Magazine Archive
Magazine Archive
1,000,000 Books Strong: Meet the Volunteers Behind Link To Libraries
Excitement filled the air on a Wednesday morning at Liberty Elementary School in Springfield. The 4th grade students had three special visitors, Jaimie Cambi of Longmeadow and her two daughters Elle (age 10) and Summer (age 5), who were there to be welcomed as the school’s new Link to Libraries Community Book Link Sponsor. As a result of their family’s generous sponsorship, Liberty Elementary School’s library receives between 200-250 new high-quality books each year.
Laurel Boyd Lives to Dance
For Laurel Boyd, dancing was an awakening. While growing up outside of Boston, the studio was a refuge from the chaos that lived in her house. It was where she escaped, not just to a space but to a place inside of her that yearned to move. When she was 9, she found joy in jazz. Her teacher, a trained ballerina, was both elegant and boundless. “Part of me thought, ‘Maybe I can be strong and powerful and beautiful,’” she remembers. “‘Maybe I can be really excellent at something.’”
AI is not The Big Bad Wolf
In an era where technology continuously reshapes our lives, artificial intelligence (AI) stands at the forefront of this transformation. At the end of November 2022, OpenAI introduced ChatGPT to the public, spurring an AI boom. AI has now become an accessible tool for everyone, and companies across industries are rushing to release their own AI-powered tools, software and experiences. I get many questions about AI. Some people have shared concerns, and others have expressed optimism. For the curious and the weary among you, here are the basics to help you better understand modern AI.
AI is not The Big Bad Wolf
In an era where technology continuously reshapes our lives, artificial intelligence (AI) stands at the forefront of this transformation. At the end of November 2022, OpenAI introduced ChatGPT to the public, spurring an AI boom. AI has now become an accessible tool for everyone, and companies across industries are rushing to release their own AI-powered tools, software and experiences. I get many questions about AI. Some people have shared concerns, and others have expressed optimism. For the curious and the weary among you, here are the basics to help you better understand modern AI.
Learn the Value Of What We Do As Realtors
Everything a realtor does in helping you buy or sell your home
Thinking About Disney?!? Book with We Do Travel Right for Exclusive Deals & Offers!
Longmeadow’s own We Do Travel Right, a leading travel agency dedicated to providing unparalleled vacation experiences, recently earned the prestigious Gold Earmarked status by Disney Destinations - making us an ideal travel planner for your family!
Medigap Plans in Massachusetts
Understanding Medicare options can be challenging. In Massachusetts, seniors have access to 3 Medigap plans designed to fill the gaps in original Medicare coverage.
Family and Fine Jewelry: Meet the Furnari Family
The Furnari family is basically the only logical choice for a Valentine’s Day edition of Longmeadow Neighbors. Between their romance that began by chance a decade ago this month, and their business, who have helped people symbolize their love for nearly a half century - the parallel rings true.
Monte Belmonte Gives Voice to the Community
Monte Belmonte has a great fake laugh. Ha-ha! “It sounds like a record skipping,” observes his 10-year-old, Pax. We’re at the Shea Theater in Turners Falls, where the longtime, bigtime radio personality and his family have been instructed to ham it up for the camera. On cue, Pax giggles infectiously. Monte’s wife Melissa, his 16-year-old Enzo and his 19-year-old Atticus are much quieter laughers, though all the kids are naturals on-stage. But while Monte made a name for himself on-air at Northampton’s WRSI “The River,” he never had to contend with the camera. He actually hates having his picture taken. But he loves being a voice for the community.
Famous Longmeadow Residents: Sarah Storrs
The Storrs name is a recognizable one in the life of Longmeadow’s residents today because of the important role of the Storrs Library in our community. But how did the library come to be called the Richard Salter Storrs Library? It may surprise some to learn that it is a woman, Sarah Storrs, who is behind the founding of Longmeadow’s town library.
A Year in Review in the Happy Valley
Let’s start with the good news. Lawrence Yun, chief economist of the National Association of Realtors, forecasts that existing home sales will rise by 13.5% and mortgage rates will be in the 6% range in the Spring 2024 market. This will hopefully thaw our market a bit, bringing more housing options to hopeful homeowners. Yun also predicts that we will be in a seller’s market as long as inventory is low, which seems likely to remain the case in Massachusetts, where exacting building codes contribute to the high cost of new construction.
The Enduring Value of Asset Protection Trusts
Considering that almost half of marriages end in divorce, worrying over the possibility of an adult child's divorce is common for many parents. If you are a parent of two married children, there's about a 50 percent chance one of your children will get divorced. If you have three or more children, the possibility becomes even more likely. Statistics aside, if your parental instinct says that your child's marriage is in trouble, it probably is. While you can’t prevent a child’s heartbreak, you can utilize your estate plan to ensure financial turmoil doesn’t compound the anguish of a foiled “happily ever after.”
Laurie & Bill: Meet the Hatch Family
In the same way that the board game Monopoly features famous streets, Longmeadow’s Hatch family has direct descendant of the Bliss, Longfellow, Colton, Chandler, Williams families who settled in Longmeadow and have streets named after them. For Laurie Hatch, the Longmeadow is a massive part of her past and her family's future.
Candace and Raye Birk are Here for Family and the Theatre
Instructions for living a life:
Pay attention
Be astonished
Tell about it
- Mary Oliver
The scene played out so naturally, I felt like I was at the theatre. As I stood with the lifelong actors on their deck in late November, they were on a stage of sorts, responding to cues from our photographer so she could capture our next cover. Candace and Raye Birk leaned against the rail of their patio with their hands in their pockets; it was chilly, and the sun was on its way down.
Financial Resolutions that Stick
Like millions of Americans, you may have made a New Year’s resolution to get a handle on money – whether that’s saving more, tackling your debt, or planning to purchase a new car or home. When you are optimistic about a new year, it’s easy to have grand visions of how you will cut out every cup of coffee, cook at home every day, and break out a ledger or leverage a budgeting app on a weekly basis. By funneling this energy into a few hours of work, you won’t need to sustain that excitement for the rest of the year. Here are a few examples to help you meet your financial goals.
Here's to a New Year at Home
This is Northampton Living's fourth holiday season, and we are deeply thankful to the residents and businesses that have supported our mission: to put the community and residents on our covers, and to fill our pages with your stories.
We have a wonderful problem and would love your help with the solution. The response from the community has been overwhelming. To accommodate more of our uniquely uplifting content, we have already expanded our page count. To expand again, we need more business sponsors who believe in a positive, family-focused publication dedicated to Northampton.
The Magical World of Snowflakes Math with Mathnasium
Did you know that math is everywhere - even in the snowflakes that make up the magic of winter?!? At Mathnasium, our tutors build a love and appreciation for math, and can help your students start the new year off right with math!
Turning Learning into Leisure
Most people like to learn—our species wouldn’t be where it is today if curiosity wasn’t hardwired into us on at least some level. There is an indescribable feeling of satisfaction when something finally clicks into place that just can’t quite be reproduced through any other means.
Mischa Roy Believes in Magic
“Everyone has a connection to folk magic: It’s in your bones.”
Mischa Roy felt at home in the darkroom. Her parents’ photography studio had a built-in playroom, but she and her brother wanted to work. They need me, her brother would plead – anything to get his hands on prints. She watched her father manifest magic. She began to channel her own.