Opinion
Pushback: Spoiler alert: No labels on ballot
Joe Lieberman was a political chameleon. He served for 24 years as a Democratic U.S. senator from Connecticut. He was Al Gore’s Democratic nominee for vice president. He ran unsuccessfully in 2004 for president in the Democratic primary. In 2006, he...
My Turn: No sense of honor or sacrifice
By TOM WILLIAMS
A recent letter written by a man who, along with his wife, visited a World War II cemetery in Nettuno, Italy prompts me to write this one to echo his touching yet distressing words [“Gratitude for heroes who gave their lives,” Recorder, March 17]. He...
Cameren Xavier Candelaria and Logan Seaman: Ways to help prevent house fires and protect oneself
In light of the recent increase in house fires in the area, we urge homeowners to prioritize fire safety measures to protect their families and properties. Here are essential tips to help avoid house fires and necessary items to have on hand to fight...
Louise Doud: EVs pose a tiny fraction of the fire danger of gas cars
The lead article on the front page of Saturday’s Recorder shouts “EVs pose firefighting challenges.” Well, it’s true, they pose a unique challenge to firefighters, as Greenfield Fire Chief Robert Strahan was quoted as saying.Unfortunately, the...
Jennifer Richardson: Bitter brews either way
My mom is 89 and caring for her gives me a clearer perspective on what truly matters in life. “Pretty soon people won’t have to get out of bed in the morning!” mom remarks sharply at machines that do this and gadgets that do that. Add AI bots to the...
From Global to Local: What I want my tax money spent on
By H. PATRICIA HYNES
In June 2023, Amanda Jones, an African American who had recently given birth to her second daughter Miranda, died from pregnancy-related causes. Her state, Georgia, ranks among the least safe states in the country for women to give birth; and the vast...
Lynne Pledger and Dorothea Sotiros: Soil microbes reduce flooding
Almost buried in the recent article about clogged drainage ditches was a nugget of wisdom from Astarte Farm manager Ellen Drews [“Farmers spotlight drainage ditch troubles,” Recorder, March 28]. She noted that the farm’s practice of no-till (planting...
Andrew Ely Morehouse: Why Colombia peace matters to you
According to the Washington Office on Latin America, in a world filled with war, violence and extreme human suffering, Colombia is a model for how protracted complex conflicts can be resolved through political negotiation.The historic 2016 peace...
Jo-Ann Prescott: Montague Cemetery Spring cleanup
The Montague Cemetery Commission will be conducting its annual spring cleanup of the town cemeteries, in particular Highland Cemetery, on Thursday, April 18.Please remove seasonal decorations from your loved one’s grave before the above date. The...
John Giniusz: Smarter than the ‘bullying rabble’
I am disappointed that the Greenfield City Council succumbed to the bullying rabble that demands we all stick our noses in the middle of a thousands of years blood feud between Israelis and Arabs.Since I don’t have any investment in the military...
Amy MacKenzie: But what about the bus driver’s efforts?
It was a relief to read that all students aboard the bus in Barre that was crashed into by a car are unharmed. It’s heartening to hear that the Quabbin Regional School District praised administrators, first responders, and students for handling the...
Columnist Daniel Cantor Yalowitz: Why we need civility now
By DANIEL CANTOR YALOWITZ
What brings a community — any community, our community — together? In times of upheaval, conflict, and transition, there are only truly a few things that matter in the evolution and sustenance of a community: honesty, integrity, trust, respect, and...
My Turn: Inventive approaches needed to solve city’s housing crunch
By SUSAN WORGAFTIK
I would like to thank former Mayor Wedegartner for her My Turn about housing in the commonwealth and in Greenfield. Yes, we are moving in the right direction, but we have a very long way to go. The UMass Donahue Institute stated that Franklin County...
Donald Moskowitz: Require tugboats for transiting ships
The recent crash of the ship Dali into the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore harbor, and the attendant loss of life, the destruction of the bridge, and the economic impact reminded me of mariner concerns for the lurking dangers to ships entering...
Genevieve Harris-Fraser: U.S. policy condemns Palestinians
Congress recently passed legislation, signed into law by President Joe Biden, that banned funds for UNRWA. Are we becoming Nazis? Our behavior towards Palestinians reflects that trend. We seem to be using the Nazi playbook.Residents of Gaza, their...
The World Keeps Turning: March Madness magnified
By ALLEN WOODS
There’s true madness all around us: wars creating multiple military and humanitarian crimes; apocalyptic climate news daily; migrants fleeing deadly threats and facing more on their journey; our country so deeply divided that we may experience a...
Bill Lafley: The problems of drug smuggling
Several opinion writers on these pages are concerned about the migrants crossing the border in southern states and many mention a fear of drug smugglers. In 2017 our family spent a week with a family in Guatemala. One night at dinner the father, a...
Nina Keller: Are lithium batteries green?
A 1.6-mile-long bridge in Maryland recently was struck by a ship and collapsed. The trauma, colossal costs and infrastructure chaos loom. The gigantic container ship included transportation of hazardous waste from the United States to Sri Lanka off...
My Turn: Walking in light
By ALAN HARRIS
All the pundits and commentators are buried in duplicity or despair. The darkness is descending and we, mortal victims swim frantically for some shore where hands and faces greet with reassurance that mere survival is off the table and that one can...
My Turn: High school feasibility study prompts questions galore
By ROBERT W. MACDONALD
The article “Committee explores new high school” in the March 23 edition of the Athol Daily News really triggered my Grumpy Gene.First, it seems that $1.5 to $ 1.7 million is required for a “feasibility study” to deal with “the need to prevent...
