Magazine Archive
Magazine Archive
The Northampton Jazz Festival Presents: Music Inn
There was a time in the 1950s when musical giants strutted the Berkshire Hills in Western Massachusetts. Be-boppers, folk singers, African drummers, blues singers, jazz legends, poets, and musicologists gathered at a place called Music Inn in Lenox, Massachusetts – just a stone’s throw away from classical music’s most famous summer festival at Tanglewood – to share their converging traditions and go looking for roots most people didn’t think even existed.
Amy Dawn Kotel: A champion for empathetic fitness
Amy Dawn Kotel is a Personal Fitness Trainer who strongly believes that everyone should strive to be active in whatever way is possible for themselves. “I do think that if we’re feeling good we’re gonna be kinder to each other,” she said. It’s this spirit of finding innovative ways to stay active and this philosophy of doing so with self-kindness that she carries through her practice: Fit Spirit Personal Training. What brought her to starting this business and to her philosophy of fitness and life is a story all to itself.
Types of light bulbs on the market today: Choosing the right one
The invention of the light bulb is one of the most valuable for daily life. With the help of artificial light, we can continue to work, read, enjoy hobbies, and socialize long after the sun goes down. Much has changed since Thomas Edison created the first carbon-filament light bulb in 1879. Today, home improvement shelves are filled with a dizzying number of light bulb options. The following overview will help you choose your next light bulb with confidence.
Valley CDC Helps Small Businesses Succeed
Along with almost all businesses, COVID took a toll on mine. I launched my website strategy and design shop in 2019, and have spent more time working during COVID conditions than normal ones. So, I jumped at the chance to enroll in the Valley Community Development (Valley CDC)’s Small Business Fundamentals workshop listed in the Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce’s newsletter.
The Neighborly Absorption (Part 16)
Sugar rations during WWII landed American snackers to eat three times more popcorn. The salacious scribe, the paradise pear pundit, pasta maker David Bow Tie described this time period as “Corn’s gold rush” and the golden age of popcorn. Meanwhile, the research and development teams at Hauer Gang brands developed Pelican Briefs, it was rumored that this short form fitting turned the tide.
David Mintz: Helping People with the Power of the Law
If there’s one thing David Mintz is familiar with, it’s the law. “I’ve always been interested in the art of persuasion,” he started. “My friends would say that I’ve always loved a good debate.” Having worked with the law since graduating from George Washington University in 1982, David knows firsthand how impactful a good lawyer can be when they’re needed most.
Veterans & Medicare: Healthcare for those who served
Did you know that 1 out of every 5 Medicare beneficiaries is a veteran? Many don’t realize that enrolling in a Medicare Advantage plan will not disrupt VA coverage; in fact, it can enhance it by adding provider choices and extra benefits such as dental, transportation, and in some situations a partial Part B premium giveback.
Amelanchier: Connecting Seasons, Wildlife, and People
Early spring, when winter still brings snow flurries and cold frosts, when Daffodils and Hyacinth fight through the frozen ground to bring light and hope for the coming months, before the mosquitos and ticks become active and the ecological engine that are the Northeast Deciduous forests open their leaves to the sun, there is a humble yet vital native shrub blooming silken white flowers and sharing its delicate scent through crisp air currents.
The Neighborly Absorption (Part 15)
Sprong sprengs as spring sprang and sprung. If you received Richard Quickley’s pamphlet Get Rich Quick in the mail, you’ll receive Got Rich Quick really soon. Every time I go near the monkey cages at the zoo I step in Rhesus pieces. The agony and ecstasy of painting one’s bathroom is like an Edy’s pie, so take a bite.
Carol Moore Cutting: A pioneer in the community
WEIB-106.3 Smooth FM is not just the only locally-owned and independent commercial FM radio station in the Springfield area, and not just the only woman-owned commercial FM radio station in Massachusetts; it is also the only African-American-owned radio station in New England. And all of this is possible only because of the effort and dedication from the one and only Carol Moore Cutting.
Staying connected with neighborhood clubs
My mom’s friends used to gather once a week for art club, rotating around to each other’s homes. Each friend would bring an art project they were working on, varying from painting to rubber stamping and greeting cards to jewelry-making. Everyone would lug in their art supplies and set up their stations around the kitchen table. Then they’d talk and laugh all night long. Art was their excuse to get together, and friendship grew out of their shared interests.
The Neighborly Absorption (Part 14)
Tattler the Rattler slid while snaking the entire time. In a constant search for a mild rue lullaby, he decided to settle near the bayou. Ophidians do not have outer or inner ear bones so they all have to buy or make mask straps if they want to catch a Blue Heron flight.
You should live and breathe easy in your own home
Living under the Covid cloud for over two years has left many of us with an overwhelming existential question: Is it safe to breathe? It’s a question most acutely felt in public spaces where the uncertainty over safety protocols, inconsistency of mask adherence, and unknown vaccination compliance is at the fore. But I believe it is a question to be addressed in our own homes where we have the opportunity to actively improve the air quality and our daily wellness.
The David Ruggles Center: Preserving Florence’s abolitionist history
For many who’ve grown up or spent time in Florence, Massachusetts, the discovery that the town was once home to a radical utopian abolitionist community comes as quite a surprise. Two of the people dedicated to preserving and promoting this history are Tom Goldscheider and Steve Strimer.
We’ve entered the 3rd stage of truth
Most of you know me as the Realtor® specializing in the sale of houses near rail trails, but many of you probably don’t know my background in the efforts to create an interconnected network of rail trails throughout the northeast. In 1994, while working for the railroad, managing large-scale transloading facilities, I was invited by a regional publisher to write a series of recreational guide books about the developing network of rail trails.
How is a C-Wire helpful when using smart thermostats?
These days, there are “smart” versions of just about everything. Phones, kitchen appliances, and even thermostats can all be upgraded to internet-connected, smart versions. If you’re installing a smart thermostat in the home, consider using a C-Wire in its setup. C-Wires can keep the device powered, which is crucial for a thermostat.
The Neighborly Absorption (Part 13)
The Longmeadow Lathe Masquerade & The Northampton Nail Masticators are the two finalists in the Valentine’s Day Massacre Film Festival. Screening for the The VDMFF will take place on the back of a giant floating tortoise or online. The winner will receive an entry at Cannes and the runner up will receive the corn horned diamond in the ruff eagle nest of distinction.
The Pellettieri/Hudziks: Changing lives through self-kindess
When Sam Hudzik and Beth Pellettieri met at George Washington University in Washington, DC, they had no idea they would one day end up falling in love. “I was involved in AIDS activism at the time,” Beth began, “and his roommate was as well. So I knew of him for most of college, but we had never really met.”
Medicare Enrollment Periods: A couple of basics
The most frequently asked question I receive as an independent insurance agent specializing in Medicare is “When do I enroll?” In this age of technology, the amount of information available is overwhelming. The process of applying for and receiving Medicare benefits can also be overwhelming but it doesn’t have to be because independent agents, such as myself, are here to help!
The Neighborly Absorption (Part 12)
Lately, I’ve been, I’ve been losing sheep. Dreaming about Little Bo Peep. But baby, I’ve been, I’ve been shearing hard. Said no more counting collars, we be counting hogs. We be counting hogs. Do robots dream of electric sheep? I wonder if real sheep dream of people jumping?