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People can continue to bring their returnable cans and bottles to the redemption center at 1000 Massachusetts Ave. to redeem them for themselves, or they can donate the proceeds of their returnables to BFAIR.

BFAIR Purchases Redemption Center in North Adams

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NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Berkshire Family and Individual Resources has purchased the bottle and can redemption center at 1000 Massachusetts Ave.

The center was acquired from David Moresi of Moresi & Associates, with whom BFAIR had been working for several years while the agency managed the customer service portion of the business.

"When the redemption center became available for sale, he approached BFAIR," BFAIR CEO Rich Weisenflue said. "We are grateful for this opportunity to continue to provide employment for individuals with disabilities while also playing an important role in north Berkshire."


Theresa Gelinas, BFAIR's senior vice president of Day Services, said the center has been an integral part in offering employement opportunities to the agency's clients.

"The employees acquire customer services skills with the support of BFAIR's Employment Program staff, assisting the general public redeeming cans and bottles, as well as playing a positive role in our community with respect to the environment by reducing waste and promoting reuse of containers," she said. "Our redemption center also serves as a great stepping stone for people with disabilities acquiring work skills moving on to competitive employment."

People can continue to bring their returnable cans and bottles to the redemption center at 1000 Massachusetts Ave. to redeem them for themselves, or they can donate the proceeds of their returnables to BFAIR, a nonprofit agency that provides adult family care, residential, in-home clinical services, employment and day services for adults and children with developmental disabilities, and acquired brain injury, autism and homecare services for older adults.

 


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North Adams Man Guilty of Murder

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A North Adams man was convicted Friday of murdering his wife, Charli Gould Cook, in 2019. 
 
A Berkshire Superior Court jury found Michael Cook Sr., 47, guilty of murder in the second degree, assault and armed assault with intent to murder, and assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury and assault and battery on a family or household member.
 
Cook had broken into the Chase Avenue home of his estranged wife on July 11, 2019. The 41-year-old woman was in her bed when Cook hit on the back side of her head with a hammer. The assault resulted in significant injury to her skull causing traumatic brain injury. Emergency personnel found her unresponsive when called to the home approximately 1 a.m. that morning.
 
She passed away approximately five months after the assault at Baystate Medical Center. The medical examiner ruled her cause of death as a direct result of the brain injury from the July 11th assault. Cook was arrested on assault charges and indicted in 2020 of murder. He had been detained without the right to bail since that time after being determined a danger to the community.  
 
Charli Cook was a native of North Adams who attended McCann Technical School and had worked as a certified nursing assistant.
 
Sentencing will take place on Thursday, Oct. 10, at Berkshire Superior Court. 
 
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