What’s In This Issue?

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ANALYTICS 
(numbers in parentheses reflect the + or – change since last week)
Number of Unique Page Views:
Last 30 days: 20,212 (-1129)
Last Week: 4926 (-185)
Number of Unique Sessions
Last 30 Days: 9536 (-720)
Last Week: 2323 (-131)

TOP FIVE MOST-READ STORIES LAST WEEK
1. Lawsuit Over Disqualified Signatures For Jones Borrowing Referendum Appears To Move Forward by Art Keene
2. New Political Action Committee Forms In Amherst
3. Public Hearing On Rezoning “CVS Lot” For Construction Of Parking Garage
4. Emma Dragon Steps Down As Town Health Director by Art Keene
5. Planning Board Considers Zoning Bylaw Amendments For Apartments, Mixed-Use Buildings, And Parking, As Well As New Zoning Overlay District For Triangle and North Pleasant Streets by Maura Keene

WHAT”S IN THIS ISSUE?
NEW / BREAKING
Issues and Analysis: The Current School Building Project: Smaller, Greener, Better by Toni Cunningham

Letter: Town’s Rush To Change Zoning Unlikely To End Well by Ira Bryck

Letter: Voters Encouraged To Check Their Registration With Fall Election and Possible Library Referendum Looming by Mary Hoyer

Letter: Community Safety Working Group Calls For Release Of Amherst Media’s Capital Funds by The Community Safety Working Group

COVID-19 Update For The Week Of July 28, 2021 by Art and Maura Keene

ARTS
Isabel Margolin’s Abstract Mosaics At Hope And Feathers Gallery by Art Keene

Gallery A3 To Display New Work by GK Khalsa and Tom Morton

Photo Of The Week: Storm Over Lake Wyola By Susan Panlilio

CLIMATE / ENVIRONMENT / NATURE
Almanac: Fungi Riot by Stephen Braun

Photo Of The Week: Storm Over Lake Wyola By Susan Panlilio

COVID-19
COVID-19 Update For The Week Of July 28, 2021 by Art and Maura Keene

DOWNTOWN
Letter: Town’s Rush To Change Zoning Unlikely To End Well by Ira Bryck

Packed Agenda For Public Hearing On Zoning Prohibits Full Discussion by Maura Keene

Grand Reopening For Black Sheep Deli On Saturday July 24 by Art Keene

Letter: Elected Officials Are Not Unencumbered To Do Whatever They Choose by Jennifer Taub

Letter: New Apartment Buildings Are Creating A Dead Zone Downtown by Nina Weyl

Letter: We Need Design Integrity In Downtown Development by Ira Bryck

Off The Cuff: Verbatim
. (.a play). by Hilda Greenbaum

ELECTIONS
Election FAQ 2021

EVENTS
Grand Reopening For Black Sheep Deli On Saturday July 24 by Art Keene

Civil War Tablets Viewing Hours Announced

Isabel Margolin’s Abstract Mosaics At Hope And Feathers Gallery by Art Keene

Gallery A3 To Display New Work by GK Khalsa and Tom Morton

FEATURES
Almanac: Fungi Riot by Stephen Braun

Off The Cuff: Verbatim (a play) by Hilda Greenbaum

Photo Of The Week: Storm Over Lake Wyola By Susan Panlilio

HISTORY
Civil War Tablets Viewing Hours Announced

ISSUES AND ANALYSIS
Issues & Analysis: The Current School Building Project: Smaller, Greener, Better by Toni Cunningham

LIBRARIES
Hampshire Superior Court Judge Agrees To Speed Up Lawsuit Over Referendum On Jones Library Project. Sets Hearing For August 23

LITIGATION
Hampshire Superior Court Judge Agrees To Speed Up Lawsuit Over Referendum On Jones Library Project. Sets Hearing For August 23

OPINION
Letter: Town’s Rush To Change Zoning Unlikely To End Well by Ira Bryck

Letter: Voters Encouraged To Check Their Registration With Fall Election and Possible Library Referendum Looming by Mary Hoyer

Letter: Community Safety Working Group Calls For Release Of Amherst Media’s Capital Funds by The Community Safety Working Group

Letter: Opposed To Recruitment Of New Amherst Police Officers by Allegra Clark

Letter: Elected Officials Are Not Unencumbered To Do Whatever They Choose by Jennifer Taub

Letter: New Apartment Buildings Are Creating A Dead Zone Downtown by Nina Weyl

Letter: We Need Design Integrity In Downtown Development by Ira Bryck

Opinion: Public Engagement is Broken by Grant Henninger

Opionion: We Don’t Need More “Invitations to the Table.” We Need a New Table. by Charles Marohn

POLICE
Community Safety Working Group Seeks To Ensure BIPOC Involvement With Police Oversight And CRESS Implementation by Art Keene

Letter: Opposed To Recruitment Of New Amherst Police Officers by Allegra Clark

PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
Community Safety Working Group Seeks To Ensure BIPOC Involvement With Police Oversight And CRESS Implementation by Art Keene

Packed Agenda For Public Hearing On Zoning Prohibits Full Discussion by Maura Keene

Opinion: Public Engagement is Broken by Grant Henninger

Opinion: We Don’t Need More “Invitations to the Table.” We Need a New Table. by Charles Marohn

PUBLIC HEALTH
Elevated Bacteria Counts And Hazardous High Water Levels Close Town Beaches

COVID-19 Update For The Week Of July 28, 2021 by Art and Maura Keene

PUBLIC SAFETY
Community Safety Working Group Seeks To Ensure BIPOC Involvement With Police Oversight And CRESS Implementation by Art Keene

Elevated Bacteria Counts And Hazardous High Water Levels Close Town Beaches

Central Fire Station To Close For Repairs

SCHOOLS
Issues and Analysis: The Current School Building Project: Smaller, Greener, Better by Toni Cunningham

TOWN GOVERNMENT
Hampshire Superior Court Judge Agrees To Speed Up Lawsuit Over Referendum On Jones Library Project. Sets Hearing For August 23

Packed Agenda For Public Hearing On Zoning Prohibits Full Discussion by Maura Keene

Community Safety Working Group Seeks To Ensure BIPOC Involvement With Police Oversight And CRESS Implementation by Art Keene

Letter: Elected Officials Are Not Unencumbered To Do Whatever They Choose by Jennifer Taub