North Adams Emergency Services Respond to Package, Coolant Leak

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Emergency responders had a busy morning on Wednesday, first responding to a "suspicious" package at Walmart and then a coolant leak at Cumberland Farms across the street. 

Fire and emergency services responded to the Curran Highway convenience store around 8:30 a.m. to deal with the issue, after reports from workers of difficulty breathing and irritated eyes.

Authorities were already in the area, investigating a suspicious package left at the bus depot at Walmart. The package, according to Police Chief Jason Wood, turned out to just be a cooler filled with ice packs.

The package had apparently been left overnight — it was seen on a security tape from Tuesday night and discovered about 7 a.m. on Wednesday. State Police were called to scene and the area around the bus stop on the north side of the department store blocked off. The store, however, remained open.

Then the hazardous materials team was called to deal with a refrigerant leak at the Cumberland Farms.

"We had two patients earlier complaining of tightness in the chest and difficulty breathing, burning in the eyes," said Fire Chief Brent Lefebvre. "So at that point, we shut down the store, shut down the premises and called for the state hazmat team ... While we were over at the other incident, the manager from here had come over and spoke with us."

Lefebvre said the small detachment from the hazmat team would be better equipped to handle the issue.

"They have more specialized meters then what we carry, so they'll be able to kind of pinpoint what it is, where it is, how to stop it," he said, as they were waiting for the District 5 hazmat team to arrive from Pittsfield.

This story will be updated.

Cost, Access to NBCTC High Among Concerns North Berkshire Residents

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
06:15PM / Thursday, April 25, 2024

Adams Select Chair Christine Hoyt, NBCTC Executive Director David Fabiano and William Solomon, the attorney representing the four communities, talk after the session. 

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Public access channels should be supported and made more available to the public — and not be subject to a charge.

 

More than three dozen community members in-person and online attended the public hearing  Wednesday on public access and service from Spectrum/Charter Communications. The session at City Hall was held for residents in Adams, Cheshire, Clarksburg and North Adams to express their concerns to Spectrum ahead of another 10-year contract that starts in October.

 

Listening via Zoom but not speaking was Jennifer Young, director state government affairs at Charter.

 

One speaker after another conveyed how critical local access television is to the community and emphasized the need for affordable and reliable services, particularly for vulnerable populations like the elderly. 

 

"I don't know if everybody else feels the same way but they have a monopoly," said Clarksburg resident David Emery. "They control everything we do because there's nobody else to go to. You're stuck with with them."

 

Public access television, like the 30-year-old Northern Berkshire Community Television, is funded by cable television companies through franchise fees, member fees, grants and contributions.

 

Spectrum is the only cable provider in the region and while residents can shift to satellite providers or streaming, Northern Berkshire Community Television is not available on those alternatives and they may not be easy for some to navigate. For instance, the Spectrum app is available on smart televisions but it doesn't include PEG, the public, educational and governmental channels provided by NBCTC.