The Berkshire Edge On-Air

The Berkshire Edge LLC is a locally owned, regional publication. Our goal is to provide – regularly and in depth – content that truly reflects the life, interests and aspirations of this unusually rich and vibrant community.

Guided by respected journalistic standards, the principle of fairness, the quest for truth, a commitment to social, economic and environmental justice, and an abiding admiration for the independent spirit of the Berkshires, The Berkshire Edge offers in-depth local news reports and features, perspectives on the arts, wide-ranging commentary, and a comprehensive calendar of events – all written, illustrated, and, in some cases performed, with wit, intelligence, insight and humor.

This week we talk about:

1. At annual town meeting on Monday Great Barrington to vote on banning plastic water bottles. This citizens’ petition, generated by the Berkshire Women’s Action Group, has provoked a very lively debate. (And by the way, the town of Concord, Mass., banned the beastly bottles in 2012, so it can be done):

https://theberkshireedge.com/pushback-bubbles-up-against-proposed-plastic-water-bottle-ban/

2. And as if that were enough to occupy the Town Meeting, the Selectboard and Planning Board are at loggerheads over who gets the final say in the siting of marijuana cultivation facilities (whoever thought we ever be talking about this??) Here’s a letter from two selectmen: https://theberkshireedge.com/with-bylaw-gb-selectboard-seeks-oversight-on-marijuana-growing-sites/, and the session that cast light on the dispute: https://theberkshireedge.com/news-analysis-the-great-barrington-marijuana-wars/

3. Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito got an earful from folks in Monterey and other rural Southern Berkshire communities over the Baker Administration’s coziness with the big communications firms like Spectrum and Verizon that do not prefer the rural west, or if they do, they charge a lot… broadband access for everyone has become a big issue here.

https://theberkshireedge.com/lt-gov-polito-listens-as-monterey-officials-accuse-mbi-of-big-business-bias-toward-rural-broadband-initiatives/

4. State funding for regional transit authorities, such as the Berkshire Regional Transit Authority, is being cut, which means routes are being curtailed and fares raised. When will we ever get public transportation right? https://theberkshireedge.com/brta-funding-threatened-fare-increases-route-cuts-are-possibilities/

5. In two Berkshire high schools, vocational education is making a comeback of sorts: Carpentry in the classroom at Monument Mountain Regional High School and in Lee High School:

https://theberkshireedge.com/vocational-education-making-a-comeback-carpentry-in-the-classroom/

6. Five museums in northern Berkshire County have gotten together to offer discounts and art tourism packages … MASS MoCA, Williams College Museum of Art, The Clark Museum, Williamstown Theatre Festival and the Bennington Museum — just up the road about 18 miles… if you’re interested in a variety of cultural experiences (and performances) this is something to look into:

https://theberkshireedge.com/artcountry-provides-exceptional-cultural-experiences-in-2018/

7. And finally, a letter writer brought to our attention a project to provide books to prisoners.. And it made me think that perhaps we’ll soon have gulags and concentration camps — perhaps there are already those detention centers for immigrants…

https://theberkshireedge.com/womens-prison-project-provides-books-to-prisoners/

Show Notes

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