Amherst Closes Potwine Lane After Heavy Rain Damage
AMHERST — Heavy rains have compromised Potwine Lane, prompting the town to close the road to through traffic this week, even as Amherst pushes ahead on a slate of recreation and building-improvement projects and the Town Hall Art Gallery prepares to open a new exhibit.
TOWN HALL Potwine Lane is closed to through traffic between house numbers 216 and 256 after heavy rains compromised the roadway, the town said. Residents can still reach either end of the closed stretch via Middle Street or West Street while repairs are made.
At the Bangs Community Center, renovations aimed at improving health and safety, accessibility, the Senior Center, and the area near Room 101 are continuing, with the building remaining open throughout construction and completion expected in early 2027. Separately, Amherst Recreation rolled out a new virtual Fall Program Guide this week, a shift the department said reflects broader changes in how it communicates with residents. The town is also accepting applications through Sunday, Sept. 20, for All About Amherst: Civic Academy, a free eight-week program in which participants tour town facilities and meet with staff to learn how local government operates day to day.
COMMUNITY & ARTS The Town Hall Art Gallery opens a reception for artist Amy Dawn Kotel on Friday, Aug. 21. The same evening, the town's Music at the Amherst Dog Park series continues, part of a run of warm-weather community gatherings the town has promoted throughout August.
ELSEWHERE IN THE NEWS An obituary headlined "Gerald Weinstein" ran in the Daily Hampshire Gazette. The paper remembered the Amherst resident as a musician always ready to sit down and play a jazz standard, according to the Daily Hampshire Gazette (read it at https://gazettenet.com/2026/08/19/obit-gerald-weinstein-212060131/).
COMING UP The Amherst School Committee and the Board of License Commissioners both meet Thursday, Aug. 20. The Veterans Breakfast for All is Friday, Aug. 21, the same day as the Town Hall Art Gallery reception and the dog park music series. The Amherst Farmers Market returns Saturday, Aug. 22. The Local Historic District Commission, Amherst Housing Authority, and Amherst Municipal Affordable Housing Trust all meet Monday, Aug. 24, followed by the Energy and Climate Action Committee on Wednesday, Aug. 26.
Compiled from official town feeds, community organizations, and local press. Outside reporting is attributed inline.