News
by Kristin Palpini | Nov 23, 2015 | Articles, News
Fact: Global average temperatures have increased more than 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit over the last 100 years. Changing the average global temperature by even a degree or two leads to serious consequences on Earth. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,...
by From Our Readers | Nov 16, 2015 | Articles, Featured, Letters from our Readers, News
Sorry, but what about the police? I am very sorry for the families and friends whose loved ones have died due to police action and/or while in police custody in 2015 in the U.S. (“Doesn’t Count: Deaths by police are not tracked in the U.S.” Nov. 12-19, 2015). I am...
by Chuck Shepherd | Nov 23, 2015 | Articles, News, News of the Weird
Professional patients now help train would-be doctors, especially in the most delicate and dreaded of exams (gynecological and prostate), where a becalming technique improves outcomes. One “teaching associate” of Eastern Virginia Medical School told The Washington...
by Jason Horan | Nov 16, 2015 | Articles, Arts, Featured, Food + Booze, Letters from our Readers, News
She smiles at you from across the table as she delicately moves the hair from her face. The lights are dim and the murmured conversations reverberate off the warm decor as the waiter pours the carefully selected wine. We ask for a moment to discuss the menu and take a...
by Hunter Styles | Nov 16, 2015 | Articles, Arts, Featured, Food + Booze, News, The Beerhunter
Two years ago, Kate Telman started making beer at her home in Easthampton. She planned to perfect a few brews, then shop her skills around to area breweries in the hope of getting a job. “I knew there weren’t really any job postings for what I wanted to do,” said...
by Chuck Shepherd | Nov 16, 2015 | Articles, Featured, News, News of the Weird
Fort Bragg, North Carolina, declared an emergency on Oct. 30, when one of its soldiers had the bright idea to arrive for a Halloween party on base dressed as a suicide bomber, with realistic-looking canisters in a wired vest. Gates to the post, headquarters of Army...
by Kristin Palpini | Nov 16, 2015 | Articles, Arts, News
Belly dancers can be generous people. The performers have banded together across the world to raise funds to help Syrian refugees. In the Valley, on Sunday, there will be a Hafla for Humanity — Belly Dancers Unite for Syrian Refugees event at First Churches in...
by Hunter Styles | Nov 16, 2015 | Articles, Featured, MGM Springfield Casino coverage, News
Here are our greatest hits on the casino playlist this week: Writing’s on the Wall: If you drive fast down I-91 and squint, you can see construction crews hard at work at the casino site. Take a second look, though, and you’ll notice that the giant workers, posed...
by Kristin Palpini | Nov 16, 2015 | Articles, Arts, News
Leaving Our Mark: In Celebration of the Pencil is the new exhibit at the D’Amour Museum of Fine Arts in Springfield that shines a spotlight on a ubiquitous and unassuming tool. Wielded by three-year-olds and CEOs alike, the pencil’s versatility makes it an interesting...
by Kristin Palpini | Nov 16, 2015 | Articles, Arts, News
If you think raw fish ruins sushi, then perhaps you should try making candy sushi? On Friday, Sunderland Library is holding a candy sushi workshop for tweens and teens. Sunderland Candy Sushi Making, Friday, 6-7 p.m. Free. Sunderland Public Library, 20 School St.,...
by Kristin Palpini | Nov 16, 2015 | Articles, Arts, Music, News
These are the best kind of neighbors — the kind that don’t actually live next door. And The Neighbors is a little Appalachia mixed with the grit of the Lower East Side. On Saturday the acoustic duo, with Dave Houghton of Fancy Trash and Debra DeMuth, is holding a...
by Amanda Drane | Nov 16, 2015 | Articles, Food + Booze, News
When Caroline McDaniel opened ConVino ten months ago, she says she was still waiting on her beverage manager to arrive from California. A month and a half later, it became clear they weren’t coming. In a day wrought with stress over her wine bar’s management hole, she...
by Amanda Drane | Nov 16, 2015 | Articles, News, Scene Here
AMANDA DRANE PHOTO The holiday spirit arrives a bit early at Easthampton’s Keep Cottage Street Lit event at the Brass Cat. On this recent Wednesday night, the packed pub is a unified wall of happy noise as revelers clutch stemless, child-sized glasses and mill around...
by Kristin Palpini | Nov 16, 2015 | Articles, Arts, Music, News
Dark Star Orchestra, a Grateful Dead cover band that plays the Dead’s concerts instead of their albums will be in Northampton Tuesday. Dark Star, Nov. 24, 8 p.m. $27.50. Calvin Theatre, 19 King St., Northampton, (413) 586-8686.
by Hunter Styles | Nov 16, 2015 | Articles, Arts, Columns, Featured, Food + Booze, News, The Beerhunter
As the Advocate’s resident Beerhunter, my reportage on the art of the local craft brew has taken me up and down the Pioneer Valley, with the occasional stop in Brattleboro, Boston, and beyond. But there’s one big region on the Western Mass beer map that I’d been...
by Hunter Styles | Nov 9, 2015 | Articles, Local Elections 2015, News
In the weeks leading up to the Nov. 3 election, the Advocate asked the mayoral candidates of Holyoke, Chicopee, Springfield, West Springfield, Westfield, and Greenfield to share their thoughts on schools, the budget, taxes, and the environment. This week, we called...
by Amanda Drane | Nov 9, 2015 | Articles, Food + Booze, News, Wellness
Ashley Christian makes one trip to the grocery store every month; it’s a carefully coordinated and premeditated affair. She needs to buy foods that will still be edible at the end of the month, which means fresh fruits and vegetables are mostly out and frozen or...
by Kristin Palpini | Nov 9, 2015 | Articles, Arts, News
Imo Nse Imeh Ten Little Nigger Girls Art for the Soul Gallery, Tower Square, 1500 Main St., Springfield Imo Nse Imeh’s exhibit takes the wind out of visitors before they even enter the gallery. Most people will likely have a difficult time uttering the exhibit’s name....
by Advocate Staff | Nov 11, 2015 | Articles, Arts, Get Out With Staff Picks, Leisure, Music, News
Bo Burnham at the Calvin • Sunday Bo Burnham turned heads five years ago when, at 20 (he looked 16) he cracked up crowds of all ages with his self-deprecating, oft-dirty, and clever music-based comedy. On Sunday, he makes his way to his native Massachusetts for an 8...
by Kristin Palpini | Nov 9, 2015 | Articles, Between the Lines, News
So far in 2015, 965 people have been killed by U.S. police. A disproportionate number of those people are black, Hispanic or Latino; almost all are male. The causes of the deaths range from being shot by police to being hit by a police vehicle to dying — somehow — in...
by From Our Readers | Nov 9, 2015 | Articles, Letters from our Readers, News
Drowning in craft beer Dear well-intentioned, creatively-spirited, entrepreneurial-minded, mechanically-gifted, young white men, Please refrain from moving forward with your impending craft brewery project, as we here in the Valley have gone well beyond the number of...
by Chuck Shepherd | Nov 9, 2015 | Articles, News, News of the Weird
A 2015 decision of the Georgia Supreme Court has created a puzzle for drunk driver enforcement. In Georgia, and other states, blood alcohol tests are “voluntary” to bypass; meaning drivers can’t be forced, or even pressured, to endure a test that ultimately helps to...
by Amanda Drane | Nov 9, 2015 | Articles, Columns, Food + Booze, Madame Barfly, News
Nothing tastes like fall more than a pumpkin martini, unless it’s a pumpkin martini with a bone marrow bar snack. The Federal fine dining restaurant and pub in Agawam serves such tasty treats, but with an $11 price tag on the cocktail “Son of a Pumpkin” I was...
by Kristin Palpini | Nov 9, 2015 | Articles, Arts, Featured, News
Laura Radwell began to paint in the late ’80s and over the years has continued to explore various media: traditional oil painting, sculpture, calligraphy, and photography. The origin of her photo-based art is digital, a result of a familiarity and understanding of...
by Kristin Palpini | Nov 9, 2015 | Articles, Arts, News
This exhibit presents unique works of art from traditional Mayan villages in Guatemala. These paintings depict scenes such as harvesting crops, food markets, ceremonies and nature that are an integral part of the daily life and culture of these communities. Mayan Art,...
by Chris Rohmann | Nov 9, 2015 | Articles, Arts, News, Stage
John Sheldon is tired. Tired, he says, “of seeing how we treat each other, how we treat ourselves, how we treat our planet.” He’s embarked on a Journey to the Center of the Earth — “the place where everything intersects, where life really comes from.” His vehicle for...
by Kristin Palpini | Nov 9, 2015 | Articles, Arts, Film, News
A night of short films from local independent filmmakers, including the world premiere of horror short Girl In The Basement by Jared Skolnick. Here’s the line up: The Answer also by Skolnick — One of the oldest questions is settled. Protesters by Marty Lang — An...
by Kristin Palpini | Nov 9, 2015 | Articles, Featured, News, Scene Here
Photo by Greg Saulmon Motivated by hunger and a bit of sport, the peregrine falcon searches for a high perch from which she can keep a sharp lookout for prey. Her favorite meals are pigeons, ducks, and shorebirds, but in the lush Pioneer Valley any kind of medium-size...
by From Our Readers | Nov 3, 2015 | Letters from our Readers, News
Sedaris, for mature audiences only I was hoping to see a review or a letter or two in the Oct. 22-28 issue of the Valley Advocate regarding David Sedaris’ performance on Oct. 13 at The Academy of Music. I had seen him twice before, but this program was different in...
by Amanda Drane | Nov 5, 2015 | Get Out With Staff Picks, News, Uncategorized
Mass Appeal 2 • Saturday At this 413 Battle League event, it’s every Massachusetts man for himself — the event’s headline rap battles, Massachusetts vs. Everyone, pit Mass MCs against out-of-state rivals. As if watching these lyrical engineers fight to outwit and...
by Kristin Palpini | Nov 3, 2015 | Arts, News, Uncategorized
Military veterans aren’t always open to sharing their war stories with a public that can’t possibly comprehend what it’s like to be in a foreign land, with a gun, an enemy, and a mission. So when people who have given a portion of their lives to protecting the nation...
by Chuck Shepherd | Nov 3, 2015 | News, News of the Weird
Poor Little Rich Guys Among those struggling with psychological issues in modern America are the rich “one-percenters” — especially the mega-rich “one-percent of one-percenters” — according to counselors specializing in assuaging guilt and moderating class hatred....
by Kristin Palpini | Nov 3, 2015 | Between the Lines, News
We can debate whether there is an ongoing war on women, but the irrefutable fact is that issues important to women are being considered and laws are being created without much input from the ladies. The 2015 Congress is 80 percent men. Would abortion coverage be under...
by Kristin Palpini | Nov 3, 2015 | Arts, News
CiderDays This weekend venues across Franklin County will be celebrating apple cider with tastings, demos, and workshops. With more than 50 events — most of which are free — it’s enough to keep you busy. Some of the schedule’s highlights are: an orchard ride at Pine...
by Amanda Drane | Nov 3, 2015 | Articles, Featured, News
Erving Police Chief Chris Blair said that during his first day with a new body camera and a new policy making them mandatory for on-duty officers, an incident arose during which he was stoked to be so equipped. While out on a call, Blair said he was trying to wrangle...
by Amanda Drane | Nov 3, 2015 | Articles, Arts, Featured, News
In front of a full crowd and three-piece band, a woman in a 1950s party dress, with her bangs curled and wearing bright red lipstick, wails on the mic. She’s like a Stepford wife gone rogue. This is Mandy Pachios, frontwoman and founding member of jazzy, funky...
by Amanda Drane | Nov 3, 2015 | News, Scene Here
AMANDA DRANE PHOTO A third of all the food that’s produced in the U.S. goes to waste, Jessica Harwood tells the 14 young gleaning helpers at Atkins Farm. Standing in a circle on a mild mid-afternoon, the children take turns offering up first names and their thoughts...
by Hunter Styles | Oct 26, 2015 | Columns, Food + Booze, News, The Beerhunter
In 1923, when The New York Times asked George Mallory why he wanted to climb Mount Everest, the adventurer quipped: “Because it’s there.” That’s not the most promising mantra to cling to — Mallory perished on the mountain the following year — but I fear it’s one that...
by Hunter Styles | Nov 3, 2015 | MGM Springfield Casino coverage, News, Uncategorized
Hooh, boy. It’s been a roller coaster ride for MGM Springfield over the past few weeks, replete with rejiggered construction timelines, changed plans, and urgent backroom meetings with the mayor’s office. Here are our greatest hits on the casino playlist this week:...
by Advocate Staff | Oct 27, 2015 | Arts, Get Out With Staff Picks, News
Halloween Student Pole Showcase — Saturday Seeing Barre & Pole owner Tekla Kostek and her students perform sweet pole tricks and burlesque routines means you won’t have to choose between Trick or Treat. In addition to Halloween-themed numbers, the event also...
by Amanda Drane | Oct 26, 2015 | Blogs, News, The Uncanny Valley
After my colleague Hunter Styles dispelled the myth that the characters in the Scooby Doo TV series were based on the academic personalities of the Valley’s Five Colleges, my attention should have immediately turned to another legend passed on to me when I was a wee...
by Micky Bedell | Oct 26, 2015 | News, Scene Here
A devil dances along the lane of Avenue A in Turners Falls. She’s joined by a witch, whose laughter breaks through the crowd in the purest delight. Through the droves of people a young princess pushes her small hands into a large pile of pumpkin guts. A tiny Jedi is...
by Jeffrey Good | Oct 26, 2015 | Between the Lines, News
Since my father died just shy of his 80th birthday, I’ve visited his grave only a few times. My mother finds comfort in sitting on the nearby granite bench, listening to the small planes come and go from a nearby airport and communing with her husband of more than...
by Amanda Drane | Nov 3, 2015 | News, Third Eye Roaming, Wellness
While in the throes of the dog days, it’s difficult to imagine willingly exposing oneself to a 105-degree room with 40 percent humidity. But now, as the temperatures drop and bodies start hunching inwards in the self-protective pursuit of warmth, yogis of the Valley...
by Kristin Palpini | Oct 26, 2015 | Letters from our Readers, News
Stop animal cruelty in Massachusetts Animals in factory farms often spend their entire lives cruelly confined in spaces so small that they cannot extend their limbs or stand up. This is not only inhumane but it is also unsanitary and unhealthy for people who consume...
by Advocate Staff | Oct 26, 2015 | Arts, News, Uncategorized
Through November 28th, the Forest Park Gallery is showing an exhibit by Dr. Gloria Caballer-Arce, a local artist and retired educator. The exhibit, Astonishing Inspirations, features work defined by geometric shapes, lines, and intense colors. The opening reception,...
by Connolly Ryan | Nov 3, 2015 | Arts, Letters from our Readers, News
On the bus to Northampton from Amherst, I was sitting across from an old man with the wrecked blue eyes of a sunken mariner. Eyes so wet and blue and seen-through as any screen-door of the Deep South ever was, that to be caught looking into them was to be trapped in...
by Jennifer Levesque | Oct 26, 2015 | Arts, News, Uncategorized
This Halloween, get your costumes ready and head over to the Iron Horse for the Annual Halloween Bones Shakedown with DJs LeFox (Sugar Biscuit) & Hip Sockit (Pollinate). It’s a dance party with prizes, so to win, you gotta DANCE! A night of costumed attendees and...
by Photos and story by Amanda
Drane | Oct 26, 2015 | Food + Booze, News
For Valley foodies, Maria Moreno’s alfajores — Chilean cookies made with dulce de leche inside — are a novelty bought in local markets. But for Moreno’s two-year-old daughter, Olivia, they’re a daily staple. Inside Moreno’s home kitchen in Easthampton, where Moreno...
by Kristin Palpini | Oct 26, 2015 | Arts, News, Uncategorized
On Thursday, the anonymous feminist activist group Guerrilla Girls will be holding a public talk at Smith College, including a live performance conveying the story of the group’s activism and creative work, in order to discuss sexism and racism in the arts. The talk...
by Jack Brown | Oct 26, 2015 | Articles, Arts, Cinemadope, Columns, Film, News
There’s been a lot of talk lately about the upcoming reboot to the Ghostbusters franchise. Director Paul Feig’s (Bridesmaids) 2016 release is a female-centered take on the story that stars Kristen Wiig and Melissa McCarthy as a pair of old friends who are thrown...
by Jennifer Levesque | Oct 26, 2015 | News
The message here needs no explanation. I am a war tax resister, and this was my fourth and last tattoo from Saved Tattoo in Brooklyn, NY. (right) — Tom Wilson, Shelburne Falls My favorite Disney movie is The Little Mermaid, so that’s the reason why I decided to do...
by Advocate Staff | Oct 26, 2015 | Arts, Music, News, Uncategorized
On Friday, UMass Amherst Fine Arts Center welcomes five-time Grammy winner Dianne Reeves. The jazz singer, accompanied by an award-winning quintet, is on tour performing work from her first new album in five years, “Life is Beautiful,” including covers of Bob Marley,...
by Advocate Staff | Oct 26, 2015 | Arts, Film, News, Uncategorized
Friday, the Bing Arts Center will host a costume party to accompany a screening of the vampire mockumentary What We Do in the Shadows (rated R). The film, which stars Jemaine Clement, Taika Waititi, and Jonathan Brugh, follows the adventures of four vampires who live...
by Gary Carra | Oct 26, 2015 | Articles, Arts, Columns, Music, News, Nightcrawler
While new wave icon Howard Jones’ Nov. 4 Iron Horse show will be engaging, it will not be Engage, the crowd-funded multimedia project he recently performed in London, LA, and New York that includes interactive smartphone apps for audience members, specially...
by Chuck Shepherd | Oct 26, 2015 | News, News of the Weird
In October, a Harvard University debate team — three-time recent champions of the American Parliamentary Debate Association — lost a match to a team of prisoners from the maximum-security Eastern New York Correctional Facility. Prison debaters “are held to the exact...
by Hunter Styles | Oct 26, 2015 | Articles, Featured, Local Elections 2015, News
This year, the Advocate is covering the Valley’s mayoral races a little differently. We’ve asked each candidate the same four questions, which we hope will provoke thoughtful and illuminating answers — with a little editing for length and clarity. This week we quizzed...
by Amanda Drane | Oct 26, 2015 | Arts, News, Uncategorized
On Halloween, Carl and Martin Bridge — the brothers behind Janus Arts — will transform Gateway City Arts into a kaleidoscopic wonderland for the third year running. Swirling specters and luminous skeletons will abound as a host of musicians and DJs drop bone-rattling...
by Hunter Styles | Oct 26, 2015 | Articles, Featured, Local Elections 2015, News
This year’s mayoral race in Springfield is between incumbent Domenic Sarno, 52, who took office in 2008 and is currently in his third term, and Salvatore “Sal” Circosta, 30, the former owner of Sal’s Bakery and Cafe, who ran unsuccessfully for City Council in 2013....
by Amanda Drane | Oct 21, 2015 | Arts, Get Out With Staff Picks, Music, News
Llama Lasagne’s Ladies Night • Oct. 29 Local band Llama Lasagne — a conglomeration of musicians from The Mary Jane Jones, Alchemystics, and more — is hosting a Ladies Night event at the Depot at Union Station in Northampton. A portion of Ladies Night ticket sales will...
