Monday, Jan. 15 is a holiday — the Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Town offices, schools, libraries and banks will be closed.

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A program, “Celebrating the Life and Legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,” will be held Monday, Jan. 15 at 1 p.m. in the Bangs Center. The program is sponsored by the Human Rights Commission and the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. 

A quote by King on the town website reads: “All that I have said boils down to the point of affirming that mankind’s survival is dependent upon man’s ability to solve the problem of racial injustice, poverty, and war; the solution of these is in turn dependent upon man squaring his moral progress with his scientific progress and learning the practical art of living.”

The program is free and open to the public.

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The co-chairs of the Community Safety and Social Justice Committee are the featured speakers in an online program Thursday, Jan. 18 at 7 p.m. sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Amherst. Register at lwvamherst.org to participate.

Debora Ferreira and Allegra Clark will address progress toward and barriers to achieving the recommendations of their predecessor Community Safety Working Group. The status of Community Responders for Equity Safety and Service (CRESS) will be part of the discussion.

Register at LWV Amherst.org.

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Barbara Schuman of Amherst sent a postcard of Sally Lunn’s house in Bath, England. It is the oldest house in Bath, according to the card. She also noted the difference between a Bath bun, small with currants, and Sally Lunn pastry, which is larger and more like a sweet bread.

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It is appropriate for Valentine’s Day items to be in the stores since it is five weeks away. However, it seems too early to have green St. Patrick’s Day. It’s more than two months away.

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At last real snow that accumulated. The number of inches depended on location with higher elevations getting more than the Valley. Friends have reported 11 and 15 inches.

On Monday, with the cloudless blue sky, sun, and snow-covered evergreen trees, the day was a photographer’s dream.

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The Shade Tree Committee doesn’t slow down in the winter. I received an email saying the trees may be dormant, but they are not. The group was checking trees last week at the Fort River Elementary School in anticipation of some losses with the construction of the new building. The group meets virtually on the second Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m. They welcome company.

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