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By ALEX KENT

The phone rang and a Walpole number came up. I shouldn’t answer numbers I don’t recognize — let it go to voicemail. But out of idle curiosity, I picked up the call and it was another wholly unsolicited inquiry from a company wanting to buy my house in...

As the city of Northampton moves forward on plans to form a commission to study reparations for African Americans in our community, I have found myself being asked to speak publicly about reparations — first on a well-attended local webinar, then on a...

This month I want to look at a very personal topic that we all encounter daily — food. What we eat, and don’t eat, impacts climate change. The diets of people around the world affect climate change.Increasing numbers of people in the U.S. are eating...

By THE REV. PETER KAKOS

As the death toll on the borders of Turkey and Syria surpasses 40,000, millions more reel from the shock, as they are made aware of their loved ones suddenly gone before awaking. Addressing this kind of heartbreaking loss, a geologist once commented...

Here’s why Massachusetts should commit to powering our state with 100% clean and renewable energy.Our nation is continuing a remarkable transition to clean, renewable energy. Last year, solar, wind and other renewable energy sources provided nearly...

By STEVEN C. SHAREK

It’s no longer a secret that Massachusetts vocational-technical and agricultural high schools are a great option for students of all backgrounds who want to learn a trade and pursue a career. Unfortunately, there simply isn’t enough space in these...

My friends frequently give too much credence to the aging process, undermining themselves. Saying “senior moment” if they forget a name or recent history is to surrender mid-battle.Joe Biden has a teleprompter. You don’t!Typing takes longer as I redo...

By ANDREA BATTLE and JEFF GOLD

Key components of a healthy democracy require a commitment to equality of basic rights and justice, the rule of law, and free and fair elections for all citizens. But for these principles to be realized, a strong democracy also demands trust built on...

By JEFF LEE

The state Division of Local Services (DLS) maintains a wealth of economic data on Massachusetts cities and towns. In particular, the DLS tracks the average value of a single-family home in each community, and the average annual property tax levied on...

By HIND MARI

In her poem “Kindness,” Naomi Shihab Nye says that before we know kindness, we must know sorrow. Her poem reminds me of a question a friend asked me upon returning from a visit to Palestine: “Growing up under the Israeli occupation, how can you be so...

By KATE MCINTOSH

The holidays are over and the long trudge to spring is here. For many, the gray skies, cold weather and shorter days are a drag. For people with anxiety, depression, and other mental illnesses, winter can make their struggles even harder.January and...

In January 2021, a losing political candidate stood before a “Stop the Steal” rally in Washington, D.C., and claimed without evidence that “they sneaked in a few [ballots] from my opponent. And what did they do? They stole it!” Then he exhorted the...

In 2019, the Boston Globe’s Stan Grossfeld spoke to tailgating couples outside a New England Patriots football game and asked if Tom Brady would ever come between them.“Would you ditch your spouse for Tom Brady?” Grossfeld asked. The survey said:...

By RAY AHEARN

Many Dems have more than a little anxiety about Joe Biden running again. I certainly do given his age, stumbles and classified documents baggage. But if he runs again, he will have international trade as an unexpected winning issue in the fight to...

By PELLE LOWE

In an act of legislative negligence, the 117th Congress didn’t raise the debt ceiling when Democrats controlled the House and Senate.If they had done their duty, Republican extremists wouldn’t be able to use the debt ceiling threat to force...

‘Look, girls!” my mother whispered to my sister and me, surreptitiously pointing. Ahead of us, a white girl with a long, thick braid of blond hair reaching to her waistline strode briskly through the mall. My sister and I watched wistfully as her...

The smell of harsh antiseptic stings my nostrils — even through my mask. Every six months it’s the same routine for the physical therapy re-evaluation, which is a requirement for me to receive insurance authorization approval for the treatment of my...

By SEN. JO COMERFORD and REP. NATALIE BLAIS

On any given week, our email inboxes reflect the concerns of our constituents. For years, emails have poured in about COVID-19, education, climate change, infrastructure, and more. This winter, a top concern is the price of energy.We share this...

I keep thinking about Tyre Nichols. And the depravity of the five Memphis cops who killed him.The videos show that this 29 year-old Black man, the father of a four year-old son and a Fed-Ex employee, did nothing wrong, and yet the cops pulled him out...

By ROB OKUN

Days in January: 31. Number of mass shootings in the United States as of Jan. 31: 52. (I pray the number hasn’t gone up by the time you read this.)From cries of madness to tears of rage; from citizen fury to congressional prayers, we careen toward a...