Police Caution Residents To Avoid Black Bears

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This bear wandered back into woods but hadn't left the immediate neighborhood around Brayton School by Friday evening.
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Black bears have been coming closer to homes around the region this spring. The most recent siting has been near Brayton Elementary School over past few days. 

Neighbors in the area reported seeing the bear in the brook behind the school and he (most likely) was spotted on Friday in a tree near the Northern Berkshire YMCA.

Police are urging people to stay calm if they see a bear and to back away from it slowly.  Black bears are not particularly hostile but can be dangerous if frightened, or over food or cubs.

Bears are attracted by food, so police say:

• Never feed bears and make sure no food, dirty grills, bird feeders (bring them in at night) or accessible trash containers are around to attract them, especially at night. Garbage containers should be frequently washed with a disinfectant solution to remove odors.

• For those with fruit or nut trees, removing fallen fruit or nuts will minimize bear activity in your yard.

The department has more information on its Facebook page.


Tags: bears,   wild animals,   

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2025 YEAR IN SPORTS: Mount Greylock Girls Track Was County's Top Story

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires Staff
Mount Greylock Regional School did not need an on-campus track to be a powerhouse.
 
But it did not hurt.
 
In the same spring that it held its first meets on its new eight-lane track, Mount Greylock won its second straight Division 6 State Championship to become the story of the year in high school athletics in Berkshire County.
 
"It meant so much this year to be able to come and compete on our own track and have people come here – especially having Western Mass here, it's such a big meet,"Mounties standout Katherine Goss said at the regional meet in late May. "It's nice to win on our own track.”
 
A week later at the other end of the commonwealth, Goss placed second in the triple jump and 100-meter hurdles and third in the 400 hurdles to help the Mounties finish nearly five points ahead of the field.
 
Her teammates Josephine Bay, Cornelia Swabey, Brenna Lopez and Vera de Jong ran circles around the competition with a nine-second win in the 4-by-800 relay. And the Mounties placed second in the 4-by-400 relay while picking up a third-place showing from Nora Lopez in the javelin.
 
Mount Greylock's girls won a third straight Western Mass Championship on the day the school's boys team claimed a fourth straight title. At states, the Mounties finished fifth in Division 6.
 
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