The Berkshire Edge On-Air - March 7

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. Last Saturday, there was a Berkshires Environmental Summit held in Pittsfield organized by Environment Massachusetts. They plotted the route to a 100% renewable energy future for both the county and for the state. Some towns, like Great Barrington, are already a little bit ahead. GB, for example,was part of the “Solarize Massachusetts” initiative, Green Communities, and now this. Great Barrington also has an initiative to do away with plastic water bottles. We’ll be able to explain this when we talk.

2. We have a story about a woman in the Berkshires whose grand-nephew Cameron Kasky is a student at the Marjorie Stonemason Douglas school in Parkland, FL. Cameron Kasky is the leader of the “Never Again” anti-gun movement, and was the one who confronted Senator Rubio about the money he gets from the NRA. Students are also demonstrating in the Berkshires against guns. And on February 26, we had a story that the local school committees and superintendents slammed Trumps proposal to arm the teachers.

3. The Berkshire County District Attorney David Capeless resigned abruptly last week. He seems to be leaving before his terms up in order to give his designated successor a chance to move up and then run as the incumbent in the fall.

4. The town of GB is honoring the 150th anniversary of the birth of W.E.B. DuBois, hoping to rehabilitate his reputation among the local people who have turned against him. At the same time, we have another organization which is honoring James Weldon Johnson, another important African-American leader with Great Barrington roots. Weldon was a writer, lawyer, diplomat, civil rights leader. He was a member of the Harlem Renaissance. In the 1930s, he owned a home in Great Barrington, and his writing cabin is still standing. An African American couple bought the house a few years ago and have made it the headquarters of the James Weldon Johnson Foundation. Last summer, the Foundation supported five artists-in-residence at Bard College at Simon’s Rock. This week, there’s an exhibition of these artists’ work at Simon’s Rock.

5. We’re up to episode six of our serialized novel. We post a new chapter every Sunday. Each chapter is written by a different local writer. It’s easy to start at the beginning and catch up. It’s really a good read.