St. Stanislaus School benefit, 9 to 4 in Kolbe Hall, Adams. Bake sale, snack bar, games, Chinese auctions, money raffle, crafts, and pierogi.
Blackinton Union Church, 1373 Massachusetts Ave., North Adams; 10 to 2. Crafts table, bake sale, Chinese auction, the Christmas table, and kid's grab bag. Lunch $4, $2 kids.
First Congregational Church, North Adams, 9-2.
Nov. 28 Becket Federated Church, Route 8, holiday bazaar from 9-3. Lunch, crafts, baked goods, holiday and other items. Information: Mary Peltier, Parish House, 413-623-5217.
Dec. 5
Holiday Fair at First Congregational Church, 25 Park Place, Lee, from 10 to 3; handcrafted items, raffles, children's shop, bake sale, cut Christmas trees and lunch from 11 to 1. Includes angel-themed goods from SERRV. Information, 413-243-1033 or www.ucc-lee.org.
Dec. 12-13
North Adams Country Club, crafts 9-4; food from That's a Wrap from 11-2. Information: Sheryl Morehouse at 413-822-3329.
Planning a bazaar this season? Submit information to info@iberkshires.com to have it listed here.
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Mammography Dispute The government's issued controversial new guidelines stating that women shouldn't get annual mammograms until age 50, rather than age 40.
iBerkshires will be meeting with local medical experts Monday. Have a question you'd like answered on this issue? Send it info@iberkshires.com with "mammogram" in the subject line.
By Tammy Daniels iBerkshires Staff 02:03PM / Thursday, January 29, 2009
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The City Council approved an ordinance change regulating taxi drivers on Tuesday night, but not without some confusion.
Two of the council's subcommittees — Public Safety and General Government — had input into the ordinance, which covers the qualifications of taxi drivers.
"We had an unusual circumstance in which a driver was denied a license although he had had one before," said City Councilor Ronald Boucher, chairman of the Public Safety Committee.
In addition to outdated language, redundancies and contradictions, the ordinance used the state's qualifications for a firearms identification card and license to carry as criteria to drive a taxi — qualifications that have become increasing stricter over the years.
"Those have changed at the state level, and have added offenses to the inability to get those licenses that we think shouldn't keep people from getting a taxi license," said Councilor Lisa Blackmer.
A potential taxi driver would still have to have a clean driving record here or in another state over the past six years, and not have two driving violations or license revocations in a lifetime. He or she also can't have a violent felony conviction, an outstanding warrant, a no-contact restraining order or be taking medicinal drugs that may hamper his or her driving ability.
Instead of using the FID criteria, the language was changed to give the North Adams police director or his designee final determination over the taxi driver's qualifications.
Police Director Michael Cozzaglio and police Lt. David Sacco attended two Public Safety meetings to review the language and offer suggestions.
Blackmer said the committee had learned from Sacco that a drunken driving conviction would disqualify someone from getting an FID - no matter when that conviction had occurred.
"If you had an operating under an influence six years ago and you haven't had another offense, then the Public Safety Committee and the Police Department feel that you should be able to get a taxi license," she said.
Councilor Gailanne Cariddi, chairman of the General Government Committee, submitted language to clarify and broaden the flexibility of the Police Department in such matters.
However, modifying and amending last-minute language changes was confusing enough to prompt Councilor Clark Billings to say "let's send this back to committee and get it right."
The ordinance passed to a second reading and publication by a vote of 8-1, with Billings the lone opponent.
The council also approved two applications for taxi drivers: Jennifer Atwell of Adams to drive for Lori Smith and William Goudreau of North Adams to drive for Candy Tripodes.
President Alan Marden continued the councilors' committee and liasion assignment through 2009 with no changes.
Billings brought up a concern of an "irate constituent" that the city had not had an electronics waste collection in some time.
Hack,
The 10% unemployment is a national problem. The city council isn't going to cure it, nor is our new President. The NA City Council doesn't make all that much money. They all deserve much more credit than they ever get here. They donate more time to the city than some residents work. Business comes across their table, and has to be dealt with. Grab your crayons and go back to your room.
from: work
on: 02-04-2009
so, the illustrious and talented north adams city council had nothing better to do than waste one of their 24 or so meetings talking about criteria to be a taxi driver? who said unemployment is pushing 10% in the city? apparently none of those idiots got the memo. priorities boys and girls, priorities! in case you haven't noticed the ship is sinking!
