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Allowing children to be children again: Monterey’s Kimama Halfmoon camp hosts children of Israeli hostages

"[S]lowly but surely, you could see them dancing on the basketball court, and their smiles eventually came back to them while they enjoyed the summer," Camp Director Yael Skikne recounted about the campers.

Nola Watson Lawrence, 89

Nola was one of several senior citizens recognized by Gov. Deval L. Patrick for her life-long commitment to the African-American community in the Berkshires.

The Real Inconvenient Truth: Capitalism clashes with climate action

Our present reality is not just that we are on the fast track to climate catastrophe. It is also that we now have an economic and political system that isn’t working too well for most people.

Anatomy of a pipeline decision: A scheme of ‘dubious’ legality

The general public has not been included in the development of energy projects, and in the words of the Conservation Law Foundation, “formulation of and negotiations around [energy] proposals have been conducted almost completely behind closed doors.”

Loet Velmans, POW, author and CEO, at Tuesday Club of Stockbridge

When asked how he achieved professional success, he credits luck and being at the right place at the right time. Yet, as he tells his story, it becomes clear that Velmans had other traits – courage, resourcefulness, determination, a willingness to take risks, an instinct for what might work, and a capacity for friendship and collaboration.

Bits & Bytes: Pre-Halloween fun at Fairgrounds; candidates forum; Simon’s Rock art show

At the Great Barrington Fairgrounds, October 25, a day of pre-Halloween festivities, including the screening of Tim Burton's "The Nightmare before Christmas." On Tuesday, Oct. 21, there's a Berkshire Hills School Committee candidates forum at the Senior Center; and an exhibit of work by Jacob Fossum opens at Simon's Rock.

Iredale to sell Searles complex, creating new commercial district

“We want to insure that whatever is done [at Searles] is complementary to what we’ve done in the area," including the the length of Bridge Street from the Co-op to the former Log Homes site, where a major bioremediation project is making way for a redevelopment that will likely include an expanded Co-Op Market." ---Iredale Mineral Cosmetics CFO Robert Montgomery

Harvesting the sun, or how we ‘went solar’

I decided to investigate the solarize program launched by Gov. Deval Patrick and spearheaded locally by Malcolm Fick with the town’s Energy Committee as well as Juliette Haas of Egremont. Calculations showed that a free-standing structure with 20 photovoltaic panels would provide 100 percent of the electrical energy that we typically consumed.

Barrington Selectboard endorses Monument High School renovation

We’ve been around and around the block about this. Is it expensive? Is it going to cost us a lot of money? Yeah, but ultimately I think it’s the right decision to make.” -- Selectboard member Sean Stanton

Bits & Bytes: Shred Day, then BerkshireSpeaks

BerkshireSpeaks: Seven pioneering speakers will present their visions of what it will take for the Berkshires to thrive and prosper in the coming decades.

Marie DeAngelis Carr, 88

Her iron will and strength of character were traits well admired by all who knew her. With her quick wit and a twinkle in her eye, one couldn't help but be charmed by a woman who overcame so much in her long life against very big odds.

Finance Committee looks to split rate, residential exemption to reduce ‘unaffordable’ tax burden

“People are hurting and we need to do something about it, to make our principal source of revenue progressive." -- Michael Wise, member of the Great Barrington Finance Committee

Bits & Bytes: Berkshire Shorts; Montessori tour

This year’s Berkshire Shorts will feature a block of contest entries in “The 30 Day Film Challenge,” a contest in which local filmmakers had 30 days to write, shoot and edit short films.

Preservation dilemma: Worthy projects, not enough money

“I’m not here to give out money because people applied,” she said. “I’m here to give out money because it’s best for the town.” -- Community Preservation Committee member Kathleen Jackson

David Donald Siegel, 82, law professor, expert in New York civil procedure

At Albany Law, he created a scholarship fund for Law Review students, which has provided financial support for 126 students to date. David was a revered mentor to scores of students and lawyers, as well as family members and friends.

Bits & Bytes: Race against time; Texas writer headin’ north

Duchenne muscular dystrophy affects approximately 30,000 people in the United States, and several hundred thousand children worldwide. Berkshire Waldorf High School announces first writer-in-resident, DJ Thielke.

Bits & Bytes: Farm-to-table pioneer Judy Wicks; Monterey OctoberFest

Judy Wicks founded Fair Food Philadelphia. In Monterey, OctoberFest will include a tour of plans for the Monterey Community Center.