Letter: Cities Not Looking for 'Holiday' Trees

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To the Editor:

The cities of N Adams and Pittsfield are NOT looking for holiday trees. They ARE looking for Christmas trees. Why? Well, Jews don't celebrate Hanukkah with a tree, they light a menorah (Hanukkah isn't even a holiday that is remotely like Christmas, but is equated with it because of it's proximity on the calendar), and as far as I know there is no Muslim holiday that uses a tree to represent the holiday.

I'm Jewish, and am fine with the Christmas tree in Park Square. it's not my holiday — but it is the holiday celebrated by most of the 98 percent of Berkshire County that is not Jewish. I wish my Christian brethren a peaceful and joyful Christmas and hope the tree that is selected for Christmas this year is as beautiful as ever.

Dave Pill
Pittsfield, Mass. 

 


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Lanesborough FinCom Chair Resigns After Warrant Approval

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — With a new fiscal year comes new leadership for the Finance Committee.

Chair Jodi-Lee Szczepaniak-Locke officially resigned on Monday and the panel decided that Vice Chair Stephen Wentworth would assume leadership for the time being.  

A few months ago, Szczepaniak-Locke announced that she would be vacating her post and the committee after the FY25 budget season. On Monday the committee endorsed draft warrant articles for the annual town meeting, its last responsibilities before the close of the fiscal year.

The former chair was brief in her departure, confirming her resignation and leaving, but has previously stated that the decision came from an attendance issue with a member not being resolved.  

"I believe in truth and honesty and a lot of you know me and you've known me for years and that's what I think is the most important thing," she said to the Select Board in February.

"So you all can have at this. I am done and I wish you all the best of luck but it's not worth it. It's not worth it to me to participate in this anymore."

Town Administrator Gina Dario clarified that the warrant articles are being finalized and it is possible that numbering could change.

"Certainly, we do not anticipate any changes of a financial impact and nor do we expect any new articles entering the current warrant," she said.

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