Stop & Shop and its unionized workers are heading toward a strike. United Food and Commercial Workers 1459 says it served notice it will terminate its contract with the supermarket chain as of Friday at noon, as have two other UFCW locals in Rhode Island and Connectictut.

In a update posted on the UFCW site Thursday afternoon, President Scott Macey said the union was willing to negotiate with the supermarket through Friday for "a fair and reasonable offer." However, the union can call a job action at any point and strike without notice, he wrote.

UFCW 1459 covers workers in Berkshire County and Western Mass. Employees at the store in North Adams have said they're prepared to strike and that they've been told by loyal customers that they won't cross at picket line. Stop & Shop also operates two stores in Pittsfield.

Stop & Shop took advertisements in local newspapers for temporary help last month in anticipation of a breakdown in negotiations; talks between the chain and its union have been rocky and a federal mediator was called in to help with the talks.

On its Web site, the grocer stated that "negotiations are continuing and this does not necessarily mean there will be a work stoppage; however the locals would be free to initiate a work stoppage after the 24 hour period ends. If a work stoppage does occur, Stop & Shop may use temporary replacement workers to support our stores."

Any work stoppage would affect more than 300 workers in Berkshire County.

Update at 8:46 p.m.: The five union locals say they're scheduling votes for Sunday on a new offer from Stop & Shop, per federal mediators. According to postings on the UFCW Web site, talks are closer on health and pensions, but the locals feel there should be significant movement on wages and new hires. Stop &  Shop has consistently stated its workers are well paid compared to similar nonunion workplaces.

Update at 9:27 a.m. , March 7: The five union locals say they reached a tentative agreement on Saturday night. The union membership will vote this afternoon; Berkshire County union members will be presented the contract and will vote at the Holyoke Holiday Inn beginning at 3 p.m.

Update, 9:35 a.m., March 8: UCFW has voted to accept the contract offered by Stop & Shop. Some 400 employees in Berkshire County and Western Mass. attended a presentation Sunday on the offer, which passed 307-23. UCFW 1459 President Scott Macey said the contract protected many benefits and contained other improvements. In a posting on the Web site, Macey said the union got about 92 percent of what it wanted.

"Today was a very good day. We were able to present a very good package," he said. "Tremendous improvements in health and welfare and pension plan staying the same, and a few other improvements, I couldn't be happier with the outcome today."

Four other UCFW locals also approved the contract, averting a strike.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Local businessman Richard Stanley, developer of the new Beacon Cinema, will give a talk, "The Beacon Cinema: Adaptive Reuse to Revitalize Pittsfield’s Downtown," at the BBQ: Berkshire Business Quarterly Visionaries Breakfast on March 25, at 7:30 a.m., at Beacon Cinema, 57 North St.

The event, featuring a light breakfast, the talk, and a tour of the facility, is fourth in a continuing series, and is sponsored by BBQ: Berkshire Business Quarterly magazine, published by Berkshire Living.

The BBQ: Berkshire Business Quarterly Visionaries Breakfast Series offers members of the wider business community the opportunity to meet and learn from the area business leaders profiled in the publication. Stanley is featured in the cover story, "Screen Gem: Richard Stanley’s Midas Touch Inspires Hope for a Full-Fledged Revival of Downtown Pittsfield, Mass.," by Daniel Bellow, in the 2010 First Quarter issue of BBQ.

The breakfast event provides an opportunity for members of the business community to hear about best business practices of a successful organization. The speaker is introduced by the magazine’s founder and publisher, Michael Zivyak, and the talk is followed by a question-and-answer period.

Tickets are $25, and advance reservations are required; call 413-443-8200 by March 19.

The Berkshire Chamber of Commerce is holding an open house on Monday morning from 8 to 10 at its North Adams office at 6 West Main St. Volunteers, members and potential members are invited to attend and find out what the chamber can offer.

Attendees will meet the staff and be able to learn more about the many volunteer opportunities offered through the chamber as well as the benefits of membership. Businesses that are not part of the largest business-support organization in the Berkshires are also invited to attend the open house to learn more about the many benefits of chamber membership.

For businesses considering joining, March is a good month to do it. Along with regular benefits, the chamber is offering more than $1,500 in incentives for businesses that join during the month.

March has been developed as a "Membership Month" with the small-business or sole-proprietor owner in mind.

"By increasing the size of the chamber's membership base, businesses and their employees will realize a greater return on their investment," according to Jen Glockner, the chamber's membership manager. "With more businesses participating at our networking events, our attendees will have a much greater opportunity to develop new relationships. And, as we increase in size, the chamber's advocacy efforts represent a larger constituency creating an even stronger voice on business and legislative issues."

The following members will be offering discounts and/or freebies to new members: New England Newspapers (including The Berkshire Eagle, Nort Adams Transcript, and The Advocate), Custom Business Solutions, Winstanley Partners, MacFarlane Office Products, BBE Office Interiors, CompuWorks, Berkshire Coupon.com, Berkshire Jobs.com., iBerkshires.com (Editor: that's us!), Vox Communications (including WBEC, WUPE, WNAW, and WSBS), WJ Blueprint, Berkshire Print Shop, and Quality Printing Co.

Annual membership dues start at $255 for businesses with five employees or less. Applications are available at www.berkshirechamber.com. Business owners can also find out more by attending the open house on Monday or contacting Glockner at 413-499-4000, Ext. 17.

The Stockbridge Chamber of Commerce elected a new slate of officers at its annual dinner at the Red Lion Inn on Tuesday, March 2, and honored a longtime member.

Barbara Zanetti, executive director of the chamber, said officers elected for the 2010-2011 term are President Michele Kotek of the Red Lion Inn; Vice President Allison Rachele Bayles of Berkshire Theatre Festival; Assistant Vice President Mike Duffy of the Norman Rockwell Museum; Treasurer August Murko of 1850 Taggart House B&B; Secretary Anne Roy of the Floor Store and Member-at-Large John Hart of Berkshire Brochure Display.

Douglas M. Goudey of Wheeler & Taylor Insurance resigned after serving 10 years on the board of directors, two years as vice president and eight as treasurer. Goudey was honored for his guidance and leadership over the years and was presented with a plaque in appreciation for all he had done to promote the chamber's commitment to the support of businesses and the overall well-being of Stockbridge.

Stockbridge Main Street at Christmas event, the arts and crafts show held each summer at the Berkshire Botanical Garden, and the Stockbridge Children's Halloween Parade and Party held at Town Hall. In addition, the chamber produces a widely distributed guide, offers a lodging availability hotline service, and responds to all inquires made to the office located in its new location at 50 Main St.

The chamber will host its next business meeting on Wednesday, March 24, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the 1850 Taggart House. Attendees will have the opportunity to network and hear from the Stockbridge Green Team.  The meeting is open to members and their employees. To register: 413-298-5200 or info@stockbridgechamber.org.

Sherman Baldwin is cutting ties with "TalkBerkshires" and leaving the area.

The embattled radio host announced his decision Friday afternoon to a handful of media and supporters at Chapters Bookstore on North Street, ending the short-lived radio show in its current form.

"I'm very disappointed. I really am ... but it's not to be," he said. WBRK pulled the plug on "TalkBerkshires" two weeks ago in a controversial move that had some Baldwin supporters crying censorship.

Baldwin, however, is hoping the independent program will be resurrected in some form with his producer of three months, Michael Valenti.

"I know he has the raw talent for it," said Baldwin of his young colleague to whom he's handing over the show. "I'll do everything I can to support him ... I cannot be clear when or where, but I do believe 'TalkBerkshires' will be on the air shortly."

But he said the call-in radio show's success will be more assured "without my personal baggage."

The 50-year-old radio personality went on the air in late May last year, swiftly becoming the go-to host as the local election season heated up. He featured roundtables and pared-down debates and sessions with Mayor James Ruberto and challenger Daniel Bianchi along with the numerous City Council candidates.

'TalkBerkshires' also hosted a debate between the 10 mayoral candidates and put the pressure on Bianchi to appear at the final mayoral debate just days before the election. He was proud of the comments of an older resident who told Baldwin he'd gone to the voting booth the most informed and educated he'd ever been because of listening to the show.

"TalkBerkshires" and its host also became active in local community efforts, such as the Hometown Committee and the search for a llama killer. (Baldwin said checks sent to him toward a reward won't be cashed until someone is caught.)

For three hours every weekday afternoon, Baldwin has chatted up state and local politicians, lawyers, bankers and local businessmen, among others, growing sizable fan base  —  and critics.

Baldwin's involvement in the Berkshire Job Summit, a private endeavor in conjunction with major advertiser Allen Harris of Berkshire Money Management, led to public airing of Baldwin's "personal baggage" — his conviction on fraud charges in the late '90s related to finishing filming of the cult-hit "The Crow."

Not that he'd hid the conviction. In fact, he'd been featured in an Albany Times-Union article on ex-cons trying to move on with their lives during his brief stint there on WROW the year before. But the story was mostly unknown in the Berkshires.

The troubles piled on —  the job summit generated controversary and stepped on established toes and what Baldwin calls the "Massimiano saga" seems to have been the last straw for station owner Willard "Chris" Hodgkins.

Baldwin had taken a call a month before from James E. Monahan, who is accusing Sheriff Carmen Massimiano of molesting him nearly 30 years; two weeks ago, a related segment on libel claims against The Berkshire Eagle by Massimiano with both local lawyer Rinaldo Del Gallo and Clarence Fanto, former Eagle managing editor and now a freelance writer.

He said Hodgkins not only knew about both two call-ins, he approved them; the next morning, however, he was fired.

Baldwin said he has no hard feelings with the Hodgkins, though he simply said "no comment" when asked if he was pursuing legal recourse. He and Valenti were also mum on where they've been shopping the program.

"It was clear to me that 'TalkBerkshires' had a definite purpose in the community," said Valenti. "It gave an opportunity for a dialogue to exist. I think we made a believer out of a lot of people.

"It would be a shame not to continue the name."

The headlines may have helped Baldwin; he's already talked to two Boston stations.

"I do talk radio. It's really who I am ... at 50, I've learned that when I'm out of talk radio is when I've had more trouble in my life," he said, adding "I was pleased to hear that I have created enough of a name for myself in Massachusetts that it could continue to be my home."

Baldwin had hoped to remain in the Berkshires, where he arrived just a few years ago as a morning DJ on the local Vox stations. But a bigger market might be more suitable, without the  "increased sensitivities" of a smaller community.

"I thought I would be here forever. That's not the case but it'll be a part of me forever," said Baldwin.