News
by Sarah Heinonen | May 9, 2018 | Articles, Featured, News, Newsletter
“Why vote for the lesser of two evils, when you can vote for the greater good?” Juan Sanchez wants voters to consider this question when they enter the ballot box on November 6. Sanchez, 29, of Holyoke, is running for Secretary of State in the 2018 statewide...
by Dave Eisenstadter | May 8, 2018 | Articles, Featured, News, Newsletter
Editors note: Many of the names of those quoted in the story were changed or assumed names were used because of the inherent danger and legal standing of some sex work. Wearing a green dress, pink tights, and a tiara, transgender woman and former sex worker Lorelei...
by From Our Readers | May 8, 2018 | Articles, Featured, Letters from our Readers, News, Newsletter
Editor’s Note: Welcome to our letters to the editor page. Here you’ll find reader comments on Advocate articles and other news. We collect readers’ opinions from emails, letters, Facebook comments, and comments to valleyadvocate.com. Want to get in on this? Email...
by Chris Goudreau | May 7, 2018 | Articles, News, Newsletter
Northampton Mayor David Narkewicz spoke with Massachusetts Senate President Harriette Chandler on May 6 requesting that the state extend the nomination papers deadline by two weeks for the Hampshire, Franklin and Worcester District following the sudden resignation of...
by Advocate Staff | May 7, 2018 | Articles, Featured, News, Newsletter, Podcast
The federal anti sex trafficking law known as SESTA/FOSTA was passed nearly unanimously by Congress and signed by President Donald Trump earlier this spring, but local consensual sex workers says the law does little to stop sex trafficking while taking away...
by Advocate Staff | May 7, 2018 | Articles, Bizarro Briefs, Featured, News, Newsletter
‘Mystery pooper’ exposed On a daily basis, a New Jersey man eluded police detection and managed to relieve himself (i.e. poop) on school grounds at a New Jersey high school. Police finally caught up with the “mystery pooper,” as they called him, after setting up a...
by Dave Eisenstadter | May 4, 2018 | Articles, Between the Lines, Featured, News, Newsletter
We had been waiting a long time for it, but the speed of the events it set in motion once it finally arrived was breathtaking. The state Senate announced an independent ethics investigation of former Senate President Stan Rosenberg of Amherst in December. It took five...
by Chris Goudreau | May 4, 2018 | Articles, Featured, Music, News, Newsletter
Randy Rainbow achieved Internet stardom with his series of political spoofs and song parodies satirizing mainstream media and conservative leaders such as Donald Trump through green screened mock interviews and now he’s set to bring his unique brand of song comedy to...
by Meg Bantle | May 3, 2018 | Articles, Featured, News, Newsletter
Following public backlash online, the owner of Off the Map tattoo Gabe Ripley says that he regrets not having a no tolerance policy for sexual harassment and assault in the shop four years ago, but that there is now a no tolerance policy in place. There was harsh...
by Dave Eisenstadter | May 3, 2018 | Articles, Featured, News, Newsletter
Former Senate President Stanley Rosenberg will soon become former Senator Stanley Rosenberg. Following an ethics committee report made public Wednesday, Rosenberg announced Thursday he would be stepping down in his role as a state Senator effective the end of day...
by Meg Bantle | May 2, 2018 | Articles, Featured, News, Newsletter
Editor’s note: Off the Map Tattoo was recently recognized in the Best of the Valley Readers Poll, which is awarded by readers. The Valley Advocate is not affiliated with the tattoo parlor. Off the Map Tattoo is facing public criticism online over its continued...
by Dave Eisenstadter | May 2, 2018 | Articles, Featured, News, Newsletter
The Senate Committee on Ethics has recommended former Senate President Stan Rosenberg (D-Amherst) be barred from Senate leadership or leadership of any committee for the duration of this legislative session or the next. State Sen. Michael Rodrigues, who is chair of...
by Dave Eisenstadter | May 2, 2018 | Articles, Featured, News, Newsletter
State Police Troop E, which patrols the length of the Mass Pike, has been eliminated and absorbed into three other regional troops as a result of reforms initiated by Gov. Charles Baker. The change was in part a response to allegations that more than 20 troopers in...
by Dave Eisenstadter | May 2, 2018 | Articles, Featured, News, Newsletter
Spurred on by a new federal law they say makes their already dangerous jobs less safe, sex workers are marching in this weekend’s Noho Pride Parade in Northampton to declare “sex work is real work.” Bella Vendetta, a dominatrix and award-winning porn...
by Chris Goudreau | May 2, 2018 | Articles, Featured, News, Newsletter
Northampton Mayor David Narkewicz pledged to stand by undocumented immigrants in his city during a May 1 press conference on the steps of Northampton City Hall and promised to support initiatives such as allowing undocumented immigrants to vote in local elections. “I...
by Meg Bantle | May 1, 2018 | Articles, Arts, Featured, News, Newsletter
Only five years ago, ArtWeek was a series of 25 events in Boston. This year, ArtWeek, which started on April 27 and runs until May 6, expanded to Central and Western Massachusetts and includes over 525 events, making it the only statewide art festival in...
by Sarah Heinonen | Apr 30, 2018 | Articles, Featured, News, Newsletter
Following reporting that vandals defaced a piece of artwork meant to honor the victims of a recent school shooting late last week and that no police report had been filed, police have received a complaint and are investigating. Police originally said no investigation...
by Chris Goudreau | Apr 30, 2018 | Articles, Featured, News, Newsletter
Students from Springfield and Boston gathered alongside local faith leaders and grassroots organizers held a second protest on April 27 against Springfield-based gun manufacturer Smith & Wesson after activists called on the company meet with them to create a...
by Meg Bantle | Apr 27, 2018 | Articles, Columns, Featured, News, Newsletter, O Cannabis!
What does cannabis taste like? Many people might describe it as earthy, pungent, or bitter. According to Joe Nelson, 29, of Plymouth, one of the chefs and co-founders of Mass Cannabis Chefs, the idea that all cannabis tastes the same is a misconception. “It’s...
by Gina Beavers | Apr 27, 2018 | Articles, Arts, Featured, Music, News, Newsletter
One of the brightest music stars in the Pioneer Valley and the world succumbed to pancreatic cancer. Saxophonist Charles Neville, age 79, passed away Thursday, April 26, at his home in Huntington. A member of the acclaimed Neville Brothers band, Charles...
by Chris Goudreau | Apr 27, 2018 | Articles, Featured, News, Newsletter
Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz of San Juan, Puerto Rico spoke to students, faculty, and staff at Mount Holyoke College on April 26 recounting the tragedies the occured after Hurricanes Irma and Maria hit the island seven months ago, while also being optimistic in Puerto...
by Dave Eisenstadter | Apr 27, 2018 | Articles, Featured, Music, News, Newsletter
Charles Neville, Grammy award winning saxophonist and member of R&B, soul, and funk group, The Neville Brothers, died on Thursday at the age of 79. He had been battling pancreatic cancer for the past several months. Aaron Neville, Charles’ brother and...
by Meg Bantle | Apr 26, 2018 | Articles, Featured, News, Newsletter, Uncategorized
https://valleyadvocate.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/video-1524758618.mp4 “As far as we know we’re the only (team) that jumps in a bar,” said Jennifer Therkelsen, 31, of Shutesbury. Therkelson, who is the fundraising manager for the all-adult Pioneer Valley Jump Rope...
by Meg Bantle | Apr 25, 2018 | Articles, Featured, News, Newsletter
Over 20 municipal leaders from all over Western Mass attended an April 24 meeting with state environmental officials to discuss a state grant program that will help communities all over the Commonwealth to prepare for their unique climate change needs. Katie...
by Dave Eisenstadter | Apr 25, 2018 | Articles, Featured, News, Newsletter
Valley Gives Day, the day in which Pioneer Valley residents are encouraged to support local nonprofit organizations, will likely be happening for the last time on Tuesday, May 1. Springfield-based nonprofit Community Foundation of Western Mass has run the event since...
by Meg Bantle | Apr 24, 2018 | Articles, Arts, Featured, News, Newsletter
Over the past 20 years, people have begun to care more and more about what goes into their bodies. Most think about this in terms of the food they eat, but for customers of Oh My Sensuality Shop in Northampton, the same can be said for sex toys. “Most companies have...
by Dave Eisenstadter | Apr 24, 2018 | Articles, Between the Lines, Featured, News, Newsletter
Smith College hosted a fascinating speaker earlier this month who addressed a topic that’s been on my mind for several months leading up to the 2018 midterms: communicating and collaborating with people in what’s called “Trump country.” Without their help, we’re all...
by From our readers | Apr 24, 2018 | Articles, Featured, Letters from our Readers, News, Newsletter
Editor’s Note: Welcome to our letters to the editor page. Here you’ll find reader comments on Advocate articles and other news. We collect readers’ opinions from emails, letters, Facebook comments, and comments to valleyadvocate.com. Want to get in on this? Email...
by Sarah Heinonen | Apr 23, 2018 | Articles, News, Newsletter
When the hammer first punched through the drywall people flinched. The crowd was silent as Manuel Oliver began to destroy parts of the art he had just created, mirroring the destruction of his son’s life in the Parkland, Florida, school shooting. Oliver, the father of...
by Advocate Staff | Apr 19, 2018 | Best Of 2018 Winners, News, Newsletter
We are excited to announce the 2018 Valley Advocate Readers’ Poll winners! The categories and winners are available to view here. Thank you to all of our incredible local businesses, and of course to The Valley Advocate readers that vote! Congratulations! ...
by Chris Goudreau | Apr 19, 2018 | Articles, News, Newsletter
For the past four and a half months, Rosa Ortiz has been living with her 14-year-old son at hotels in West Springfield after her home of Toa Alta, Puerto Rico, was devastated by Hurricane Maria nearly seven months ago. But now, their temporary housing is in jeopardy...
by Meg Bantle, Gina Beavers, Dave Eisenstadter, and Chris Goudreau | Apr 19, 2018 | Articles, Bizarro Briefs, News, Newsletter
Dutch residents formed a chorus of opposition to a newly installed “singing road” earlier this month, prompting the road to be shut down after only one day of use. Workers had installed strips that act like rumble strips on 490 feet of road near the village of Jelsum,...
by Meg Bantle | Apr 13, 2018 | Articles, Columns, News, Newsletter, O Cannabis!
April 20 (4/20) can be an auspicious day for cannabis-related businesses. But this year, some of them will see their bank accounts abruptly closed. Citizens Bank, based in Providence, Rhode Island, informed an unknown number of customers with connections to the...
by Sarah Heinonen | Apr 13, 2018 | Articles, News, Newsletter
Northampton Police Chief Jody Kasper will be honored on June 4, 2018, with the She Changes the World award from the Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts (WFWM). “We are excited to spotlight Chief Kasper as a leader who is breaking barriers and who serves as a great...
by Chris Goudreau | Apr 13, 2018 | Articles, News, Newsletter
State legislators hope to create a “Student Bill of Rights,” which passed in the state Senate on April 11 and aims at granting better protections for students in disputes with loan service companies. There’s one catch though: the federal government...
by Meg Bantle | Apr 11, 2018 | Articles, News, Newsletter
Sarno repeatedly calls himself a “law and order mayor,” but for Springfield’s police union president, his recent decision to leave the bargaining table speaks louder than his words. “The fair thing to say is that we judge people on how they treat us,” said Joseph...
by Advocate Staff | Apr 11, 2018 | Articles, Arts, News, Newsletter
When spring blooms burst forth, you’ll want to rove the Pioneer Valley looking for fantastic things to see and do. We’ve pulled together some of the best events happening in the area April through June. 4/14: Radically interconnected There’s a plethora of arts events...
by Meg Bantle | Apr 10, 2018 | Featured, News, Newsletter
The University of Massachusetts Board of Trustees meet at UMass Amherst once a year, and this year, on April 6, they were met by union employees from all over the state demanding “respect and fair contracts.” “Our belts are as tight as they’re going to get,” said Eve...
by Chris Goudreau | Apr 10, 2018 | Featured, News, Newsletter
Irida Kakhtiranova faced discrimination in her home in the Ural region of Russia due to her same-sex relationship with the woman she loved. In 2003, she left to come to the United States. Fifteen years later, she is married to U.S born man and has three children, but...
by Dave Eisenstadter | Apr 10, 2018 | Articles, Between the Lines, News, Newsletter
Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno spent the better part of the past two weeks railing against a Springfield church for offering sanctuary to an undocumented Peruvian woman and her two American children. Immigrant Gisella Collazo’s cause was taken up by the Pioneer...
by Letters from our Readers | Apr 10, 2018 | Articles, Letters from our Readers, News, Newsletter
Editor’s Note: Welcome to our letters to the editor page. Here you’ll find reader comments on Advocate articles and other news. We collect readers’ opinions from emails, letters, Facebook comments, and comments to valleyadvocate.com. Want to get in on this? Email...
by Sarah Heinonen | Apr 10, 2018 | Articles, News, Newsletter, Wellness
“I was the fat girl complaining about back pain,” said Becca Minardi, 24, of Longmeadow about the early symptoms of her polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). Diagnosed just six months ago, Minardi feels as though doctors didn’t take her seriously before her diagnosis....
by Advocate Staff | Apr 9, 2018 | Articles, News, Newsletter, Podcast
A woman, an African American, and a Muslim, Tahirah Amatul-Wadud’s candidacy for the First Congressional District of Massachusetts makes her a first for the district in a couple respects. But for her, the campaign is about representing interests of the people of...
by Chris Goudreau | Apr 9, 2018 | Articles, News, Newsletter
South Congregational Church in Springfield, which is offering sanctuary to an undocumented Peruvian woman and her two American-born children, has passed the minimum requirements for an inspection by the city with only minor violations. Mayor Domenic Sarno sent out an...
by Meg Bantle, Gina Beavers, and Chris Goudreau | Apr 9, 2018 | Articles, Bizarro Briefs, News, Newsletter
In 2016, dogs bit human postal service workers a total of 156 times in Colorado. But that shouldn’t deter any prospective mail carriers. A recent study shows that the number went down in 2017 … to 132 times. Nationwide, the number of dog bites to postal...
by Gina Beavers | Apr 5, 2018 | Articles, News, Newsletter
On a rainy Wednesday afternoon in Springfield, NAACP president Bishop Talbert Swan, Mayor Domenic Sarno, a host of interfaith clergy, and a roomful of citizens gathered to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s April 3 “Mountaintop”...
by Dave Eisenstadter | Apr 5, 2018 | Articles, News, Newsletter
Tahirah Amatul-Wadud, a Democratic primary challenger to longtime Congressman Richard Neal, is attacking her opponent from an unlikely angle — his seniority. Neal, a Springfield Democrat who has served in the House since 1989, would likely be appointed chairman of the...
by Chris Goudreau | Apr 4, 2018 | Articles, Music, News, Newsletter
Easthampton-based folk pop multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter Seth Glier won three Independent Music Awards on March 31 during the 16th annual awards ceremony at Lincoln Center in New York City. Glier, an Emmy nominated musician, took home awards for best...
by Meg Bantle | Apr 4, 2018 | Articles, News, Newsletter
When Holyoke Public Schools (HPS) announced in March that they will be changing their special education transportation contract from minibuses to vans, Anna Gonzales was concerned for her son’s well-being. Gonzales, who lives in Holyoke, has three children who have...
by Dave Eisenstadter | Apr 3, 2018 | Articles, News, Newsletter
Longtime broadcast journalist and news anchor Dave Madsen, of Western Mass News, is criticizing his former boss, Sinclair Broadcast Group, following its decision to require its anchors to read promos decrying “fake stories” from national news outlets, a...
by Chris Goudreau | Apr 3, 2018 | Articles, News, Newsletter
The Pioneer Valley Workers Center plans to hand deliver 1,000 letters from Western Massachusetts residents in support of Lucio Perez, an undocumented immigrant receiving sanctuary in Amherst, to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Office in Hartford on...
by Sarah Heinonen | Apr 2, 2018 | Articles, News, Newsletter
Following the arrest of a Northampton High School janitor on charges of taking photos of people in a girl’s bathroom, Principal Bryan Lombardi is defending the school’s hiring practices. Lombardi said there had been no way to screen out Michael J. Kremensky, 22, of...
by Advocate Staff | Apr 2, 2018 | Articles, News, Newsletter, Podcast
First elected as a Democrat in 2016, 24-year-old Solomon Goldstein-Rose of Amherst replaced longtime Amherst Rep. Ellen Story in a crowded primary after Story retired. Now some Democrats are criticizing his decision to leave the party and run as an unenrolled...
by Meg Bantle | Apr 2, 2018 | Articles, Columns, News, Newsletter, O Cannabis!
Adult-use cannabis was legalized by Massachusetts voters in 2016, but based on the number of moratoriums and bans that have passed across the state since then, it’s clear that there are still some mixed feelings about cannabis on the local level. “Like every other...
by Sarah Heinonen | Mar 30, 2018 | Articles, News, Newsletter
If Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno is trying to scare the South Congregational Church, it isn’t working. The historic Springfield church at 45 Maple Street has been sheltering an undocumented Peruvian woman named Gisella, whose last name is being withheld due to her...
by Meg Bantle | Mar 29, 2018 | Articles, Film, Music, News, Newsletter
Black Panther smashed global box office records when it opened in February, and like any good action movie part of the magic of Black Panther is the soundtrack. While watching the movie, there’s one part of the soundtrack that you might not notice at first: the tama,...
by Meg Bantle | Mar 28, 2018 | Articles, News, Newsletter
Audio obtained by the Advocate from the Northampton Police Department indicates that a dispatcher from the Northampton Police Department told Jeffrey Tenczar, the owner of Greg’s Auto Repair in Northampton, that he could tow 14 vehicles from his private lot on...
by Chris Goudreau | Mar 28, 2018 | Articles, News, Newsletter
Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno is calling for South Congregational Church to lose its tax exemption status after church officials decided to offer sanctuary to Gisella, an undocumented immigrant from Peru who came to the country in 2001 and has two children and an...
by Gina Beavers | Mar 28, 2018 | Articles, News, Newsletter
Sportstuff on Sumner Avenue in Springfield has long been an anchor business for the curious collection of shops and restaurants that come and go in the blink of an eye at the “X.” But not for much longer; after 28 years, Springfield residents Toni and Dave Trehey are...
by Meg Bantle | Mar 28, 2018 | Articles, News, Newsletter
For Alicia Fleming of Chicopee, getting paid family and medical leave isn’t about politics, it’s about survival. “As a single mom, paid family leave is of the utmost importance to the well being of my family,” Fleming said. Fleming told a room of about 150 people at...
