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By CAROLYN BROWN

A new vegan food festival is about to take root in the Pioneer Valley.

By OLIN ROSE-BARDAWIL

Two weeks ago marked 600 days since the war in Gaza began. Six hundred days and nearly 100,000 casualties later, many have woken up to the clear immorality of Israel’s assault on Gaza. However, there are still many Americans who cling to a few talking points that allow them to justify the brutality — talking points which, over 600 days in, seem just as tired and trite as the war itself.

The street fair Cultural Chaos, one of Easthampton’s biggest annual events, will return this year on Saturday, June 14, from 12 to 5 p.m. on Cottage Street in Easthampton.

By SCOTT MERZBACH

EASTHAMPTON — Recalling an incident in the city’s public schools in which a Jewish child was targeted with Nazi salutes and taunts and opted to remove the Star of David on his person out of fear for his well-being, a former Easthampton city councilor told a legislative panel that the strategy school officials used in response was to “delay, deflect, deny and delegitimize.”

I cannot believe it. They want to make the church into housing. A disgrace. It mean more traffic. This should be stopped.

It appears the beginning of July will mark the end of Beaver Brook Golf Course. It will be purchased by a nonprofit land trust and rewilded into a park.

By ALEXANDER MACDOUGALL

The U.S. First Circuit Court of Appeals has maintained a previous court injunction that blocked the Trump administration from enacting significant layoffs at the U.S. Department of Education, part of a lawsuit whose plaintiffs include the Easthampton School Committee.

The Northampton Jazz Festival will screen “Brownie Speaks,” a documentary about the life of jazz trumpeter Clifford Brown, at 33 Hawley on Thursday, June 12, at 8 p.m.

You, like me, have probably been hearing rumors about something “big” that will be happening on June 14, 2025. What’s the big fuss about? Here is the scoop. First, it is for sure Flag Day. On June 14, 1777 the Second Continental Congress adopted the Stars and Stripes as the first American flag. Rather than having a separate flag for each state it was decided to have one flag for the entire land. Second it is the U. S. Army’s 250th anniversary. Third it is Donald Trump’s 79th birthday. He was born on June 14 at the Jamaica Hospital Medical Center in Queens, New York. Now here’s the rub: Trump wants to have a massive military parade in Washington, combining his birthday with the Army’s. It won’t surprise you that this mega event is prompting a counterattack with a coalition with more than a dozen organizations mounting No Kings Day events, of which now there are at least 100.

Speaking as a Smith alumna and faculty child, the revocation of Evelyn Harris's honorary degree leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. I know that Smith, as an academic institution, must have a stringent standard for plagiarism, and cannot condone plagiarism. However, seems to me that Smith sought to award Harris an honorary degree for high-quality, non-academic work, then set her an academic task in which Smith failed to support her properly — and proceeded to flunk her for violating academic standards. I suggest a redo: honor her with a performance celebrating her work, centering her in the performance, and give her a performance-specific honorary doctorate.

By CAROLYN BROWN

Holyoke artist Rosemary Barrett has worked in many mediums, but her upcoming show in Easthampton will highlight a collection of oil paintings. Barrett’s show, “The Awakening,” will be featured at Big Red Frame in Easthampton from Saturday, June 7, through Saturday, June 28, and will be featured in Easthampton’s June Art Walk on Saturday, June 7, from 4 to 7 p.m.

By CAROLYN BROWN

When the late Western Mass. artist Tom Bernard was in his 70s, he opted to turn his lifelong passion for the American West into a collection of handcrafted holsters for toy guns. Now his daughter, artist Gretchen Jennings, is showcasing her father’s love and work with an exhibition, “Cowboy Art.”

By ANN DARLING

I’ve gotta hand it to Gov. Maura Healey. She’s running a sharp strategy to get nuclear power back in the mix of Massachusetts power sources. Last legislative session, it was sneaking a provision that redefined nuclear power as “clean” into a high-stakes, last-minute bill that was also chock full of good things that lots of people wanted. In fact, nuclear power is filthy; the radioactive waste it creates contaminates and kills for generations.

The recent letter, ”Medicare hooey” [Gazette, May 6] is correct about Medicare’s woefully inadequate coverage, however is mistaken about Medicare for All. Medicare for All is very different. It is comprehensive health care coverage for everyone in Massachusetts, including employees, unemployed, employers, government workers, poor individuals, families, and anyone living in the state. There would be no premiums, deductibles, co-payments, and denials of coverage; Medicare for All would cover primary care, hospitalization, specialists, dental, behavioral health, addiction, hearing, and eye care. It will eliminate the insurance companies which not only profit substantially but add 30% percent in administrative costs for their role of middleman.

By SARA WEINBERGER

Many of us are navigating a daunting landscape. Since Jan. 20, barraged by a deluge of disastrous news that threatens to undo us, some have devised their own exit strategy, leaving for other countries, in search of a new home. Others try to adjust by turning the unthinkable into a new normal. Some, however, remain undaunted, refusing to be ruled by fear or to give in to cynicism. Their numbers are growing. I am, of course, referring to the ever-growing lines of protesters winding their way past Tesla dealerships, showing up at town squares, parks, and city halls. Their voices demand, “Hands off” of a laundry list of everything that matters. They make their way to bridges over highways, unfurling upside down American flags to signal distress. An enormous quilt of humanity spreads itself across the country, reaching out to others who join them along the way. This intrepid band of nonviolent protesters knows that giving up is not an option.

By CAROLYN BROWN

Holy Smokes Theatre, which used to be based in southern New Hampshire, now has a home in the Pioneer Valley — and they’re debuting a new show here this weekend.

How ironic that the cargo ship carrying food to Gaza that the Freedom Flotilla Coalition claims was bombed by Israel in international waters is called the “Conscience.” Has the world no conscience? How can we watch two million people starve to death? Sixty-six days of complete blockade — food, water, medicines, fuel. The health care workers of Gaza have called an emergency, as they have only two days of supplies and food left. As we celebrate Mothers’ Day, which was established as a call for peace, let us join with the mothers of Gaza to call for saving the lives of their children. Let us mourn with mothers missing their dead children. Today no one should starve to death. On a practical level, write to your elected representatives and ask them to join a diplomatic convoy to bring food to Gaza. Insist they stop approving money for arms — they need bread not bombs. Act on your conscience and feed the children. Thank you.

By Staff Report

AMHERST — Easthampton, Amherst and Pelham are in the first cohort of Department of Energy Resources’ Climate Leader Communities, recently announced by the Healey-Driscoll administration

In her May 7 column [”Tribe of Radical Allies Against Hate (TORAAH)”], J.M. Sorrell claims to be an ally of Jews, but her type of “allyship” does immeasurable harm. Jews are not monolithic. Jews share as wide a range of ideologies as any group, including far-right authoritarianism, and are just as capable of evil. To deny this is to deny our full humanity, as Jewish Currents editor Peter Beinart points out. No group is pure. I wish it were true that victims of oppression could never themselves become victimizers, but history shows us over and over again that this is, tragically, not the case.

By OLIN ROSE-BARDAWIL

Last month, I was at Umass Amherst attending a Q&A with CliffeKnechtle, a pastor who has gone viral on social media in the past few months for his arguments in support of Christianity. Originally a pastor at a church in Connecticut, Knechtle is partly compelling because of how compassionately and thoughtfully he states his positions. Unlike many evangelists, he does not seem interested in forcing his faith on non-Christians but rather presenting biblical teachings and letting people wrestle with their meaning.