Montague Reporter Podcast

Lots of Montague news in this episode! Montague has gotten funds totaling nearly $10 million to demolish the Strathmore Mill complex that lays between the canal and the Connecticut River. The Montague Selectboard saw a presentation from MassDOT on their plans to replace the bridges in the same vicinity in Turners, and the design phase is expected to last till 2027. Casella Waste Management is taki...

Managing Editor Mike Jackson joins podcast host Sarah Brown-Anson in a wide ranging conversation about brick-and-mortar happenings in both Greenfield and Turners Falls. Plus, voters in Erving did not allocate money to demolish the International Paper Mill, so that complex of buildings may be auctioned off to the highest bidder.

Mike joins Sarah on the podcast again to talk about a surprise A1 article about spiky shards in the road on Industrial Boulevard, Montague Selectboard discussions about redevelopment of the former Farren site in Montague City, and the mural project on the side of the Shea Theater. Subscribe to the paper: Montaguereporter.org/subscribe You can reach the podcast team at podcast@montaguereporter.org

Editor Mike joins podcast host Sarah for a discussion about complex budget preparation in the town of Erving. The town of Montague does its best to find a pesky infiltration and inflow ground water leak that is costing the town tens of thousands of dollars in sewage fees.  Subscribe to the paper: montaguereporter.org/subscribe

Our perennial and most honored guest Mike joins Sarah to talk about the issues surrounding a potential battery energy storage site in Wendell; plus an inside look into the coverage of the sale of an Avenue A building and two winter fires in the Patch neighborhood.  Reach out to us at podcast@montaguereporter.org   Subscribe to the paper: montaguereporter.org/subscribe

Sarah Robertson recently was awarded the Paul Keough Award from the New England Water Environment Association. Congratulations, Sarah! All of Sharon Lerner's pieces about PFAS can be found here: https://theintercept.com/series/bad-chemistry/ Boston Globe article about PFAS in composting facility: https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/07/06/science/when-organic-is-toxic-how-composting-facility-likel...

Mike and Sarah discuss the loss of millions of dollars of grant funds for local organizations due to a missed deadline; and the Gill Montague Regional School District is set to receive less Chapter 70 state aid than expected, and that means tough choices during budget season. Subscribe to the paper! montaguereporter.org/subscribe Reach out to us at podcast@montaguereporter.org  

Sarah and Mike discuss the recommendation by a regional board that a new regional district be formed with six towns, including Gill and Montague. Plus, a discussion of the airport in Turners Falls that has had to search for a solution for too many deer on the runway.  Order the Wrapping Paper Edition online  here . https://montaguereporter.org/wrapping-paper/ Reach out to us at podcast@montaguerep...

Mike joins Sarah to discuss the possible visions for reuse of the old Farren spot in Montague City; the housing project on town-owned land in Erving that is moving forward; and continuing discussions of merging two local school districts. Order the Wrapping Paper Edition online  here . https://montaguereporter.org/wrapping-paper/ Reach out to us at podcast@montaguereporter.org  

Garth Shaneyfelt has been the Business Manager at the Montague Reporter since Fall 2022. He and Sarah discuss what that entails, and how the paper gets and spends its money. Reach out to the podcast: podcast@montaguereporter.org Subscribe to the paper: https://montaguereporter.org/subscribe

Sarah and Mike discuss the agreement on a collective bargaining agreement for teachers at the Gill-Montague school district. The paper broke the news that Erving voters rejected most expenditures at a special town meeting (thanks to reporter Katie Nolan). Plus a very important Ask the Editor segment where Mike describes the exhausting process of putting together the paper and asks for help. Subscr...

Mike and Sarah discuss September news items: two new members will join the the Gill-Montague School Committee, and a group of people is planning a new and different Falls Festival for October 21. Plus lightning round recent news updates. Subscribe to the paper: https://montaguereporter.org/subscribe/ Ask the editor submissions can be sent to: podcast@montaguereporter.org

Sarah and Trouble discuss Trouble’s column in the Montague Reporter, “Notes from the Heartfelt Cafe.” Have a columnist you would like to hear more from on the podcast? Email us with your ideas: podcast@montaguereporter.org

Mike discusses an Ask the Editor question about correcting mistakes in the newspaper. Montague town officials propose a zoning change to a town-owned parcel. Teachers at Gill-Montague Regional schools are still working without a contract and talks are now in arbitration. Submit ask the editor questions to podcast@montaguereporter.org

Did you know that there is a monthly travel column in the newspaper? It’s called Travel With Max and it’s written by Max Hartshorne. Sarah and Max discuss travel, travel writing, and why New Englanders can be boring.

Mike discusses the July 13, 2023 paper with Sarah. Community Health Center of Franklin County bought a location in Montague City and hopes to open it to provide medical care to patients in 2024. The Selectboard unanimously selected Casella to provide trash pickup services starting in July 2024. On Avenue A, a new record store called Music Connection will open.  Send us Ask the Editor ideas: podcas...

Sarah and Mike discuss two A1 news stories in the June 8, 2023 issue of the Montague Reporter newspaper. Plus - don’t miss the Ask the Editor and non sequitur segments! Send us Ask the Editor ideas: podcast@montaguereporter.org Subscribe to the paper: https://montaguereporter.org/subscribe/

Mike and Sarah are back for their first joint episode since March! Submit you questions for Ask the Editor to: podcast@montaguereporter.org

Mike and Nina come on the podcast to talk about the March 30th edition of the Reporter-- a themed issue about death and dying. More fun than it sounds! Outro music by She Said, featuring Nina Rossi on bass. Buy the album here: https://shesaid2.bandcamp.com/album/she-said And subscribe to the paper! https://montaguereporter.org/subscribe/

Plus more info about how I got started with the podcast. Lights! Camera! Greenfield! is coming up and you can find more info here: https://gctv.org/lcg/ Subscribe to the Montague Reporter here: https://montaguereporter.org/subscribe/

Sarah and Mike discuss the pistons on the Turners Falls dam leaking fluid, school budgeting processes in Erving and Gill-Montague, and the negotiations that towns are having with FirstLight Power as it tries to renew its license with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Plus: Ask the Editor and a short non sequitur Subscribe to the paper: https://montaguereporter.org/subscribe/

Sarah Roberston joins Mike Jackson and Sarah Brown-Anson to discuss her recent stories on fuel assistance delays and sewage sludge disposal. You can read Sarah's article on fuel assistance delays: https://montaguereporter.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/December-15-2022.pdf And the follow up: https://montaguereporter.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/January-26-2023.pdf Sewage sludge disposal issu...

Mike and Sarah discuss the decision in Erving to set aside money for the demolition of the International Paper Mill complex. They also discuss an analysis piece on combined sewer overflow (abatement) and the history of projects in the town of Montague related to CSO abatement. Plus - non sequiturs and ask the editor. Subscribe to the paper: https://montaguereporter.org/subscribe/

Sarah and Jae discuss their efforts on the subscription drive for the Montague Reporter newspaper. To see your subscription options, check out https://montaguereporter.org/subscribe/

Sarah and Mike discuss the latest news about the Farren building in Montague City; the announcement of $975,000 in grant money for downtown sidewalks, and plans to update or replace the elementary schools in Montague. Plus, a series of missteps has lead to a very slow year in getting fuel assistance to applicants in Franklin County. Send in Ask the Editor questions: podcast@montaguereporter.org Or...