The Berkshire Edge On-Air - Wednesday October 28, 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.  Hey, it’s election season… one week to go. So here is a roundup of issues and candidates for the November 3 balloting;

2.  One of our economic columnists, Allen Harris, dismantles the so-called “Great Barrington Declaration,” promulgated by the American Institute of Economic Research (AIER), a right-wing think tank funded, in part, by the Koch brothers, arguing that we should let the COVID19 pandemic take its course without any intervention: no masks, no distancing: sounds like Ayn Rand to me… :

3. Troubled bridge over waters — of the Housatonic.
        A Mass DOT examination of the Division Street Bridge in Great Barrington, one of critical links between the west and east sides of Great Barrington, may not be repaired for another decade, due to a faulty analysis of the bridge. That, combined with what our reporter describes as a funding boondoggle in Boston, will delay replacement of the bridge:

4. The W.E.B. Du Bois Center at UMass Amherst is calling for a weekly community “read" of the work of the Black author who was born in Great Barrington, in particular his seminal book, "The Souls of Black Folk,” a series of 14 essays published in 1903:

5.  The Literacy Network of South Berkshire sponsored two immigrants through the citizenship process:

6. Finally, in our new Business Monday section, we profile a Lenox business, Zogics, that has managed to thrive during the pandemic. They supply cleaning supplies and wellness equipment: