Amherst Media Plans State-of-the-Art Multimedia Communications Center: Fundraiser Sept. 29 Will Feature Live Music, Wine & Appetizers

Featured ~ PCA ~ Leave a comment

AMHERST - One of the nation's longest-running local cable television stations, Amherst Media, hopes to break ground on its own state-of-the-art facility in coming months, and supporters will hold a fundraising celebration on Saturday, Sept. 29 at the Amherst Woman's Club to raise funds. (Details and ticket information are here.)  The "Raise Your Voice" Capital Campaign's … Continue reading Amherst Media Plans State-of-the-Art Multimedia Communications Center: Fundraiser Sept. 29 Will Feature Live Music, Wine & Appetizers

Major Concerns About Air Quality at Fort River and Wildwood Schools “Put to Rest”: Open Classroom Design Still Criticized

Featured ~ PCA ~ 3 Comments

AMHERST -  The Amherst School Committee has reviewed air quality reports from the Wildwood and Fort River Elementary schools, which members said alleviate certain prior worries.  "It put a lot of the concerns to rest," said the Committee Chairwoman Anastasia Ordonez at the Aug. 14 meeting.  Ordonez added that removal of carpets and old ceiling … Continue reading Major Concerns About Air Quality at Fort River and Wildwood Schools “Put to Rest”: Open Classroom Design Still Criticized

Judge Weighs Challenge to Amherst Election Calendar: UMass Students Claim Schedule Infringes On Their Rights to Campaign & Vote

Featured ~ PCA ~ Leave a comment

Hampshire Superior Court Judge Richard J. Carey heard arguments yesterday (Aug. 3)  in a lawsuit brought by two students from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, who claim their campaigning and voting rights have been infringed upon by the town's election calendar.  The students, Caitlin Cullen and Lily Tang, are seeking an emergency injunction, to … Continue reading Judge Weighs Challenge to Amherst Election Calendar: UMass Students Claim Schedule Infringes On Their Rights to Campaign & Vote

Developer Makes Obscene Gesture, Refuses to Heed Moderator Before Zoning Vote at Amherst Town Meeting

Featured ~ PCA ~ 1 Comment

A man later identified as local developer Jerry Guidera made an obscene hand gesture at Town Meeting members on Wednesday night, before getting into a dispute with the meeting moderator, James Pistrang, over a seating issue. Guidera also loudly proclaimed that a woman present called him a "bastard." Some of the drama (although not the … Continue reading Developer Makes Obscene Gesture, Refuses to Heed Moderator Before Zoning Vote at Amherst Town Meeting

Letter from Amherst Regional Middle School Interim Co-Assistant Principal Alicia Lopez, Defending the Work of Interim Principal Patty Bode

Featured ~ PCA ~ 1 Comment

Editor's Note: An interim co-assistant principal at Amherst Regional Middle School, Alicia Lopez, submitted a letter (below) last week to the district's School Equity Task Force and the regional school committee, in support of ARMS Interim Principal Patty Bode.  Lopez, a Latina, is a longtime educator in Amherst and her letter follows the controversy which … Continue reading Letter from Amherst Regional Middle School Interim Co-Assistant Principal Alicia Lopez, Defending the Work of Interim Principal Patty Bode

Interim Amherst Regional Middle School Principal Will Not Accept Reappointment, Following Public Questions About Licensure (REVISED)

Featured ~ PCA ~ Leave a comment

AMHERST -  Amherst Regional Middle School's Interim Principal Patty Bode has notified the district that she will not be continuing in the role for the 2018-2019 school year. On April 11, Amherst Regional Public Schools Superintendent Michael Morris and Assistant Superintendent Doreen Cunningham sent an email to the community, stating that although Bode previously accepted … Continue reading Interim Amherst Regional Middle School Principal Will Not Accept Reappointment, Following Public Questions About Licensure (REVISED)

Amherst Town Meeting Votes to Spend $50,000 on Architectural Study of North Amherst Library: Boards Criticized for Neglect of Building’s Problems

Featured ~ PCA ~ 1 Comment

After decades of functioning without a public restroom, water fountain or a wheelchair-friendly entryway, the North Amherst Library will be studied for improvements. Amherst's tiny first public library, dating to 1893, is on the state and national registers of historic places. It longtime lack of adequate public facilities prompted a resident, Terry Johnson, to pay … Continue reading Amherst Town Meeting Votes to Spend $50,000 on Architectural Study of North Amherst Library: Boards Criticized for Neglect of Building’s Problems

Amherst For All, Promoting Local Government Overhaul, Schedules Practice “District” Meetings

Featured ~ PCA ~ Leave a comment

Amherst For All, an organization seeking major changes to local government in Amherst, will hold a series of three practice "district" meetings beginning on Monday. A plan to replace Town Meeting, which has 240 elected members, and the Select Board with a 13-member Town Council also calls for merging Amherst's 10 voting precincts to create … Continue reading Amherst For All, Promoting Local Government Overhaul, Schedules Practice “District” Meetings

Amherst Town Meeting Votes to Create New Advisory Committee to Study Proposed Local Projects & Laws: Select Board Opposes Move

Featured ~ PCA ~ Leave a comment

Amherst Town Meeting has voted to create a new, nine-member elected Advisory Committee, which will analyze and report on the bylaws, resolutions and projects proposed to the 240-member body by petitioners and local officials. The new committee, called TMAC, will study the potential benefits and impacts of proposed measures on public safety in Amherst, and … Continue reading Amherst Town Meeting Votes to Create New Advisory Committee to Study Proposed Local Projects & Laws: Select Board Opposes Move

Amherst Town Meeting Votes to Bar Fossil Fuels In Major New Municipal Buildings, Chooses to Sidestep Select Board

Featured ~ PCA ~ Leave a comment

The phrase "Amherst Town Meeting" and "exciting" aren't often used in the same sentence, and yet, there was nail-biting last night in this academic community, where most people you meet say they are working on at least ONE book. Echoing Tuesday's strong showing by progressives in state and local elections nationally, Town Meeting passed a … Continue reading Amherst Town Meeting Votes to Bar Fossil Fuels In Major New Municipal Buildings, Chooses to Sidestep Select Board

Diversity Issues Arise as Amherst-Pelham Interim Schools Superintendent Michael Morris Takes Stage, Seeks Permanent Job

Featured ~ PCA ~ Leave a comment

Editor's note: This article has been updated  (9/28/17) to include additional information regarding standardized test scores. Michael Morris, the interim superintendent of the Amherst Regional Public Schools, gave a public "job talk" last night (9/27), to demonstrate why he should be granted the permanent post when the combined regional school committees meet again on Oct. … Continue reading Diversity Issues Arise as Amherst-Pelham Interim Schools Superintendent Michael Morris Takes Stage, Seeks Permanent Job

A Single New Or Renovated K-6 School on the Fort River Elementary School Site Will Be Study Committee’s Focus

Featured ~ PCA ~ Leave a comment

The Amherst School Committee is expected to vote next week on a mission statement for the Fort River Feasibility Study Committee, and will limit its focus to the Fort River Elementary School. The move would take the controversial prospects of townwide school consolidation and grade reshuffling off the table for the near future. On Tuesday … Continue reading A Single New Or Renovated K-6 School on the Fort River Elementary School Site Will Be Study Committee’s Focus

Guest Columnist Janet McGowan: Competitive National Search Is Needed for Permanent Superintendent of the Amherst Regional Public Schools

Featured ~ PCA ~ Leave a comment

Editor's note: Below is an open letter from Janet McGowan of Amherst, an attorney and mediator whose two adult children attended town public schools. McGowan, who has lived in Amherst for 14 years and serves on Town Meeting (Precinct 8), is seeking additional signers for this letter. Those wishing to do so can email her … Continue reading Guest Columnist Janet McGowan: Competitive National Search Is Needed for Permanent Superintendent of the Amherst Regional Public Schools

Amherst-Pelham Regional School Committee Sets Oct. 10 Vote on Granting Permanent Job to Interim Superintendent Michael Morris

Featured ~ PCA ~ 1 Comment

Just a handful of Amherst residents turned out to comment at a joint meeting of the Amherst-Pelham Regional and Union 26 School Committees last night, to make themselves heard on the likely appointment of Interim Superintendent Michael Morris to the  permanent post. A few people urged the committee to approve Morris, to fill the job … Continue reading Amherst-Pelham Regional School Committee Sets Oct. 10 Vote on Granting Permanent Job to Interim Superintendent Michael Morris

Amherst School Committee Will Ask Town Meeting to Pass Resolution Opposing Expansion of Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School (INCLUDES UPDATES)

Featured ~ PCA ~ 2 Comments

The Amherst School Committee voted last night to request Amherst Town Meeting's assistance in fighting a possible expansion of Hadley's Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School (PVCICS). "Ultimately, what we're asking is for another body in town to take this up as an official matter," said member Anastasia Ordonez.  She said the committee did receive … Continue reading Amherst School Committee Will Ask Town Meeting to Pass Resolution Opposing Expansion of Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School (INCLUDES UPDATES)

Amherst League of Women Voters Debates Removal of Policy Favoring Select Board, As Vote On Town Council Plan Looms

Featured ~ PCA ~ Leave a comment

About 25 members of the Amherst League of Women Voters gathered at the Bangs Center on Thursday night, to discuss whether to remove or revise a printed position supporting a "selectmen-manager form of government." Another meeting, during which the League will try to arrive at a consensus, will be held next Thursday (Sept. 14.) Members … Continue reading Amherst League of Women Voters Debates Removal of Policy Favoring Select Board, As Vote On Town Council Plan Looms

Amherst-Pelham Regional School Committee Proposes Granting Permanent Post to Interim Superintendent Michael Morris

Featured ~ PCA ~ Leave a comment

An extended public comment period will be offered at the Amherst School Committee meeting this Tuesday, (Sept. 12) on whether Interim School Superintendent Michael Morris should be offered the permanent post. At Tuesday's meeting, the committee will also vote on proposing a warrant article to Amherst Town Meeting, to explore full regionalization with Pelham. The … Continue reading Amherst-Pelham Regional School Committee Proposes Granting Permanent Post to Interim Superintendent Michael Morris

Concerns Over New Town Government Proposal Raised at Public Hearing in Amherst

Featured ~ PCA ~ 3 Comments

A plan to replace Amherst Town Meeting, which has 240 elected members, and the five-person Select Board with one 13-member elected Town Council received mixed reviews at last night's public hearing. About 40 people attended the 7 p.m. hearing at Town Hall, and 17 testified. All were limited to three minutes each. Some praised the … Continue reading Concerns Over New Town Government Proposal Raised at Public Hearing in Amherst

Slim Majority on Amherst Charter Commission Approves Preliminary New Town Government Plan

Featured ~ PCA ~ 1 Comment

The nine-member Charter Commission (https://www.amherstma.gov/2248/Charter-Commission) voted last night to approve a preliminary version of a new town charter, which will dramatically alter local government if passed by Amherst voters next winter. Although commission members are divided about Amherst's future, with a majority favoring a small, potentially more "efficient" government, and others defending the public participation … Continue reading Slim Majority on Amherst Charter Commission Approves Preliminary New Town Government Plan

Amherst’s Jones Library Not Among Nine to Win State Construction Grants; Project Put On Waiting List for “At Least A Few Years” (INCLUDES UPDATES)

Featured ~ PCA ~ 2 Comments

The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners announced yesterday (July 13) that it was awarding $67 million in provisional construction grants to nine communities, a  list that included libraries in Hadley and Springfield, but not Amherst's Jones Library. The Baker-Polito administration placed the Jones Library 9th on a "waiting list" of 24 libraries statewide that "will … Continue reading Amherst’s Jones Library Not Among Nine to Win State Construction Grants; Project Put On Waiting List for “At Least A Few Years” (INCLUDES UPDATES)

Press Release: PVTA May Reduce Bus Routes, Public Hearing Dates Set

Featured ~ PCA ~ Leave a comment

The Advisory Board of the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority (PVTA) will hold official public hearings to receive comments on potential cutbacks or changes to 16 bus routes, including the M40 Minuteman Express, which travels between Amherst, Hadley, and Northampton. The PVTA has said it faces an operating budget deficit of up to $1.2 million, because … Continue reading Press Release: PVTA May Reduce Bus Routes, Public Hearing Dates Set

Amherst-Pelham Regional School Committee Adopts Debt Policy Designed to Prevent “Lunch-Shaming” (UPDATED)

Featured ~ PCA ~ Leave a comment

The Amherst-Pelham and Union 26 Regional School Committees adopted a new policy on overdue school cafeteria balances last night, to prevent children from being punished for debts, and to hold parents or guardians accountable instead. The policy for public schools in Amherst, Pelham, Leverett and Shutesbury replaces one that was approved in 2015, but not … Continue reading Amherst-Pelham Regional School Committee Adopts Debt Policy Designed to Prevent “Lunch-Shaming” (UPDATED)

Amherst Fire Department Swears In Christopher Bascomb As Latest Captain: Chief Tim Nelson Is Grooming New Leaders

Featured ~ PCA ~ Leave a comment

Longtime Amherst firefighter Christopher Bascomb, 42, was sworn in as the department's latest captain yesterday, in a ceremony at Town Hall attended by many of the town's 45 full-time firefighters. Fire Chief W. Tim Nelson said that about five years ago, he realized that several pending retirements would require him to groom younger firefighters for … Continue reading Amherst Fire Department Swears In Christopher Bascomb As Latest Captain: Chief Tim Nelson Is Grooming New Leaders

Guest Opinion Column By Molly Turner: Jones Library Expansion, other Capital Projects, Will Negatively Effect the Environment

Featured ~ PCA ~ 1 Comment

By MOLLY TURNER In Amherst, we celebrate the earth, science and sustainability. We recently marched for science, and celebrated Earth Day.  We have a sustainability office, and Amherst has won "Green Community" status from the Massachusetts Department of Energy and Environment. To do so we had to meet certain criteria, including setting requirements to minimize life-cycle costs … Continue reading Guest Opinion Column By Molly Turner: Jones Library Expansion, other Capital Projects, Will Negatively Effect the Environment

Monument Dedicated to Amherst Black Civil War Veteran Christopher Thompson, Brothers & Son Who Fought for Union Army

Featured ~ PCA ~ 3 Comments

About 20 descendants of Christopher Thompson, a Black farmer who fought in the Civil War with the 5th Massachusetts Cavalry, gathered yesterday at Amherst's West Cemetery for the dedication of a monument on Thompson's long-unmarked grave. The monument identifies the section of the West Cemetery where African-Americans were buried, and names Thompson's three brothers, John, … Continue reading Monument Dedicated to Amherst Black Civil War Veteran Christopher Thompson, Brothers & Son Who Fought for Union Army

Amherst Town Meeting Narrowly Gives Green Light to Jones Library Renovation Project, and Calls for Investigation of President Donald J. Trump (INCLUDES UPDATES & PHOTOS)

Featured ~ PCA ~ 2 Comments

A project to renovate and expand the Jones Library narrowly won approval from Amherst Town Meeting last night (May 10), after two hours of vigorous debate. Town Meeting voted 105 to 94, with 2 abstentions, to approve a preliminary design for the historic library, and authorize library trustees to apply for a Massachusetts Public Library … Continue reading Amherst Town Meeting Narrowly Gives Green Light to Jones Library Renovation Project, and Calls for Investigation of President Donald J. Trump (INCLUDES UPDATES & PHOTOS)

Amherst Town Meeting Approves Sanctuary Bylaw, Puts Permanent Public Art Funding in Place (INCLUDES UPDATES)

Featured ~ PCA ~ Leave a comment

As the administration of President Donald J. Trump calls for a crackdown on undocumented immigrants and cuts to arts funding,  The Town of Amherst moved in its own direction last night (May 8.) Town Meeting put in place a bylaw to protect immigrants from discrimination and certain deportation measures, and voted for ongoing public art … Continue reading Amherst Town Meeting Approves Sanctuary Bylaw, Puts Permanent Public Art Funding in Place (INCLUDES UPDATES)

Attorney General’s Office: Amherst Regional School Committee Violated Opening Meeting Law Last Summer (INCLUDES UPDATES)

Featured ~ PCA ~ Leave a comment

The Massachusetts Attorney General's Office has determined that the Amherst-Pelham Regional School Committee violated the state's open meeting law last year, in deliberating on committee business by email, and failing to follow proper procedures in announcing executive sessions, among other errors. The May 2 letter from Assistant Attorney General Hanne Rush, to the school committee's … Continue reading Attorney General’s Office: Amherst Regional School Committee Violated Opening Meeting Law Last Summer (INCLUDES UPDATES)

Wildwood School Boiler, Fort River Feasibility Study Win Resounding Approval at Amherst Town Meeting (UPDATED)

Featured ~ PCA ~ Leave a comment

Smaller steps toward improving the infrastructure of two Amherst elementary schools easily won two-thirds majorities at Town Meeting last night (May 3). Town Meeting unanimously approved borrowing of $500,000 to replace the boiler system at Wildwood, which dates to the 1970s. Later, with only a few audible "nay" votes, Town Meeting also agreed to a … Continue reading Wildwood School Boiler, Fort River Feasibility Study Win Resounding Approval at Amherst Town Meeting (UPDATED)

April Press Release from Amherst Firefighters Local 1764: Staffing Study Incomplete & Overdue

Featured ~ PCA ~ 2 Comments

Joseph Lagasse President Amherst Firefighters Local 1764 IAFF PO Box 1234 Amherst, Ma. 01002 Press Release Fire Department staffing remains a concern Staffing study results yet to be produced Amherst, Ma. April 25, 2017: The Amherst Firefighters Union has understood the Department's staffing shortages for over two decades, and has seen little improvement in that … Continue reading April Press Release from Amherst Firefighters Local 1764: Staffing Study Incomplete & Overdue

Amherst School Officials Seek $500,000 for Wildwood Boiler, $250,000 for Fort River Feasibility Study, As Interim Superintendent Launches New Ideas in PGO Presentations (UPDATED)

Featured ~ PCA ~ 2 Comments

Next Wednesday, Amherst Town Meeting will be asked to approve $250,000 for a feasibility study  on the Fort River Elementary School site to determine its suitability for construction, and $500,000 to replace an old boiler system at Wildwood Elementary School.  If those items pass, Town Meeting will also be asked to approve an additional $20,000 … Continue reading Amherst School Officials Seek $500,000 for Wildwood Boiler, $250,000 for Fort River Feasibility Study, As Interim Superintendent Launches New Ideas in PGO Presentations (UPDATED)

Historic Steeple Atop the Jewish Community of Amherst Building to be Restored with Preservation Funds (UPDATED)

Featured ~ PCA ~ 2 Comments

Amherst Town Meeting voted last night to approve spending of about $862,000 in Community Preservation Act funds, including $245,000 to repair the historic steeple on a building that now houses the Jewish Community of Amherst. The building at 742 Main St. that was once the Second Congregational Church dates to 1839. The Jewish Community of … Continue reading Historic Steeple Atop the Jewish Community of Amherst Building to be Restored with Preservation Funds (UPDATED)

Copycat Facebook Site “Amherst4All” Posting Photos Of Town Meeting Members & Comments: But Not To Be Confused With “Amherst For All”

Featured ~ PCA ~ Leave a comment

Some members of Amherst Town Meeting, including yours truly, were surprised last night to find themselves photographed and tagged by name in Facebook posts on a site called "Amherst4All."  Often, confusing remarks accompanied these images of people asking questions of local officials during Town Meeting, which can be seen here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/amherst4all/ At one point, a … Continue reading Copycat Facebook Site “Amherst4All” Posting Photos Of Town Meeting Members & Comments: But Not To Be Confused With “Amherst For All”

Amherst Charter Commission, Still Divided, Reduces Proposed Town Council Size from 60 to 13 People: Adds Mayor & Town Manager (UPDATED)

Featured ~ PCA ~ 1 Comment

The Amherst Charter Commission, which is working on proposal for a new form of town government, voted last night (Monday April 24) by a slim majority to drop a "middle ground" proposal for a 60-person town council. The plan came under fire at a recent Charter Commission listening session, and Chairman Andy Churchill and others … Continue reading Amherst Charter Commission, Still Divided, Reduces Proposed Town Council Size from 60 to 13 People: Adds Mayor & Town Manager (UPDATED)

Conflict Runs High at Amherst Charter Commission Meeting (UPDATED)

Featured ~ PCA ~ 1 Comment

The growing discord on the Amherst Charter Commission was clear last night, where a few members expressed their unhappiness with the online communications they received from one another, and from the public. Commission member Julia Rueschemeyer said she is concerned that a "special interest group of developers" is trying to control the nine-person commission, and … Continue reading Conflict Runs High at Amherst Charter Commission Meeting (UPDATED)

Guest Column: An Amherst Town Meeting Member’s Letter to the Charter Commission

Featured ~ PCA ~ Leave a comment

By JOANNA MORSE. Dear Charter Commission, Thank you for your work on democracy in Amherst.   I write to you in my support of keeping Town Meeting as our legislative branch of our local government.  I have participated in many town meetings through my life, and have now served on Amherst Town Meeting for one … Continue reading Guest Column: An Amherst Town Meeting Member’s Letter to the Charter Commission

Touring the Jones Libary in Amherst: An Old Friend Reveals Secrets

Featured ~ PCA ~ 1 Comment

I took a tour of the Jones Library last week, one of several being offered for Amherst Town Meeting members, who will vote May 10 on whether to approve a design for a $36 million expansion and renovation plan. I'd urge anyone on Town Meeting who hasn't yet gone on a library tour yet to … Continue reading Touring the Jones Libary in Amherst: An Old Friend Reveals Secrets

Amherst Police Department Gets New Patrol Pup, Named “Marvin”

Featured ~ PCA ~ Leave a comment

The Amherst Police Department is adding a little more bark to its law enforcement bite, with its second officer-and-dog team. Officer Matthew Frydryk has a new K9 partner named Marvin, Police Chief Scott P. Livingstone announced today. Marvin, a 16-month old male German Shepherd, will be a four-legged MacGruff-of-all trades, helping the department find lost … Continue reading Amherst Police Department Gets New Patrol Pup, Named “Marvin”

Guest Column: Amherst Town Meeting Schedule of Three Nights Per Week Will Burden Some Families

Featured ~ PCA ~ Leave a comment

By TONI CUNNINGHAM. New members who were motivated to run for Town Meeting this election cycle may think “What have I done?!” when they learn they have committed to attending three evenings each week – Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 7 to 10 p.m. – until all the items on the warrant are voted upon. … Continue reading Guest Column: Amherst Town Meeting Schedule of Three Nights Per Week Will Burden Some Families

Of Preachers and Poets: Amherst Neighborhood that Was Home to Early Black and Irish Families, Famous Authors May be Preserved Under Historic District Proposal

The poet Robert Frost (1874-1963) lived in Amherst from 1916 to 1938 and taught for many years at Amherst College. This was his home, at 43 Sunset Avenue.
Featured ~ PCA ~ Leave a comment

Streets in Amherst which hosted one of the region's earliest integrated neighborhoods may be preserved as historic, if  a measure to create a district including 194 homes on Lincoln and Sunset Avenues and several smaller streets passes at Town Meeting later this month. "This is unusual in New England, this is a critical part of … Continue reading Of Preachers and Poets: Amherst Neighborhood that Was Home to Early Black and Irish Families, Famous Authors May be Preserved Under Historic District Proposal

Amherst Town Meeting Candidates Successfully Petition for Recount in Precinct 9

Featured ~ PCA ~ Leave a comment

A recount of ballots cast for Amherst Town Meeting members in Precinct 9 will take place on Thursday, Amherst Town Clerk Sandra Burgess said today, (April 11.) Precinct 9 includes the residential neighborhoods north of Amherst center, surrounding Wildwood Elementary, Amherst Regional Middle School, and Amherst-Pelham Regional High School. There were 24 candidates for eight … Continue reading Amherst Town Meeting Candidates Successfully Petition for Recount in Precinct 9

Sixty, Twenty-Three, or Thirteen People: Amherst Charter Commission Debates Councils to Replace Town Meeting & Select Board

Featured ~ PCA ~ 2 Comments

Nearly all the chairs were filled last night at the start of an Amherst Charter Commission meeting, where two members, Meg Gage and Nick Grabbe, offered a "middle ground" proposal to replace the historic 254-member Amherst Town Meeting with a "legislative council" of sixty people. There was frequent reference to the failed elementary school building … Continue reading Sixty, Twenty-Three, or Thirteen People: Amherst Charter Commission Debates Councils to Replace Town Meeting & Select Board

Amherst May Become 6th U.S. Town to Call for President Trump’s Impeachment, Amid Nationwide Effort Co-Led by Local Non-Profit

Featured ~ PCA ~ Leave a comment

Amherst Town Meeting has not shied away from taking a stand on national issues, and when the body of 254 citizens assembles on April 26, it will consider a resolution to investigate grounds for the impeachment of President Donald J. Trump. Amherst lawyer John C. Bonifaz, who is instrumental in an effort to have cities … Continue reading Amherst May Become 6th U.S. Town to Call for President Trump’s Impeachment, Amid Nationwide Effort Co-Led by Local Non-Profit

Amherst’s The Works Bakery Cafe: Giving Back A Little Bit to Women on National Equal Pay Day

Featured ~ PCA ~ Leave a comment

What if every restaurant and retailer, all over the United States, gave women a 21% discount on National Equal Pay Day? That would certainly be a nice gesture and would probably lead to a bump in sales in early April. And then just imagine how much business activity - even home sales - would ramp up if we women got that 21 cents we've been waiting for, in every paycheck. Imagine us all, with more jingle in our jeans. Now wouldn't that be an interesting plan for economic growth?

Hotel & Casino Company With Possible Ties To Trump Son Seeks 1,200-acre Site in North Amherst: Conservationists Cite Presence of Heirloom Vegetables

Featured ~ PCA ~ 3 Comments

Brookdale-Stein noted that if the plan were to proceed at some point, it would require referendum, approval by a number equal to 7/8 majority of all active registered voters in the Commonwealth in 1839, the year the parcel was purchased by the Koszcaniewski brothers.

Amherst School Superintendent’s Letter to the Massachusetts School Building Authority, Ending Consolidation Project

Featured ~ PCA ~ 3 Comments

March 31, 2017 Dear MSBA Board of Directors and Executive Director McCarthy: We would like to officially inform you that the Town has been forced to forego the award of a Maximum Facilities Grant of $34.4 million for construction of two co-located elementary schools at the Wildwood School site in the Town of Amherst. We … Continue reading Amherst School Superintendent’s Letter to the Massachusetts School Building Authority, Ending Consolidation Project

Statement from Interim Superintendent on School Building Project’s Failure

Featured ~ PCA ~ Leave a comment

March 30, 2017 To:       The Amherst Public School District staff and administration and the Amherst community, From:  Phoebe Hazzard, Amherst School Committee Vice-Chair and Dr. Michael Morris, Interim Superintendent While the proposed new schools building project failed to achieve a two-thirds majority in Tuesday's referendum vote, our district will continue to move forward and plan … Continue reading Statement from Interim Superintendent on School Building Project’s Failure

After Amherst Referendum for School Building Project Falls Short, Town Meeting to Vote on Wildwood Boiler, Fort River Study (UPDATED)

Featured ~ PCA ~ Leave a comment

It is unknown whether the district will seek, or if the MSBA would grant any further extensions, and if the community overall has the stomach for any further campaigning or debate. However, Kevin Collins, director of the Red Barn Music School, has launched a petition drive to try and force a third Town Meeting vote on the issue. He posted on his public Facebook this morning that he has "only 148 signatures to go." https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10158371471795545&set=a.10150614132745545.676098.633190544&type=3&theater

Tests Find No Major Air Quality Issues at Wildwood and Fort River Elementary Schools: Dirty, Blocked Vents Faulted for Carbon Dioxide Excess in Limited Areas

~ PCA ~ Leave a comment

AMHERST -  Tests performed at Amherst's Wildwood and Fort River Elementary Schools in April showed that both schools have acceptable levels of asbestos, bacteria, mold, and radon.  The environmental consulting firm ATC Group Services of a West Springfield was hired by the district to test the buildings, following longstanding claims of poor air quality.  The … Continue reading Tests Find No Major Air Quality Issues at Wildwood and Fort River Elementary Schools: Dirty, Blocked Vents Faulted for Carbon Dioxide Excess in Limited Areas