Weekend Outlook: Movies, Movies, Movies & More

Staff reportsiBerkshires
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More Free Movies for the Whole Family

Both Adams and Pittsfield are continuing their free outdoor summer movie showings on Fridays. Adding to the growing area tradition is Williamstown, which will show a movie on Sunday.

Adams' "Movies Under the Stars"  on the Town Hall lawn features "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium" at 8:45 p.m. The rain date is Saturday. For more information, visit sasavings.com.

Pittsfield is also hosting its Summer Outdoor Movie Series, screening "Chicken Run" at dusk at The Common on First Street. For more information, visit pittsfield.com.

Williamstown presents "Family Flicks Under the Stars" featuring "Ghostbusters" at sundown, around 8, on Sunday at the top of Spring Street. For more information visit imagescinema.org.

Rock Out with the NBCA

The Northern Berkshire Creative Arts is holding its monthly, free Family Art Day this Saturday from 1 to 3 at Western Gateway Heritage State Park on Route 8 on North Adams. This month the NBCA presents "Rock Fest" with tie-dying, rock-painting, creating rock gardens and making love beads. Participants are asked to bring white T-shirts for tie-dying activities. 

 

The event is free and open to the public but requires registration in advance; to register call 413-663-8338 or visit www.nbcreativearts.org. Those registering are asked to leave name, phone number and number of people attending.


Immerse Yourself in Art

 

The 4th annual Pittsfield Art Show takes place this Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Lichtenstein Center for the Arts. This year, nearly 70 artists and artisans from New England and beyond will display a variety of works including ceramics, paintings, photography, sculpture jewelry, woodworking and more. The event is free to the public with a rain date the following weekend. For more information, call 413-499-9348 or visit pittsfieldartshow.org.

 

Walk Among the Dead with Paul Marino

 

Local historian Paul Marino will lead a free historical walk of Hillside Cemetery, Brown Street hill, North Adams, at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday. Hillside is North Adams' oldest municipal burial ground at 210 years old and the area's third oldest overall. The cemetery boasts residents that include an internationally famous archaeologist, a personal friend of two U.S. presidents, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives and a member of the U.S. Senate. Those interested can contact Marino at historyman@copper.net

Learn About Japanese Ceramics at the Clark

The Clark Art Institute, 225 South St., Williamstown, will host a free discussion by Louise Cort, curator for ceramics at the Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery at the Smithsonian Institution, Sunday at 3 p.m. Topic's Cort will discuss include Japanese ceramic artists' approach to clay as a raw material and as an intrinsic component of the meaning of their creations. For more information on the discussion, call 413-458-2303 or visit clarkart.edu.

Celebrate Community Day with Jacob's Pillow

Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival presents its 12th annual Community Day this Sunday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on George Carter Road in Becket. This year's theme is "Telling Dancing Stories," featuring a wide range of activities, including performances, movement workshops, games, arts and crafts, ice cream treats and an Archives Bazaar. The event is free to the public. For more information call 413-243-0745 or visit jacobspillow.org.

Buzz with the Bees this Weekend

 

This Saturday at 2 p.m., local beekeeper Tony Pisano will present a video on the history of beekeeping and will be available to answer questions, at the North Adams Museum of History and Science, Heritage State Park, Route 8, North Adams.

 

Pisano will also host a presentation on beekeeping, including an observation of a hive that will consist of two frames of live bees from one of his hives Sunday at 2, also at the park. For more information on the events call 413-664-4700, nahs@bcn.net. Or visit www.geocities.com/northadamshistory/ www.gobeekeeping.com/

If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Lanesborough Town Meeting to Vote Budget, Bylaws & Vehicle Purchases

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — Tuesday's annual town meeting includes a $14 million operating budget, new short-term rentals, accessory dwelling units and sign bylaws, and free cash article appropriations.

Voters will gather at Lanesborough Elementary School on June 9 at 6 p.m. to decide on 20 warrant articles.

The fiscal 2027 budget is up a little over 10 percent. Some of the main increases are the Mount Greylock Regional School District and McCann Technical School: the McCann assessment is up more than 30 percent based on factors including enrollment and the school renovation project, and Mount Greylock's is up 11 percent.

Article 11 is for the town to vote to approve from free cash the sum of $16,298.48 for the McCann Technical School roof and window replacement project so as not to impact the budget. Article 3 is  appropriate $7,586,284 for Mount Greylock Regional School assessment.

Another notable increase was in life and health insurance, showing an increase of about 26 percent.

Ambulance Director Jen Weber is planning 24-hour coverage, which means more staff and a hike in her budget. One of the articles asks the town to appropriate $234,100 to operate the Ambulance Enterprise Fund for salaries and expenses.

Many town departments are looking for new vehicles. The Fire Department is looking to replace its outdated 1996 fire engine. There are two articles related to the truck at a total of $813,366. Article 12 would transfer $225,000 from free cash into the Fire Truck Stabilization Fund; Article 13 would transfer $605,000 from the fund and authorize the borrowing of $208,366.08.

The total includes a $100,000 contingency cost to cover any additional costs if a 2026 model-year chassis cannot be secured before new emissions standards go into effect in 2027.

The board at its last meeting moved the $225,000 transfer to come before the borrowing article, changing the stabilization number. If the $225,000 is not voted on, then they will amend the next article's number on the floor, subtracting the $225,000. This shows the borrowing number significantly lower.

Article 17 asks for the transfer of $80,000 from free cash to replace a police cruiser.

Police Chief Rob Derksen's aim is to replace one vehicle every other year, meaning the oldest vehicle gets replaced about every 10 years. 

He stressed that if delayed this year, the town may have to double up in a future year to get back on schedule, and that paying later usually costs more. The article will ask for $80,000 from free cash, the vehicles used to be funded by the BHRD.

Lastly, the Highway Department is looking to replace a 2014 International dump truck that will be a total of $330,000 and will take two to three years to receive.

Money will be used from last year's approval of $250,000 from free cash for the replacement of a 2012 highway front-end loader that was underspent $49,261. Town meeting is being asked to approve  a transfer of $53,274.85 from free cash and the use of $227,464 from funds from the Sale of Town Real Estate to fund the balance.

Other free cash proposals include $1,200 to purchase software to support tracking and ongoing maintenance schedules of town-owned vehicles; $42,000 for the replacement of the Highway Department's storage shed roof, $200,000 to reduce the tax levy.

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