1. Click here to review all properties in Stockbridge with Tax Exemptions under Chapter 61 of Mass General Laws.
2. Rest of the River Update
After years of the public being kept in the dark about the PCB Cleanup and its impact on our community, there is more information available, much more public awareness, and with it, much more public involvement.
At the Select Board meeting (see below) there was a vote to be a signatory of a proposed letter from the five towns (Lee, Lenox, Stockbridge, Great Barrington and Sheffield) to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA New England) about truck transport of PCBs through our villages. The SB considered other related matters (see below). Click here for the link previously published in Stockbridge Updates and read the letter.
3. Happy 90th Birthday to Allen Hyman and Berkshire Botanical Garden!!! May they have many more.
4. Berkshire Grown Winter Farmers Market Season announces “Markets will run every third Saturday of the month through April 20, 2024. SNAP matching at the Winter Farmers Markets is funded by Berkshire Agricultural Ventures’ Market Match program. The Winter Farmers’ Market is at 1064 Main Street, Housatonic. Saturdays, 10 am–2 pm.
5. Many folks mentioned they would like to compost, but don’t want material in their yards that attracts bears. There are compost services in the County. Here is one: Tommy’s Compost Service owned and operated by former teacher, Mary Stuckler who wished to “help improve the future of the planet—and provide a value-add service to the community.”
There are several alternatives: Composting in the Berkshires, Berkshire Compost, and Second Chance.
6. Did you know?
A complaint was received from an unidentified person about a book, Gender Queer, available in our middle school. The police responded. During the visit to the school, police requested, but did not receive, a list of every child who took out the book.
District Attorney, Timothy Shugrue, and Great Barrington Police Chief Paul Storti received a letter from the American Civil Liberties Union. In it, the ACLU called the search unwarranted and unlawful. We can leave the law to the lawyers, however…
As a nation, we were never perfect; our country was never perfect, but we were always improving. More felt worthy and accepted. More were granted more rights. It was not until 2023 that the Supreme Court took away a right. No one liked it. Let’s not do that again.
Some of our children are bullied, made to feel different, made to feel lesser, and unhappy. Some of our children suffer from depression, and worse, some are suicidal. All that can be done, should be done to correct that. If these books are helpful, why seek to ban them?
Shouldn’t we resolve to protect our rights, our neighbors’ rights, and above all, shouldn’t we protect our children and their teachers? This is our school.
