Freeman Stein News Today

Northampton Police Station Published: 5/4/2021 9:34:35 PM A recent article in the Gazette, “Arts Council backs police cut,” (April 22), reported about a recent Northampton Arts Council discussion and the vote taken to support the three demands of Northampton Abolish Now (NAN). In the article, I was identified as the sole Arts Council member to cast a vote against supporting NAN’s demands. I’d like to take this opportunity to both explain my reasons for my vote and to urge the mayor an...

Northampton Arts Council becomes 1st city board to back activist group’s call to defund police by 50% Updated 6:55 AM; The Northampton Arts Council last week became the first city board or agency to back a local activist organization’s call to defund the community’s police department by 50%. At the group’s April 3 meeting, the cultural council, which works to fund, promote and present high-quality arts programming in it Northampton, voted to sign onto the official demands of Northampto...

NORTHAMPTON — Joining a chorus of others, the city’s Arts Council voted last week to sign on to demands by the group Northampton Abolition Now and support cuts to the city’s Police Department budget. The demands ask for the immediate reallocation of...