OLLI Presents 'Un-Separation of Church and State'

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PITTSFIELD, Mass — The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Berkshire Community College will present "The Un-Separation of Church and State," a conversation with the Rev. Dr. Brian Kaylor and Doug Mishkin on Kaylor's book "Baptizing America: How Mainline Protestants Helped Build Christian Nationalism."
 
The talk will be held via Zoom on Thursday, Nov. 20, at 7 p.m.
 
This event is free and open to the public. To register, visit https://berkshireolli.org/event-6354850.  
 
Kaylor, a Baptist minister with a doctorate in political communication and an award-winning author, is president and editor-in-chief of Word & Way, an online religion news site. He is the author or coauthor of seven books, including "Baptizing America: How Mainline Protestants Helped Build Christian Nationalism" (co-authored with Beau Underwood), described as "an urgent examination and an enlightening critique exposing the dangerous undercurrents of Christian Nationalism." His writings have been published by CNN, Houston Chronicle, Religion News Service, Sojourners, Washington Post, and other outlets. He writes regularly about religion and politics at A Public Witness. 
 
Mishkin is a singer-songwriter, speaker and interviewer, frequently teaching OLLI courses. He is best known for "Woody's Children," his song celebrating the legacy of Woody Guthrie. This past spring, Mishkin interviewed professor Edward J. Larson for the Berkshire OLLI chapter on Larson's Pulitzer Prize-winning book about the Scopes Monkey Trial. He has worked with Americans United for Separation of Church and State. 

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Berkshire Concrete Lawsuit Seeks Damages, Continued Operation

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
DALTON, Mass. — Whether Berkshire Concrete can continue excavating after its permit was denied —and if the town is liable for damages — will be decided in a lawsuit the company has filed against the town, planning board and its members.
 
The suit was filed on behalf of Berkshire Concrete Corp., a subsidiary of Petricca Industries, by Jaan G. Rannik of Cohen Kinne Valicenti & Cook in Superior Court on April 13
 
Berkshire Concrete is suing for damages and wants the Planning Board's permit denial overturned.
 
The company seeks permission to operate on its entire property, and to have any future permit applications granted — unless they violate previous permit conditions and fail to fix them after formal written notice, or if the Mine Safety and Health Administration finds a public health danger requiring new restrictions.
 
It also requests that if a future renewal is denied for a violation and Berkshire Concrete disputes it or claims it didn't have time to fix, operations can continue until a  final decision is made.
 
The company claims the town breached its 1992 contract with Berkshire Concrete and the board exceeded its authority in denying the special permit. 
 
Berkshire Concrete claims that as a direct result of the town's breach of contract it suffered damages of no less than 1.9 million and will continue to incur additional damages. 
 
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