Valley Advocate Podcast

Lauren Simonds returns to the Valley Advocate podcast to talk about the challenges small businesses face now that big companies have become operational in the Massachusetts cannabis market. Read her full article here.

Valley Advocate editor Dave Eisenstadter and Hits 94.3 host Trumpy talk about the week’s weird news in a podcast version of the Valley Advocate’s Bizarro Briefs section. Hear about falling bears, dumb beverages, and a septic tank lightning strike.

Audio intern Jonathan Kermah interviews 21-year-old Shutesbury rapper Chris Focus about his start as an artist, his evolution, Rosebud Creatives, and more. Stream Focus's music on all streaming platforms. 

 Alula Shields has been collecting signatures to establish a plastic straw ban in Northampton by canvassing and through an online petition. Following a story about her efforts in the Advocate by Jonathan Kermah, editor Dave Eisenstadter sits down with her and discusses the reasons behind her advocacy, the issues with single-use plastic, and some biodegradable alternatives to plastic. 

Valley Advocate editor Dave Eisenstadter and Hits 94.3 host Trumpy talk about the week’s weird news in a podcast version of the Valley Advocate’s Bizarro Briefs section.  Hear about loose yaks, stolen dentures and hair farms for rich people.

 Michael Poole, who owns Blue Collar Artisans in Easthampton discusses two of his major art projects, one whimsical, one serious, which were the subject of a recent Advocate cover story. Since the spring, Poole has been arranging Playmobile toys to make small scenes around his community and taking photos of the results. At the same time, he has been constructing and welding a six-foot sphere of nearly 15,000 metal washers, each of which represents a victim of gun violence over the past year. 

Valley Advocate editor Dave Eisenstadter and Hits 94.3 host Trumpy talk about the week's weird news in a podcast version of the Valley Advocate's Bizarro Briefs section. Hear about five guys getting arrested at a Five Guys, why you shouldn't cut on line for a port-a-potty, a 2 1/2 year old who loses his driving privileges, and a bit of oversharing from Trumpy about his kids!

Michael Kusek, who used to be the marketing manager at the Valley Advocate and publisher of the now-closed Take Magazine, has just come out with his first issue of Different Leaf, a cannabis publication. Kusek talks with Advocate editor Dave Eisenstadter about his hopes for the magazine and a bit about his time at the Advocate.

Editor Dave Eisenstadter and Trumpy of Hits 94.3 talk about the weird news of the week, including a proposed raid on Area 51 (are there really aliens there?), a mall sword fight using tiki torches, and a loud fart that reveals the location of someone hiding from police.

 Chris Goudreau, associate editor of the Valley Advocate, speaks with editor Dave Eisenstadter about his recent cover story, "From the Valley to the Border: Sickening news on the treatment of migrants inspiring locals to travel down to help." Hear how he developed the story, speaking to members of Serving Asylum Seekers, Team Brownsville, and Grannies Respond, and what local residents will be doing at the Mexican border.