What’s in This Issue?

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ANALYTICS 
As of early June, 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 month of June, 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: 30,748 (-275)
Number of Engaged Page Views Last Week: 7056 (-1303)

Number of Engaged Sessions Last 30 Days: 19,389 (-249)
Number of Engaged Sessions Last Week: 4531 (-533)

Number of Engaged Users Last 30 Days: 12,717 (-237)
Number of Engaged Users Last Week: 3117 (-320)

TOP FIVE MOST-READ ARTICLES IN THE MONTH OF AUGUST

1. Town Must Revisit Library Budgeting, Warns Sarat by Jeff Lee
2. Library Trustees Acknowledge That Fundraising Gap Will Be Substantial by Maria Kopicki
3. What Is the Future of the Wildwood School Building? by Maura Keene
4. Developer Sues Amherst and ZBA for Decision to Not Allow Oversized ADU by Maura Keene
5. Scaled-Down East Amherst Local Historic District Still Meets Opposition from Planning Board by Maura Keene

TOP FIVE MOST-READ STORIES LAST WEEK

1. Developer Sues Amherst and ZBA for Decision to Not Allow Oversized ADU by Maura Keene
2. Concerns Raised About Size and Design of Proposed ADUs on Lincoln Avenue by Maura Keene
3. 10 More Affordable Units Added to East Street School Project by Maura Keene
4. New UMass Amherst Poll Finds Trump’s Approval Down to 32% by Amherst Indy (c/o UMass News & Media)
5. Updated: Leaks at Middle School Persist Following Costly Roof Replacement by Art Keene

WHAT’S IN THIS ISSUE?

ARTS

• What’s Happening in Amherst? by Art and Maura Keene
• Voices in the Brick: Amherst’s First Public Art Project by Jennifer Shiao

CAMPUS

• Town Council’s Vision for the Hampshire Campus: A Diverse Community and Not a Sterile Subdivision by Art Keene
• UMass Amherst Celebrates the Arrival of 5,300 First-year Student Scholars
• New UMass Amherst Poll Finds Trump’s Approval Down to 32%
• New UMass Amherst Poll: Nearly All Americans Believe The Federal Government is Corrupt

CLIMATE / ENERGY / ENVIRONMENT / NATURE

• Amherst Arbor Spotlight: American Beech by the Amherst Public Shade Tree Committee
• Photos of the Week: Adventures with Flowers and Fungi by Robin Jaffin, Karin Lee, Annique Boomsma, Kate Pfordresher, and John Root

DEMOCRACY

• Amherst Chooses Markey, Minoque, and Jacobs in Contested Primaries by Art Keene
• New UMass Amherst Poll Finds Trump’s Approval Down to 32%
• New UMass Amherst Poll: Nearly All Americans Believe The Federal Government is Corrupt
• Immigration and ICE: What You Can Do Right Now by Scot Nakagawa (c/o The Anti-authoritarian Playbook)

ELECTIONS

• Amherst Chooses Markey, Minoque, and Jacobs in Contested Primaries by Art Keene

EVENTS

• Free Events on the Dangers of Nuclear Power, Old and New
• Town Will Mark 25th Anniversary of 9/11 with Remembrance Ceremony
• Come Celebrate Downtown at the Annual Block Party, Sept 17
• What’s Happening in Amherst? by Art and Maura Keene

FEATURES

• Voices in the Brick: Amherst’s First Public Art Project by Jennifer Shiao
• Amherst Arbor Spotlight: American Beech by the Amherst Public Shade Tree Committee
• Reflections on Two Terms on the Amherst Historical Commission #3 by Hetty Startup
• Photos of the Week: Adventures with Flowers and Fungi by Robin Jaffin, Karin Lee, Annique Boomsma, Kate Pfordresher, and John Root

HISTORY / HISTORICAL PRESERVATION

•  Reflections on Two Terms on the Amherst Historical Commission #3 by Hetty Startup

HOUSING

• Town Council’s Vision for the Hampshire Campus: A Diverse Community and Not a Sterile Subdivision by Art Keene
• Planning Board Dives into ADU Controversy, Proposes Rezoning Around UMass by Maura Keene 

OPINION

• Letter: Why is There a Temporary Ban on Volunteers in Amherst Public Schools? by Ali Wicks-Lim
• Opinion: A Call to Action to Support Volunteers in the Amherst Public Schools by the LGBTQQIA+ Caucus of Amherst
• Opinion: State Pension Fund is Financing Genocide in Gaza by Gerry Weiss

PUBLIC HEALTH & SAFETY

• Puffer’s Pond Unsafe for Swimming Again by Art Keene
• Free Events on the Dangers of Nuclear Power, Old and New

RECREATION

• Cherry Hill Working Group Seeks Golf Course Improvements and Expanded Winter Offerings by Maura Keene
• Puffer’s Pond Unsafe for Swimming Again by Art Keene

RESOURCES

•  Immigration and ICE: What You Can Do Right Now by Scot Nakagawa (c/o The Anti-authoritarian Playbook)

SCHOOLS

• ARMS Roof Repairs Underway. Classes Continue on Regular Schedule by Art Keene
• Updated: Leaks at Middle School Persist Following Costly Roof Replacement by Art Keene
• Letter: Why is There a Temporary Ban on Volunteers in Amherst Public Schools? by Ali Wicks-Lim
• Opinion: A Call to Action to Support Volunteers in the Amherst Public Schools by the LGBTQQIA+ Caucus of Amherst

SOCIAL & ECONOMIC JUSTICE

• Immigration and ICE: What You Can Do Right Now by Scot Nakagawa (c/o The Anti-authoritarian Playbook)
• Letter: Why is There a Temporary Ban on Volunteers in Amherst Public Schools? by Ali Wicks-Lim
• Opinion: A Call to Action to Support Volunteers in the Amherst Public Schools by the LGBTQQIA+ Caucus of Amherst
• Opinion: State Pension Fund is Financing Genocide in Gaza by Gerry Weiss

TOWN GOVERNMENT

• ARMS Roof Repairs Underway. Classes Continue on Regular Schedule by Art Keene
• Updated: Leaks at Middle School Persist Following Costly Roof Replacement by Art Keene
• Town Council’s Vision for the Hampshire Campus: A Diverse Community and Not a Sterile Subdivision by Art Keene
• Planning Board Dives into ADU Controversy, Proposes Rezoning Around UMass by Maura Keene
• State Eases Standards for Variances. ZBA Approves Reduced Setbacks for Berkshire Terrace Home by Maura Keene
• Cherry Hill Working Group Seeks Golf Course Improvements and Expanded Winter Offerings by Maura Keene
• Town Will Mark 25th Anniversary of 9/11 with Remembrance Ceremony
• Amherst Arbor Spotlight: American Beech by the Amherst Public Shade Tree Committee
• Reflections on Two Terms on the Amherst Historical Commission #3