Keeping Score with Chip Ainsworth: A crushing season-opening defeat

UMass football: Focus moves to Sacred Heart

AMHERST — After sending shockwaves through the college football landscape with a stunning upset of Rutgers, the UMass football team directs its full attention to the home opener against FCS opponent Sacred Heart on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. Some things have changed on campus with classes starting and thousands of students arriving on campus. The […]

'Down to a science': Labor Day barbecue goes off without a hitch

WHATELY — Strolling through the Whately Congregational Church’s parking lot around noon on Monday brought to life the unmistakable aroma of boiled corn. But this was just a hint of what was going on inside. Parishioners once again rolled up their sleeves on Labor Day to dole out purchased meals of a barbecued half-chicken, fresh […]

My Turn: We have had enough of ageism

Older people have had enough of being treated as problems to be managed, obstacles to generational change, or easy targets for political campaigns. We see it in national politics, in local and statewide campaigns, and throughout the business community. A person’s age is repeatedly used as shorthand for incompetence, technological confusion, resistance to change, or […]

My Turn: Men are dying

I was devastated to read the story of Zachery Stolpp recently in the Recorder. Most of my career has been spent writing about higher education policy. Recently, however, I have been publishing articles about psychiatric illnesses. Zachery’s story touched my heart this week. Last week, my friend Bryan died by suicide. After years of mental […]

A peach of a day

I recently attended the annual Peach Fest at Apex Orchards in Shelburne. For two perfect sunny days the orchard welcomed members of the public to shop at vendor booths, listen to music, eat lunch, and of course pick and purchase peaches. My role was twofold. First, I served nibbles from one of my books to […]