Magazine Archive

Magazine Archive

Harriet Rogers Blazed a Trail for Women
Northampton Living Reider Media Northampton Living Reider Media

Harriet Rogers Blazed a Trail for Women

“Did you ever think you’d come into a mess like this?” Harriet Rogers asks. Though I’ve only known her for about an hour, I’ve learned quickly that she is wryly funny.

Truthfully, this interview is a little messy. In the day room at Rockridge, the assisted living facility where Harriet has lived for the past 17 years, she holds court on the couch. Around the room, 3 generations of her family listen attentively, pass around old photos, share anecdotes or shout questions. The shouting is necessary because sometimes everyone speaks at once. They are thrilled to memorialize her, and they don’t want me to miss a thing. Her nieces Susan and Jackie Ahlemeyer sit to her right; Jackie’s husband Bill and brother-in-law Bill Klaes are in the back; and Jackie’s son Brian his kids Jackson, Charlie, Joey and Grace, who have flown in from California, sprawl on the opposite couch. There are countless others here in spirit.

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Veteran, Author & Resident: Meet the Fortsch Family
Longmeadow Neighbors Reider Media Longmeadow Neighbors Reider Media

Veteran, Author & Resident: Meet the Fortsch Family

School assemblies can run the gamut, from fun to flops and everything in between. So when one man with one story book can keep the attention of 300+ elementary students, you know the subject matter is good. And this subject matter, and our subject this month, is the Fortsch family, who have made their way from Longmeadow to Afghanistan and back again.

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Spring Tree Maintenance with Arbormax
Longmeadow Neighbors Reider Media Longmeadow Neighbors Reider Media

Spring Tree Maintenance with Arbormax

Spring brings a sense of renewal and opportunity - but also perhaps the need for tree trimming and other landscape needs. Arbormax Tree Care’s motto is “Your Trees, Our Passion”. This phrase resonates with Arbormax because we truly care about your property and value your trees just as you do. The spring season stands out as the prime moment to tend to the town's arboreal treasures and ensure their vitality and splendor for generations to come.

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Did you know?!? You Can Use Tax Credits to Upgrade Your HVAC System
Longmeadow Neighbors Reider Media Longmeadow Neighbors Reider Media

Did you know?!? You Can Use Tax Credits to Upgrade Your HVAC System

Under the provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, homeowners can take advantage of tax credits to offset the costs of upgrading their HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) systems. These tax credits serve as powerful incentives, making the transition to energy-efficient HVAC technologies more financially feasible.

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Cultivating Financial Wellness
Northampton Living Reider Media Northampton Living Reider Media

Cultivating Financial Wellness

2024 can be the year that you feel better about your finances! As most of us are getting our tax returns ready, this time of year can be a great time to make or renew commitments to your overall financial well-being. Financial wellness is a measure of not just how well a person manages their money, but also how a person feels about their financial life. Improving financial wellness can be achieved through practicing better money habits, including setting goals and taking the necessary steps to realize them. The process also requires building financial literacy, an important piece of feeling more empowered in your relationship with money. Above all, it measures the ability to meet both your current financial obligations as well as achieve your goals and dreams.

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1,000,000 Books Strong: Meet the Volunteers Behind Link To Libraries
Longmeadow Neighbors Reider Media Longmeadow Neighbors Reider Media

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.

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Laurel Boyd Lives to Dance
Northampton Living Reider Media Northampton Living Reider Media

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.’”

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AI is not The Big Bad Wolf
Northampton Living Reider Media Northampton Living Reider Media

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.

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AI is not The Big Bad Wolf
Longmeadow Neighbors Reider Media Longmeadow Neighbors Reider Media

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.

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Monte Belmonte Gives Voice to the Community
Northampton Living Reider Media Northampton Living Reider Media

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.

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Famous Longmeadow Residents: Sarah Storrs
Longmeadow Neighbors Reider Media Longmeadow Neighbors Reider Media

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.

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A Year in Review in the Happy Valley
Northampton Living Reider Media Northampton Living Reider Media

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.

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The Enduring Value of Asset Protection Trusts
Northampton Living Reider Media Northampton Living Reider Media

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.”

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