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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Mount Greylock Names 2027 National Merit Commended Students

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Three high school students at Mount Greylock Regional School have been commended to the 2027 National Merit Scholarship Program.
 
Principal Jacob Schutz will present letters of commendation from the school and National Merit Scholarship Corp., which conducts the program, to Mai Dekal, Leo Slater Lee, and Kayla Miller.
 
About 34,000 commended students throughout the nation are being recognized for their exceptional academic promise. Although they will not continue in the 2027 competition for the National Merit Scholarships awards, commended students place among the top 50,000 students who entered the 2027 competition by taking the 2025 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT).
 
"Those being name Commended Students have demonstrated outstanding potential for academic success," commented a spokesperson for NMSC. "These students represent a valuable national resource; recognizing their accomplishments, as well as the key role their schools play in their academic development, is vital to the advancement of educational excellence in our nation. We hope that this recognition will help broaden their educational opportunities and encourage them as they continue their pursuit of academic success."
 
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