North Adams Man Catches 23-Pound Bass in Tourney

North Adams resident Andrew Bostwick shows off the 23.12-pound bass he caught in the Hudson River in Troy, N.Y., that netted him second place in the Ale House Striped Bass Tournament on Saturday, May 3.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Andrew Bostwick was 10 minutes away from glory.

Instead, he had to settle for $700 and more than 20 pounds of fish to deep-fry in beer batter.

Bostwick, a North Adams native, participated in the ninth annual Ale House Striped Bass Tournament in Troy, N.Y., on Saturday. Last year, his first attempt in the tournament, one of his boat-mates came in third. This year, he came in second — after leading most of the tournament.

Recounting the scene on Monday, Bostwick said he had the biggest fish — a 23.12-pounder that was 36.25 inches long — until right near the end of the contest, when he watched Bill Peaslee of West Sand Lake, N.Y., reel in a 32.1-pounder that was 41 inches long.

"I was like, are you kidding me?" Bostwick said Monday when he came into the iBerkshires office to show off his pictures, sporting several fish tattoos on his arms and an appropriate "Sharks" ballcap on his head.

Cost, Access to NBCTC High Among Concerns North Berkshire Residents

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
06:15PM / Thursday, April 25, 2024

Adams Select Chair Christine Hoyt, NBCTC Executive Director David Fabiano and William Solomon, the attorney representing the four communities, talk after the session. 

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Public access channels should be supported and made more available to the public — and not be subject to a charge.

 

More than three dozen community members in-person and online attended the public hearing  Wednesday on public access and service from Spectrum/Charter Communications. The session at City Hall was held for residents in Adams, Cheshire, Clarksburg and North Adams to express their concerns to Spectrum ahead of another 10-year contract that starts in October.

 

Listening via Zoom but not speaking was Jennifer Young, director state government affairs at Charter.

 

One speaker after another conveyed how critical local access television is to the community and emphasized the need for affordable and reliable services, particularly for vulnerable populations like the elderly. 

 

"I don't know if everybody else feels the same way but they have a monopoly," said Clarksburg resident David Emery. "They control everything we do because there's nobody else to go to. You're stuck with with them."

 

Public access television, like the 30-year-old Northern Berkshire Community Television, is funded by cable television companies through franchise fees, member fees, grants and contributions.

 

Spectrum is the only cable provider in the region and while residents can shift to satellite providers or streaming, Northern Berkshire Community Television is not available on those alternatives and they may not be easy for some to navigate. For instance, the Spectrum app is available on smart televisions but it doesn't include PEG, the public, educational and governmental channels provided by NBCTC.