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By CAROLYN BROWN

At a time in which elected officials have tried to lessen or erase certain undesirable periods from America’s history, the play “A Light Under the Dome” aims to shed light on the abolition struggle through the lens of one historic speech in Massachusetts.

By ALEXANDER MACDOUGALL

NORTHAMPTON — Comments made by school officials, parents and Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra during a public hearing Thursday on the school budget for the next fiscal year indicate the city will face another tense showdown this spring over prospective staff cuts.

By SCOTT MERZBACH

NORTHAMPTON — A decision by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to terminate a $3.4 million allocation to Massachusetts for purchase of 121,830 cases of food items, including eggs, chicken, milk, fruit, pasta, beans and salmon for food banks across the state is being criticized by representatives of food security organizations and the Healey-Driscoll administration.

While the writers of the March 21 letter, “Mayor Sciarra, a competent, compassionate leader,” list several examples of what they see as the Northampton mayor’s compassion, they’re pretty thin on their basis for declaring her competence. The one item they raise of any possible relevance here — she’s “a whiz at budgets and spreadsheets” — is an awfully low bar for someone at the top of the organizational chart for a $137 million per year operation. A better measure of mayoral competence is to look at results.

By ALEXANDER MACDOUGALL

HOLYOKE — More than four firetrucks were on scene in Holyoke to respond to a blaze that broke out at a Lincoln Street house on Thursday afternoon.

By ALEXANDER MACDOUGALL

NORTHAMPTON — Cara Leiper, the executive director for the Northampton Housing Authority, has been placed on paid administrative leave following a January complaint submitted to the authority’s board and various state agencies accusing her of numerous legal and ethical violations that include providing housing to close friends and family members.

Fox News and the Republican Party have convinced many Americans that undocumented immigrants don’t contribute anything to our society and are just a drain on federal programs.

Once again I feel compelled to sing the praises of our daily newspaper. Last week, in addition to covering the day’s pressing news stories, the Gazette featured a quieter but no less important item in the B section: retired Hitchcock Center naturalist Ted Watt’s spirited recollection of taking a group of schoolkids on a snowy hike in search of animal tracks [”Learning a Sense of Wonder,” March 19].

By CARRIE N. BAKER and ANDREA MOORE

In 2021, now-Vice President J.D. Vance gave a speech titled ”Universities are the Enemy.”

By SCOTT MERZBACH

NORTHAMPTON — Vacancies for more than a third of the seats on the western Massachusetts Superior Court, causing some court sessions to be canceled and recall judges to be used to cover the workload, is prompting area legislators to appeal to Gov. Maura Healey for expediting the nomination of new judges.

Although not good news, I was glad to see the Gazette’s front page coverage concerning the impact that health insurance costs are having on municipalities and their school districts [”‘Budget buster:’ Spiking health insurance costs burdening local municipal budgets,” March 21].

By ALEXANDER MACDOUGALL

The Northampton Family Fourth Celebration is stepping up its call for donors ahead of its annual Fourth of July celebration, with the committee saying the event faces a “significant funding shortfall.”

I don’t know where the “peace activist” who urged negotiations with Vladimir Putin in the March 14 Gazette got her facts about the Minsk accords [“Negotiate, don’t escalate,” letter]. She claims Ukraine broke the agreement, so the war is Ukraine’s fault.

By ALEXANDER MACDOUGALL

NORTHAMPTON — A coalition of leaders affiliated with the city and its major business associations have come together to advocate for the Picture Main Street project, currently on pace to begin construction next year to dramatically remake the city’s downtown.

By SCOTT MERZBACH

AMHERST — Visitors from Lexington and Marblehead were among those who came to see “Generic Male,” the off-Broadway physical theater performed at Northampton’s Academy of Music in early March.

By SUZANNE STILLINGER

A recent guest column about Northampton’s Main Street project raises several concerns including the idea that without starting a new and “better process” residents will become less willing to engage and participate in the community [“Main Street: Place-making or unmaking place?” March 12]. As a resident who has been actively involved for several years in the Picture Main Street process, I strongly disagree.

By CAROLYN BROWN

K and E Theater Group’s upcoming production of the Tony Award-winning rock musical “Spring Awakening” will be at 33 Hawley in Northampton the weekends of March 28-30 and April 3-5.

By CAROLYN BROWN

“Sometimes,” as the Elton John song says, “sorry seems to be the hardest word.” An upcoming pop-up installation and workshop at Forbes Library wants to help change that, giving participants the opportunity to make their own apologies – even if they’re not yet ready to share them.

By SCOTT MERZBACH

NORTHAMPTON — Though Massachusetts is not one of at least six states that will lose out on $500 million in food deliveries promised by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the leader of the region’s largest food bank remains concerned about future cuts.

I was glad to see Sen. Ed Markey visit Northampton, while many of his Republican peers avoid contentious town halls. While both Sens. Markey and Elizabeth Warren have been vocal in opposing the lawlessness of the Trump administration, there is more that can be done.