What’s in This Issue?

Welcome to our Table of Contents. You can also receive a listing of all new items in the Indy each week by dropping us a note with your contact information at amherstindy@gmail.com. The subscription is free and will deliver to your inbox a listing of all new content, each Saturday at 6 a.m. We promise that we will not share your email address, nor will we send you any additional emails to clog up your inbox (except in the case of truly urgent breaking news, in which case we’ll send out a special dispatch).

ANALYTICS
Numbers in parentheses indicate change from the previous week.

Number of Unique Page Views:
Last 30 days: 47,220 (-112)
Last Week: 13,016 (+1248)
Number of Unique Sessions
Last 30 days: 25,692 (-530)
Last Week :6520 (+369)

TOP FIVE MOST-READ LAST WEEK
1. WD Cowls Returns 500 Acres to Hassanamisco Nipmuc Band by Hassanamisco Nipmuc Band
2. Opinion: Frequently Unanswered Questions: Is Amherst on the Verge of a Generation-Long Fiscal Disaster? by Art Keene, Maura Keene and Maria Kopicki
3. Wishful Thinking in Financial Models Imperils Town Needs by Maria Kopicki
4. Non-competitive Hiring by Jones Library Project Has Promoted One-sided Messaging by Jeff Lee
5. Final Report on the Amherst Indy Survey on Town Manager Performance in 2024 by Art Keene

WHAT’S IN THIS ISSUE?

AGRICULTURE

• What’s Happening at North Amherst Community Farm?  by Maura Keene
• Remaining Dates for Amherst Winter Farmers’ Market by Maura Keene

ARTS

• Erasure, by Percival Everett: The Jones Library Community Read for 2025 by Maura Keene
• What’s Happening in Amherst? by Art and Maura Keene

BUDGET

• Staffing Cuts Loom Large in FY26 Regional School Budget by Amber Cano-Martin

CAMPUS

• UMass Professor Peter Gizzi Wins 2024 T.S. Eliot Prize
• National Girls and Women in Sports Day Celebration at Amherst College

EVENTS

• Winter Public Health Updates: Immunization Clinic Set for February 5 by Maura Keene
• Remaining Dates for Amherst Winter Farmers’ Market by Maura Keene
• National Girls and Women in Sports Day Celebration at Amherst College
• Erasure, by Percival Everett: The Jones Library Community Read for 2025 by Maura Keene
• What’s Happening in Amherst? by Art & Maura Keene

CLIMATE / ENERGY / ENVIRONMENT / NATURE

• Landform Observatory Planned for Mount Pollux by Maura Keene
• Photo of the Week: Barred Owl at Amherst Survival Center by Dianne Lieberman

DEMOCRACY

• Opinion: What Were You Doing When the Repression Took Hold? by John Varner

FEATURES

• The History of Housing in New England Part 3: A Federal Mandate  by Hetty Startup
• A Better World is Possible: The Power of Beautiful Solutions by Eli Feghali (for Yes Magazine)
• From Other Sources:  News for and About Amherst: This Week, Local News Roundup by Art Keene
• How To Protect Your Cat During The H5N1 Avian Flu Outbreak by Robin Jaffin (for The Queen Zone)
• Town Manager Report for January 13, 2025
• Photo of the Week: Barred Owl at Amherst Survival Center by Dianne Lieberman

HISTORY / HISTORIC PRESRVATION

• Opinion: Embodying MLK’s Dream Today by Rev. Irene Moore (for LA Progressive)
• The History of Housing in New England Part 3: A Federal Mandate  by Hetty Startup

HOUSING

• The History of Housing in New England Part 3: A Federal Mandate  by Hetty Startup

LIBRARY

• Erasure, by Percival Everett: The Jones Library Community Read for 2025 by Maura Keene
• Opinion: Response to Critiques of Jones Library Contracting by Bob Pam

MEDIA

• From Other Sources:  News for and About Amherst: This Week, Local News Roundup by Art Keene

OPINION

• Letter: Call for More Attention to Youth Mental Health by by Ben Scott, Liam Worgess, Simen Chamoun
• Opinion: Embodying MLK’s Dream Today by Rev. Irene Moore (for LA Progressive)
• Opinion: What Were You Doing When the Repression Took Hold? by John Varner
• Opinion: Response to Critiques of Jones Library Contracting by Bob Pam

PUBLIC HEALTH & SAFETY

• Town Opens Temporary Warming Centers
• No Decision on Sites for New Fire Station and DPW Building by Maura Keene
• Winter Public Health Updates: Immunization Clinic Set for February 5 by Maura Keene
• Letter: Call for More Attention to Youth Mental Health by by Ben Scott, Liam Worgess, Simen Chamoun
• How To Protect Your Cat During The H5N1 Avian Flu Outbreak by Robin Jaffin (for The Queen Zone)

SCHOOLS

• Staffing Cuts Loom Large in FY26 Regional School Budget by Amber Cano-Marin
• Redesign of South East Street Still in Flux. by Maura Keene
• National Girls and Women in Sports Day Celebration at Amherst College
• Letter: Call for More Attention to Youth Mental Health by by Ben Scott, Liam Worgess, Simen Chamoun

SOCIAL & ECONOMIC JUSTICE

• Opinion: Embodying MLK’s Dream Today by Rev. Irene Moore (for LA Progressive)
• A Better World is Possible: The Power of Beautiful Solutions by Eli Feghali (for Yes Magazine)

TOWN GOVERNMENT

• Town Opens Temporary Warming Centers
• Staffing Cuts Loom Large in FY26 Regional School Budget by Amber Cano-Martin
• No Decision on Sites for New Fire Station and DPW Building by Maura Keene
• Griesemer Re-elected as Town Council President; Ryan to Be Vice President by Maura Keene
• Redesign of South East Street Still in Flux by Maura Keene
• Landform Observatory Planned for Mount Pollux by Maura Keene
• Opinion: Response to Critiques of Jones Library Contracting by Bob Pam
• From Other Sources:  News for and About Amherst: This Week, Local News Roundup by Art Keene
• Town Manager Report for January 13, 2025

TRANSPORTATION / ROADS & SIDEWALKS

• Redesign of South East Street Still in Flux by Maura Keene