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Brayton Second-Graders Hear 'Yertle' for Read Across America

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The theme of "Yertle the Turtle," a bossypants king who tramples other turtles, wasn't lost on second-graders at Brayton Elementary School.

"He's a bully!" more than a few shouted when Mayor Richard Alcombright asked the children to describe the turtle who wanted to be higher than the moon.

Their sympathies lay with Mack the turtle, who kept asking Yertle to give his subjects a break as they stacked higher and higher to keep Yertle aloft. Until Mack burped, sending the tower of turtles — and Yertle — into the mud.

Rather, said one little boy, "Mack should be king because he's nice."

The afternoon reading was part of the Read Across America initiative held annually on the birthday of Springfield author Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss. It's been promoted by the National Education Association since 1997 to encourage adult leaders in the community to role model the importance of reading to schoolchildren.

Elected officials are often asked to read to students during this week, and they often choose a book by Dr. Seuss. Gov. Charlie Baker read "Green Eggs and Ham" at Kittredge School in North Andover; Pittsfield Mayor Linda Tyer and District Attorney David Capeless also read to students at Capeless Elementary.

Alcombright was invited by teaching assistant Cheryl Witherell. Brayton teacher Tracy Piekos said a lot of community members had been coming in to read to the children, including "lots of mommies and daddies."

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.