Today we examine the connective tissue of faith and culture.  In Florence this Thursday a panel of musicians will come together to explore the ways sound and spirituality converge. Yearnings is a concert bringing together singers of several spiritual walks to look at the ways those beliefs sound and how the music of faith brings us all together. We’ll talk with the show’s creator Joey Baron, as well as its music director Kevin Sharpe about the collaborations that fuel the event.  It’s Jewish Book month, and to celebrate, we’ll look at two new children’s books: one about a trailblazer for the Supreme Court, and one about the history of the celebration itself. What Louis Brandeis knows tells the history of the first jewish Justice, from his beginnings in Kentucky to the court cases that paved the way to his seat in the highest court and Fanny’s BIg Idea shows Jewish Book week’s origins in the Boston library system. We’ll speak to the author of both books, Richard Michelson about writing history for young folx and what other tomes you can celebrate the month with.   Plus Mr. Universe Kainaat Studios and Hampshire College’s Salman Hameed and plugs pop culture into the skies as we explore a great many connections including to the comet 3I/ATLAS.

We’re finding new ways to learn, and helping those new ways to thrive.  We head up to Greenfield to the Center School, whose innovative approach to making well-rounded and adjusted small humans has become a literal institution in the area. And as we get a tour of their new building with some of the staff and teachers there, we’ll hear about the change that inter-generational, integrated classrooms can have, and how a new fundraising campaign hopes to help them continue their educative work long into the future.  We’ll also chat with multi-disciplinary artist and podcaster East Forest, who’ll perform at the Hope Center for the Arts this Saturday. We’ll hear how he links music to film and perhaps also to psychedelics, and the connections of various types he seeks to create in sound, and what spectacles will arrive in Springfield on November 8th.   And at Tip Top Wine Shop in Easthampton, Lauren Clark and Miranda Brown take us to France for a Thunderdome that becomes a lesson about cork bleed and cork taint that is important for anyone who likes to imbibe. 

We express ourselves and local history, and at the center of that venn diagram in Amherst, is hats So we head to the town to see how its millinery legacy is being honored and explored in 9 locations in an exhibit titled Hats.  Anika Lopes of Ancestral Bridges shows us, through a number of the displays in businesses, museums and more, how the millinery industry of Amherst is tied to the black community, the educational legacy, and the cultural heritage of the people who’ve lived there.  And even the film industry, as we chat with costumer Mona May, who in conjunction with the exhibit is coming to speak at Amherst Cinema this Monday to discuss the hats and her work in costuming along with a 30th anniversary showing of Clueless.  And after a momentous election Tuesday this week, congressman Jim McGovern shares his thoughts on the results, the effects of the ongoing shutdown now in week 6 and whether there’s an end in sight, and his preparations for the upcoming March for the Food Bank.

There’s been a lot of reporting on SNAP as of late, and its fate, and that of those who rely on it, as the shut down rolls into its 6th week. And although it’s been partially filled, there’s still repercussions for that and organizations that aid with food insecurity nationwide So we head to one of those organizations that is seeing the impact of the turmoil concerning the Supplementary Nutritional Assistance Program: The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts. Ex. Dir. Andrew Morehouse speaks with us about what the program actually does, who uses it, and how its removal will impact it and the 199 food pantries of the 4 counties who depend on their services.  We’ll also head to another point of community that’s been bringing together folx from all walks of life for 80 plus years. Hutghi’s at the Nook is a Westfield staple that consistently punches above its weight in it's weekly offerings, and we’ll speak with one of the current owners Kevin Gibeaux about the folx who gather in that space and what you can experience there.  And word nerd Emily Brewster senior editor at Merriam Webster introduces us to a term that is not in the dictionary, but that keeps encyclopedias and other reference materials honest and original in their work: the mountweazel. 

We’re extending our reach, and for the first time in our nearly 3 years of this show, we venture outside of the 4 counties of western Massachusetts to a facility that is closely tied to the work that many farmers in the 413 do: the raising of meat animals.  We head to the other side of the Quabbin to Hardwick, just over the Hampshire border into Worcester County where Jennifer Core of CISA joins us to chat with Kate Stillman of Stillman Quality Meats about their brand new processing facility, one of the few of its kind in the area. We learn about the farm’s origins, and the shortfalls it found along the way, the process of constructing a new building to USDA Specs, and how you can help them finish it.  Then Palestinian comic, actor, and more Alaa Shehada brings his story of hope, resilience, and the course of everyday life in his one man show The Horse of Jenin. Before the work comes to the Bowker Auditorium at UMass Fine Arts Center on Thursday Nov. 6 for the show's only US appearance this year, we ask about the refugee camp origins of his theater troupe and comedy work, and how humor helps convey the truth in one's story. 

We are generally arts and culture heavy and politics light, but seeing as tomorrow is election day, and many positions are up for grabs locally, we figured we’d put a pause in that and go all in on one of the last contested races in W. Mass So today we focus our attention just across the river from our studios at NEPM to the mayoral race in West Springfield.  We hear from the incumbent William C. Reichelt, the youngest mayor in the city's history, who’s seeking a 4th term, to hear about the programs he’s looking forward to implementing, his stance on the issues of schools and consolidation, the budget, moving public safety facilities, and more.  And from the challenger, current councilor at large Daniel O’Brien, who’s served that seat for an equal amount of years, but has raised questions about Mitteneague school, taxes for the town and those with fixed incomes, and even a reduction of the mayoral term back to 2 years.  Plus, as a brief respite from the municipal debate, Mr. Universe, Kainaat Studios and Hampshire College’s Salman Hameed joins us to witness the beer-adjacent birth of a brand new baby solar system.

The veil is thin and thus we are getting down with the weird and uncanny, which ultimately is a mirror of ourselves. Which is to say that today, we’re getting all dressed up and festive for Halloween.  Even the Shea Theater is getting all dressed up and bringing folx into its transformed bowels for an interactive evening of performance. A Happening V is inviting the public into the venue to experience this year’s theme “Bestiary”, with nods to a certain influential Orwell classic. We get a tour of the many rooms, ideas, and connections making up the two days of activity from some of the 60+ artisans collaborating to make the magic happen: Kat Adler, Mo Schweiger, Sam Perry, and Corey Laitman In Pittsfield, Wander is celebrating the 50th anniversary of a beloved cult classic with a showing and dance party. It’s pretty traditional to watch Rocky Horror Picture Show at midnight, but some folx may not know that, or have even seen it before, so we’ll talk with Jay Santangelo about the film and the occasion, and other fun events that are happening in their all welcoming space.   And our Franklin County Wine Friend and 2nd level sommalier Ken Washburn takes us into the southern hemisphere for two Chilean wines that are not too fancy, but full of surprises at the Leverett Village Co-Op. 

It is the spooky times, and as such it’s time to delve into the many uncanny fables new and old of the area with Folklorist, journalist, and explorer of the unexplained Jeff Belanger, who in addition to being our guide to the more interesting tales of New England, is also celebrating the release of his latest book: Wicked Strange, and two upcoming shows on our very own NEPM-TV.  We’ll also head to Easthampton to learn more about the inaugural run of the F*ing Awesome Game Show. A labor of love and time and effort we’ll hear about from mastermind Hors d’Oeuvres about their call to make a game show for Western Mass, the many props and inspirations that have contributed to the experience, and how you can participate in making it even better.  And congressman Jim McGovern has a lot on his mind. We pepper him with listener questions about the shutdown, now in week 4, military operations in the Gulf of Mexico,  and the precarious positions of SNAP benefits and health insurance for Americans in need. Plus we'll get his take on the upcoming NYC election, which may indicate a greater sea change. 

It is not just New England’s prettiest season, it is very nearly the best time of the year.  To one of the hosts of this show, that means Franklin County Cider Days, which showcases all the ways the apple is integrated into the agriculture of the area, from sweet cider to hard, to classes on orchard stewarding and donuts and more.  We head to one of the events many locations: New Salem Orchard where 100+ year old trees continue to grow on one of the most idyllic spots in the area just west of the Quabbin, where the inimitable Carol Hillman talks about the importance of her farm to the health of folx and community.  We also hear about another community education effort and how you can help it continue. Self Evident Education highlights underrepresented histories through educational materials and documentaries, and is one of the many organizations that saw grant availability disappear with the current administration. We speak with executive director Michael Lawrence-Riddell and board member Ousmane Power-Greene about the importance of exploring uncomfortable truths about ourselves to grow into a stronger nation, and how you can aid their efforts to continue doing so.   And Word Nerd Emily Brewster, senior editor at Merriam-Webster shows us how language loses a bit of its edge as we explore words that have fallen prey to Semantic bleaching.

Today we meet the challenger for the seat of mayor in North Adams. Scott Berglund is a new arrival to the city, but is already full of ideas about its progress. We sit with the candidate to learn about this first foray into politics, especially as a relatively new resident, his views on housing, senior benefits, and some criticisms of the current administration’s projects and communication with the public and more.  There’s a story hiding in and around each grave of the 175yr old Pittsfield Cemetery. The Berkshire Historical Society gives tours around the more notable denizens of the resting place. We wander the grounds with director Lesley Herzberg to meet some of the important figures, learn cool quirks about the location, and discover the difficulties involved with preserving this particular part of Berkshires legacy.  And tonight, Tuesday, Oct. 28th at the Iron Horse, you’ll have a chance to see Autumn Defense take the stage in support of their latest album Here and Nowhere. But first, you’ll meet Pat Sansone, John Stirrat, James Haggerty, and Greg Wieczorek here at the NEPM studios to talk about their sound and the 10 year hiatus between releases.

We turn our attention to a third city in western Mass that is having an election this year, North Adams The first of those candidates is the incumbent Jennifer Macksey, who is seeking a third term in the office. We’ll explore some of the issues that arose in a recent debate including housing, staffing, and transparency at City Hall, as well as hear more of how she’s currently leading the city into new projects.  We’ll also check out a crop that is well suited to the Berkshires: Chicken! And cows and pigs as it turns out, and Square Roots Farm is raising all of the above. We meet with proprietor Michael Gallagher, and Jake Levin of Berkshire Agricultural Ventures to hear about his journey to farming, and some of the lengths the farm has gone to insure a more ethical meat for the people.  And Mr. Universe, Kainaat Studios and Hampshire College’s Salman Hameed puts on his film buff hat to talk about Gulliermo del Toro’s latest movie Frankenstein, and takes a closer look at the science-y core of its fiction sandwich, and the questions about humanity the work still poses. 

Today we revel in entertainment delights of many varieties  In Northampton, a heady melange of visual art, music, performance, and personal experience have come together for a series of performances that center a current exhibit. How to Bear the Unbearable Body is on display at the APE Gallery and each Friday of the exhibit has involved a performance related to the piece and we speak with Visual Artist Emily Orling, and composer/director Cesar Alvarez of their performance incubator Spirits go Blah about the work, collaborating, and much more.  We also see how local can be haute couture. It’s FAB Passion Fashion Week here in Springfield bringing 13 local designers to the fore and crafting a unique experience of community with fashion at its center. We talk with founder Richie Richardson of Fab Fashion, and casting director Jerry Jordan Brown about the nuances of the event, and the importance of elevating local talent beyond their own expectations.  Live Music Friday brings the dance forward, LCD Sound System inspired sounds of Rival Galaxies to the NEPM studios before you can catch their set at Hutghi’s at the Nook this Saturday, October 25th.  And we’ll go adjacent to wine for this week’s thunderdome at Provisions in Northampton much like they’ll do in their upcoming move into Thornes Marketplace as we taste wine influenced Whiskeys to prepare for a festival at their Amherst location this weekend.  Content warning: Our conversation with Emily Orling and Cesar Alvarez references suicide

Today, we dabble with our fascination of the darker elements of daily life A new series showing second wave noir films is starting at the Triplex Cinema in Great Barrington. From Chinatown, to Night Moves, to Point Blank and beyond, each film takes the unrest in our culture and distills it and we’ll speak with creative director Ben Elliot and board member Emmy-nominated director Matthew Penn about the appeal of watching stark realities on screen..  Plus we’ll hear from the force behind the Secret Planet Music CSA Edo Mor, who’re bringing the afro-dance-psych band Dogo du Togo to the Iron Horse this Saturday. But the show will also be a resurgence of a culinary popup from Mor that he’s launched in the past, so we’ll hear from the renaissance man himself about the history and culture of the Sabich.  Plus our weekly chat with US Representative Jim McGovern, who’s getting ready for the upcoming march for the food bank, but definitely has thoughts about the government being shutdown for nearly a month, plus we’ll get his reflections on the no kings day protests, and your listener questions. 

Today has many meetings of culture. We speak with the third and final candidate for mayor of Easthampton: JT Tirrell, current councilor at-large, who has a unique perspective on the population and its growth as the only Easthampton native on the ballot. We’ll hear about his ties to the Williston Northampton School, the other public offices he's held, and visions for some of the public services the city offers. We’ll also see the shift of perspective of a nation as they themselves shrug out of colonial rule with a new exhibit at Smith College Museum of Art. "Michel Kameni: Portraits of an Independent Africa" explores the work of the studio photographer over his decades of practice and curator Aprile Gallant shows us some of the nuances of his work, the subtle changes to the museum itself now that it is free to the public, and learn how that public can come immerse themselves in Kameni's style at an event on Nov. 14.  And Word Nerd Emily Brewster senior editor at Merriam Webster takes our oversimplified opinions to the presses as we explore the origin of the word "stereotype," and other words in English birthed from publishing.

Today, we spend time with our second of the Easthampton Mayoral Candidates: Lindsi Sekula.She currently serves as the executive assistant to the Mayor for the city, and was the very first to announce her candidacy. We ask about her vision for the office, especially now after working with two mayors, the importance of some of the city’s initiatives, and get her take on the temperature of a race with three candidates who already work very closely with each other.  We’ll also learn more about the ways the Bay State is helping kids get closer to their foodways. It’s Mass. Farm to School Month and despite federal cuts, the state has thrown it’s support into this program that gets the products of local farms into public schools. We speak with special projects manager Abby Getman-Skillicorn and Northampton schools nutrition director Mistelle Hannah about the ways this program is ahead of its class.  And local author Catherine Newman is celebrating the release of a brand new novel. "Wreck" sees the family introduced in her previous work Sandwich wrestling with uncertainty and grief and evolving family dynamics in a way that is compelling and personal, and very much rooted in western mass, and we’ll chat with the author before you can meet her in person at an event in South Hadley next week through Odyssey Bookshop. 

Last month we got to talk with the mayoral candidates for Northampton before their primary, and this month we’ll look at the 3 candidates for the neighboring city of Easthampton who didn’t have a primary because they use Ranked Choice voting.  First up is the person who moved into the Mayoral seat after former mayor Nicole LaChappelle vacated: Salem Derby. The last person to declare their candidacy, Derby has served on Easthampton’s city council for almost the whole millenia, and we’ll chat with him about his change of heart regarding the position, and more.  We’ll also head to Great Falls, where the seeds of the 16th March for the food bank are sprouting and visions of costumes are dancing in the heads of the creative team at Swanson’s Fabrics. We’ll get a glimpse of who Monte might be dressed as on his 43 mile trek from Springfield to Greenfield.  And Mr. Universe, Kainaat Studios and Hampshire College's Salman Hameed, wants us to go outside and look at what in ancient times would have been portents of catastrophe, but now we know t they are just wicked cool comets you can see this time of year (provided of course the skies clear up).  

We’ll head over to the 3 County Fairgrounds, the new home of Recordville’s Northampton Record Fair. Over 60 record dealers, vintage shops, and a lot more amenities come with the change in space, and we speak with organizers DJ Studebaker Hawk and Janice Chaka, as well as vendor Gio Zuniga whose Spin That Records will be tabling there about the changes and mainstays happening this weekend at their event, and get to hear the exploits of Janice's own crate digging. 

In Williamstown, four local businesses will come together to celebrate the season and how their respective avenues dovetail snugly with each other. The Cricket Creek Farm Fall Picnic happens this weekend, and we’ll speak with  Kat Hand of Berkshire Cider Project,  Justin Adkins of Wild Soul River,  Chef Swifty of Door Prize and Anna Halpin Healy representing Cricket Creek Farm itself about the fun festivities ahead, and getting the public to see how they are all connected. 

Today has writing, reading, AND arithmetic.  The Hampshire College Summer Studies in Mathematics has been ongoing since the College’s founding, established and fostered by the late professor emeritus David Kelly and encouraging innovative thinking for high school students. We speak with part of the filmmaking team that’s created a documentary about the program before you can watch a free screening of “Hunting Yellow Pigs” on Saturday, October 18th.  We’ll also encourage you to write more and better. The Write Angles Conference is a well established event in the valley that now is under the purview of the Straw Dogs Writers Guild. We speak with Morgan Sheehan and Michael Favala Goldman about the many offerings at the convention, and how writing groups like these can help with your own craft.

Today we're heading to one of the most eastern points in Franklin County and a new work of theater that is seeking to bridge divides among us.  Swamped is a new work exploring family and connection in an incredibly intimate and nuanced ways and we speak with playwright and director Court Dorsey as well as actors Izzy Miller, Joe Laur, and Heather Willey about the work, about theater's place in their corner of the 978, and the many improvements made to the place the play will be performed over the next two weekends: The Wendell Meetinghouse.