Speaking of Nature: It’s been 20 years: The Wood Turtle

18-year-old arrested for assaulting two women on Hadley rail trail

HADLEY — An 18-year-old man from Holbrook was charged with assault and battery after he allegedly attacked two women on the Norwottuck Rail Trail last week. He told police he was having a “bad trip” on psychedelic mushrooms. Elijah Moleon was charged with two counts of assault and battery and one count of disorderly conduct […]

There is a Season with Molly Parr: A 20-year recipe not to mess with

Recipes develop over time: I make tweaks over the years, marking up my cookbooks with notes along the margins. Sometimes I find myself adopting recipes to suit my kids’ tastes, softening the ingredient list and removing the spice in dishes until they don’t look anything like the original recipe. Not for the worse, just different.  But some need less changing than others. They resist changing all but the smallest changes, bending slightly to convenience or preference. This hot dressing for Asian greens is one of those recipes that needs no adjusting.  What are Asian Greens? Think mizuna, a Japanese mustard green […]

My Turn: Violence against women is real

October is Domestic Violence Prevention Month and a grim reminder of the reality that a leading cause of death for women ages 20-44 is homicide by an intimate partner. In June, the State Domestic Violence Fatality Review Team found domestic violence homicides in Massachusetts jumped 20% to a five-year high in 2025, with an additional […]

Valley Bounty: Making people smile around food

Peter Hadley delivered newspapers on horseback on weekends as a child. His family garden gave him an appreciation for fresh food and green, growing things at a young age.  Hadley’s food journey began in Amherst as a pastry chef and included stints in Boston and Cape Cod, adding experience as a restaurant owner and a […]

Amherst backs joining Mayors for Peace, international group seeking nuclear weapons abolition

AMHERST — The Amherst Town Council is seeking to join Mayors for Peace, the international organization that advocates for the abolition of nuclear weapons. Councilors on Monday unanimously supported the measure, which was advocated by resident Bruce Stedman, the region’s representative for the organization. Several area communities are already members, with Leverett, Northampton, Easthampton and […]