North Adams Advises Masking Indoors Regardless of Vaccine Status

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NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Local public health officials are advising that all residents wear face coverings indoors regardless of vaccination status because of the dramatic increase in COVID-19 transmission. 
 
The joint public health advisory was issued Monday by the North Adams Board of Health and the Office of the Mayor and is effective immediately.
 
"The recent increase in positive COVID-19 cases in the City of North Adams and other communities, including among vaccinated residents, coupled with concerns regarding new COVID-19 variants reminds us of the continuing need for caution in the face of the COVID-19 virus," the release states. "As of [Thursday, Dec. 2], transmission rates are increasing in Berkshire County and the City of North Adams has experienced an increase in cases locally in the past weeks, with further positivity rates anticipated following the Thanksgiving holiday."
 
North Adams registered a positivity rate of 73.2 per 100,000 people, and averaged nearly 10 new cases a day for the two weeks ending Nov. 27. The city's 14-day average positivity rate on Thursday (when the weekly numbers are posted by the state) was 6.76 percent compared to 3.6 percent for the entire state.
 
This recommendation is advisory only and does not constitute a public health mandate and is applicable to anyone in North Adams under the age of 5, who is eating or drinking, or who has a medical or disabling condition that impedes communication or that makes the wearing of a mask difficult. Masking is still required on public transportation, schools, health care facilities, and municipal buildings. Privately owned venues and businesses may also require masking. 
 
Residents are also advised to continue the evidence-based mitigation strategies and public health guidance to limit the risk of infection and community spread. These including social distancing; washing hands often with soap and warm water; avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth; cleaning frequently touched items with household sprays or wipes; covering the mouth when coughing or sneezing; staying home if sick; and getting vaccinated. 
 
Anyone developing any symptoms associated with COVID-19 should stay home and schedule a test. Symptoms may appear two to 14 days after exposure to the virus. People with these symptoms may have COVID-19:
  • Fever or chills or shaking chills
  • Persistent cough
  • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
  • New loss of taste or smell
  • Muscle or body aches
In addition, if you have any combination of the symptoms below please contact your healthcare provider regarding the potential of a COVID-19 infection:
  • Headache
  • Fatigue
  • Sore throat
  • Congestion or runny nose
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Diarrhea
Look for emergency warning signs for COVID-19. If someone is showing any of these signs, seek emergency medical care immediately:
  • Trouble breathing
  • Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
  • New confusion
  • Inability to wake or stay awake
  • Bluish lips or face
 

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Main & Mill: A Vibrant New Restaurant on Main Street

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — You can now enjoy another eatery on Main Street by well-known restaurant siblings Colleen and Sean Taylor.

Their restaurant Main & Mill opened for the first time Tuesday, bringing their vision of creating something vibrant and new to downtown North Adams.

"We have created Main & Mill to be part of our day. It's very seasonal ingredients, thoughtful cooking, beauty, beautiful presentation and dishes. And we really wanted to be part of the community, the downtown area, and start a vibrant area on this end, which has been shuttered for a while," said Colleen.

The building is owned by Ginko on Main Street LLC, which has granted 20 years exclusive possession of the property to Latent Builds as the developer. Jack and Suzy Wadsworth, behind Ginko, are development partners with Karla Rothstein and Salvatore Perry of Latent.

The bank closed in early 2021 and was purchased by Ginko late that year. Plans for the property unveiled three years ago envisioned a restaurant, retail, a park and rooftop bar. 

Colleen saw potential and said she initially wanted the building when it first went up for sale. Being good friends with Rothstein and Perry, she helped them design the kitchen and the bar before learning in March that she could lease it as a restaurant space, something she told them would be a great idea.

She said one of the most important things about the restaurant was the collaboration between Rothstein, Perry, and the Wadsworths, who put a lot of time and energy into the building.

"If Sean and I had done it, we would not be able to do what the collaboration supported. The collaboration of the three of us being able to really have that kind of money to put in down here. The design that the architecture firm that Carla and Sal own is stunning," she said. "The time and effort, everyone came together to do this in a really trusting manner."

The two wanted the restaurant to be an all-day venture, so people could eat at any point throughout the day, all week long.

"We wanted it to be open for coffee and socialization in the morning where people can meet, have their cup of coffee, have a quiche, a vegetarian quiche, or croissant or yogurt. Something intentional with their coffee," she said. "Then move into a lunchtime for the downtown business or anybody, and then go into supper, dinner, with drinks later into the evening. So have it really be open all day long, so that there wasn't a void on any particular day."

They also wanted to do something different than the other restaurants they owned.

"We didn't want to mimic any other restaurant in town. We wanted to bring something that was inspiring, something that had some familiar things that people would see, and other things that we would bring to them for them to experience," she said.

As a woman business owner, Colleen said she wanted to bring a female chef into the kitchen. 

Colleen brought on Chef Anna DeRose, who she said puts twists on a lot of her dishes.

"So we have a creme brulee, but our creme brulee is topped with marshmallow," she said. "Our creme brulee is like almost two desserts in one. It's a s'mores creme brulee. So you could have a s'mores, and you could have a creme brulee - but when you put both of them together, fireworks go off."

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