What’s in This Issue?
Photo: Dreamtime. Creative commons
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ANALYTICS
As of early June, wehave removed from our counts all visits to our site that didn’t result in meaningful engagement with the content. While total visits to our site continue to grow (in June, it was over 105,000), only about a third resulted in meaningful engagement, such as opening an article or clicking 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: 28,177 (-2570)
Number of Engaged Page Views Last Week: 6406 (-650)
Number of Engaged Sessions Last 30 Days: 17,623 (-1766)
Number of Engaged Sessions Last Week: 4090 (-441)
Number of Engaged Users Last 30 Days: 11,462 (-1255)
Number of Engaged Users Last Week: 2903 3117 (-311)
TOP FIVE MOST-READ ARTICLES LAST WEEK
1. Updated: Leaks at Middle School Persist Following Costly Roof Replacement by Art Keene
2. Voices in the Brick: Amherst’s First Public Art Project by Jennifer Shiao
3. Planning Board Dives into ADU Controversy, Proposes Rezoning Around UMass by Maura Keene
4. New UMass Amherst Poll Finds Trump’s Approval Down to 32% by Amherst Indy (c/o UMass News & Media)
5. Cherry Hill Working Group Seeks Golf Course Improvements and Expanded Winter Offerings by Maura Keene
WHAT’S IN THIS ISSUE?
ARTS
- What’s Happening in Amherst? by Art and Maura Keene
- Bridging the Seasons with an Exploration of Architectural Hybrids: Houseboats and Covered Bridges by Hetty Startup
BUDGET
- Jones Library Building Project Financial Status, September 2026: $8.4 Million Still Owed to Town by Maria Kopicki
- Finance Committee Pursues Budget Book Overhaul by Jeff Lee
CAMPUS
- UMass Creates Pedestrian-Only Zone on Campus
- Two Events to Gather the Public’s Input on Hampshire Campus Zoning Study
- Economic Policies for Working America: A New Initiative at UMass Amherst
- Constitution Day Event at UMass: The American Experiment at 250
- Opinion | Hampshire’s Land: Zone for the Future, Not the Next Developer by Rizwana Khan
CLIMATE / ENERGY / ENVIRONMENT / NATURE
- No To Nuclear: Author Linda Pentz Gunter in Conversation with Sharon Tracy by Josna Rege
- Photos of the Week: Beauty of the Season by Annique Boomsma
DEMOCRACY
EVENTS
- Two Events to Gather the Public’s Input on Hampshire Campus Zoning Study
- Economic Policies for Working America: A New Initiative at UMass Amherst
- Constitution Day Event at UMass: The American Experiment at 250
- Come Celebrate Downtown at the 13th Annual Block Party, Sept. 17
- Read & Resist Fest is Back for Its Third Year
- What’s Happening in Amherst? by Art and Maura Keene
FEATURES
- No To Nuclear: Author Linda Pentz Gunter in Conversation with Sharon Tracy by Josna Rege
- Bridging the Seasons with an Exploration of Architectural Hybrids: Houseboats and Covered Bridges by Hetty Startup
- Photos of the Week: Beauty of the Season by Annique Boomsma
HISTORY / HISTORICAL PRESERVATION
- Approval of New Plan for Lincoln Ave ADU Delayed by Concern for Large Beech Tree by Maura Keene
- Bridging the Seasons with an Exploration of Architectural Hybrids: Houseboats and Covered Bridges by Hetty Startup
HOUSING
- Town Celebrates Opening of Amherst Community Homes by Maura Keene
- Affordable Housing Trust Rolls Out Initiative to Encourage Construction of Accessory Dwelling Units by Maura Keene
- Approval of New Plan for Lincoln Ave ADU Delayed by Concern for Large Beech Tree by Maura Keene
LIBRARY
- Jones Library Building Project Financial Status, September 2026: $8.4 Million Still Owed to Town by Maria Kopicki
\OPINION
- Public Comment: Resident Oversight Board Needs Investigative Powers by Erica Piedade, Martha Hanner, Debora Ferreira, and Rani Parker
- Opinion | Hampshire’s Land: Zone for the Future, Not the Next Developer by Rizwana Khan
PUBLIC HEALTH & SAFETY
- Racist Graffiti Reported at Kendrick Park by Art Keene
- What Kind of Resident Oversight Board for the Amherst Police Will Best Serve the Town? GOL Remains Split by Art Keene
- Conservation Commission Takes on Noncompliance at Three Area Projects by Maria Kopicki
- UMass Creates Pedestrian-Only Zone on Campus
- Anthropic Researcher Quits, Citing Internal Fears That AI ‘Could Kill Us All’ This Decade
RECREATION & SPORTS
- New Track and Field Celebrated with Ribbon Cutting Ceremony by Maria Kopicki
- ARPS Coach Leila Tunnell Named to Ultimate Hall of Fame Class of 2026
SCHOOLS
- Why So Many Problems with ARMS Roof Replacement? by Maria Kopicki
- Construction Concludes at Amethyst Brook Elementary as Demolition of Fort River Building Begins by Maria Kopicki
- District Secondary School Principals Share Objectives for School Year by Maura Keene
- New Track and Field Celebrated with Ribbon Cutting Ceremony by Maria Kopicki
- ARPS Coach Leila Tunnell Named to Ultimate Hall of Fame Class of 2026
SOCIAL & ECONOMIC JUSTICE
- Racist Graffiti Reported at Kendrick Park by Art Keene
- What Kind of Resident Oversight Board for the Amherst Police Will Best Serve the Town? GOL Remains Split by Art Keene
- Superior Court Upholds Northampton Resolution to Divest from Israeli Apartheid
- Economic Policies for Working America: A New Initiative at UMass Amherst
- Read & Resist Fest is Back for Its Third Year
- Public Comment: Resident Oversight Board Needs Investigative Powers by Erica Piedade, Martha Hanner, Debora Ferreira, and Rani Parker
- No To Nuclear: Author Linda Pentz Gunter in Conversation with Sharon Tracy by Josna Rege
SOLID WASTE/ RECYCLING
- Progress on New Waste Hauler Proposal by Maura Keene
TOWN GOVERNMENT
- Racist Graffiti Reported at Kendrick Park by Art Keene
- What Kind of Resident Oversight Board for the Amherst Police Will Best Serve the Town? GOL Remains Split by Art Keene
- Jones Library Building Project Financial Status, September 2026: $8.4 Million Still Owed to Town by Maria Kopicki
- Finance Committee Pursues Budget Book Overhaul by Jeff Lee
- Why So Many Problems with ARMS Roof Replacement? by Maria Kopicki
- Construction Concludes at Amethyst Brook Elementary as Demolition of Fort River Building Begins by Maria Kopicki
- District Secondary School Principals Share Objectives for School Year by Maura Keene
- New Track and Field Celebrated with Ribbon Cutting Ceremony by Maria Kopicki
- Town Celebrates Opening of Amherst Community Homes by Maura Keene
- Affordable Housing Trust Rolls Out Initiative to Encourage Construction of Accessory Dwelling Units by Maura Keene
- Approval of New Plan for Lincoln Ave ADU Delayed by Concern for Large Beech Tree by Maura Keene
- Progress on New Waste Hauler Proposal by Maura Keene
- Conservation Commission Takes on Noncompliance at Three Area Projects by Maria Kopicki
- New Appointments to Town Boards and Committees by Maura Keene
- Two Events to Gather the Public’s Input on Hampshire Campus Zoning Study
- Public Comment: Resident Oversight Board Needs Investigative Powers by Erica Piedade, Martha Hanner, Debora Ferreira, and Rani Parker
- Opinion | Hampshire’s Land: Zone for the Future, Not the Next Developer by Rizwana Khan