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Hoosac Valley Names Top Students for Class of 2025

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CHESHIRE, Mass. — Hoosac Valley High School has named Kimberly Mach and Maryn Cappiello as the valedictorian and salutatorian, respectively, of the class of 2025. 
 
Both will speak at graduation on Friday, June 4, at 6 p.m. in the school gym. 
 
Mach, daughter of Lawrence and Loretta Mach of Adams, has been a Student Council member and treasurer all four years, as well as a member and treasurer of the school chapter of the National Honor Society. She was also a peer mentor, member of the Art Club, Girls Who Code and Student-Adult Advisory Board, and participated in the General Dynamics High School Engineering Competition.
 
She is an Advanced Placement scholar with honors and recipient of the Superintendent's Award, Rensselaer (N.Y.) Polytechnic Institute Medal, Presidential awards for numerous honors and AP courses, and the National and the College Board's National Rural and Small Town Recognition Program. She was a member of the Nordic and downhill ski clubs,
and played soccer for Hoosac and the Berkshire Ajax Club and was volunteer travel soccer coach for middle school girls.
 
Mach will be attending the University of Massachusetts at Amherst to pursue a degree in chemical engineering. 
 
Cappiello, daughter of Timothy and Brittney Cappiello of Adams, was a member of Student Council all four years, the National Honor Society, Student-Adult Advisory Board and Athletic Council and was class secretary and a peer mentor. She also completed the 1Berkshire Youth Leadership Program.
 
She is the recipient of the Bausch & Lomb Honorary Science Award and the Scholar-Athlete Award. She was a member of the soccer, lacrosse and basketball teams, including Hoosac's state champion basketball teams in 2024 and 2025, and volunteered with youth sports and domestic violence victims. 
 
Cappiello plans to attend Assumption University to major in nursing. 

Tags: graduation 2025,   val & sal,   

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Adams Fire District Meeting Approves Full-Time Paid Chief

Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
ADAMS, Mass. — A special meeting of the Fire District overwhelmingly passed making the fire chief and clerk/treasurer appointed positions on Thursday evening. 
 
More than 50 registered voters experienced déjà vu as they rehashed the requests to make the fire engineer and clerk/treasurer positions appointed during a meeting that lasted half and hour. 
 
These votes will have to be confirmed at a future election.

In previous district meetings, changing the fire chief position to a paid, full-time, appointed role was controversial. Article 2 passed with a large majority in favor at the meeting, as it has in the past. However, it's failed narrowly on ballot votes. 

Voter Catherine Foster said this change is long overdue, especially now that current Fire Chief John Pansecchi has announced his retirement effective May, after nine years as chief and 40 years with the department. 
 
Following questions from voters, it was explained that the pay scale for the 40-hour position will be based on qualifications and will range between $75,000 to $111,000, not including benefits.
 
Based on benefits for other town employees, benefits will cost an additional of about $40,000 to $50,000.  
 
Through the stipend, Pansecchi is getting paid roughly $30,000. 
 
Over the past five years, the position's responsibilities and hours have increased significantly, making it nearly a full-time role on top of his existing full-time job.
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