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Sports
Letters
Region
Obituaries
Abstract Paintings & Tribal Masks Exhibition At New Hampshire Antique Co-Op
Now on view through May 31, 2020
Congregational Church Stays Connected
During the suspension of in-person activities in light of the Covid-19 situation, the Congregational Church of Amherst, UCC has a variety of ways for members and others to connect with church programs. This is especially important during April as Holy Week and Easter are on the horizon.
The most up-to-date information about church activities can be found on the church’s website (ccamherst.org) or by calling the church office at 673-3231. Sunday services are broadcast on FacebookLive and recorded for later on-line viewing. Services are followed by a Virtual Fellowship Hour. Links for these and other events can be found on the website.
The church’s Facebook page is another source of information, including updates and video messages from the pastors. Pastors Maureen Frescott and Kate Kennedy are available to provide pastoral care during this time, and the church welcomes community members to connect with this loving, serving, open and affirming community of faith.
Lorraine Alice Hamilton
AMHERST – Lorraine Alice Hamilton of Amherst, New Hampshire, Beach Haven, New Jersey and Rancho Mirage, California died June 14, 2020 from pancreatic cancer at her home in California. She was 73 years old and a participant in the trial of a new cancer drug at NYU Langone in New York City since April 2019. She hoped that results from the trial would improve care for other patients who develop this cancer. She was with her family when she died and was
Donald Richard Haaker
Donald Richard Haaker, 80, born June 2, 1940, son of Carl E Haaker and Jeanne LaRochelle Haaker of Fitchburg, MA, son, brother, father, grandfather, and great grandfather, peacefully passed away on Sunday, June 7, 2020 at Saint Luke’s Hospital in New Bedford, MA.
Don, as he was affectionately referred to by friends, and Dad or Grandpa by family, was a proud veteran, avid fisherman, former business owner, collector of “As Seen On TV” gadgets, and
Letters
Amherst School Board Letter to the Editor: January 2021
The Budget Process:
October was the start of budget season for the Amherst School Board. The process kicked off at the October 4 meeting when the superintendent and business administrator presented the board with a proposed budget. Budget subcommittee meetings followed where specific areas of the budget were more fully examined. At those meetings, two board members and several members of the appointed ways and means committee asked questions and discussed the philosophy behind budget decisions. Board and ways and means members submitted almost one hundred and fifty questions online, each of which was answered by a member of the administration. The school board also conducted budget workshops at which they discussed the subcommittee meetings, heard from their ways and means counterparts, and approved any changes to the budget. The final version of the budget will be presented to the public in January.
During the course of this process the budget underwent several changes. Money had to be added to the budget for required special services, an increase to the district's portion of the SAU budget, and an increase to our projected gas and heating bills. The Board and the administration sought to help offset these changes by reworking paraprofessional use and by cutting funding for furniture and a facilities technician.
The board voted unanimously to move forward a proposed $31,665,739 operating budget with a $31,184,908 default. At the public hearing on January 12 at 5 p.m in the Souhegan theater, the board will share more detailed information.
Facilities Update:
At our most recent meeting, the board voted unanimously to move a $83 million facilities project bond to the bond public hearing scheduled for Jan. 11. Additionally, we voted to move a bond project for solar panels for roughly $2.2 million to the public hearing (the board vote was 4-1 in favor of this proposal). You can learn more about both projects at our next public forum, this one on a Saturday, Jan. 22 at 6:30 p.m. at Amherst Middle School. You’ll see a further refined vision of the project, ask questions of board members and project principals, and take a tour of AMS. You can find our entire schedule for January and beyond by visiting SAU39.org. Additional information on the school projects can be found https://jfac.sau39.org.
Teacher Contract Ratification:
At the December meeting, the board voted to approve the tentative agreement with the Amherst Education Association by a 5-0 vote. This vote of support followed an overwhelming ratification of the proposed contact by the AEA on Dec. 5. The agreement now moves to the ballot for voter approval on the cost items, which include a 3% annual COLA with teachers picking up nearly four percent of health insurance premiums over the life of the deal. The highlights from a board perspective include eight additional days of learning time for students with a firm grasp on salary increases in what is expected to be a highly-inflationary period over the coming years.
Upcoming Meetings/Events:
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January 3, 6 p.m.: Amherst School Board Public Hearing Planning: Souhegan Learning Commons
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January 11, 6 p.m.: Amherst School Board Bond Public Hearing: Souhegan Theater
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January 12, 5 p.m.: Amherst School Board Public Hearing, Board Meeting, Deliberative Planning Session: Souhegan Theater
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January 22, 6:30 p.m.: JFAC Public Forum: Amherst Middle School
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February 8, 7 p.m.: Deliberative Session: Souhegan Theater
Sincerely,
Tom Gauthier, Chair
Elizabeth Kuzsma, Vice Chair
Terri Behm
Josh Conklin
Victoria Parisi
Performing Arts on Display at Amherst Middle School
To the editor:

 We would like to thank our AMS music students for their hard work in December. In the span of about a week, 313 AMS students in 8 different performing groups sang or played 36 different music selections across 6 different concerts.
For many of our students it was their first time on the stage as a member of an AMS performing group, and for our 7th and 8th grade students, it was their first return to public performances in two years.
We would also like to thank our AMS colleagues and administration for their assistance and extend our gratitude to the parents of our students for supporting their child’s involvement in the performing arts.
Sincerely,
Larry Ballard and Kevin Swift
AMS Chorus and Band Directors
Tornadoes and Climate Change
To the editor:
I was shocked and saddened by the damage done by tornadoes in Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee, and Arkansas last night. The destruction is unbelievable.
But the horrific damage was predictable if one has been following discussions about climate change. For many years I have been reading about Climate Change. At first I could not believe that what seemed a small change in average temperature could become such a large problem. But after reading extensively, I now realize how serious problem this really is. Climate scientists have predicted the following:
More, larger, stronger, and more frequent tornadoes and hurricanes. The 51 inches of rain in Houston, Texas in a recent hurricane supports this. The tornado in Kentucky also supports this.
Larger and more destructive forest fires. The forest fires in California, Alaska, Australia, and Brazil support this.
Bigger and more dangerous floods. Huston Texas showed this.
Higher sea levels and more serious storm surges. Florida has shown this. Key West Florida is only 16 feet above sea level. Other Florida Key islands are close to sea level. I would never buy land in Florida.
Ocean acidification from the excess carbon dioxide. This is killing corals in several oceans. Corals support many fish species. People who like to scuba dive to look at fish should take notice.
Species extinctions. There are many species that have gone extinct in the last few years. Bird species are in great danger.
Climate change is no joke. It is going to get worse if we do nothing. What can YOU do? Look at candidates running for office. Vote against those who are not willing to solve this problem. Vote for those who understand climate science. Support those Democrats and Republicans who are working to pass “Build Back Better” and vote against those who are blocking the bill. We desperately need more solar, wind power, and a modern electric transmission systems. We need more and better energy storage. We need people to buy electric cars the next time they buy a car. We need for cities and schools to buy electric busses. We need for our citizens to realize that we all are in danger if we do nothing. This can be solved if we all get educated and vote accordingly.
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Patrick M. Eggleston
Amherst