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Zeppieri joins Harsch as junior partner; closes Williamstown office

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WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. -- Realtors Michael Zeppieri and Paul Harsch announced a new alliance on Tuesday under which Zeppieri is closing the Williamstown office of his RCI Real Estate and joining Harsch Associates as a junior partner together with his two Williamstown associates, Lynn Blake and Rebecca Gold.  The two said that Zeppieri will purchase the Harsch Associates office building and 311 Main Street real estate "at a future date."  The combination brings to nine the total number of sales associates at Harsch, plus the two partners.  Harsch, who opened his agency in 1979 after working since 1975 with the late Phil Alton, said he anticipates the arrangement may ultimately lead to him turning over the business to Zeppieri as well. For now, however, he remains an active principal.

"Michael has youth, energy and enthusiasm on his side not to mention a strong track record of sales and marketing plus a keen eye for investing," said Harsch. He said the longterm goal will be for Zeppieri to "assume the leadership of the company but first we will fully integrate him and his associates into the Harsch team. There will be no changes whatsoever to our style or method of business at the outset."  Harsch sold his Bennington office in February to real-estate entrepreneur Jack Appelman, of Manchester, Vt.  At one time, he had 50 sales associates in three offices. Harsch lives in Pownal, Vt.

  Zeppieri began his real-estate career in 1991 by joining his father's firm and assumed ownership with his father's death i n1995. A native of North Adams, he now lives in Williamstown. Last month, he was named president of the Williamstown Chamber of Commerce.  Zeppieri and his co-workers will be in their new offices in the Harsch building starting next week when the RCI Williamstown office closes.  RCI in North Adams in unaffected by the changes in Williamstown. "I am extremely pleased and honored that Paul has chosen to invite me to his highly regarded firm and to have offered me a partnership role," Zeppieri said.

Haystack Bicentennial Celebration Set for September

Williamstown, Mass. - Over the weekend of September 22-24, 2006, the First Congregational Church-UCC of Williamstown, in partnership with the Williams College Chaplain's Office, will convene a weekend conference and celebration to mark the 200th anniversary of the founding of the American foreign missions movement at the Haystack Prayer Meeting.  It will draw panelists, workshop leaders, scholars, students and participants from all over the region and the nation; registration is open to all.

The weekend events have been designed by an ecumenical coalition from many denominations, including North County residents the Rev. Carrie Bail, Pastor of First Church, Henry N. Flynt, Jr., John Chandler, Edwin Lawrence, the Rev. Rick Spalding, Chaplain of Williams College, Susan Schneski, the Rev. John Eusden, the Rev. Peter Daniels, pastor of the First Baptist Church of Williamstown, and Al Nelson.

The program will include a Saturday morning keynote by Ghanian-born author, historian and Yale professor Lamin Sanneh and a Sunday worship celebration featuring Bart Campolo, Founder of Mission Year.  Throughout the weekend music and dance will recall the international relationships begun as a result of the original Haystack missionaries.  Two specialists in world music will introduce participants to songs of faith from many cultures: C. Michael Hawn of Southern Methodist University and Patrick Evans of Yale Divinity School.  Evening programs on Friday and Saturday nights will feature student artists and an ecumenical jazz ensemble. 

On Saturday afternoon, a panel discussion entitled “The Legacies of Haystack: What Is Mission?” will feature Dennis Dickerson, professor of history at Vanderbilt University; Ada Maria Isasi-Diaz, professor of Christian ethics and theology at Drew University; Timothy Tennent, Associate Professor of World Missions and Director of Missions Programs at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary; and John Thomas, General Minister and President of the United Church of Christ. The panel will be moderated by Denise Buell, chair of the Department of Religion at Williams College

More than a dozen workshops round out the weekend.  Topics include: The New Great Awakening, Nicaraguan Liberation Theology Comes Home, Pilgrimage to South Africa, New Models for Urban Ministry, Lessons Learned from Hawaii, Mission and Life Direction, The Churches in Myanmar, Singing the World’s Song, and others. A description of all workshops to be offered, and a complete schedule of the weekend, can be found at http://haystack.williams.edu.

Early registration for the weekend is recommended, and can be accomplished by calling Susan Schneski, conference registrar, at 413-458-8220, or visiting http://.haystack.williams.edu. The registration fee is $50 until August 22 and $55 after August 23.  Registration includes a cookout lunch on the campus on Saturday; other meals (a buffet dinner at the Williams Inn on Friday, a gala Mission Dinner on Saturday, and continental breakfast on Saturday and Sunday) are available at an additional charge.  By prior arrangement, childcare is available for most sessions of the conference.

"Hoosic Moments" Winners Announced

North Adams, Mass. - The Hoosic River Watershed Association (HooRWA), Inkberry, and The Advocate have announced the winners of the 4th annual "Hooic Moments" writing contest.  Several young writers from around the tri-state Hoosic River watershed area submitted original prose and poetry describing their connections with the river.  On the evening of Thursday, May 25 the winners read from their winning pieces at Papyri Books in North Adams.

Grades 7-9 prose
1st place, Lauren Haskins, "The Babbling Brook"
2nd place, Cal Brooks, "A Day at the Beaver Pond"
3rd place, Hope Batcheller, "Tubing"

Grades 7-9 poetry
1st place, Laura Rosenthal, "A Small Black Sandal"
2nd place, Allegra Robertson, "Tunnel Challenge"
3rd place, Jake Verter, "Linear Park"
honorable mention, Cate Costley, "Money Brook;" Liz Gorson, "A Peaceful Place"

Grades 10-12 poetry, 1st place
David Rosenthal, "Waters"

Adults
1st place, Elaine Moynahan, (poetry) "To the Hoosic River, With Love"
2nd place, Nelson Harris (prose), "The Lunchtime Ramble"

Margaret J. Ware Kicks Off State Senate Campaign June 15

This information was received from Margaret Johnson Ware (Democrat) of Williamstown, newly announced candidate for the State Senate seat being vacated by Andrea Nuciforo.  It is hoped that other candidates for town and state offices in northern Berkshire or representing the residents thereof, will feel free to send similar campaign event information to be posted on GreylockNews.com.

WILLIAMSTOWN, MASS. - Margie Ware will kick-off her campaign for State Senate with a day full of events throughout the County. Details will be available on the web at  www.wareforsenate.org  fairly soon, but the preliminary schedule for the day appears below.  Feel free to attend for any or all events.  [email protected] 

8:30 AM  Coffee on Spring Street in Williamstown at the greenspace across and up from Tunnel City.  Discussion of the Spring Street redevelopment and economic development in general.

10AM  Discuss Healthcare at North Adams Regional Hospital.  Meet outside the hospital entrance.

11AM  Grab an early lunch at North County headquarters -- 71 Main Street in North Adams.

1:30PM  Discuss elders and affordable housing at Heaton Court in Stockbridge.

3PM  Discuss education and economic development on North Street in Pittsfield...probably near Berkshire Works

4PM  Take a break at Campaign Headquarters  359 North Street in Pittsfield

5PM-7PM  Kickoff reception at Zucchini's on North Street in Pittsfield.  Light refreshments.  Lots of fun! 

Africa University Choir Performs in North Berkshire June 11

Williamstown, Mass. - The Africa University Choir, composed of students from six African countries, will appear in concert at First United Methodist Church of Williamstown on Sunday, June 11, at the 10:00 a.m. worship service. All are welcome to attend. An afternoon concert will take place at the First United Methodist Church of North Adams at 3:00 p.m.  The choir will give a lively performance using several African musical traditions.

The 12-member choir is under the direction of Mr. Benon Kigozi, Choir Director and Lecturer in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences.   All members of the choir are students at Africa University where they are majoring in education, theology, humanities and social sciences, business administration or agriculture and natural resources.  Africa University in Old Mutare, Zimbabwe, enrolled its first class of 40 students in 1992.  Currently, there are 1,283 students from 22 different African countries.  The university is a United Methodist-related institution and is intended to serve the entire continent of Africa.

The Choir is on a 50-day tour of the United States. Invite your friends to join you for this inspiring music, which will send you away with a new spirit.  A freewill offering will be received.

Images Seeks Acoustic Musicians

Williamstown, Mass. -  Images Cinema is seeking acoustic musicians to perform as part of their “Acoustic Alley” summer outdoor music series, for evenings between 6 and 8pm in July and August. Days and times are flexible. For more information about this opportunity, contact Ruth Giordano at [email protected].

One of the few year-round single-screen nonprofit cinemas left in the country, Images Cinema is ever expanding its programming to meet the educational and cultural needs of the community, while maintaining its dedication to quality independent film. Images Cinema is supported in part by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency. Current happenings are listed at www.imagescinema.org.

Student Independent Film Festival

WILLIAMSTOWN, MASS. - Images Cinema and Minerva Stage are pleased to announce the 4th Annual Student Independent Film Festival (SIFF). This year there will be two components: film production and festival planning. Both components are for students aged 13 or older. Workshops will begin in early June. The culminating event will be a festival of student work, both created and solicited, at Images Cinema July 28 through 30.

The production workshop will take students through all the major steps for creating a short film, including writing a treatment, storyboarding, performing for the camera, directing and editing. All work will be shown at a public screening. The cost for the production workshop is $300. The festival planning section will give students an opportunity to plan and organize a festival that will include work from the production workshop, as well as work collected from an open call. There is no cost for the organizing workshop.

Kathleen O’Mara founded Minerva Stage in 1996, to introduce children and young adults to the plays of Shakespeare. Since then, Minerva Stage has worked with thousands of students in a myriad of artistic, expressive, and academic projects. Minerva Stage summer programs also include a Shakespeare Workshop and Film Camp.

One of the few non-profit, single-screen cinemas left in the country, Images Cinema is ever-expanding to entertain and educate with quality programming, while maintaining its strong dedication to independent film and media. Check for up-to-date happenings at www.imagescinema.org.

College Tries Tougher Tactic with Caterpillars

WILLIAMSTOWN, MASS. - About two weeks ago, the center of town experienced a population explosion of two caterpillar species - the forest tent caterpillar with a single row of white dots running down its back, and the related Eastern tent caterpillar which has two rows of white dots. Both will eventually turn into little brown moths.

According to a campus memo from Horticulturist and Grounds Supervisor Dave Fitzgerald, the recent spraying of selected trees with Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) has failed to control the outbreak. A second round of caterpillars has emerged and the footprint of the infestation has grown.

After consultation with college biologists and with an expert on the forest tent caterpillar at the University of Massachusetts, the College has decided to begin spraying the parts of campus most necessary for the upcoming Commencement and Reunion activities with a product called Conserve SC. 

The active ingredient in Conserve SC is spinosad, an organic neurotoxin.  After the caterpillars come in contact with the substance or ingest it, they die in two to three days. While Conserve SC is considered safe, college officials plan to apply it as sparingly and carefully as possible.

Spraying will begin Thursday, May 25, and continue at least through Friday. Fitzgerald's memo stated that campus buildings would be informed which areas would be treated when and asked to close building air intakes as appropriate.  Treated trees will be marked with larger signs than were used during the Bt spraying.

More extensive treatment of the entire campus and College-owned faculty and staff housing would pose a serious risk of environmental and health effects.

After the spraying the college plans to clean caterpillars off of sidewalks, steps, handrails and other surfaces of caterpillars. 

In untreated areas the caterpillars will continue their search for leafy food for the next few weeks before spinning their cocoons, from which they will re-emerge in mid- to late June for their brief few days of life as moths. Fitzgerald stated that the infestation is a natural occurrence, and that the trees that have been eaten should send out a second round of leaves later in the growing season.

But the worst may be yet to come.  Williams biology professor Hank Art was quoted in a recent Williams Record article as warning that an outbreak of invasive gypsy moth caterpillars, which are larger than tent caterpillars with red and blue spots and long bristles, might occur after their eggs hatch in late May.

Kid Films at Images

Williamstown, Mass. - During the Month of June Images Cinema will screen
several kid and family-friendly films. Beginning Saturday June 10, as part
of the Williams College Reunion Weekend, Images will screen CURIOUS GEORGE
and FERRIS BUELLER'S DAY OFF. The Kids First! Film Club will screen LITTLE
MANHATTAN on Friday, June 16 at 3pm and on Saturday, June 17 there will be a
10am Kids First screening of a variety of videos. Details follow below.

WILLIAMS COLLEGE REUNION WEEKEND FILMS

***Saturday, June 10 at 2pm and 7pm***
CURIOUS GEORGE (2006)

Directed by Matthew O'Callaghan
Featuring the voices of Will Ferrell & Drew Barrymore
Rated G * 1 hour 26 minutes * Comedy

The Man in the Yellow Hat befriends a little monkey named George. George
gets into all sorts of mischief as a result of his extreme curiosity. Based
on the popular children's books by H. A. Rey.

***Saturday, June 10 at 9pm***
FERRIS BUELLER'S DAY OFF (1986)

Directed by John Hughes
Starring Matthew Broderick, Jennifer Grey
Rated PG-13 * 1 hour 42 minutes * Comedy

Ferris Bueller cuts school to spend the day with his girlfriend and neurotic
friend, while seeing the sights in Chicago. Meanwhile, his sister and the
dean of students are both set on getting Ferris in trouble. Can Ferris make
it through the day unscathed?

KIDS FIRST FILM CLUB

Images Cinema's presentations of Kids First! continues through June, and the
following months. The Kids First! Film Club is a project of the Coalition
for Quality Children's Media (CQCM), and the content of Kid's First programs
are free of gratuitous violence, bias, or inappropriate sexual content.

There will be two screenings in June, all at Images Cinema, at 50 Spring
Street, Williamstown. Admission is $2. Any questions about this program can
be directed to Janet Curran, (413) 458-1039.

** Friday, June 16 at 3pm** Images Cinema
LITTLE MANHATTAN (84 minutes, ages 8+) LITTLE MANHATTAN is a feel-good
comedy that is perfect for all ages. Life as a kid in modern-day New York
has enough challenges, but sometimes it seems nearly impossible! Gabe and
Rosemary have known each other nearly all their lives, but when they come
face to face in a karate class, they see each other in a whole new light.
Filled with all the magical, marvelous, and maddening, moments of first
love, this charming film is fun for the whole family.

**Saturday, June 17 at 10am** Images Cinema
PEEP: DRY DUCK (ages 2-5, 20 minutes)
The animated series PEEP and the Big Wide World, narrated by award-winning
actress Joan Cusack, gives wings to the innovative idea of teaching science
to preschoolers. Wry and distinctive visual humor, charming plotlines, and
lovable characters combine with a comprehensive science program to attract
and engage young kids.

LON POPO (ages 4-8, 12 minutes)
In this Chinese version of Little Red Riding Hood, a mother leaves her three
children home alone while she goes to visit their grandmother. When the
children are visited by a wolf, pretending to be their granny, they let him
in the house, but ultimately are not fooled. Combines ancient Chinese panel
art techniques with a contemporary palette of watercolors and pastels.

STARS STARS STARS (ages 7-9, 10 minutes)
This story takes you on a colorful ride through outer space to visit planets
and stars, using collage-style animation.

At 10:45am: LITTLE MANHATTAN (84 minutes, ages 8+)

One of the few year-round single-screen nonprofit cinemas left in the
country, Images Cinema is ever expanding its programming to meet the
educational and cultural needs of the community, while maintaining its
dedication to quality independent film. Images Cinema is supported in part
by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency. Current happenings
are listed at www.imagescinema.org.

Parent of Eagle, Transcript, Banner, Advocate reports loss in SEC posting

Denver Post parent posts loss
Denver Business Journal, CO - 4 hours ago

MediaNews Group Inc. reported a net loss of $3.6 million for the quarter ending March 31 -- down from a net income of $2.3 million for the same time last year, according to the Denver Business Journal. Media News is in the process of acquiring three California papers and the St. Paul [Minn.] Pioneer Press as part of the breakup of Knight Ridder Corp.  MediaNews Group is the parent of New England Newspapers Inc., which owns The Berkshire Eagle, The Bennington Banner, the North Adams Transcript and The Advocate newsweekly. 

The disclosure is contained in a Form 10-Q filing made by MediaNews on Monday with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Although MediaNews is not a "public" company in the sense of having stock floating in public markets, it is required to file its results publicly because of other aspects of its complicated debt and ownership structure.  If it completes the Knight Ridder purchases, it will become the nation's fourth-largest newspaper chain in terms of daily circulation.  The company disclosed that it had $877 million in long-term debt as of March 31, as against $1.4 billion in assets, and $41 million in shareholders equity.  The operating loss for the nine months ended March 31 was $16.4 million, compared with an operating gain of $16.7 million for the same nine months a year earlier.

The 10-Q makes interesting reading if you like the intellectual exercise of trying to understand multifaceted financing. MediaNews for several years has been in partnerships to own papers with Gannett Co. Inc., the nation's No. 1 newspaper publisher. At one time its Denver Post was part owned by another newspaper chain, and in its deal to purchase Knight Ridder assets, the 10-Q discloses, The Hearst Corp. is going to take an equity stake in MediaNews. Hearst publishes newspapers and magazines. In the San Francisco Bay area, some media watchers, including Bruce Brugman, publisher of the weekly Bay Guardian, are seeking antitrust scrutiny of the deal because Hearst owns the San Francisco Chronicle -- the only big Bay Area daily that would NOT be owned by Media News.  Hearst also owns the Albany Times Union, so the T-U  would now have an indirect ownership relationship with The Eagle et al.