Wednesday, March 11, 2026

News and Ideas Worth Sharing

Are settlements on the horizon in ‘Gender Queer’ lawsuits?

As a mediation conference approaches, The Berkshire Edge reviews the two-year legal journey of Arantzazú Zuzene Galdós-Shapiro's civil rights lawsuit against the town of Great Barrington, its police department, and former Berkshire Hills Superintendent Peter Dillon.

BRIGHT SPOTS: Week of March 11, 2026

Standing up for the law, the Constitution, and accountability!

BITS & BYTES: Luis Vargas-Santiago at The Clark; ‘Hoop Dreams’ at The Crandell; ‘Chat GBPT’ at St. James Place; Berkshire Waldorf High School presents ‘Little Women’; Ronald Barron at the Richmond Sanctuary; Megs Crawford at Wander; Women of Spirit in the Berkshires presents ‘Belonging’

By positing the notion of "Sur Marica" as a decolonial site that resists both hetero- and homonormativity, Vargas-Santiago outlines a mobile cartography of visual art that fluidly redefines national, racial, and sexual identities while creating spaces of freedom and political expression.

The Suburban Imperative:  A Democratic strategy for the 2026 midterms grounded in the K-shaped economy’s electoral geography

This article translates the empirical findings of a companion white paper into an integrated campaign strategy and governing agenda for Democratic candidates, campaign organizations, and allied groups operating in this environment.

Gov. Healey increases home heating assistance benefits for tens of thousands of Massachusetts households

“Increasing these benefits will help make sure seniors, families with children, and other residents can keep their homes warm during the coldest weeks of the year," said Gov. Maura Healey.

PREVIEW: Grammy-winning jazz pianist Sullivan Fortner at Tanglewood’s Linde Center, Friday, March 20

“Sullivan is one of the best pianists in the world today, and he has all of the musical attributes I love: creativity, technique always in the service of expression, joy and humor, fearlessness, and pianistic mastery.” — Producer Fred Hersch

Sheffield Land Trust teams up with Greenagers and local funders to create accessible trail in Ashley Falls

Now, those confined to a wheelchair can venture down the 0.3-mile trail past meadows and into lush woods, ending amid some dramatic limestone outcroppings that make this area of Sheffield a hotspot of biodiversity for rare ferns and plants.

PETER MOST: Avoiding the fiscal death spiral

What follows are some ideas raised around the table at Rubi’s, other ideas that deserve consideration, and at least one wisely rejected.

PREVIEW: West Stockbridge Chamber Players winter concert on Sunday, March 15

The benefit concert at Old Town Hall features works by Enescu, Penderecki, Dohnányi, and Mozart.

The 90 percent solution: Lowering taxes for year-round residents

There is no universal fix to help all of our challenges, but one instrument the state has given towns to sustain and stabilize their full-time population is the residential tax exemption.

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Marjorie A. Prince, 90, of Lenox

The funeral of Mrs. Marjorie A. Prince will be Tuesday morning at 11 a.m. at St. Ann's Church, with the Rev. Monsignor John J. Bonzagni, Pastor, celebrating the Liturgy. Burial will follow in St. Ann's Cemetery. There are no calling hours.

Martha Louise Hawkins (née Moore), 87, of Great Barrington

Martha’s legacy is one of connection, warmth, and shared laughter. Her memory will continue to inspire all who were fortunate enough to know her.

Bonniventura M. Smith, 80, formerly of Great Barrington

A small, intimate gathering for close family and friends will be held at Birches-Roy Funeral Home on Monday March 9, from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. A private burial will follow at St. Peter’s Cemetery.

Agnes Kathryn Peron, 85, of Lee

Family will receive friends at Finnerty & Stevens Funeral Home on Monday, March 9, from 5 to 7 p.m. A Liturgy of Christian Burial will be held at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, March 10, at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Great Barrington. Interment will follow at St. Peter’s Cemetery.