HEARD OR SEEN: AddAWA (Add a Word a Week) — Groping, adj.,gerund: Feeling about, searching about blindly or uncertainly. …The cost-saving plan without cutting any teacher's job, is heartening, but district-wide reorganization of our two one-school districts, proposed by Superintendent Mark Piechota (and at least one of his predeccessors) is more key ...Pleased to learn that Jessy Park's rendition of “Brooklyn Bride #2 With Horizontal Rainbow†will be represented in the 11th Pure Vision Arts Fair being held in New York City Jan. 23 to 25. The event embraces works of self-taught/Outsider artists.
BURNED OUT: Usually, beginning this column is relatively easy, since I can choose from many ideas that I have jotted down from time to time. But this week they all were crowded out by one topic: SWNMNBUITC (She Whose Name Must Never Be Mentioned in This Column) and I are homeless! Our Berkshire Drive home for the past 20 years is a charred hulk, waiting to be demolished. ...It was 10:10 am. We were returning from a two-week visit with our son Mark in Prescott, Ariz. Halfway down Colonial Avenue, our way was blocked by vehicles, including fire trucks from Williamstown, Clarksburg, Pownal and Pownal Valley. Despite the terrible cold, the firefighters were tireless. They wrapped us in blankets. They did a great job, but the fire was too far advanced
It seems that our heating system had failed on Monday and was restarted that day by repairmen. On Thursday, our housekeeper Carolyn Mullen reported lack of heat. The repairmen returned and diagnosed frozen pipes. They used a thawing unit that apparently started a fire in the second-floor eaves. During the early stages of the fire, one of the repairmen applogized sorrowfully to me. I wish I had consoled him more kindly. Chris Casey from our insurance company, Gallup-Dickey, was extremely responsive and clear with us.
Here's where Williamstown comes in. The home of John and Judy Madden became our HQ that day and the next. While the fire was still raging, Bridget and Steve Hannock, neighbors from Colonial Village, offered us a condominium that is vacant till May. Since then, friends have offered us their home for the summer. Countless calls have come offering help, really too many to mention. Our friends have cooked for us, some really gourmet meals. Carl Faulkner called to say we are welcome to eat and stay at the Williams Inn. The Jericho Inn called with a similar offer. We have been warmed by the gifts of plants and winter clothes, lots of fleece and even Ernie Brundage's fur hat!
Not long ago someone heard me extolling the virtues of Williamstown, and interrupted to say, "You'll never leave Williamstown, will you?" My answer was "Why should I?" The generous outpouring of support is a touching reminder of why we live here. We are already sketching plans to rebuild our house in the town we have been lucky to call home for over 50 years and with the people who make Williamstown a special community.
Thank you, everyone.
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Stockbridge Grange Community Dinner
STOCKBRIDGE, Mass. — The Stockbridge Grange is holding a community dinner on Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026, featuring spaghetti and meatballs, salad, and bread with dessert choices of chocolate cream or lemon meringue pie.
Dinner is $17.00 per person, take out only with 12-1:30 pm pick up at the Stockbridge Grange Hall at 51 Church Street, Stockbridge. Orders may be made by calling 413-243-1298 or 413-443-4352.
The Hoosac Valley Hurricanes boys basketball team used a fast start to claim the Western Massachusetts Class D title with a 62-47 win over the Mount Everett Eagles. click for more
Shane Faucher scored 18 points. Sammy Bullett added 14, and Connor Hinkell and Brayden Durant added 13 and 11, respectively, as Drury won its 11th straight game, improved to 19-2 and captured its first Western Mass title since 2023. click for more
The Holyoke wrestling team Saturday took the final two championship bouts to pull away for the title by a 12-point margin over Mount Greylock at the Western Massachusetts Division 3 Championships. click for more
The Wildcats marched 84 yards in a drive that consumed 11 minutes, 17 seconds of the third quarter for a critical touchdown in a 48-36 win over Boston’s Cathedral High in the quarter-finals of the Division 8 Tournament. click for more
