North County notes

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TIME TO BITE THE DONUTS — Josiah Southall, 8, of North Adams, left, makes short work of his treat during the “Donut on a String” game at the children’s fair recently. Donovyn Walden, 4, needed a helping hand from a friend.
Community Celebration NORTH ADAMS — Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts will host a free Community Celebration on Saturday, May 8, in the campus quadrangle from noon to 3. The event will include a wide variety of events, including a David Grover concert, activities for children, tours of the campus, college exhibits, refreshments and more. President Mary Grant will welcome visitors at noon. She said the purpose of the event is to demonstrate how many people and organizations MCLA serves as a community partner in a variety of ways. The MCLA Chorus will then take the stage for a few songs, followed by David Grover and the Big Bear Band at 1 Following the concert, campus tours will be offered, with stops at the campus television studio, fitness center, residence halls and other locations. Tables exhibiting campus offerings to the community will provide information about non-credit courses and programs, service learning, athletics, events and public safety, which will feature fingerprinting for children. Information: 662-5205. First Friday NORTH ADAMS — “First Friday” downtown will have a Mother’s Day theme on May 7 from 7 to 9 p.m. “First Friday” is celebrated monthly, combining art, music, food and specials on Main, Eagle, Marshall, Holden and Ashland streets, on the sidewalks and inside local shops. Last-minute Mother’s day gifts will be available for purchase. Entertainment for the evening will include the Main Street Stage production of “Morning, Noon, and Night,” by Williamstown playwright Christopher Newbound. Tickets are $25 for the show, with a reception to follow. Patrons can call 663-3240 for show times and information. Steeples Restaurant will host a Corona Kickoff, featuring live music from the Flatbed Jazz Band. On the other side of Main Street, Deena Smith and Nathan Knowles will perform at Saddleback Trading Post. Farther up Main, Jessica Moulton will appear at Moulton’s General Store and Stephanie Thomas will entertain at Galadriel’s. The boutique will also feature Tarot card readings. All performers will begin at 7, with the exception of Bern McWain, who will begin to play at 6 at Papyri Books. Pittsfield author Kevin O’Hara will follow McWain, telling stories from and signing copies of his recent book “Last of the Donkey Pilgrims.” Shoppers and strollers can also look for a lemonade and brownie sale and Mother’s Day baskets for sale from the Family Life Support Center. Local dentist Gene Messenger is underwriting May’s First Friday. Members of the Infinite Capacity Partnership plan events with support from the city and private sector. Information: Papyri Books, 662-2099, or the Mayors Office of Tourism and Cultural Development, 664-6180. Media discussion WILLIAMSTOWN — The Williams College Social Justice Film Series and Wellstone Civic Dialogue Project will continue twith the presentation of the new film "Independent Media in a Time of War," tonight [Thursday, May 6] at 8 in Griffin Hall, Room 4. Part scathing critique, part call to action, the 30-minute documentary by the Hudson Mohawk Independent Media Center (www.hm.indymedia.org) weaves together a speech by Amy Goodman, host of the “Democracy Now!” radio and television programs, with clips of mainstream and independent reporters in Iraq. The documentary argues that increased dialogue and alternative representations are vital to a healthy democracy. All are welcome to join the conversation about media representations and their effects on society and democracy. The event is sponsored by the Williams College Students for Social Justice. Griffin Hall is located on Main Street (Route 2) next to Thompson Chapel. Parking is available on Southworth and Spring streets or at the Williams College Museum of Art. Senior seminars FLORIDA — In recognition of Senior Center Week, May 9 through May 15, the Council on Aging will sponsor two free seminars. On May 10, from 1 to 2 p.m., Lt. David Sacco of the North Adams Police Department will present the "Yellow Dot" program, a collaborative between the department and the council which allows greater access to seniors’ vital medical information during emergencies. A packet containing the information and a recent photograph of a participating member is placed in the glove compartment of his or her car, and a Yellow Dot is affixed to the rear window, so first responders will know to look for the information. Seniors from Florida and surrounding communities who wish to participate should bring in a list of their medications or vials of medications so proper information will be available to fill out the forms. On May 12 at 10 a.m, North Adams lawyer James Sisto will present "Elder Law Education." It will focus on wills, living trusts, durable power of attorney, health-care proxies and life-support statements — who needs them, where to obtain them and how to fill them out properly. The presentation is sponsored by the state chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and the Massachusetts Bar Association. Seniors from all of North County are invited. Refreshments will be served, and lunch will be available for a $2 donation. Those planning to stay for lunch must call the senior center by May 7, 662-2811 or 663-8195. School partners CHESHIRE — Berkshire County Sheriff Carmen C. Massimiano Jr. and Cheshire Elementary School Principal Pamela St. John have announced that the Berkshire County Sheriff’s Office will become the business partner for the school and its 278 students. The partnership arrangement, which has the approval of the Cheshire Elementary School Advisory Council and the Adams-Cheshire Regional School Committee, is designed to enable the sheriff’s office to assist the school with projects and education initiatives that go beyond the standard classroom curriculum, while encouraging the students to become good citizens and neighbors by helping out in the community. “The office of sheriff is an agency with a strong history of service to the community,” said Massimiano, who is also chairman of the Pittsfield School Committee and a former teacher in the Adams School System. “Beyond our many charitable activities, we are a large employer, and we have a staff with a wealth of skills and abilities to share.” The partnership, announced in a news release last week, is part of the school district’s strategic plan, which began three years ago. Adams-Cheshire Superintendent Alfred W. Skrocki said, “To meet the needs of the students, you need a collaboration of every aspect of the community that is available. We want to have collaboration and cooperation with businesses, but it’s a two-way street. We’re seeking help, but at the same time we provide assistance to the community. Part of the benefit of this is to teach kids that community service is part of their responsibility and part of their education.” The sheriff’s office and the elementary school have already collaborated informally. Community service crews have done maintenance at the school during the summer, and sheriff’s deputies have worked with staff to update the school’s two-way radio system. The sheriff has been a classroom speaker and has led sixth graders on a tour of his office. His wife, Linda, a retired teacher, helped run a fundraiser to update the school’s library resources. The Adams/Cheshire Educational Partnership was one of 13 educational enrichment funds throughout Berkshire County that benefited from a recent $20,907 donation from Massimiano and the deputies of Berkshire County. Last December, students at the school created decorations and donated them to Massimiano to decorate a Christmas tree that was displayed in the public lobby of his office. Spring Fling NORTH ADAMS — The Blackinton Union Church on Massachusetts Avenue will host its annual Spring Fling tag and bake sale on Saturday, May 8, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Homemade Mother’s Day backed goods and attic treasures will be featured. Plant sale NORTH ADAMS — The Garden Club will hold its annual plant sale on Saturday, May 15, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at 85 Main St., rain or shine. There will be hundreds of annual plants to choose from, including impatiens, petunias, pansies, dahlias, snapdragons, geraniums, zinnias, perennials, herbs, hanging baskets and several kinds of vegetables, including tomatoes and peppers. The club will also hold a raffle during the sale. The club is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting home and civic beautification, broadening garden knowledge and skills, aiding in the protection and conservation of natural resources and encouraging education in ecology, horticulture, floriculture and landscape architecture. Profits from the sale will be used in many civic beautification projects around the city, including plantings at the American Legion and Wayside Park. Inkberry show NORTH ADAMS — Inkberry has announced the broadcast of the May episode of “Inkberry's Bookshelf.” Hosted by Executive Director Rachel Barenblat and Associate Director Tom Bernard, the show will covers topics designed for viewers interested in the arts, especially local and community arts. It will also highlight readings, workshops and events happening at Inkberry. Barenblat and Bernard will be joined by co-founder Sandy Ryan to talk about “Inklings,” Inkberry's first collection of student writing. Edited by Ryan, “Inklings” features writing by students from Inkberry's first two years of workshop programming. Inkberry plans to support the June release of the collection with a reading at its 63 Main St. headquarters on June 5, at 7:30 p.m. “Inkberry's Bookshelf” will air on Willinet Tuesday evenings at 7 throughout the month. It can also be seen on NBCTV and PCTV; check with individual stations for broadcast times. Information: 664-0775. Baby group NORTH ADAMS — The Northern Berkshire Early Intervention Program is taking registrations for its Community Baby for the spring semester. The program is held on Wednesdays from 1 to 2 p.m. for a fee of $5 per group, at 25 Marshall St. Day care is provided for siblings. The group is a program of The Brien Center. Information or to register: 662-3315. WordPlay reading NORTH ADAMS — Margaret Dietemann and her son, Stephen, will read from recent works in a celebration of the Eve of Mother's Day, at Papyri Books. The event, part of the WordPlay series of readings and discussions with local authors, will be held on Saturday, May 8, from 7 to 9 p.m. in the store, 49 Main St. Dietemann is a retired French professor and has been published in numerous journals. Her son is an architect in Hudson, N.Y., and a monthly columnist for The Artful Mind. Following the reading and discussion, there will be a short break, then a spoken word open-mike, during which community members may read their own work or the work of a writer they admire. Readings, which may be in any variety of spoken word (poems, fiction, non-fiction, etc), are limited to five minutes or less. The wine and cheese reception for the event will begin at 7. The wine is donated by The Liquor Mart. Information: 662-2099 or www.papyribooks.com . O’Hara visit NORTH ADAMS – Pittsfield author Kevin O’Hara will tell stories and sign books at Papyri Books on Friday, May 7, from 7 to 9 p.m. O'Hara will relate stories from “Last of the Donkey Pilgrims,” his recently published account of travels through Ireland. The event is part of the downtown First Friday, which includes events at various local businesses and musical entertainment from local talent throughout the downtown area. In an effort to find his life’s direction after military service, O’Hara traveled to Ireland and formed the “wonderfully daft” plan to travel through the countryside by donkey cart, which was disappearing as modern life crowded in. Among the Irish, opinion was divided, and bets were placed as to whether he was a madman or a saint. With Missy, his shaggy brown mare, O’Hara trekked 1,800 miles around Ireland. The book chronicles the characters he met and how, in the process of meeting the Irish, he discovered himself. “Last of the Donkey Pilgrims” will be available for sale at $25.95. Beginning at 6 p.m., Arlington, Vt., musician Bern McWain will entertain with what he calls "scataphonic balladeering," an eclectic mix of ragtime, Tin Pan Alley, jazz, blues and pop music. Weather permitting, he will perform on the sidewalk outside the bookstore, at 49 Main St., until 8 p.m. Information: 662-2099 or www.papyribooks.com . Corrections A photograph on Page 9 of last week’s Advocate was of Steve Love, an accountant from Bennington, Vt., who was taking part in a Toastmasters meeting. The caption incorrectly identified him as Will Ryan, the group’s leader. Also, a photograph on Page 5 mistakenly identified Lisa Tanner as one of several people from Florida receiving “Neighborly Act” awards from the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition. Marie Briscoe was pictured. Both received awards.
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Berkshire Community College Graduates Historically Large Class

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

Class valedictorian Jeremiah Reagan says he found himself at BCC in in nursing, earning his associate's degree from the program. See more photos here. 
LENOX, Mass. — The largest Berkshire Community College class in more than 10 years crossed Tanglewood's stage on Friday night.
 
It was also President Ellen Kennedy's last BCC commencement in the position, as she will step down at the end of June.
 
"It has been the greatest gift of my professional life to have been on this journey with you, all of you," Kennedy said. 
 
"Though our paths will now diverge, I know that the memories, the relationships, the moments of conflict and pain that led to new possibilities and growth, those will stay with me always." 
 
The 341 graduates in 38 programs of study earned a total of 377 awards: 218 associate degrees, and 159 certificates. This is the highest number of graduates the college has had since 2014, when it conferred awards to 362 students.
 
Graduates ranged in age from 17 to 68, and while a majority live in Massachusetts, others are from Connecticut, Kentucky, New York, Vermont, and West Virginia.
 
Travis Murach, who earned an associates degree in liberal arts, took the mic as he crossed the stage to receive his diploma to say he had been at BCC for a total of 15 years, dropped out three times, and has finally done it. 
 
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