Podcasts about pittsfield

A. J. has a chaotic rant about Democrats and Republicans filing for the New Hampshire midterms (especially Sununu, Beauchemin, and Beriont) with questionable campaign tactics and how Pittsfield and working with Concord for school administrative duties. AD: Get great specialty coffee from Porcupine Coffee Roasting at 15% off with code "NETAKE" at https://porcupinecoffeeroasting.com NH Journal, "‘Mini-Bernie' Beauchemin Files Primary Challenge Against Goodlander": https://nhjournal.com/mini-bernie-beauchemin-files-primary-challenge-against-goodlander/ NH Journal, "Beriont Files for NH-01, Says Dem Insiders Tried to Push Her Out of Race": https://nhjournal.com/beriont-files-for-nh-01-says-dem-insiders-tried-to-push-her-out-of-race/ Concord Monitor, "A new model? Instead of hiring new superintendent, Pittsfield will pay Concord for admin services": https://www.concordmonitor.com/2026/06/10/concord-pittsfield-district-collaboration/?fbclid=IwdGRleASWokZleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEePqy7tTDn8GaJ67BIHspznzcoTIxqr3A7p-DN2UuzL2FqTUygguFt5hhGACQ_aem_zkIQQEABIp8lr5jDhNKLSw Concord Monitor, "Concord Board of Education approves 12.2% tax increase, dealing heavy blow to taxpayers and educators alike": https://www.concordmonitor.com/2026/03/31/concord-budget-layoffs-tax-increase/ Join the Substack at https://newenglandtake.com and email me at aj@newenglandtake.com

A doctor said he needed knee surgery. He said no. Robert Norris is 22 years old, has Down syndrome, and completes Ironman triathlons without a guide. He taught himself to ride a bike, swam with Navy SEALs in the Hudson River, ran the Boston Marathon through bloody blisters, and trains daily with a volume most able-bodied athletes never touch: 80-mile bike rides, 10-mile runs, 2100-yard swims.   Joe De Sena sits down with Robert and his mother, Wanda, a retired Navy veteran, to unpack how a slipped kneecap became a turning point, why Robert refuses to quit under any condition, and what happens when a young man with an extra chromosome decides the hard way is the only way. This episode delivers a direct challenge: if Robert Norris can show up every single day without excuses, what is stopping you?   Things You Will Learn: Why a physical setback can become the trigger for a higher standard instead of a retreat. The structure behind a non-negotiable daily routine that eliminates the need for motivation. What consistent action proves to the people who expect you to stop.   Tools & Frameworks Covered: Setback-to-Standard Conversion: Use injury or adversity as the catalyst for a higher training commitment, not a reason to stop. Non-Negotiable Daily Structure: Wake time, bedtime, training order, and nutrition are locked in. Remove decision fatigue. Execute the plan. Progressive Proof of Capability: Start with one mile. Then eighteen. Then a hundred. Let results silence doubt.   If this episode moved you, do not just listen. Do something about it. Sign up. Show up. Do the work. Spartan.com. No more excuses.   Robert Norris is a Guinness World Record–holding endurance athlete who redefined limits by becoming the first athlete with Down syndrome to complete a full Ironman triathlon independently, setting the fastest time in his category. His journey represents relentless discipline, the breaking of perceived limitations, and the building of an unshakable mindset through years of preparation and adversity.   Connect to Robert: Website: https://www.robertnorrismanofiron.com/about  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robertnorrismanofiron/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robert.norris.432406/ YouTube: http://youtube.com/@GETFITWIthRobert-21 ꚠ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@robertnorrismanofiron?   We gave you the tools, now use them during your next SPARTAN RACE! Use codeword PODCAST on checkout for 10% your next race.  

Herb Thompson had already made it. He was Drill Sergeant of the Year, on a clear path to a top enlisted career, and could have stayed where it was safe. He didn't. In this conversation with Joe De Sena, Special Forces veteran Herb Thompson explains why he walked away from the secure path to chase the dream he had since childhood: becoming a Green Beret.   Herb breaks down fear of failure, why most people talk instead of act, how he survived Special Forces selection without feedback, and what it took to rebuild purpose after retirement. This episode is about ownership, sacrifice, and performance under uncertainty. You will leave with practical rules for taking action, handling discomfort, and building a life around what you are willing to earn.   Things You Will Learn: Why ownership matters more than motivation when the goal gets hard. How to break overwhelming pressure into small, winnable steps. Why sacrifice, not talk, is what turns a dream into a result.   Tools & Frameworks Covered: Own Your Journey Rule: puts responsibility for progress back on you. Small Chunk Execution: breaks hard goals into immediate next steps under pressure. Sacrifice Filter: clarifies what you are willing to give up to earn what you want.   If this episode moved you, don't just listen. Do something about it. Sign up. Show up. Do the work. Spartan.com. No more excuses.   Herb Thompson is the only person in Army history to earn both Drill Sergeant of the Year and the Green Beret, a path built on hardship, childhood trauma, and a refusal to quit under extreme pressure. His journey spans combat missions, brutal selection courses, and a post-military identity rebuild that demanded a new kind of discipline. Herb now helps high performers redefine purpose beyond titles through writing, speaking, and leadership development.    Connect to Herb: Website: https://libertyspeaks.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/herb-thompson-libertyspeaks/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_ownyourjourney_ The Transition Mission Book: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B082RL1SJ2   We gave you the tools, now use them during your next SPARTAN RACE! Use codeword PODCAST on checkout for 10% your next race.  

Nine soldiers in a hilltop position. Rocket-propelled grenades and machine gun fire from every direction. Seven killed. One man left on the radio, calling for help that was not coming. That is where this episode begins. In this Memorial Day special of The Hard Way, Joe De Sena sits down with four men who faced the most extreme physical and mental breaking points a human being can endure.   Medal of Honor recipient Ryan Pitts fought alone and was wounded at a remote observation post in Afghanistan after losing seven teammates around him. Navy SEAL leader Leif Babin breaks down how extreme ownership and the refusal to quit create an advantage when everyone else is suffering. Navy pilot Keegan Gill was ejected from a fighter jet at 695 miles per hour, shattered nearly every major bone in his body, and spent two hours drowning in the Atlantic. Green Beret Nick Lavery lost his leg to machine gun fire in Afghanistan, then fought his way back to become the first above-knee amputee to return to active duty special operations.   Each story delivers a concrete lesson in endurance under fire, ownership of outcomes, and the decision to keep going when quitting is the logical choice.    Things You Will Learn: Why the person who hangs on one minute longer is the one who wins. What extreme ownership looks like in combat and why it builds lasting toughness in any environment. Why asking for help is not a weakness, and why the toughest operators on the planet treat mental health the same as a broken ankle.   Tools & Frameworks Covered: Outlast the Field: You do not need to be the best. You need to be the last one still moving when everyone else stops. Extreme Ownership: Own every failure. Share every lesson. The ego hit is temporary. The growth is permanent. Burn the Boats Standard: No Plan B. Meet the standard or die trying. Gray area does not exist at the highest level.   If this episode moved you, do not just listen. Do something about it. Sign up. Show up. Do the work. Spartan.com. No more excuses.   Guests Bios:   Ryan Pitts: Medal of Honor recipient. On July 13, 2008, at a remote observation post in Wanat, Afghanistan, Pitts was wounded in the opening seconds of a massive enemy assault that killed seven of his fellow soldiers. Alone and bleeding, he continued fighting and called for reinforcements on the radio, holding his position until help arrived. He was 22 years old. Pitts spent a year recovering at Walter Reed and has since dedicated himself to sharing the stories of the men who fought beside him and the importance of seeking help when the fight follows you home.   Leif Babin: Former Navy SEAL officer and co-author of Extreme Ownership. Babin led SEAL operations in Ramadi, Iraq, during some of the most intense urban combat of the war. He lost teammates in action and carried those lessons into leadership consulting, teaching that owning your failures — not hiding them — is the foundation of real toughness and lasting performance.   Keegan Gill: Former Navy fighter pilot. During a training exercise over the Atlantic, a system malfunction sent his jet into an unrecoverable dive. He ejected at 695 miles per hour, two seconds from impact. The force shattered both arms, both legs, broke his neck, and caused a traumatic brain injury. His parachute release malfunctioned, and he spent two hours being drowned by his own chute in freezing water before rescue. He woke up two weeks later in a trauma center.   Nick Lavery: Green Beret and the first above-knee amputee to return to active duty special operations. On his third deployment to Afghanistan, machine gun fire destroyed his right leg. From his hospital bed, he committed to returning to his team with no backup plan. After two years of rehabilitation and 14 weeks of assessment, he returned to the same team that was with him when he was wounded and deployed back to Afghanistan seven weeks later. He served 20 years total.   We gave you the tools, now use them during your next SPARTAN RACE! Use codeword PODCAST on checkout for 10% your next race.  

At 29 years old, Matt Grace weighed 129 pounds and walked into his mother's house after a three-day crack and alcohol binge. She told him that if he was going to die, it would not be in her house. That was the boundary that started everything.   On this episode of The Hard Way, Joe De Sena sits down with Matt Grace, author of God Doesn't Relapse: Sex, Drugs, and the Life That Almost Killed Me, a former ABC TV reporter who overdosed in a newsroom and spent 13 years destroying every relationship through addiction, manipulation, and enabling.   Matt breaks down how his father's well-intentioned spoiling robbed him of grit and ambition, how his family's enabling nearly killed him, and what happened the morning he got on his knees with a rifle beside him and prayed out of sheer desperation. They also dig into why parents loving their kids too much can be a death sentence, why service is the foundation of lasting recovery, and how structured accountability and community pull people out of destruction.   Things You Will Learn: Why enabling and over-providing destroys a young person's ambition and capacity to endure hardship. The difference between a boundary that saves a life and a rescue that ends one, and what it takes to hold the line. Why service and community replace the void that addiction fills, and why recovery without purpose does not hold.   Tools & Frameworks Covered: Hard Boundary Setting: Draw the line. Hold the line. Let consequences teach what words cannot. Service as Structure: Replace self-obsession with outward action. One hour helping someone else is one hour not destroying yourself. Earned Identity Over Given Identity: Stop handing outcomes to your kids. Let them grind. Let them earn. The struggle builds the person.   If this episode moved you, do not just listen. Do something about it. Sign up. Show up. Do the work. Spartan.com. No more excuses.   Matt Grace is an author and transformational recovery expert who has spent more than two decades sober after overcoming addiction himself. With a degree in Addiction Studies and over 10,000 hours mentoring individuals and families, he has dedicated his life to helping people break destructive cycles and rebuild their lives. His work focuses on long-term sobriety, mindset transformation, and guiding people through the difficult but necessary process of reclaiming responsibility and purpose.   Connect to Matt: Website: https://mattgrace.com/  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@mattsavinggrace TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@MattSavingGrace  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattsavinggrace/  God Doesn't Relapse: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/God-Doesnt-Relapse/Matt-Grace/9781637635506   We gave you the tools, now use them during your next SPARTAN RACE! Use codeword PODCAST on checkout for 10% your next race.  

A Marine intelligence collector walked through rocket blasts, absorbed traumatic brain injuries he never reported, and came home to hallucinations so severe he planned to end his own life. Dennis Connors, a Marine Corps veteran, human intelligence operator for a tier-one unit, Paralympic silver medalist, and world champion cyclist, sits down with Joe De Sena to break apart the moment grit stops working and what has to replace it.   Dennis lays out his four pillars of perseverance: vulnerability, self-love, disciplined action, and community. He explains why toughness without honesty becomes a death sentence, why identity tied to achievement collapses under pressure, and how cycling gave him both a recovery tool and a tribe that pushed him toward the help he refused to ask for.   Things You Will Learn: When grit becomes a liability and what structured perseverance looks like before breakdown hits. The four pillars that replaced white-knuckling it and why each one matters in sequence. Why identity tied to achievement collapses under pressure, and what to anchor self-worth to instead.   Tools & Frameworks Covered: Four Pillars of Perseverance: Vulnerability, self-love, disciplined action, and community. A structured framework for long-term recovery and sustained performance. Grit vs. Perseverance Distinction: Grit handles short-term strain. Perseverance handles the years. Know which mode you are in before it fails. Identity Separation Protocol: Detach identity from a single role so transitions do not destroy self-worth.   If this episode moved you, do not just listen. Do something about it. Sign up. Show up. Do the work. Spartan.com. No more excuses.   Dennis Connors is a U.S. Marine Corps intelligence veteran whose path changed after traumatic brain injuries and a stroke forced him to rebuild his life through adaptive sport. He went on to become a Paralympic silver medalist and world champion, continuing to chase challenge through paracycling and paraclimbing, embodying resilience, reinvention, and purpose through adversity.   Connect to Dennis:  Website: https://dennisconnorsusa.com/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dc_rides_trikes/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dcridestrikes   We gave you the tools, now use them during your next SPARTAN RACE! Use codeword PODCAST on checkout for 10% your next race.  

Starting a company feels like eating glass for breakfast. Every morning. Olympic rowing hopeful turned five-time founder Patrick Sweeney sits down with Joe De Sena to break down exactly what it takes to cross the belief gap that kills most startups before they ever gain traction.   Patrick went from setting rowing records at UNH to finishing second at the Olympic Trials in the single scull, then carried that same pain tolerance straight into building and exiting technology companies. He explains how the OODA loop, a military fighter pilot doctrine, can replace startup chaos with a weekly cadence. Patrick also unpacks why 95% of top CEOs admit to impostor syndrome and how shared belief maps prevent the illusion of alignment that tears founding teams apart.   Things You Will Learn: Build a shared belief map that exposes hidden misalignment before it breaks your team. Run weekly OODA loop stand-ups that replace startup chaos with structured cadence. Apply the belief gap framework to test hypotheses, track market-product fit, and know when to hit the kill switch.   Tools & Frameworks Covered: OODA Loop Stand-Up: A 30-minute weekly cadence to observe, orient, decide, and act so founders stop reacting and start executing. Shared Belief Map: A team alignment exercise that surfaces hidden disagreements between cofounders and forces clarity on core beliefs versus testable hypotheses. Belief Gap Framework: A model for tracking internal believers (employees, partners) and external believers (customers, investors) to measure whether your startup is crossing from conviction to traction.   If this episode moved you, don't just listen. Do something about it. Sign up. Show up. Do the work. Spartan.com. No more excuses.   Patrick Sweeney built a life that looked successful on paper: serial entrepreneur, investor, multiple exits, but beneath it lived a quiet, persistent fear that kept him playing small. A rare leukemia diagnosis forced a confrontation with mortality and sparked a complete mindset rewiring: fear wasn't the enemy, it was fuel.   Since beating cancer, Patrick has turned that philosophy into action, setting cycling world-firsts on Kilimanjaro and Elbrus, competing in extreme endurance races, authoring the Wall Street Journal bestselling book Fear Is Fuel, and teaching leaders how to convert anxiety into calculated risk, resilience, and bold execution.   Connect to Patrick:  Website: https://www.pjsweeney.com/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefearguru/?_ga=2.160567998.289526298.1772475980-622572230.1772475980  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PatrickSweeneyFearGuru/?_ga=2.265952780.289526298.1772475980-622572230.1772475980  Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thefearguru/?_ga=2.265952780.289526298.1772475980-622572230.1772475980  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9llimdnGK79yk3K_ihYQEQ  X/ Twitter:  https://x.com/PJSweeney?_ga=2.265952780.289526298.1772475980-622572230.1772475980  Book Patrick for an event: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MnMjHNo9Bs   We gave you the tools, now use them during your next SPARTAN RACE! Use codeword PODCAST on checkout for 10% your next race.  

A stiff knee looked like a minor problem. Two days later, it was swelling toward the size of a basketball.   Then doctors opened it and found an infection eating him from the inside out. Zachary Garner is a Green Beret, firefighter, and ultra-endurance athlete, and this episode is built around visible stakes: brutal deployments, a catastrophic Ironman crash, traumatic brain injury, seizures, and a fight with flesh-eating bacteria that spread from hip to ankle, into his bloodstream, bones, pelvis, and heart.   He was told it could end fast. He was moved to Mass General, spent time in the ICU, had two strokes, and coded twice. Zachary breaks down what kept him moving forward: discomfort as training, purpose as a stabilizer, loyalty as a standard, and service as the operating system. You'll leave with disciplined rules you can apply when you're stuck, overwhelmed, or looking for excuses.   Things You Will Learn: How to use purpose as a coping mechanism when quitting starts to feel logical. How to normalize discomfort so you don't fold under pressure. How loyalty and service create structure when civilian life feels flat after high-intensity environments.   Tools & Frameworks Covered: Do-It-For-Them Anchor: keeps endurance and resilience steady when motivation drops. Discomfort Reps: builds mental toughness through repeated, controlled exposure to discomfort. Service-First Operating System: aligns discipline, responsibility, and daily actions to a clear purpose.   Let's make it something similar to this: If this episode moved you, don't just listen. Do something about it. Sign up. Show up. Do the work. Spartan.com. No more excuses.   Zachary Garner is a retired U.S. Army Green Beret who's survived traumatic brain injury, epilepsy, a near-fatal car accident, and necrotizing fasciitis that nearly took his life. Instead of giving up, he's turned pain into purpose, riding across the country, carrying weight for miles, and competing in extreme endurance events to raise awareness for veteran mental health.   Connect to Zachary: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachary-garner-253605170/ St. George Fire Department: https://www.stgeorgefire.com/   We gave you the tools, now use them during your next SPARTAN RACE! Use codeword PODCAST on checkout for 10% your next race.  

Pinned against Arctic cliffs with no way out, Jim Baird realized the truth too late. One bad decision had put him and his brother in a position where no one was coming to help.   In this episode of The Hard Way, Joe De Sena sits down with Alone season 4 winner and extreme explorer Jim Baird to break down remote survival, mental strain, and the consequences of poor judgment in unforgiving environments.   Jim explains why Alone was mentally harder than his most dangerous expeditions, how hardship builds real resilience, and why ownership matters when things go wrong. This episode gives you practical lessons on discipline, endurance, and making better decisions under pressure, grounded in real stakes.   Things You Will Learn: How to recognize when a bad decision becomes a survival problem and what to do next. Why mental endurance breaks faster than physical strength in isolation. How small, daily discomfort builds real resilience and consistency.   Tools & Frameworks Covered: Consequence Ownership: Accept and solve the problem once the decision is made. Controlled Discomfort Training: Use small challenges to build endurance and discipline. Mental Endurance Under Isolation: Manage uncertainty, fatigue, and slow decline.   If this episode moved you, don't just listen. Do something about it. Sign up. Show up. Do the work. Spartan.com. No more excuses.   Jim Baird is a Canadian adventurer and wilderness survival expert best known for winning Alone Season 4, where he and his brother endured 70 brutal days in the remote wilds of Vancouver Island. A filmmaker, ultrarunner, and passionate outdoorsman, Jim has built a life around testing the limits of human endurance and extracting hard-won lessons from nature. His journey embodies resilience, adaptability, and the deep mindset transformation that comes from facing the wild head-on.   Connect to Jim: Website: https://www.theadventurer.com/ Baird Country Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@BairdCountryPodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jbadventurer/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jbadventurer/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/jim-baird-the-adventurer TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jbadventurer?lang=en   We gave you the tools, now use them during your next SPARTAN RACE! Use codeword PODCAST on checkout for 10% your next race.  

Machine gun rounds took his right leg in Afghanistan. Nick Lavery decided that wasn't the end. He's an active-duty Green Beret with 5th Special Forces Group, and he went back to the teams as an above-the-knee amputee after a 14-week assessment designed to answer one question: asset or liability. In this conversation with Joe De Sena, Nick breaks down the hard part people miss. The low points. The doubts. The shift from proving himself to owning responsibility for the men beside him and their families. He explains why standards beat feelings, why emotion and logic can't drive the same decision, and why physical training is the most honest way to build mental toughness. You'll leave with practical rules for discipline, resilience, and performance under pressure, built from real stakes.   Things You Will Learn: How to transition from 'prove it' to ownership so your discipline holds when motivation collapses. How to separate emotion from decisions by letting a team or standard run the logic when you can't. How to use physical training as a daily discipline tool to build mental toughness that you can measure.   Tools & Frameworks Covered: Asset vs. Liability Standard: clarifies performance and responsibility under high stakes. Analysis vs. Dwelling Rule: turns setbacks into usable data instead of emotional loops. Physical Training as an Operational System: builds discipline, endurance, and mental toughness with objective metrics.   If this episode moved you, don't just listen. Do something about it. Sign up. Show up. Do the work. Spartan.com. No more excuses.   Nick Lavery is an active-duty U.S. Army Special Forces Warrant Officer who became the firstabove-the-knee amputee to return tocombat as a Green Beret after losing his leg to an IED in Afghanistan. Instead of accepting retirement, he chose the harder path and rebuilt himself toreturn to war with his team. His story represents elite leadership under extreme adversity, reclaimingidentity after trauma,and radical ownership in the pursuit of high performance.   Connect to Nick: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-lavery-a691871ba/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenicklavery/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Nick.Machine.Lavery/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKNVniNJKTYRZpTmfyJJjtA    We gave you the tools, now use them during your next SPARTAN RACE! Use codeword PODCAST on checkout for 10% your next race.  

Most people in the gym aren't training hard enough. Dr. Layne Norton has competed in bodybuilding and powerlifting for over two decades, holds a PhD in nutrition, and says the biggest driver of progress isn't fancy programming or influencer meals; it's intensity and consistency.  In this conversation with Joe De Sena, Dr. Layne breaks down what actually builds muscle, why proximity to failure matters more than exercise selection, how to structure protein and calories for muscle or fat loss, and why discipline beats motivation every time.  If you want simple, evidence-backed rules for strength, hypertrophy, and long-term performance, this episode delivers practical standards you can apply immediately.    Things You Will Learn:  How training close to failure determines muscle growth.  How to structure protein and calories for muscle gain or fat loss. Why consistency matters more than motivation in long-term performance.    Tools & Frameworks Covered:  Intensity as the Drug / Volume as the Dosage: clarifies how muscle growth is stimulated.  1% Rule for Fat Loss: protects lean mass while cutting weight.  Discipline Over Motivation Model: separates feelings from execution.     Let's make it something similar to this: If this episode moved you, don't just listen. Do something about it. Sign up. Show up. Do the work. Spartan.com. No more excuses.    Dr. Layne Norton, PhD, is a renowned expert in nutrition and protein metabolism, as well as a natural bodybuilder and powerlifter. As the Founder of Biolayne and the Carbon Diet Coach app, Dr. Layne focuses on evidence-based research to debunk fitness myths, building his credibility through both rigorous research and brutal physical execution.    Connect to Dr. Layne:   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/biolayne/?hl=en   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LayneNorton/   YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqMBA83S0TnfTlTeE5j1mgQ   Biolayne Website: https://biolayne.com/   Carbon Diet Coach Website: https://www.joincarbon.com/   The Dr. Layne Norton Podcast: https://biolayne.com/podcasts/    We gave you the tools, now use them during your next SPARTAN RACE! Use codeword PODCAST on checkout for 10% your next race.  

A Pittsfield manufacturer has more than $5 million in contracts with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. State leaders and activists are urging the company to reconsider more collaborations with ICE. Hampshire College is at risk of losing its accreditation due to financial issues and declining enrollment. Does the institution have a future? And this year marks the 20th anniversary of the landmark healthcare legislation known as Romneycare! It's all on our Massachusetts news roundtable!

After building a multimillion-dollar pool and construction business in college, and creating a Wall Street trading firm, Joe De Sena set his sights on ripping 100 million people off their couches by creating the Spartan lifestyle. He moved his family to Pittsfield, Vermont to operate an organic farm, a bed and breakfast, and a general store for hikers. It was here his passion grew for ultramarathons, adventure races, and endurance events, and thus the idea for Spartan was born. With more than one million annual global participants at more than 270 events across more than 40 countries, Spartan offers heats for all fitness levels and ages, from beginner to elite and Kids as young as four-years-old. The brand has transformed more than seven million lives since it was founded in 2010. Joe turned an interest in endurance racing into a passion. His racing resume is the stuff of legend – over 50 ultra-events overall and 14 Ironman events in one year alone. De Sena is also the New York Times Best Selling Author of "Spartan Up" and "Spartan Fit," and recently released his third book, "The Spartan Way." Connect with Joe: www.joedesena.com or www.spartan.com BOOK A SPEAKER: Interested in having John or one of our speaking team come to your school, club or coaching event? Looking for leadership training for yoru student athletes, a coach development workshop or parent education? We are still booking Summer and Fall 2026 events, please email us to set up an introductory call John@ChangingTheGameProject.com PUT IN YOUR BULK BOOK ORDERS FOR OUR BESTSELLING BOOKS, AND JOIN 2025 CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS FROM SYRACUSE MENS LAX, UNC AND NAVY WOMENS LAX, AND MCLAREN F1! These are just the most recent championship teams using THE CHAMPION TEAMMATE book with their athletes and support teams. Many of these coaches are also getting THE CHAMPION SPORTS PARENT so their team parents can be part of a successful culture. Schools and clubs are using EVERY MOMENT MATTERS for staff development and book clubs. Are you?  We have been fulfilling numerous bulk orders for some of the top high school and collegiate sports programs in the country, will your team be next? Click here to visit John's author page on Amazon Click here to visit Jerry's author page on Amazon Please email John@ChangingTheGameProject.com if you want discounted pricing on 10 or more books on any of our books. Thanks everyone. This weeks podcast is brought to you by our newest sponsor, Zone 14 Coaching. Zone 14 Coaching is a company built by coaches for coaches. If you have ever ended a session thinking, "Did that practice really hit the mark?" you will love what they have created. Zone 14's next-gen journals for coaches and players help you plan every practice, reflect on what worked and track progress all season long. Built on intentional coaching and backed by neuroscience, they bring structure and purpose to your training. Visit zone14coaching.com and use code Champions20 for 20% off. Or if you want to outfit your whole team or club and improve consistency across coaches, you can get in touch with Zone 14 via their website to discuss bulk discounts. This week's podcast is brought to you by our friends at Sprocket Sports.  Sprocket Sports is a software platform for youth sports clubs.  Yeah, there are a lot of these systems out there, but Sprocket provides the full enchilada. They give you all the cool front-end stuff to make your club look good– like websites, communication tools and marketing tools – AND all the back-end transactions and services to run your business better so you can focus on what really matters – your players and your teams. Sprocket is built for those clubs looking to thrive, not just survive, in the competitive world of youth sports clubs.  So if you've been looking for a true business partner – not just another app – check them out today at https://sprocketsports.me/CTG. 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If you love the podcast, we would love for you to become a Podcast Champion, (https://www.patreon.com/wayofchampions) for as little as a cup of coffee per month (OK, its a Venti Mocha), to help us up the ante and provide even better interviews, better sound, and an overall enhanced experience. Plus, as a $10 per month Podcast Super-Champion, you will be granted a Premium Changing the Game Project Membership, where you will have access to every course, interview and blog post we have created organized by topic from coaches to parents to athletes. Thank you for all your support these past eight years, and a special big thank you to all of you who become part of our inner circle, our patrons, who will enable us to take our podcast to the next level. https://www.patreon.com/wayofchampions

After building a multimillion-dollar pool and construction business in college, and creating a Wall Street trading firm, Joe De Sena set his sights on ripping 100 million people off their couches by creating the Spartan lifestyle. He moved his family to Pittsfield, Vermont to operate an organic farm, a bed and breakfast, and a general store for hikers. It was here his passion grew for ultramarathons, adventure races, and endurance events, and thus the idea for Spartan was born. With more than one million annual global participants at more than 270 events across more than 40 countries, Spartan offers heats for all fitness levels and ages, from beginner to elite and Kids as young as four-years-old. The brand has transformed more than seven million lives since it was founded in 2010. Joe turned an interest in endurance racing into a passion. His racing resume is the stuff of legend – over 50 ultra-events overall and 14 Ironman events in one year alone. De Sena is also the New York Times Best Selling Author of "Spartan Up" and "Spartan Fit," and recently released his third book, "The Spartan Way." Connect with Joe: www.joedesena.com or www.spartan.com BOOK A SPEAKER: Interested in having John or one of our speaking team come to your school, club or coaching event? Looking for leadership training for yoru student athletes, a coach development workshop or parent education? We are still booking Summer and Fall 2026 events, please email us to set up an introductory call John@ChangingTheGameProject.com PUT IN YOUR BULK BOOK ORDERS FOR OUR BESTSELLING BOOKS, AND JOIN 2025 CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS FROM SYRACUSE MENS LAX, UNC AND NAVY WOMENS LAX, AND MCLAREN F1! These are just the most recent championship teams using THE CHAMPION TEAMMATE book with their athletes and support teams. Many of these coaches are also getting THE CHAMPION SPORTS PARENT so their team parents can be part of a successful culture. Schools and clubs are using EVERY MOMENT MATTERS for staff development and book clubs. Are you?  We have been fulfilling numerous bulk orders for some of the top high school and collegiate sports programs in the country, will your team be next? Click here to visit John's author page on Amazon Click here to visit Jerry's author page on Amazon Please email John@ChangingTheGameProject.com if you want discounted pricing on 10 or more books on any of our books. Thanks everyone. This weeks podcast is brought to you by our newest sponsor, Zone 14 Coaching. Zone 14 Coaching is a company built by coaches for coaches. If you have ever ended a session thinking, "Did that practice really hit the mark?" you will love what they have created. Zone 14's next-gen journals for coaches and players help you plan every practice, reflect on what worked and track progress all season long. Built on intentional coaching and backed by neuroscience, they bring structure and purpose to your training. Visit zone14coaching.com and use code Champions20 for 20% off. Or if you want to outfit your whole team or club and improve consistency across coaches, you can get in touch with Zone 14 via their website to discuss bulk discounts. This week's podcast is brought to you by our friends at Sprocket Sports.  Sprocket Sports is a software platform for youth sports clubs.  Yeah, there are a lot of these systems out there, but Sprocket provides the full enchilada. They give you all the cool front-end stuff to make your club look good– like websites, communication tools and marketing tools – AND all the back-end transactions and services to run your business better so you can focus on what really matters – your players and your teams. Sprocket is built for those clubs looking to thrive, not just survive, in the competitive world of youth sports clubs.  So if you've been looking for a true business partner – not just another app – check them out today at https://sprocketsports.me/CTG. BECOME A PREMIUM MEMBER OF CHANGING THE GAME PROJECT TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST If you or your club/school is looking for all of our best content, from online courses to blog posts to interviews organized for coaches, parents and athletes, then become a premium member of Changing the Game Project today. For over a decade we have been creating materials to help change the game. and it has become a bit overwhelming to find old podcasts, blog posts and more. Now, we have organized it all for you, with areas for coaches, parents and even athletes to find materials to help compete better, and put some more play back in playing ball. Clubs please email John@ChangingTheGameProject.com for pricing.  Become a Podcast Champion! This weeks podcast is also sponsored by our Patreon Podcast Champions. Help Support the Podcast and get FREE access to our Premium Membership, with well over $1000 of courses and materials. If you love the podcast, we would love for you to become a Podcast Champion, (https://www.patreon.com/wayofchampions) for as little as a cup of coffee per month (OK, its a Venti Mocha), to help us up the ante and provide even better interviews, better sound, and an overall enhanced experience. Plus, as a $10 per month Podcast Super-Champion, you will be granted a Premium Changing the Game Project Membership, where you will have access to every course, interview and blog post we have created organized by topic from coaches to parents to athletes. Thank you for all your support these past eight years, and a special big thank you to all of you who become part of our inner circle, our patrons, who will enable us to take our podcast to the next level. https://www.patreon.com/wayofchampions

When everything breaks, excuses disappear and standards are exposed. Joe De Sena sits down with Johnnie Yellock, Air Force Combat Controller, combat search and rescue operator, IED survivor, Spartan finisher, and Sons of the Flag advocate. Johnnie lays out the hard rules he lived by after a combat injury that nearly ended his career and changed his body permanently. No motivation. No self-pity. Just ownership, discipline, and action. This conversation delivers simple rules for resilience, accountability, and performance when comfort is gone and quitting would be easy.   Things You Will Learn How to keep standards when injury and setbacks remove excuses How ownership replaces emotion in recovery and daily action How discipline built before crisis determines outcomes after impact Tools & Frameworks Covered What's Next Rule: Forces forward action instead of reflection Standards Don't Change Principle: Maintains discipline regardless of damage Team Before Self Rule: Sustains performance through shared responsibility If this episode moved you, don't just listen. Do something about it. Sign up. Show up. Do the work. Spartan.com. No more excuses.   Johnnie Yellock II is a retired U.S. Air Force Special Operations Combat Controller and Purple Heart recipient who survived a life-changing IED blast in Afghanistan. After enduring 33 limb-salvage surgeries and years of grueling rehab, he rebuilt his identity and turned pain into purpose. Today, he speaks across the country about resilience, the hidden battles of trauma, and finding new ways to serve beyond the uniform.    Connect to Johnnie: Website: https://johnnieyellock.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jyellock2  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SonsOfTheFlag  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnnieyellock YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SonsOfTheFlag  Twitter/X: https://x.com/sonsoftheflag    We gave you the tools, now use them during your next SPARTAN RACE! Use codeword PODCAST on checkout for 10% your next race.  

In February 1978, Steven Kubacki (23) disappeared whilst cross-country skiing near Lake Michigan. His footprints led to the frozen lake's edge and stopped. Authorities concluded he'd drowned. Fifteen months later, on 5 May 1979, Steven woke up in a field in Pittsfield, Massachusetts—720 miles from where he vanished—wearing unfamiliar clothes with a backpack full of maps showing travel across multiple states. He had no memory of the missing time. Medical experts suggested dissociative fugue. Steven completed his degree, earned a Ph.D. in linguistics, became a psychologist, and has refused to discuss his disappearance for decades. The case remains one of America's most baffling unexplained reappearances. Lake Michigan Triangle connection explored.Become a Patreon or Apple + subscriber now for ealry and ad free access from as little as $1.69 a week. All the details hereSubscribe to Crime at Bedtimes Youtube channel HERE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the small town of Pittsfield, Wisconsin, Victoria Prokopovitz vanished without a trace one April night in 2013, leaving behind her personal belongings and a family desperate for answers. As the missing persons case grew cold, investigators began to piece together a narrative of domestic tension and a "no-body" homicide that would eventually lead to a high-stakes courtroom battle. On this episode of Crimes of Passion, Law&Crime's Sierra Gillespie delves into the shadow of doubt surrounding her final hours, exploring the circumstantial evidence and the conflicting theories that still leave many wondering what truly happened to Victoria. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Quitting at the right time takes more discipline than pushing to the top. Elite high-altitude mountaineer David Göttler talks with Joe De Sena about turning around 100 meters from Everest without oxygen, using fear as data at 8,000 meters, and why getting down is mandatory. They break down decision rules, ego control, endurance, and training mental toughness before the crisis hits.   Hard standards matter. Disciplined decisions wins. Resilience must hold when energy and clarity drop.   Things You Will Learn: How to set hard turnaround rules and keep them. How to use fear as a signal, not a weakness. How to train in discomfort so performance holds under pressure. Tools & Frameworks Covered: Pre-Set Rules: Decide at sea level. Execute at 8,000 meters. Hard Turnaround Time: Summit is optional. Getting down is mandatory. Discomfort Training: Train tired. Train cold. Train when you don't feel like it. If this episode moved you, don't just listen. Do something about it. Sign up. Show up. Do the work. Spartan.com. No more excuses.   David Göttler's relationship with the mountains began in fear—at age ten, he froze in panic during his first climb and didn't return for three years, before choosing persistence over comfort and committing his life to the mountains.   Now an elite high-altitude mountaineer known for climbing light and fast without supplemental oxygen, he has summited multiple 8,000-meter peaks and learned that survival at the edge depends on discipline, self-awareness, and the strength to turn back when ambition threatens good judgment.   Connect to David: Website: https://david-goettler.de/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/david_goettler/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/David.Goettler.alpinist/?locale=es_LA  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@david_goettler    We gave you the tools, now use them during your next SPARTAN RACE! Use codeword PODCAST on checkout for 10% your next race.  

For this episode, a Para Alpine skier from Pittsfield is competing at the Paralympic Winter Games in Cortina, Italy

Winning early often creates weak habits later. Veteran coach and founder of Changing the Game Project, John O'Sullivan, joins Joe De Sena to explain how coaches and parents lose athletes by lowering expectations, misusing recovery, and chasing short-term wins. They lay out simple rules for building resilient competitors, setting non-negotiable standards, and letting kids struggle without stepping in. This conversation delivers clear, experience-based guidance for developing athletes who can handle discomfort, take ownership, and perform under pressure. Things You Will Learn: How standards drive long-term athlete development Why struggle and loss are necessary for resilience How parents and coaches should enforce accountability Tools & Frameworks Covered: Standards-First Coaching: creates clarity and accountability Purpose vs. Outcome Thinking: keeps development ahead of winning Recovery Discipline: balances effort without lowering standards Resilience isn't taught through speeches. It's built through standards, repetition, and discomfort. Start there. No more excuses. Spartan.com. John O'Sullivan spent decades inside competitive sport as a player, coach, and team leader, experiencing firsthand the physical pressure, emotional strain, and identity challenges that shape athletes over time. After seeing how ego, fear, and external pressure erode performance and joy, he committed his career to rebuilding sport around discipline, purpose, and long-term development. His work represents three core themes: resilient leadership, mindset-driven performance, and building character through intentional struggle. Connect to John: Website: https://changingthegameproject.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ctgprojecthq/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChangingTheGameProject LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachjohnosullivan YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel Twitter/X: https://x.com/CTGProjectHQ We gave you the tools, now use them during your next SPARTAN RACE! Use codeword PODCAST on checkout for 10% your next race. 

Tens of thousands of books in the Berkshire Community College library were put in storage a few years back so the school could do some much-needed renovations to the building. Recently, when staff were preparing to bring the books back, they made a tragic discovery - most of the collection was destroyed. Richard Felver, the Dean of the Library and Learning Commons at BCC in Pittsfield, joins Nichole to explain what happened to the books, and share the story of their unexpected pivot that was bolstered by help from the academic community.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For seven years, Lewis Lent worked as a janitor at a movie theater in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. He volunteered his time helping the blind. He studied the Bible and became an ordained minister. He mentored neighborhood kids who called him "the Big Brother." And behind that mask of kindness, he was hunting, abducting, and murdering children across the northeastern United States.In this episode, we trace the full story of Lewis Lent from his troubled childhood in rural upstate New York through his nomadic years drifting across Florida, New Mexico, and the Northeast, to the horrific crimes that would eventually define him.We cover the nineteen ninety abduction and murder of twelve year old Jimmy Bernardo from a Pittsfield strip mall, the nineteen ninety two disappearance of sixteen year old Jamie Lusher in Westfield, Massachusetts, and the nineteen ninety three kidnapping, rape, and murder of twelve year old Sara Anne Wood in Sauquoit, New York.We also tell the story of the girl who stopped him. Twelve year old Becky Savarese, who faked losing her breath and slipped out of her backpack to escape Lent at gunpoint on a frozen January morning in nineteen ninety four. Her courage and quick thinking cracked open cases that had gone cold for years and ended a predator's reign of terror.This episode covers the massive multi-state investigation, the three day interrogation that produced Lent's chilling confessions, his so-called "master plan" to imprison children in a hidden room in his apartment, and the courtroom proceedings that put him away for life.We also examine the thirty year search for Sara Anne Wood's body, a search that continues to this day because Lewis Lent refuses to tell her family where he buried their daughter.If you have any information about the whereabouts of Sara Anne Wood or Jamie Lusher, please contact the New York State Police Troop D Headquarters at 315-366-6000.

Barrington Stage Company's annual '10×10 New Play Festival' is running in Pittsfield, Massachusetts through March 15th.10 new plays, each 10 minutes in length that will make audiences laugh, cry, and think.10 new plays, each 10 minutes in length that will make audiences laugh, cry, and think.

Most people don't fall apart overnight. They drift when structure disappears. In this episode, former U.S. Army veteran, health and wellness entrepreneur, and podcast host Chase Chewning joins Joe De Sena to break down what happens when identity, purpose, and community are stripped away. Chase lays out the hard lessons from medical discharge, career-ending injury, and loss, and how discipline, ownership, and community rebuild momentum. This is a blunt conversation about resilience, daily structure, and choosing responsibility when comfort is easier. Listeners will learn how to reset after loss, why discipline beats mindset, and how to move forward without excuses.   Things You Will Learn: How to rebuild identity after injury, loss, or a forced reset Why community is required for resilience and long-term performance How ownership replaces motivation and keeps you moving Tools & Frameworks Covered: Ever Forward rule: move despite pain and uncertainty Community as structure: accountability when discipline slips Ownership principle: take responsibility, no matter the circumstance If this episode moved you, don't just listen. Do something about it. Sign up. Show up. Do the work. Spartan.com. No more excuses.   Chase Chewning's life is a story of breaking down and rebuilding stronger. After serving six years in the U.S. Army and enduring devastating injuries that left him learning to walk twice, Chase transformed pain into purpose.    Today, through his hit show Ever Forward Radio and his work in wellness and podcast education, he shares hard-earned lessons on resilience, mindset, and the power of turning struggle into strength.   Connect to Chase: Website: www.chasechewning.com www.operationpodcast.com   Instagram: @everforwardradio @operationpodcast   We gave you the tools, now use them during your next SPARTAN RACE! Use codeword PODCAST on checkout for 10% your next race. 

Bros talk about sports then visit Albany's sister city of Pittsfield, MA for the misleading aesthetics of THREE FIFTEEN.

Hello to: Paris, Frankfurt am Main, Tokyo, Sydney, Cambridge, Hitchin, Manchester ! Hello to: North Hollywood, Van Nuys, Ashburn, Chicago, Council Bluffs, Richardson, Pittsfield, North BergenDrop a line: theflypaperpodcast@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Boyle hits crust in Pittsfield and a dodgy Irishman slips in a story.

In einer dunklen Augustnacht stirbt die 24jährige May Fosburgh im Kreise ihrer Familie durch einen Schuss in die Brust. Was folgt ist eine beispiellose Jagd nach den Schuldigen dieser sinnlosen Tat, doch bald kommt die Frage auf: Waren überhaupt je Fremde im Haus oder hat die Familie ein schreckliches Geheimnis? Reist mit Katharina und Nina zurück ins Jahr 1900 und geht auf die Suche nach der Antwort auf dieses bis heute ungelöste Rätsel. // Die Besprechung des Falles startet bei 4.16 Min. // // Quellen & Shownotes // - Leskovitz, F.; Pittsfield's Fosburgh Murder Mystery; Charleston 2016 - Owens, C.; Pittsfield: Gem City in the Gilded Age; Charleston 2007 - Killing of Miss May Fosburgh a remarkable criminal Mystery; In: San Francisco Call; Artikel vom 4. Februar 1901; https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=SFC19010204.2.8&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN-------- - Murder of May Fosburgh. Her Brother accused of the crime; In: Los Angeles Herald; Artikel vom 4. Februar 1901; https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=LAH19010204.2.33&srpos=2&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN-May+Fosburgh------- - Story of the Tragedy. Killing of May L. Fosburgh mystified all; In. The New York Times; Artikel vom 19. Juli 1901; https://www.nytimes.com/1901/07/19/archives/story-of-the-tragedy-killing-of-may-l-fosburgh-mystifled-all.html - Defense scores. Testimony to prove that May Fosburgh was murdered by burglars; In: The Rocky Mountain News; Artikel vom 26. Juli 1901; https://www.coloradohistoricnewspapers.org/?a=d&d=RMD19010726-01.2.93&e=-------en-20--1--img-txIN%7CtxCO%7CtxTA--------0------ - Attack on Nicholson. Result of the Fosburgh Murder Trial; In: Los Angeles Herald; Artikel vom 1. August 1901; https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=LAH19010801.2.29&srpos=7&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN-May+Fosburgh------- - May Lydia Fosburgh; Auf: Find a grave; https://de.findagrave.com/memorial/7384801/may_lydia-fosburgh // Folgt uns auf Instagram // https://www.instagram.com/frueher.war.mehr.verbrechen/?hl=de // Mail //: https://linktr.ee/fwmv // Kaffeekasse //: https://ko-fi.com/fwmvpodcast GEMAfreie Musik von https://audiohub.de

He beat cancer four times, kicked addiction, then found freedom in the mud. Nick Klingensmith went from victim to Spartan, trading comfort for purpose and excuses for effort. He shares what it takes to rebuild when life keeps knocking you down and how to find a WHY so strong it outlasts pain, excuses, and fear. Stop waiting. Move and get free. Watch now!   Timestamps: 00:00 Nick's Childhood and Early Life 00:28 Getting a Cancer Diagnosis 01:09 Staying Positive Through Cancer 01:52 Other Health Issues 02:42 Hitting Rock Bottom & Alcoholism 04:39 The Turning Point & Spartan Races 05:49 The First Race & Rediscovering Freedom 07:13 Addiction to Progress 07:50 Writing the First Book 08:54 The Power of Feeling Alive 10:27 Finding Spartan Community 12:30 Advice for Those Stuck on the Couch 13:40 How to Connect to Nick 14:23 Find Purpose & Dream Bigger 16:26 Choosing Strength Over Victimhood 19:01 Perspective and Gratitude 20:16 Overcoming Fear & Embracing Scars  

Tonight, we receive a report from John Hunter, Gary Reaves, Don Hutson, and Johnny Craft from their trip, encouraging the brethren at the Berkshire County Church of Christ in Pittsfield, MA.

The Berkshire Mountains in Massachusetts are home to all sorts of paranormal phenomena - ghosts, hauntings, Bigfoot sightings, cryptid creatures - but the region is perhaps known best for its many UFO sightings. This week I return to the commonwealth to look at the Labor Day UFO incident from 1969, where various people state they were abducted by aliens, and I analyze all kinds of UFOs seen over the Berkshires in various towns of Berkshire County. Are these spacecraft from another world or dimension? Or are there more natural explanations for these aerial objects?Chapters:1:28 - The Geography of the Berkshires3:16 - The Labor Day UFO Incident of 19699:16 - Black triangle UFO seen over Great Barrington13:10 - Orange diamonds spotted in the sky over Sheffield15:45 - A strange disc is observed over Cheshire19:00 - Two women in Lanseboro spot a Tic Tac UFO21:43 - A witness in Pittsfield sees a red light turn into an orange fireball25:33 - Final Thoughts: Are UFOs in the Berkshire Hills?#ufosightings #massachusetts #berkshires #uap Links!Follow us on Social media!Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oddanduntold/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/oddanduntoldWebsite: https://www.oddanduntold.comEmail me! : jason@oddanduntold.comMerch Store: https://oddanduntold.creator-spring.comThe Induced Fear Podcast: @inducedfear East Coast Hauntings & A Dash Of BigfootBlack Triangle UFO Over BrooklynThe Purple UFOSeptember 1, 1969, Berkshire UFO incidentNUFORC: https://nuforc.org/map/Check out Riversend, the band behind "Moonlight," our awesome theme music!Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/1yIwfeu2cH1kDZaMYxKOUe?si=NIUijnmsQe6LNWOsfZ2jPwRiversend Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RiversendbandRiversend Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/riversendband/

Based On True Crime Stories - "Cold Case Investigators Series" by Merrill VaughanFeatured Book - The Happy Paperhanger"   For over five years, an individual has been writing checks that do not have sufficient funds in the accounts. He is able to obtain state driver's licenses that he uses to open checking accounts with just enough money to keep the accounts open. He does not really steal other people's identification; he just makes up the names that he uses. For over five years, he has cost communities in Southern California thousands of dollars and has caused police departments to run in circles trying to catch him.That is, until one police department calls in the Cold Case Investigators to assist them. It is through a serious mistake on the part of the check writer that he is finally caught by one of the private investigators.Born in 1949, Merrill Vaughan spent his formative years in Monrovia and Duarte, California. He graduated from Duarte High School in 1967 and went on to attend Pasadena City College and Citrus Junior College, earning his degree in 1971. Shortly after, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force on November 26, 1971, serving at various stateside bases and completing multiple overseas assignments in Thailand, Greece, Hawaii, Germany, Denmark, and Honduras. Merrill retired in June 1993 and transitioned to work with the State of Wyoming's Human Resources Division for three years.Despite facing disabilities that prevented him from returning to work, Merrill remained actively involved with several veterans organizations until his move to New Hampshire in 2004. In his new community of Pittsfield, he engaged in local governance, serving on committees such as the Budget Committee, Master Plan Committee, and as Chair of the Ethics Committee. In 2007, he was appointed as the town representative to the Concord Regional CrimeLine, a position he still holds. Additionally, Merrill became a substitute teacher at the local middle and high school, teaching various subjects until his retirement in 2020. He maintains connections with several former students.In 2008, Merrill pursued a lifelong dream by enrolling at Franklin Pierce University, where he graduated in 2012 with a Bachelor of Science degree in General Studies. He now serves on the Franklin Pierce University Alumni Board of Directors.It was during his teaching career that Merrill began jotting down ideas for a potential short story. Over five years, these notes evolved into his first book, The Kidnapping, which has since become part of the Cold Case Investigators series, with a sequel titled The Happy Paper Hanger, and a new addition, The Prostitute Killer.Merrill resides in Pittsfield, NH, with his wife, Diane, and is continuing to write new additions to his series.AMAZONhttps://merrillvaughan.comhttps://www.ecpublishingllc.comhttp://www.bluefunkbroadcasting.com/root/twia/9425mvec.mp3    Other Books in the Cold Case Investigators SeriesCOLD CASE INVESTIGATORS: THE KIDNAPPINGCOLD CASE INVESTIGATORS: THE PROSTITUTE KILLERhttps://merrillvaughan.com/

Chris Barton is the author of the poetry chapbook A Finely Calibrated Apocalypse, published by Bottlecap Press in 2024. His writing has appeared in Epiphany, Peach Magazine, The Plenitudes, Hotel, and elsewhere. From 2016 to 2019, he co-hosted the Electric Pheasant Poetry in Knoxville, TN. Peter Gizzi grew up in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. His many books of poetry include Artificial Heart, Threshold Songs, In Defense of Nothing: Selected Poems, 1987–2011 and Archeophonics, which was a finalist for the National Book Award. His book Fierce Elegy, published in 2023, won the T. S. Eliot Prize. He teaches at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. “In Defense of Nothing” from In Defense of Nothing: Selected Poems, 1987–2011 © 2015 by Peter Gizzi. Published by Wesleyan University Press. Used by permission.Links:Read "our free trial lives," "last supper," and "the bafflement" by Chris BartonRead "In Defense of Nothing" by Peter GizziChris BartonA Finely Calibrated Apocalypse by Chris Barton (Bottlecap Press)"2 Poems by Chris Barton" in Peach Magazine"Ouroboros as a Treat" in The Plentitudes"Three Poems" in Potluck MagazinePeter GizziBio and poems at The Poetry FoundationBio and poems at Poets.org"Peter Gizzi Talks About His Work" (YouTube Video--T.S. Eliot Prize)Mentioned in this episode:KnoxCountyLibrary.orgThank you for listening and sharing this podcast. Explore life-changing resources and events, sign up for newsletters, follow us on social media, and more through our website, www.knoxcountylibrary.org.Rate & review on Podchaser

Chris Barton is the author of the poetry chapbook A Finely Calibrated Apocalypse, published by Bottlecap Press in 2024. His writing has appeared in Epiphany, Peach Magazine, The Plenitudes, Hotel, and elsewhere. From 2016 to 2019, he co-hosted the Electric Pheasant Poetry in Knoxville, TN. Peter Gizzi grew up in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. His many books of poetry include Artificial Heart, Threshold Songs, In Defense of Nothing: Selected Poems, 1987–2011 and Archeophonics, which was a finalist for the National Book Award. His book Fierce Elegy, published in 2023, won the T. S. Eliot Prize. He teaches at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. “In Defense of Nothing” from In Defense of Nothing: Selected Poems, 1987–2011 © 2015 by Peter Gizzi. Published by Wesleyan University Press. Used by permission.Links:Read "our free trial lives," "last supper," and "the bafflement" by Chris BartonRead "In Defense of Nothing" by Peter GizziChris BartonA Finely Calibrated Apocalypse by Chris Barton (Bottlecap Press)"2 Poems by Chris Barton" in Peach Magazine"Ouroboros as a Treat" in The Plentitudes"Three Poems" in Potluck MagazinePeter GizziBio and poems at The Poetry FoundationBio and poems at Poets.org"Peter Gizzi Talks About His Work" (YouTube Video--T.S. Eliot Prize)Mentioned in this episode:KnoxCountyLibrary.orgThank you for listening and sharing this podcast. Explore life-changing resources and events, sign up for newsletters, follow us on social media, and more through our website, www.knoxcountylibrary.org.Rate & review on Podchaser

The Claremont School Board has authorized a bank loan that will cover some daily expenses as the district faces a $1 to $5 million deficit. Meanwhile another New Hampshire town, Pittsfield, is also facing a budget shortfall of over a million dollars And a federal judge temporarily blocked a state law that would cut funding for schools that pursue diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. The decision pushes off a deadline the Department of Education set for when schools need to report if they've had any contracts or policies involving DEI. We discuss these stories and more on this week's edition of the New Hampshire News Recap with Concord Monitor reporters Jeremy Margolis and Sruthi Gopalakrishnan.

Based On True Crime Stories - "Cold Case Investigators Series" by Merrill VaughanFeatured Book - The Happy Paperhanger"   For over five years, an individual has been writing checks that do not have sufficient funds in the accounts. He is able to obtain state driver's licenses that he uses to open checking accounts with just enough money to keep the accounts open. He does not really steal other people's identification; he just makes up the names that he uses. For over five years, he has cost communities in Southern California thousands of dollars and has caused police departments to run in circles trying to catch him.That is, until one police department calls in the Cold Case Investigators to assist them. It is through a serious mistake on the part of the check writer that he is finally caught by one of the private investigators.Born in 1949, Merrill Vaughan spent his formative years in Monrovia and Duarte, California. He graduated from Duarte High School in 1967 and went on to attend Pasadena City College and Citrus Junior College, earning his degree in 1971. Shortly after, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force on November 26, 1971, serving at various stateside bases and completing multiple overseas assignments in Thailand, Greece, Hawaii, Germany, Denmark, and Honduras. Merrill retired in June 1993 and transitioned to work with the State of Wyoming's Human Resources Division for three years.Despite facing disabilities that prevented him from returning to work, Merrill remained actively involved with several veterans organizations until his move to New Hampshire in 2004. In his new community of Pittsfield, he engaged in local governance, serving on committees such as the Budget Committee, Master Plan Committee, and as Chair of the Ethics Committee. In 2007, he was appointed as the town representative to the Concord Regional CrimeLine, a position he still holds. Additionally, Merrill became a substitute teacher at the local middle and high school, teaching various subjects until his retirement in 2020. He maintains connections with several former students.In 2008, Merrill pursued a lifelong dream by enrolling at Franklin Pierce University, where he graduated in 2012 with a Bachelor of Science degree in General Studies. He now serves on the Franklin Pierce University Alumni Board of Directors.It was during his teaching career that Merrill began jotting down ideas for a potential short story. Over five years, these notes evolved into his first book, The Kidnapping, which has since become part of the Cold Case Investigators series, with a sequel titled The Happy Paper Hanger, and a new addition, The Prostitute Killer.Merrill resides in Pittsfield, NH, with his wife, Diane, and is continuing to write new additions to his series.AMAZONhttps://merrillvaughan.comhttps://www.ecpublishingllc.comhttp://www.bluefunkbroadcasting.com/root/twia/9425mvec.mp3    Other Books in the Cold Case Investigators SeriesCOLD CASE INVESTIGATORS: THE KIDNAPPINGCOLD CASE INVESTIGATORS: THE PROSTITUTE KILLERhttps://merrillvaughan.com/

Barrington Stage Company presents the world premiere of “Something Beautiful: The Songs of Ahrens and Flaherty,” at the Boyd-Quinson Theater in Pittsfield, Massachusetts from August 28-30. The brand new celebration of the work of Tony Award winners Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty is conceived of and directed by Jason Danieley.

“Joan: A New Play About Joan Rivers” is having its regional premiere at the Barrington Stage Company's Boyd-Quinson Stage in downtown Pittsfield, Massachusetts.The audience will discover the pioneer who conquered a man's world, the mother of all-time punchlines, and the woman who had it all, lost it all, and did it all. It is a no-holds-barred look at the life of a true legend. The play is directed at Barrington by David Ivers.Tessa Auberjonois plays Joan Rivers.

I've wanted to interview Ben Lamb for a few years now and he did not disappoint.  We spoke on diversifying revenue streams for his organization's regional work and whether the rapid federal funding changes are having an effect.  We also spent considerable time on housing challenges and what it could look like using a growing housing sector to improve the regional economy.   We made an argument against de-populating western MA (in fact,  Berkshire county is re-populating) and we took a close look at the state of the region's micro markets, some behind 2000 units or more and how this presents an opportunity.  How codes designed for larger urban areas are limiting factors in a region like the Berkshires and where the biggest opportunities are for developers in sectors like senior living and downtown mixed use.    What does the current tech and manufacturing sectors look like today 40 years on after the shock of loosing core industries in cities like North Adams and Pittsfield?  There is a unique connectedness of rural communities here in New England and we had an opportunity to explore how Berkshire county is taking advantage of that.  We hope you enjoy.

Each and every year, the Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts serve thousands of girls throughout the Commonwealth, offering them opportunities to build leadership and life skills. This time of year, it's all about summer fun through camps, troop activities, and much more, but it's important to ensure every child who wants to take part has the chance to do so. Theresa Lynn, CEO of GSCWM, talks with Nichole about their efforts to ensure girls in underserved communities have access to these programs, their upcoming events, and a very special camp anniversary.

The Fremonts blend americana music and storytelling with a cabaret aesthetic.They decided instead to re-record their two original albums.As a partner piece to their updated albums, The Fremonts released a music video of their song “Ketamine Happy Hour,” a comic reflection on their experiences with alternative therapies for depression.Both albums and the music video were released on all streaming platforms last Friday. The Fremonts are performing at The Apple Tree Inn in Lenox, Massachusetts on Friday, August 1 and at Tilda's Kitchen and Market in Kingston, New York on Friday, August 8, with other dates in Stockbridge, Pittsfield, Great Barrington, and Becket throughout August. More information on their website – thefremontsmusic.com

Lawrence Swift Noxon was born in March 1943. At five months old, he was diagnosed with what we now call Down syndrome. Three weeks later, on September 22, 1943, baby Lawrence died from electrocution under highly suspicious circumstances. His father, John Franklin Noxon Jr., was soon charged with murdering his infant son in what many considered a “mercy killing.” For this episode, I spoke with author Jim Overmyer, who wrote The Electrocution of Baby Lawrence, the definitive story of Lawrence's murder and the long, complicated legal proceedings that followed. This is the story of a baby boy who deserved to live a lot longer than he did, and a father who some at the time said wasn't punished harshly enough for his son's murder, while others believed that what John did was for the best.This is the tragic story of baby Lawrence Noxon.The Electrocution of Baby Lawrence: A Murder that Shook a New England Town by Jim Overmyer on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Electrocution-Baby-Lawrence-Murder-England/dp/1538181290/ref=sr_1_1 Jim's author website: https://www.jamesovermyer.com/Jim's Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/p/James-Overmyer-author-100041727673681/ Jim's Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B081QRYTRM/about?ccs_id=c7fa7aac-e829-4449-9d6a-e61d26b9b8e0 Photos related to today's episode can be viewed on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sufferthelittlechildrenpod You can also follow the podcast on:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sufferthelittlechildrenpodTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@STLCpodMy Linktree is available here: https://linktr.ee/stlcpod Visit the podcast's web page at https://www.sufferthelittlechildrenpod.com. By supporting me on Patreon, you'll also access rewards, including a shout-out by name on the podcast and exclusive rewards. Visit www.patreon.com/STLCpod. You can also support the podcast on www.Ko-Fi.com/STLCpod. **New! Become a member of my YouTube channel for perks, ranging from a shout-out, members-only chat emoji, and loyalty badges to other rewards. Click here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCogRWoIzWMy7TX5PuX18smQ/join Join my Spreaker Supporters' Club: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/suffer-the-little-children--4232884/support This podcast is researched, written, hosted, edited, and produced by Laine.Music for this episode is licensed from https://audiojungle.net. Subscribe to Suffer the Little Children:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/suffer-the-little-children/id1499010711Google Podcasts: https://playmusic.app.goo.gl/?ibi=com.google.PlayMusic&isi=691797987&ius=googleplaymusic&apn=com.google.android.music&link=https://play.google.com/music/m/I5mx3lacxpdkhssmk2n22csf32u?t%3DSuffer_the_Little_Children%26pcampaignid%3DMKT-na-all-co-pr-mu-pod-16Spreaker: https://www.spreaker.com/show/suffer-the-little-children Pandora: https://www.pandora.com/podcast/suffer-the-little-children/PC:61848?part=PC:61848&corr=podcast_organic_external_site&TID=Brand:POC:PC61848:podcast_organic_external_siteSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0w98Tpd3710BZ0u036T1KEiHeartRadio: https://iheart.com/podcast/77891101/ ...or on your favorite podcast listening platform.

At the virtual Bicycle Film Festival, Taylor sees a woman set a new record of riding a bike at 183 mph (0:22). Nick visits Los Angeles, runs into a Hollywood ride out, and meets bike dancer Denis (4:42). Taylor will use any pretext for a bike errand, reveals his wife Marga (7:05). Money for protected bike lanes in Denver was about to be spent on removing them, until the Mayor's Bike Advisory Council caught on. With Loren Hansen, Chair of the Denver MBAC (8:49). NYC Mayor Eric Adams' war on bikes is sending people who deliver food by bike into the jaws of criminal courts while food delivery app giants support anti-bike candidates. With Executive Director of the Workers' Justice Project, Ligia Guallpa (13:59). Good news in New York: a judge stopped Mayor Adams' attempt to remove the Bedford Ave bike lane, and Zohran, NYC's top Mayoral candidate, is super bike friendly (and just won the primary). Also, bike lane opponents at public meetings don't seem to care about anything (besides parking spaces). With Miser, who runs the subreddit MicromobilityNYC (24:30). A San Francisco Grand Jury Report determines the city's failure to meet Vision Zero goals is due to lack of traffic enforcement (48:09). Bike lane opponents in Northampton, Massachusetts, held a meeting with presenters from nearby Pittsfield, hoping to show how bike lanes that failed there would fail in Northampton, too. Their plan backfired, explains Northampton City Council candidate Benjamin Spencer (49:30).

Listen to the Peace Jam Club at Pittsfield HS in Massachusetts share their school food waste solutions in partnership with Mary Summers' Tommy's Composting.

Berkshire Theatre Group has an ultra-exciting 2025 Summer Season planned, featuring a lineup of plays and musicals at both The Unicorn Theatre in Stockbridge, MA and The Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield, MA.The season offers a mix of compelling dramas, thought-provoking new works and family-friendly entertainment, continuing the company's tradition of bringing exceptional theatre to the Berkshires.

Send us a textIn this episode, I'm taking you inside my first 50K of 2025 — the wild, wet, and wicked Bloodroot Ultra in Pittsfield, Vermont. Spoiler alert: it rained for 10+ days before race weekend, so the course was less "trail" and more "swampy obstacle course."From overflowing rivers and knee-deep mud to surprise cutoffs and surprise aid station visits from my husband, this one had everything. I talk gear (spoiler: I was overpacked), mindset, and the moment at mile 20 where I had to make a tough decision: quit or keep pushing.You'll hear about:The Spartan-inspired terrain (minus the man-made obstacles)Slippery bridges, sketchy climbs, and how *not* to preserve dry feetA race that almost got the better of me — and why I kept going anywayIf you've ever wondered what it really takes to keep moving when the fun is gone and the mud won't quit, this one's for you.

As temperatures warm, days lengthen, and pollen flies - Hancock Shaker Village in Pittsfield, Massachusetts hosts its annual Baby Animals Festival. Visitors may visit with and learn about sheep, cows, goats, pigs, and chickens and - very importantly - their adorable young. The festival runs through May 4th.Carrie Holland is the Executive Director and CEO of Hancock Shaker Village and she welcomed me to the grounds to talk about the planned events and exhibitions at the village this Spring and Summer.

HYPROV is coming to The Colonial in Pittsfield, MA this weekend for the "Yes, It's Real" Tour. What is Hyprov? Created by improv and comedy legend Colin Mochrie ("Whose Line Is It Anyway?"), and co-star World Renowned Hypnotist Asad Mecci. HYPROV is a 90-minute live show which combines hypnosis and improv - two art forms that have mystified and entertained fans, skeptics, and everyone in between worldwide.

It was frigidly cold in January of 1994, with snow drifts a foot high, as twelve-year-old Rebecca Savarese made her way to Notre Dame Middle School in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Suddenly, there was a man at her elbow. She was completely taken off guard because he had approached her from behind. She gave a startled jump, and the man said to her, “Do you see this gun I have?” Rebecca said that she had seen it.  The man then pointed at his truck and instructed her to get in. Rebecca balked, and although she remained calm, her mother's words echoed through her mind. Never get in a stranger's vehicle.When the man urged her to get into his truck, Rebecca pretended as though she was having an asthma attack. She pretended to have trouble breathing and feigned dizziness. Her actions took the man off guard for just a split second. He grabbed her and got a hold of her backpack. Rebecca wriggled out of it and took off running down the street, leaving the man holding her pack.  As she was running Rebecca saw a man standing outside a bank, “Sir, sir, sir! A man tried to kidnap me!” she said. The man ushered her into the bank, where they called the police.  There was no way that Rebecca Savarese could have known that morning when she got out of bed that she was going to inadvertently play a part in catching a child killer.  She had no idea that her actions on that day would bring closure to two families and probably stop an untold number of other children from experiencing a horrific early demise. She wasn't thinking about any of that. But when the moment came, Rebecca knew one thing. She wasn't getting in that vehicle. “If I'd gotten in that truck, I just knew I was going to end up someplace dead,” she later told reporters. Of that, Rebecca was most likely correct.Join Jen and Cam as they discuss "Evil in the East: Sara Anne Wood & James Bernardo"If you have any information that could help locate Sara Anne Wood's remains, please contact The Major Crimes Unit at 315-366-6000.A huge thank you to Sleep Creme for sponsoring this episode. Order your bottle today at sleepcreme.com. Use the code OTCPODCAST (all one word) at checkout to save twenty bucks on the first order! Be sure to check out the new book box subscription service at Brew, Book & Candle. The box will include a book from an Indie author or publisher, a handmade scented candle in a glass holder, and a sample of either a single source coffee or Adagio tea. Thank you to our team:Written and researched by Lauretta AllenListener Discretion by Edward October from OctoberpodVHSExecutive Producer Nico Vitesse of The Inky Paw PrintSources:https://charleyproject.org/case/sara-anne-woodhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disappearance_of_Sara_Anne_Woodhttps://murderpedia.org/male.L/l/lent-lewis.htmhttps://synwrites.blog/2020/03/08/the-crimes-of-lewis-lent/https://www.newspapers.com/image/545432106/match=1&terms=%22Rebecca%20Savarese%22https://www.newspapers.com/image/1098418684/match=1&terms=%22Rebecca%20Savarese%22https://www.newspapers.com/image/472084126/match=1&terms=%22Rebecca%20Savarese%22https://www.newspapers.com/image/1098419878/match=1&terms=%22Rebecca%20Savarese%22https://www.newspapers.com/image/1066549303/match=1&terms=%22Holly%20Piirainen%22https://www.newspapers.com/image/440696102/match=1&terms=%22Holly%20Piirainen%22https://www.newspapers.com/image/1063901310/match=1&terms=%22Jimmy%20Bernardo%22https://www.newspapers.com/image/257050527/match=1&terms=%22Jimmy%20Bernardo%22https://www.newspapers.com/image/1076572951/match=1&terms=%22James%20Bernardo%22https://www.newspapers.com/image/257227815/match=1&terms=%22James%20Bernardo%22https://www.newspapers.com/image/1076573314/?match=1&terms=%22James%20Bernardo%22https://charleyproject.org/case/james-donald-lusher-jrhttps://www.newspapers.com/image/1065249505/match=1&terms=%22James%20Lusher%22https://www.newspapers.com/image/1065249882/match=1&terms=%22James%20Lusher%22https://www.newspapers.com/image/1065680133/match=1&terms=%22James%20Lusher%22https://www.newspapers.com/image/1066250925/match=1&terms=%22James%20Lusher%22https://www.newspapers.com/image/1094973218/match=1&terms=%22Sara%20Wood%22https://www.newspapers.com/image/1100537302/match=1&terms=%22Sara%20Wood%22

When thirty-two year old Shirley McAvoy didn't show up for her youngest daughter's birthday everyone knew something was wrong.  After being unable to reach her, Shirley's estranged husband, Brian, reported her missing to the Pittsfield Police Department in Maine.Initially, investigators found nothing to indicate a crime had been committed and did little other than issue a statewide bolo for Shirley and her car.  Thirty-four days later, a massive puddle of blood was discovered in Shirley's home.Friends and neighbors told a strange tale about a man who called himself "Jerry."  Jerry moved into Shirley's home just days before her disappearance and gave many different, contrasting stories about his background.  He was missing, too.Detectives soon learned that Jerry had been involved in an accident in Shirley's car in Boston the day after she was last seen alive.  One month later, the mother of two was found dead in a rural area of Virginia.  For detectives, solving the disturbing case appears to hinge entirely on identifying this so-called Jerry.Composite Image of suspect "Jerry"Trace Evidence LinkTree & Social MediaMusic Courtesy of: "Lost Time" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/#truecrime #truecrimepodcast #realcrimes #disappearance #disappeared #missing #unsolved #unsolvedmysteries #evidence #investigation #missingperson #traceevidence #homicide #detective #coldcase #creepy #truecrimestory #truecrimestories #maine #mainetruecrime #maineunsolved #pittsfield #McAvoy #Delcourt #homicide #spotsylvania #shirleymcavoySourcesBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/trace-evidence--3207798/support.