POSTPONED: Internet Safety Presentation Set at Drury High

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The District Attorney's Office announced Thursday that that the Internet Safety Presentation will be postponed until March because of the recent spike in COVID-19 cases.
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Originally Published on Jan. 3, 2022, at 4:00 pm 
 
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Berkshire District Attorney's Office, U.S. Attorney's Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Massachusetts State Police, Northern Berkshire Community Coalition, and North Adams Public Schools are teaming up to provide parents, caregivers, and educators a presentation on how to best protect children from online exploitation.
 
The law enforcement agencies will give a presentation at Drury High School on Wednesday, Jan. 12. The Berkshire Food Project is providing dinner prior to the event starting at 5:45 p.m. The Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts and Williams College will provide free child care to those who request it.
 
The organizations request that those interested in attending RSVP to Stephanie Puc at the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition at 413-663-7588 or spuc@nbccoalition.org by Friday, Jan. 7. Participants can indicate if they would like child care.
 
"Our children now spend an enormous amount of time online where they can be vulnerable to exploitation. This presentation gives parents and educators the tools they need to ensure that our youth are safe and secure," District Attorney Andrea Harrington said. "I thank all of our partners for their expertise and effort to put this presentation together. The Northern Berkshire community truly embodies the concept of taking a village to raise a healthy and safe child."
 
The topics include internet safety, social media 101, digital footprints, online gaming, cyberbullying, sexting, sextortion, and protection against online predators.
 
The speakers are Chief of the Berkshire District Attorney's Office's Child Abuse Unit Stephanie Ilberg, Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex Grant, FBI Child Exploitation Task Force Officer Danielle Rex, State Police Troopers Deshawn Brown and Andy Canata, and U.S. Attorney's Office Victim Witness Specialist Lauryn Myers.
 
District Attorney Andrea Harrington and North Adams Public Schools Superintendent Barbara Malkas will provide opening remarks.

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Letter: North Adams Parking Survey

Letter to the Editor

To the Editor:

I am inviting North Adams residents and visitors to take part in a citizen-developed survey about parking in our city. As a new resident, I was surprised to learn about the winter nighttime parking ban only after receiving a ticket. My appeal was denied, despite the fact that the ban was not proactively communicated. Information online is scattered, and enforcement dates appear inconsistent. In five other Massachusetts communities where I have lived, I never encountered a total winter parking ban.

Conversations with neighbors and local friends suggest that communication failures are a recurring issue for drivers here. From parking meters without posted enforcement hours, to Mass MoCA event parking, to the winter overnight ban, residents and visitors alike are left confused. To encourage better communication, I believe tickets issued without clear notice should be waived. With the city already investing in CodeRed alerts and maintaining a downtown marquee, it should not be difficult to keep drivers informed of parking rules.

I know I'm just one person with a limited view of the bigger picture. That's why I'm hoping this survey will collect a wide range of experiences and ideas. I'll share the results with City Council so we can push for clearer communication and better parking policies. Please take a few minutes to fill it out and make sure your voice is heard.

The parking survey can be found here

Elizabeth Neiderman
North Adams, Mass. 

 

 

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