The local logophile, an erudite Easthamptonite: Veteran Merriam-Webster editor Peter Sokolowski is the public face of the country’s oldest dictionary
By STEVE PFARRER Staff Writer When Peter Sokolowski started work as an editor at Merriam-Webster 30 years ago, about 80 people worked at the venerable dictionary company in Springfield, including about 45 editors. But based on how quiet the offices were, it might have...
Stagestruck: Tricky Treats
A Halloween basket of goodies in the area this weekend and next – from ghost stories imagined and real, to plays witchy and weird, plus a one-night Happening.
Stagestruck: Voices on the Wind
WAM Theatre’s press kit includes advice on how to approach reporting on their production of “Kamloopa.” A statement by the playwright, Kim Senklip Harvey, a member of the Syilx and Tsilhqot’in Nation centered in British Columbia, outlines “Protocols for entering the Indigenous Artistic Ceremony” – not only in general but for this play specifically. Top of the list: “Indigenous protocol is to be respected. Period.”
Stagestruck: Taking Off
Mrs. Joe Bradshaw – née Shirley Valentine – is talking to the wall in her working-class Liverpool kitchen. She’s bored, lonely, dissatisfied and unfulfilled. Her kids are grown and gone, and her husband – well, she might as well be talking to the wall.
The solar divide
When it’s right in front of you, like the nine decaying cherry trees on Northampton’s Warfield Place that the city of Northampton recently removed in order to rebuild the road and sidewalk, residents lose their minds. Some likened the tree-cutting “violence” to napalm...
Monte Belmonte Wines: Not perverted, just Italian
When disgraced former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo blamed his poor behavior on being Italian, I cringed. To quote Lady Gaga, “I’m Italian-American.” Aren’t there enough negative Italian stereotypes to deal with besides lecherous pervert? We’re supposed to talk with our...
The V-Spot with Yana Tallon-Hicks: Is My Sex Life Dead? Or Is There Hope Yet?
Dear Yana, From your perspective as a sex educator and relational therapist, what are your thoughts about how to know if two people have sexually grown apart due to outgrowing one another sexually or whether a relational sexual reboot is just needed? I guess...
Late bloomer: A decade after police raided his grow operation, Gregory ‘Chemdog’ Krzanowski is finding prosperity in the cannabis industry
In the world of marijuana breeders and growers, Gregory Krzanowski is royalty. But you wouldn’t necessarily know it by searching that name on the internet. Search “Chemdog,” however, and information abounds about the 48-year-old’s famous cannabis “cultivar,” as...
Bring on the art: Smith College and UMass Amherst join local galleries in new September exhibits
When it comes to art, September has usually been an especially busy time in the Valley, as college galleries and museums unveil new exhibits to welcome back students and faculty, and area galleries display their monthly changes as well. Last fall, the pandemic shut...
The ‘White Claw’ of weed: Cannabis-infused seltzers are gaining traction in local cannabis markets
If the billboards popping up on the Massachusetts Turnpike are any indication, cannabis-infused seltzers are becoming the new “must-have” product for cannabis consumers. But what exactly is a cannabis-infused seltzer? How is it made? And what’s the appeal? We turned...
Calendar of Events – September 2021
Arcadia Folk Festival returnsNORTHAMPTON – Signature Sounds Presents and Mass Audubon announce the return of the third annual Arcadia Folk Festival on Sept. 19, at Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary, 127 Combs Road, Easthampton. This outdoor fall musical event, which will...
Sessions
Check out our most recent performances in the playlist below, or click here to dig into interviews and related material!No Results Found
The page you requested could not be found. Try refining your search, or use the navigation above to locate the post.
Valley Show Girl: Opening Night at the 5th Annual RPM Fest
I had to pick up the new vinyl release from Easthampton’s doom metal band, Problem With Dragons that were set to play on Sunday.
The V-Spot: How Do I Leave My Husband?
The hardest part of leaving a marriage is deciding to do it. And this you’ve already done. So, now what?
No Results Found
The page you requested could not be found. Try refining your search, or use the navigation above to locate the post.
No Results Found
The page you requested could not be found. Try refining your search, or use the navigation above to locate the post.
Stagestruck: Ghosts on Summer Stages
The best thing about summer theater in this region is its variety. Last weekend, for instance, I saw an Irish drama, an American musical and a world premiere, at Chester Theatre Company and Barrington Stage.











