What’s in This Issue?

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ANALYTICS ARE BACK!
Numbers in parentheses indicate change from the previous week.

New: As of two weeks ago, we have eliminated from our counts all visits to our site that did not result in a meaningful engagement with the content. While the total number of visits to our site continues to grow (in the last 30 days, it was over 105,000 visits), only about a third of those visits resulted in a meaningful engagement, such as opening an article or clicking on a menu. The other visits are likely bot traffic. From now on, we’ll only tally meaningful engagement.

Number of Engaged Page Views Last 30 Days: 30,650 (-1594)
Number of Engaged Page Views Last Week: 9180 (+1766)

Number of Engaged Sessions Last 30 Days: 22,617 (-692)
Number of Engaged Sessions Last Week: 5782 (+650)

Number of Engaged Users Last 30 Days: 17,071 17,500 (-429)
Number of Engaged Users Last Week: 3987 (+176)

TOP FIVE MOST-READ ARTICLES IN THE MONTH OF MAY
1. Are Amherst Developers Flouting the Intent of the Town’s ADU Bylaw? by Maura Keene
2. Massachusetts Receives National “Black Hole Award” for Government Secrecy by Jeff Lee
3. Hampshire College Coalition Seeks to Raise $10M in Two Weeks to Forestall Sale of Campus by Art Keene
4. Beacon Withdraws Plans for 140-Unit Housing Complex in North Amherst by Maura Keene
5. Letter: Interventions at Drunken Student Parties Cost Town More Than Dollars by John Varner

TOP FIVE MOST-READ ARTICLES LAST WEEK
1. Letter: A Formal $21M Asset-Backed Refinancing Offer and Binding Restructuring Conditions for Hampshire College by Jerome Segal
2. Opinion: Amherst College Silences Criticism of Gaza Genocide by Jennifer Scarlott
3. CRC Recommends Mager, Johnson, and Hartwell for Planning Board Seats by Maura Keene
4. Town Discusses Planning Process for Redeveloping Hampshire College Campus by Maura Keene
5. Construction Updates from the DPW by Amherst Indy (c/o amherstma.gov)

WHAT’S IN THIS ISSUE?

ARTS

•  What’s Happening in Amherst? by Art and Maura Keene

CAMPUS

• Town Collaborates with MassDevelopment to Plan for Future Uses of Hampshire College Land  
• Town Discusses Planning Process for Redeveloping Hampshire College Campus by Maura Keene
• Hampshire College May Close Sooner Than Expected by Art Keene
• Opinion: Hampshire College Didn’t Fail; Society Failed Hampshire by Alan Goodman

DEMOCRACY

• How Massachusetts Teachers Transformed Their Union: An Interview with Amherst’s Max Page by Chris Brooks (c/o Jacobin) 
• Seven Design Firms Submit Proposals for DPW Building Project. Building Committee Continues to Limit Public Access by Maria Kopicki
• Students at Fort River Elementary Mobilize to Oppose Book Banning by Timothy Austin
• Opinion: Amherst’s Politics of Endless Outrage by Rizwana Khan

EVENTS

• Special Meeting of Town Council Will Take Up Social Justice Concerns by Art Keene
• Cuppa Joe with DEI Director Pamela Nolan Young
• Bridge4Unity: Join Us and Stand Against Hate in Our Community
• Amherst Will Celebrate Juneteenth With Events on Sunday June 14 and Friday June 19 by Art Keene
• What’s Happening in Amherst? by Art and Maura Keene

FEATURES

•  Photos of the Week: Commencement for the ARHS Class of 2026 by Art and Maura Keene

HISTORY / HISTORICAL PRESERVATION

•  Amherst Will Celebrate Juneteenth With Events on Sunday June 14 and Friday June 19 by Art Keene

HOUSING

• Questions from The Front Lines of the Housing Crisis by Charles Marohn (c/o Strong Towns)
• Town Collaborates with MassDevelopment to Plan for Future Uses of Hampshire College Land  
• Town Discusses Planning Process for Redeveloping Hampshire College Campus by Maura Keene
• Long Rancorous Discussion Precedes Vote on Planning Board Appointment by Maura Keene
• Opinion: What’s Wrong with the Positive Growth Narrative by Ira Bryck

ISSUES & ANALYSES

• Questions from The Front Lines of the Housing Crisis by Charles Marohn (c/o Strong Towns)
• How Massachusetts Teachers Transformed Their Union: An Interview with Amherst’s Max Page by Chris Brooks (c/o Jacobin)

OPINION

•  Letter: Board of Health Calls for Lyme Disease Vigilance in Response to Surging Tick Populaton by the Amherst Board of Health
• Opinion: Belonging Is a Public Health Issue by Amy Cronin-DiCaprio
• Opinion: Hampshire College Didn’t Fail; Society Failed Hampshire by Alan Goodman
• Opinion: What’s Wrong with the Positive Growth Narrative by Ira Bryck
• Opinion: Amherst’s Politics of Endless Outrage by Riwana Khan
• Opinion: Potholes in Amherst and England by John Varner

PUBLIC HEALTH & SAFETY

• Special Meeting of Town Council Will Take Up Social Justice Concerns by Art Keene
• Meet Rigo Antonio Flores-Noriega, Amherst’s Newest Community Responder by Bella Astrofsky
• Cuppa Joe with DEI Director Pamela Nolan Young
• Bridge4Unity: Join Us and Stand Against Hate in Our Community
• Letter: Board of Health Calls for Lyme Disease Vigilance in Response to Surging Tick Populaton by the Amherst Board of Health
• Opinion: Belonging Is a Public Health Issue by Amy Cronin-DiCaprio

RESOURCES

•  Letter: Board of Health Calls for Lyme Disease Vigilance in Response to Surging Tick Populaton by the Amherst Board of Health

SCHOOLS

• How Massachusetts Teachers Transformed Their Union: An Interview with Amherst’s Max Page by Chris Brooks (c/o Jacobin)
• Students at Fort River Elementary Mobilize to Oppose Book Banning by Timothy Austin
• Photos of the Week: Commencement for the ARHS Class of 2026 by Art and Maura Keene

SOCIAL & ECONOMIC JUSTICE

•  How Massachusetts Teachers Transformed Their Union: An Interview with Amherst’s Max Page by Chris Brooks (c/o Jacobin)
• DPW Workers and Town Ratify New Contract
• Special Meeting of Town Council Will Take Up Social Justice Concerns by Art Keene
• Cuppa Joe with DEI Director Pamela Nolan Young
• Bridge4Unity: Join Us and Stand Against Hate in Our Community
• Amherst Will Celebrate Juneteenth With Events on Sunday June 14 and Friday June 19 by Art Keene
• Opinion: Belonging Is a Public Health Issue by Amy Cronin-DiCaprio
• Opinion: Hampshire College Didn’t Fail; Society Failed Hampshire by Alan Goodman

TOWN GOVERNMENT

• DPW Workers and Town Ratify New Contract
• Special Meeting of Town Council Will Take Up Social Justice Concerns
• Special Meeting of Town Council Will Take Up Social Justice Concerns by Art Keene
• Town Collaborates with MassDevelopment to Plan for Future Uses of Hampshire College Land  
• Town Discusses Planning Process for Redeveloping Hampshire College Campus by Maura Keene
• Long Rancorous Discussion Precedes Vote on Planning Board Appointment by Maura Keene
• Seven Design Firms Submit Proposals for DPW Building Project. Building Committee Continues to Limit Public Access by Maria Kopicki
• Staff Shortages in Planning Department Will Require Adjustments to Planning Board Work by Maura Keene
• Meet Rigo Antonio Flores-Noriega, Amherst’s Newest Community Responder by Bella Astrofsky
• Cuppa Joe with DEI Director Pamela Nolan Young
• Opinion: What’s Wrong with the Positive Growth Narrative by Ira Bryck
• Opinion: Amherst’s Politics of Endless Outrage by Riwana Khan
• Opinion: Potholes in Amherst and England by John Varner

TRANSPORTATION

• Opinion: Potholes in Amherst and England by John Varner