Amherst Community Protests to “Stand up for Democracy”

On Friday, approximately 50 students, faculty and staff, and town members gathered at the intersection of South Pleasant Street, College Road, and Northampton Road, to “stand up for democracy.”

Hadley Farmers Protest Trump’s Federal Funding Cuts

On March 23, approximately 300 farmers demonstrated against Trump’s recent federal funding cuts in front of the Hadley Farm Museum. Demonstrators were joined by several policymakers, including U.S. House Representative Jim McGovern.

Proposed Town Budget Estimates $3 Million in Cuts for Public Schools

Budget cuts are expected for the town’s public schools in the wake of declining enrollment and rising costs. 17 teaching positions are expected to be eliminated as a result of the cuts.

Town Members Protest Proposed Amherst Public School Budget Cuts

Support Our Schools (SOS) Amherst, a group of parents and volunteers, protested in town on Saturday over $3 million in proposed budget cuts to Amherst public schools.

New Town Liberatory Visioning Project Aims to Make Community More Inclusive

The Town of Amherst will be rolling out its Liberatory Visioning Project over the next month. The initiative features multiple dialogue sessions and aims to make the community more inclusive.

Construction to Begin on New Town Elementary School

Two elementary schools in Amherst are set to be replaced by the new Fort River Elementary School, which contractors will begin construction on this month.

Town of Amherst Updates Housing Production Plan to Address Affordable Housing Needs

The Town of Amherst is updating its Housing Production Plan as a tool to increase deed-restricted affordable housing in response to residents’ concerns about high housing costs.

New Amherst Superintendent Reaffirms Agenda After Anonymous Complaint

School board members received an anonymous letter alleging misconduct on the part of superintendent Dr. Xiomara Herman earlier this month. Herman, who started her term July 1, reaffirmed her priorities of transparency and healing in the face of backlash.

Planning Board Green Lights Downtown Dorm Despite Resident Complaints

Though town zoning laws prohibit dormitories in the downtown area, the board ruled that the college’s new development is a “mixed-use” property because it includes the college’s store.

Jones Library Receives First Under-Budget Bid for Renovation Project

The bid clears the way for the project to move forward, but a new wrinkle in the project’s historic review process could lead to additional delays.

Community Cooking: A Warm Welcome from East Gables

Next to Pratt Field lies East Gables — an affordable housing development that opened last fall. Assistant Features Editor Olivia Law ’27 takes a trip to an East Gables cookout, learning about the building, its residents, and the community they have created.

Amherst College Store Celebrates a Soft Opening

The new store, housed in the old A.J. Hastings storefront on South Pleasant Street, primarily offers college merchandise, including a number of new designs. It also sells school supplies, snacks, and even printers.

Students Rally, Admin Expresses Concern Over Endowment Tax Bill

Following the introduction of a bill that would tax all Massachusetts colleges and universities with endowments over $1 billion, a group of students has rallied support for the bill, while administrators expressed concerns over the effect of the tax on financial aid and college operations.

Amherst Regional High School Named Finalist for National Award for Investigative Journalism

Last spring, an article exposing transphobia among counselors at Amherst Regional High School published in the school’s newspaper led to protests and the resignation of the superintendent. This fall, its author was named a finalist for an award from the Student Press Law Center.

Incumbents Dominate Town Elections

District 5, the district that includes Amherst College, will be represented by Ana Devlin Gauthier and Bob Hegner following an uncontested election.

Town Adopts Bylaw Protecting Access to Gender-affirming Care

Town employees and staff cannot disclose identifying information about people using gender-affirming services, as confirmed by a recent town bylaw.

Town of Amherst Soon To Break Ground on Affordable Housing Project

The town of Amherst is set to break ground on a new affordable housing project, East Gables, this spring. The project is being built in response to the town’s lack of affordable housing.

Town of Amherst Moves Forward With Reparations for Black Residents

Following the Amherst Town Council’s June 2021 vote to establish a reparations fund for Black residents, the Town is implementing community engagement plans to develop a strategy through which the reparations will ultimately be distributed.

Seeing Double: Amherst College Should Help Fund Local Schools

Amherst’s local public schools are in crisis. Due to declining enrollments, Amherst Regional Public Schools [https://www.arps.org/] — a cooperative school district that includes the towns of Amherst, Pelham, Leverett and Shutesbury— is facing a $1.2 million budget cut [https://www.amherstindy.org/2021/05/07/town-council-passes-regional-school-budget-with-1-2m-cut-in-services-operating-budget-provides-minimal-funding-for-alternative-to-policing/] , a reduction that will lead [https://www.gazette