The Berkshire Argus

02/07/2025

Even as the Trump administration rolls back climate-related initiatives -- and begins to scrub the Department of Defense's website of climate-change references -- current and former Pentagon officials told The Argus that you can't separate climate and national security.

Even as the Trump administration rolls back climate-related initiatives, current and former Pentagon officials told The Argus that work related to climate and national security is likely to continue.

01/22/2025

The Argus is now on Bluesky. Follow along here:

A nonprofit digital newsmagazine featuring in-depth news, profiles, humor, and more. https://www.berkshireargus.com

01/08/2025

Organizations that protect journalists here and abroad are concerned about Trump's attacks on the press as he prepares to take office again. Labeling reporters "the enemy of the people" also recalls specific threats made against Massachusetts journalists in 2018.

12/31/2024

Some cool news: The Berkshire Argus is now a fiscally sponsored project of the Alternative Newsweekly Foundation, a vital step as The Argus continues its evolution into a nonprofit newsmagazine focused on "important stories fully told" and other features that inform, enlighten, and entertain. That means all contributions to support this work are now tax-deductible (hint, hint ;) Happy New Year and onward into 2025!

The Argus is now a fiscally sponsored project of the Alternative Newsweekly Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that supports independent, watchdog journalism. It will enable significantly more support for reporting that delivers “important stories fully told.”

12/12/2024

Last month, MassDEP fined the Housatonic Water Works Company for withholding July water-test results that showed manganese concentrations at nearly two-and-half-times the regulatory limit. The details were disclosed in response to a public-records request filed by The Argus.

A previously unreported penalty-assessment notice sent to the company in November called the facts “undisputed” and the company’s violations “willful.”

11/03/2024

As developments in a major Housatonic River remediation project accelerate, two candidates for state representative confront a challenging issue—and its sticky politics.

10/12/2024

The state's drinking-water regulator has issued an order requiring a timeline for water-filtration improvements after Housatonic Water Works withheld July test results that showed manganese levels at more than double the regulatory limit.

The company withheld results from July that showed manganese levels at more than double the regulatory limit

10/11/2024

In this episode of The Berkshire Argus Podcast, an in-depth conversation with cultural journalist and rock critic Seth Rogovoy about his new book--a fascinating deep dive into the music and talent of Beatles guitarist George Harrison. https://www.berkshireargus.com/audio-in-new-book-rock-critic-seth-rogovoy-explores-the-music-of-beatles-guitarist-george-harrison/

08/24/2024

To better understand the work of paramedics and EMTs and the crisis facing rural EMS, I spent time riding along with the Southern Berkshire Ambulance Squad. An in-depth story about the job they do and challenges they face.

Complex funding and staffing challenges have hampered rural EMS for years. Will elected officials finally step up to help those doing the job?

07/01/2024

In the latest episode of the Berkshire Argus Podcast: A wide-ranging conversation with journalist Eric Stoner about nonviolent movements, the war in Gaza and protests here and elsewhere in support of a ceasefire, and how to think about some of the sharp rhetoric in the wake of the October 7th attack. https://www.berkshireargus.com/audio-amid-gaza-protests-and-sharp-rhetoric-a-conversation-about-nonviolence/

06/20/2024

A fascinating and useful conversation with University of Texas at Austin Professor Steven Pedigo -- a part-time Great Barrington resident -- on economic development, regionalization, and more. https://www.berkshireargus.com/audio-steven-pedigo-director-of-the-lbj-urban-lab/

05/14/2024

In this Berkshire Argus podcast episode, Ralph Nader -- the consumer advocate, public-interest lawyer, and (still controversial) former presidential candidate -- discusses citizen power, democratic rights, and his unusual museum dedicated to famous legal cases. (Transcript included.)

Now ninety years old, Ralph Nader discusses the power of organized citizens to make a difference.

05/09/2024

Last month, a few weeks after his ninetieth birthday, I spoke to Ralph Nader for a profile of the American Museum of Tort Law that he established, in 2015, in his hometown of Winsted, Connecticut, a short drive from the Berkshires. Read "The Unlikeliest Museum," with an extended podcast interview on this and other subjects to follow. https://www.berkshireargus.com/the-unlikeliest-museum/

04/09/2024

Support in-depth reporting! With an ambitious list of reporting projects in 2024, The Argus has launched voluntary paid subscriptions for our paywall-free newsmagazine. Your support at any level will help underwrite "important stories fully told" and help us deliver more for our communities in 2024 and beyond. PS: Follow the link for an explanation of the island photo!

With the launch of voluntary paid subscriptions, you can help make this work possible.

04/05/2024

According to data posted in the last few minutes by the United States Geological Survey, the earthquake just felt in the Berkshires was centered near Lebanon, New Jersey, southwest of New York City, and initially measured at 4.8 on the Richter Scale. That's considered "light."

04/01/2024

Concert tickets bought online via Tanglewood's official website now include a "handling fee" of $9.00 *per ticket*. That seemed a good subject for ARRGHUS!, our new humor section...

Oh, the ticket fees! The rising, countless, too-many fees!

03/23/2024

The birthplace of the Renaissance confronts a housing and identity crisis fueled by short-term rentals -- with echoes of the challenge faced by those living and working in the southern Berkshires.

The birthplace of the Renaissance confronts a housing and identity crisis fueled by short-term rentals.

03/08/2024

Last October, the Town of Great Barrington won a $1 million grant to aid the developer of two struggling downtown luxury-apartment projects. Most of the town's Select Board members say they don't know anything about it. Meanwhile, funds for long-deferred sidewalk-safety improvements for those living in affordable and senior housing on South Main Street were recently cut from next year's budget.

The town won a $1 million grant to help a high-end developer's struggling project. Meanwhile, low-income residents watch important work deferred.