Who belongs in a smoke free downtown? By Brian Zayatz In 2014, the Northampton Board of Health (BOH) created a regulation in recognition of “the rights of those who wish to breathe smoke free air” prohibiting the smoking of most tobacco products in places of business around the city, as well as in outdoor public … Continue reading Where There’s Smoke
We went to a pre-Pride mixer at TD Bank hosted by the LGBT Chamber of Commerce By Mod Behrens and Will Meyer Last year, The Shoestring covered corporate influence on Pride and how the policing of Pride undercut the radical history of the movement the event was supposedly honoring. This year is the 50th anniversary … Continue reading Pride, Prosperity and Prison Investments
A local author reflects on how a Harvard conference praised Bhutan's "gross national happiness" but omitted ethnic cleansing. By Bhuwan Gautam Harvard Divinity School recently hosted a conference focused on the topic of “governing for happiness” and featured Bhutan as a champion of Gross National Happiness (GNH). The truth is in its quest to become … Continue reading Bhutan’s Gross National Happiness Is Highly Overrated
Northampton Public School Teachers reject Mayor Narkewicz’ Budget A Note Hello passionate readers of municipal government happenings. Jules, here. Five meetings have taken place since my last update. Though I have attended them, this column focuses on a recent city council meeting in which teachers from the Northampton Association of School Employees gathered en masse … Continue reading I Go To City Council Meetings #21
