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North Adams Movieplex Holds 'Five For Free' Food Drive

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
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NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The North Adams Movieplex will host its annual "Five for Free" food drive on Thursday.
 
Theater officials say its a great way to get into the holiday spirit by helping those in need and enjoying some time at the movies.
 
"It helps the community and we don't want to just be in the community, we want to be part of the community," theater manager Scott Ingalls said. "Especially this time of a year when people need it."
 
Ingalls said those who bring in five nonperishable food items on Thursday between 3:30 and 7:30 p.m. will be admitted to the movie of their choice.
 
"People can just come in and bring five nonperishable food items," he said. "They choose the movie of their choice and we let them in and they enjoy the movie."
 
Ingalls said people can donate Wednesday or Thursday and receive a large popcorn if they aren't interested in watching a movie. 
 
All the food collected will be given to the Berkshire Dream Center, a religious charitable organization that operates a food pantry at Living Hope Community Church on River Street.
 
"We are happy to partner with the Dream Center and they do a great job," he said. "They disperse it to local families in need." 
 
Ingalls said the North Adams Movieplex has held this holiday food drive for the past seven years and is dedicated to serving the community — especially around the holidays.
 
"Everybody needs something and we want to give back and do what we can do," he said. "People are especially in need here and we want to help."
 

Tags: food drive,   holiday story,   

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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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