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Bourdon Blast Lifts Northern Berkshire 12-Year-Olds at Cal Ripken State Tourney

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HUDSON, Mass. – Garrett Bourdon Saturday hit a two-run walk-off home run to lead the Northern Berkshire Youth Baseball 12U All-Stars to a 14-12 Cal Ripken State Tournament win over Groton-Dunstable.
 
Bourdon’s second home run of the game brought home Mason Tudor after Groton-Dunstable tied the game with a run in the top of the sixth.
 
Bourdon hit his second grand slam of the tournament earlier in the game to tie Groton-Dunstable, 7-7, in the third inning.
 
William Bayliss went 3-for-4, and Tudor was 2-for-2 with a double and three RBIs in a 13-hit attack for Northern Berkshire.
 
Maxwell Alicea went 2-for-3 with a run batted in.
 
Four different Northern Berkshire pitchers combined to allow seven earned runs and strike out five. Tudor struck out two and walked none while allowing two runs in the fifth and sixth to earn the win.
 
Tudor also pitched two-thirds of an inning in Northern Berkshire’s other game on Saturday, a 9-8 win over Nipmuc.
 
Marco Koamaya threw a strong 3 and a third innings, striking out a pair and allowing one run.
 
Lucas Harrington led the offense against Nipmuc, going 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles and four RBIs.
 
Samuel Chenail went 2-for-3 in the win.
 
Saturday’s victories improved the Northern Berkshire 12U team to 2-1 in the tournament and earned it a berth in the state semi-finals.
 

10-Year-Olds

MARLBORO, Mass. – The Northern Berkshire 10U team dropped a pair of contests on Saturday to fall to 0-3 at the State Tournament.
 
In Saturday’s first game, a 6-3 loss to Nipmuc, Ben Vivori and Liam Pytko each had a pair of hits, and Joey Catellotti doubled for Northern Berkshire. Pytko and Vivori split time on the hill, striking out four and allowing four earned runs.
 
Game 3 at the tournament for the Northern Berkshire team came against Groton-Dunstable, which took control with a four-run third inning en route to an 11-5 win.
 
Vivori went 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles, and Catellotti was 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI.
 
Pytko and Landon O’Neil each had a pair of hits in the loss.
 
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NAHA Board Accepts Director's Resignation, Unlocks Tenants Association Office

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The North Adams Housing Authority Board of Commissioners officially accepted the resignation of Executive Director Jennifer Hohn and restored access to the Tenants Association office.

The board held a special meeting Thursday to vote to accept Hohn's resignation and determined that there are currently no plans to replace her.

"We didn't make any final determinations in terms of the executive session so we will schedule another meeting at another time," Chairwoman Leigh Uqdah said after returning from more than an hour session. "Day-to-day operations will continue to be managed as normal by staff."

Per their bylaws, board member Marie Harpin will continue to handle finances, and Uqdah will manage contracts.

Hohn stepped down on Oct. 8 after 24 years leading the agency. Her resignation followed rising tension between her and the NAHA Tenants Association, culminating in the scheduling of a formal grievance hearing between both parties.

The boiling point was the locking of the association's office this summer. Tenants alleged the lockout was retaliation for posting a video on social media depicting improperly functioning door alarms. Hohn claimed the office was locked for tenant safety and to stop the spread of misinformation.

Tenants Association President Corey Fortin asked if Hohn's security access had been removed. Uqdah confirmed her credentials were revoked the day she resigned, meaning she can no longer monitor security cameras remotely.

Jennifer Barbeau, a former city councilor who was liaison to the Housing Authority, asked when the board met to discuss Hohn's severance package. Uqdah stated that Hohn did not have one.

The board also accepted the resignation of Commissioner Richard Lavigne, though they will vote officially on the matter at their next meeting.

The open portion of the meeting was brief, with nearly an hour and a half spent in executive session. Before entering executive session, the board opened the floor to tenants.

"The tenants requested an opportunity to talk to the board," said Uqdah. "It has been quite a while, but we have decided to honor that."

Fortin, who posted the original video to social media, was the first to speak. He was clear in his request: unlock the office door.

"Let's cut straight to the chase tonight. The former resigned Director Jennifer Hohn ordered the office locked," he alleged. "She is gone. The lockout is a direct violation, and the board has a duty to end that tonight."

He cited federal and state laws that mandate the tenants association be provided with office space, including computer and network access.

"We are here with a direct administrative demand. We demand that the board vote tonight to unlock the doors," he said. "Do not let a resigned director's illegal action remain the board's ongoing liability. Open our door tonight, and let us get back to work."

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