Sandy McKnight Songwriter Series to Feature Women Artists in May

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LEE, Mass. — The Sandy McKnight Songwriter Series at Appetito will continue its bi-monthly program in May with a focus on five women of song, stage, and screen.

The series, held on the first and third Fridays of each month, will feature two events in May: Friday, May 2, with special guest host Benita Zahn, along with JoAnne Redding and series producer Liv Cummins, and Friday, May 16, showcasing Aimee Van Dyne and Barbara Stein. Both events will take place from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Appetito Restaurant, located at 54 Main Street in Lee.

The Songwriter Series honors the memory of local singer-songwriter Sandy McKnight, who passed away in May 2024.

Benita Zahn, a former NY Emmy Award-winning anchor/reporter now working as a certified Health and Wellness Coach and performer, will co-host the May 2nd event. Liv Cummins, a singer/songwriter, comedy performer, musical theater dramatist, and educator, is the series producer and a longtime collaborator of Sandy McKnight. JoAnne Redding is a singer/songwriter known for her soulful blend of blues, country, jazz, and roots rock.

The May 16 event will feature Aimee Van Dyne, a Folk-Americana singer-songwriter and a two-time John Lennon Songwriting Contest Finalist, and Barbara Stein, a music lover and player whose sound blends alt-rock and Americana blues.

The Sandy McKnight Songwriters Fund, which organizes the series, was created to honor McKnight’s legacy of supporting songwriters and building community. The series includes both featured artists and an open mic session for songwriters.

Appetito Restaurant, owned by Rebecca and Gilbert Clerget, provides the venue for the series.

 

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Ribbon Cut on Lee's Long-Awaited Housing Development

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

LEE, Mass.— After more than a decade of work, tenants will move into the Eagle Mill Lofts this fall. 

On Tuesday, Hearthway and Rees-Larkin Development held a ribbon-cutting for the first 56 apartments in the former paper mill.  Sitting on the banks of the Housatonic River, this development offers one- to three-bedroom, mixed-income units in the heart of the downtown. 

Lead Developer Jeffrey Cohen said the apartments are "unbelievable."  The building's original brick is celebrated in the units, which feature different layouts and are contrasted with modern appliances and features. 

"I saw the apartments when they first got done, and I couldn't understand really how they look so good," he said during a ceremony in the foyer. 

"And I think that is so good for the town of Lee, for affordable housing in general." 

This project has been ongoing since 2012.  Individuals and families will begin to move in next month.  This is the first phase; another 44 apartments will be built onsite. 

President and CEO of Hearthway Eileen Peltier said projects like the Eagle Mill are important to addressing the need for housing at varied income levels.  These units will house families of varied incomes, with rent-assisted units for people making 30 percent of the area median income, and affordable units for those in the 60-80 percent AMI. 

Rents under these guidelines range from $1,360 for a one-bedroom to $2,100 for a three-bedroom. 

"What that means is that people with varied life resumes will be living here in this beautiful community," Peltier said. 

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