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
Analytics are back!
Numbers in parentheses indicate change from the previous week.

Number of Unique Page Views:
Last 30 days: 49,822 (-1512)
Last Week: 12,888 (+223)
Number of Unique Sessions
Last 30 days: 26,759 (-1023)
Last Week : 6971 (+339)

TOP FIVE MOST-READ ARTICLES LAST WEEK
1. Updated: Slight Uptick in COVID-19 Wastewater Levels Since September High by Maura Keene
2. Objections Raised to Four Roundabout Plan for South East Street by Maura Keene
3. Shutesbury Road Solar Project Hits Roadblock by Maura Keene
4. An Open Letter to U.S. Representative Jim McGovern Regarding the Jones Library Project by Jeff Lee
5. Finance Committee Ponders Spending Potential Savings from School Project Instead of Passing Them on to Amherst Taxpayersby Maria Kopicki

WHAT’S IN THIS ISSUE?

ARTS

• Gordon M. Green & GK Khalsa to Exhibit Work at Gallery A3 in January
• What’s Happening in Amherst? by Art and Maura Keene

BUDGET

• Overcommitting to an MBLC Library Expansion — A Cautionary Tale from Westford by Jeff Lee
• Four Towns Meeting Debates Options for Funding Regional Schools by Maura Keene
• Public Urges Town Council to Support Public Schools by Maura Keene
• Budget Shortfall Looms for District Schools in FY26. District Committed to Protecting Undocumented Students by Amber Cano-Martin
• A Better World is Possible: Strengthening Civic Participation and Local Democracy Through Participatory Budgeting by Art Keene

CAMPUS

• UMass Amherst Research Shows Massive Health and Economic Costs of Chemicals Common in Plastics
• Updated Indexes from UMass Amherst Name Nation’s Most Prolific Polluters
• Mark the Winter Solstice at the UMass Sunwheel

CLIMATE / ENERGY / ENVIRONMENT / NATURE

• Amherst Installs Innovative Groundwater Treatment System
• UMass Amherst Research Shows Massive Health and Economic Costs of Chemicals Common in Plastics
• Updated Indexes from UMass Amherst Name Nation’s Most Prolific Polluters
• Mark the Winter Solstice at the UMass Sunwheel

DEMOCRACY

• Opinion: Winning Hearts and Minds in the Battle Against Authoritarianism by Russ Vernon-Jones
• A Better World is Possible: Strengthening Civic Participation and Local Democracy Through Participatory Budgeting by Art Keene

EVENTS

• Mark the Winter Solstice at the UMass Sunwheel
• Gordon M. Green & GK Khalsa to Exhibit Work at Gallery A3 in January
• What’s Happening in Amherst? by Art and Maura Keene

FEATURES

• Amherst’s Neighboring Towns: Pelham (Part 2). “Upon an Eminence” by Hetty Startup
• A Better World is Possible: Strengthening Civic Participation and Local Democracy Through Participatory Budgeting by Art Keene
• How to Avoid the Latest Generation of Scams This Holiday Season by Shaila Rana and Nelly Mulleneaux for The Conversation
• Photo of the Week. Happily off to School by Danya Keene

HISTORY / HISTORIC PRESERVATION

• Amherst’s Neighboring Towns: Pelham (Part 2). “Upon an Eminence” by Hetty Startup

HOUSING

• Amity Street at University Drive Development Will Be Smaller Due to Rising Cost of Steel.  Planning Board Nears Agreement on Overlay District by Maura Keene
• Town Issues Requests for Proposals for Community Development Block Grants

ISSUES & ANALYSES

Overcommitting to an MBLC Library Expansion — A Cautionary Tale from Westford by Jeff Lee

LIBRARY

• Overcommitting to an MBLC Library Expansion — A Cautionary Tale from Westford by Jeff Lee

OPINION

• Letter: ARPA Funds Earmarked for Youth Empowerment Should Not Be Transferred to Cash Reserves by The Town of Amherst’s Community Safety and Social Justice Committee
• Opinion: Winning Hearts and Minds in the Battle Against Authoritarianism by Russ Vernon-Jones

PUBLIC HEALTH & SAFETY

• Updated: Slight Uptick in COVID-19 Wastewater Levels Since September High by Maura Keene
• UMass Amherst Research Shows Massive Health and Economic Costs of Chemicals Common in Plastics
• Updated Indexes from UMass Amherst Name Nation’s Most Prolific Polluters
• How to Avoid the Latest Generation of Scams This Holiday Season by Shaila Rana and Nelly Mulleneaux for The Conversation

SCHOOLS

• School Building Project Contract Not Yet Signed, Timeline Not Yet Re-established by Maria Kopicki
• AG Denies Bid Protest over School Project by Maria Kopicki
• Four Towns Meeting Debates Options for Funding Regional Schools by Maura Keene
• Public Urges Town Council to Support Public Schools by Maura Keene
• Budget Shortfall Looms for District Schools in FY26. District Committed to Protecting Undocumented Students by Amber Cano-Martin
• Letter: ARPA Funds Earmarked for Youth Empowerment Should Not Be Transferred to Cash Reserves by The Town of Amherst’s Community Safety and Social Justice Committee

SOCIAL & ECONOMIC JUSTICE

• Letter: ARPA Funds Earmarked for Youth Empowerment Should Not Be Transferred to Cash Reserves by The Town of Amherst’s Community Safety and Social Justice Committee

TOWN GOVERNMENT

• Overcommitting to an MBLC Library Expansion — A Cautionary Tale from Westford by Jeff Lee
• School Building Project Contract Not Yet Signed, Timeline Not Yet Re-established by Maria Kopicki
• AG Denies Bid Protest over School Project  by Maria Kopicki
• Four Towns Meeting Debates Options for Funding Regional Schools by Maura Keene
• Public Urges Town Council to Support Public Schools by Maura Keene
• Budget Shortfall Looms for District Schools in FY26. District Committed to Protecting Undocumented Students by Amber Cano-Martin
• Amity Street at University Drive Development Will Be Smaller Due to Rising Cost of Steel.  Planning Board Nears Agreement on Overlay District by Maura Keene
• Updated: Slight Uptick in COVID-19 Wastewater Levels Since September High by Maura Keene
• Amherst Installs Innovative Groundwater Treatment System
• Town Issues Requests for Proposals for Community Development Block Grants
• Letter: ARPA Funds Earmarked for Youth Empowerment Should Not Be Transferred to Cash Reserves by The Town of Amherst’s Community Safety and Social Justice Committee