Williamstown's Ali Fedotowsky took a powder on Monday night, ending the latest Berkshire connection to reality TV.  She stayed long enough, however, to get Williamstown some screen time when her bachelor stopped at the Village Beautiful to meet family

While the iBerkshires staff didn't get a chance to watch the almost-rose ceremony (working on real news, not reality news), we hear she ended her run on "The Bachelor" on her own terms.  Well, in a manner of speaking anyway.

The advertising accounts manager was reportedly told to get back to work by her boss (great advertising there, FACEBOOK). With Bachelor Jake unable (because of his network contract) or unwilling (because, hey, magic phone) to pledge his troth with four potential brides left, Ali took the high road back to San Fran.

Fedotowsky's decision may have been forced by circumstance; Pamela Ptak's auffing from "Project Runway" a couple weeks ago was forced by her decision to turn a potato sack - into denim.

The judges liked the blue coloring of her strapless dress but were less than whelmed by its plain blue-jeans style. The Pittsfield native ended up being the second designer "out."

Color us disappointed. We were rooting for Ptak to go further. But you can see some of what might have been at www.pamelaptak.com.

Want to walk Rome's Appian Way  or glide along the Venetian waterways? Have we got a trip for you!

North Adams Regional Hospital's Recreation Committee is opening up its 10-day trip to Italy in the fall to community members.

The escorted tour includes visits to Rome, Florence, Venice, and other destinations and runs from Tuesday, Oct. 12, through Friday, Oct. 22.

The price is $3,056 per person, double occupancy; it's $3,776 if you're going alone but $2,891 if you can find two friends to share the room.

The price includes roundtrip flight; transportation to and from the airport here in the U.S.; full breakfast each day; seven dinners, including four special dinners with entertainment; transportation within Italy via luxury motor coach; many side trips, including walking tours of Rome, Venice and Florence, admission to the Accademia in Florence, the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City and more; and accommodations in four-star hotels (including the Grand Plaza in Venice, the Grand Hotel Baglioni in Florence, and the Cicerone Hotel in Rome).

For information on the trip and to reserve a spot, contact Lisa Pisano at 413-664-5405; Paul Kulp in the NARH Human Resources department at 413-664-5304 or Darlene Blanchette in the Quality Department at 413-664-5096.

Ciao!

NORTH ADAMS,  Mass. — Solar enthusiasts and citizens looking to try renewable energy will be happy to note the state's pouring more money into a popular rebate program solar panels.

How popular? Well, the $68 million Commonwealth Solar fund ran out of money in 22 months and it was supposed to last three to four years.

According to The Boston Globe, the Department of Energy Resources has fast-tracked a new, albeit less flush, program that will pump some $4 million a year to homeowners and businesses across the state for solar projects that generate up to 5 kilowatts of energy.

Even better, there's no sun set, or end, date to this program. Instead, it's based on the hope that now pricey solar systems — averaging $33,500 — will drop in cost as they become more commonplace.

Don't forget the governor's set a goal of the state generating 250 megawatts of solar energy by 2017.

There are a few solar-system installers in the area and more Berkshire businesses are looking skyward, despite the recent gray skies. Country Curtains was the most recent.

You can find more on state and federal incentives for solar at the DSIRE site here.

Williams College abruptly canceled a return visit by the Congressional Black Caucus on Friday, just days after discovering its organizer was in hot water in Washington.

Visiting political science professor Bernard Moore turns out to be Ernest B. Moore, whose trail of fraud goes back nearly a quarter century.  He admitted Tuesday in federal court of taking more than $800,000 over the past five years in credit card and student aid fraud. Moore had 90 (!) fake credit cards.

The Williams Record did a terrific job of digging into Moore's past here. Moore, who came across as a personable sort when  we talked to him last year, apparently has real academic degrees - just under fake names.

Moore's been teaching in the political science and African Studies programs for two years and was instrumental in bringing the Congressional Black Caucus to Williams last year. The roundtable discussion packed Chapin Hall; Gov. Deval Patrick was there as well.

In an e-mail sent early Friday afternoon, the college's public affairs office said:

"The symposium with members of the Congressional Black Caucus scheduled for Monday, Nov. 16, has had to be postponed.  The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation and the College will reschedule a similar event on campus in the near future."

Moore's been suspended indefinitely (his bio is still posted here) and faces up to 41 months in prison when he's sentenced in February.

Update 11/14/2009: A reader sends us this link from the Office of the Inspector General, Department of Education, which seems to indicate Moore never actually earned a bachelor's degree.

Update 11/16/2009: The Ephblog has also been digging into Moore's past and the current situation at Williams, where posters say his names been removed from his office door but that the rules in the faculty handbook say he may still be getting paid under the current suspension.

One poster on the Ephblog also says pictures of Moore are scarce as hen's teeth. We've posted a portrait shot and here's one of him with Jim Brown taken recently by our eagle-eyed photographer Paul Guillotte:

Update 11/17/2009: Professor Moore was fired effective Monday, Nov. 16, according to a letter to the Williams community. Interim President William Wagner said their was no evidence Moore had serioulsy misused college resources.

Update Nov. 26, 2009: The Williams Record talks with some of Moore's students, who describe a disengaged instructor with a tendency to name drop but who also was a helpful mentor to some.