Opinion
Guest columnist Helen Seidler: Energy transition is going to take a push from everybody
By HELEN SEIDLER
In his regular column last month, Russ Vernon-Jones argued that the climate crisis affects all of humanity and that wealthier countries need to finance the use of renewable energy in poorer countries to support their development [“Solving humanity’s...
Guest columnist Dr. Stephen Frantz: Palestinian survival is not too political
By DR. STEPHEN FRANTZ
Some people, organizations and government bodies will say that it is too political or polarizing to discuss the horror of the current uninhabitable conditions in Gaza.But it is not political or polarizing when you’re asking for badly needed...
Tobias Bernecker: Good schools equals good communities
That's it.Tobias BerneckerNorthampton
James Canning: Mr. Magic, hooray
Mr. Magic, hooray! Mr. Magic’s come again with promises, hats, and tricks!Give attention to his strut and to his growl, so fierce. Oh, Mr. Magic, you’re divine! You take more than you give. But we’re so glad you’re here! Don’t worry! We’ll be fine....
Bob Nagle: State police response
On Easter I was in a mental health crisis. Trooper Novak was dispatched to the incident. Trooper Novak immediately deescalated the situation with compassion and non-confrontational demeanor. The kindness and metal health awareness of Trooper Novak...
Guest columnist John Varner: What peace must mean, at council and for Mideast
By JOHN VARNER
Freedom without responsibility is anarchy. Sadly, Amherst has been getting repeated lessons that illustrate this maxim. The most recent incident: The Town Council’s attempt to get involved in global politics by passing a resolution on the horrendous...
Tom Bodo: Northampton schools need Smith College to lead
Northampton is a city of leaders. Aside from being the hometown of one U.S. president (so far), it has repeatedly stood head and shoulders above other small cities. Its dedication to social justice, climate action, and old-fashioned good governance...
Richard Cooper: Community behind our students
I am writing to share an uplifting story of community generosity and support. In 2021, I introduced donation containers at the checkout registers of my two stores, Cooper’s Corner in Florence and State Street Fruit Store in Northampton, urging...
Robert Salthouse: Electric vehicle fires are rare
I am writing in response to the Gazette article regarding local fire departments training for electric vehicle (EV) fires [“Firefighters prep to meet ‘unique challenge’ as electrical vehicles gain popularity,” April 1]. I was very pleased to learn...
Linda Butler: Good news in the fight for a livable world
Thank you for another excellent column by Russ Vernon-Jones (”Solving humanity’s shared climate crisis,” Gazette, March 14). He’s right to ask us to take a global perspective on climate change. We’re all in this together. I also appreciated Daniel...
Columnist J.M. Sorrell: ‘Nobody’s right if everybody’s wrong’
‘For What It’s Worth” is a classic Buffalo Springfield song. It was written in response to the November 1966 Sunset Strip curfew riots. Stephen Stills wrote the song, and he first thought to write about soldiers and civilians in Vietnam, but he...
Guest columnist Richard Szlosek: Bosox at Amherst
By RICHARD SZLOSEK
I was in elementary school in the late 1940s and baseball was one of my chief interests. I was a huge fan of the Boston Red Sox and my heroes were Ted Williams, Johnny Pesky, Bobby Doerr and Dom DiMaggio. I was devastated when the Sox lost the...
Paige Bridgens and Ruthy Woodring: Where once there was a car lot, let there be a forest
Imagine a forest emerges from that wasteland of asphalt on King Street north of Foster Farrar. Imagine oak and hickory, an understory of ironwood, winterberry, serviceberry and woodland wildflower species. Shade cools the urban heat island effect, air...
Columnist Joanna Buoniconti: Don’t give up on getting the help you need
By JOANNA BUONICONTI
To start this column, I would like to take a minute to walk down memory lane with you all, my dear readers. About a year and a half ago, I wrote a column called “Is It OK to Ask for Help,” in which I discussed my discomfiting experiences with gaining...
Guest columnist John Sheehan: No man is an island
By JOHN SHEEHAN
On Good Friday, I decided to do something different. Instead of going to church, I went to stand in solidarity with people involved in the struggle for peace and justice at Smith College and the Coolidge Bridge in Northampton.John Donne’s poem has...
Sharon Rudnitzky: Empathy is compassionate understanding
I agree with much of what guest columnist Shalini Bahl-Milne wrote about moving forward with compassion in her piece about the recent Amherst Town Council meeting [“Beyond empathy: A compassionate approach to polarizing issues in Amherst,” March...
Jay Kilbourn: Farmers, food and climate depend on us
The Gazette recently reported on a meeting of 50 local farmers and farm agencies at Plainville Farm in Hadley [“Valley farmers spotlight agricultural drainage ditch troubles,” March 25]. The discussion covered both drainage issues and other threats...
Nate Watson: Fact-checking cease-fire opposition
In his March 29 guest column [“Northampton’s cease-fire resolution a ‘rush to judgment”], Barry Roth expressed his opposition to cease-fire resolutions, saying their backers misunderstand the conflict, yet offered some questionable claims.“Most every...
Guest columnist Marietta Pritchard: Recipe collections
By MARIETTA PRITCHARD
Recently I decided I would face up to cleaning up my recipe collection. You know, those clippings and notes that most cooks accumulate over the years. My mother had a neat wooden box with handwritten notes on file cards. She would often include the...
Guest columnist Michael Seward: Settlement could dramatically shake-up real estate industry
By MICHAEL SEWARD
The National Association of Realtors (NAR) recently agreed to rules changes as part of a massive settlement. The new rules will put more negotiating power in the hands of consumers. Despite what professionals stated in a recent article in this...
