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Aerial view of a neighborhood in Puerto Rico taken in October. The island was devastated by a Category 4 hurricane on Sept. 20.

Bright Ideas Will Host Benefit for Puerto Rico

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
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NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Bright Ideas Brewery will host a benefit for Puerto Rico with an art sale and silent auction Wednesday.
 
Puerto Rican native Zorelly Cepeda Derieux watched Hurricane Maria devastate her home on the news from North Adams in September and inspired by her brother's actions, harnessed the power of the local arts and business community to help bring relief to the commonwealth.
 
"My brother and a couple of friends hosted a similar fundraiser at a bar in New York City and raised thousands for hurricane relief efforts," Cepeda Derieux said. "I figured I could do the same in North Adams. Before that, I was just sharing addresses of friends and family on the island with people who offered to help so they could send supplies, but I wanted to do something bigger."
 
Cepeda Derieux said there will be a silent auction featuring artists and fellow colleagues from North Adams and New York City.
 
There will also be an art sale featuring Colorado-based and Kidspace artist Wes Sam-Bruce and North Adams graphic designer Nicholas DuPont.
 
Cepeda Derieux added that Bright Ideas Brewing and caterer Crisp also contributed. All proceeds will go to the organization Somebody Help Us Alguien Ayudenos.
 
"It is a foundation devoted to assisting communities in their recovery efforts by installing water filtration systems, distributing medicine, helping special needs individuals and providing building materials for damaged homes," she said. 
 
The event itself will take place from 6 to 9 Wednesday night and Crisp, in addition to their usual menu, will serve Puerto Rican Arroz Mamposteao, or "dirty rice," with pork and chicken.
 
Cepeda Derieux, who is also a dance instructor, said there will also be a Puerto Rican Christmas dance party with impromptu dance lessons throughout the night.
 
Cepeda Derieux said there is still a lot of work to be done in Puerto Rico. She said over 50 percent of the island still does not have power and clean water drinking water is still scarce. 
 
In the three months since the hurricane devastated the island, residents have been dealing with lack of electricity, water and supplies, and numerous buildings and roads were significantly damaged.
 
"Many still have no homes or jobs, hospitals and senior citizens cannot get the medical help they need and municipalities are still sheltered from aid due to infrastructural damage," she said. "So if you see any news concerning Puerto Rico, talk about it with a friend, co-worker, share it on social media, anything, but stay informed."

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Clarksburg Sees Race for Select Board Seat

CLARKSBURG, Mass. — The town will see a three-way race for a seat on the Select Board in May. 
 
Colton Andrews, Seth Alexander and Bryana Malloy returned papers by Wednesday's deadline to run for the three-year term vacated by Jeffrey Levanos. 
 
Andrews ran unsuccessfully for School Committee and is former chairman of the North Adams Housing Authority, on which he was a union representative. He is also president of the Pioneer Valley Building Trades Council.
 
Malloy and Alexander are both newcomers to campaigning. Malloy is manager of industrial relations for the Berkshire Workforce Board and Alexander is a resident of Gates Avenue. 
 
Alexander also returned papers for several other offices, including School Committee, moderator, library trustee and the five-year seat on the Planning Board. He took out papers for War Memorial trustee and tree warden but did not return them and withdrew a run for Board of Health. 
 
He will face off in the three-year School Committee seat against incumbent Cynthia Brule, who is running for her third term, and fellow newcomer Bonnie Cunningham for library trustee. 
 
Incumbent Ronald Boucher took out papers for a one-year term as moderator but did not return them. He was appointed by affirmation in 2021 when no won ran and accepted the post again last year as a write-in.
 
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