“The Era of Manifestations” was a period from 1837 to the mid-1850s when Shakers came under a spiritual revival marked by visions and ecstatic experiences among the followers.
2018 has provided enough Great Barrington news to keep journalists busy and observers of town politics highly amused, signaling that the community dubbed "best small town in America" by Smithsonian Magazine continues to be a place in transition.
The commissioners emphasized that, at the moment, there is no proposal. And besides, their charge was a narrow one: to interpret and enforce the state Wetlands Protection Act. Further approvals would likely be the purview of the planning board.
“I definitely share in the disappointment about the lack of net metering increases. I understand there are a lot of folks in the Berkshires and in my district who are vocal proponents of lifting and even eliminating the cap on metering credits."
-- State Rep. William "Smitty" Pignatelli
Among the issues Amatul-Wadud is raising in her run for Congress are climate change; universal public education; and affordable, high-speed internet access for every resident of the 1st Congressional District.
Markey cited solar and wind power as future drivers of the economy and he questioned why the Trump administration did not see it as a source of jobs for unemployed workers, especially the blue-collar workers Trump purports to represent.
Building Inspector Edwin May said the property did not have sufficient frontage for a building lot and is not by right since it sits in a residential/agricultural zone.
The solar field below the Rising Paper Mill in Housatonic, built last year on a brownfield, is saving the town and the Berkshire Hills Regional School District each between $70,000 and $90,000 in annual electricity costs.
There are already signs that Massachusetts’ solar industry has slowed in response to a limit on a key program known as net metering.
-- Environment Massachusetts Research and Policy Center and Student MASSPIRG
In addition to being a celebrated contemporary pop singer, Rufus Wainwright has made a name for himself in the classical world. His much-acclaimed first opera, titled Prima Donna, premiered at the Manchester International Festival in 2009.
There are two organizations with roots right here in the Berkshires that already have boots on the ground in Nepal and are up and running, hard at work with crucial relief efforts.
For those who would like their donation to have a direct effect rather than be swallowed up in one of the giant relief funds, please consider donating to these two local organizations
"Kathmandu is in chaos. The aftershocks are powerful and continuous and people are living in the streets because they are afraid to go back into their houses, even if there has been no damage. Some of the major charitable organizations are calling us, asking if we can help because they are not yet here and are not set up. Our people have been working around the clock and we are doing all we can, but the task is enormous."
-- Anya Cherneff, founder of Empower Generation, aiding recovery efforts in Nepal, and daughter of Hester Velmans and Peter Cherneff of Sheffield
