Opinion: Some Suggestions For Town Council Candidates About The Town’s Real Estate Woes
Real estate markets everywhere are haywire, and in Amherst, the added pressure of student rentals...
John Varner
Opinion: The Culture Wars Come to Amherst
Amherst has never been short on a supply of opinionated, vocal people, but lately the...
Opinion: Recent Deal With UMass A Good Start. Now Keep It Up!
The deal recently announced between UMass and the town of Amherst is a promising start,...
Opinion: A Better Alternative To A “Workers’ Pavillion”
The wisdom of building the proposed “Workers Pavillion” at UMass as a way to honor...
Opinion: Is Amherst Redeemable?
If you moved to Amherst before the mid 2000’s, consider why you came to town. For...
Opinion: Fixing Potholes – Not An Axiom Of Amherst Politics
A casual drive around Amherst will illustrate the fact that this town spends dramatically less...
Opinion: A Zoning Proposal That Is So Complex It Defies Analysis
I am writing after attending the Planning Board Zoom meeting on 4/19, in which the...
Letter: Council’s Pro-developer Majority Moves Government Toward Oligarchy
The following letter was sent to the Amherst Town Council on March 14, 2023. Moves...
Opinion: Precious Farmland In Peril
The following column appeared previously in the Daily Hampshire Gazette. Whenever I drive through Hadley,...
Opinion: Faulty Logic In Amherst’s Proposed Zoning Changes
If you have not taken time to wade through the sweeping changes to Amherst’s zoning...
Letter: The Best Interests Of UMass And The Town Of Amherst Are Not Always Identical
The flap over a ‘workers pavilion’ is a good example of of how, while the...
Letter: There Are Better Ways To Honor UMass Front Line Service Workers Than A Remote Pavilion
The following letter was sent to UMass Chancellor Kumble Subbaswamy on January 27, 2023. A...