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
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: 29,555 (-423)
Number of Engaged Page Views Last Week: 6520 (-1150)
Number of Engaged Sessions Last 30 Days: 18,743 (-579)
Number of Engaged Sessions Last Week: 4128 (-753)
Number of Engaged Users Last 30 Days: 12,158 (-365)
Number of Engaged Users Last Week: 2960 (-403)
TOP FIVE MOST-READ ARTICLES LAST WEEK
1. Scaled-Down East Amherst Local Historic District Still Meets Opposition from Planning Board by Maura Keene
2. Library Trustees Acknowledge That Fundraising Gap Will Be Substantial by Maria Kopicki
3. Letter: Seeking AG Opinion on Amherst’s Jumbo ADU’s by Ira Bryck
4. Amherst to Celebrate Becoming a Purple Heart Community by Amherst Indy (c/o amherstma.gov)
5. Opinion: On the Wisdom of Borrowing from One’s Endowment by Denise Barberet
WHAT’S IN THIS ISSUE?
ARTS
- Last Free Concerts of the Summer by Amherst Community Band by Judith Gutlerner
- South Church Chicken BBQ & Craft Sale, and Amherst Community Band Concert
- What’s Happening in Amherst? by Art & Maura Keene
BUDGET
- Town Must Revisit Library Budgeting Warns Sarat by Jeff Lee
- Jones Library Building Project Financial Status Update, August 2026: $8.5 Million Owed to Town by Maria Kopicki
- Jones Library Building Project’s Contingency Down to Half; Construction Expected to End by Early March 2027 by Maria Kopicki
CAMPUS
CAPITAL PROJECTS
- Jones Library Building Project Financial Status Update, August 2026: $8.5 Million Owed to Town by Maria Kopicki
- Jones Library Building Project’s Contingency Down to Half; Construction Expected to End by Early March 2027 by Maria Kopicki
- Construction of Amethyst Brook Elementary School Is Complete; Move-In Is Underway by Art Keene
- DPW Building Committee Adopts Aggressive Schedule by Maura Keene
CLIMATE / ENERGY / ENVIRONMENT / NATURE
- Towns Surrounding the Quabbin Reservoir Protect the Water for 2.7 million People in Eastern Mass. They’re Getting Financially Starved in the Process by Matteo Pangalo (c/o CommonWealth Beacon)
- Photo of the Week: Hasselback Pine Needles at Amethyst Brook by Karin Lee
DEMOCRACY
- What Massachusetts’ New ICE Law Protects, and What It Doesn’t by CommonWealth Beacon Staff (c/o CommonWealth Beacon)
ELECTIONS
EVENTS
- Last Free Concerts of the Summer by Amherst Community Band by Judith Gutlerer
- South Church Chicken BBQ & Craft Sale, and Amherst Community Band Concert
- What’s Happening in Amherst? by Art & Maura Keene
FEATURES
- Summer Wanderings #5: Federal Street — Driving All Over Creation Near Amherst by Hetty Startup
- Photo of the Week: Hasselback Pine Needles at Amethyst Brook by Karin Lee
HISTORY / HISTORICAL PRESERVATION
HOUSING
- ZBA Nixes Jumbo Accessory Dwelling Units by Maura Keene
- Letter | Classifying Finished Second Floor as Attic Violates Intent of ADU Bylaw by Ira Bryck
ISSUES & ANALYSES
- What Massachusetts’ New ICE Law Protects, and What It Doesn’t by CommonWealth Beacon Staff (c/o CommonWealth Beacon)
- Towns Surrounding the Quabbin Reservoir Protect the Water for 2.7 million People in Eastern Mass. They’re Getting Financially Starved in the Process by Matteo Pangalo (c/o CommonWealth Beacon)
- Yale Study: Medicare for All Would Save Over 114,000 Lives and $1 Trillion a Year by Jessica Corbett (c/o Common Dreams)
LIBRARY
- Town Must Revisit Library Budgeting Warns Sarat by Jeff Lee
- Jones Library Building Project Financial Status Update, August 2026: $8.5 Million Owed to Town by Maria Kopicki
- Jones Library Building Project’s Contingency Down to Half; Construction Expected to End by Early March 2027 by Maria Kopicki
OPINION
- Letter: Establishing the Resident Oversight Board by The Community Safety and Social Justice Committee
- Letter | Classifying Finished Second Floor as Attic Violates Intent of ADU Bylaw by Ira Bryck
- Letter | Saving Allebach Farm: A Model for the Hampshire College Campus? by Rob Kusner
- Opinion | “I Was a Hurricane”: Connecting Generations by Rizwana Khan
PUBLIC HEALTH & SAFETY
- Social Justice Committee Decries Lack of Progress on Resident Oversight Board for Amherst Police by Art Keene
- GOL: More Information Needed Before Establishing Resident Oversight Board for Police by Maura Keene
- Swimming Still Not Recommended at Puffer’s Pond by Art Keene
- What Massachusetts’ New ICE Law Protects, and What It Doesn’t by CommonWealth Beacon Staff (c/o CommonWealth Beacon)
- Towns Surrounding the Quabbin Reservoir Protect the Water for 2.7 million People in Eastern Mass. They’re Getting Financially Starved in the Process by Matteo Pangalo (c/o CommonWealth Beacon)
- Yale Study: Medicare for All Would Save Over 114,000 Lives and $1 Trillion a Year by Jessica Corbett (c/o Common Dreams)
- Letter: Establishing the Resident Oversight Board by The Community Safety and Social Justice Committee
RECREATION
- Swimming Still Not Recommended at Puffer’s Pond by Art Keene
- Opinion | “I Was a Hurricane”: Connecting Generations by Rizwana Khan
RESOURCES
SCHOOLS
- Construction of Amethyst Brook Elementary School Is Complete; Move-In Is Underway by Art Keene
- New Traffic Pattern for Amethyst Brook Elementary School This Fall by Maura Keene
SOCIAL & ECONOMIC JUSTICE
- Social Justice Committee Decries Lack of Progress on Resident Oversight Board for Amherst Police by Art Keene
- GOL: More Information Needed Before Establishing Resident Oversight Board for Police by Maura Keene
- What Massachusetts’ New ICE Law Protects, and What It Doesn’t by CommonWealth Beacon Staff (c/o CommonWealth Beacon)
- Letter: Establishing the Resident Oversight Board by The Community Safety and Social Justice Committee
TOWN GOVERNMENT
- ZBA Nixes Jumbo Accessory Dwelling Units by Maura Keene
- Town Must Revisit Library Budgeting Warns Sarat by Jeff Lee
- Jones Library Building Project Financial Status Update, August 2026: $8.5 Million Owed to Town by Maria Kopicki
- Jones Library Building Project’s Contingency Down to Half; Construction Expected to End by Early March 2027 by Maria Kopicki
- Social Justice Committee Decries Lack of Progress on Resident Oversight Board for Amherst Police by Art Keene
- GOL: More Information Needed Before Establishing Resident Oversight Board for Police by Maura Keene
- Construction of Amethyst Brook Elementary School Is Complete; Move-In Is Underway by Art Keene
- DPW Building Committee Adopts Aggressive Schedule by Maura Keene
- Letter: Establishing the Resident Oversight Board by The Community Safety and Social Justice Committee
- Letter | Classifying Finished Second Floor as Attic Violates Intent of ADU Bylaw by Ira Bryck