Opinion
Guest columnist Daniel Cantor Yalowitz: Being accountable a marker for maturity
By DANIEL CANTOR YALOWITZ
“A body of people holding themselves accountable to nobody ought not to be trusted by anybody.” — Thomas PaineOne thing that distinguishes grown-up mature adults from others not in this cohort is the ability to “own” and be accountable and responsible...
My Turn: Quabbin region will never see any benefits from reservoir
By MIKE MAGEE
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Never again should the residents of the Quabbin region be fooled into believing that they will see any benefits from the Quabbin Reservoir.In the 1930s, the state took the entire towns of...
Dennis Merritt: Would we support a Sanders power grab?
All of us liberals are outraged at Donald Trump’s 2025 plan, to put loyalists in charge of civil service jobs, weaponize the Department of Justice, give more power to the executive, etc. etc. It’s frightening. How can so many people support that?But...
Jonathan Oltman: Thank you Carolyn Shores Ness
On Monday, May 6, Carolyn Shores Ness lost her bid for re-election to the Deerfield Select Board. Her opponent Mark Gilmore and his supporters mounted an energetic campaign, winning by over 40 votes. The voter turnout was said to have been more than...
MaryDiane Baker: The souls of war
When I worked at a major airport, I learned to refer to people on airplanes as “souls on board.” If, for example, a 747 was having landing gear problems as they approached the airport, you could be talking about at least 400 souls on board. Or upwards...
From Global to Local: Mother’s Day and peace, 2024
By H. PATRICIA HYNES
Ambassador Vanessa Frazier, the state of Malta’s permanent representative to the United Nation, spearheaded the November 2023 resolution for a temporary cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, given that 70% of those killed in Gaza were children and...
My Turn: Valuing the grave work of funeral service providers
By BARRY ADAMS
When my parents died unexpectedly 30 days apart, I never questioned if the funeral professionals caring for my father realized that they had also cared for my mother only weeks before. Are any of us, when in the vise grip of loss and grief, engulfed...
Martha Jorz: Stop supporting UMass and Raytheon
To those protesting the war and genocide in Gaza, refusing to support those institutions with monetary gifts is also an option. If we stop financially supporting and investing in those institutions that make the production of weapons of war possible...
Erik Hoffner: Solar panels not a good use of farmland
As an environmental journalist covering energy and agriculture issues for years now for news outlets ranging from Grist to The Guardian and Mongabay.com, I can assure Recorder readers that the assertion by the UMass engineering professor about siting...
My Turn: No good answers with utilities in control
By PAUL FENN
Al Norman’s recent column on the proposed Wendell megabattery is spot on [“Your home’s power plant could save our energy grid,” Recorder, May 1]. Investing in more centralized grids in an era of technological miniaturization is building backward.Gov....
My Turn: Blame Hamas for the suffering of Palestinians
By RHONDA WAINSHILBAUM
In medieval Europe, Jews were often permitted only to pursue work that involved money lending and tax collecting. They were forced into this unwanted profession by kings who used them as middlemen, and then they were despised and massacred for...
Ahmad Esfahani: Democratic lagging
Who should be making the decisions? Take a few hours out of your week and observe a local committee or board, and you may quickly see how the ball of accountability rolls downhill. In an age of liability and risk aversion, decision-makers have become...
Evlyn Ashong-Katai: Back tax fund for elderly, disabled
My name is Evlyn Ashong-Katai and I moved to Greenfield in June 2023 when I bought my first-ever property, my home, at the age of 26. As a Greenfield resident, I am reaching out because of the proposed elderly/disabled tax fund.When reading about this...
Julia Duncan: Disgusted about musical canceled during pandemic
I’m so disgusted with the adults who canceled “Frozen Jr.” at Mahar Regional School four years ago [“‘Frozen Jr.’ shows to start: Play was originally rehearsed in 2020, but was stalled by pandemic,” Recorder, April 13]. That headline is not exactly...
My Turn: Stop taking all equity in home seizures now
By SUSANAE GLOVACKI
I don’t like to read the legal ads. The print is too small and it feels like you need a degree in legal studies to understand them. But on April 13 of this year, the city of Greenfield took out a full-page ad in the Recorder listing residents who...
Bill and Jean Gran: Heath Select Board needs Mike Smith’s broad experience
Mike Smith has our votes for Heath Selectboard. He has a lifetime of experience as a child growing up in Heath and as an adult raising a family, and contributing decades of service to our community. He served 20 years as Heath’s highway superintendent...
Pam Roberts: Come join Buddy Baseball's new season on May 11!
It is Buddy Baseball’s 30th birthday! Buddy Baseball is a program for youth with disabilities to play ball with the help of peer buddies. We seek new players, buddies and coaches to join our enthusiastic, family- and fun-oriented crew. We meet on...
Robert McGahan: Will Emmet selflessly gives time and energy to town
I favor the person who selflessly gives his time and energy in the interest of the town. As town election time approaches, Heath is fortunate to have as a candidate for Selectboard, Will Emmet, who has served the town in multiple capacities, both...
Pam Parmakian: What’s in a flag? Solidarity and safety
Something amazing happened on our street this week. Every household found a rainbow flag in their mailbox with an open-hearted letter inviting everyone to show solidarity with the LBGTQ community by flying the flag.My wife and I were deeply moved by...
Bob Bourke: Mike Smith for Heath Select Board
Friday, May 10 is election day in Heath. I urge town voters to choose Mike Smith for Selectboard. He offers many qualities that no other candidate can match.Born and raised in Heath, his family lineage goes back scores of generations. His father...
