What’s in This Issue?

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ANALYTICS
Numbers in parentheses indicate change from the previous week.

Number of Unique Page Views:
Last 30 days: 76,107* (+ 23,555)
Last Week: 34,941* (+19,486)
Number of Unique Sessions
Last 30 days: 43,025* (+ 18,348)
Last Week: 23,927* (+16,855)

*record number, largely as a result of the article, Proprietors of Two New Amherst Restaurants Fined More Than $500,000 for Violations in Plymouth and Boston by Art Keene going viral.

TOP FIVE MOST-READ ARTICLES IN THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY
1. Proprietors of Two New Amherst Restaurants Fined More Than $500,000 for Violations in Plymouth and Boston by Art Keene
2. Town Leaders Silent as Library Misses First Payment of $2M by Jeff Lee
3. Second Educator Departs Amherst Schools Amid 51A Furor by Art Keene
4. School Superintendent Search Committee That Prioritized Diversity Chooses White Co-Chairs by Maura Keene
5. Historic Performance Space Will be Demolished to Make Way for New Downtown Apartment Building by Hilda Greenbaum

TOP FIVE MOST-READ ARTICLES LAST WEEK
1. Proprietors of Two New Amherst Restaurants Fined More Than $500,000 for Violations in Plymouth and Boston by Art Keene
2. Opinion: The Jones Library is Eating the Schools’ Lunch by Jeff Lee
3. Opinion: Keep Wildwood as a Town Building by Michael Greenebaum
4. Letter: An Alternative Ceasefire Resolution by Ken Rosenthal
5. Library Construction Bid Deadlines Pushed Back by Art Keene

WHAT’S IN THIS ISSUE?

BUDGET
Belmont Shows How to Constrain Library Project Costs by Jeff Lee
School Committee and Public Reject Proposed Regional Budget by Maura Keene
Letter: Proposed Cuts to School Music Budget Are Shortsighted by Michelle Prindle
Letter: Proposed Budget Suggests Amherst Does Not Value Its Veteran Educators by Avery Justice Abbitt

CLIMATE /ENERGY /ENVIRONMENT / NATURE
Big Night 2024. Town Partners with Hitchcock Center to Help Annual Salamander Migration
From Other Sources: News for and About Amherst.  This Week – Local News Roundup, More on Gaza and Plastic Pollution by Art Keene
Photo of the Week: Gorgeous Life on Dead Branches by Annique Boomsma

EVENTS
Song and Story Swap Presents an Irish-themed Program with Jackson Gillman by Jeff Lee
Big Night 2024. Town Partners with Hitchcock Center to Help Annual Salamander Migration
What’s Happening in Amherst? by Art and Maura Keene

FEATURES
From Other Sources: News for and About Amherst.  This Week – Local News Roundup, More on Gaza and Plastic Pollution by Art Keene
Photo of the Week: Gorgeous Life on Dead Branches by Annique Boomsma

GAZA CEASEFIRE RESOLUTION
Public Comment: The Resolution Before You Affirms Our Common Humanity and Our Commitment to Justice for All by Art Keene
Letter: Aren’t We Tired of Death? Support the Resolution for a Permanent Ceasefire in Gaza by Hind Mari
Letter: Jewish Residents Call for a Ceasefire by Corey Kurtz
Letter: An Alternate Jewish Voice. A Letter of Support for the Amherst Ceasefire Resolution by Thomas Weiner and Jeff Gold
Letter: How Much More Tragedy Do You Need To See? by John Bonifaz and Lissa Bonifaz
Opinion: Global Issues Are Local Concerns by Leyla Moushabeck
Opinion: Amherst Students Urge Support for Ceasefire Resolution by Marisol Pierce Bonifaz, Mar Gubrium, Zoey Mordecai, and Saara Rathod 
Opinion: US Must Stop Funding the Killing in Gaza by Gerry Weiss
From Other Sources: News for and About Amherst.  This Week – Local News Roundup, More on Gaza and Plastic Pollution by Art Keene

HOUSING
ZBA Grants Variances for Mixed-use Project at University Drive and Amity Street by Maura Keene

ISSUES & ANALYSES
Belmont Shows How to Constrain Library Project Costs by Jeff Lee

LIBRARY
Belmont Shows How to Constrain Library Project Costs by Jeff Lee
Library Construction Bid Deadlines Pushed Back by Art Keene

MUTUAL AID
Letter: Help Redfire Farm Recover from Barn Store Fire. by Ryan Voiland

OPINION
Public Comment: The Resolution Before You Affirms Our Common Humanity and Our Commitment to Justice for All by Art Keene
Letter: Aren’t We Tired of Death? Support the Resolution for a Permanent Ceasefire in Gaza by Hind Mari
Letter: Jewish Residents Call for a Ceasefire b y Corey Kurtz
Letter: An Alternate Jewish Voice. A Letter of Support for the Amherst Ceasefire Resolution by Thomas Weiner and Jeff Gold
Letter: How Much More Tragedy Do You Need To See? by John Bonifaz and Lissa Bonifaz
Letter: Proposed Cuts to School Music Budget Are Shortsighted by Michelle Prindle
Letter: Help Redfire Farm Recover from Barn Store Fire by Ryan Voiland
Letter: We Need a Community Forum on the Future of Wildwood by Ira Bryck
Opinion: Keep Wildwood as a Town Building by Michael Green
Opinion: Global Issues Are Local Concerns by Leyla Moushabeck
Opinion: Amherst Students Urge Support for Ceasefire Resolution by Marisol Pierce Bonifaz, Mar Gubrium, Zoey Mordecai, and Saara Rathod 
Opinion: US Must Stop Funding the Killing in Gaza by Gerry Weiss

SCHOOLS
Teachers and Staff Challenge District Leadership on Racism and Hiring by Maura Keene
School Committee and Public Reject Proposed Regional Budget by Maura Keene
Superintendent Search Committee Acts to Correct Missteps: New Co-Chair Elected by Maura Keene
School Committee Approves AY 24-25 School Calendar by Jennifer Shiao
Letter: Proposed Cuts to School Music Budget Are Shortsighted by MIchelle Prindle
Letter: Proposed Budget Suggests Amherst Does Not Value Its Veteran Educators by Avery Justice Abbitt
Letter: We Need a Community Forum on the Future of Wildwood by Ira Bryck
Opinion: Keep Wildwood as a Town Building by MIchael Greenebaum

SOCIAL & ECONOMIC JUSTICE
Teachers and Staff Challenge District Leadership on Racism and Hiring by Maura Keene
License Commissioners Review Decision to Grant Licenses to Restaurant Owners with Prior Labor Violations by Maura Keene

TOWN GOVERMENT
Belmont Shows How to Constrain Library Project Costs by Jeff Lee
Library Construction Bid Deadlines Pushed Back by Art Keene
School Committee and Public Reject Proposed Regional Budget by Maura Keene
Superintendent Search Committee Acts to Correct Missteps: New Co-Chair Elected by Maura Keene
License Commissioners Review Decision to Grant Licenses to Restaurant Owners with Prior Labor Violations by Maura Keene
ZBA Grants Variances for Mixed-use Project at University Drive and Amity Street by Maura Keene
Letter: We Need a Community Forum on the Future of Wildwood by Ira Bryck
Opinion: Keep Wildwood as a Town Building by Michael Greenebaum
Opinion: Global Issues Are Local Concerns by Leyla Moushabeck