What’s in This Issue?

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ANALYTICS
Numbers in parentheses indicate change from the previous week.
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Number of Unique Page Views Last 30 Days: 83,101 (+5762)
Number of Unique Page Views Last Week: 23,163 (+7501)

*Number of Unique Sessions Last 30 Days: 61,501 (+4831)
Number of Unique Sessions Last Week: 16,840 (+5298)

Number of Active Users Last 30 Days: 46,828 (+4148)
Number of Active Users Last Week: 13,268 (+4278)

TOP FIVE MOST-READ STORIES LAST WEEK
1. Town Council President’s Attempt to Silence DPW Workers Fails. Union Condemns Deplorable Working Conditions and Low Wages by Art Keene
2. Finance Committee Gets Briefing on Library Project Finances: Big Questions Remain by Maria Kopicki
3. Director of Senior Services Resigns by Art Keene
4. Integrity Development Takes Over Rise Dispensary Site by Maura Keene
5. Big Night Amphibian Migration Is at Hand by Amherst Indy (c/o Hitchcock Center for the Environment)

WHAT’S IN THIS ISSUE?

ARTS

• Amherst Community Band Seeks Guest Conductors for 2026 Summer Season by Judith Gutlerner
• What’s Happening in Amherst? by Art Keene and Maura Keene

BUDGET

• Jones Library Project Nears Halfway Point, but Delay May Loom. Fundraising Still $9M Short by Maura Keene 
• Council Allocates $10 Million of Free Cash by Maura Keene
• CSSJC to Advocate for Larger CRESS and DEI Budgets  by Bella Astrofsky
• Leverett Residents Rally for Rural School Aid During Statewide Action Week by Eliza Stickland

CAMPUS

•  Celebrate the Spring Equinox at the UMass Sunwheel

CLIMATE / ENERGY / ENVIRONMENT / NATURE

• Updated: Big Night Amphibian Migration Is at Hand
• Celebrate the Spring Equinox at the UMass Sunwheel
• Views on Views: Amherst’s Conservation Commission by Hetty Startup
• Amherst Arbor Spotlight: Tupliptree Amherst Public Shade Tree Committee

DEMOCRACY

• Town Manager Issues Executive Order Prohibiting Collaboration with ICE by Maura Keene
• Council Continues to Evaluate Revisions to Town Charter by Anita Sarro
• Western Mass Resistance Calendar and Supplemental Reading List by Art Keene
• The Cost of War: Iran Edition by Eric Morrissette (c/o Common Dreams)

DOWNTOWN

• Amherst in 2040? Open House Previews New Design Standards for Downtown by Art Keene and Maura Keene
• Amherst Dessert Crawl Brings Sweet Treats to Downtown on March 28

EVENTS

• Western Mass Resistance Calendar and Supplemental Reading List by Art Keene
• Updated: Big Night Amphibian Migration Is at Hand
• Celebrate the Spring Equinox at the UMass Sunwheel
• 18th Annual Empty Bowls at Amherst Survival Center
• Amherst Dessert Crawl Brings Sweet Treats to Downtown on March 28
• Finding Our Place in the Connecticut River (Kwinitekw) Valley: Beginning to Heal after 400 Years of Settler Colonialism
• What’s Happening in Amherst? by Art Keene and Maura Keene

FEATURES

• Amherst May Soon Lose its Only Remaining Bookstore by Josna Rege
• Views on Views: Amherst’s Conservation Commission by Hetty Startup
• Amherst Arbor Spotlight: Tupliptree by Amherst Public Shade Tree Committee
• Photos of the Week: Scenes from the Iran War by Art Keene

HISTORY / HISTORICAL PRESERVATION

•  Finding Our Place in the Connecticut River (Kwinitekw) Valley: Beginning to Heal after 400 Years of Settler Colonialism

HOUSING

• Amherst in 2040? Open House Previews New Design Standards for Downtown by Art Keene and Maura Keene
• Planning Board Chair to Housing Trust: Relax Zoning to Create More Housing by Maura Keene

ISSUES & ANALYSES

• The Cost of War: Iran Edition by Eric Morrissette (c/o Common Dreams)

LIBRARY

•  Jones Library Project Nears Halfway Point, but Delay May Loom. Fundraising Still $9M Short by Maura Keene

LOCAL BUSINESSES

• Amherst May Soon Lose its Only Remaining Bookstore by Josna Rege
• Pat Ononibaku Honored with 2026 Fearless Woman Award by Art Keene
• Amherst Dessert Crawl Brings Sweet Treats to Downtown on March 28

MEDIA

• A New Direction for Amherst Media: Organization Will Remain in Current Location as Plans for New Building Become Unaffordable by Maura Keene
• Amherst May Soon Lose its Only Remaining Bookstore by Josna Rege

OPINION

• Opinion: Amherst for Palestine Condemns the U.S.-Israeli War on Iran, Israel’s Wars on Lebanon and Palestine, and U.S. Militarism at Home and Abroad by Amherst for Palestine

PUBLIC HEALTH & SAFETY

• Town Manager Issues Executive Order Prohibiting Collaboration with ICE by Maura Keene
• CSSJC to Advocate for Larger CRESS and DEI Budgets  by Bella Astrofsky
• CRESS Hires New Project Manager and Fifth Responder by Bella Astrofsky

RESOURCES

•  Western Mass Resistance Calendar and Supplemental Reading List by Art Keene

SCHOOLS

• Council Allocates $10 Million of Free Cash by Maura Keene
• Elementary School Building Project Update by Maria Kopicki
• Leverett Residents Rally for Rural School Aid During Statewide Action Week by Eliza Strickland

SOCIAL & ECONOMIC JUSTICE

• CSSJC to Advocate for Larger CRESS and DEI Budgets  by Bella Astrofsky
• Pat Ononibaku Honored with 2026 Fearless Woman Award by Art Keene
• CRESS Hires New Project Manager and Fifth Responder by Bella Astrofsky
• Leverett Residents Rally for Rural School Aid During Statewide Action Week by Eliza Strickland
• Finding Our Place in the Connecticut River (Kwinitekw) Valley: Beginning to Heal after 400 Years of Settler Colonialism
• The Cost of War: Iran Edition by Eric Morrissette (c/o Common Dreams)
• Opinion: Amherst for Palestine Condemns the U.S.-Israeli War on Iran, Israel’s Wars on Lebanon and Palestine, and U.S. Militarism at Home and Abroad  by Amherst for Palestine

TOWN GOVERNMENT

• Jones Library Project Nears Halfway Point, but Delay May Loom. Fundraising Still $9M Short by Maura Keene
• Council Allocates $10 Million of Free Cash by Maura Keene
• Town Will Explore Future Use of Wildwood School Building by Maura Keene
• Town Manager Issues Executive Order Prohibiting Collaboration with ICE by Maura Keene
• Amherst in 2040? Open House Previews New Design Standards for Downtown by Art Keene and Maura Keene
• CSSJC to Advocate for Larger CRESS and DEI Budgets  by Bella Astrofsky
• Planning Board Chair to Housing Trust: Relax Zoning to Create More Housing by Maura Keene
• Elementary School Building Project Update by Maria Kopicki
• Council Continues to Evaluate Revisions to Town Charter by Anita Sarro
• Cathleen Mitchell and Jeffrey Robert Recommended as Non-Voting Members of Finance Committee by Maura Keene