MCLA to Hold Fall Day of Service Oct. 15

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts will hold its annual Fall Day of Service on Saturday, Oct. 15.

Students, faculty, and staff at MCLA will gather on campus at Venable Gym, then travel to different locations in the Northern Berkshires to do volunteer work.   

The day runs from noon to 4 p.m. kicking off with remarks from MCLA President James F. Birge, Ph.D., and North Adams Mayor Jennifer Macksey. Participants are welcome to begin the day with a pizza lunch and transportation will be provided to the various volunteer sites after the speakers conclude.  

Coordinated by the MCLA Volunteer Center, this event is an annual tradition. Members of the public are welcome to roll up their sleeves and volunteer as well.   

To mitigate on-campus traffic, community volunteers will meet MCLA groups at respective volunteer sites. Service concludes between 3:30 and 4 p.m. when volunteers will return to campus. There is no speaking segment at the end of the event.   

Volunteers can register for participation at this link: https://bit.ly/3SDaQLn

Volunteer Sites

Louison House
Friendship Center Food Pantry
Windowdressers
Mobile Trash Cleanup
The Greylock Glen
Northern Berkshire YMCA

Thunderstorms Leave Downed Trees, Wires and Debris Across North County

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
09:07PM / Tuesday, July 16, 2024

A tree limb smashed in the cab on Mark Moulton's truck. 

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — A severe thunderstorm hammered parts of North and Central County on Tuesday night, downing trees and limbs and leaving more than 8,000 customers without power. 

 

The Berkshires, Eastern New York and parts of Southern Vermont were under a severe thunderstorm watch until 9 p.m. on Tuesday. The storm came through shortly after 6 p.m. with thunder and lightning and torrential rain. 

 

Alerts and calls began streaming into dispatch and fire and police departments began calling in extra help. 

 

When the rain let, the full extent of the damage could be seen — from uprooted century-old trees to scatterings of debris across streets and lawns. 

 

As of 8:30, Brooklyn, Hoosac, Meadow, North Eagle just above Hospital Avenue were closed and the lower section of North Eagle was limited to one-way traffic. Trees were also down on Holbrook, Chestnut and Hall. 

 

Mayor Jennifer Macksey had been getting a close-up look at the damage and speaking with residents. 

 

"I've been trying to hit as many streets as I can so I have couple more streets to hit before I call it a night," the mayor said just before 9 p.m.