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| News and events in Williamstown, Mass.
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Mount Greylock School Committee Picks Interim SuperintendentBy Stephen Dravis, iBerkshires Staff
05:50AM / Thursday, May 23, 2024 | |
 WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The Mount Greylock School Committee on Wednesday voted 7-0 to enter negotiations with the district's assistant superintendent to serve as interim superintendent after the abrupt announcement that Jason McCandless intends to leave the district at the end of the school year. Assistant Superintendent Joseph Bergeron told the committee that he would be willing to serve in the capacity and, at the same time, welcomed the prospect of a new permanent superintendent joining the office — likely some time in 2025. "The opportunity to serve the students, staff and the community is something that, as a duty, is something I feel I need to 0 Comments
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Williamstown Neighbors Not Satisfied with Habitat ResponseBy Stephen Dravis, iBerkshires Staff
05:22AM / Wednesday, May 22, 2024 | |
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — A Summer Street resident last week said that if Northern Berkshire Habitat for Humanity cannot find a compromise with neighbors of a planned subdivision, the town should find a different developer for the parcel. But members of the Affordable Housing Trust board expressed doubt that the town could find a different developer that relies on cash donations and volunteer labor to build single-family homes that are affordable to residents making up to 60 percent of the area median income. The topic came up during a Wednesday report to the board from three members who met with the board of the local Habitat for Humanity chapter about its plans to build 0 Comments
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Letter: Open Letter to Flag PetitionerLetter to the Editor,
03:15PM / Tuesday, May 21, 2024 | |
 To the Editor:
I read with great interest the article by Mr. Dravis in Monday's iBerkshires. I understood you to say that you had "posted a comment on the thread inviting opponents to reach out personally to [you]." As I suspect you know, I frequently post on the thread to which I think you are referring, but did not see your invitation. Had I seen it, I would have responded immediately. Alas! I still cannot find it, but, admittedly, I am an idiot with all things social media.
I would be delighted to have a conversation with you and your friends. We can do it in person, my preference, or on Facebook. My beloved grandchildren — all seven — tell me that Facebook
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Letter: Response to Article on FlagLetter to the Editor,
03:10PM / Tuesday, May 21, 2024 | |
 To the Editor:
Re: your recent article about the proposed Progress Pride flag in Williamstown, there are two statements that call for a response.
A well-intentioned interviewee is quoted as saying:
"Some people say it's obvious that Williams is accepting and there's no need [for a flag]," he said. "They also, in the same post, say the flag is divisive and controversial. Well, which is it?" (I assume that "Williams" is meant to be Williamstown. )
The answer to this either/or thinking is that it is of course possible that two things are true at the same time. A person or place can be entirely welcoming to all but not be in agreement with the wishes
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Letter: Reject Article 41Letter to the Editor,
03:00PM / Tuesday, May 21, 2024 | |
 To the Editor:
Town meeting should reject Article 41 because sexual orientation, color of skin, health and wellness, gender, environmental issues and changes in the meaning of English words (including the word rainbow) are not well-represented by a flag in any community. Work in the community to make the American flag ensure inclusivity, support, a sense of belonging, respect for others and acceptance among human beings who have the right to live with dignity. If this flag is added to the three now recognized we could ask: Where does it end? The American flag represents the hope we all have for our community. Martha Dailey
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Mount Greylock's McCandless Announces ResignationBy Stephen Dravis, iBerkshires Staff
11:45PM / Monday, May 20, 2024 | |
 WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — For the fourth time in the last 10 years, the Mount Greylock Regional School District will be looking for a new permanent superintendent. After four years at the helm and just one year into his current contract, Jason McCandless is stepping down. The regional School Committee has a special meeting scheduled for Wednesday night with a brief but significant agenda. Item four on the agenda: to discuss the resignations of the superintendent and the principal at Williamstown Elementary School. Item five refers to the next steps for the committee, including, perhaps, hiring another interim superintendent to lead the 0 Comments
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Driver Fell Asleep Before Running Into Williamstown PorchBy Stephen Dravis, iBerkshires Staff
02:06PM / Monday, May 20, 2024 | |
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — A Vermont woman was asleep at the wheel prior to crashing into a Simonds Road residence last week, according to a Williamstown Police Department report. Nicole L. Bishop, 32, of Route 9 in Bennington, Vt., Wednesday afternoon was traveling north on Simonds Road (U.S. Route 7) when, "the operator fell asleep, crossed the marked double line, through [two] yards, and into the front porch of 1033 Simonds Road," according to a report written by Officer Brad Sacco. The 2003 Toyota that Bishop was driving belonged to Angela Mattison Barr of Bennington, police said. The car left the road just north of the turnoff for the Steinerfilm 0 Comments
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Clark Art Hosts Publication Launch | 08:00AM / Monday, May 20, 2024 | |
 WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — On Thursday, May 23 at 6 pm, the Clark Art Institute celebrates the launch of the exhibition publication for David Jeremiah: "I Drive Thee," this year's public spaces installation. It marks artist David-Jeremiah's first museum show outside his home state of Texas and his first publication. David-Jeremiah speaks with Robert Wiesenberger, the Clark's curator of contemporary projects, about the underlying subjects in his work, examining the Lamborghini sports car and the Spanish bullfight as lenses on Black masculinity in America. Free. Accessible seats available; for information, call 413 458 0524. A public reception and 0 Comments
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Flag Meant to Represent Inclusion Sparks Debate in WilliamstownBy Stephen Dravis, iBerkshires Staff
05:31AM / Monday, May 20, 2024 | |
 WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — One of the authors of a proposed bylaw amendment to allow the display of the Progress Pride on town flag poles said he welcomes more dialogue about the proposal. "It's been a good learning experience through all of this," Mount Greylock Regional School sophomore Jack Uhas said last week. "Any attempt to hinder a conversation in our community would be disappointing to me. I'm excited to hear what people have to say." Uhas is the vice president of the middle-high school's Gender Sexuality Alliance, which developed the bylaw proposal that will be before Thursday's annual town meeting at Mount 0 Comments
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More than 600 Participate in Steel Rail RacesiBerkshires.com Sports,
06:02PM / Sunday, May 19, 2024 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. -- Matthew Ferraro was the first runner across the finish line at the MountainOne Steel Rail Marathon. Ferraro clocked a time of 2 hours, 41 minutes flat on the Ashuwilticook Rail Trail course. He finished a little more than five minutes ahead of runner-up Nick Reid (2:46:15). Simone Veale won the race's women's division in a time of 3:18:42. She beat out Jill Hussain, who covered the course in 3:27:23. The fastest marathoner on Sunday was Stephen Gulley, a hand cyclist, who clocked a time of 2:15:03. The 26.2-mile circuit was covered by 150 finishers ranging in age from 18 (William Hanley in 14th place) to 72 (Ric Nudell, who 0 Comments
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Same Place, New Day for Williamstown Town Meeting 2024By Stephen Dravis, iBerkshires Staff
12:27PM / Sunday, May 19, 2024 | |
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The New England town meeting — steeped in tradition — has been far from traditional in the Village Beautiful over the last five years. In 2020, the May annual town meeting was pushed off until August and held outside due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, it again was held outside and in June on Williams College's Weston Field. And the town used a rain date, moving it from its traditional Tuesday to Wednesday evening. In 2022, the Select Board moved the meeting back indoors on its traditional third Tuesday in May, but continued concerns about social distancing forced perhaps the shortest meeting on record. The 0 Comments
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Letter: Look for Facts in Bias IncidentsLetter to the Editor,
08:00PM / Friday, May 17, 2024 | |
 To the Editor:
The May 13, 2024, article entitled "'The Roof is Caving In': Mount Greylock School Committee Hears Details of Bias Incidents." If reported accurately, and if I interpreted the article correctly, Mr. Dravis brought to light some extremely troublesome issues. If prejudice is occurring routinely in our schools and elsewhere in town, especially in those institutions under the auspice of town governance, a clearly reasoned plan must be created and implemented.
Also troubling in the article was "… the meeting also features some of the most frank commentary to date from district administrators about the shortcomings of the preK-12 district's
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