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By SCOTT MERZBACH

ASHFIELD — An Amherst native is continuing to put himself in the record books as one of the world’s fastest speedcubers, taking first place in an event at the recent Rubik’s World Cubing Association World Championship in Seattle.

We are all the good Samaritan.

By LUKE MACANNUCO

Piti Theatre Co.’s annual DinoFest is evolving into something larger this year: Dino Trail Week.

A 21-year-old Granby man and University of Massachusetts Amherst student who was interning for U.S. Rep. Ron Estes, R-Kan., died Tuesday from injuries in a triple shooting in Washington, D.C.

By CHRIS LARABEE

GREENFIELD — With food insecurity rising across the state and food pantries seeing their highest number of clients since the pandemic, the public is invited to a fundraising event this weekend to support local pantries.

By TSULTRIM DOLMA

I want to say happy 90th birthday to His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, whose birthday is July 6. He has been my inspiration since I first went with my father on a religious pilgrimage to Lhasa, Tibet, at about age 7 in the early 1980s. It took us about three months to walk there from our village in the Khampa region of eastern Tibet. When we got inside the Jhokang Temple, I was truly amazed to see huge statues and also pictures on a wall of the Dalai Lama and other religious leaders.

STAFF REPORT

A 21-year-old Granby man and University of Massachusetts Amherst student who was interning for U.S. Rep. Ron Estes, R-KS, died Tuesday from injuries in a triple shooting in Washington, D.C.

By GARRETT COTE

AMHERST — The Amherst Regional High School football team will be under new direction next season, as 24-year old Jack Putala steps in to take the reins of the Hurricane program. Putala served as Amherst’a defensive coordinator for the last three seasons and is replacing Vinnie Guiel, who coached the team from 2022-2024.

By DARCY DUMONT

Though much could be said about the Trump administration’s retreat from climate action and the disappearance of funding to state and local governments, there is still a lot we can do on a local level without needing any government action or funding.

Did you know that one of the most vital parts of our planet is ecosystem engineers? These species are vital to their environments because they help modify and cycle nutrients in a way that promotes growth and biodiversity for all. Without them our planet would be much sparser and out of control, such as what happens when beavers disappear from certain areas. So, what if I told you that one of these important ecosystem engineers is on the verge of extinction, with only 372 individuals remaining in the whole world. The right whale is a baleen whale that migrates throughout our oceans in search of plankton and to have their babies. These whales help the environment by way of nutrient cycling and supporting plankton growth. Throughout their life and beyond they provide nutrients and support for many organisms in our oceans. However, these whales are under massive pressure because of us, they get caught in nets and hit by boats, which has drastically reduced their numbers. But hope isn’t lost, we can still save this beautiful species! Everyone can make a difference in this fight, and we hope that you’ll help us make that difference. Call politicians about this issue and show your support for policies protecting whales, everything helps. With you on our side we can fight for this species and secure their future alongside us for centuries to come.

By ALEXANDER MACDOUGALL

Despite claims of a cease-fire between Israel and Iran after nearly two weeks of rocket barrages between the two nations, experts in Middle Eastern and international relations across the Five Colleges noted the challenges ahead of ensuring a quick solution to the conflict, with a protracted period of fighting remaining likely.

By EMILEE KLEIN

AMHERST — Local scientists warn that the proposed federal cuts to the U.S. Geological Survey’s Ecosystem Mission Area — a federal research program that studies the country’s natural resources — that are outlined in the White House’s fiscal year 2026 budget could not only degrade national ecosystems, but the industries and people that rely on them.

By EMILEE KLEIN

AMHERST — Graduate student Josie Pilchik’s career plans dissolved with just one email.

By JOHANNA NEUMANN

By CAROLYN BROWN

Florence-based author and illustrator Grace Lin is known for books like “Where the Mountain Meets the Moon” (for which she received a Newbery Honor in 2010), “The Gate, the Girl, and the Dragon,” “The Ugly Vegetables,” and “A Big Mooncake for Little Star” (for which she received a Caldecott Honor in 2019). Now, the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst is celebrating Lin’s work with a career retrospective.

By TOBIAS BASKIN

“What do you teach?” I am asked when I say that I am a professor at UMass. I teach plant physiology. But the question misses the core of what I do: run a research lab. Few ask me: “What do you research?” or “Why is a college professor doing research?”

By CAROLYN BROWN

In Silverthorne Theater Co.’s latest production, Jordan Harrison’s “The Amateurs,” a deft cast weaves its way through a complicated but comedic script with pandemic-era resonance.

By MARIETTA PRITCHARD

We don’t often discuss the war, but one day last week Olesya and I spent a few minutes doing just that. She told me with some pride about the destruction of the bridge to Crimea, which I hadn’t yet heard about. Somehow tons of explosives had been planted there. And this came on the heels of daring drone attacks on Russian air force bases. Many drones were being made by Ukrainians in their homes, she said, using 3-D printers and other easily accessible materials.

By CAROLYN BROWN

Earlier this year, three Massachusetts artists were chosen to create six wheatpaste murals total to decorate the town of Montague, a public art project funded by a $15,000 grant. The most local of the three – graphic designer and illustrator Sophie Foulkes – recently installed her murals at Montague Town Hall and 20 Masonic St. in Montague.

By SCOTT MERZBACH

A tradition for 28 years, the Taste of Amherst for most of its run brought restaurants to the Town Common in mid-June, with select menu items offered from various tents that attendees could enjoy while listening to live music.

Shortly after dawn on Thursday, May 22, the Republican-held House of Representatives approved, strictly along party lines and by a single vote, a budget bill that is cruel, anti-democratic, and dangerous for our economy. Every person in this country must be aware of how, exactly, this group of legislators turned against America.