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By BARRY ROTH

Editor’s note: The following was submitted to the U.S. State Department by Rep. Jim McGovern at the author’s request, on Dec. 21, 2014. Nothing came of it. At the time of this writing December 21, 2014 (the winter solstice) things appear very dark and...

Surprise, more taxes! It’s great that the value of our home of the last 47 years has increased quite a bit. The problem is we won’t see any of that increase until we sell it, but the city is taking its percentage now. Right now us senior citizens have...

By JOSEPH SILVERMAN

A recent article reported on a climate science expert who resigned from the Hadley Climate Change Committee after she responded to challenges from committee members with an emotional outburst that included profanity [“Climate panel member quits,”...

By RICHARD FEIN

In four previous columns I have written about my love for my Jewish religion and for the State of Israel. It is because of that love that I am appalled by the Netanyahu government’s attempt to undermine that nation’s democracy and for its occupation...

By OLIN ROSE-BARDAWIL

In recent years, it has become clear that social media platforms have the capacity to deepen social polarization and worsen the already dire political situation.Many of the negative effects of social media on our political environment are well known...

By JOHN PARADIS

Last week, I watched a 1-pound eastern gray squirrel roll a 10-pound pumpkin across our yard to the edge of our woods.Then, in a matter of minutes, the rodent gnawed off the stem and chewed a hole. It continued to bore inside, eventually fitting its...

We have an interesting contradiction going on in Israel and Gaza now. On the one hand, Israel defends its brutal response to Hamas’ recent terrorist spree by stating the only way to be safe is to root out (read: exterminate) all of Hamas.On the other...

By MARIEL E. ADDIS

It may seem odd for a transgender woman to be writing a piece about her love of several faith communities. For a long time, members of the LGBTQ+ community were shunned by many denominations and many churches. However, I have been lucky enough to...

By DOMENIC POLI

Hop in a car at the Stillwater Bridge in Deerfield and you can make it to the Dinosaur Footprints in Holyoke in about a half-hour. A bicycle can you get you there in roughly 2½ hours and walking will likely take you eight hours. Dave Rothstein now...

By STEVE PFARRER

Fall brings lots of familiar sights and traditions to the Valley: football games, colorful foliage, crisp nights, pumpkin and squash harvests.There’s another tradition in early November: artists opening their studios to the public.On Nov. 4 and 5,...

Regarding the Gazette story about a recent forum on the Russia-Ukraine war [“Tensions high over Ukraine War,” Gazette, Oct. 21], readers should know that the U.N.’s Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine published a report on Oct....

By RICHARD FEIN

A dilemma for U.S. foreign policy: When our democratic and humanistic values come into conflict with vital national interests (protection from military attack and protecting economic security) what is the best thing to do?1. Diplomatic recognition of...

I encourage Northampton residents to re-elect Aline Davis for School Committee. Aline is the mother of three adult children who graduated from Northampton public schools, and she is a teacher herself in Longmeadow.Can you imagine teaching second...

I write to enthusiastically endorse Gwen Agna for the at-large School Committee seat in the election on Nov. 7. As a first-grade teacher at the Jackson Street School, I worked closely with Gwen, the principal of our school, for 18 years.She is an...

By MARIEL E. ADDIS

‘I’m Mariel and I love my tools.” Clapping can be heard from other members of the tool owners’ support group.When I announced my transition in January 2016, I think some people thought I might trade in my tools for a makeup kit. Nothing is further...

Regarding Ben Weil’s recent guest column [“Downtown designed for people,” Gazette, Aug. 30]: I’m not sure where Mr. Weil acquired his broadly stated facts about the potential Main Street redesign, but I give him credit for appearing to be well...

By ALEXANDER MACDOUGALL

NORTHAMPTON — Proceeds from the sale of the Amherst Veterans of Foreign Wars building to the town have been used to pay off the Florence VFW’s mortgage, an event recently celebrated with a burning of the mortgage papers.The town of Amherst acquired...

By DOMENIC POLI

If you’ve noticed more ants in your house, shed or basement this summer, you’re not alone.Heavy rain makes for the soggy conditions that are ideal for the insects, and a near-record level of precipitation in Massachusetts in July has resulted in ant...

By JOHN P. DIBARTOLO JR. 

Among the reasons given for the proposed redesign of Main Street is that it will afford greater safety to pedestrians and cyclists. If this is true, we should not wait for federal funding and a three-year construction period, we should institute the...

Our family recently experienced a frightening time when our family member went missing in Hadley. Thankfully, he was found in surprisingly good health for having been away and alone for almost two days.We are so incredibly grateful to Police Lt....