Arts and Recreation
Theatre at the Mount Presents Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express
Gardner, MA - Theatre at the Mount invites audiences aboard the world's most glamorous--and most treacherous--train journey with its fall production of Murder on the Orient Express, Agatha Christie's iconic mystery adapted for the stage by Ken Ludwig. Packed with intrigue, elegance, and razor-sharp twists, this stylish whodunit brings Christie's legendary detective Hercule Poirot face-to-face with a murder that can only be solved before the train reaches its next stop.
Performances run October 2, 3, 9, and 10 at 7:30 p.m. and October 4 and 11 at 2:00 p.m.
The cast of Murder on the Orient Express brings Agatha Christie's iconic characters to life with a richly varied ensemble. At the center of the mystery is Hercule Poirot, portrayed by Francis Freel, the meticulous Belgian detective whose sharp intellect drives the investigation. Chay Tower Hughes appears as M. Bouc, the fast-talking and excitable director of the railway line who enlists Poirot's help when trouble strikes aboard the train.
Amanda Babcock takes on the role of Countess Andrenyi, poised and elegant with an air of quiet sophistication. Shami Farrell plays Helen Hubbard, a spirited American traveler known for her bold personality and colorful storytelling. Autumn Desisto embodies Princess Dragomiroff, a commanding aristocrat with a regal bearing and sharp opinions, while Haley Murphy appears as Greta Ohlsson, the devout and gentle Swedish missionary.
Jillianne Prescott steps into the role of Mary Debenham, a reserved Englishwoman whose calm demeanor masks deeper tensions. Gary Kendall portrays Hector MacQueen, the anxious and tightly wound secretary with a complicated past. David Allen Prescott performs dual roles as Samuel Ratchett, a brash American businessman, and Colonel Arbuthnot, a disciplined military officer with strong convictions. Rounding out the company, David Anthony appears as both Michel, the conscientious conductor, and the refined Head Waiter.
Tickets are available through the Theatre at the Mount Box Office at 978-630-9388 or online at https://mwcc.universitytickets.com/.
Coming Up at Nova Arts in Keene
Friday, September 11 - Wes Brown Quartet / Koof Ibi
On Friday, September 11, join us for an evening of live jazz featuring the Wes Brown Quartet and Koof Ibi. Wes Brown, who has toured with Anthony Braxton and Leo Smith, leads a quartet built around vocalist Jill Connolly, and opening the night is Philadelphia's Koof Ibi, combining live instruments, loops, and pedals.
Doors open at 7:00 p.m., with music beginning at 7:30 p.m. Nova Arts is an all-ages venue located at 48 Emerald Street, Keene, NH. Seating is first come, first served. Access For All / Pay What You Can tickets are available thanks to support from Savings Bank of Walpole, but we encourage you to pay full price if you are able. For tickets and more information, visit www.novaarts.org/events.
Nova Arts is located at 48 Emerald Street, Keene, NH.
Regional News
Treasurer Goldberg Announces Latest Release of Unclaimed Property Listings
Over 50,000 Names Added to Unclaimed Property List
BOSTON - Massachusetts State Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg has announced the latest grouping of names added to the state's list of unclaimed property owners. Over 50,000 new properties worth millions of dollars are owed to individuals, businesses, and nonprofits. This newly released list includes only individuals and businesses with unclaimed property over $100.
"Did you know there is $3.4 billion in unclaimed property here in Massachusetts?" said State Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg. "Check the list, go online, or call our office to begin the process, because some of it could belong to you."
Unclaimed property includes forgotten savings and checking accounts, un-cashed checks, insurance policy proceeds, stocks, dividends, and the contents of unattended safe deposit boxes. Most accounts are considered abandoned and are turned over to the state after three years of inactivity. Last year, Treasury processed over 118,000 claims and returned $237 million in property to its rightful owners.
Treasurer Goldberg urges all citizens to check www.findmassmoney.gov for a complete list of over 10 million properties or call our live call center at 1-888-344-MASS (6277).
The full list of the new individuals, businesses, and nonprofits added to the unclaimed property list will be published in the Boston Globe on September 13 and in the Boston Herald on September 20. In addition, the list of names will be published in regional and local papers in following weeks.
The Treasury releases an updated list of unclaimed property assets every six months as the new accounts are turned over to the Commonwealth. There is no time limit for a person to claim this property and, in many cases, claimants will receive interest.
Freedom's Way National Heritage Area Launches 2027 Partnership Grant Program; Allocates $100k in Support of Creative Programs & Projects
DEVENS, MA, September 8, 2026 - Freedom's Way National Heritage Area is pleased to announce the launch of its Annual Partnership Grant Program on October 1, 2026. Designed to provide strategic investments in the natural, cultural, and historical resources that enhance the region's sense of place, $100,000 has been set aside for this funding cycle.
Reimbursable matching grants of up to $5,000 are available to eligible non-profits, municipalities, state agencies, and public academic institutions. Applications are accepted, reviewed, and awarded on a rolling basis from October 1st, 2026 through April 15, 2027, or until the allocated funds have been committed.
The Freedom's Way Partnership Grant Program supports a variety of creative programs and projects, diverse in scale and scope, that align with the following funding opportunities:
- Storytelling
- Education, Interpretation & Curation
- Community Planning & Resource Conservation
- Historic Preservation
- Regional Cultural Events
- Freedom's Way 250
Since its inception, the Freedom's Way Partnership Grant Program has awarded 270 grants totaling over $391,000 within the Heritage Area's 45 communities. More than $4.9 million in cash and in-kind match has been generated, leveraging Heritage Partnership funds received through the National Park Service by 13:1.
For more information, including program guidelines, application materials, and past project descriptions, visit freedomsway.org/grants.
Gardening
Deer- and Rabbit-Resistant Spring Flowering Bulbs
Deer- and rabbit-resistant ranunculus bulbs are planted in fall for early spring flowers.
Photo courtesy of www.Longfield-Gardens.com
Plan and plant a variety of colorful spring flowering bulbs this fall to welcome in spring with a beautiful floral display. Fill garden beds with deer- and rabbit-resistant bulbs like daffodils, hyacinths, alliums, fritillaria and ranunculus.
Deciding how many bulbs are needed to make an impact can be challenging. The Spacing Recommendations for Fall-Planted Bulbs blog on longfield-gardens.com offers insight and guidance. This plus the amount of garden space, design goals and of course budget can help gardeners decide how many bulbs to add to their gardens in the fall.
Daffodils (Narcissus) are not only critter resistant but low-maintenance and long lasting in the landscape. There are a wide variety from the traditional yellow Dutch Master to the more unique double-flowered varieties like Sherborne with its giant lemon-yellow flowers held upright on sturdy stems and the long-lasting, heat-resistant Tahiti with bright yellow blossoms and red-orange ruffles.
Daffodil flowers also come in a variety of sizes and color combinations. There are all white and yellow varieties and those with bicolor blooms of white or yellow petals with white, yellow, peach or orange coronas, the daffodil flowers' cup-like structures. Some, like Cassata and Cum Laude, have split coronas of different colors, adding a distinctive flair to spring displays. For more information read the All About Daffodils guide (longfield-gardens.com) to help with planning, planting and growing these beauties.
Both hyacinths and grape hyacinths are fragrant and resistant to animal browsing. Grow some near walkways or on a patio or deck where the fragrance can be enjoyed. Plant them in groups of five or more for greater impact and mix them with other spring flowering perennials for double the floral impact or with summer bloomers to extend the bloom time in the garden.
Despite their small stature, grape hyacinths (Muscari) can put on quite a display when planted in mass. Some use them to create seasonal ribbons of color in garden beds. Others combine Muscari with other taller spring flowering bulbs for multiple layers of spring color.
As spring bulbs fade but before summer perennials fill garden beds, alliums provide bursts of colorful blooms. Many are familiar with the huge spherical blossoms of the giant allium but there are many other options with flower sizes and heights suitable for any size and style garden. Alliums make great cut flowers, the pollinators love them, and deer tend to leave them be.
Enjoy some subtle beauty with checkered lilies (Fritillaria meleagris). Their unique dangling flowers with a checkered pattern of colors and grass-like foliage are suitable for just about any garden. Their taller and showier relative crown imperial (Fritillaria imperialis) grows 3 feet tall with a cluster of downward-facing orange or yellow flowers topped with a tuft of greenery.
Fill containers and garden bouquets with lovely ranunculus flowers. These cool weather flowers combine nicely with pansies, nemesia, columbine and other spring bloomers. Gardeners in zones 4 to 7 should plant them in early spring. Grow ranunculus in light, well-drained soil and protect the plants from frost.
Most other fall-planted flowering bulbs need cold winters to initiate root development and flower formation. Gardeners in zones 8 to 11 will need to select bulbs suitable to warmer winters, like the Jonquil and Tazetta types of daffodils, Dutch iris, freesia, DeCaen and St. Brigid anemones, and of course, ranunculus. For other spring flowering bulbs, gardeners will need to provide a chilling period of 10 to 14 weeks at 35° to 45°.
Enhance the beauty of spring gardens with these animal-resistant flowering bulbs. Plan and plant this fall for months of beauty and enjoyment next spring.
Melinda Myers has written over 20 gardening books, including The Midwest Gardener's Handbook, 2nd Edition and Small Space Gardening. She hosts The Great Courses "How to Grow Anything" instant video series and the nationally-syndicated Melinda's Garden Moment radio program. Myers is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine. Her website is www.MelindaMyers.com.