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By BENJAMIN SPENCER

In the month and a half since I pulled papers to run for the position of councilor at large in Northampton it has been great fun to get to meet the residents of the city. While I have been gathering signatures outside farmers markets, community events and city meetings a question I am frequently asked is “why are you running?” That is a great question.

Bullies, by unleashing harsh punishment on a victim, intend to intimidate everyone else. It doesn’t take a deep reading of history to know how readily and often this works. We cheer for the fictional heroine or hero who stands up and defeats the bully. But, seriously, who wants to risk becoming the next target? Self preservation is powerful. I get it. President Donald Trump’s bullying of Harvard, by severing all relationships with the federal government, is certainly intended to intimidate other universities and colleges. I hope he does not succeed. I would love to see 100 or 200 universities — in red states and blue — stand together and cut all ties with the federal government. People would take note and so would President Trump. Collective courage might prove contagious and be victorious. I would cheer for that movie.

NORTHAMPTON — A Greenfield man has been sentenced to state prison for 1 to 3 years for robbing two Northampton package stores last summer, including once at knifepoint, the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office announced Friday.

By ALEXANDER MACDOUGALL

NORTHAMPTON – Gazing out into the crowd of hundreds of people who had crowded the football field at Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School, Michael Cahillane couldn’t help but reflect on the progress the school has made since his time there decades ago.

On Saturday, April 5, the annual Local Vocal Chord Bowl, a concert featuring local high school, college and adult a cappella singing groups, took place at Amherst Regional High School. The event, hosted and originated by the a cappella group, The Green Street Brew, started many years ago as a fundraiser for various organizations and has evolved into being a benefit concert for the music programs at Northampton High School and at Amherst Regional High School. This year, with help from generous sponsors and donors, such as the Mass Cultural Council, Florence Bank, River Valley Coop and Dean’s Beans and several local businesses, along with an amazing supportive audience, we were able to send $2,400 to the music departments at both schools. These funds have provided enrichment in the forms of equipment, programming, field trips, etc. We are very grateful to all those that helped to make our event a continuing success this year and the amazing talent that it showcases. Next April 11, 2026 will be a milestone when we present our 15th Local Vocal Chord Bowl. Put it on your calendar!

By SCOTT MERZBACH

NORTHAMPTON — A water purification startup business that has been operating from the University of Massachusetts campus in Amherst will be moving into a nearly 30,000-square-foot building in the Northampton Industrial Park, the next step in the evolution of Elateq Inc.

I am writing to express my deepest disappointment and distress over Smith College’s handling of Evelyn Harris’ alleged “plagiarism” charge and revocation of the honorary degree they presented to her at this year’s commencement. One has to wonder why Smith College failed to provide sufficient guidelines to ensure that Evelyn’s speech met strict academic standards with which she might not be familiar. One also has to wonder why, when Smith College requested and received Evelyn’s speech more than two weeks prior to the event, they failed to raise any questions about its content or suggest that citations might be warranted. Without that support, one can easily see how Evelyn might have assumed her speech met with their approval.

The Trump administration is attacking Harvard University and universities across the country — an initiative originally targeted at addressing antisemitism that has now ballooned into a wide-scale attack on higher education. Harvard specifically has been the target of extensive funding cuts and freezes, unconstitutional demands to control the student and faculty, and most recently revoking Harvard’s opportunity to enroll international students.

By ALEXANDER MACDOUGALL

NORTHAMPTON — The phone has been ringing constantly at Cornucopia Wellness Market in the last few days, with loyal longtime customers asking about the situation at the health food store that’s become an institution in Thornes Marketplace and in the city.

By SCOTT MERZBACH

HADLEY — Two canoes circling Lake Warner in North Hadley on a mild and sunny Wednesday morning provided a chance for those on board to paddle the 70-acre pond and appreciate the sights and sounds of the area, from fish swimming through the water to birds flying overhead, and even a large snake briefly coming onto the lawn next to the boat launch.

By CAROLYN BROWN

Two dark moments in Northampton history – the 1806 execution of two innocent immigrants and the 1960 arrest of a closeted Smith College professor – have an unlikely connection: an upcoming event will explore them both in opera.

Whole Children & Milestones, an organization for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, will put on an original production, “All the Feels,” at the Smith College Hallie Flanagan Theater on Friday, May 30, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, May 31, at 2 p.m.

By CAROLYN BROWN

Artist Nicole Gadon is based in Northampton, but her work recently took her to two residencies in Great Britain and Ireland that have carried with her to her artistic practice here in the Pioneer Valley.

Regarding the shabby treatment Evelyn Harris by Smith College: Perhaps the Gazette considers this “old news.” However, this shameful action and the complicit piling on by the Gazette, The Boston Globe and NPR have had a devastating effect. Splashing “plagiarism” across the pages and airways along with Ms. Harris’ photograph, without any effort toward eliciting the real story was unconscionable. Whatever happened to investigative journalism?

By CLAUDIA LEFKO

I had my own Officer Obie experience last week — as in Alice’s Restaurant Officer Obie. NPD Officer Jeff Staples knocked on our door: we’ve had a complaint about the street painting, he said.

On this Memorial Day, I think back 80 years to my military service in World War II. I was a young infantry combat soldier in France, Netherlands, and Germany and was proud of my service to my country. At age 100, however, I wonder what lies before America at this most dangerous time. We soldiers risked our lives for freedom so long ago, and I’d like to feel that freedom, the rule of law, and liberty matter now as much as ever as we struggle to preserve and strengthen our democracy. I have to think that these are eternal American values and that we will have the strength and courage to overcome what looks like a powerful current toward authoritarianism. I only hope that people today will be willing to put themselves on the line to defend the essential freedoms that we have taken for granted in our country for so long, to guarantee that democracy and our way of life will be preserved so that future generation will also benefit from these safeguards of liberty.

I’m writing with my concerns about users of our wonderful bike path.  Now that spring is here and so many more people are using the path, it would take so little effort to use “voice or bell” to indicate passing on the left. And how will the next generation learn if this behavior isn’t modeled for them?

By RICHARD FEIN

Recent presidents waited until they became private citizens to make millions of dollars from their presidency. The general principle while serving in public office is to avoid even the appearance of impropriety. After leaving office it is a different story. In Washington it is called “Doing good then doing well.” For example the Clinton’s were technically in debt when they left the White House due to Bill’s legal expenses. Now their net worth is estimated at $120 million derived mostly from book sales and speeches. The Obamas’ post-presidency net worth is estimated at $70 million.

Although I am not a Catholic, I was fascinated to hear Pope Leo XIV speak for the first time to the world. His call to come together for peace touched me. In his first Mass, he spoke of lighting the dark places. His message took away a weight on my heart. What a powerful realization. I am a hospice and palliative care doctor and work with people of all backgrounds when serious illness threatens their comfort and lives. My goal is to listen and then offer care. My joy at work is to foster hope by lightening their load. Small actions and ideas do make a difference. They foster hope, they are the antidote to apathy and despair. We can come together and stand up for truth and democracy. One small step for democracy leads to others. My “prescription” for us all is to bring light into our lives and rekindle hope in our hearts. To that effect, I have started putting a light in my window every night as a sign of hope. I invite you to join in this light for democracy in your home. Thank you.

Like millions of people in this country, as well as much of the rest of the world, I am stunned by the rapid deterioration of America, our values, Constitution and role in being a positive force in the world. I would like to ask our local Republican thought leaders some questions in this regard: Are you OK with our president “not knowing” whether he must adhere to the Constitution? Are you fine with vastly increasing our debt by extending tax cuts overwhelmingly benefiting the wealthy, while cutting health care, food, housing and education for our most vulnerable citizens (let alone cutting foreign aid that will now lead to potentially millions of deaths)? Are you totally fine with our president enriching himself and his family to the tune of billions of dollars by having a completely transactional approach to foreign countries regardless of human rights or ethical concerns (but Hunter Biden!)? Do you agree with investing in coal, cutting investment in renewables, while also slashing funding for cutting edge technologies that China will be, and already is dominating? Likewise, do you agree with slashing spending and grants previously used to hire scientists and researchers in health care, science and technology? Do you think this administration’s current policies are making American a more democratic society, promoting freedom and democratic values worldwide, or a more authoritarian, autocratic society, emboldening dictatorships and autocratic governments worldwide? I await your answers.