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The Nov. 27 letter in the Gazette in support of The Jones Library demolition-expansion project appears to be unfamiliar with the interior of the Jones Library and reasonable alternatives to tearing down the Jones’ 31-year-old brick addition. The...

By BRUCE M. PENNIMAN

Let’s move on from Jones Library divisions

Has anyone else noticed how many professional athletes are now doing the “Trump dance” when celebrating? From the UFC to the NFL, people seem to be happy again! People feel a sense of relief to express themselves without fear and the country is in a...

Regarding the Nov. 21 Gazette story “Council Rejects $1M for sidewalk and road repairs,” why would six members of the Town Council assume a competition between school funding and safe sidewalks and roads? Both need funding. Safety — maintenance of...

In these tumultuous times, it is more important than ever that we safeguard and support our civic institutions. In Amherst, one of our most beloved and democratic institutions is the Jones Library. It is in dire need of renovations and expansion. I...

I was saddened and angry by the time I finished reading the Nov. 5 Gazette article regarding the proposal of rezoning the entire stretch of University Drive in Amherst [“Planners consider modifying U-Drive rezoning”]. The focus of rezoning is to build...

On Dec. 3, 1860, President James Buchanan delivered his State of the Union address justifying the fugitive slave laws, denying the right of the territory of Kansas to abolish slavery, and blaming Northern abolitionist agitators for inciting slave...

Recently at the Amherst Farmers Market, we approached people with a sign that said, “Stop the Library Demolition.” We pointed out that their statement is simply not true; the library is not being demolished but renovated and expanded. The person we...

Anonymous letters are abhorrent. However, the hypocrisy of the Amherst Pelham Education Association in criticizing the “low tactics” of the correspondence disparaging Superintendent E. Xiomara Herman is truly stunning. Many of us remember that, in the...

So, let’s get this straight — a violent international fugitive, wanted for committing assault and battery with a dangerous weapon in Massachusetts, was finally arrested. Northampton and Amherst officials, including two new police chiefs, want to...

By LOU CONOVER

The Democratic Party is consumed with its defeat. The discussion goes back and forth between finger-pointing, navel gazing, terrified wailing, and depression. Of course there is a recognition of what victories there were and a renewed determination...

By JOHANNA NEUMANN

 Holiday time is nearly here. I’m so excited about filling my home with the smell of balsam fir and baking cookies and the sounds of my boys singing along to Chipmunks Christmas carols.I am not, however, looking forward to the crescendo of holiday...

I found it ironic that on his way out the door, longtime Gazette columnist John Shreirer bemoaned that he wasn’t able to convince the “cultists” not to vote for Trump [“I’m Done,” Nov. 11]. For the past eight years or so, the writer has consistently...

I was interested to see that UMass is apparently planning to build an expanded child care facility [“Child care lack leaves hundreds waiting on list,” Gazette, Nov. 9]. I question if the plans are “expansive” enough.It is distressing that UMass finds...

I was pleased and relieved to hear the news that a bid for the Jones Library renovation project has come in within the budget. Libraries are important to our democracy, and the proposed renovations will protect and expand this precious resource so it...

By RUSS VERNON-JONES

The election of Donald Trump is catastrophic in so many ways. It will mean untold suffering for many people and for our country as a whole. It also will be disastrous for the global climate crisis.We are at a moment in history when the entire world...

By TIM NIXON

If Kamala Harris had won the 2024 election, the next months would have been filled with a cycle of headlines about voter fraud. They would have stemmed from complaints from Republican leadership and lawsuits backed by powerful donors (along with a...

By JOHANNA NEUMANN

For the past two decades, America has accomplished a minor miracle. Despite a growing population, ballooning home sizes, a spike in the number of electronic devices we own, and more, electricity demand has remained largely stable. That’s a testament...

By HENRY LAPPEN

 How many trees grow along the streets of Amherst? What’s the most common species? Are our street trees healthy, and how does the climate crisis affect them?The town of Amherst recently attempted to answer these questions and more. With funding from...

We wholeheartedly support Amherst-Pelham Regional School District Superintendent Xiamara Herman’s proposal to close the middle school and have the district’s seventh and eighth graders taught in the high school building.We have it on excellent...