This Month’s Featured Articles…

Simply saying that music has deep roots in the Berkshires undermines the very way it has helped to shape the character of the communities nestled within. Music has flowed with the history of Western Massachusetts like the way the Housatonic keeps time with the changing seasons in the Berkshire foothills. Whether it’s Louis Armstrong trumpeting at the Music Inn or Janice Joplin opening the summer season of the Boston Symphony Orchestra before she went on to perform at Woodstock in 1969, generations of music lovers [...]

A story about beer labels seems almost silly and superficial in this crazy year. Surely there must be other things to think about? And surely there are. Lots of other things to think about. But a story about beer labels can reinforce the best kind of story there is at this challenging time when it’s a story about Chatham Brewing’s labels. Why? Because the labels are just one of the ways Chatham has stayed true to its local roots, to its investment in its community, [...]

When it comes to the homes that define our lives, those that house the families who bond us eternally to the landscape as well as the spaces that we occupy every day, art can be defined by both the creation of structure as well as the recreation of character. For architect John Allee, principal architect at Allee Architecture + Design (AA+D), it is that linear movement that connects us all with the elements of design. After earning his Master’s Degree in Architecture from the University [...]

Sometimes all a person needs is someone to believe in them – someone who can restore hope while offering love, empathy, and compassion. It also helps when that person has a strategic plan and some solid resources. This is what inspired Dutchess County resident Kelly Lyndgaard to shift career paths and create Unshattered – a 501c3 nonprofit organization that employs women who are winning their fight against addiction. The Hopewell Junction-based organization’s employees create premium sustainable handbags that aim to end the cycle of addiction [...]

History runs through this region. It follows the Housatonic River as it flows through the towns of Litchfield and Berkshire counties. Set out in any direction, and you’re bound to encounter the area’s past. Because of this, in 2006, Congress designated this region as the Upper Housatonic Valley National Heritage Area. Designating a National Heritage Area This designation didn’t happen overnight. It was the result of years of planning, studies, and advocating by organizations and individuals dedicated to preserving the area’s rich history. Executive director Dan [...]