When N.L. Dennis was singing in a recording studio with Toots and the Maytals, Bob Marley stopped by to listen. Marley praised Dennis's delivery. Today, Dennis lives in his native Jamaica and joins hundreds of Jamaicans who come to Vermont every summer in search of better paying work. Most of them work on vegetable farms and at apple orchards. Dennis works as a reggae musician. On July 28 at 11 a.m., he will play a free concert at the Putney, Vermont farmers' market. Putney is near Brattleboro.

Ten people from the Pioneer Valley were among about 70 people at a rally on April 15. Ten people were arrested for non-violent civil disobedience. The goal was to stop Israel's war on Gaza. The rally was outside a military factory in Middletown, Connecticut, which is about 40 minutes by car from Springfield, Massachusetts.

More than 200 Smith college students occupied the administration building at the college starting March 27. The 24 hour a day occupation was continuing as of about 10 a.m. on April 4. The students were calling on the college to stop investing in corporations that make bombs, guns, and other supplies used by Israel to kill people in Gaza. The USA provides much of the money for the genocide.

More than 200 Smith college students occupied the administration building at the college starting March 27. The 24 hour a day occupation was continuing as of about 1 p.m. on March 29, with dozens of students in the building. They were calling on the college to stop investing in corporations that make bombs, guns, and other supplies used by Israel to kill people in Gaza. The USA provides much of the money for the genocide. A spokesperson for the Smith protesters told the Valley Post they will provide a comment soon. The Valley Post will include the comment in a future article.

Thanks to peace protesters, on March 19, the Greenfield city council voted to call for a ceasefire in Gaza. The day before, about 25 people attended a rally in Greenfield for this cause. The organizers have a web site at www.traprock.org.

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On March 19, an Amtrak spokesman told the Valley Post of the new, $10 million Brattleboro Amtrak station, “We anticipate starting construction this summer.”

About 70 people marched about eight miles from Amherst to Northampton on March 10. They were protesting China's occupation of Tibet. Most of the marchers were of Tibetan ancestry. The organizers have a web page at:

www.facebook.com/RTAM2019

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In Brattleboro on February 27, about 25 to 30 people attended a rally. The rally was to call on the Brattleboro high school (BUHS) to do more for survivors of sexual abuse. Diana Whitney is one of the organizers. She told the Valley Post, "The rally was small but immensely powerful. Around 25-30 people came, from all generations— survivors, advocates, allies, BUHS students and parents, a BUHS teacher... even former/current school board members. An advocate from the Women’s Freedom Center spoke about the insidious nature of rape culture and the power of being visible in the community.

In Northampton about 150 people attended a rally to call for a ceasefire in Gaza, organizers told the Valley Post. The rally was on February 16. In Greenfield on February 21, about 25 people attended a rally for the same cause, organizers told the Valley Post. One of the groups that organized the rallies has a web site at www.jvp.org.

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In Greenfield about 50 people attended a rally to call for a ceasefire in Gaza. The organizers have web sites at www.traprock.org and www.jvp.org. The rally was on February 10.

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In Brattleboro on February 27 there will be a rally to protest the school board's decision last month to stop investigating alleged sexual abuse by school employees. The rally will be outside 107 Atwood Street from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m., during the nearby school board meeting at the same time, one of the organizers told the Valley Post. For more information click:

In Northampton, about 300 people attended a rally to call for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, the organizers told the Valley Post. The organizers have a web site at www.jvp.org. The rally was on February 4. On February 6 in Springfield, about 30 doctors, nurses and other health workers held a rally for the same cause. They delivered a letter signed by about 200 local health workers to congressman Richard Neal's office.