Guest column: DCR should abandon Shutesbury cutting plans

By LYNNE MAN, NANCY POLAN AND DALE LABONTE

Jack Tulloss: Violence as wallpaper

Here’s a bit of history: Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin, the reincarnated incarcerated H. Rap Brown, was a consequential figure of the 1960s Black Liberation Movement and author of one of the most iconic aphorisms to emerge from this period. During a 1967 media interview, Mr. Al-Amin declared, “Violence is a part of America’s culture. It is as American as cherry pie.”

Elisa K. Campbell: Who cut HIP?

The recent article about cuts to HIP says the governor submitted a budget of $25 million, but the final budget had only $15 million [“HIP cuts hit home,” Jan. 13].

Columnist Johanna Neumann: Jones tour revisits past, kindles excitement for future

By JOHANNA NEUMANN

On Monday night, my husband Nick and my sister-in-law, Cecilia and I headed out for a bundled-up run through the fields behind our house. Unexpectedly, what started as a visit and some cardio became a reflection on the importance of seizing opportunities to say goodbye to the old in order to make room for the new when Cecilia started reflecting on her recent tour of the Jones Library.

Guest column: Privilege and loss in LA’s Palisades

By JAMIE ROWEN

Guest columnist Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra: Northampton’s capital spending makes fiscal sense

By MAYOR GINA-LOUISE SCIARRA

Guest columnist Karen Kauschen: The true cost of underfunding our schools

By KAREN KAUSCHEN

Funding our schools isn’t just about supporting our children today — it’s about lowering Northampton’s long-term costs associated with crime, social services, and lost tax revenue. The narrative that restoring $2 million to the school budget will take $10 million away from future capital improvements over five years overlooks a crucial truth: every dollar invested in education generates significant returns.

Peter Scotto: Envisioning a job for Harry and Meghan

Brainstorm! What if we employed Harry and Meghan as a U.S. cut-rate version of the royals! For some annual stipend they could do the kind of things royals do in Britain! Visit new factories and sewage treatment plants, cut the ribbon for new municipal parking garages. Elevate the tone a bit and give them something to do.

Shelly Berkowitz: Country’s public health will worsen with RFK Jr. at the helm

This letter is in response to Olin Rose-Bardawil’s column “The case for debate in our polarized times,” [Gazette, Jan. 10].

Elaine Kersten: Rose-Bardawil columns ‘refreshing’

What a refreshing experience it is to read the marvelous columns by Olin Rose-Bardawil. I salute you, Olin for your insights, offerings and critical thinking. How refreshing!

Guest columnist Douglas J. Amy: Why government is so easy to attack

By DOUGLAS J. AMY

Guest columnist John Varner: Where were you when repression took hold?

By JOHN VARNER

Daniel Lyons: Counterarguments can be meaningful

In their Jan. 4 columns, both writers Joe Silverman [“Climate in the court of public opinion”] and Sarena Neyman [“Killing sparked long-overdue dialogue about greed. We need to keep talking”] seem to think that if they had better messaging campaigns, their policy proposals would be widely accepted. If only others had the proper understanding, we could finally make progress on fixing these problems. But isn’t it possible that many do understand the authors’ conclusory views on taxes, wealth, and climate change and simply disagree with them?

Stephen Armstrong: Not reasons for optimism

Well, we’re going to have an inauguration, sort of. We’ll see how this works out, but optimism is not my long suit. Our challenges include:

Guest columnist Donald Joralemon: The arrogance of willful ignorance

By DONALD JORALEMON

Pam Hyjek: Mixing democracy and capitalism

This most certainly is an indictment of a so-called “economic system” that supposedly melds democracy with capitalism and produced an idiot class news industry, billionaire toxicity and a world that is literally on fire.

Sue Donaldson: Ban fossil fuels, for all of us

As the Northampton City Council considers a proposed ban on fossil fuels in new buildings, I urge them to consider the price tag on the alternative.

My Turn: Trump and the ‘He Too’ guys

By EDWARD DOWD

Martha Terry: Community forum on the rezoning of Routes 202/33 in South Hadley

I am writing to alert the citizens of South Hadley to a very important community forum on Jan. 16 at 6 p.m. in the Community Room of the South Hadley Main Public Library.