Lori Baronas: Wolfram a proven public servant

I am writing to express my strong support for David Wolfram in the upcoming election for our town’s Selectboard. David is the kind of leader our community needs — open-minded, fair, and deeply rooted in the values and needs of this town.

Jack Wileden: Tim Hilchey for Selectboard

I’m writing to encourage the residents of Deerfield to re-elect Tim Hilchey to the Selectboard on May 5. Tim knows Deerfield well. Prior to his election to the Selectboard he served on the town’s Conservation Commission and Community Preservation Committee. He has worked hard to bring state and federal grant

My Turn: The pear tree and resurrection

By MARGOT FLECK

It is difficult to dislodge even a whimsical memory after it has escaped the shadowy fringes of the inner life and bored itself into consciousness. Side by side with the Christian image of resurrection, the unbidden memory of my child self in an Easter outfit, a pink seersucker suit and little white hat with a perky flower attached, challenged me to make a story out of this apparent incongruity.

My Turn: Grief and grievance

By BILL FEINSTEIN

Grievance devours grief. Grievance is fueled by revenge. By seeking retaliation, we enact blame and protest a sense of victimhood. Instead of allowing the internal pain from loss — sadness, anger, woe, hurt, numbness — we attempt to externalize these feelings through actions, rituals and complaint.

Columnist Daniel Cantor Yalowitz: Finding calm in a time of frenzy

By DANIEL CANTOR YALOWITZ

In past columns, I’ve explored and expressed the need to focus on important aspects of our lives such as patience, empathy, slowing down, curiosity, creativity, and intimacy. I want to add one to that list that matters much in this era of human history. Given:

Pat Spinelli: Time for clarity on ADUs

A recent writer on the Recorder’s opinion page said Greenfield “should base our ordinances on the facts and the history of our community.” But she then mangled the facts and our history by stating: “We have defined ADUs as residences independent of the principal house for about 10 years.”

Ed and Charlene Galenski: Deerfield Needs David Wolfram on Select Board

As lifelong residents of Deerfield for 75 years, we have watched the town change through those years. Change is inevitable and expected. In small towns, some changes can have a serious impact on those of us financially supporting the town through taxes. As we know, property taxes provide around 70% of the money needed to run the town of Deerfield. As we also know, property taxes usually increase moderately to allow households to plan for these increases. However, over the past five years, our town has seen an overall increase of 25% in our taxes!

Grace Evangelista: Wolfram values doing what’s right for community

Hi everyone! I’ve been hearing some talk about my stepdad, David Wolfram, who’s running for the Selectboard, and I wanted to take a moment to clear a few things up. First and foremost, he is very supportive of the LGBTQ+ community. It’s honestly hurtful to hear otherwise, especially since we have close family members who are part of that community. This is something he deeply respects and stands by.

Analee Wulfkuhle: Tim Hilchey works for Deerfield

In my 3½ years on the Deerfield Planning Board (3 years as chair), I quickly learned that our public meetings and appearances were minimal in relation to the amount of time and work that goes on behind the scenes. Selectboard Chair Tim Hilchey exemplifies this dedication to the maximum! Anyone can sit in a Selectboard meeting every two weeks without speaking or engaging, as some have done, but it’s the hours and hours of work between those meetings that make all the difference.

Vincent Russo: Hilchey for Deerfield Selectboard

The May 5 annual town elections are almost here. As someone who bought my beautiful Deerfield home in 2023, it’s very important to me that members of our local government be accessible and responsive. Not only has Tim Hilchey been accessible, actively listens to concerns, offers clarifications, and is never dismissive, on every project he’s championed, Tim has worked hard and successfully to bring home state and federal dollars.

The World Keeps Turning: Trump’s royal ‘reign of fear’

By ALLEN WOODS

Fear is a powerful emotion, capable of driving behavior that would be completely irrational without it. In America, it is now a legal justification for killing someone who appears threatening, whether the threat is credible or not. The same rationale fueled America’s invasion of Iraq in 2003 because we were falsely convinced it possessed weapons of mass destruction.

Thomas Wolslegel: Threats to library funding should not be tolerated

I am extremely grateful and appreciative of the Massachusetts Library System. My wife and I are retired and therefore now have the time to explore the many benefits it offers. We are shocked to hear that federal funding is now in question. What an absurd situation but symptomatic of the chaotic times we’re trying our best to get through. What helps us stay sane in insane times are the books, movies and music available to us thanks to the library. The idea that this is threatened along with all the other valuable services the library provides the community is just another example of the constant attacks on American ideals that are in the news daily. This should not be tolerated and I expect our elected officials to fight to secure federal funding for all libraries.

Dr. Kate Clayton-Jones: Support home care for elders

If you are an aging adult with needs in home care, or you are caring for a loved one who wants to remain at home, you should support Gov. Maura Healey’s proposed supplemental budget (H.4003) for FY25 which includes $60 million to help address the deficit in FY 2025 funding for the State Home Care Program. It would allow caregivers to be compensated while caring for a loved one.

Shirley Majewski: Wolfram stands behind well-being of Deerfield residents

One Saturday I went looking for David Wolfram signs to put on our lawn. We get hundreds of vehicles passing our house and thought it would be well known he is running for Selectboard and has our support. Our neighbors on Conway Street also had one of his signs and as drive around I see more signs which gives me encouragement that change can happen where we live and it would be for the good of the town that he gets elected.

Jon Oltman: Tim Hilchey for Deerfield

Please join me in supporting Tim Hilchey for reelection to the Deerfield Select Board, on town election day, Monday, May 5. Tim is hard-working, a good listener, and has had years of experience in serving Deerfield, including chairing the Conservation Commission, chairing the Community Preservation Committee, and in his current term on the Select Board. He works well with other town boards and departments, and has brought money into town from state sources to help offset the cost of various projects. I believe he truly has the interests of all Deerfield residents in mind as he carries out his duties on the Select Board, and I know he will do the same if reelected. Vote for Tim Hilchey on May 5!

Nancy Hazard: Have you sent Trump a message?

After the April 5 standout, I got to thinking … It was great to see everyone who was unhappy with Trump standing out, but did he see us? And did he get a message about why you were standing out?

My Turn: Blueberries and tariffs

By DENNIS MERRITT

My favorite breakfast is granola, yogurt and blueberries. I do love my blueberries, and the grocery stores have them almost all the time. It’s fun to read the labels and see where they come from.

My Turn: Vote ‘no’ to lower voting age to 16 in Deerfield

By CHARLENE GALENSKI

On April 28, at 7 p.m., attendees at the annual Deerfield Town Meeting will be asked to vote on an article to lower the voting age to 16 years old. This same article was defeated at last year’s annual Town Meeting so why try to have a second vote?

Reenie Grybko Clancy: Confused

Not being affiliated with any official political party, and a person who weighs all sides, reads a variety of news reports and listens to opposing opinions, I consider myself a common sense moderate who also happens to vote. Progressive Democrats have gone too far with cradle-to- grave government help and regulations that impose restrictions on us as if we are all still in kindergarten. Conservative Republicans have gone too far in removing regulations which basically fosters a “wild-west” type of activity where the powerful and strong-willed are allowed to succeed without much regard to how their actions affect others.