AMHERST — Jacqueline Wallace and the Amherst Area Gospel Choir she has directed are earning the Jean Haggerty Award for Community Engagement and Social Justice from Amherst Media.

The presentation will take place as part of the second annual Amherst Media Raise Your Voice Gala, being held Dec. 14 at 5:30 p.m. at the University of Massachusetts Student Union Ballroom.

Celia Johnston Blue, president and CEO of Massachusetts Women of Color Coalition, will be the keynote speaker, while opening remarks will be made by Linda Ziegengein, assistant vice chancellor for Strategic Outreach and Engagement at UMass.

The choir is a regular presence at community events throughout Amherst and the region, including at a service this fall that brought together Amherst’s two African American churches and the Juneteenth celebration last spring.

The gala will include dinner, a year in review, dancing with DJ Don, a cash bar and performances.

Early bird tickets are $75 when bought by Nov. 30. The last day to sponsor the event and get general tickets, which will increase to $100, is Dec. 8. Go to amherstmedia.org for more information.

The Haggerty award has been presented by Amherst Media since 2010. Amherst Media, in existence for 48 years, is the longest-serving local community access media organization in the country. It broadcasts and livestreams public, educational and Amherst government meetings and various public affairs and community shows.

Small Business Saturday and free parking

Small Business Saturday will be the first of five Saturdays through the holiday season when metered spaces and public lots will be available for free to people shopping and dining in downtown Amherst.

The free parking comes at the request of the Amherst Business Improvement District as a way to encourage people to come to the stores, boutiques and restaurants.

While Small Business Saturday kicks off the season, the business community is again sponsoring the Merry Maple ceremony on Dec. 6, starting at 3 p.m. with an open house at the Central Fire Station fire station and crafts and activities with Amherst Recreation at Town Hall.

Horse-drawn carriage rides will run from 4 to 7 p.m., the middle school chorus performs at 4:30 p.m., and the tree-lighting countdown starts at 5 p.m., with the UMass Minuteman Marching Band providing an escort for Santa Claus, arriving at the renovated North Common between 5:30 and 6 p.m. 

Roundabouts complete

New mini-roundabouts on Heatherstone Road, which are designed to keep vehicles from speeding through the neighborhood, will stay in place for at least the next six months.

Department of Public Works Superintendent Guilford Mooring told the Transportation Advisory Committee at a recent meeting that the mini-roundabouts, which provide a small raised surface in the middle of the road, can be driven over by larger vehicles, though they are not comfortable to hit with smaller vehicles.

Similar roundabouts had been proposed on Lincoln and Sunset avenues, Mooring said, but instead speed humps have been used.

Mooring said he doesn’t expect there to be any issues with plows clearing the roundabouts during a snowstorm. 

Board appointments

A resident with experience in the hospitality industry and a semi-retired person working in compliance in the financial industry will be joining the Board of License Commissioners.

The Town Council recently approved Amanda Robertson of Northampton Road, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, and Kurt Sundeen of Larkspur Drive, a relatively new resident interested in giving back to the town, to join the board that issues licenses, including for alcohol and food service.

For the Cultural Council, Do Kim of Strong Street will be serving for the next two years. Kim helped set up a Korean language school in the Amherst area and serves on the board of Korea in Amherst and the Amherst Hockey Association.

Subbaswamy retiring

Serving as interim senior vice president in the UMass president’s office since leaving as chancellor at the University of Massachusetts in July 2023, Kumble Subbaswamy is retiring at the end of the year.

UMass President Marty Meehan said in a statement that Subbaswamy’s impact has been extraordinary.

“He significantly raised the national profile and reputation of UMass Amherst and made it a top destination for students,” Meehan said. “He brought an energy to the campus that was distinctive and his passion for his work was infectious.”

Subbaswamy will be succeeded by Nefertiti Walker, who will be senior vice president for Academic Affairs, Student Affairs and Equity. Walker has been at the UMass president’s office since January 2022 while also serving as vice chancellor for diversity, equity and inclusion at UMass Amherst.

While in Amherst, Walker is credited for creating the Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Conference, a campus climate survey engagement process, and employee resource groups, with aims to foster an inclusive campus culture.

Meetings

MONDAY: Town Council, 6:30 p.m., Town Room, Town Hall.

WEDNESDAY: Cultural Council, 6 p.m., and Planning Board, 6:30 p.m.