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Opinion

Editorial: Lessons of the Kermit Gosnell murder case

Friday, May 17, 2013

Limiting access to abortion does not stop the procedures from happening — that’s the takeaway from the Kermit Gosnell trial. For more than 15 years, Gosnell operated a cash-only, squalid West Philadelphia practice that specialized in late-term abortions for desperate, uninsured women. This week, Gosnell was found guilty of murdering three infants who survived abortions he performed as well as 24 counts of terminating a pregnancy after the 24-week gestational … 0

Marietta Pritchard: Report from the Class of 1958

Friday, May 17, 2013

AMHERST — It’s the season of commencements and reunions, and although I won’t be attending my 55th, I have been scanning my class reunion book with fascination. It is a fat red book, with two sets of entries — Radcliffe College on one cover, and then upside down (or rightside up, if you prefer) on the other cover, Harvard College, both of them … 0

Darryl Clark: Time to embrace progress and growth in Amherst

Friday, May 17, 2013

To the editor: I love Amherst, but we have trouble making pro-business decisions. It costs us in tax collection and in decreased school funding. Some years ago, we rejected a real parking garage, a short-sighted decision that made parking worse in town. Recently, we rejected smart growth/zoning in a near-moribund North Amherst. And now, I fear, a take-no-prisoners attack on “The Retreat” may … 0

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Larry Parnass, the editor of the Gazette, has been on the newspaper's staff since 1988 as an editor, reporter and columnist.

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Editorial: A system that remains broken

Friday, May 17, 2013

Any way you cut it, what emerges from the din of a federal trial that unfolded this month in U.S. District Court in Worcester is a state probation department that is petty and mean-spirited at best, and highly dysfunctional at worst. The lens through which the community sees … 0

Jeff Lacy, Jon Thompson and Paul Vlach: Why did Shutesbury need to increase taxes?

Friday, May 17, 2013

To the editor: Fewer than 100 residents made major decisions at Shutesbury’s Town Meeting May 4. For at least the fourth consecutive year, everyone’s property taxes were raised by the maximum allowable, 2.5 percent, or $108,000 this time. The increase will show up in our tax bills, but … 0

Editorial: Finish the job on rental oversight

Friday, May 17, 2013

Ten years ago, Amherst’s health department set up a system to register rental units. Because it lacked enforcement power, only 700 properties were listed, roughly 14 percent of the number of rental units in town today. It is time to finish the work through passage at Town Meeting … 0

Deborah Keisch Polin & Tim Scott: The high price of charters

Friday, May 17, 2013

NORTHAMPTON — Once again, the Northampton public schools are facing a budget crisis. In a series of meetings in April, the mayor discussed a $1.3 million deficit for the city. What is rarely pointed out in budget discussions is that the amount that the school system pays to … 0

Jack Hirsch: Why has town of Amherst retreated from Master Plan?

Friday, May 17, 2013

To the editor: We in Amherst are very sensitive to the accusation of being “unfriendly” to business, and thus anti-development. It seems that we are finally at the point at which we accept any development, and questioning it “proves” we are against development and against expanding the tax … 0

Michael Howard: Time for ‘Retreat’ sides to come together

Friday, May 17, 2013

To the editor: On April 16, over 50 residents of Amherst met with the representatives of Landmark Properties at Jones Library where we learned of their intention to build 191 houses for over 700 students on 150 acres owned by Cinda Jones that directly abuts Cushman Village. At … 0

John Olson: Urge U.S. Rep. Neal to back expanded gun checks

Friday, May 17, 2013

To the editor: Nine in 10 Americans support expanded background checks to reduce gun violence, but the gun lobby is working overtime to kill any meaningful legislation such as H.R. 1565 in the U.S. Congress. We need to urge U.S. Rep. Richard Neal to support expanding background checks … 0

Gina Wyman, Rebecca Belcher-Timme: Loss of Easthampton schools’ positions a concern

Friday, May 17, 2013

To the editor: We were distressed to learn that the administrators of the Easthampton Public Schools are proposing to eliminate the school adjustment counselor positions at Maple, Center and Pepin, the three elementary schools in the district. As Maple School parents and as educators, we have many concerns. … 0

Editorial: Carol T. Christ of Smith College served community as well as school

Friday, May 17, 2013

When Smith College gathers to send off the class of 2013 Sunday, it will also say farewell to Carol T. Christ, who is completing her tenure as the college’s 10th president. Christ assumed the presidency of Smith in 2002 after a distinguished career as a professor, researcher, head … 5

Lynne Wallace: Charting and addressing Northampton’s housing needs

Friday, May 17, 2013

NORTHAMPTON — Guest columns in this space have promoted exciting new downtown housing models and the need for new development like it within the city of Northampton. Topics such as this highlight the priorities of the Northampton Housing Partnership — aligning housing strategies and production with the housing … 0

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