Williamstown - A rally for action on climate change will be held on Sat., April 14 from noon to 2 p.m., on the front steps of First Congregational Church in Williamstown.
This event is part of a Step It Up national day of action, organized by climate change scholar and activist Bill McKibben. Local events will be held in iconic places such as levees in New Orleans, melting glaciers on Mt. Rainier, underwater on Key West's endangered coral reefs, and in town on the steps of a New England church.
Over 1,100 events like these will send the message “Step it
up Congress, cut carbon 80% by 2050". At least six of these events are scheduled to be held in Berkshire County.
According to event orgainizers, climate change is a moral issue as the world is faced with human-initiated changes that will harm millions, especially the world’s poorest and most vulnerable.
Rev. Carrie Bail, Rabbi Jeff Goldwasser, and Chaplain Rick Spalding will speak during the Williamstown event. Additional speakers include state Sen. Ben Downing D-Pittsfield, Jiminy Peak CEO
Brian Fairbank, town Selectwoman Jane Allen, Mount Greylock Regional High School senior Rachel Payne, Tufts University Professor Bill Moomaw, and Chuck MacNeil from the Berkshire Regional Transit Authority.
The church façade will be used to host a graph illustration of the dramatic spike in carbon emissions in the last hundred years— with the final point extending 60 feet to the church’s steeple.
The event will feature music by student performers from Williams College and Mount Greylock Regional High School, and opportunities for people to take action to reduce climate change.
Actions include the purchase of compact fluorescent light bulbs, signing up for green energy, an opportunity to pledge to reduce
carbon emissions, and signing up to participate with climate change study groups sponsored by the Northwest Earth Institute. The meetings will begin during the final week of this month and will cover a four-week span.
The Water Street Books retail store will host a book table to sell books about climate change and other relevent topics.
Food will be sold by a Spring Street business, Ephorium.
People are encouraged to bike, carpool, or take the bus to the event.
The BRTA has agreed to provide round-trip free bus service will be available from North Adams to and from the rally.
You may contact First Congregational Church in North Adams at 663-9940 to arrange for passes for yourself or your organization.
Rally parking will be permitted at the lower Stetson lot at Williams College or at the Williamstown Elementary School lot. Those who park in those locations are encouraged to walk the remaining distnce to the rally.
In case of rain, the event will take place inside the church.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.
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BHS Urgent Care Opening Third Location in North Berkshire
Staff Reports
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Berkshire Health Systems (BHS) today announced the opening of a third Urgent Care location, with a new facility being developed at 197 Adams Road, Williamstown, inside the Williamstown Medical facility.
Berkshire Health Urgent Care North will open on Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025, and will be open weekdays from 11:00am to 7:00pm and weekends from 8:00am to noon.
"We are thrilled to officially open Berkshire Health Urgent Care North to patients seeking care for minor illnesses and injuries, complimenting the services provided at our highly successful Pittsfield and Lenox locations," said Darlene Rodowicz, BHS President and CEO. "The opening of Berkshire Health Urgent Care North serves as a demonstration of BHS’s commitment to providing accessible care and services for patients across North County and Southern Vermont, keeping care close to home."
Berkshire Health Urgent Care North will provide convenient, accessible care for minor illness and injuries, as well as on-site X-ray services and testing for common illnesses. Like its counterparts in Pittsfield and Lenox, the North site will also provide patients with access to BHS’s coordinated system of care, fostering collaboration across each patient’s team of providers.
"Berkshire Health Systems has consistently supported the healthcare needs of North Berkshire, from opening key services after the 2014 closing of North Adams Regional Hospital to reopening our community hospital in 2024 and now expanding access to urgent care," said Jennifer Macksey, Mayor of North Adams. "This is great news for residents across North Berkshire."
Berkshire Health Urgent Care North will accept a variety of health insurance plans, including private commercial coverage, Medicare, and MassHealth through the Berkshire Fallon Health Collaborative, all of which are also accepted at the Pittsfield and Lenox Berkshire Health Urgent Care locations.
Berkshire Health Urgent Care in Pittsfield opened in September of 2015, and in Lenox earlier this year, providing care for minor illness and injury to thousands of Berkshire area residents and visitors.
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