A huge shock was the blaze at Olympia Place –

No one was hurt, but so many students displaced.

Water pressure was low – really bad news –

But AFD was amazing, so were mutual aid crews.

Are staffing levels sufficient to deal with such fires?

Local 1764 urges 18 more hires.

Finally this year long-planned projects got going:

The new school on South East Street broke ground and is growing!

The track at the high school, and playing fields too –

All stuff our kids need, and all long overdue.

The Jones Library renovation has also begun!

Despite last-ditch efforts that truly did stun.

Some Councilors tried to quash the borrowing authorization.

They failed, and for a moment, there was real elation.

But then one of our neighbors complained to the Feds!

He tried to rile up DOGE with stuff MAGA dreads:

Implied the NEH grant funded stuff “woke” and wasteful.

Even project opposers found this action distasteful.

Then there’s the decision the Superior Court rendered:

Reinstating the school counselor who repeatedly misgendered.

Many parents are upset, they want children protected;

Kids’ well-being comes first, even with the ruling respected.

Other stuff happened – big deals and small –

Here’s just a sampling; there’s not room for it all.

UMass got rocked by government actions:

Antisemitism claims, student visa retractions,

Federal grants canceled for vital research –

All fallout from Trump’s academia besmirch.

No doubt Chancellor Reyes has had a tough year –

A runner-up in West Virginia, and a no-confidence vote here.

Amherst College’s Elliott strengthened ties with the town;

And its faculty resolution met widespread renown:

It spoke strongly of democracy, freedom and rights.

May it spur other fine schools to keep up the fight!

Hampshire has a new Prez – Jennifer Chrisler’s her name;

Wingenbach left for Greece to seek new acclaim.

The Town had its elections; every seat up for vote –

Incumbents and newbies, but there’s one change of note:

Andy Steinberg is ending 30 years in town service.

Can we manage without him? There’s cause to be nervous.

Town Hall also saw changes in who does what work:

Sue Audette retired, Amber Martin’s the new Clerk,

Lisa Borchetta is heading up Senior Services.

And two former staff return to prior purposes:

Jeff Bagg now heads Planning, and adds Economic Development

And Finance chief Sean Mangano is back in his element.

We hosted big rallies – Hands Off! and No Kings!

Our first Pride celebration was a wonderful thing.

The main intersection was among streets repaved –

With a diagonal crosswalk for time and steps saved!

A retail-slash-event space is UMass Downtown.

The bar briefly next to it already shut down.

La Veracruzana moved into that space.

The Oyster Bar opened in Judie’s old place.

No more Arigato or the typewriter shop.

But Masuda’s Café is a great place to stop!

Knowles florist changed hands, now called Floral Affairs.

The Public House closed after staff pay nightmares.

Collective Copies is gone, the Mill District is growing.

Barry Roberts’ building boom shows no signs of slowing.

Emily Dickinson’s Carriage House was reconstructed —

It’s now the visitor center from which tours are conducted.

The History Museum has an annex on Boltwood Walk

While major work ties up its usual block.

Ancestral Bridges exhibits at 29 Cottage Street

Showcasing local Black history, too long incomplete.

A roundabout is underway at U. Drive and Amity –

Next to McGuirk, home of football calamity.

The building that used to be Rafters is gone.

Housing near Atkins was proposed and withdrawn.

Caught peeing in public? That’s now 300 bucks.

Affordable condos are on tap where there used to be trucks.

The Current and Indy featured strong commentary.

There’s new public art at Wildwood Cemetery.

The town will now inspect rentals where people are living.

The Armstrongs continued their epic kind giving.

This rhyme’s way too long and it still leaves things out!

The year has been busy, of that there’s no doubt.

That’s why I offer this recap in verse each December

To take a few moments to pause and remember.

It’s a way to appreciate this community we hold dear,

And to wish all of Amherst a happy new year!