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By PETER NELSON

 When I was in first grade, my teacher, Mrs. Johnson, told my parents she thought I might have a bladder infection. She said this because I was always asking to go to the bathroom. What was I doing in the bathroom? I was making up stories, singing,...

By SARAH WOODARD

 Based on my 26 years of teaching experience, I am confident in saying that no one test should determine whether a student receives a high school diploma.Yet, for decades we have been doing just that in Massachusetts with MCAS exams. Students must...

My dog Belle loves Cottage Street Studios in Easthampton. She charges up 51 steps to the third floor. High ceilings; very tall stairways. Belle knows to stand away from the ancient manually operated freight elevator door; scary and potentially...

A gentle reminder that as we reach for cozy blankets with cooler temperatures, birds start their migration south. Lights on at night can confuse them, making their journey more difficult and dangerous. You can see who and how many are migrating at a...

By RICHARD FEIN

This column is about the trafficking of illicit drugs, how they corrupt societies and get people killed. Drugs include those whose origin is natural (e.g opiates), chemical mixes (e.g fentanyl) and combinations of both. Globally, the annual revenue...

By MADDIE RAYMOND

 Almost four years ago, I wrote an opinion piece, desperately pleading with the western Massachusetts community to help vote Donald Trump out of office. I offered a (then) 16-year-old’s perspective, leveraging my unique perspective as a young person...

I read the article regarding the School Committee’s evaluation of the new superintendent as “needs improvement” [“School super can do better,” Gazette, Aug. 13].It seems to me the School Committee should also be evaluated as “needs improvement,” for...

I appreciate the points that Karen Gardner made in her excellent column “The Joy is Back” [Gazette, Aug. 14]. It’s been clear to everyone that the entry of Kamala Harris and Tim Walz into the presidential race has greatly increased the enthusiasm for...

By DONALD JORALEMON

 What does a 14th-century philosopher have to do with assessing the reasonableness of current conspiracy theories? William of Ockham (1285-1347) is credited with the basic principle that, other things being equal, simpler explanations are to be...

By PAUL TAYLOR

 When my son Sam and I go on our annual baseball trips, we like to explore. Games are usually at night. During the day, we walk. We especially like to explore neighborhoods. Sam is a Boston-based city planner who sees things urban in a unique way....

Neighbors in Northampton, I see in the opinions how much you care about righting wrongs, many of them requiring much effort. It is always easier to say there’s nothing I can do and continue to complain than it is to make the actual effort to change. I...

I urge the city of Northampton to officially honor Olympic gold medalist Gabby Thomas, Florence’s remarkable athlete-scholar.Thomas’ achievements on the world stage as an Olympian, including winning three gold medals, have brought pride and...

By SUSAN WOZNIAK

Some aspects of this election year resemble the year that I cast my first ballot: 1968. Some, but, not all.In the fall of 1967, the South Vietnamese cast their votes. American officials breathed more easily. President Lyndon Johnson worried whether...

By MARKUS R. JONES

 One Cottage Street in Easthampton symbolizes community spirit and innovation through the unique coexistence of Riverside Industries (RSI), its program participants and staff, and tenants within the repurposed mill building. RSI received the property...

The Amherst Community Band honored conductor Timothy Todd Anderson for his 10 years of dedication. Under his leadership, which is a volunteer position, the band has tripled in size. Community musicians of all ages, from all over the Pioneer Valley,...

Anyone who wishes may go to the website of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society to read about the extraordinary sacrifices of the 3,519 Americans who have been awarded the medal since its inception during the Civil War.Then you may also wish to...

I value guest columnist John Berkowitz as a contributor who genuinely wants peace; and, so, I looked up authors whom he cites as informing his views on Ukraine and Russia [“Past time to end wars in Ukraine, Palestine,” Gazette, Aug. 9]. These writers...

By CARRIE N. BAKER

Last Thursday, the Massachusetts Legislature passed historic legislation (S2899) allowing the licensure of certified professional midwives in the state for the first time and reducing regulatory barriers to the creation of community birthing centers...

By LOIS AHRENS

 According to Progressive Massachusetts, in the formal session that began in January 2023 and ended July 31, 2024, of the thousands of bills submitted, only 5.82% passed.But lest you think this minuscule number was legislation meaningful to most...

In 2012 I came to Cottage Street Studios looking for a workspace to pursue my dream of being an artist. Rich, the building manager, showed me available spaces, none of which were a match. But on the elevator another artist happened to share that she’d...