Opinion

Todd Damon: Liking the positive vibe of Greenfield lately

It feels like we’ve created a day for everything and everyone. It’s become a bit much, in my opinion. However, I do like recent letter writer Mary Collins’ idea of celebrating the communities we choose to call home. Her April 9 letter in the...

Patter Field: Northfield Bird Club wins award

This year’s Northfield Citizen Stewardship Award was presented by the Open Space Committee to the Northfield Bird Club at the Selectboard meeting on April 16. The club’s founder, Nick Fleck, present to receive the award, read one of his poems. Members...

Kim George: National Volunteer Week — hospice needs you

Our community is at its best when we come together to help others in a time of need. At Pioneer Valley Hospice & Palliative Care, 35 trained volunteers give their time, attention, and compassion to help people facing the end of life live as fully as...

Charlene Galenski: Blake Gilmore, a strong candidate for Deerfield’s Selectboard

On May 6, Deerfield will have its annual election for local positions. Blake Gilmore is running as a candidate for Selectboard. Deerfield is facing some financially challenging times. Over the past few years, the town has voted to finance several...

Robert Hamer: Poet’s Seat surveillance a simple solution

In this age of CCTV cameras being deployed on nearly every corner and road intersection in our larger cities, it seems that a camera atop the Poet’s Seat flagpole would be a no-brainer. That, with publication of suspect vandal photos, may help...

My Turn: Still No. 1 in male mass shootings 25 years after Columbine

By ROB OKUN

 Fortunately, there wasn’t a copycat mass shooting to grotesquely mark the 25th anniversary of the Columbine massacre on April 20, 1999. But just as we can be certain there will be another solar eclipse, it’s only a matter of time before a hail of...

My Turn: National debt — A threat to our nation’s future

By RICHARD FEIN

This is an update on a column I wrote last year about a threat to our future well-being: the national debt. To summarize, unless the debt crisis is brought under control soon the future will be much more difficult for you, your children, grandchildren...

Ferd Wulkan: Green schools are possible

Massachusetts has 1,840 schools with 186 million square feet of building area responsible for an estimated 880,000 metric tons of carbon emissions annually. Decarbonizing schools could go a long way toward meeting the state’s ambitious targets for the...

Josie Silva: Voting age impacts voter turnout

I am a student at Frontier Regional School. One reason that I think the voting age should be lowered is that around here, participation in town elections has been very low. Changing the age of voting eligibility would mean that not only would the...

Jessica Corwin: Lower voting age to strengthen democracy

It has always struck me as problematic that most young adults get their first opportunity to vote several months after they have finished their free and appropriate public education. Many have left home by then, leaving them to figure out voting on...

Erika Heilig: Trump’s mug is not news

Every week, I count the number of Trump photos in the paper, and to be fair, I've started to count the number of Biden photos. Last week was 5 for 6 on Trump (and 0 for 6 on Biden). Thursday was the only day without his mug. I can’t, for the life of...

Eleanor Wade: Mental health and voting age

As a Frontier Regional student, I think that mental health is one of the most important things that we can keep an eye on in our communities. Studies show that stressful politics take a toll on mental health, with symptoms anywhere from extremely...

Nan Clark: Cinner for Chesterfield Select Board

I am writing in support of Dee Cinner for the Chesterfield Select Board. In my 94 years here I’ve seen various select boards, some better than others. Often there has been room for improvement, new ideas, a new voice. Now again is that time. Cinner’s...

Marianne Preger: Ode to harmony

From the river to the seaThere could be peace and harmonyTwo small countries hand in handCould make a rich and happy landFrom the river to the seaThat’s the way it ought to beBut local leaders must be soughtWhose goals cannot be boughtFor whom the...

Becca King: Tax fund for elderly, disabled a good idea

As an elder on a modest and fixed income who falls through many benefits cracks, I appreciate the efforts of Greenfield City Councilors Minhas and Mastrototaro in seeking new ways to support our elders and individuals with disabilities with a property...

My Turn: The truth about time spent on MCAS testing

By DOUG SELWYN

 Many people have an image of students taking the MCAS exams: They receive a booklet, fill in bubbles for an hour or so and then go about their day. Those of us who have worked in schools know the real truth. The actual amount of time spent on testing...

Phillip Tedesco: Golf course in good hands with new owners

In response to the article “New owners look to build on golf course’s strengths” [Recorder, April 19], I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the Snow family on their acquisition of the Thomas Memorial Golf & Country Club. I am familiar...

My Turn: Call for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza

By PATRICIA CROSBY

 As Friends (Quakers), we respect the humanity of all people, which is why we have sought nonviolent responses to conflict anywhere. Our experience teaches us that violence only creates hatred, fear, hopelessness, and endless new cycles of war and...

My Turn: To become a Climate Leader

By ELLEN LEUE

 When I was a working stiff, the company I worked for (for 39 years!) had a motto: “Never sacrifice the long term for the short term.” This successfully carried the family-owned horticultural company into its fourth generation of leadership. I took it...