What’s in This Issue?
Photo: Dreamtime. Creative commons
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ANALYTICS
As of early June, we have 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: 30,637 (-742)
Number of Engaged Page Views Last Week: 7685 (-952)
Number of Engaged Sessions Last 30 Days: 19,743 (-622)
Number of Engaged Sessions Last Week: 4625 (-1368)
Number of Engaged Users Last 30 Days: 13,169 (-420)
Number of Engaged Users Last Week: 3021 (-1596)
TOP FIVE MOST-READ ARTICLES IN THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER (through Sept. 25)
1, The Massachusetts Ballot Questions, Explained by CommonWealth Beacon
2. Private Builders of UMass Dorms Will Not Pay Tax to Amherst by Maura Keene
3. Updated: Leaks at Middle School Persist Following Costly Roof Replacement by Art Keene
4. Library Project’s Failure to Repay Town Discussed at Finance Committee by Maria Kopicki
5. Town Celebrates Opening of Amherst Community Homes by Maura and Art Keene
TOP FIVE MOST-READ ARTICLES LAST WEEK
1. The Massachusetts Ballot Questions, Explained by CommonWealth Beacon
2. Private Builders of UMass Dorms Will Not Pay Tax to Amherst by Maura Keene
3. Library Project’s Failure to Repay Town Discussed at Finance Committee by Maria Kopicki
4. Initial DPW Building Proposal Already Over Budget by Maria Kopicki
5. Jones Library Move-in Delayed Until June or July 2027 by Maria Kopicki
WHAT’S IN THIS ISSUE?
ARTS
- Bandtoberfest, a Family-Friendly Celebration of Autumn, Returns to the Town Common Sept. 27
- October Song and Story Swap Will Feature Singer-Songwriter Paul Sprawl
- New Jazz Concert Series at Masuda’s Cafe
- Paintings by Janet W. Winston at Gallery A3 in October
- What’s Happening in Amherst? by Art and Maura Keene
BUDGET
CAMPUS
- Attendees at Listening Session Agree: Build Mixed Housing on the Hampshire College Campus by Maura Keene
- Bandtoberfest, a Family-Friendly Celebration of Autumn, Returns to the Town Common Sept. 27
- Exit Strategies: Contesting the Future of Capitalism
- New Jazz Concert Series at Masuda’s Cafe
CLIMATE / ENERGY / ENVIRONMENT / NATURE
- Town Closes in on RFP for New Trash Hauling Contract by Art Keene
- More Than 100 Organizations Are Now Endorsing the “YES on 6” Ballot Campaign to Protect Water and Nature (c/o Nature for Massachusetts Coalition)
- Safe Energy Groups Oppose New England Governors’ Pro-Nuclear Summit in Lowell, MA, September 30 (c/o Clamshell Alliance)
- Letter: UMass Must Do More to Reduce Its Greenhouse Gas Emissions by the Energy and Climate Action Committee of the Town of Amherst
- Photos of the Week: An Indy September Gallery by Jerry Meyer, Annique Boomsma, Anne-Marie Taylor, Dave Madeloni, Richard Sclove, Darya Zelentsova, John Varner, John Root and Robin Jaffin
DEMOCRACY
- Exit Strategies: Contesting the Future of Capitalism
- Read and Resist Festival Back for Its Third Year
ELECTIONS
- More Than 100 Organizations Are Now Endorsing the “YES on 6” Ballot Campaign to Protect Water and Nature (c/o Nature for Massachusetts Coaltion)
- Letter: Both Sides Are Right on Starter Home Ballot Question by Ron Beaty
EVENTS
- Registration for Town’s Hazardous Waste Day Closes Oct. 19
- Bandtoberfest, a Family-Friendly Celebration of Autumn, Returns to the Town Common Sept. 27
- Exit Strategies: Contesting the Future of Capitalism
- October Song and Story Swap Will Feature Singer-Songwriter Paul Sprawl
- Read and Resist Festival Back for Its Third Year
- New Jazz Concert Series at Masuda’s Cafe
- Paintings by Janet W. Winston at Gallery A3 in October
- What’s Happening in Amherst? by Art and Maura Keene
FEATURES
- The Gift Article You’ll Never Read and the Greeting I’ll Never Pass Along by Eben Shapiro
- Almshouses, Poor Farms, Settlements and Homes for the Aged: Exploring Where Architecture and Social Welfare Histories Meet by Hetty Startup
- Town Manager Report for September 14, 2026
- Photos of the Week: An Indy September Gallery by Jerry Meyer, Annique Boomsma, Anne-Marie Taylor, Dave Madeloni, Richard Sclove, Darya Zelentsova, John Varner, John Root and Robin Jaffin
HISTORY / HISTORICAL PRESERVATION
- Letter: Protect Amherst’s Significant Architectural Resources by Hetty Startup
- Letter: East Amherst Local Historic District is a Wise Move by Ira Bryck
- Opinion: Buildings, Settings, and History by Michael Greenebaum
- Almshouses, Poor Farms, Settlements and Homes for the Aged: Exploring Where Architecture and Social Welfare Histories Meet by Hetty. Startup
HOUSING
- Revisions to ADU Bylaw in the Works by Maura Keene
- Attendees at Listening Session Agree: Build Mixed Housing on the Hampshire College Campus by Maura Keene
- Craig’s Doors Celebrates 15 Years by Maura Keene
- Letter: Both Sides Are Right on Starter Home Ballot Question by Ron Beaty
HUMOR
LIBRARY
- Opinion: A Human Library for Amherst by Ira Bryck
- Opinion: Will Taxpayers Inherit the Jones Library Debt? by Denise Barberet
LOCAL BUSINESSES
- Black Business Association Launches Microgrant Program (c/o The Black Business Association of Amherst Area)
MEDIA
- Indy to Publish Abridged Editions in October by Art Keene
OPINION
- Letter: Protect Amherst’s Significant Architectural Resources by Hetty Startup
- Letter: East Amherst Local Historic District is a Wise Move by Ira Bryck
- Letter: UMass Must Do More to Reduce Its Greenhouse Gas Emissions by the Energy and Climate Action Committee of the Town of Amherst
- Letter: Stop Spending MA Taxpayer Money on Gazan Genocide by Jennifer Scarlott and Nick Mottern
- Letter: Both Sides Are Right on Starter Home Ballot Question by Ron Beaty
- Opinion: A Human Library for Amherst by Ira Bryck
- Opinion: Will Taxpayers Inherit the Jones Library Debt? by Denise Barberet
- Opinion: Buildings, Settings, and History by Michael Greeneabaum
PUBLIC HEALTH & SAFETY
- Safe Energy Groups Oppose New England Governors’ Pro-Nuclear Summit in Lowell, MA, September 30 (c/o Clamshell Alliance)
- Registration for Town’s Hazardous Waste Day Closes Oct. 19
RECREATION
SCHOOLS
SOCIAL & ECONOMIC JUSTICE
- Craig’s Doors Celebrates 15 Years by Maura Keene
- Exit Strategies: Contesting the Future of Capitalism
- Read and Resist Festival Back for Its Third Year
- Letter: Stop Spending MA Taxpayer Money on Gazan Genocide by Jennifer Scarlott and Nick Mottern
SOLID WASTE / RECYCLING
- Town Closes in on RFP for New Trash Hauling Contract by Art Keene
TOWN GOVERNMENT
- Regional Agreement Up for Review at Four Towns Meeting Sept. 26 by Maura Keene
- Revisions to ADU Bylaw in the Works by Maura Keene
- Attendees at Listening Session Agree: Build Mixed Housing on the Hampshire College Campus by Maura Keene
- Town Closes in on RFP for New Trash Hauling Contract by Art Keene
- Problem House Seeks Amendment to Special Permit by Maura Keene
- Recreation Director Criticizes Draft Report from Cherry Hill Working Group by Maura Keene
- Letter: Protect Amherst’s Significant Architectural Resources by Hetty Startup
- Letter: East Amherst Local Historic District is a Wise Move by Ira Bryck
- Letter: UMass Must Do More to Reduce Its Greenhouse Gas Emissions by the Energy and Climate Action Committee of the Town of Amherst
- Opinion: Will Taxpayers Inherit the Jones Library Debt? by Denise Barberet
- Opinion: Buildings, Settings, and History by Michael Greenebaum
- Town Manager Report for September 14, 2026
TRANSPORTATION