Quinn Battaini-Barnaby, 7, poses with dispatcher MaryAnn King on Friday after being honored for helping EMTs get to her mom, who has having difficulty breathing.
Sgt. Preston Kelly, left, Quinn's dad Lucas Barnaby, Police Chief Jason Wood, Quinn, MaryAnn King, Mayor Jennifer Macksey, Joanne Battaini, Quinn's sister Janessa Battaini, Lt. Anthony Beverly and Northern Berkshire EMS chief John Meaney Jr.
Quinn with Mayor Jennifer Macksey as MaryAnn King reads her 'All Star' certificate.
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Joanne Battaini couldn't get the words out when she called 911 for help last month. As she struggled to breath, her 7-year-old daughter came to her rescue.
Quinn Battaini-Barnaby calmly took the phone and gave dispatcher MaryAnn King the correct address so emergency medical services could come to her mother's aid.
"She was a real trooper," King said on Friday as Quinn was presented with a certificate from Police Chief Jason Wood designating her a 911 Emergency All-Star Kid. "We are all so very proud of you."
"You're a hero," said Sgt. Preston Kelly.
The Colegrove Park student quietly accepted the accolades from police officer and Mayor Jennifer Macksey but her eyes really lit up as she pulled wrapping from a Barbie and Care Bear that King gave her.
Battaini was proud of her young daughter, saying she was brought up not to be afraid of police and first responders and to taught what to do in an emergency.
"I couldn't breath at all. I'm having trouble breathing now," she said. "We got her ready for something like that because of my health. ...
"She's my girl. She's a good helper at school, too. She gets picked to be the class helper all the time."
King said she really couldn't understand what Battaini was trying to say when she called 911 and because she lived within an area of several close apartment blocks, King's virtual map couldn't pinpoint the address.
"I'm thinking in my head, oh my god, you know, this is gonna be a delay. I need to get people there," King said. She could hear there was someone else in the room and asked Battaini to put that person on. "So she came on and it was so cute, this little voice comes on and says, 'hello.' And I said, 'hi, who are you?' And she says, 'I'm Quinny. I'm 7 years old.'"
Quinn knew what to do when she talked to King giving her the address and staying on the line while waiting for the EMTs. And she wasn't afraid when the ambulance came.
"You know what she remembers most about it? She says, 'I remember I got to go in an ambulance,'" Battaini smiled. "Not that her mom was out of breath. Or that I was in distress. She remembers the ambulance ride."
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North Adams Council Sets School Debt Exclusion Vote
By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
Council President Bryan Sapienza holds up an application to work as a poll worker for the upcoming elections. The form can be found under 'Becoming an election worker' under city clerk on the city website or in the city clerk's office.
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The City Council gave final approval on Tuesday for the mayor to borrow $65,362,859 for a new Greylock School to serve Grades prekindergarten through 2.
This final adoption paves the way for two community forums and a debt exclusion vote scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 8, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at St. Elizabeth's Parish Center. Passage of the debt exclusion vote will allow the city to raise funds beyond its levy limit for the life of the loan.
City Clerk Tina Marie Leonesio said the city has about 1,400 requests for mail-in ballots for all elections and that in-person early voting will start the Saturday before.
The first forum is Thursday, Aug. 15, at 6 p.m. at Greylock; officials will provide an overview of the project and tours of the school. Zoom participation is available here. Northern Berkshire Community Television will also record the forums for later broadcast.
The second forum is Thursday, Aug. 22, at 6 p.m. at Brayton Elementary School. The Zoom link is the same and those attending in person can also take a tour of the building.
The Massachusetts School Building Authority will pick up about $41,557,218 of the cost, the city about $20 million and the $3 million balance is expected to come from federal energy grants. The 30-year tiered loan for $20 million is expected to have its highest impact in 2029 when it will add $270 to the average tax bill, or about $22.50 a month.
This final adoption paves the way for two community forums and a debt exclusion vote scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 8, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at St. Elizabeth's Parish Center.
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This year, the family took on a new challenge, purchasing the historic West End Market building at 437 West Main St. and opening the city's first vegan restaurant, Wish Tree.
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The school received a $64,000 Feigenbaum Foundation grant a couple years ago, but because of supply and shipping delays from the pandemic, the equipment was not delivered until this past winter. click for more
Nearly a dozen residents attended Monday's Conservation Commission meeting to express opposition to a forest management plan that will include logging and the use of herbicides near Notch Reservoir. click for more