What’s In This Issue?
Photo: Dreamtime
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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: 22,773 (-466)
Last Week: 6494 (+553).
Number of Unique Sessions
Last 30 Days: 10,266 (+72)
Last Week: 3018 (+308)
COME BACK NEXT WEEK FOR OUR YEAR-END SUMMARY STATS
TOP FIVE MOST READ STORIES LAST WEEK
1. Planning Board Remains Firmly In The Grips Of Developers by Maura Keene
2. Letter: Amherst Firefighters Union Opposes Extension Of Chief’s Tenure by Ben Graham
3. Huge Spike In COVID-19 Cases Prompts Northampton Board Of Health To Ramp Up Testing, Urge Vaccination
4. Parents To School Committee: Restore Elementary Art And Technology Teachers To Full Time by Toni Cunningham
5. Jones Trustees Laud Chris Hoffman, Kent Faerber At December Meeting by Jeff Lee
WHAT’S IN THIS ISSUE?
ARTS
Photo Of The Week: A December Gallery by Art Keene
BUDGET
Finance Committee Moves Forward With FY23 Budget Guidelines. Raises Concerns About Funding CRESS And DEI by Kitty Axelson-Berry
CLIMATE / ENVIRONMENT / NATURE
Opinion: Use ARPA Funds To Implement Climate Action Plan by Darcy DuMont
Almanac: Happy Solstice! by Stephen Braun
DEMOCRACY
Opinion: America Is Now In Fascism’s Legal Phase by Jason Stanley (for The Guardian)
EVENTS
Community Kwanzaa Celebration
Public Invited To Swearing-in Of New Town Council On January 3
FEATURES
A Better World Is Possible: How Community Land Trusts Create Affordable Housing by Anna Bergren Miller (for Shareable)
Garage Survey Reveals Conflicting Visions For Downtown by Jeff Lee
Almanac: Happy Solstice! by Stephen Braun
Photo Of The Week: A December Gallery by Art Keene
Town Manager Report for December 20, 2021
HOUSING
A Better World Is Possible: How Community Land Trusts Create Affordable Housing by Anna Bergren Miller (for Shareable)
OPINION
Letter: Amherst Firefighters Union Opposes Extension Of Chief’s Tenure by Ben Graham
Opinion: Use ARPA Funds To Implement Climate Action Plan by Darcy DuMont
Opinion: America Is Now In Fascism’s Legal Phase by Jason Stanley (for The Guardian)
PARKING
Zoning Amendments Pass Easily Despite Pleas From Public by Maura Keene
Garage Survey Reveals Conflicting Visions For Downtown by Jeff Lee
POLICE AND FIRE
Finance Committee Moves Forward With FY23 Budget Guidelines. Raises Concerns About Funding CRESS And DEI by Kitty Axelson-Berry
Letter: Amherst Firefighters Union Opposes Extension Of Chief’s Tenure by Ben Graham
PUBLIC HEALTH
Good News Is Omicron May Be Less Severe, Bad News Is It’s Surging Faster Richard Adams (for The Guardian)
COVID-19 Update For The Week Of December 22, 2021 by Art and Maura Keene
Amherst Health Department Distributes At-Home Test Kits To Vulnerable Populations
TOWN GOVERNMENT
Zoning Amendments Pass Easily Despite Pleas From Public by Maura Keene
Finance Committee Moves Forward With FY23 Budget Guidelines. Raises Concerns About Funding CRESS And DEI by Kitty Axelson-Berry
Town Of Amherst Currently Hiring Multiple Positions
Community Kwanzaa Celebration
Public Invited To Swearing-in Of New Town Council On January 3
Letter: Amherst Firefighters Union Opposes Extension Of Chief’s Tenure by Ben Graham
Opinion: Use ARPA Funds To Implement Climate Action Plan by Darcy DuMont
Town Manager Report for December 20, 2021
‘Twas a day after deadline,
And all ’round the room
Not a keyboard was clacking,
No meetings on Zoom.
Last week’s edition,
Was long put to bed,
Now set in C-bits,
No longer in lead.
Whom can we thank
For this weekly bounty,
The tales of the town
and news of the county?
The many fine writers,
And of course Santas Keene,
That dynamic duo:
Art and Maureen!
— Hoping you all had a wonderfully warm winter solstice (slime molds
notwithstanding nor “with-oozing” ;-), and wishing you all a perfectly
pleasant perihelion (the next assignment for one of our favorite
writers ;-)….
Bravo, Rob!
Fantastic thank you and acknowledgement of the Keenes’ important hard work!
Happy Anniversary too!