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NBCC Hosts Forum on Youth and Substance Abuse

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NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Northern Berkshire Community Coalition is sponsoring a forum on marijuana and substance abuse on Tuesday, Nov. 1, at 6 p.m. at Massachusetts college of Liberal Arts' Church Street Center.  

The event is free and open to the public; pizza will be served at 5:45 p.m.

"Alcohol, Marijuana, and Opioids: What Parents Need to Know" will address the impact of alcohol, marijuana and opioids on a young person's brain and will be presented by Dr. Jennifer Michaels, medical director of the Brien Center,

It will be followed by questions from the audience and the discussion will include the viewpoint of several community panelists including Dr. Kathryn Wiseman of Northern Berkshire Pediatrics; Mayor Richard Alcombright; Jessica Sweeney, director of new teen center Roots; interim Superintendent Robert Putnam of Adams-Cheshire Regional School District; Wendy Penner, director of prevention and wellness at Northern Berkshire Community Coalition; and others.



Experts say those who begin experimenting with alcohol and other substances when they are young experience a much greater risk of developing a substance use disorder. The longer youth delay substance use, the more likely they are to experience a life free from addiction. "It's important to think about what parents can do to foster healthy decisions during this critical time period for our youth," said Michaels.
 
The event is coordinated by the NBCC as part of its NB21 program to prevent youth substance use.
 


Tags: community forum,   marijuana,   Opioid abuse,   substance abuse,   

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Macksey Updates on Eagle Street Demo and Myriad City Projects

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff

The back of Moderne Studio in late January. The mayor said the city had begun planning for its removal if the owner could not address the problems. 
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Moderne Studio building is coming down brick by brick on Eagle Street on the city's dime. 
 
Concerns over the failing structure's proximity to its neighbor — just a few feet — means the demolition underway is taking far longer than usual. It's also been delayed somewhat because of recent high winds and weather. 
 
The city had been making plans for the demolition a month ago because of the deterioration of the building, Mayor Jennifer Macksey told the City Council on Tuesday. The project was accelerated after the back of the 150-year-old structure collapsed on March 5
 
Initial estimates for demolition had been $190,000 to $210,000 and included asbestos removal. Those concerns have since been set aside after testing and the mayor believes that the demolition will be lower because it is not a hazardous site.
 
"We also had a lot of contractors who came to look at it for us to not want to touch it because of the proximity to the next building," she said. "Unfortunately time ran out on that property and we did have the building failure. 
 
"And it's an unfortunate situation. I think most of us who have lived here our whole lives and had our pictures taken there and remember being in the window so, you know, we were really hoping the building could be safe."
 
Macksey said the city had tried working with the owner, who could not find a contractor to demolish the building, "so we found one for him."
 
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