Wednesday, July 16, 2025

News and Ideas Worth Sharing

Shaw Israel Izikson

Shaw Israel Izikson is Managing Editor for The Berkshire Edge. Izikson is an award-winning journalist, editor, and photographer from Baltimore, Maryland. He was the winner of the 2015 New England Better Newspaper competition in editorial writing. Izikson is the former editor of The Winsted Journal newspaper from 2014 to 2017. He was also the editor of The Winsted Phoenix from 2019 to 2021, and most recently The Country Journal in late 2021. He has been in the journalism field for over 20 years, starting as a reporter for The Irregular newspaper in Kingfield, Maine. He worked at The Lakeville Journal company for 11 years, working as a reporter at all three newspapers owned by the company before serving as the editor for The Winsted Journal from 2014 to 2017.

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Southern Berkshire Regional School District Superintendent Regulbuto resigns

Regulbuto was originally hired by the school district in July 2017.

Mount Everett Regional School teacher receives Fulbright U.S. Student Award

As part of the award, Graham will study in New Zealand, joining the Museum and Heritage Practice master's program at Victoria University in Wellington. There she will explore how the museum sector supports education from kindergarten through 12th grade.

Great Barrington Rotary Club awards 38 local students $75,000 in scholarships

“How many of us go through life with the belief that we cannot do something simply because we failed at it once before?” Rotary Club Scholarship Committee Chair Mark DeCelle advised the awardees. “Failure is part of learning, and we should never give up in the struggle for life.”

A celebration of community and visibility: Berkshire Pride Festival and parade in Pittsfield

"I think that, especially in a moment where there are so many people who have arrayed against the LGBTQIA+ community, it’s super important to come out and celebrate solidarity with joy," said Berkshire Pride board member Jeff Lowenstein

Southern Berkshire Regional School District teachers, staff, and administrators all spar over contracts

In a press release sent before the rally, Mount Everett Special Education teacher and SBREA member Roberta Sarnacki writes that the association has been attempting to negotiate “fair contracts for our workers.”

Another Great Barrington resident taken by ICE agents

Great Barrington resident Erica Lemus de paz, 33, was taken into custody by ICE agents on Wednesday, May 28.

BUSINESS PERSPECTIVES: Longtime Great Barrington business Robin’s Candy sold to New Yorker

“I realized by selling the store, I would be able to continue to expand my consulting practice so I can help other small businesses in the Berkshires and throughout the region," former Robin's Candy owner Robin Helfand told The Berkshire Edge.

Celebrating a universe of inclusion: CATA gala at Shakespeare & Company

“Over 100 CATA artists helped to create this show, composing music and lyrics for original songs and choreographic dances, devising original theater scenes, and designing and building the sets," said CATA Executive Director Margaret Keller.

Actor Sam Waterston to discuss his role in ‘The Killing Fields’ at Triplex event

The biographical drama, set in 1973, is based on the experiences of journalists Schanberg and Cambodian Dith Pran in Cambodia during the civil war between the Cambodian National Army and the communist Khmer Rogue.

It’s a wrap for another Berkshire International Film Festival

"I think [independent filmmakers] are the truth tellers and the voices of a generation that are willing to sort of break the mold and share stories in a way that's maybe non-conventional and hopefully impactful,” said "Unholy" writer and director Daisy Friedman.

Confronting an uncertain future: Lots of discussion and speculation but no answers on the future of Kilpatrick Athletic Center at Simon’s Rock

“There is an uncertain future for us, and there is no clear plan from the institution,” said Great Barrington resident and KAC Preservation Project member Sara Parker. “This has led a lot of us to feel like we’re in limbo. I’ve heard from many of you about anxiety. We’re here to explore possibilities and not make binding decisions.”

Monument Mountain Regional High School graduates 129

"To quote Ralph Waldo Emerson: 'What lies behind you and what lies in front of you pales in comparison to what lies inside you,'" Superintendent Peter Dillon told graduates.

Stalked and Abducted: Federal ICE agents grab a local gardener from his job site in Great Barrington

As of press time, the family of the detained man told The Berkshire Edge that they have not heard from him.

Of billionaires, Bezos, shipping boxes, and Amazon: ‘How to Not Save the World With Mr. Bezos’ to open on June 5

"The play is less about the verisimilitude of the nonfictional character of Jeff Bezos and more about the drama playing out about how to ethically solve income disparity," explained director Clay Hopper.

Historical Society commemorates 30th anniversary of Great Barrington tornado

“To put this exhibit together, what we did was put the call out to the community for any kind of memorabilia they may have about the tornado,” Historical Society Executive Director Robert Krol told The Berkshire Edge.

Multicultural BRIDGE celebrates Solidarity House in Great Barrington with ribbon-cutting event

“We see this building as healing justice,” said organization founder and CEO Gwendolyn VanSant. “People can come here to find personal healing, and also restorative projects for the community."
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