Four Arrested After Shoplifting, Police Chase In South County

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GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — Four people were arrested on Shoplifting and other charges as part of joint investigation between the Lee, Stockbridge and Great Barrington Police Departments.
 
On Dec. 28  at approximately 7:30 p.m., three people entered Berkshire Liquors on Housatonic Street in Lee. They grabbed armfuls of alcohol products and immediately fled the store without paying. The suspects entered a dark colored SUV with unknown New York tags and fled the area prior to Lee Officers arriving on scene. 
 
A Be On The Look Out (BOLO) with basic vehicle description was put out to area law enforcement agencies. 
 
A short time later, a similar incident occurred at Domaney's Liqours on Main Street in Great Barrington, where three people again entered the store, grabbed armfuls of alcohol products and fled the store with-out paying. This time, a partial New York license plate was obtained by a witness as the same described SUV fled the scene. 
 
Updated BOLO information was put out to area law enforcement. A short time later, an Officer from the Stockbridge Police Department observed a vehicle matching the description traveling east on East Main Street in Stockbridge. The Stockbridge Officer attempted to stop this vehicle. 
 
The vehicle initially failed to stop and entered the town of Lee. The vehicle did eventually stop but only after reaching the dead-end section of Quarry Hill Road in Lee. 
 
Officers from the Lee, Great Barrington, Lenox and Massachusetts State Police responded to the scene of the motor vehicle Stop. Investigators from the Stockbridge, Lee and Great Barrington Police Departments conducted immediate preliminary investigation on scene. 
 
As a result, the Stockbridge Police Department arrested the vehicle operator, identified as Nyzaiah Williams, age 18, New York, N.Y. for; Unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, Failure to stop for Police, Unlawful attachment of license plates, Negligent operation of a motor vehicle and Receiving Stolen Property.
 
Three additional vehicle occupants were arrested by the Great Barrington Police Department for Shoplifting over $250.00. Of these three; one individual was identified as a 16-year-old juvenile, one individual was identified as a 17-year-old juvenile and the third was is identified as Albert L Alexis, age 23 of New York, N.Y. 
 
Two additional occupants in the vehicle were released without charges. Officers observed a large number of liquor bottles
and possibly other stolen items in the involved vehicle. 
 
The investigation is still ongoing and being jointly conducted by Investigators from the three primary involved Agencies. The vehicle was impounded and a search warrant has been sought. In addition to the arrests and charges from the Stockbridge and Great Barrington Police Department, charges are also pending from the Lee Police Department.
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Simon's Rock Awarded Freedom to Read Grant

GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — Bard College at Simon's Rock was awarded a Freedom to Read Grant by the Newburger Schwartz Family Foundation. 
 
The grant was awarded to support the Alumni Library and Bard Queer Leadership Project in building a more robust collection of queer scholarship, starting a Queer Book Club, and hosting Drag Story Time events in partnership with Drag Story Hour of the Berkshires.
 
According to a press release:
 
In response to current educational threats with book bans affecting schools and libraries across the country and further proposed legislation against LGBTQ+ people's access to basic rights and education, Simon's Rock is actively seeking to create inclusive and equitable spaces for queer individuals. 
 
The Bard Queer Leadership Project and Alumni Library will utilize the grant funding to expand the library's current collection of queer books in order to fully enable the longevity of the Queer Book Club and the Bard Queer Leadership Project. The Queer Book Club will be an intergenerational space, open to local middle school students through rainbow seniors and will partner with local community organizations, to discuss queer books and learn about LGBTQ+ issues and experiences. Bard Queer Leadership Project students will eventually help lead this initiative as part of their leadership project training. 
 
The Queer Book Club will host their first meeting on April 6 at 3:00 p.m. at the Alumni Library, with following meetings on April 27 and May 11. This semester, the selected books are "Obie is Man Enough" and "He/She/They," both by Schuyler Bailar, inspirational speaker and first openly transgender NCAA Division swimmer, who was a guest speaker in the inaugural Queer Leaders Vision Forum in fall 2023 at Simon's Rock. Schuyler Bailar will return to campus for a book signing and pool party at the Kilpatrick Athletic Center on April 19 at 7:00 p.m. Participants in the Queer Book Club will receive a free copy of either book of their choice. 
 
The first Drag Story Time will be on Saturday, March 30 at 2:00 p.m. at the Simon's Rock Alumni Library and is open to all LGBTQ+ affirming individuals. The event is in partnership with Drag Story Hour of the Berkshires with local drag queens JV and Poppy DaBubbly. The second Drag Story Time will be Saturday, April 27 with drag queen Poppy DaBubbly and drag king Sativo Green.
 
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