North County Notebook: July 25, 2026

As I See It: The origins of Trumpism

We are told that some of the Trump voters — 78 million of them, 75 percent white — are sorry that they ever voted for him. Well, maybe so. But my quest has always been: Who (or what) created such white America in the first place?   Here is my own answer: liberals and capitalists — […]

Deerfield to hold ADU bylaw hearing

Deerfield residents will soon consider proposed changes to town bylaws regarding accessory dwelling units, following the unanimous approval of these updates by the Selectboard.

Fostering learning and connection: The Pocumtuck Homelands Festival returns to Turners Falls for its 13th year

The Pocumtuck Homelands Festival returns to Turners Falls for its 13th year on Saturday, Aug. 1, and Sunday, Aug. 2, bringing an expanded lineup of Indigenous crafts, music and history to the banks of the Connecticut River. Hosted by the Nolumbeka Project — a nonprofit dedicated to preserving the history of Native Americans/American Indians in […]

Travel with Max: Discovering Zaragoza and Aragón, Spain

I arrived in Zaragoza, Spain, on a warm June morning. Aragón, Spain’s vast northeastern province bordered by the Pyrenees and France, would be our home for the next several days. Zaragoza — Spain’s fourth‑largest city— felt immediately welcoming. The city didn’t have as many tourists as Barcelona and other Spanish hot spots, and the usual […]

From Western Mass to the Wild West: Leverett native's new book sets autistic protagonist in 1840s Sierra Nevada

Drawn to the “outlaw sensibility” of the Wild West since childhood, author Josh Weil has channeled his lifelong fascination into the creation of his fourth published book. The Leverett-grown writer will read from his latest novel, “What Came West,” at Odyssey Bookshop in South Hadley on Thursday, July 30 at 7 p.m. Set in the […]