting all of its citizens. This has long been the preferred solution for many on the left and while the Hamas attack and the Israeli response to it, would seem to have destroyed any possibility of a bi-national (or mltinational) state for generations to come, Teller, in spite of some flimsy arguments here and there, gives us a reason to step away from our myopic thinking to imagine trying something really different.

From the article: It is true that there is not much desire to share. Israelis, enjoying vastly superior power, remain maximalist, Palestinians slightly less so. Both seek national self-determination on their own terms. But the plain reality is that they cannot both have it, because — rightly or wrongly — they both seek it in the same place. For them both to be able to achieve true and lasting national self-determination, they must do so not in 2D, cartographically, but in 3D, holographically. Say hello to nonterritorial autonomy, a long-standing but little-discussed method of managing diversity within a state by granting dispersed groups self-government on the basis of identity rather than land, while also retaining a broader structure of power sharing. Overlaying two nations on one country sounds like science fiction, but that is testament to the corrosive power of the nationalist thinking that drives the two-state solution. Partition says more about the preoccupations of the chiefly American and European politicians who cling to it than it does about the aspirations or real lives of the people who will have to live in the resulting states. What, in truth, are the arguments justifying a solution that permits one population to continue dominating another, whether as occupier or neighbor? What are the arguments against equal opportunity for all? What are the arguments against democracy and universal suffrage, and equal application of the law. (New Line Magazine via Portside)

Calling for Respect, Security and Freedom for All Is Not Antisemitic by Marshall Ganz (2/1/24).  My obligation to critique the Israeli state comes from my own Jewish tradition, a tradition which had to defend itself from genuine antisemitism. (The Nation) Note: I share the article above in response to the weaponization of antisemitism and its cynical use in attempting to silence critics of Israeli aggression in Gaza. Marshall Ganz, Professor of Sociology at Harvard, stellar community organizer, stalwart defender of human rights, and the person who introduced me to community organizing, has a impeccable record of fighting for justice over a lifetime. That fight, dating back to the freedom riders in Mississippi and continuing unabated for more than half a century, is grounded in Ganz’s Jewish roots and his understanding of Jewish tradition. Recently, Ganz was judged by his Dean at Harvard to have engaged in antisemitic behavior toward Jewish students for offering a criticism of the Israeli state. He was not given an opportunity to defend himself against the charges. Here is his eloquent response to that judgement, combined with a compelling call for justice for all peoples in the region.

AMHERST AREA NEWS
Northampton First City in Western Mass to Call for Ceasefire by Alexander MacDougall (2/29/24).   The city is the first in western Massachusetts and third statewide to take a stand in favor of a cease-fire in the war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas.The City Council passed two at a virtual special meeting Tuesday night that drew more than 200 people. One of the resolutions calls for a cease-fire in Gaza and the other condemns both anti-Arab and antisemitic hate. The latter resolution was amended during the meeting to specifically mention Palestinian and Israeli members of the community.“We’ve got 1.1 million Palestinian children who are facing imminent starvation or death by disease if we don’t turn this around,” said Ward 7’s Rachel Maiore, who co-sponsored both resolutions with Ward 1’s Stanley Moulton, Ward 2’s Deb Pastrich-Klemer and Ward 5’s Alex Jarrett, the council president. Noting that the United States has been a constant provider of military aid to Israel, she added that “we’re not just kind of over here and not involved politically as Americans.” (Daily Hampshire Gazette)

Why Is an Educator Claiming an Amherst Middle School Group Is Bullying Staff?  by Juliet Shulman-Hall (2/29/24). An Amherst schools staff member has stepped down from her role as the advisor to a student group against sexual harassment after she was notified about staff filing grievances and a complaint against her and the group, claiming it should cease and that students have been “bullying” staff by making “false allegations” against them, according to records obtained by MassLive. “Effective immediately I feel I have no choice but to step back as advisor to POSH [People Opposed to Sexual Harassment],” Celia Maysles, the staff member, wrote in a Feb. 5 email that MassLive obtained by records request. “I would absolutely love to resume my role as advisor once this situation is properly handled and student voices are respected and heard. I simply cannot continue to do this work without the support of the administration or the ability to handle a simple student concern with professionalism and respect,” she later added.Maysles told MassLive that she stepped down as an advisor until there is a clear policy to “consistently handle such reports in a manner that is respectful and safe for all children who are brave enough to speak up when something makes them feel uncomfortable or unsafe at school.” (MassLive)

Dr. Demetria Shabazz’ Legacy Lives On by Kalina Kornacki (2/29/24). Leaving a legacy is more than a name carved in a stone or on a building . It’s the impact left on a community, movement or person. Leaving a legacy is planting seeds in the ground, and knowing one day, you may not get to see them grow. Dr. Demetria “Dee” Shabazz, a former assistant professor of communication and affiliated faculty member of the W.E.B. Du Bois Department of Afro-American Studies at the University of Massachusetts, left her legacy as an activist, volunteer and leader of the Amherst community in media and communication studies. She passed away on Sept. 11, 2023, after a battle with cancer. (Massachusetts Daily Collegian)

Beyond the Plate: New restaurant Lao Hu Tong Aims to Bring Chinese food, Culture to Amherst by Aria Martinelli (2/28/24).  People who can’t travel thousands of miles to savor authentic Chinese cuisine and culture in the Far East now have the next best thing in downtown Amherst. Three months ago, Lao Hu Tong opened a few doors down from Boltwood Avenue at 63 Main St. From the food to the furniture, homemade is a key theme at the new restaurant.  “Everything is handmade; we start from scratch,” said Scott Zhang, the manager and co-owner of the restaurant. “We only bring the flour in.”The menu is fairly small. The goal is to perfect every dish and offer something delectable, Zhang said, adding that quality over quantity is what is important at Lao Hu Tong. Popular dishes include Dan Dan and Ja Jae Noodles and the Emperor’s Cabbage. The artistry of the dishes is seen in how meticulously crafted and plated they are, such as with an item called the Hot and Spicy Cucumber, which takes the form of an exploding flower. The potstickers, meanwhile, look like an elegant doily as they peek through a lace-like covering of batter. (Daily Hampshire Gazette)

Former Greenfield Mayor Wanted to Fund Police Raises with COVID Relief Money by Dusty Christensen (2/23/24). New documents obtained by The Shoestring show that former Greenfield mayor Roxann Wedegartner hoped to use COVID-era municipal-relief money to fund big raises she negotiated with the city’s top cops in the last days of her administration. And when new Mayor Virginia “Ginny” Desorgher didn’t use those funds to pay for the raises, the recently retired police chief suggested he might take legal action against the city. Those revelations, contained in recent letters between Desorgher and former police chief Robert Haigh, are the latest in a saga that landed on the new mayor’s plate her first day in office. Just a week before Wedegartner lost an election in which scandals at the police department were a central issue, she agreed to give raises of 20% and 25%, respectively, to Haigh and Deputy Chief William Gordon, who were already some of the city’s most highly paid employees. Those pay bumps, which were structured as educational incentives for higher-education degrees, went into effect the day before Desorgher was sworn in. The raises, which were first reported by The Shoestring, caused a stir in city government after they became public. Haigh’s base pay would have jumped $33,902 and Gordon’s would have increased by $35,255, according to city estimates. Haigh was the city’s second-highest earner in 2022, making $171,180, according to MassLive. That same year, Gordon made $147,663, making him the city’s fourth highest-paid employee. (The Shoestring)

Superintendent Warns of 20 Staff Cuts in Amherst-Pelham Regional Schools by Scott Merzbach (2/19/24).  Even with Amherst officials signaling a commitment to increase the town’s financial obligation to the Amherst-Pelham Regional Schools, around 20 staff members, including classroom teachers and paraeducators, could be eliminated at the middle and high schools next year. Interim Superintendent Douglas Slasughter told representatives from Amherst, Leverett, Shutesbury and Pelham at a Four Towns Meeting on Saturday that the projected $34.81 million fiscal year 2025 budget remains about $1.59 million below the $36.5 million in spending needed to maintain the current level of services, necessitating major staff reductions. “(There are) things we’ll have to do without, changes in how we do our work and what we can offer,” Slaughter said. Slaughter said the Four Towns Meeting, bringing together the Amherst Town Council, School Committee and Finance Committee with the Select Boards, School Committees and Finance Committees from Pelham, Leverett and Shutesbury, marks the beginning of “difficult conversations” in advance of annual Town Meetings in the smaller communities. (Daily Hampshire Gazette)

Amherst Senior Center Looking for Town Support for Potential Renovations by Trent Levakis (2/6/24). Council on Aging members have initiated conversations with town officials regarding areas of concern for the current Senior Center space and how to resolve them. On Jan 8., members of the Council on Aging and representatives from the Senior Center met with Town Council about concerns of understaffing and underfunding in order to begin addressing some of these concerns. Senior Center Director Hayley Bolton told Reminder Publishing that the initial talks with the town went well, and she hopes they can work together to resolve a few concerns that can be addressed in the near future, as well as big picture plans to improve the offerings of the center.The Amherst Senior Center shares space inside the Bangs Community Center which Bolton said is a good space for their work, they are just looking to improve on these spaces and more efficiently use it. Bolton said before any major or renovation type work can get planned, the first and foremost issue the building faces according to Bolton is getting certain areas of it back up to state code. One of the first issues that has been raised from Senior Center and Council on Aging officials is the fact that Amherst just has fewer dollars going toward the center than neighboring communities. (Amherst Reminder)

PLASTIC POLLUTION
Microplastics Found in Every Human Placenta Tested in Study by D.P. Carrington (2/27/24). Microplastics have been found in every human placenta tested in a study, leaving the researchers worried about the potential health impacts on developing foetuses. The scientists analysed 62 placental tissue samples and found the most common plastic detected was polyethylene, which is used to make plastic bags and bottles. A second study revealed microplastics in all 17 human arteries tested and suggested the particles may be linked to clogging of the blood vessels. Microplastics have also recently been discovered in human blood and breast milk, indicating widespread contamination of people’s bodies. The impact on health is as yet unknown but microplastics have been shown to cause damage to human cells in the laboratory. The particles could lodge in tissue and cause inflammation, as air pollution particles do, or chemicals in the plastics could cause harm. (The Guardian)

Plastics Reckoning: PCV IS Ubiquitous But Maybe Not for Long by Nicola Jones (2/15/24). Used in everything from water pipes to vinyl records, PVC has long attracted criticism: a key ingredient is carcinogenic, and its additives include known endocrine disruptors. Now, the EPA is evaluating PVC’s safety, and an emerging global plastics treaty may limit its use. (Yale Environment 360)
 
They Lied: Plastics Producers Deceived Public About Recycling, Report Reveals by Dharna Noor (2/15/24). Plastic producers have known for more than 30 years that recycling is not an economically or technically feasible plastic waste management solution. That has not stopped them from promoting it, according to a new report. “The companies lied,” said Richard Wiles, president of fossil-fuel accountability advocacy group the Center for Climate Integrity (CCI), which published the report. “It’s time to hold them accountable for the damage they’ve caused.” Plastic, which is made from oil and gas, is notoriously difficult to recycle. Doing so requires meticulous sorting, since most of the thousands of chemically distinct varieties of plastic cannot be recycled together. That renders an already pricey process even more expensive. Another challenge: the material degrades each time it is reused, meaning it can generally only be reused once or twice. The industry has known for decades about these existential challenges, but obscured that information in its marketing campaigns, the report shows.
(The Guardian)

The Eleven Most Impressive Plastic Bans Around the World by Livekindly.com (no date). Plastic pollution is a huge problem—but communities, businesses, and governments are taking steps to reduce its impact on the environment. The United Nations revealed in May 2019 that 180 countries have pledged to help reduce the amount of plastic in the ocean. Here are 11 of the most impressive plastic bans around the world. (livekindly.com)

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