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As a 14-year resident I am astonished that we have the highest property taxes and the worst roads. Plus our library fell into such disrepair it had to close. School buildings are in bad shape. The town manager doesn't have a clue what to do.

By DR. DAVID GOTTSEGEN

What I renamed “The Big Beastly Bill” passed the Senate yesterday. It signed into law dramatic cuts to our public health care system. In the meantime, over at Health and Human Services, RFK Jr. has fired all the experts of the vaccine advisory committee, threatening the supply of life-saving immunizations for millions of Americans.

By TSULTRIM DOLMA

I want to say happy 90th birthday to His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, whose birthday is July 6. He has been my inspiration since I first went with my father on a religious pilgrimage to Lhasa, Tibet, at about age 7 in the early 1980s. It took us about three months to walk there from our village in the Khampa region of eastern Tibet. When we got inside the Jhokang Temple, I was truly amazed to see huge statues and also pictures on a wall of the Dalai Lama and other religious leaders.

By RUDY PERKINS

One of the least discussed reasons Donald Trump is pushing tariffs is that wide-ranging tariffs will act much like a regressive national sales tax, shifting more of the national tax burden onto low- and middle-income taxpayers, and away from the wealthy. Lower-income Americans, who spend more of their income on everyday goods, instead of, say, corporate stocks, will end up paying a disproportionate share of the tariffs.

It is hot and people look for relief and it is difficult to find a refuge. Puffer’s Pond is neglected by the town of Amherst. The “no swimming” signs from last year were still on their posts. There are no trash cans close to the beach area and the littering has begun. Dogs are a constant issue, they defecate and pee where people will put their blankets. Dogs also get into dog fights, like last evening. Loud music is played whenever.

By SKIAN MCGUIRE

Even though I have lived in the Pioneer Valley for almost 40 years and have long been a student of Emily Dickinson’s poetry, yesterday was my first visit to the Dickinson Homestead in Amherst. It’s a wonderful resource, and the museum has done a great job of restoration to give us an idea of the environment from which Dickinson drew much of her inspiration. The tour guides were excellent, and I especially enjoyed the tour of The Evergreens, where our guide Thackeray’s encyclopedic knowledge and deep love for the place made the tour the highlight of my visit.

By RUSS VERNON-JONES

Every Palestinian life and every Jewish life is precious.

By TOBIAS BASKIN

‘What do you teach?” I am asked when I say that I am a professor at UMass. I teach plant physiology. But the question misses the core of what I do: run a research lab. Few ask me: “What do you research?” or “Why is a college professor doing research?”

By JOHANNA NEUMANN

This week marks National Pollinator Week. This annual celebration in support of pollinator health reminds Americans how essential bees are to our environment and our lives, and what action we can take to protect these remarkable winged insects.

Did you know that one of the most vital parts of our planet is ecosystem engineers? These species are vital to their environments because they help modify and cycle nutrients in a way that promotes growth and biodiversity for all. Without them our planet would be much sparser and out of control, such as what happens when beavers disappear from certain areas. So, what if I told you that one of these important ecosystem engineers is on the verge of extinction, with only 372 individuals remaining in the whole world. The right whale is a baleen whale that migrates throughout our oceans in search of plankton and to have their babies. These whales help the environment by way of nutrient cycling and supporting plankton growth. Throughout their life and beyond they provide nutrients and support for many organisms in our oceans. However, these whales are under massive pressure because of us, they get caught in nets and hit by boats, which has drastically reduced their numbers. But hope isn’t lost, we can still save this beautiful species! Everyone can make a difference in this fight, and we hope that you’ll help us make that difference. Call politicians about this issue and show your support for policies protecting whales, everything helps. With you on our side we can fight for this species and secure their future alongside us for centuries to come.

Recently, nearly 200 donors, legislators and media representatives toured our Emergency Department (ED) at Cooley Dickinson Hospital (“Cooley’s new ‘front door’ on display,” Gazette, June 7). Our long-awaited project, which is being completed in phases, expands the ED by 40%. It features new equipment, more private rooms and a floor plan designed with patients in mind. Earlier this year, we opened a dedicated space to provide a calm, healing environment for those needing mental and behavioral health support. Additional ambulance bays await our region’s EMS teams as they bring patients to our ED. The new addition opens in July and renovations in the existing ED continue through early 2026. Our ED is open throughout the project.

By DARCY DUMONT

Though much could be said about the Trump administration’s retreat from climate action and the disappearance of funding to state and local governments, there is still a lot we can do on a local level without needing any government action or funding.

Ever since Israel began it’s assault in Gaza following the Hamas attack on Oct 7, 2023, the word genocide has been used by supporters of Palestine, human rights activists, and/or detractors of Israel’s government. Supporters of Israel’s actions have decried the use of the word, maintaining that using the word genocide was antisemitic. Now, can there be little doubt what Netanyahu’s government’s plan is for Gaza and the West Bank?

By BRUCE COLDHAM

Many North Amherst residents are grieving the loss of our local community farmers — Simple Gifts. As folks drive by the farm, they may wonder what happened and what’s going on now. There is activity which you can see from Pine Street, as a local Hadley farmer is growing organic squash this summer. But the farm store and former-CSA pick up remain closed. The Simple Gifts organic vegetable farm, which worked in partnership with the land trust, the North Amherst Community Farm for 18 years, is no longer in business.

By MARIETTA PRITCHARD

We don’t often discuss the war, but one day last week Olesya and I spent a few minutes doing just that. She told me with some pride about the destruction of the bridge to Crimea, which I hadn’t yet heard about. Somehow tons of explosives had been planted there. And this came on the heels of daring drone attacks on Russian air force bases. Many drones were being made by Ukrainians in their homes, she said, using 3-D printers and other easily accessible materials.

By ATTORNEY GENERAL ANDREA JOY CAMPBELL

Over the past few weeks, our office has heard growing concern about immigration enforcement happening across Massachusetts. Families are being separated. Parents are being arrested in front of their kids. People are being pulled out of their cars in broad daylight. Even ICE admits that many of those arrested have not committed any crime.

It makes no sense to dial back clean energy tax credits for solar and energy-saving tech

Recently, I had an unexpected trip to the emergency department and a stay in the hospital. Throughout the ordeal, I encountered staff — physicians, nurses, nurses assistants, food deliverers, cleaners — who were competent, compassionate, and kind. They made a difficult experience tolerable and they helped get me back on my feet. I’m thankful for their care.

By JOHN CARNEY

Proponents of Death with Dignity legislation in Massachusetts are heartened by positive feedback in the current session of the State House. At the present time, 10 states, and Washington D.C., have laws which allow terminally ill patients the legal option to end their lives with a physician-issued prescription. Massachusetts is not one of those states.

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.

I have written in these pages that the demolition and rebuilding of Amherst’s Jones Library is based on a design that is already out-of-date. The Covid pandemic changed how we create, store and retrieve information. The number of in-person visitors to the Jones each year has declined from about 325,000 to 175,000.