BCC Honors Scholar Students to Present Free Public Reading

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Three Berkshire Community College (BCC) Honors Scholar Program students who were awarded Melville Fellowships for the spring semester — Rowan Boyer, Mwila Malama and Clarise Seguin — will present a public reading of their works on Wednesday, May 8 at 4:30 pm. 
 
The reading, which is free and open to the public, will be held at BCC in Melville Hall, Room M-212.?Light refreshments will be served. 
 
For those who cannot attend in person, a virtual recording will be accessible on Zoom. To join online, visit
 
The three students were awarded Melville Fellowships by the Berkshire County Historical Society.  They have been busy creating original writings and art while spending time at Herman Melville's Arrowhead, the location where Melville wrote 
Moby Dick, working with Writer-in-Residence Emeritus Jana Laiz. The students are also earning experiential learning honors course credit. 
 
The students' readings represent the progress they have made towards the goals they set in January, as described in their own words. 
 
Rowan Boyer planned to work in creative writing, poetry and visual art. "My initial gut feeling is to write a story about woodland animals set in the land surrounding Arrowhead," Boyer said. "I would also love to experiment with poetry and create illustrations along with my writing." 
 
Mwila Malama planned to research Arrowhead as a non-profit organization, specifically "how it conducts its operations to ensure continuity and relevance
 to the society that it seeks to serve." With a focus on the museum's finances and its impact on the community, Malama will also take part in creative writing, poetry and other activities. 
 
Clarise Seguin planned to write poetry and stories that touch on the life of Herman Melville, as well as writing about the scenery that surrounds the museum, combined with art pieces. "With these goals in mind, I hope to create art and stories that inspire and evoke strong emotions," Seguin said. 

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Possible Measles Exposure at Boston, Logan

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Department of Public Health confirmed Wednesday that an out-of-state adult visitor who spent time in Boston and Westborough earlier this month was diagnosed with measles and was present in a number of locations.
 
This could have resulted in other people being exposed to measles virus.
 
The visitor arrived at Logan International Airport on American Airlines flight 2384 from Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, on Dec. 11 at 2:39 p.m. They stayed at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Boston-Westborough in Westborough and departed the state on Dec. 12 via Logan at 9:19 p.m. on JetBlue flight 117 to Las Vegas.
 
DPH is working with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local partners to identify and notify those who may have been exposed to measles from this individual.
 
"Measles is a highly contagious, airborne disease, which has increased significantly in the United States because of the unfortunate decrease in vaccination rates. It is also a preventable disease," said Public Health Commissioner Dr. Robbie Goldstein. "This current situation serves as an important reminder of the critical role vaccination plays in protecting our communities. While Massachusetts has not had a measles case this year, 2025 saw the highest number of nationwide cases in more than a decade — nearly 2,000 in 44 jurisdictions, and sadly, three deaths. 
 
"Fifteen years ago, measles had been considered eliminated in the United States, but that tremendous progress is at risk. Vaccines are one of the most important public health interventions ever — they are safe, effective, and lifesaving."
 
Measles is very contagious. However, the risk to most people in Massachusetts is low because the vaccination rate in the state is high. People who are not immune and visited any of the locations on the following dates and times may be at risk for developing measles.
 
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