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By JOSEPH LEVINE

The recent murder of two Israeli embassy employees in Washington and the attack on the people attending a vigil for the Israeli captives in Gaza has poured fuel on the fire consuming the movement for Palestinians rights, supposedly justifying the harshest crackdown on protected political speech since the days of McCarthy and the congressional Un-American Activities Committee. The almost universal response to these crimes  – blaming the people who are protesting the unprecedented carnage wrought by the Israeli military in Gaza — highlights several troubling features of the state of debate over Israel/Palestine at this time.

By SCOTT MERZBACH

By SCOTT MERZBACH

LEVERETT — As Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions take place across Massachusetts, with some happening in the region, a panel discussion is being held at the Mount Toby Friends Meetinghouse, 194 Long Plain Road (Route 63) Monday night.

By SCOTT MERZBACH

AMHERST — A union representing teachers, paraprofessionals and clerical staff in the Amherst-Pelham public schools is renewing a call for action, first delivered to the Amherst Regional School Committee more than a year ago, that includes a 10-point plan for addressing racism against Black employees.

By SCOTT MERZBACH

AMHERST — A provision for possible full-time remote work for the Amherst, Pelham and Amherst-Pelham Regional schools’ finance director, part of a proposed three-year employment contract that includes a $137,700 base salary beginning July 1, is among concerns elected members of the committees are raising with the deal.

In his recent letter to the editor [“A light for hope,” May 26], Dr. Jeffrey Zesiger’s call for a little hope was well heard. Small actions make big ripples, and nowadays there seems to be a larger than ever need for hope. What is slightly off base with his sentiment about lights in the window, as luminous and empowering as it might be, is the simultaneous call to be that much more attuned to combating climate change, since other forces are working hard to disassemble its importance, I hope people will keep that in mind if they decide to light a light, and make the corresponding statement, by at least using a solar powered light such as this Luci Light — https://www.bioliteenergy.com/products/solar-flexlight — or one of the ones mentioned here — https://us.solarpanelsnetwork.com/blog/best-solar-table-lamps/ — rather than grid power. That small distinction will spread the ripples of hope out just that much further, or maybe grow them into waves. What’s super cool about solar lights in your window, is that if your chosen window doesn’t face south to recharge the light, then you can charge it where the sun is and bring it to the chosen window. If it’s useful for you to know, Luci has a program where your purchase helps distribute free Luci Lights to energy poor regions of the world. And if you don’t want to light a light, you can always be the light yourselves!

By SCOTT MERZBACH

AMHERST — Juan A. Rodriguez, Amherst Regional Middle School’s interim principal, will become the school’s permanent principal starting July 1.

By SCOTT MERZBACH

LEVERETT — Mediation in mid-July could resolve an ongoing Land Court lawsuit, filed nearly a year ago by the owners of a Shutesbury Road property against the town and its Conservation Commission, that has prevented the public from using the easiest access to 65 acres of town conservation land in East Leverett.

By SCOTT MERZBACH

AMHERST — MCAS English language arts assessments showing seven in 10 Amherst Regional High School 10th graders are meeting or exceeding expectations and a more than 50% drop in behavioral referrals at Pelham Elementary School are among signs of progress being made under the district’s state-mandated Student Opportunity Act Plan.

By SCOTT MERZBACH

AMHERST — Amherst-Pelham Regional Schools’ $37.08 million budget for fiscal year 2026, recommended by the Amherst Regional School Committee, won final approval Monday, with the Amherst Town Council unanimously agreeing to the town’s $19.74 million assessment.

By NANCY E. GROSSMAN

In the end, the dispute came down to about 15 tents and a fence loosely constructed of wooden pallets that had collectively been up for less than a day. But this small encampment was enough to trigger an ill-considered decision by first-year UMass Amherst Chancellor Javier Reyes that cost taxpayers more than half a million dollars and drove a likely permanent wedge between the administration and some of the UMass community.

By SCOTT MERZBACH

AMHERST — Falling ceiling tiles, locked bathrooms with broken stalls and a class schedule that regularly drops a guided academic study and advisory period are among concerns Amherst Regional Middle School student leaders are bringing to the Regional School Committee.

By SCOTT MERZBACH

AMHERST — Each year, in the months leading up to the development and release of the budget for the Amherst-Pelham Regional Schools, representatives from the four member communities gather together at the invitation of school officials to discuss school funding at one or more “four-town” meetings.

By AALIANNA MARIETTA

LEVERETT — Roughly 100 residents voted to approve Leverett’s share of the Amherst-Pelham Regional School District budget, accept a 146.3-acre property gift and appropriate funds for a series of community preservation projects during Saturday’s annual Town Meeting.

By ANTHONY CAMMALLERI

LEVERETT — A couple was displaced from their home at 101 Teawaddle Hill Road Tuesday night after a fire caused a partial collapse of the single-story house.

By SCOTT MERZBACH

LEVERETT — Accepting a gift of an actively managed 146.3-acre woodlot and recommending resurfacing and possibly paving the length of Dudleyville Road are among actions to be decided by residents at annual Town Meeting Saturday.

By GENE STAMELL

I don’t know about you, but I love a well-placed semicolon; it evokes a sense of drama, an air of anticipation of things to come. Yes, the human race could survive without this punctuation mark, but at what cost? Let us pause briefly (a bit of semicolon humor) and consider the situation.

By SCOTT MERZBACH

LEVERETT — A steep increase in what Leverett will pay into the Amherst-Pelham Regional Schools’ fiscal year 2026 budget is being supported by the Select Board, even with concerns from board members about the process used to arrive at the town’s assessment.

By SCOTT MERZBACH

AMHERST — Professional mold remediation in the music and instrument storage rooms during April vacation, along with recent roof repairs and replacement of HVAC air filters, are among steps being taken to improve air quality at the Amherst Regional Middle School.

By SCOTT MERZBACH

AMHERST — Near annual challenges in putting together budgets for the Amherst and Amherst-Pelham Regional schools that meet the financial guidelines set by the Amherst Town Council is leading to the concept of forming a joint town and school task force, which would be responsible for examining educational needs over a five- to 10-year period.

By SCOTT MERZBACH

AMHERST — Responding to an online petition that collected nearly 250 signatures, officials at Amherst Regional High School have reversed a recent decision to close nearly all of the school’s bathrooms for students during lunch periods out of concern with a rising level of vaping indicated by vaping detection alarms frequently going off.