Berkshire Edge On-air

Guided by respected journalistic standards, the principle of fairness, the quest for truth, a commitment to social, economic and environmental justice, and an abiding admiration for the independent spirit of the Berkshires, The Berkshire Edge offers in-depth local news reports and features, perspectives on the arts, wide-ranging commentary, and a comprehensive calendar of events – all written, illustrated, and, in some cases performed, with wit, intelligence, insight and humor. 1. Our feature writer Hannah Van Sickle has written a look at student film makers producing films on local, tough social issues: 2. Bill Shein, ever with his eye on the Great Barrington Airport, has written part 7 of his series examining the operations of this historic — and controversial — feature of South Berkshire County: 3.  An activist group rallied at Park Square in Pittsfield for a better future for Western Massachusetts: 4.  3. The legendary Dream Away Lodge in Becket has reopened under new owner

Guided by respected journalistic standards, the principle of fairness, the quest for truth, a commitment to social, economic and environmental justice, and an abiding admiration for the independent spirit of the Berkshires, The Berkshire Edge offers in-depth local news reports and features, perspectives on the arts, wide-ranging commentary, and a comprehensive calendar of events – all written, illustrated, and, in some cases performed, with wit, intelligence, insight and humor. 1. The controversy over the Great Barrington Airport continues, with the Selectboard hosting a crowded public hearing: https://theberkshireedge.com/large-turnout-for-airport-special-permit-public-hearing/ 2. Meanwhile, in a multipart series our investigative writer Bill Shein has been examining the airport operations, and asking just how busy — and essential — the airport actually is: https://theberkshireedge.com/the-airport-part-three-how-busy-is-great-barrington-airport/ 3. The Great Barrington Selectboard is also exam

Guided by respected journalistic standards, the principle of fairness, the quest for truth, a commitment to social, economic and environmental justice, and an abiding admiration for the independent spirit of the Berkshires, The Berkshire Edge offers in-depth local news reports and features, perspectives on the arts, wide-ranging commentary, and a comprehensive calendar of events – all written, illustrated, and, in some cases performed, with wit, intelligence, insight and humor. Here are a few stories from the Edge this week: 1. We have a preview of the Tanglewood summer concerts and events — a schedule which our music writer David Edwards says is extraordinary, in his words, "Unconventional, subversive … exhilarating, hypnotizing, and intensely human” : https://theberkshireedge.com/tanglewood-learning-institutes-summer-concerts-and-events-could-blow-your-mind/ 2. The discussions over next year’s Berkshire Regional School District budget have begun with the district’s staff making a request fo

Guided by respected journalistic standards, the principle of fairness, the quest for truth, a commitment to social, economic and environmental justice, and an abiding admiration for the independent spirit of the Berkshires, The Berkshire Edge offers in-depth local news reports and features, perspectives on the arts, wide-ranging commentary, and a comprehensive calendar of events – all written, illustrated, and, in some cases performed, with wit, intelligence, insight and humor. Here are a few stories from the Edge this week: 1.  The Housatonic River has received a federal designation as a Wild and Scenic River, thereby further protecting the river and its immediate surroundings: https://theberkshireedge.com/housatonic-river-receives-wild-scenic-designation/- 2. True to its progressive credentials, Pittsfield hosted a demonstration commemorating the 50 year anniversary of Roe v. Wade, now that the court has reversed itself, allowing states to determine the legality of the procedure: https:/

1. A Berkshire-based musician and music producer has been nominated for a grammy:https://theberkshireedge.com/berkshire-based-musician-and-producer-nominated-for-grammy/ 2. We have been developing a lively new business section on Mondays, called Business Monday!.  Over the last couple of weeks, we have posted several profiles of local businesses.  This week, we looked at a 24-year-old resident of Ashley Falls named Lily Geiger who spend her COVID isolation inventing a non-alcoholic aperitif called Fiore  (Italian for flower)which she is marketing through her new company called Figlia (Italian for daughter), and she’s off to a strong start. 3. Also for Business Monday, we ran a story a couple of weeks ago about Guido’s Fresh Marketplace, and about how the younger generation is taking over. 4. And our business section has a regular feature called Adventures in Retail, which looks at interesting products for sale in stores in the Berkshires.  Recently our columnist reported th

1. The Eight Town Regional School District Planning Board has received a state grant to study the merger of Berkshire Hills and Southern Berkshire school districts: And there will be a public meeting about he proposed merger January 21 to explain the progress toward the school district merger: 2. Meanwhile, the Tri-Town health board is warning residents about the continuing pandemic threat, especially with a new variant spreading abroad: 3. Berkshire County has a new District Attorney — Timothy Shugrue, who has replaced Andrea Harrington and has started his term in office: 4. Our historian Gary Leveille writes a reminiscence of the snow trains that would bring skiers from the city to the Berkshires: 5. And finally, in her column Woman on the Verge, Sarah Wright discusses the Rachel Maddow’s new “Ultra” podcast — Maddow, by the way, is part of what you might call the “Greater” Berkshires, since she lives in Northampton:

Guided by respected journalistic standards, the principle of fairness, the quest for truth, a commitment to social, economic and environmental justice, and an abiding admiration for the independent spirit of the Berkshires, The Berkshire Edge offers in-depth local news reports and features, perspectives on the arts, wide-ranging commentary, and a comprehensive calendar of events – all written, illustrated, and, in some cases performed, with wit, intelligence, insight and humor. Here are a few stories from the Edge this week: 1.  The Mass DEP is getting impatient with Housatonic Water Works, the private company that supplies drinking water (such as it is) to the village of Housatonic: 2. Meanwhile, in West Stockbridge, the town’s Planning Board approved a controversial special permit for The Foundry to continue to host special events and concerts in spite of complaints from neighbors — in particular, Truc’s Orient Express Restaurant: 3.  This week we have a profile of Eve

Guided by respected journalistic standards, the principle of fairness, the quest for truth, a commitment to social, economic and environmental justice, and an abiding admiration for the independent spirit of the Berkshires, The Berkshire Edge offers in-depth local news reports and features, perspectives on the arts, wide-ranging commentary, and a comprehensive calendar of events – all written, illustrated, and, in some cases performed, with wit, intelligence, insight and humor. Here are a few stories from the Edge this week: 1. The saga of The Foundry in West Stockbridge seems to have reached a denoument, however temporary, by securing a West Stockbridge Planning Board approval for concerts and performances — at least for now: 2.  We alert our readers that for the duration of the holiday season, now upon us, Great Barrington has suspended parking time limits…  3.  In a ceremony organized by the District Attorney’s Office at St. Stephen’s Church in Pittsfield, people

Guided by respected journalistic standards, the principle of fairness, the quest for truth, a commitment to social, economic and environmental justice, and an abiding admiration for the independent spirit of the Berkshires, The Berkshire Edge offers in-depth local news reports and features, perspectives on the arts, wide-ranging commentary, and a comprehensive calendar of events – all written, illustrated, and, in some cases performed, with wit, intelligence, insight and humor. Here are a few stories from the Edge this week: 1. The dispute over The Foundry in West Stockbridge — a performing arts venue seeking a special permit and that’s next door to a venerable restaurant — continues before the town’s Planning and Zoning board. 2. Our feature writer Sheela Clary has been creating a series of stories (Where We Are) about local people and enterprises that epitomize the character of South Berkshire County. This week she wrote about Craig and Gail Elliott, former owners of the Egremont Sto

Guided by respected journalistic standards, the principle of fairness, the quest for truth, a commitment to social, economic and environmental justice, and an abiding admiration for the independent spirit of the Berkshires, The Berkshire Edge offers in-depth local news reports and features, perspectives on the arts, wide-ranging commentary, and a comprehensive calendar of events – all written, illustrated, and, in some cases performed, with wit, intelligence, insight and humor. Here are a few stories from the Edge this week: 1.  Here’s a story that will put a chill in the hearts of administrators of the region’s cultural organizations: Are employees of the region’s vaunted cultural organizations getting paid equitably? 2. Meanwhile, the Great Barrington Selectboard is reviewing a second proposal to redevelop the Housatonic School building in the hamlet of Housatonic.  3. Ben Doren, the very popular principal of the W.E.B. DuBois Middle School in Great Barrington, has ann

Guided by respected journalistic standards, the principle of fairness, the quest for truth, a commitment to social, economic and environmental justice, and an abiding admiration for the independent spirit of the Berkshires, The Berkshire Edge offers in-depth local news reports and features, perspectives on the arts, wide-ranging commentary, and a comprehensive calendar of events – all written, illustrated, and, in some cases performed, with wit, intelligence, insight and humor. Here are a few stories from the Edge this week: 1. We have a huge fight going on in West Stockbridge between a performing arts venue called The Foundry and a restaurant called Truc’s Oriental Express.  https://theberkshireedge.com/trucs-vs-foundry-soap-opera-continues-at-contentious-public-hearing/ 2. There’s an informal group in Housatonic fighting the Housatonic Water Works.  It’s called the Housatonic Clean Water Alliance.  This week a member of the alliance hired an attorney from Boston, upping

Berkshire Style is an online magazine that celebrates this richness and vitality of its architects, designers, artists and businesses who have made their mark preserving the Berkshire aesthetic

Guided by respected journalistic standards, the principle of fairness, the quest for truth, a commitment to social, economic and environmental justice, and an abiding admiration for the independent spirit of the Berkshires, The Berkshire Edge offers in-depth local news reports and features, perspectives on the arts, wide-ranging commentary, and a comprehensive calendar of events – all written, illustrated, and, in some cases performed, with wit, intelligence, insight and humor. Here are a few stories from the Edge this week: 1. It’s the Housatonic Water Works — again. The town of Great Barrington — Housatonic is a village within the town — is considering its next steps to acquire the privately owned — and troubled — water system tht serves the village of Housatonic and environs: 2. What’s Halloween without visual mischief…. in this case, area students set about to decorate Great Barrington storefront windows with ghoulish art… and the merchants are all for it… and to go along with this

Guided by respected journalistic standards, the principle of fairness, the quest for truth, a commitment to social, economic and environmental justice, and an abiding admiration for the independent spirit of the Berkshires, The Berkshire Edge offers in-depth local news reports and features, perspectives on the arts, wide-ranging commentary, and a comprehensive calendar of events – all written, illustrated, and, in some cases performed, with wit, intelligence, insight and humor. Here are a few stories from the Edge this week: 1. We have now published five parts of a seven-part series by Bill Shein that explores in great depth the housing market in the Berkshires, especially in Great Barrington.  It’s called THE DEVELOPER, and organizes the information around the story of one local developer named Ian Rasch.  Here’s a link to today’s installment: 2.Nick Simonds is bringing much needed services and education to Berkshire County with his Harm-Reduction Mobile Unit. 3. For mo

Guided by respected journalistic standards, the principle of fairness, the quest for truth, a commitment to social, economic and environmental justice, and an abiding admiration for the independent spirit of the Berkshires, The Berkshire Edge offers in-depth local news reports and features, perspectives on the arts, wide-ranging commentary, and a comprehensive calendar of events – all written, illustrated, and, in some cases performed, with wit, intelligence, insight and humor. Here are a few stories from the Edge this week: 1.  Today we started Part One of aa six part series called The Developer.  It’s written by our in-depth/investigative reporter Bill Shein who has already done a multi-part series on housing in the Berkshires.  The developer Ian Rasch emerged as a major player in that first series, and now Shein is looking at all the projects Ian Rasch is doing in the Great Barrington area, as a way to look into larger questions of development. 2. The Housatonic Water

Guided by respected journalistic standards, the principle of fairness, the quest for truth, a commitment to social, economic and environmental justice, and an abiding admiration for the independent spirit of the Berkshires, The Berkshire Edge offers in-depth local news reports and features, perspectives on the arts, wide-ranging commentary, and a comprehensive calendar of events – all written, illustrated, and, in some cases performed, with wit, intelligence, insight and humor. Here are a few stories from the Edge this week: 1. There’s a revolt stewing among the members of the 8-town planning committee in southern Berkshire County trying to come up with  strategy for consolidating educational facilities and spending: 2. Concurrently, this same 8-town committee is complaining about a lack of input from staff at the school districts and from the public: 3. The restoration of the historic A.M.E. Zion church in Great Barrington, where W.E.B. Du Bois worshipped, is moving ahead, w

Guided by respected journalistic standards, the principle of fairness, the quest for truth, a commitment to social, economic and environmental justice, and an abiding admiration for the independent spirit of the Berkshires, The Berkshire Edge offers in-depth local news reports and features, perspectives on the arts, wide-ranging commentary, and a comprehensive calendar of events – all written, illustrated, and, in some cases performed, with wit, intelligence, insight and humor. Here are a few stories from the Edge this week: 1.  We have a new director of Great Barrington libraries… Samara Klein, daughter of the well-known writer Daniel Klein: 2. The Great Barrington selectboard spent a scant 15 minutes on the issue of the Housatonic Water Works water system for the village of Housatonic, despite hundreds of Housatonic residents demonstrating outside Town Hall: 3.  Finally, after a long and weary effort, the village of Sandisfield has been designate a national historic di

Guided by respected journalistic standards, the principle of fairness, the quest for truth, a commitment to social, economic and environmental justice, and an abiding admiration for the independent spirit of the Berkshires, The Berkshire Edge offers in-depth local news reports and features, perspectives on the arts, wide-ranging commentary, and a comprehensive calendar of events – all written, illustrated, and, in some cases performed, with wit, intelligence, insight and humor. Here are a few stories from the Edge this week: 1. We have the primary election results from Berkshire County: In a closely watch race, Tim Shugrue easily defeated Andrea Harrington for the post of District Attorney, and Tom Bowler was elected sheriff. 2.  Housatonic residents are continuing their protest against the rusty water emanating from the Housatonic Water Work. There are new developments in the frustration that Housatonic residents feel against Housatonic Water Works On Thursday, Septem

1. The town of Sheffield has just concluded a 3-day celebration to honor one of its most famous residents, Elizabeth Freeman. Born a slave, she sued for her freedom in 1781, and with the help of the Sedgwick family of Stockbridge, and the Massachusetts General Court, she won it in 1781, 80 years before the Emancipation Proclamation: 2. District Attorney Andrea Harrington has been a controversial figure, since she was elected four years ago, not the least because she’s reformer and a woman. Now she’s up for re-election, and the arguments over her tenure are heating up as the Sept. 6 primary date approaches… she faces off against another Democrat, Attorney Tim Shugrue, the old-guard candidate. It should be noted that U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren has endorsed Harrington: And we should add that one of the issues she is confronting is gun violence: She’s been recognized by the national gun control organization Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America — and we should poit out that Harrington is hersel

Guided by respected journalistic standards, the principle of fairness, the quest for truth, a commitment to social, economic and environmental justice, and an abiding admiration for the independent spirit of the Berkshires, The Berkshire Edge offers in-depth local news reports and features, perspectives on the arts, wide-ranging commentary, and a comprehensive calendar of events – all written, illustrated, and, in some cases performed, with wit, intelligence, insight and humor. Here are a few stories from the Edge this week: 1. At a special meeting the Great Barrington Selectboard listed affordable housing and the predicament of the Housatonic Water Works as primary issues for the town: Indeed, the Selectboard has called for an audit of the troubled Housatonic Water Works — a relic of the days when a public utility were privately owned and maintained: 2. Meanwhile, some good news for this summer’s Berkshire cultural season: The number of COVID cases remains low: 3.