South County Notebook: Sept. 5, 2025

New leadership in place at AOTV

Liz Walber has taken over as the new executive director of Athol-Orange Community Television, succeeding Carol Courville who had been in the role for 31 1/2 years, and is committed to bringing the station into a new era and increasing its viewership.

47 acres in Heath permanently conserved by Franklin Land Trust

The Franklin Land Trust has permanently conserved 47 acres of land in Heath, which includes farmlands, forest and a river corridor, and will provide public outdoor recreation and support local agriculture.

Stowell Building well regularly runs dry; New Salem looks for ways to fix problem

New Salem is exploring low-interest loans to repair a well that regularly runs dry in the Stowell Building's basement, with the help of state Sen. Jo Comerford and RCAP Solutions.

Fixing the route: Navigating transportation programs for school districts

It was always important to me to greet my students as they entered the classroom so they felt welcomed and seen. This ritual also allowed me to gauge their moods and readiness to learn, helping me adjust how I began class each morning. As I researched school transportation for this column, I was reminded that […]

Reflecting the carnage of war: Former Wendell resident to screen documentary on Bread and Puppet founder and his artistic protest

Robbie Leppzer is wrapping up a feature-length documentary on Bread and Puppet Theater, founded by German-born artist and sculptor Peter Schumann. Leppzer, an award-winning independent documentary filmmaker, thought he was nearly finished two and a half years ago. “Then all hell broke loose in Israel and Gaza,” he recalled. “And artists, and Peter Schumann in particular, […]