Kathy Sylvester: Preserve Deerfield history, upgrade town offices

I am writing to encourage all Deerfield residents to attend the Oct. 7 Town Meeting at 6 p.m. and vote “yes” to approve spending CPA funding to restore and rehabilitate the historic 1888 Building into town offices. As chair of the Community...

Sherry Cowdrey: Ears hurt when Harris talks

It doesn’t bother me one iota that Donald Trump refers to Kamala Harris as “a low-I.Q. individual” and “dumb as a rock” [“Anti-Harris theme still elusive,” Washington Post commentary, Sept. 17]. Trump is just saying what everyone is thinking. He’s not...

MaryDiane Baker: U.S. arms supply to Israel must stop

As yet another U.S.-facilitated war grinds on, recent guest columnist William Lambers decries the ”plight of starving children in Gaza and other war zones.” My thanks to Vermont and Massachusetts legislators calling for an end to atrocities in Gaza....

Paul Gallo: Making everyone’s vote truly count

If electoral votes from each state were awarded to presidential candidates in proportion to the percentage of ballot votes each received, we would have an election where every vote truly counts. The “winner-take-all” method currently used by nearly...

Barbara Carson: Grateful for my good neighbors

How would we feel without our good neighbors? I know how I would feel, maybe a bit disconnected and lonely.Having lived in my humble abode for almost 24 years, I have gotten to know many many of my neighbors. Good neighbors like Karen, Jan and Dom,...

My Turn: Incredible benefits of cleaner air under threat with Trump

By RUSS VERNON-JONES

 When we think about the climate crisis, our minds often, quite rightly, go to how greenhouse gas emissions are causing the global temperature to rise, causing catastrophic storms, floods, fires and hunger. What we sometimes forget is that burning...

Connecting the Dots: Connecting the dates

By JOHN BOS

In my life there are four dates that remain unforgettable. And connected for personal and global reasons.Feb. 12: I was born in Dr. Jenny’s home hospital in an old Victorian house in Tonawanda, New York on this day in 1936. Our father was there for...

As I See It: America’s monetization of death

By JON HUER

During the recent presidential debate, Donald Trump held Kamala Harris responsible (as he did Joe Biden during the June 27 debate) for the tragedy of 13 soldiers dead in the hasty U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.Morning came and so did Sept. 11, and...

Jeane Anastas: What is wrong with concierge medicine

The failures of our current system of health insurance have led to the growth of primary care practices providing concierge care. Recently my wife received notice that her primary care physician in Northampton was changing her practice to concierge...

Miriam Kurland: Public input critical at pumped storage relicensing session

The public will have a very important opportunity to state their objections to the relicensing of the Northfield Mountain pumped storage facility by participating in the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection’s public information session...

My Turn: Neighbors can be ‘the unsung heroes of our lives’

By LAURIE LOISEL

Editor’s note: The Recorder is publishing short essays over the next several weeks to mark National Good Neighbor Day on Sept. 28. Have a story about good neighbors in your lives? Send your submission of 500 words or less to...

Columnist Johanna Neumann: Community geothermal networks can help us get off gas

By JOHANNA NEUMANN

It can sometimes be challenging to find clean energy solutions that all stakeholders support. For example, California utility companies and their unions have fought against policies that support rooftop solar panels, successfully lobbying for a policy...

Paki Wieland: River cleanup and pumped storage

Folks all around are getting ready to “clean up the Connecticut River.”Many tons of trash will be collected, and hundreds of people will happily take part in these community events to help protect New England’s beautiful waterway. Cleanups are a...

Marvin Shedd, Danny Shedd, and Stan Garland: Veterans Memorial rededication ceremony a community effort

On Sept. 14, Bernardston rededicated its Veterans Memorial in Cushman Park. Under a warm late summer sun, we paid tribute to Bernardston veterans with the addition of a new stone which will reflect the names of those who have served since the monument...

Brian Cady: How should we choose a U.S. president?

In choosing a U.S. President, what matters? First, I think U.S. presidents should use force in line with law, respond to violence against the U.S. only with measured, equivalent violence against perpetrators (not convenient scapegoats), should avoid...

Ryan Hood: Whipps right choice for 2nd Franklin District

I am writing this letter to support Susannah Whipps for state representative for the 2nd Franklin District.Susannah has been the incumbent since 2015. In that period of time, I have personally called on her office a number of times for help. Each...

Pushback: Preserving open spaces — big and small

By AL NORMAN

On Wednesday evening, the Greenfield City Council will consider an update of the city’s Open Space Cluster Development (OSCD) zoning ordinance. This cluster development has been described as a way “to build more houses on less land.”The open space...

My Turn: Get to know your immigrant neighbors

By SUSANAE GLOVACKI

There are a few things I would like people to know about our Haitian and Central and South American neighbors who are staying in the emergency shelter in Greenfield. I write this when there is a particularly horrendous, completely false story...

Willliam Glass: Proposed OSHA regulations

I just saw the Aug. 30 article regarding the newly proposed OSHA regulations [“New regs alarm small fire departments”]. I am a 50-plus year volunteer firefighter and a practicing lawyer for the fire service (all in New York). The chiefs interviewed in...

Dandy Bro: Parking fees

Westfield and Easthampton have free parking everywhere. They appear to be healthy cities. I think the merchants appreciate it. I love Greenfield. I wish Greenfield had free parking.Dandy BroPlainfield