Penguins Not Platitudes

February 16, 2014 By Mickey Friedman Ever since I took the trolley to the Bronx Zoo, I have felt a deep connection to the penguins. And I’ve always felt the penguins had much to tell, and much to teach me.…

The Best We Can Afford

February 9, 2014 By Mickey Friedman I went to listen on Wednesday night, and many spoke about the Monument Mountain High School renovation project. Clearly, the Superintendent, School Committee and teachers are committed to providing the best education they can…

Marking Time

January 18, 2014 By Mickey Friedman I was relieved to read in the New York Post that “George Clooney and Rande Gerber are throwing their annual Casamigos party Sunday in Cabo.” And that “Cindy Crawford, and other stars vacationing in…

Days of Wonder

December 24, 2013 By Mickey Friedman The other day, Roland showed me his spiffy new blue hard plastic cover for his MacBook Air. It protects his laptop and has cute little plastic feet to lift the computer at an angle…

Falafels R Us

By David Scribner December 16, 2013 Last month, I went to Israel on what I thought was a two-week leave of absence from The Berkshire Record. I was with Americans for Peace Now, and we were learning about the potential…

Occupy Rome

By Mickey Friedman December 8, 2013 I would have said my mother is rolling over in her grave except she has no grave to roll over in. I scattered her ashes where we had scattered my father’s ashes. But she’s…

Burning issue: The firehouse sale

By David Scribner December 6, 2013 The firehouse, the bloody old Castle Street firehouse in Great Barrington.  And the town’s 21-month struggle to sell the 120-year-old historic structure. Aren’t you just sick and tired of this story? It’s like the…

Benefit dinner to support the needy

December 2, 2013 By David Scribner There are a number of unheralded heroes in Great Barrington. One of them is Michael Ballon, owner of and chef at the Castle Street Café. So when he asked me to help get out…

No

November 26, 2013 By Mickey Friedman Like so many others in The Best Small Town in America, I voted against the $56 million renovation of our high school. With no room on the ballot for alternatives, the choice was simple.…

Good news, bad news for BHRSD

November 25, 2013 By David Scribner Hard as it may be for some to believe, the Berkshire Hills Regional School District is about to save taxpayers money. A modest amount to be sure – only $1.7 million – a drop…