Arts & Life

Sounds Local: Shows galore planned for July 4

07-02-2025 7:12 PM

By SHERYL HUNTER

The long Fourth of July weekend is upon us, and if you are looking to enjoy some live music as you celebrate America’s birthday, you will have plenty of options — and some of them are even free!


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Finding belonging through nature: Leverett exhibit showcases linoleum block prints

07-04-2025 10:04 AM

By MADISON SCHOFIELD

Different people, different perspectives, united in ink.


‘Maple and Hemlock’ looks to connect attendees with the land through arts

07-04-2025 10:02 AM

By LUKE MACANNUCO

With its newest event, the Montague Retreat Center hopes to offer “a weekend art and cultural immersion with nature as our muse.”


One year on, ‘timeless’ theme keeps ‘Money Game’ popular

07-04-2025 10:01 AM

By JULIAN MENDOZA

In the year since locally filmed drama “Money Game” premiered in Greenfield, the vitality of the film’s message has only gotten stronger, members of the cast and crew say.


Buckland author explores field of energy medicine

07-04-2025 10:00 AM

By TINKY WEISBLAT

Rick Leskowitz of Buckland is a fascinating figure. He’s a psychiatrist, a bit of a historian and a pioneer in the field of energy medicine. This field aims to explore unseen forces and connections within the human body and between human beings.


Speaking of Nature: The most beautiful local butterfly? The Question Mark is a species of forests and forest edges

07-01-2025 5:57 PM

By BILL DANIELSON

As we begin the month of July, we find ourselves in an interesting moment in the year. Most of the birds have already had their first round of chicks and some species may try for another round of breeding. Other species of birds have made their one and only attempt at reproduction and, successful or not, they will not try again. It is something that you can actually hear across the landscape in the early morning. Some species are still singing, while others are now quiet.


‘Take Me Out to the Ball Game’: A crackerjack of a recipe in honor of July 4

06-30-2025 9:44 AM

By TINKY WEISBLAT

I tend to throw a lot of history in with my recipes. I promise that next week (or maybe the week after that!) I’ll talk only about food. With Independence Day looming later this week, however, history seems appropriate.


Life’s a drag! A day in the life of producer and queen, Magnolia Masquerade

06-27-2025 10:17 AM

By Hannah Bevis

On most days, Andrew Curran, better known as his drag persona Magnolia Masquerade, is a whirlwind of activity, brainstorming ideas for future shows, creating the props that will bring them to life, running the rehearsals with other drag queens who fill out the cast — but he looks almost peaceful in the hours leading up to one of his performances. Starting around 2 p.m., Curran plops himself down in front of a tiny, well-lit mirror in his bedroom to prepare for Magnolia’s performance that evening at Last Ditch in Greenfield. Abba and a mix of show tunes plays quietly as a gentle breeze wafts in through his open window, sunlight streaming in the room.


Of rapids and rainbows: LGBTQ outdoors enthusiasts enjoyed Pride Day on the River

06-27-2025 10:16 AM

By MADISON SCHOFIELD

After weeks of rain, finally a rainbow. 


A novel retirement plan: Jonathan Lash’s debut work of fiction, ‘What Death Revealed,’ draws from his time as an attorney in 1970s D.C.

06-27-2025 10:14 AM

By TINKY WEISBLAT

Jonathan Lash of Northampton has had a fascinating life. He has been a Peace Corps volunteer, a practicing attorney, an environmental advocate, and a president of Hampshire College.


Valley Bounty: Small but mighty market: Great Falls Farmers Market continues to grow deep community connections

06-27-2025 10:13 AM

By JIM SIMON

While many of the legacy farmers markets in the Valley have been in existence for decades and have dozens of vendors with thousands of customers in a single day, there are many smaller markets that hold their own and help form deep connections in their communities. The Great Falls Farmers Market is one such market, serving as an essential connector for consumers with limited access to fresh food and for farms looking for places to sell their products.


Faith Matters: Human rights are bestowed by God: I have become a reluctant protestor before it’s too late to do anything

06-27-2025 10:12 AM

By THE REV. RANDOLPH CALVO

Our Bible study group is reading currently from First Samuel. Israel petitions Samuel to anoint a king for them so that they may be “like other nations.” Samuel warns the people about the costly prerogatives kings, both good and evil, will assume. He finishes with the dire announcement that once kingship is established and they come to realize the truth of his warning, it will be too late to do anything. (1 Sam. 8:18)


Why does DEI exist?: Understanding the history and importance of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

06-27-2025 10:12 AM

By DOUG SELWYN

In the first week of his presidency, President Trump said: “We will terminate every diversity, equity, and inclusion program across the entire federal government.”


Sounds Local: West coast sound comes to western Mass: Singer-songwriter Karla Bonoff plays the Shea Theater this Friday

06-25-2025 12:53 PM

By SHERYL HUNTER

In the 1970s, the California sound played a significant role in shaping mainstream music. Back then, you couldn’t turn on the radio without hearing a song by the likes of Fleetwood Mac, The Eagles, Jackson Browne, or Linda Ronstadt.


Speaking of Nature: The fawns have arrived: Understanding the first months of life for a baby deer

06-24-2025 12:20 PM

By BILL DANIELSON

Last week, we observed the first day of summer and Nature seemed to acknowledge the occasion with a change in the weather. The first three weeks of June saw a continuation of the rain that has dampened our collective spirits for weeks and months. Now, in the first full week of summer we have been roasted with high temperatures. This naturally led to some epic humidity, which has been a real treat for anyone who works in an office without air conditioning. Oh what fun it has been.


The prince and the strawberries: Strawberries Romanoff is a piece of Hollywood history

06-23-2025 12:03 PM

By TINKY WEISBLAT

I can’t resist another strawberry dish. I thought because of all the rain we have had, our local strawberries might be short on flavor. So far, the berries I have eaten seem to be chock full of it. I’m savoring them.


‘I’ve met friends in my books’: Eric Carle Museum celebrates author, illustrator Grace Lin with retrospective exhibition

06-20-2025 10:33 AM

By CAROLYN BROWN

Florence-based author and illustrator Grace Lin is known for books like “Where the Mountain Meets the Moon” (for which she received a Newbery Honor in 2010), “The Gate, the Girl, and the Dragon,” “The Ugly Vegetables,” and “A Big Mooncake for Little Star” (for which she received a Caldecott Honor in 2019). Now, the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst is celebrating Lin’s work with a career retrospective.


‘You can just do it forever’: Belly dance classes and shows grow steady local following

06-20-2025 10:24 AM

By ERIN-LEIGH HOFFMAN

Greenfield business owner and belly dancer Elizabeth DeNeeve and South Deerfield belly dancer Emily Gaylord having been co-producing a belly dancing showcase called “Molten: An Evening of Belly Dancing at the LAVA Center” where the two aim to not only entertain, but educate audiences on the Middle Eastern style of dance. 


With a little help from his community: Northfield Mount Hermon teacher fighting rare form of cancer begins clinical trial

06-20-2025 10:22 AM

By ERIN-LEIGH HOFFMAN

A 48 year-old Gill native, Pillsbury was experiencing stomach pain while on vacation in April, and a trip to the doctor’s office led to a diagnosis of stage four, metastatic Cholangiocarcinoma – a rare form of cancer within the bile ducts connecting to the liver. As this cancer leaves no tracers in the blood like other cancers, discovery of the illness is often incidental, and too late.


Valley Bounty: Rain or shine, strawberries are here: Teddy C. Smiarowski Farm welcomes another pick-your-own season

06-20-2025 10:06 AM

By LISA GOODRICH

The Smiarowski family name has been a fixture in Valley farming since around 1923 when Alexander Smiarowski came from Poland, and purchased farmland in Montague for a dairy, along with cucumbers, asparagus and corn.


Your Daily Puzzles

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An approachable redesign to a classic. Explore our "hints."

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Align the letters in just the right way to spell a word. And then more words.


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