The Berkshire Edge On-Air - Wednesday February 26, 2020

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.

1. First, a story we haven’t completed (and will be up today) that will be of interest to your listeners…
The Environmental Protection Agency has reached a rest of river settlement with General Electric for the cleanup of remaining PCB contamination in the Housatonic River and its floodplain south of Pittsfield to the Connecticut border. 

2. During February the town of Great Barrington is honoring W.E.B. Du Bois, and we have a number of stories about this native son of Great Barrington, a writer, civil rights activist,  cofounder of the NAACP, and ultimately an exile:
https://theberkshireedge.com/152-years-later-myriad-lessons-surrounding-du-bois-enduring-legacy/
https://theberkshireedge.com/bits-grand-piano-trios-author-talk-at-lee-library-potluck-a-play/

3. Town meeting season is just around the corner, and the Great Barrington Selectboard issued a bit of a warning to residents that next year's budget would have a significant increase, in part due to the subsidy to Southern Vermont Ambulance Services:
https://theberkshireedge.com/great-barrington-budget-to-rise-nearly-5-percent-private-ems-service-seeks-132000-donation/

4. And since we are just past Lincoln’s Birthday, we should mention that the Stockbridge Library recently acquired a copy of Daniel Chester French’s statue ‘Lincoln Standing.’ — French is the sculptor who created the Lincoln at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington….
https://theberkshireedge.com/more-on-the-acquisition-of-the-standing-lincoln-by-the-stockbridge-library/

5.  Two of our columnists, Pedro Pachano and Selectboard member Ed Abrahams put together a weekly pod cast, entitled “It’s Not That Simple” in which they address local issues… and this edition deals with the importance of the census as a benchmark for determining state aid for the town:
https://theberkshireedge.com/its-not-that-simple-be-counted-it-is-that-simple/

6. And finally, here are a couple items from our Arts Desk:
Work by the American landscape painter Thomas Cole is on exhibit at The Clark Art Museum in Williamstown:https://theberkshireedge.com/thomas-coles-dream-of-arcadia-enchants-at-the-clark/
In West Stockbridge at The Foundry, Amber Chand is performing her one-woman show, “Searching for The Moon”:
https://theberkshireedge.com/searching-for-the-moon-unearths-one-womans-journey-of-returning-to-her-past/