Speaking of Nature: Winter Finch Forecast: Spruce budworm boom could result in opportunities to see many species of birds

Oh deer, ‘ticks are winning’: Booming deer populations, shifting weather are fueling sharp rise across New England

Every year, “The Tick Guy” Thomas Mather is asked if the tick season will be bad, and his answer is always yes. “Most tick experts will say, ‘Oh, they’re probably going to be bad,’ and they will never be wrong, because to the average person, one tick is a bad tick year,” said Mather, director […]

Guest columnist Jack Tulloss: The roads to hell

Saint Bernard, the 12th-century cleric, not the dog, is often credited with the proverb, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.” As proverbs go, it’s not a bad one. But what if, what if, work with me now, hell isn’t the terminus but the road itself? That brings us to Amherst, the commonwealth’s […]

A life of showing up: Denise Devine is the Gazette's 2026 Person of the Year

HADLEY — Whether you’re going through a tragedy or are in need of support, everyone needs a hero at times in life. Denise Devine has been that for many in the Hadley community through her fierce activism supporting students, families and those in need. “She’s kind of my hero, she’s done a lot for her community, […]

Amherst Town Council approves $107.1M budget, restores school interventionists

AMHERST — Citing the needs of the youngest public school students in Amherst, Town Council this week agreed to boost the proposed fiscal year 2027 elementary school budget by $120,000, ensuring the restoration of math and reading interventionists. In a lengthy discussion at Monday’s meeting, in which Town Manager Paul Bockelman’s $107.1 million spending plan […]

Speaking of Nature: Flocking to the sweet stuff: Backyard woodpeckers develop a taste for nectar

Even when one pays close attention to the events transpiring outside, there are details that can go “unseen” for a while. You might see something without taking a moment to let it “land,” and then it becomes difficult to really nail down when something that is relatively new started to happen. I do my best […]