greylocknews

MGRHS students to get a taste of wellness on March 14

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. -- Students at Mount Greylock Regional High School will get a taste of wellness on March 14, when an estimated 40 vendors of healthy eating and lifestyle products will conduct a two-hour "Wellness Fair".  School administrators say the event will run from 10 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. and will include "interactive booths."  Co-Principal Ellen Kaiser says participants will have the opportunity to sample healthy drinks and snacks, and learn more about activities designed to provide enjoyment and stimulate physical activity. Area businesses will contribute prizes to a drawing. For more information call Kaiser at 458-9582, ext. 1.

Cindy Sheehan Comes to Manchester March 4

  MANCHESTER, Vt. -- On Sunday, March 4 at 12:30 pm Cindy Sheehan and Friends will make a stop at the Village Picture Shows in the Manchester Plaza on Rts. 11 & 30 in Manchester Center, VT, as a part of their Town Hall Democracy Tour organized by Green Mountain Peace, the group says.

Sheehan's son, Casey, came home from Iraq - three weeks after his deployment - in a coffin. Sheehan wants to know why her son died, according to event organizers.  They say Sheehan asks one question of the President: "What is the Noble Cause that you keep talking about?" She is still waiting for the answer.  Sheehan has spent the time since Casey's death trying to bring an end to the war in Iraq, to bring home other sons and daughters before its too late, and to spare other parents the pain that comes from losing your child in a war with no just cause.

Sheehan and Drew Cameron and Matt Howard of Iraq Veterans Against the War, and John Nichols and Dan DeWalt of Impeachment Advocates are traveling throughout the start of Vermont encouraging people to attend their local Town Meetings and vote on or introduce resolutions to end the war in Iraq and investigate the administration’s actions, and, if those investigations show evidence of high crimes and misdemeanors, to seek impeachment. 

This event is free and open to the public. For more information call Green Mountain Peace at          802-394-7814       .

Trolley Travel on the Berkshire Street Railway

Williamstown, MA - Re-enter the world of trolley travel at an illustrated talk on local trolley routes of the Berkshire Street Railway by Joe Hall, officer and past president of the Bennington Historical Society. The program, sponsored by the Williamstown House of Local History as part of its public lecture series, will be held at the Milne Public Library, 1095 Main Street in Williamstown, on Sunday, March 11, at 3pm.

The first trolley in Williamstown arrived in 1895, as part of the Hoosac Valley Street Railway in Adams, MA.  By 1901 the Hoosac Valley line had been combined with several other small, local lines to form the Berkshire Street Railway. Headquartered in Pittsfield, the Berkshire Street Railway was the only trolley system in the nation to operate simultaneously in four states. Its lines reached from Canaan, CT in the South to Bennington, VT  and Hoosick Falls, NY in the North. By transfer to trains at its railroad hubs in Canaan, Pittsfield, and Bennington, it was possible to travel almost anywhere. Trolleys ran every half hour for a five cent fare, and were popular with shoppers, workers, and pleasure riders until the advent of the automobile brought about their decline. 

For further information call 413 458-2160 or email [email protected].

Lecture on the Lining Towers of the Hoosac Tunnel

North Adams, MA - “The Lining Towers of the Hoosac Tunnel” is the title of the third talk in a free series of illustrated talks on railroading on March 4 at 2 p.m. at Western Gateway Heritage State Park in North Adams, MA. Jerry Kelley will chronicle the arduous task that engineers had to align the Hoosac Tunnel in a straight line through the mountain using six lining towers. The talk will be held in the Shipper’s Office of the Visitors’ Center, Building 4. Refreshments will be served.

Mary Lee's Corvette Plays Club B-10 March 3

At Club B-10 in MASS MoCA this Saturday, March 3 it’s Mary Lee’s Corvette. The New York Times says of lead singer/songwriter Mary Lee Kortes, “Her voice is clear, her lyrics direct and her music poised and tuneful.” The band backs her artful and catchy pop-folk-rock musings masterfully. The performance begins at 8:00 PM. Tickets are $14 in advance, $15 the day of the show. Call 413-662-2111 for information/tickets

Eclipse Gallery Hosts Lunar Eclipse Drawing Party

North Adams, MA - On Saturday, March 3, from 7-10 pm The Eclipse Mill Gallery, located at 243 Union Street, will be hosting a "Total Lunar Eclipse Drawing Marathon" in the gallery. Drawing materials will be provided.  Bring your friends and draw on the walls as the moon disappears....

"Flushed Away" to be Screened at Heritage Park

North Adams, MA - “Movies for Kids” continues Saturday, March 3 at Western Gateway Heritage State Park’s Visitors center at 2:00 PM. Popular children’s movies will be shown on the large screen television in the Center’s theater. The movies are presented by the Department of Conservation and Recreation and the Movie Gallery in the Steeple City Plaza. This week’s movie is “Flushed Away.” Although no admission is charged, donations of new, unused items such as board and card games, disposable cameras, sunscreen, gum, foot powder, etc., will be accepted to support the Military Family Support Group, which tries to send some cheer to American service men and women serving in Iraq, Afghanistan and Kosovo. Children must be accompanied by an adult. For more information, call 413-663-6312.

"Five Children & It" Shown at North Adams Congregational Church

North Adams, MA - The next Family-Friendly movie shown at the First Congregational Church of North Adams will be “Five Children and It” on Friday, March 2. Movies in the series are free and begin at 7:00 pm in the Assembly Hall. The church is located at 134 Main Street, opposite the public library.

WinterFest and Chowder Winners Announced

North Adams, MA - Congratulations to the winners of the North Adams Winterfest Chowder Cook-Off! There were three judges and three Peoples’ Choice plaques awarded at the Chowder- Cook off, held at the Holiday Inn Berkshires. Judge’s 1st place went to the Freight Yard Restaurant and Pub, followed by the Hot Dog Ranch and Red Sauce Ristorante. Sampling of all chowders was free to the public, but those individuals who opted to donate to the city’s Mohawk Theater Restoration Fund were eligible to vote for “Peoples’ Choice.” With nearly 200 ballots cast, Boston Sea Foods Restaurant was awarded 1st place, followed by Gramercy Bistro. The third place winner was North Adams Regional Hospital Dining Services.

In addition to the Chowder Cook-Off, which was attended by over 800 people, last weekend’s annual North Adams Winterfest  featured a prize drawing sponsored by a number of city businesses. The winners were drawn randomly from all entries received. The winners were the Varuzzo family of Church Street in North Adams. The Varuzzos (Lisa, Mike and Andrew) won a prize package valued at over 350 dollars. Prize package gift certificates were supplied by the North Adams Transcript, Mount Greylock Bowl, DiLego’s Jewelry Store, Crafty Creations, Atef Fine Jeweler, Braytonville Garage, The Party Place, Aubuchon Hardware, Persnickety Toys, Moulton’s Pizzeria, Moulton’s General Store, Quadlands Flowers and Gifts, Suncatcher Glass and Central Radio.

Inkberry Receives Grant for "The Write Stuff"

North Adams, MA - Inkberry has been awarded a Local Cultural Council Grant for The Write Stuff, a reading and writing program geared to middle school children in North Adams. The grant from the Cultural Council of Northern Berkshire, a division of the Massachusetts Cultural Council, will provide partial support for the program, which was launched at Silvio O. Conte Middle School in the Fall of 2006.  Inkberry, Conte Middle School, MCLA, the North Adams Public Library, and the North Adams Transcript are partnering to offer the on-going reading and writing program focused on enhancing the current reading and writing curriculum through creative writing, service learning, mentorship, tutoring

help, and public performance.   The program offers multi-genre creative writing workshops to 6th and 7th graders at Conte Middle School as part of their exploratory arts curriculum along with MCAS help centered on reading comprehension. MCLA students majoring in English and education, assigned by the college¹s Center for Service and Citizenship, are on hand to assist Inkberry-appointed creative writing instructors and to lead reading comprehension sessions during the school day.    Students from Conte Middle School who participate in the program will be given the opportunity to read from their work at the North Adams Public Library as part of a Student Authors Night, portions of which will be published in The North Adams Transcript.   

For additional information regarding The Write Stuff or other Inkberry programs, contact Inkberry by phone at (413) 664-0775 or visit www.inkberry.org.