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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Lanesborough Hopes for Continued Talks on Mall Sale

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — The Select Board is optimistic that talks for the Berkshire Mall sale will continue. 
 
Chair Deborah Maynard and Vice Chair Juli Baker were to meet with mall owner JMJ Holdings, the Baker Hill Road District, and proposed buyer Cypress Equities on Tuesday to discuss next steps. As of Wednesday, iBerkshires had received a "we are optimistic" from Maynard on the talks. The Berkshire Eagle reported a response from a Cypress representative saying talks will continue.  
 
Baker had updated the Select Board on Monday about the status of the sale and the efforts being undertaken by the renamed Baker Hill Business District.
 
Cypress Equities pulled out of a purchase-and sale-agreement with mall owner JMJ last week for the following reasons. 
  • Not enough water service/pressure to the property to support redevelopment without constructing costly water tanks.
  • The current septic system and former treatment facility is not acceptable for a project of the scale and magnitude proposed.
  • There is existing asbestos and bad soil from the treatment system that needs to be remediated off site.
  • And the current structure and tax assessment of the Baker Hill Road District.
Baker has been working with what is now being called the Baker Hill Business District and said she and the district members are happy that Cypress has decided to leave the door open to more discussions and that they have been working hard to try and address the company's needs.
 
Last month, the town had asked state Sen. Paul Mark and state Rep. John Barrett III to support the state Department of Transportation taking over the Connector Road, funding for a mall connection to Pittsfield's wastewater treatment plant and a connection to the town's water main.
 
Baker said an amendment has been drafted to cap the district's taxes to not grow more than 2.5 percent a year. She noted that, historically, taxes have not grown by more than one percent per year, so it won't be difficult to meet that cap.
 
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