What’s in This Issue?
Photo: Dreamtime. Creative commons
Welcome to our Table of Contents. You can also receive a listing of all new items in the Indy each week by dropping us a note with your contact information at amherstindy@gmail.com. The subscription is free and will deliver to your inbox a listing of all new content, each Saturday at 6 a.m. We promise that we will not share your email address, nor will we send you any additional emails to clog up your inbox (except in the case of truly urgent breaking news, in which case we’ll send out a special dispatch).
ANALYTICS ARE BACK AGAIN
Our analytics providers were down from June 12 until the evening of June 14. We have access again, apparently without any data loss during the shutdown.
As of a few 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: 33,091 (+3029 )
Number of Engaged Page Views Last Week: 7841 (-1708)
Number of Engaged Sessions Last 30 Days: 22,175 (+837)
Number of Engaged Sessions Last Week: 4929 (-1443)
Number of Engaged Users Last 30 Days: 14,803 (-863)
Number of Engaged Users Last Week: 3377 4490 (-1113)
TOP FIVE MOST READ ARTICLES LAST WEEK
1. Opinion: Will Amherst Schools Ever Be Safe for Queer and Trans Kids? by the LGBTQIA+ Caucus of Amherst
2. Opinion: Hampshire College Didn’t Fail; Society Failed Hampshire by Alan Goodman
3. Frustrations Surface at State Review of Open Meeting Law by Jeff Lee
4. Letter: Here’s a Way to Support Rent Control in Massachusetts by Allegra Clark
5. Town Has No Easy Answers for Dealing with ICE by Maura Keene
WHAT’S IN THIS ISSUE?
ARTS
- What’s Happening in Amherst? by Art and Maura Keene
BUDGET
- Council Approves FY27 Budget with Additional Money for Elementary Schools by Maura Keene
- Amherst School Committee and Superintendent Clash Over Restoration of Interventionists and Paraeducators for Specials by Art Keene
- SJC Kills Ballot Initiative to Cut State Income Tax
CAMPUS
CLIMATE / ENERGY / ENVIRONMENT / NATURE
- Mark Summer Solstice with UMass Astronomy at the Sunwheel on June 21
- Photos of the Week: Mountain Laurels in Full Bloom by Richard Sclove and Art Keene
COMMUNITY
DEMOCRACY
DOWNTOWN
- Letter: This Summer, Let Amherst Be Your Destination by by Pat Ononibaku, Jeff Bagg, Jacob Robinson, and John Page
EVENTS
- Call to Action: Rally to Protect and Support LGBTQIA+ Students, Staff, and Community Members by the LGBTQIA+ Caucus of Amherst
- Disability Pride Programs Scheduled for July 16 and July 20 to Feature Adaptive Sports by Maura Keene
- Salsa in the Park Returns June 27
- What’s Happening in Amherst? by Art and Maura Keene
- Letter: This Summer, Let Amherst Be Your Destination by by Pat Ononibaku, Jeff Bagg, Jacob Robinson, and John Page
- Mark Summer Solstice with UMass Astronomy at the Sunwheel on June 21
FEATURES
- Photos of the Week: Mountain Laurels in Full Bloom by Richard Sclove and Art Keene
FOOD / AGRICULTURE / HORTICULTURE
- North Amherst Community Farm Hopes to Start a Community Orchard by John Gerber
- UMass Amherst Ag and Food Science Programs Ranked Among the Best in the World
HISTORY / HISTORICAL PRESERVATION
- Memorial to Amherst’s Poets Takes Shape on Strong Street by Maura Keene
- Two New Appointments to Historical Commission by Maura Keene
HOUSING
- Could Massachusetts Get Rent Control Back After a 32-Year Ban? (by Steve Dubb c/o Shelterforce)
- Town Council Approves Rent Stabilization Resolution by Maura Keene
ISSUES & ANALYSES
- Could Massachusetts Get Rent Control Back After a 32-Year Ban? (by Steve Dubb c/o Shelterforce)
LIBRARY
- Disability Pride Programs Scheduled for July 16 and July 20 to Feature Adaptive Sports by Maura Keene
OPINION
- Letter: No Free Rides for Hate by Heather Hutchinson
- Letter: This Summer, Let Amherst Be Your Destination by by Pat Ononibaku, Jeff Bagg, Jacob Robinson, and John Page
- Opinion: The Body Politic Keeps the Score by the LGBTQIA+ Caucus of Amherst
PUBLIC HEALTH & SAFETY
- Opinion: The Body Politic Keeps the Score by the LGBTQIA+ Caucus of Amherst
RECREATION
- Cherry Hill Working Group Says Golf Course Needs Full-time Professional Management by Maura Keene
- Salsa in the Park Returns June 27
SCHOOLS
- Council Approves FY27 Budget with Additional Money for Elementary Schools by Maura Keene
- New High School Principal and New Director of Student Services by Maura Keene
- ARHS’ Sara Barber-Just Celebrated with Inaugural Commonwealth Pride Award
- Amherst School Committee and Superintendent Clash Over Restoration of Interventionists and Paraeducators for Specials by Art Keene
- Call to Action: Rally to Protect and Support LGBTQIA+ Students, Staff, and Community Members by the LGBTQIA+ Caucus of Amherst
- Opinion: The Body Politic Keeps the Score by the LGBTQIA+ Caucus of Amherst
SOCIAL & ECONOMIC JUSTICE
- Could Massachusetts Get Rent Control Back After a 32-Year Ban? (by Steve Dubb c/o Shelterforce)
- Town Council Approves Rent Stabilization Resolution by Maura Keene
- Call to Action: Rally to Protect and Support LGBTQIA+ Students, Staff, and Community Members by the LGBTQIA+ Caucus of Amherst
- Letter: No Free Rides for Hate by Heather Hutchinson
- Opinion: The Body Politic Keeps the Score by the LGBTQIA+ Caucus of Amherst
TOWN GOVERNMENT
- Town Council Approves Rent Stabilization Resolution by Maura Keene
- Council Approves FY27 Budget with Additional Money for Elementary Schools by Maura Keene
- New High School Principal and New Director of Student Services by Maura Keene
- Amherst School Committee and Superintendent Clash Over Restoration of Interventionists and Paraeducators for Specials by Art Keene
- Town Seeks Resident to Join the Department of Public Works Building Committee
- Cherry Hill Working Group Says Golf Course Needs Full-time Professional Management by Maura Keene
- Two New Appointments to Historical Commission by Maura Keene
- Disability Pride Programs Scheduled for July 16 and July 20 to Feature Adaptive Sports by Maura Keene