Health care in the county is getting critical. Called my primary for an appointment and found out that the practice is booked solid thru July. Called BMC last year for an appointment for a colonoscopy, was scheduled for the procedure in November, someone called me and told me that the doctor didn’t need to see me and cancelled my appointment. Called Noble Hospital for an appointment for the same and now have an appointment for August. No cardiologists in the county so if you have a heart attack you will be transported to Pittsfield for evaluation then shipped out to Baystate thusly delaying treatment for well over an hour, a death sentence.
Harold French
Harold,
It is a problem nationwide and perhaps more pronounced in rural areas.
Carole
Re: POST OFFICE SHENANIGANS
Seeing Updates reminds me to tell you that the PO is again returning as misaddressed mail lacking a PO Box. The guy at the window said it’s the rules and what we have always done.
Peter I. Strauss
Dear Peter,
Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, a Trump appointee from his first term, has uniformly slowed the mail to everyone’s detriment. He was the harbinger and his dismantling of our stellar postal service, foreshadowed, the shenanigans to come.
Carole
Dear Carole Owens:
Your recent Google Alert suggested that “we re-organize the Gray Panthers. There are only 25 chapters nationwide. What better place to begin than here to organize a 26th?” As a long time leader within the Gray Panthers, please know that there are now only 12 Networks in our Gray Panthers movement. The national Gray Panther closed its doors in 2014 but in 2015 three of us on the National Board worked to keep the Gray Panthers movement going. Two new networks were just added within the last year. Another perspective on Gray Panthers that you may know: Gray Panthers is an intergenerational movement, which continues to proclaim Maggie Kuhn’s motto: “Youth and Age in Action”. The issues we address include peace, reproductive justice, protecting the environment, Social Security, LGBTQ+ rights, housing, etc. are all issues that can benefit people from other age groups in addition to older people. So thank you for recognizing Gray Panthers in your article. If you’d like more information, you can email me at randyblock@yahoo.com. I joined Gray Panthers when I was 31 years old and now I’m 77. If you’d like to start a Gray Panthers Network in Stockbridge, Massachusetts.
Randy Block
To: Carole Owens
I have the first volunteer for our Grey Panthers. Go team!
Olga Weiss
Dear Olga,
You are so dear and at 96 years old an inspiration to us all. Thank you for letting me know your list of recruits has begun – I have 6 and growing. We will form this organization and a posse of gray-hairs from New England will sweep up this mess.
With love, Carole
Hi Carole –
Question: my neighbor drove into town today and noticed that the Children’s Chimes Tower was surrounded by scaffolding. Are they doing some sort of repair of the structure? Just curious
Lenore Sundberg
Morning Lenore,
Yes, the scaffolding is up to complete the last phase of restoration of the Children’s Chime Tower – repointing the brick.
Best Carole
To the Editor:
Stockbridge Memorial Day Parade 2025
An Invitation to Stockbridge Families of Deceased Veterans
This year, the parade organizers plan to include 1.6 x 3ft banners created from photographs of those vets who are no longer with us. They will be carried on display poles by young volunteers, as in this picture of the Great Barrington parade 2 years ago.
If you would like to honor a family veteran with a photo banner in the parade, the process is relatively simple. Staples can create one for you with a photo you provide for around $35. You can even order one online at their website.
Online orders at www.staples.com. If you order in person in Great Barrington, they will assist you. Try to make the face of your photo the main feature. We want the posters to be the same, so here are the specifications.
Go to Staples’ Printing and Marketing Service and select the following options:
Banners
Orientation – Portrait
Size – 1.6ft x 3 ft
Material – Gloss Vinyl
Finishing Accessories – 4 Gromets
Add Content – Upload your photo
Send us an email when your banner is done, just give us your name, and any questions you have. Hold on to your banner. We will announce banner collection dates for mid-May. Bruce Blair, Parade Organizers stockbridgememdayparade@gmail.com
Bruce Blair
