Let's Rock the Vote! Local Elections are on March 29

Attention Fort River Families! 

Make your voice heard! Use the many resources available to inform yourself about important upcoming contested races in our local elections and a ballot initiative regarding our town government structure.

In addition to the contested school committee and town meeting votes, there is also a very important Yes/No question at the bottom of the ballot about whether to elect a charter commission to review our current town government structure. Don't miss this question!

If the charter question passes, then 9 out of 19 candidates in the hotly contested charter commission race will be elected. All 19 candidates answered a questionnaire about their positions; their responses are posted in their own words on www.amherstforall.org. 

The League of Women Voters provides excellent resources to our community residents in preparation for elections.

Check out their election guides:

Town Wide Office Candidates (including School Committee)

Charter Commission Candidates 

Town Meeting Candidates 

URGENT! School Committee Election March 29

Do you know the candidates for Amherst School Committee? 

Read on for more information. All three candidates have made recorded statements at Amherst Media that are available online.  Links below. 

(Candidates listed alphabetically)

Laura Kent

For the past three years I have volunteered and served on the board of the Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) for the Amherst-Pelham Regional Schools. Through my work with SEPAC and navigating the special education process, I believe firmly in the importance of family engagement to support our schools in a positive collaborative way, focusing on the needs of all students. To School Committee I bring strong interpersonal skills, leadership and commitment to each diverse learner in our community. I come with the objectivity needed and ameagerly willing to devote the time in fulfilling my duties as a member of this committee on behalf of our community.

Campaign Website: www.kentforamherst.org and www.facebook.com/KentforAmherst

Amherst Media statement:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lx6KOXq9Htg

Vincent O’Connor

As a school committee member, I'll work to renovate/replace Fort River and Wildwood, and maintain three K-6 elementary schools; expand revenue and revenue sources, not increase fees or cut programs and student-contact staff; promote aligned but diverse curricula, instead of teacher supervision directed toward classroom uniformity; keep separate the Middle School and its team- teaching approach; subject significant High School scheduling/building changes to thorough evaluation pending finalization or adoption of other important changes. 

Amherst Media statement:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DEBEqNsBjI

Anastasia Ordonez 

Anastasia Ordonez is the mother of a first-grader at Fort River Elementary, and a soon-to-be kindergartner, and she's running for one of two open seats on the Amherst School Committee. Anastasia believes it’s important to have parents with a direct stake in our children’s future serve in positions of leadership in our community. But she also has worked for more than 15 years to help communities get tools and information about early literacy and brain development, healthcare reform, workers’ rights and many other issues so they can make change happen for the better. Now, she wants to use her communications, budget and project management skills to help Amherst parents and residents have a voice in the decision-making process that affects our public schools. 

You can read more about Anastasia on her campaign website, www.voteanastasia.org, or on her Facebook page at

www.facebook.com/VoteAnastasiaforAmherstSC. 

Amherst Media statement:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QeQbqJEWd5o

The League of Women Voters is sponsoring a Town Candidates Forum on Tuesday, March 22nd at 7:00pm in the Town Room at Amherst Town Hall.

The local election for the Amherst School Committee and other elected positions will be held on Tuesday, March 29th. Polls will be open from 7 am to 8 pm.

"Girl of the Year" Award Nominees Requested - ZONTA: Honoring Girls and Young Women

Zonta Club of Northampton Area

Member of Zonta International

Empowering Women Through Service and Advocacy

NOTE: deadline to apply is Monday, March 21

The Zonta Club of the Northampton Area is offering recognition and a financial reward for two distinct groups of young women in the Pioneer Valley who have demonstrated leadership and dedication to community service. 

For the second year, the local Zonta Club will select a “Girl of the Year” for ages 10 – 15, as its unique counterpart to the annual “Young Women in Public Affairs” award (YWPA) for ages 16 – 19, a longstanding program to recognize rising leaders in empowering women and girls locally or globally. 

“We have always enjoyed finding and rewarding the high school and college age women in our area who are clearly rising leaders,” says Lynn Goodhue, president of the local Zonta club. “But last year our president Kim Pisinski suggested that we also recognize younger girls who have shown initiative and a heart for doing good works. It really struck a chord with our club, and we love discovering these girls growing up in our midst!” All applicants will be recognized; one will be chosen “Girl of the Year for 2016,” and will receive a $200 gift for the endeavor of her choice. 

Founded in 1919, Zonta International is a leading global organization of professionals empowering women worldwide through service and advocacy. The Young Women in Public Affairs (YWPA) Awards program recognizes young women for their demonstrated leadership skills and commitment to public service and civic causes and encourages them to continue their participation in public and political life. The Zonta Club of Northampton Area is among the 1200+ clubs who accept applications from young women who live or attend school in our own geographic area. Our winning candidate will be presented with a $500 award and the application will then be considered for an award of $1,000 at the District level. Winners from Zonta’s 30 Districts will compete for ten $4,000 awards and recognition by Zonta International. 

Nominations for “Girl of the Year” are welcomed from relatives, teachers and the community. Applications for the “Young Women in Public Affairs” are available through the local Zonta club. The deadline for both is March 21; winners will be honored in April. 

For more information, please visit www.ZontaNorthampton.org or contact Lynn Goodhue at LGoodhue@comcast.net. 

Amherst Candidates Night March 22

Amherst League of Women Voters hosts a meeting with candidates for town wide office on TUESDAY, March 22 from 7 to 9 pm at Amherst Town Hall. 

Black Lives Matter Banner Dedication and Community Forum 3/21

We are pleased to announce that Hip Hop Artist Tem Blessed will be performing a piece at both of these events.  We also expect to have 4 local black sixth-grade boys who recently wrote to President Obama about the urgency of Black Lives Matter join us to share at the Forum. These events are free but we will be inviting donations to help pay for the Black Lives Matter street banner. For more information, to get a Black Lives Matter yard sign, to donate to help pay the cost of the banner, or to leave us a comment, please go our website: www.coming-together.org  Please join us for the next event in our film series: “American Indian Comedy Slam:  Goin' Native, No Reservations Needed" Thursday, April 14, 2016, 7PM The Jones Library We will have a panel of local indigenous people to help guide our conversations following the film.

Edible Perennial Gardening and Landscaping at The Jones Library onApril 5

An opportunity to learn about edible perennials comes to the Jones Library in a presentation about using edible plants in gardens by local naturalist John Root.  Please join us in the Woodbury Room of the Jones Library at 7 pm on Tuesday, April 5, 2016. 

This presentation is a visual one that features the variety of trees, shrubs, vines, canes, and herbaceous perennials that can be grown in New England for bountiful harvests of fruits, nuts, and vegetables. Participants learn how to establish and care for these plants using organic methods of cultivation. Nutritional and medicinal benefits of the plants are discussed as well. Questions and comments are welcome throughout the presentation, and handouts with a list of edible perennial plant species, resources for further study, and recommended plant nurseries are distributed at the conclusion of the program.

This program is sponsored in part by a grant from the Amherst Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.

Free and open to the public.  For more information, please contact Janet Ryan at 413/259-3223.

Glazed Coffee Cake Fundraiser Orders Due MONDAY March 21

Monday, March 21st is the last day to get your coffeecake orders in to the office!  Click here to print the order form

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B-2bHm-1AjRfRzhOalA2NkhPS0U

Support Fort River and support the Glazed Doughnut Shop, a sweet local business!

Glazed coffee cake cakes are moist and delicious with just a drizzle of white frosting on top and a swirl of cinnamon and chocolate on the inside. Yum!! 

Perfect for sharing with your family or gifting to your friends. 

All coffee cakes are $12. Regular and gluten free available. 

Turn in your order forms to the Fort River office by Monday, March 21. Please include payment with your order form; checks can be made out to "Fort River PGO"

Cakes can be picked in the Fort River lobby on 

Thursday, March 24th after school until 5 PM or 

Friday, March 25 after school until 6 PM 

Visit the shop on Pleasant Street or at glazedamherst.com