Two BCC Students Receive National Recognition

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Community College (BCC) students Mariangel Dus and William Garrity have received national recognition for academic excellence. 
 
Both are members of Phi Theta Kappa, a national honor society for associate degree–seeking students. 
 
Mariangel Dus won a spot on the 2024 All-USA Academic Team. The team, sponsored by education technology provider Cengage in collaboration with Phi Theta Kappa, recognizes students for intellectual achievement, leadership, community and campus engagement. She is one of only 20 college students named to the team and was selected from more than 2,200 nominees. Dus will receive a $5,000 scholarship and will be recognized at the American Association of Community Colleges' annual convention in Louisville, Kentucky in April. 
 
Dus has also been named a 2024 New Century Transfer Scholar and will receive a $2,250 scholarship. New Century Transfer Scholars are selected based on their academic accomplishments, leadership, activities and how they extend their intellectual talents beyond the classroom. More than 2,200 students from more than 1,300 college campuses nationwide were nominated, and only one New Century Transfer Scholar is selected from each state. The program is sponsored by The Coca-Cola Foundation, the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation, Phi Theta Kappa and the American Association of Community Colleges.  
 
William Garrity was selected as a Bronze Scholar on Coca-Cola's 2024 Academic Team and will receive a $1,000 scholarship. 
 
His selection was based on the score he earned in the All-USA Academic Team competition, for which more than 2,200 applications were received. The program is sponsored by the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation and is administered by Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. 

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Berkshire Mall Owners Press for Road District Dissolution

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — Berkshire Mall owner JMJ RE Holdings says without a dissolution of the Baker Hill Road District, the potential sale and redevelopment with the mall would fall through.
 
The Select Board last week authorized two of its members to work on a compromise between the JMJ and the road district. The two entities have been at loggerheads over assessments to the district — and the district's purpose.
 
Tim Grogan, development consultant for JMJ RE Holdings, recently responded to iBerkshires' coverage of the meeting, during which the board discussed mediation but took no comments from the public or the mall owners. 
 
Grogan said JMJ has been under purchase contract with real estate developer Cypress Equities since May and has an intention to close in the fall.
 
"We are contractually obligated to deliver the property with the BHRD dissolved. If that does not happen, the mall will not get redeveloped. If the BHRD is not dissolved, the transaction with Cypress cannot close," said Grogan over email. "That is not a position JMJ adopted as leverage. It is the express term of a fully executed purchase and sale agreement. Should the town proceed in a manner that departs from the existing settlement framework, JMJ will evaluate all available claims to protect its contractual rights."
 
The town had initially agreed to seek the dissolution of the district through the Legislature based on JMJ paying $1.1 million to resolve all tax disputes. But that article was pulled from the annual town meeting when town officials said the mall's owners failed to make payment by the deadline. 
 
The road district was established 40 years ago to maintain the Connector Road between Routes 7 and 8 and assess the mall for fire and police protection. The mall closed in 2019 and its various owners since then have sought to redevelop the property. 
 
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