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Dear Reader:
Last week we introduced a Table of Contents in response to requests from our readers.  We received favorable comments from a few of you and will continue with the experiment throughout August.

You can also receive a listing of all new items in the Indy each week by subscribing here. The subscription is free and will deliver to your inbox a listing of all new content, each Saturday at 6 AM. We can assure you 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
Last week we started running analytics to get a sense of which articles are being read the most and when.  Last week we had over 6000 page views from about 2500 discrete sessions.  We found that our heaviest traffic last week was on Saturday with 1017 sessions and Tuesday with 422.  I note that there was a lot of breaking news on Tuesday as a result of the polling consolidation controversy at Monday night’s council meeting and that resulted in three new posts to the Indy on Tuesday.  The Five most read articles of the week were:

  1. PHASED RE-OPENING PLANNED FOR AMHERST, PELHAM, AND REGIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOL BUILDINGS – Marla Goldberg-Jamate
  2. MASS TEACHERS ASSOCIATION PLEDGES TO NOT RETURN FOR FALL CLASSES UNTIL SCHOOL BUILDINGS ARE SAFE – Laura Quilter
  3. TOWN COUNCIL VOTES TO REPLACE EIGHT POLLING SITES WITH ONE – Marla Goldberg-Jamate
  4. LETTER: COUNCIL MUST REJECT POLLING PLACE CONSOLIDATION – John Bonifaz
  5. LETTER: TOWN COUNCIL MUST RESCIND ITS VOTE TO CONSOLIDATE ALL POLLING LOCATIONS – John Bonifaz


WHAT’S IN THIS ISSUE? NEW POSTINGS TO THE INDY, SATURDAY, JULY 25 to SATURDAY, AUGUST 1, 2020

CAMPUSES AND SCHOOLS
UMass Encourages Students To Stay Home. Number Of Students Residing On Campus To Be Greatly Reduced For Fall Term

Amherst Schools Will Delay In-Person Instruction For Most Students Until November – Marla Goldberg-Jamate

In-Person Preschool To Be Limited To Those With IEPs – Toni Cunningham

Study Of Crocker Farm Elementary Estimates $9.25 Million For Basic Repairs, Up To $27.5 Million For Expansion – Marla Goldberg-Jamate

Town Manager Names Three More To School Building Committee – Art Keene

Culture
Culture Club: The Last of Us, Part 2 – William Kaizen

Features
COVID-19 Daily Update – Art and Maura Keene

Culture Club: The Last of Us, Part 2 – William Kaizen

Photo Of The Week: Storm Survivor – Steven Sauter

Fact Check: “This Week at the Jones Library August 2-8” – Terry S. Johnson

Town Manager Report For 8/3/20

Housing
Zoning Board Of Appeals Continues Deliberation On Proposed Supportive Housing At 132 Northampton Road – Maura Keene

Libraries
Opinion: Jones Library – A Glimpse Into The Capital Campaign Looking Glass – by Terry S. Johnson

Fact Check: “This Week at the Jones Library August 2-8” – Terry S. Johnson

Council Approves Water Agreement With Leverett, Hears Plans For North Amherst Library Renovation – Maura Keene

Media
Amherst Media Launches New Weekly News Program

Planning Board Approves Amherst Media Project. Controversy Erupts Over Choosing Next Chair – Maura Keene

Opinions/Letters
Editorial: No To A Single Polling Site. Our Town Council Must Do Better. – The Editors

Letter: Town Council Must Rescind Its Vote To Consolidate Polling Locations – John Bonifaz

Letter: Council Must Reject Polling Place Consolidation – John Bonifaz

Letter: Democratic Failings Observed at This Week’s Town Council and Planning Board Meetings –Jocelyn Ford

Opinion: Jones Library – A Glimpse Into The Capital Campaign Looking Glass – by Terry S. Johnson

Town Government
Amherst Awarded $321,577 In Cdbg And Cares Act Funding

Town Manager Report For 8/3/20

Zoning Board Of Appeals Continues Deliberation On Proposed Supportive Housing At 132 Northampton Road – Maura Keene

Town Manager Names Three More To School Building Committee – Art Keene

Planning Board Approves Amherst Media Project. Controversy Erupts Over Choosing Next Chair –Maura Keene

Council Approves Water Agreement With Leverett, Hears Plans For North Amherst Library Renovation – Maura Keene

Voting
Editorial: No To A Single Polling Site. Our Town Council Must Do Better.

Amherst Town Council Will Reconsider Its Vote To Consolidate Eight Polling Locations Into One Site At High School– Marla Goldberg Jamate

Amherst Town Council Can Change Controversial Polling Place Consolidation Plan Until Aug. 12 – Marla Goldberg Jamate

Letter: Town Council Must Rescind Its Vote To Consolidate Polling Locations – John Bonifaz

Town Council Votes To Replace Eight Polling Sites With One – Marla Goldberg-Jamate

Letter: Council Must Reject Polling Place Consolidation – John Bonifaz

Town Clerk Responds To Questions About Voting In Amherst – Maria Kopicki  

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