Letter: Eleanor Sonsini Shelter Left Out

Letter to the Editor04:00PM / Thursday, July 21, 2022Print Story | Email Story

To the Editor:

So I see the story about the ground breaking for a new building for the [Berkshire] Humane Society and I can't help but wonder, 'Why are funds and news articles always going to/about the Humane Society?'

Why isn't the Sonsini Shelter given the same funds and publicity? Am I missing something? Sonsini needs a new facility, Sonsini needs funds!

Sally LeBarnes
Hinsdale, Mass.

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Taconic High Speaker Booted for Passing Out 'Political Material'

Staff Reports 04:20PM / Friday, January 30, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A guest speaker at Taconic High School was escorted out of the building after school officials said they passed around unapproved political material.

Principal Matthew Bishop sent out an email and voice message to the school community explaining some of what happened.

The event was an approved community outreach activity to write letters to veterans. The principal said the guest speaker had provided officials with the materials to be used for the activity, which were reviewed and approved.

"However, the guest speaker began distributing politically motivated materials that were not previously approved," Bishop said. "As soon as staff became aware of this, we immediately asked that guest speaker to leave. ...

"The unauthorized materials distributed today were not part of what was shared with us beforehand. This was a breach of trust and we wanted to be clear. The distribution of these materials is not endorsed by our school in any way."

Bishop did not identify who the speaker or what the unauthorized materials were. Some parents have pointed to a Turning Point USA representative and that the political material was a red wristband that says "We are Charlie Kirk."

An image posted to Facebook shows a group of male students showing off the bracelets with a woman wearing a shirt with a "Club America" logo on it. Club America is high school chapter of Turning Point, a conservative nonprofit founded Kirk.

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