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. Here’s a David and Goliath story. The town of Egremont vs. cable giant Charter Spectrum, formerly known as Time Warner. The Egremont selectmen voted to ditch Charter’s offer to build out a broadband network for town residents when the cable company virtually doubled the price the town would have to pay. All over town there had been lawn signs reading Ditch Charter.. And in the end, selectmen complied.
2. A member of the Berkshire Hills Regional School Committee has called for a referendum on the merger of the Berkshire Hills and Southern Berkshire school districts, as a way of dealing with the enrollment decline in southern Berkshire. Berkshire County has been grappling with how to consolidate its school districts…
3. There are two hot-button issues that will be determined on the November 6 balloting in the Berkshires… and we’ve been getting a lot of letters on each
a. The contest between Paul Caccaviello and Andrea Harrington for District Attorney:
And in this race there is an undercurrent of national politics, where questioning the qualifications of attorney Andrea Harrington has been likened to Trump’s disparagement of women, in particular Christine Blassy Ford
b. Then there is ballot Question 1 which would designate a certain level of nurses to patients in hospitals across the state. The assumption here is that cost-concous hospitals are scrimping on patient care… we’ve had lots of letters pro and con. Here’s one from the head of nursing at Fairview Hospital in Great Barrington criticizing the proposal:
4. The Powerhouse Square project in the heart of Great Barrington is moving swiftly ahead… it will be the new home of the Berkshire Cooo Market, plus upscale condominiums.
5. Then there is the story of the Music Inn in Lenox, next to Tanglewood, that 48 years ago, as our writer Andrew Blechman describes it, “grooved the Berkshires” with a vivid lineup of folk and jazz, including Arlo Guthrie, Lou Reed, Hot Tuna, New Riders of the Purple Sage, Dave Brubeck — among many others:
6. Finally, our friend Jon Swan — a former New Yorker writer — provided us with a story from Nepal — a cautionary story — , about how the global warming is dramatically reducing the amount of snow and ice on Mt. Everest:
