In Springfield on November 14 at 9 p.m., Cheryl Arena will play a concert. The web site for the venue is https://theodoresbbq.com. Based on that site, it seems that admission is free. Arena has a web site at https://cherylarena.com. A video of one of her concerts is at:
November 01, 2025
2,000 Acres Will Be Old Growth; 50 March
In a victory for old growth forests, two land trusts on October 27 said they had saved 2,100 acres in the Pioneer Valley towns of Belchertown and Pelham. “The land will be stewarded as 'forever wild,' taking a passive management approach to the forest to encourage old growth conditions to develop,” the land trusts said at:
www.kestreltrust.org/2000-acres-permanently-conserved-with-trustees-10-25/
October 31, 2025
Brattleboro Hospital Workers Rally for Justice
Workers at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital held a well-attended rally for justice. “We started bargaining our first union contract in May,” Sarah Cheslawski told the Valley Post in a voice phone interview on October 29. She has worked at the hospital for 10 years. She is the lead CAT scan technologist. “We had a pretty steady schedule of bargaining sessions. Then the hospital had a leadership change and they canceled the bargaining session we had scheduled for October 8. Then they canceled the two Wednesdays since, including today.”
October 24, 2025
13,000 Protest Trump
About 13,000 people marched or rallied on October 18 in the Pioneer Valley, Brattleboro and Keene. The protests were against Trump's policies. Here are the crowd size estimates for each city and town, based on first-hand reporting at the Brattleboro march, interviews with reputable people who were at the other protests, and other sources:
3,500 Brattleboro
3,000 Greenfield
3,000 Northampton
1,500 Amherst
900 Westfield, Massachusetts
400 Keene
300 Orange, Massachusetts
The organizers have a web site at www.NoKings.org.
October 17, 2025
Fighting to Save a Forest in Holyoke
In Holyoke, people are fighting to save a 23 acre forest. “The lawn signs have been a big success,” Kerry Anne Schoeffel told the Valley Post in a voice phone interview on October 17. She is a member of the group Save Elmwood Forest. “We're asking people to put them up. They can get the signs from us. People should also contact the city council. We are not endorsing candidates in the upcoming election but we encourage people to ask the candidates about the forest.”
October 10, 2025
The Valley Post Seeks Donations, Volunteers
Every week, about 600 people read the Valley Post. Many more people listen to the audio versions of our articles that air on radio stations in Northampton, Greenfield, and Brattleboro. Donations from readers is the Valley Post's only source of income. To avoid conflicts of interest, we reject advertising and government funding. Please make a donation and/or volunteer for the Valley Post.
October 10, 2025
Janitors at Smith College to Rally
In Northampton on October 17, there will be a rally to support dishwashers, janitors and other workers at Smith college. The rally starts at 4:15 p.m. outside 8 College Lane. The workers who are organizing the rally have a web site at www.seiu32bj.org.
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October 03, 2025
Protests Against Trump Set for October 18
On October 18 there will be marches and rallies to protest Trump in the Pioneer Valley, Brattleboro and Keene. Details are at www.NoKings.org.
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September 19, 2025
Black Uhuru
Black Uhuru will play in Brattleboro on September 27 at 7 p.m. The venue is the Stone Church. You can hear one of their songs at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7u8cCkNlk5Q&ab_channel=LAWRecords
September 19, 2025
300 Rally
About 200 people attended a rally for a farm worker who was arrested by ICE. The rally was in Springfield, Massachusetts, according to a September 19 mass email from the Pioneer Valley Workers Center. The Center did not immediately reply to an email from the Valley Post asking how many people were at the rally. Jeromie Whalen was there. He is running for congress. He told the Valley Post 150 – 250 people were at the rally. The rally was on Labor Day.
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