Berkshire teen pregnancy rate up

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Berkshire teen pregnancy rate up

A United Way report says that while the teen pregnancy rate in most parts of the state has dropped by 21 percent in the past decade, it's up 20 percent in Berkshire County.

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More affordable housing not the answer for Gateway Cities

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More affordable housing not the answer for Gateway Cities

The Bay State's older industrial cities are suffering from weak housing markets and high concentrations of poverty. So does it really make sense to "fix" these cities by adding more and more affordable housing units? MassINC senior research associate Benjamin...

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Ex-North Adams officer convicted of assaulting man

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Ex-North Adams officer convicted of assaulting man

A former North Adams police officer has been sentenced serve six months of a two-year jail term for using excessive force on a man in custody last year.

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Nature’s Closet plans January move

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Nature's Closet plans January move

North Adams Transcript



WILLIAMSTOWN -- Nature's Closet, a Bennington, Vt. business that sells outdoor apparel, will be among the first to move into Mark Paresky's renovated building at 61 Spring St. in January.



The owner of Nature's Closet, Steve Hinchliffe, who recently announced he would be relocating the store from Main Street in Bennington to Williamstown, said this

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Hancock's EOS Ventures plays key role in Maine wind farm

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Hancock's EOS Ventures plays key role in Maine wind farm

New England Newspapers



HANCOCK -- EOS Ventures, the Hancock-based renewable energy development company, played a key role in the largest community-owned wind farm and the largest off-shore wind power project operating on the East Coast, which started churning power on the Fox Islands off the coast of Maine this month.

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North Adams Alcombright announces transition objectives

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North Adams Alcombright announces transition objectives

NORTH ADAMS -- Mayor-elect Dick Alcombright has announced his transition plan and objectives as he prepares to take office on Monday, Jan. 4, 2010.



He said in a news release Wednesday that he will begin a formal transition on Monday, Nov. 30, by meeting with all city department heads and touring city schools and facilities.

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Williamstown to install solar panels on DPW salt shed

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Williamstown to install solar panels on DPW salt shed

The town's Department of Public Works facility could be harnessing the sun's energy by the end of the year.

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Clark museum in Mass. acquires Rousseau landscape

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Clark museum in Mass. acquires Rousseau landscape

MA CLARK ROUSSEAU,1ST LD-WRITETHRU WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. - The Clark Art Institute has acquired a landscape by a 19th century artist Pierre Etienne Theodore Rousseau , one of the prime examples of the Barbizon School of painting.

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Berkshire County jobless rate falls to 7.7%

Berkshire County jobless rate falls to 7.7%

From New England Newspapers

PITTSFIELD -- Berkshire County's unemployment rate fell by more than half a percentage point to 7.7 percent in October, following a similar increase the month before.

The drop from 8.3 percent in September represents the biggest decrease in the local jobless rate since before the recession hit last fall, and it is the county's lowest rate since May.

Walmart 'supercenter' planned for Curran Highway

Walmart 'supercenter' planned for Curran Highway

NORTH ADAMS - A Fairfield, Conn., developer plans to build a 160,000-square-foot Walmart Supercenter at the old city gravel pit on Curran Highway (Route 8) at an estimated cost of $15 to $20 million.

Ceruzzi Properties of Fairfield, one of the largest developers of malls and retail stores in the country, filed plans late Friday afternoon at City Hall for the former Dellaghelfa properties.

Pair get more than a little time

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Pair get more than a little time

FLORIDA -- Two Massachusetts men were sentenced Monday to 15-year prison terms for torching a Berkshire County railroad facility and the Worcester

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Part 3: Coakley at Cup & Saucer in North Adams (fwd)

Now she's talking about the physical and mental stress of returning
veterans. "And we need to make sure that when we are sending our men and
women overseas we have a clear mission."

The boundaries of opportunity have change, "but we need to make sure that
the boundaries of discrimination keep moving." She says, "the defense of
marriage act is just wrong, we shouldn't be telling the people of
Massachusetts how we run our families."

"I am proud to say that I believe I will be a good U.S. senator because I
grew up in North Adams."

She finishes speaking -- a total of about 10 minutes, leaves the stage and
then returns to say happy thanksgiving.

Part 2: Coakley at Cup & Saucer in North Adams

Coakley begins with kind words for state Sen. Benjamin Downing,
D-Pittsfield, who introduced her and about other folks locally.

"Many of you remember my dad and his sense of integrity, he didn't say
much . . . many of you wondered how he could sell insurance . . . but when
he spoke, you listened to him."

When a recession hits North Adams, it hits harder here, she says. She says
she understands how far it is "out here." She recalls her father dressed
as "Smokey the Bear" in the North Adams Fall Foliage Parade.

She recites her support of the so-called "public option" in the Senate
health-care reform package. She talks about environment, and providing for
cost-effective energy. "It's complicated ... and it's not a 30-second or
60-second soundbite."

Part 1: Coakley at Cup & Saucer in North Adams

This is running notes on the appearance of U.S. Senate candidate Martha
Coakley at the Cup & Saucer cafe in North Adams -- her home town. Richard
Taskin, a lawyer and local supporter, says this is her first public
appearance in North Adams since she announced for Senate. There are
between 150 and 200 people -- my estimate -- almost standing-room-only --
in the Main Street Restaurant.

North Adams Mayor-elect Richard Alcombright, a banker, is now introducing
Coakley. He said next to her in elementary school, he says. He is reciting
her bio. He says it is rare to work with someone "who's vision is so
positive." He says her vision is aligned with North Adams -- a city of
about 14,000 people suffering along with much of Western Massachusetts
with economic hard times.

Alcombright says she is committed to the elderly, helping with youth
poverty, and is concerned "about keeping us safe" to find resources to
maintain police and safety services and is committed to veterans services.

About 20 people from across the state submitted questions to
GreylockNews.com and we've given them all to Gus Bickford, political
director of the Coakley campaign -- gus@marthacoakley.com -- he says he'll
get us all answers.

Heading to Cup & Saucer in the morning for Coakley's scheduled appearance

We'll be heading to the Cup & Saucer in North Adams in the morning for a
scheduled appearance by U.S. Senate candidate Martha Coakley. We hope to
post live both to this blog and to Twitter, using the hashtags #Coakley
and #masenate

-- bill densmore

WilliNet will cablecast North Adams election commentary from 7 p.m. on Nov. 3

Debby Dane, manager of WilliNet, the Williamstown, Mass., public-access cable operation, says WilliNet will pick up a feed from Northern Berkshire Community Television of live commentary on the North Adams mayoral race on Tuesday, Nov. 3.

Coverage will begin on WilliNet Channel 17 beginning at 7 p.m. with commentator Richard Taskin and Paul Hopkins. Hopkins, who works at North Adams Regional Hospital, was a longtime radio news reporter on WNAW in North Adams. Taskin is an attorney who does public defender work.

Also, Dane said WilliNet is currently airing the North Adams mayoral debate of Oct. 14 starting at 12:01 a.m. on Tuesday and again at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday.

For more information call WilliNet at 458-0900 or email debbydane@willinet.org

Friends of the Arts Citrus Sale - Order Online until 11/18

FRIENDS OF THE ARTS FRESH FRUIT SALE!!

Help support Mt. Greylock Arts Programming by buying fresh citrus fruit for yourself and others.

The juicy fruit is picked the same day it's trucked to Williamstown in early December or sent by mail anywhere in the country arriving by Dec. 24th (your choice)!

The prices are great (as low as $20 a box) and buying is online-easy! Order deadline is November 18th so don't delay!!!

Place your order at: https://www.fruitorder.com/orderFundraising_pre3.asp?OrgId=454470

Questions? Contact Paula Consolini at pconsoli@williams.edu/413-884-4283 or ask anyone you know on the Friends of the Arts team.
Please tell all your friends and think Citrus gifts this holiday season!