Opinion
Columnist Sara Weinberger: Incensed by injustice in the West Bank
Paul M. Craig: VA health care system can help inform ‘Medicare for All’
The Northampton City Council is certainly on the right path to enforce state law that seeks “Medicare for All.” (Gazette, June 10). But it is instructive to consider that we already have a form of Medicare for All. Well, not quite “All” but at least for our veterans at VA Medical Centers across this nation.
Guest columnist John M. Connolly: Why there will indeed be elections in 2026
By JOHN M. CONNOLLY
Rutherford M. Platt: The seriousness of haze
Regarding the photograph “Hazy Hike” (Gazette, Aug. 7, page A3), the term “haze” understates the gravity of what we are all breathing this summer, along with much of North America and Europe. Wildfire smoke is largely black carbon, along with toxic residues from burning buildings and other sources. According to a surviving NASA website: “Black carbon is a component of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) air pollution, which can aggravate cardiovascular and respiratory conditions and create other health issues.”
Douglas Raybeck: Irony
There is a handsome invitation from a letter writer in the Aug. 2 Gazette: “Double down on local – Enjoy summer in downtown Amherst. ” Good idea but a slight problem with timing. Approaching the Farmer’s Market this morning, I encountered a detour sign. It had been prefigured by a headline in the Amherst Indy: “Major Downtown Intersection Reconstruction Begins August 1.” It appears that a bit better communication is warranted between the bureaucratic entities that serve (?) this community.
Lawrence Pareles: Superpower scientific suicide thanks to RFK, Jr.
A superpower like America can lose its edge in many ways — to outside enemies, to internal division, or even by sabotaging itself. Sabotage is what just happened when Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. suddenly canceled nearly $500 million in mRNA vaccine research. Not paused, not reviewed, but killed. Twenty-two cutting-edge projects are gone with one ignorant man wiping out years of scientific progress.
George Munger: Respect
A close relative of mine inspired this letter. We had a disrespectful exchange which highlighted for me the importance of renewing our loving concern and actions for and with each other.
Guest columnist George Kriebel: Eleanor Roosevelt is still worth listening to
By GEORGE KRIEBEL
Guest columnist Allen Woods: It’s a matter of trust
By ALLEN WOODS
Leigh Graham: Vote Gwen Nabad for Ward 1 City Council on Sept. 16
I am excited to endorse Gwen L. Nabad to represent Ward 1 on Northampton City Council! Let me tell you why.
Judy Gutlerner: The joy of a community band
On Saturday, Aug. 16 at 6 p.m. in Sweetser Park of Amherst, under the direction of Dr. Timothy Todd Anderson, the Amherst Community Band perform their final town concert themed “band classics.” This is music specifically written for a concert band. Community bands have been part of American culture for decades. A community band concert was where everyone would gather to listen to their neighbors and family perform.
Guest columnist Lauren Rollins: SOS candidate endorsements — Be wary of kingmakers
By LAUREN ROLLINS
Columnist Russ Vernon-Jones: International Court: Nations are liable for fossil fuel harms
By RUSS VERNON-JONES
Guest columnist Douglas J. Amy: We all live in Leo’s world
By DOUGLAS J. AMY
Guest columnist Gene Stamell: Sadly, it’s business as usual
By GENE STAMELL
David Alvord: Keep the chief
On a recent weekend, the Plainfield Volunteer Fire/EMS Department were called out to respond to a trauma incident on South Union Street. This incident turned into apotentially violent event after volunteer highly trained personnel arrived at the scene. Plainfield Police Chief Justin Litchfield arrived on this scene and, already knowing the individuals at the address, was able to calm the injured party down and avoid escalation of a bad situation until additional resources arrived from the valley-Mass. State Police and Northampton Fire Paramedics.
Paul Kaufman: Clickbait headline
The Aug. 6 online headline reads: “Amherst couple captures bobcat making house call to downtown home.” I was curious to read about this couple trapping a wild bobcat, so I read on. Turns out there was no capture except for two photos the couple took. So, technically, I suppose they did “capture” a photo or two, but no actual capturing. Come on please, dear editors. Please don’t stoop to this level just to get a few more clicks on an article. In the long run, this type of clickbaiting only serves to further discredit the public’s trust in journalism. It’s already as bad as we’ve ever seen it and you just contributed to making it worse.
Guest columnist Faye Wolfe: Nothing immoral in opposing Hawley Street project
By FAYE WOLFE
Leonard Cohen: Bye-bye Nobel Prize
The recent crackdown on funding for basic research will have serious economic and scientific ramifications for America, well into the future. Since the Nobel Prize was established, American scientists have garnered 70% of the prizes in science and medicine despite the fact that Americans represent only 5% of the world’s population. Interestingly, about 29% of the recipients were immigrants escaping countries which either refused to fund basic research or created hostile working conditions.
Alice Levine: Valley Jews stand against mass starvation in Gaza
I participated in the Valley Jews Against Mass Starvation in Gaza action on July 31, because I urgently wanted to stand up as a Jew against this horrendous human rights abuse. When I first heard that the idea of crossing some of the usual political lines had been initiated by Jewish Voice for Peace, I was impressed and gratified. I have not ever been a member of JVP, but I had assumed that they would not want to collaborate with those who did not share their clear anti-Zionist position, and yet they had decided that at this moment it was more important that we stand together as Jews to say NO!
Your Daily Puzzles
An approachable redesign to a classic. Explore our "hints."
A quick daily flip. Finally, someone cracked the code on digital jigsaw puzzles.
Chess but with chaos: Every day is a unique, wacky board.
Word search but as a strategy game. Clearing the board feels really good.
Align the letters in just the right way to spell a word. And then more words.
