continued on page �

continued on page �

By Laura Rodleylaura@sfindependent.net

——— HAWLEY—Justthreedaysafterhisbirth,Samson,borntoBess,atwo-humpedBactriancamelwassittinginwhatap-pearedtobeacontentedposi-tion,hislegspulledunderhim,athisTregellysFiberFarmhome. Butthenewborn,hiscurlycoatdarkandwetinsteadoflightandfluffy,wasveryweak,andhestretchedhisheadstraightup,“testingtheairforangels,”whichiswhatanimalsincriticalcondition—orontheirwaytoanextlife—mightdo. Movingverylittle,Samsondidn’ttrytonurseandthereforedidn’tingestthemilkrichinco-lostruminhismother’smilkrightaftershebearsanoffspringthat’sfullofvitalantibodiestohelpstrengththeweeone’simmunesystem. OwnersJodyandEdwardCotheydidtheirparttoanswerSamson’scallforhelp.Theyweretheangelswhocalledvetaftervettohelphim. “Hewasalittlecamel,notstrongenoughtodrinkenough,”EdCotheysaid.“Hewasborninwarmweather,60degrees.Thenextdayitwas20degrees.Thatreallyhithim.” “Wecouldn’tgetanybodyouthere,”saidJodyCothey.Thatcouldbebecausemostveterinar-iansprefersmallanimalworkandsometimesthesmallcoreoflargeanimalveterinariansisonvacationorjustbusy. “Wehydratedhimwithsaline,andbottlefedhim,ontheadviceofDr.John[Perdrizet,whoownstheSanctuaryAnimalHospi-

By Laura Rodleylaura@sfindependent.net

——— HAWLEY—HawleyresidentAliceParkerhasbeensingingallherlife. Shehascomposedoperas,can-tatas,anthems,ChristmascarolsandsongswithtextsofpoetssuchasArchibaldMacLeish.Forhereffortsandcontributiontothemusicalcommunity,shewasre-centlypresentedanawardfromtheAmericanChoralDirectorsAssociation(ACDA)inNewYorkCitybyACDAPresidentWayneAbercrombe. “Hetoldmetoshowup,”saidParker.“Iaskedhimifhewanted

metodosomething.Hesaid,‘Youdon’thavetodoanything.’Iarrivedatthehotelandlookedattheprogram,andthewholeconventionwasdedicatedtome.Iwassosurprised.” Morethan3,000musiciansat-tendedtohonorParker’samazingcontributiontothebirthofnewmusicandtheexpansionofcom-munitythroughsong. Theinscriptionontheawardedplaquereads,“Herlifeflowsoninendlesssong.Shehearsthemusicringing.Shesoundsanechoinoursouls.Howcanwekeepfromsinging?”Thewordsarebasedonthespiritual,orsongoffaith,“HowCanIKeepFromSinging,”writtenbyAnneWarnerin1864,

withmusicwrittenbyReverendR.Lowry.Parker’smainmusicalfocusincludesspirituals. Parker’shousewasHawley’sTownHallfrom1846to1930.In1918,herfather,GordonParker,withhiswife,Mary,boughtlandinHawleysurroundingthehouse,whichabutstheHawleyStateForest. “Hewantedtoretirehere,andraisecattle,”Parkersaid. “ThisusedtobethecenterofHawley,situatedatthecross-roads,”shesaid,notingthatbeforetheadventoftheautomo-bile,peopletraveledtotownonwhatbecomesadirtroadshortlypastherhouse.“Plainfieldisfourmilesthatway,andCharlemontwasfivemilesthatway.” InthosedaysParkertraveledeverysummerwithherfamilyfromNewYorkCitytospendthesummerinHawley,andshecontinuedtodosowithherownfamily.Tenyearsago,Parkeraddedastudiowithmanywin-dowstoletinthelight,plentyofroomforherpiano,musicstands,

talinHolyoke],”shesaid.“Heseparatestheelectrolytesfromthemilk.Somevetsrecommendmixingthemtogether.Dr.More-combfromBelchertowncameandhydratedhim.Dr.SchmittcameontheSunday.” Schmitt,oftheSouthDeerfieldVeterinaryClinic,determinedtheneedforabloodplasmatransfusiontobuildupSamson’simmunesystemandtonourishhimwithwhathe’dlostbynotnursing. TheCotheystransportedSam-son,withnine-year-oldBess,toTheCummingsSchoolofVeteri-naryMedicineinNorthGrafton.Hisconditionwasatfirst,“onthegoodsideofcritical,thenwenttothebadsideofcritical,”saidCothey. AsthenearestsourceofcamelplasmawasAustraliaandthere-forenotreadilyavailable,SamsonwasgivenatransfusionofplasmafromSouthAmericanllamas,whicharefromsamefamilyasBactriancamels.Thisprocedurewassomethingthevetshadnottriedbefore,andonlyreadabout,havingsofewcamelstoworkon.Dr.RoseNolen-Walstonwasoneoftheattendingveterinarians.SamsonbreathedthroughatubetooxygenatehisbloodandincreasehisredbloodcellswhileBesswasgiventhehormonedom-peridonetoincreasehermilkproduction. “Itwasahugeamountofef-fort,”EdCotheysaid.“Hiswhitebloodcellcountwasveryhigh;hislungswerenotoperatingproperly.Thewayhislungswerefunctioningandhisunformedpalatewereindicatorsthathe

Veterinarians rally to save life of sick newborn camel

She hears the music ringingAlice Parker of Hawley honored for a lifetime of composing, arranging, and bringing people together in tune

By Nate Walshnate@sfindependent.net

——— SHELBURNEFALLS—ThemunicipalparkinglotbehindKeystoneMarketwillundergoconstruction,slatedtobeginattheendofAprilandtobecom-pletedbySeptember. Theproject,orchestratedbyDufresne-HenryEngineering,willreplacetheexistingsew-ageanddrainagelinesthatrununderneaththeparkinglot.TheconstructionissupposedtolastthroughthesummerandendbySeptemberundercontract;however,ProjectManagerRob-ertMellstromhassaidthathebelievesitwillbefinishedbeforethattime.Hehasalsosaidthattheprojectwillbecarriedoutinsuchawayastoallowtheuseoftheparkinglotthroughoutmostoftheconstruction. “Sectionswillbecordonedoffdaytoday,buttheintentistominimizetheimpacttotheparkinglot,”saidMellstrom,addingthatforthemostpart,itwillremainopen“exceptwherethereisanopentrench.” AccordingtoMellstrom,theparkinglotisexpectedtobeentirelyclosedtothepublicforoneortwodaysduring

Parking lot work set for summer

construction. ShelburneFallsAreaBusinessAssociation(SFABA)DirectorArthurSchwengersaidthatthelotwillbeclosedwhileit’sbeingpavedandagainwhilelinesarepaintedasthesephasesoftheconstructionmustbedoneallatonceandnotinsections. “Thetownismakingplanstoaccommodate[thework]forthosetwodaystomaintaintraf-fic,”saidSchwenger. SchwengersaidthatseveralsitesarebeingconsideredasalternateparkingspacesduringconstructionwithconsiderationsbeingmadetokeepthespacesonBridgeStreetopenforlocalbusinesspatrons.Hesaidthathopestomakealternateparkingavailabletothoseemployedinthetownsothatparkingspaceswillbefreeduringthedayandthatbusinesswillgoonasusual.Hesaidthattherearenospecificplansyet,butatsomepointinMaytheSFABAwillinformthepublicaboutalternateparkingspacesandsignswillbemadetohelppeopleparkwhilethelotisunderconstruction. “We’rehopingnobodywillevennotice—mostly,”saidSchwenger.

SFI photo/Jeff PotterDavid Arfa of Buckland and Lorena Loubsky-Lonergan of Colrain collect signatures on a petition designed to show support for postponing school consolidation in the Mohawk Trail Regional School District for a year. George Esworthy of Buckland looks over the petition as Jay Wyant-King of Shel-burne looks on.

continued on page �

SFI photo/Laura RodleyAlice Parker at the piano in her Hawley studio.

continued on page �

Vol.IINo.19•IssueNo.44 ShelburneFalls,Massachusetts April13–26,2006 $1.00

PRSRTSTDUSPOSTAGE

PAIDPermit#183

TurnersFalls,MA

Shelburne FallS Independent

8DeerfieldAve.,ShelburneFalls,MA01370www.sfindependent.net———Addressservicerequested

DAT E D M AT E R I A L — P L E A S E D E L I V E R P RO M P T LY

Mohawk school plan roundupCommunity reacts to prospect of consolidation amid unc ertainty

Guyer files amendment to fully fund regional school transportation Thatshortfallremainsanesti-mate,sincethestatebudgetforthenextfiscalyearisinprocess.DebatewillbeginontheversionthattheHouseofRepresenta-tivesunveiledonApril10.StateRep.DenisGuyer(D-Dalton)hasannouncedhisintenttofileanamendmentthatwouldpayregionalschooldistrictslikeMohawkfullreimbursementoftransportationexpenses.Story, page �. Asthisisoneoftheveryfirststepsdownthepathtoafinalstatebudget,thestate’scontribu-tiontotheschooldistrictwon’tbeknownforseveralmoremonths.

Heath town officials looking for a different solution MohawkTrailRegionalSchoolofficialshavesubmittedtownmeetingwarrantarticlestomem-bertownsseekingalanguagechangeinthedistrict’sregionalagreementthatwouldallowclosureofatleastoneelemen-taryschoolinthecomingschoolyear. Butsincetheregionalagree-mentchangewasfirstproposed,sometownofficials,amongthemHeathselectmen,havehadsec-ondandthirdthoughtsabouttheamendment,initiatedbySuperin-tendentMichaelBuonicontiinanefforttoconsolidateschoolstosavemoney. “TheHeathselectmenfeelthat’salastresort,”saidSelect-manSheilaLitchfield.“Startingfirst[tosolvethefinancialprob-lem]withthatreallyraisedques-tionsinourminds.Infact,theselectmenhaveavarietyofideasofwhatmighthappenforthesakeoftheentiredistrict.We’rereallyhopingthattheschoolcom-mitteecanbuyayear.” Eachoftheeightdistrictmem-bertownswouldhavetoagreetotheamendmentattownmeetingsforthechangetobeeffected. WhenannualtownmeetingwarrantsarefinalizedtherearenumerouspossibilewaysthattownscanchoosetoapproachthefundingproblematMohawk,includingoverridestothePropo-sition2½taxcap,votinginamaintenancebudgetandallow-

Music is the mediator between the spiritual and the sensual life.—ludwIg Von beethoVen

Why settle for less than the life you deserve?

Do you desire quality health and pain-free living?

Try the revolutionary Quantum Reflex Analysis.

(413) 625-9411 • Monday–Saturday, 7–7 • Sunday, 7–53 State St., Shelburne Falls • www.mccuskersmarket.com

More reasons to take your vitamins

BUCKLAND—AgroupofBuck-landfarmersplanstoproposethatresidentsvotetoformalocalagriculturecommission. “Farmingisstillhighlyimpor-tanttoBuckland’seconomyandruralcharacter,andthegroupseesanagriculturalcommissionforBucklandasagoodtoolthatwillhelpkeeplocalfarmingandforestryaliveandhealthy,”writesfarmerSueAtherton. Therearenowmorethan25agriculturalcommissionsinwest-ernMassachusetts—includinginAshfieldandConway—and54statewide.Thisspringanother40or50townsaroundthestate,manyofthemwestoftheCon-necticutRiver,willasktownmeetingvoterstoapproveform-inglocalcommissions. “AgriculturalCommissionsareimportanteducatorsofthepublicaboutfarmpracticesandhelpfulinmediatingdisputesorcomplaintsaboutfarms,”Ather-tonsaid.“AgriculturalCommis-sions,whosemembersconsist

Buckland farmers propose local ag commission

sheetmusicandinstruments,andsettledinHawleyfulltime.Parkerhasalsowrittenabook,The View from Here: Living in Hawley. ItseemsfittingthatParker’shomeissituatedatthecross-roadsatwhatwasoncethetown’scenter,since,besidescomposing,whatshefocusesoniswheremusicoriginatesinsideapersonandhowitconnectspeopletoeachother.

Teaching others TodayParkerteachesone-weekintensiveclasseswithseventoeightpeoplefromallaroundthecountry—justtherightnumberofpeopletofitaroundthetable

TheprojectisbeingfundedbyaCommunityDevelopmentBlockGrantandthetowndoesnotanticipatetheneedforanyadditionalfunding. “Thebulkofthefundingwillcomefromthatblockgrant,”saidShelburneSelectmanJosepjJudd.“We’renotlookingtoputtaxmoneyintothatparkinglotbecauseofthatgrant.” DufresneHenryisalsorespon-siblefortheBridgeofFlowersrehabilitationdesignthattookplaceinthe1980s,whenthewa-termainsupportedbythebridgeandotherstructuralrepairsweremade.

SFI photo/Jeff PotterMohawk Principal Phil Dzialo gestures toward a wing in the current middle school during an open house to show parents and members of the community the logistics of a hypothetical move of Buckland-Shel-burne Elementary students. Parent Paula Consolo listens at left.

inherstudio.Theystudywhatshecalls,“theheartofsinging.” “Itisatotallyhumanendeav-or,foundedinourbreathandbody,”Parkersaid.“Itunitesusinawaythatnothingelsedoes.Whenyouarestudyingthesur-face,thenotesofmusiconthepage,youdon’ttakethetimetolookdeeper.Ilookatwhat’sunderneath.” TothatendParkersaidthatsheexamines,“whathappens,whatistransmitted.” “Thereissomethingthathap-pens,”shesaid.“Poetryisonestepup,butsingingtransports.” InherworkshopsParkersaidthatthegroupmakes“asongthathonorsandincludeseveryone.” AmusicmajorandSmithCol lege graduate , Parkerwasn’tcompletelyhappywiththemusicshefirstcomposed. “Itwasveryintellectual,”shesaid,addingthatitwasn’tquitewhatshewaslookingfor. Then,shesaid,“IstudiedwithRobertShaw,andlearnedwhatispossibletodowithachorus.” RobertShawwasdirectorofthechoraldepartmentsoftheBerkshireMusicCenterfrom1942-1945anddirectorofthechoraldepartmentsoftheJul-liardSchoolinNewYorkCityfrom1946-1950.HefoundedtheRobertShawChoralein194,andtouredinternationally.Hiscon-ductingearnedhim14Grammyawards.In1990heledworkshopsatCarnegieHallforsingersandchoraldirectors.HepassedawayonJan.25,1999. Parker,whosaidshewas“ab-solutelycertain”thatshewantedafamily,hadfivechildren,butwas“frustratedtonotbeabletodoanyofthethingsIhadbeentrainedtodo,”duringtheyearsthatherfamilywas“totallyabsorbing.” LivinginNewYorkCity’sUpperWestSide,Parkerwassurroundedbypeoplewhowereimmersedinthearts,havingfamilies,andengagedintherichculturaleventsinNewYorkCity.Herhusband,ThomasPyle,sangwiththeRobertShawChorale.MadeleineL’Engle,authorofA Wrinkle in Time,livedacrossthestreetandwasParker’sveryclosefriend.“ItaughtsingingattheRiver-sideChurchinNewYorkCity,”shesaid.“Thechildrenwerenurseryschoolagetoagefive.” Inthosedaysshesatonthefloorandtaughtthechildrentosing,withnobooksandnoac-companiment.Therewasnowaytofail,andwithinthissafetynet,thechildrensangverywell. “Icouldn’tbeateacher[withinthegradingsystem],”shesaid.“Thegradingstoppedmecom-pletely—andattendance.” Whenshetaught,Parkersaidthatshewasconcernedaboutthepersoninthebackoftheroom.Sherealizedthatwhilestudentsinthefrontofclasswereengagedinwhatshewasteaching,shealsosuspectedthattheywerealreadyattheirhighestplateau,“whilethepersoninthebackwillprob-

ablydosomethingbigin10to20years.” Parkerdidn’tknowitatthetime,butbecauseshedidn’tspecialize,andstrengthenjustonearea,shekeptallthemusi-caldisciplines,andinterrelatedthem—whichiswhatpeopleseektolearnfromher. “Iwasenormouslyenrichedbyhavingtheexperienceofallthatwaitingtime,”shesaid,not-ingthathersubconsciouswasworkingthewholetimeshewasattendingtootherthings.Shewasabletobringmusicbacktoaverybasiclevel—itsheart—andkeepitbeatingforherselfwhilealsobringingthatobservationtoothers. Tokeepthestructureofasongformedbynotesalive,itmuststartfromthiselementalplace,Parkersaid.Tokeeptheenergyofthesongsvibrant,Parkerreal-izeditmuststayemergingfromthiselementalplaceand,asitjoinswiththeenergyofothers,becomesomethingmore.Inthis,Parkerhasfoundwhatsheislookingfor—thegenesisofsong—anditiswhatmotivatesandrevitalizesher. Sheisconcernedabouttheinstantresultsdemandedfromthecreativeartsinintoday’shigh-techworldandabouthowcommercialthingshavebecome.Sheencouragesafermentingtime,andatimeforquietinwhichcreativitycanemerge. “Howdifferentawoman’slifehastobefromaman’s,”Parkerremarked,notingthatonce-upon-a-timeamangraduatedfromcollegeandbeganworkinghiswayupinhischosenprofessionbyincrementalsteps. “Thathasbeendestroyed,”shesaid,notingcompanydownsizing,consolidation,globalizationandchangesinfamilydynamicsascontributingfactors. ParkervisitsNewYorkCityfourtimesayeartoworkwithhernonprofitprogram,MelodiousAccord,whichsheestablishedin1985,“todrawcomposers,performersandlistenersintoacreativedialogueinthemu-sic-makingprocessandtopro-motesingingasamediumforcommunication.” ThecompanysellsCDsandaudiotapesofmusiccomposedandconductedbyParker,suchas“OSingTheGlories,”acol-lectionof17anthemsperformedbytheMusiciansofMelodiousAccord,“TakemetotheWater,KingandtheDuke:AmericanPraise,”whichincludesParker’scantata“ASermonfromtheMountain:MartinLutherKing,Jr.,”byRobertShawandfiveDukeEllingtonsacredsongsar-rangedbyParker.ShealsohasaCDtitled“Transformations,”whichincludesshapenotehymnsforchorus,harpandbrassquar-tet,andthreeAppalachianfolksongs.

For information about CDs, au-diotapes and workshops by Alice Parker and Melodious Accord visit www.melodiousaccord.org.

oflocalfarmers,havecreatedfarmersmarkets,encouragedretailpurchasesoflocalproduce,publishedbrochuresaboutlivingnearfarmsandsponsoredeventsliketheLeydenSugaronSnowSupperandtheAmherstFarmFestival,whichincludesopen-housetoursoflocalfarms. “AgriculturalcommissionscanalsohelpprotectactivefarmlandbyadvocatingforAgriculturalPreservationRestrictionsandimprovingatown’sgrantapplica-tionscorewhenapplyingforstategrantsandfunding.Commissionscandeveloppartnershipswithlocalandregionallandtruststhatcurrentlyworkonfarmlandpreservation.” Formationofalocalcommis-sionisbyannualtownmeetingvote.Ifapproved,selectmenwouldthenappointmembers. Apublicinformationalmeet-ingtodiscusstheissuehasbeenscheduledforThursday,April20at7:30p.m.inthesecondfloormeetingroomatTownHall.

Ashfield Police Dept. enhances child abduction response

Parking lot_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ from front page

Register for summer fun BUCKLAND—FormsfortheMohawkSummerRecreationprogramarenowavailableatlocalelementaryschoolsandthroughprogramcoordinatorJeffJohansmeyerat(413)625-6354. ThisyearthedayprogramforchildrenenteringkindergartenthroughthoseenteringsixthgraderunsfromJuly3-Aug.11. TheprogramisheldattheBucklandRecreationAreaoffRoute112from90a.m.-3:30p.m.dailyandincludesartsandcrafts,swimming,natureactivitiesandgames.Groupsareorganizedbygradeandageandsupervisedbylocalcollegeandhighschoolstu-dents.AJuniorstaffprogramforstudentsgraduatingsixthgradeorolderisalsoavailable.Juniorstaffmembershelpsuperviseyoungerchildrenandhelpwithotherprojects.Afternoonsarespenttogetherdoingactivitiessuchasswimming. Financialaidisavailableifyousubmitaletterofrequestwiththeapplication.

page2• Shelburne Falls Independent • April13–26,2006• www.sfindependent.net

Bookkeepingbarn@comcast.net

ASHFIELD—PoliceSgt.StevenGirardhasannouncedthattheAshfieldPoliceDepartmentwilluseLOCATOR(LostChildAlertTechnologyResource),inthefuturetohelpsavetimeshouldachildbeabducted. “Whenachildisreportedmiss-ing,timeisoneoflawenforce-ment’sgreatestenemies,”Girardwritessinhisannouncement.“Everyhourachildismissing,thelikelihoodofasaferecoverydecreases.” Giventhemanychallengesfac-inglawenforcementpersonnelinmissingchildcases,especiallythatofcollectinganddisseminat-ingthechild’sdescriptiveinfor-mationquickly,LOCATERwascreatedtoprovidethecomputerhardwareandsoftwareneededtorapidlydistributecriticalmissingchilddataonalocal,statewideornationalbasis. Theprogramenableslawen-forcementagenciestorapidlydisseminateimagesandinforma-tionaboutmissingandabductedchildrentootherlawenforce-mentagencies,themediaandthepublic.Althoughdesignedformissingchildposters,thetechnologymayalsobeusedfor

ingdistrictschoolstoultimatelygointostatereceivership,ortry-ingtoshaveanother$400,000offtheproposedoperatingbudgetwithoutclosingaschool. Whiletheproblemhasbeenthorny,LitchfieldsaidthatsheappreciatesBuoniconti’swilling-nesstoworkwiththetowns. “Ireallycommendthesuper-intendent’spatienceforworkingthisprocesswithallofus,”shesaid.“Wereallyappreciateit.AndI’mconfidentthatwe’rego-ingtocomeupwithsomethingbetter.”

Petition seeks to keep schools open for a year

SomeMohawkdistrictcitizensarecirculatingapetitionad-dressedtotheschoolcommittee,totownselectboardsandfinancecommitteesseekingtokeeptheschoolsopenanotheryear.Thepetitioncallsfor“passingovertheschoolbudgetattownmeet-ingsuntilfundingfromthestatehasbeenfinalized”andcallsfor“greateraccountability,trans-parencyandcollaborationwithallmembersoftheWestCountycommunityinthedecisionmak-ingprocess.” ThepetitionwascirculatedinShelburneFallsandAshfieldtheweekendofApril8–9.

School tours BUCKLAND—RespondingtopublicfeedbackfromseveralrecenthearingsinBucklandandHeathregardingpotentialdis-trictelementaryconsolidation,MohawkTrailRegionalSchoolPrincipalPhillipDzialoandVicePrincipalBrianBeckgavetwotoursofthecurrentMiddleSchooltoparentsandothermem-bersofthecommunityonApril10. RelocatingBuckland-Shel-burnestudentstotheMohawkcomplexisoneofseveraloptionsproposed,but“Idon’twanttosayit’sevenonthetable,”Dzialocautioned.Hesaidheandhiscol-leagueshadbeenaskedto“takealook”atwhatitmighttaketoretrofittheMiddleSchooltoac-commodateBuckland-Shelburnestudents. Dzialoestimatesitwouldtake$35,000toconvertthewing,whichwasbuiltin1999.Ofthatfigure,approximately$20,000wouldbeneededtoconvertafor-merautoshoptoanelementarylibrary. Undertheplan,middleschoolstudentswouldberelocatedtoadiscreteclusterofroomsintheoriginalhighschoolbuilding,whichwascompletedin1967,andtheWalnutHillprogram—aschool-within-a-schoolforstu-dentswithspecialneeds—wouldneedtomoveelsewhere.

Regional school caucus StatelegislatorsrepresentingtownsthatbelongtoregionalschooldistrictswillgatheratMo-hawkforthesixthareameetingoftheRegionalSchoolCaucusonThursday,April13at4p.m.alongwithsuperintendents,schoolcommitteemembers,andtownof-ficials.LeadingthecaucusisRep.CleonTurner,whorepresentsthetownsofBrewster,DennisandYarmouth. Possibleagendaitemsin-clude“incentivestomaintainsustainablesmallruralschools,populationdensityfactorintheChapter70[stateaid]formula,theimportanceof100percent

Mohawk crisis roundup _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ from front page

Parker _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _from front page

anumberofpurposessuchasstolenvehicles,wantedpersonsandcrimealerts. “TheAshfieldPoliceDepart-mentwantstoutilizeallre-sourcesavailabletoensurethatif,intherarecaseachildfromAshfieldshouldgomissing,thisdepartmentwilldoallitcantoensureasaferecovery,”Girardwrites.“Anytimewecanim-proveourownsystemforthebetter,youcanbetwewillanddowhat’srightforourcommunity. “TheAshfieldPoliceDepart-mentispleasedtobeworkingwiththeNationalCenterforMissing&ExploitedChildren(NCMEC)toimplementLOCA-TER.NCMEChasfoundthatwhenpicturesofmissingchildrenorabductorsaremadeavailabletothepubliconeinsixchildrenisrecoveredasadirectresult.”

regionaltransportationreim-bursementforruraldistricts,theimportanceofpredicatablefundingstreamsfordistrictswithdecliningenrollment,andetheeffectonsmalltownsofthedeclineinstatesupportofruralschools,”accordingtoKennethRocke,aHeathresidentwhoissuperintendentanddirectorofBlueHillsVocationalSchoolinCanton.(A commentary by Rocke appears in the Independent Think-ing section, page 5.)

Heath library tables fundraising for expansion

HEATH—AlthoughtheCapi-talFund-raisingTaskForceandtheTrusteesoftheHeathFreePublicLibraryhavebeenwork-ingthroughoutthewinteronacapitalcampaigntobuildanewlibrary,itisnowtheconsensusofbothgroupsthatthe“timingofopeningsuchacampaignneededtobesensitivetothecurrentturmoilintownovertheschooldistrictbudgetandthedistrict’suncertainplansfortheconsolida-tionofschools,”writesDeborahPorter,chairwomanoftheboardoftrustees. Withthatthoughtinmind,Thetrusteeshavevotedtopostponetheopeningofthecapitalfunddrive. Porterhasvoicedconcernthat“runningacampaignatthistimeamidsomanyunknownswouldbeadisservicetothetownandtotheproject.”

413-625-9353

DR. ROBERT SIDORSKYVETERINARIAN

Post and BeamBuildings25 years solving the storage problems of Franklin County! Custom built on your property by Bill Lamore• Sheds• Barns• Garages• Pool Cabanas• House Additions• Fishing Camps• Hunting Camps• Screen Houses• Pavilions

BarkMulchNatural — $17/yardDyed — $24/yard

724 Greenfield Rd. • Rts. 5 and 10 • Deerfield, MA 01342413-773-8388 • www.post-beam.com

20x30

12x20

ROBIN BROOKS DESIGN g r a p h i c d e s i g n i n p r i n t & o n t h e w e b

c l e a r

v i b r a n t

v i s i o n

w w w . R o b i n B r o o k s D e s i g n . c o m 4 1 3 . 6 2 4 . 5 5 4 0

Monday - Saturday10 - 6

322 High St.Greenfield413.772.2700 www.bikes-unlimited.com

IT’S TIME TO RIDE!Bike rides for all levelsMeet and greet at the shop at 5:30, roll out at 6:00 p.m. sharp! Ride nights: additional 5% off all sale items!!

M o n d a y Novice and beginner — 10 miles or less

T u e s d ay Leisure to Intermediate — 20–40 miles, hills and steep climbs for more advanced riders

W e d n e s d ay MTB rides for different locations

T h u r s d ay Leisure to Expert — 20–40 miles, flatter terrain, some hills

s u n d ay MTB: start at Montague Center at 5:20 p.m.

See www.bikes-unlimited.com for more details

TUNE UP SPECIAL — $35 (regularly $40) until 5/1

had been born prematurely. Bess was put in on Valentine’s Day 2005, and he was born on March 12th‚ not quite 13 months.” The gestation period for cam-els is 13 months. Bess had lost a baby two years ago. Under the advice of Dr. John, Cothey said, “we put her on a different kind of diet: dengi hi fi (high fiber) and senior horse food: He came to save her.” Dengi hi fi is moist and easy for Bess to eat. She does chew hay, like a cud, but can’t ingest it; in-stead it drops out of her mouth. Unfortunately, before the Co-theys bought Bess she had a part in a film, The Thirteenth Warrior, starring Antonio Banderas and her teeth had been extracted for her acting career so that she wouldn’t bite, thus she couldn’t eat properly. Now she’s fed her special diet 3-4 times daily. When Samson was born he weighed 40 pounds. When he re-turned from his five days at Tufts, which cost $5,000, he weighed 88 pounds. Today he weighs 130 pounds. At Tufts he was given shots of antibiotics three times a day. Now he gets his shots twice daily. And today Samson stands, drinks his mother’s milk, walks around, peers closely into the faces of people who come into his stall or scampers away, just as a one-month-old camel—as he almost is—should. “Camel milk is very rich in an-tibodies. It has a natural insulin,” Cothey. “There are a few places that sell it for people: California and Israel.” As usually happens in farm and regular life, everything hap-pens at once. There were two vet students from The Cummings School at the Cotheys’ farm as part of the “Adopt-a-Vet” pro-gram during the time Samson was in crisis. They visited him at the hospital. “A first-year student, if they have not grown up at a farm, must spend two days working at a farm,” Cothey said. “Our two adopted students were Tammi

Hawley cleans up HAWLEY—Hoping to spur residents to remove the road-side trash exposed by the spring melt, the Sons and daughters of Hawley has designated April as “Hawley Clean-Up Month.” The group has also announced an essay contest for children age 16 and younger who may submit an essay of up to 100 words describing why he or she helped in the cleaning effort and describing some of the unusual items found. Contest deadline is April 30. Entries may be sent to Cyndie Stetson, 108 West Hawley Rd., Hawley, Mass. 01339. “Do your part as a good citizen and give our town of Hawley a spring facelift,” Stetson said.

and Ryan. They were wonderful. Veterinarians spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to go to school. It is incredible how hard they work, how difficult it is. It is enormous. They have taken it to a different level, to include how people emotion’s work—a big part of the profession.” Tregellys is a perfect place for aspiring veterinarians of the Adopt-a Vet program, since it of-fers such a variety of animals; 25-30 yaks, llamas, alpaca, donkeys, sheep, pot-bellied pigs, cockatoos, parrots, peacocks, geese, various other fowl and a melee of dogs. The couple’s concern is for all fellow beings. They are deeply concerned with the condition of Tibet and employ two Tibetans, a sister and brother, Dheyang and Thinley Dhargay. Thinley trans-lates to “increasing karma,” and Dhargay translates to “progress-ing.” Thinley Dhargay has been in the United States for seven years, working at Cothey’s farm for three of them. “He is our right-hand man,” said Ed Cothey. In Tibet, Dhargay milked yak and made butter, cheese and yogurt. There yaks graze on the sides of mountains where there are medicinal herbs that they ingest. Women are told to eat yak meat to strengthen them, and reap the healing benefits of the herbs through the meat and yak milk. The male yaks pull plows in Tibet and serve to carry people. There yaks are considered “easy-keepers,” a farmer’s term that means it doesn’t take much to feed them. “When they are not needed, they are left to wander,” Dhargay said. “The old people know when there will be a big snow. Then the yaks come down the hills closer to the house. If the water is fro-zen, they’ll come in because they can’t get the water.” Yaks also serve as a source of meat. “Even though they are Bud-dhists, it is not considered bad to butcher the yaks,” said Jody Cothey of the Tibetans. “You

can’t be a vegetarian in that cli-mate, and not live a farmer’s life without eating more protein. One yak can feed many people.” Wearing many hats, the Cotheys seem to have moved through several incarnations in this life. Ed Cothey was a fisherman in Cornwall, England. Jody Cothey has published five poetry books under the name, Pamela Stewart, including The Red Window, by University of Georgia Press in 1997 and Infrequent Mysteries, by Alice James Books in 1991. She was a Guggenheim Fellow from 1982-83 and has taught po-etry extensively, including at the Arizona State University and the Summer Writer’s Conference at John’s Hopkins’s University. The couple chose Hawley to raise goats and sheep—and later llamas and alpacas—to produce natural fiber yarns dyed with plant dyes,and not processed with petrochemicals, for weaving blankets and rugs. They bought camels to use their fiber for yarn, and to show them at fairs. Lucky for Bess. Lucky for Samson.

SFI photo/Laura RodleyNow on the mend, Samson stands with his mother, Bactrian camel Bess, owner Jody Cothey, and Thinley Dhargay, “the right-hand man” at Tregellys Fiber Farm in Hawley.

Make great strides for cystic fibrosis SHELBURNE FALLS—Sign up now to walk or sponsor someone else to walk in the 7th annual Great Strides walk here. To do so, visit www.cff.org and click on the Great Strides link. Shelburne resident and Buck-land-Shelburne Elementary School student Audrey Clark is still waiting for a lung trans-plant, expected to come from her mother, Sandra Gaffey, and her teacher, Trish Perlman. The walk here is in honor of Audrey and in memory of Kurt Metzler. Another walk in South Deerfield is in memory of Greg Bielski. If you can help register walk-ers, raise money and perform other tasks, email sgaffey@collab-orative.org or janetgv80@aol.com to volunteer.

Shelburne Falls Independent • April 13–26, 2006 • www.sfindependent.net • page 3

K E Y S T O N EM A R K E T

Bridge Street • Shelburne Falls

625-8400

Monday, Tuesday & Saturday7 am–6 pm

Wednesday, Thursday & Friday7 am–7 pm Sunday 10 am–3 pm

EyeglassesEye ExamsContact LensesIndustrial Protective Eyewear

••••

27 Bridge St., Shelburne Falls

413-625-9898

“For People Who Value Their Vision”

Stop squinting!P r o t e c t y o u r e y e s

Come in and choose from a vast array of sunglasses

J H SHERBURNEF I N E A R TP O R T R A I T S&F R A M I N G

• Beautiful • • Unique •

• Affordable •PHOTO FRAMES

Custom framingby the Artist/Owner

PPFA Certified Picture Framer

40 State Street • Shelburne Falls413.625.8306

Overlooking the Bridge of Flowers

Uncommon handcrafted jewelry

Diverse New Books

Objets d’Art

WANDERING

MOON

Wednesday–Saturday 10:30–5Sunday 11–4

Tuesday by chance / Closed Monday

59 Bridge St., Shelburne Falls(413) 625-9667

CLARIFICATIONS AND CORRECTIONS

In the March 30-April 12 issue an editing error inadvertently dropped the first name of David Howland, longtime Heath finance committee member.

•Also in that issue, a story about volunteering in a veterinary clinic in Mexico by Linda Rol-lins was mistakenly attributed to another author.

Camel _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _from front page

Guyer files amendment for full busing money reimbursement DALTON—Second Berkshire Region Democrat Rep. Denis Guyer has filed a budget amend-ment requesting that the legisla-ture reimburse school districts for all the money they spend on busing students to and from school. The House of Representative’s Ways and Means Committee re-leased its version of the budget on April 10 seeking $50 million for regional schools statewide, the same figure that Governor Mitt Romney proposed in his version of the budget. Four essential steps remain in the budget process: the House of Representatives will debate and ultimately vote on its version of the budget. The Senate will do the same, a conference commit-tee will reconcile the two visions of state finances, and both bod-ies will then vote on this final version. “Once again, regional school transportation funding did not reach the 100 percent reimburse-ment level (it is at 76 percent). I will be filing a budget amend-ment, requesting 100 percent funding of this line item and have asked my colleagues in the House to sign on to it.” Busing costs, repaid through Chapter 71 state funds, have never been fully reimbursed, despite an original agreement when the Mohawk Trail Regional School District formed a new re-gion that they would be. Guyer said that he also plans to file or cosponsor similar amendments to raise state aid Chapter 70 funds to the schools in his district, in-

cluding the Mohawk District. “ Years ago most of the towns in my district each had their own town school districts,” Guy-er writes to his legislative col-leagues. “The state came to these towns and asked that they regionalize to save the state building cost and operational money. The primary concerns the towns had at the time was with the enormous costs of transport-ing the children. The towns were told that the state would pay 100 percent of the transportation costs, so they agreed and Chapter 71 was written. Unfortunately the language in the law has those three words we all hate to see: ‘subject to appropriation.’ ” Calling failure to reimburse towns for busing costs a “broken promise by the state,” Guyer says also that it continues to “be a source of contention between our communities and Beacon Hill and undermines the credibility of any program we place onto our com-munities and pledge to fund.” Guyer goes on to note that busing costs in regional districts like Mohawk’s can represent 6-8 percent of the total operating budget, topping $1.5 million in some districts. These high costs force “schools to choose between busing students and laying off teachers,” Guyer says. “In my district, buses are al-ready at capacity; routes have even been consolidated with some students taking the bus for over an hour one-way to school,” he writes, noting that this equals 360 hours per year or 15 days traveling on the bus. “I know many of you have children and I ask you, as a parent, would you want to see your six- or seven-year-old child on a school bus for two hours a day? I am fearful that failure to fully fund will cause many districts to disband. I know that in my own district many re-gionals are already considering this option.” Guyer notes that in 2005 the legislature funded busing at $45 million, or 75 percent of the actual cost, to get children to and from school. Given large increases in fuel costs, Guyer says, regional school districts are “going to continue to feel the squeeze.” “This is a chance for the legis-lature to recognize that we can’t force school districts to choose to cut books and teachers in order to provide transportation to stu-dents,” he writes.

Rowe panel to meet ROWE—The Rowe School District Committee will meet on Monday, May 8 at 6 p.m. in the school library. The sole agenda is discussion about town meeting and the school budget vote.

page � • Shelburne Falls Independent • April 13–26, 2006 • www.sfindependent.net

Shelburne Falls Independent8 Deerfield Ave., Shelburne Falls, MA 01370

(�13) 625-8297 • fax (�13) 625-6661www.sfindependent.net • e-mail: news@sfindependent.net

An independently owned newspaper serving Shelburne Falls and the surrounding hilltowns

Jeff Potter, Editor and Co-Publisher (jeff@sfindependent.net)Ted Cahill, Co-Publisher/Advertising and Operations (ted@sfindependent.net)

•Virginia Ray, Managing Editor (ginny@sfindependent.net)

•Linda Rollins, Advertising Sales (linda@sfindependent.net)

•Regular contributors include: Christopher Baldwin, Brian Duffey, Stephanie Funk, Kate Higginbotham, Laura Rodley, John Snyder, Don Stewart, Nate Walsh.

Shelburne Falls Independent is published every other week on Thursdays by Dialogos Media, Inc. Annual subscription rate: $20 per year. Diverse viewpoints are presented in our Independent Thinking section — viewpoints that might not represent the views of this newspaper, its editors, its contributors, or its advertisers. Package, presentation, and most news content © 2006 Dialogos Media, Inc.; some material may be owned by individual contributors. Reproduction of material in this newspaper is prohibited without permission of the publishers.

Shelburne FallS

ShADowS STReTch across earth that hasn’t seen full daylight in decades;

and a breeze saturated with the Deerfield River mixes it up at street level now. Bits of cast-off slate, a front step without its building, rough rocks from the foundation, a wire grown into a maple out back—all are part of the play of absence and pres-ence and time and memory. The Sunday morning I spotted the excavator beside the Swan building, panic and anger hit me full force. I hadn’t “found time” to photograph the building, and the demolition equipment made it hit home that the Swan Block would, within hours, exist only as part of our town’s memory. A few phone calls later and by the graciousness of the Bolio fam-ily, the owners of the property, I was able to move through the Swan block quietly, with cam-era in hand. Peering around the edges, there are hidden places where light and memory and struc-ture meet. There’s an echo, a place of “call and response.” Your history, my history — it’s all fleeting. My urge to docu-ment this building came from never wanting us to forget what makes us “us.” I wanted to find a resting place, an inkling of soul that had been that building, to feel the tender, dusty space with its old-building smell wrap around me, to catch that perfect filter-ing of light, and maybe, just maybe, leave with an image of that, an image that could feed the spirit after the building had been taken down. changes of level, small stair-cases, rooms built within rooms, a building addition, doors long-

blocked: these all gave clues to different uses. A sweep of tattered posters featuring the likes of clara Louise Kellogg, Miss Ada Gray, Miss Sadie Gill, Miss Katie chester, Little Miss octagon or “The Sunshine of Paradise Alley” were affixed to the wood-and-plaster walls in a high upper room; the front second-floor rooms wore a water-stained wallpaper that had once been richly-colored layers of design, that once looked down upon grieving families choosing caskets in the headquarters of the village’s undertaker. And tinier fragments, bits of people’s lives, still lived on in the building. These random re-maining artifacts ranged from the very public — a “Travelers Insurance company” insurance notice for employees, a timeta-ble for the Fitchburg Railroad’s hoosac Tunnel Route — to the incredibly intimate. A small grayed image of a civil war sol-dier, and a love letter written in 1950 were rescued from the husk of a building. Lugged around like a child’s favorite stuffed toy, my cam-era is always at risk of getting bumped, bruised, and used hard. I photograph to docu-ment events and objects and the natural world. I photograph to witness, to keep track of our stories, to be a part of the flowing of time that never lets me catch up. I photograph to discover what is lovely in the ordinary. The medium is sensuous. There is an awakening moment; it doesn’t happen often for this amateur, when the world dissolves and there is only the seeking and the wanting more of the world than what’s gath-ered in a simple glance.

PHOTO ESSAY n By Laurie Wheeler Burrington

Memory and meaning from a doomed building

That moment, experienced in the final moments of a local icon, is one of grace.� 4

Laurie Wheeler Burrington, once the Independent’s editorial as-sistant, now works as archivist and exhibitions manager at the Hallmark Museum of Contem-porary Photography in Turners Falls.

INDEPENDENT THINKING

Editorials • CommentaryLetters to the Editor

413-743-5430 413-743-7110

MA Certified ArboristMA Certified Horticulturist

Cottage Garden Design • Installation • Maintenance——

• General Tree Care • Fine Pruning• Residential Orchard Rejuvenation

ORGaniCally ORienTed • exCellenT ReFeRenCes • naTiVe PlanTs

James McSweeney, M.C.A., M.C.H. • Chesterfield, MA(413) 582-4088 • www.hilltowntreeandgarden.com

Hilltown Tree & Garden

413-625-6463 cell 413-834-1671residence 413-625-6387

• Mini hydraulic excavators • Multi-terrain loaders • Genie boom lifts• Challenger tractor backhoes • Skid steer loaders • Telehandlers

Many attachments available • Hydraulic hose repairs

S h e l b u r n e F a l l S

Shelburne Falls Independent • April 13–26, 2006 • www.sfindependent.net • page 5

heath

WeST counTY towns are facing one of the key decisions

in any community’s history: should towns agree to close their elementary schools and send their children to a region-al elementary school, or should they instead work together to find ways to maintain small, effective and affordable town schools? we all want the same things. we want schools in our towns that do a good job of educating our children, at a cost that we (and our neighbors) can afford. we want schools that can con-tinue to function as the center of our towns. no one wants to drive three towns over to see the second grade school play. no one wants 6-year-olds to ride on the bus as long as 18-year-olds. no one wants to see the schools we worked so hard to build and maintain closed and shuttered. no town has yet of-fered to close its school so that another town’s school can stay open. The Mohawk Trail Regional School District is faced with some hard choices. The state’s share of support of all of our schools is declining year by year, and the burden is falling more and more heavily on our towns. In most towns, enroll-ment is declining as the popula-tion ages. Meanwhile, health insurance, utilities, and other fixed costs increase yearly at rates far above the inflation rate. what’s a town to do? what’s a district to do?

IT’S eASY To unDeRSTAnD why some are calling for consolida-tion of elementary schools. Some cost savings are obvious: fewer buildings means lower utility costs and lower staffing costs. But we all know about the law of unintended conse-quences: doing the wrong thing with the right motivation does not mean good results. Some “solutions” to the problems we face could make matters worse. we could, for example, end up with schools that cost more and deliver less. everyone — par-ents, children and taxpayers — might suffer. we have a host of unan-swered fiscal questions. will revenue from the state in-crease? can we successfully ad-vocate for more transportation reimbursement? If we close a school, will the state still pay its share of the building debt? In the case of heath elemen-tary School, the state is paying $190,�35 per year to help pay off the building. what will hap-pen to this debt? If we close one or more schools and bus the children out of their towns, how many parents will decide to home school their children instead, or enroll them in local charter schools? every child that leaves the district in this way takes

state funding with them. we also have a host of unan-swered educational questions: If we close a school, what will happen to the quality of educa-tion offered our children? will test scores go down? will fewer people volunteer to work in the new, regional schools? what will the sight of empty school buildings do to the spirit of the towns that worked so hard to build them? And who should decide?

The MohAwK TRAIL Regional School District is composed of eight towns, and its operations are regulated by a regional agreement approved by all towns. The district school com-mittee is in charge of policy, budget, and hiring and evalua-tion of the superintendent. The superintendent is in charge of the day-to-day operations of the district and its schools. certain powers are given to the towns, including the power to close — or not to close — its own school. There has been a call for all mem-ber towns to agree to a change in the regional agreement and give the power to close a school to the school commit-tee. Towns resisting this call have been accused of not trust-ing their elected officials to do what is right and what is best for the whole district. Trust has to work both ways. Those who wrote the regional agreement had the wisdom to recognize that certain decisions are too big and too important to leave to any one group of officials, elected or appointed. certain decisions need to be made by the whole town. This is the essence of democracy, and the essence of Town Meeting. If the plan the school com-mittee (or the superintendent) has for the district and its towns is a good one, they need to trust the common sense of the towns, and recognize that towns will vote to support plans that are in their town’s interest. If the plan is not a good one, why would a town want to give away the power to decide the educational future of its own children?

The SchooL coMMITTee and Superintendent Michael Buo-niconti should be praised for their great efforts to create a plan to relieve some of the fi-nancial pressure that towns are feeling. They’ve worked hard to create a plan in a short amount of time, with limited informa-tion, in a very charged political atmosphere. It’s time for the towns to step up and do their part. If the dis-trict plan is not acceptable, the towns need to begin to deter-mine what is. For example, in the case of heath — my town — what are our options? how can

VIEWPOINT n By Kenneth Rocke

A year to plan, a year to decide: shaping the future of education for our children

we find a way to keep heath elementary School open? Should we try to withdraw from the district? could we become a charter school? Should we ask Rowe if they want to join with us? could heath join with col-rain, as hawley has joined with charlemont? how much more would it cost us to keep our school open? could we afford it? I believe that the state has an interest in maintaining small, successful rural elementary schools. Research shows that community schools result in higher student achievement. Jeff wulfson, associate commis-sioner of education, has called heath “the canary in the coal mine” and has clearly indicated the Department of education’s willingness to work with us to design a creative solution. If we can solve this problem for heath, we can perhaps solve it for the district. If we can solve it for the district, we may be able to solve it for the state.

we, the people who live in these eight towns, have the knowledge and skills to solve this problem. we’re proud of our community schools, we’ve worked hard to plan, build, and fund them, and we want to keep them open. For the com-mitted people who are willing to work together to maintain good education for our chil-dren, I suggest the following action plan:1. Keep the power to decide to close a school at the town level.2. Pass a reasonable budget at town meeting so that we have a year to plan.3. Advocate through your legis-lators for increased funding to rural school districts.�. organize within your own town to create a vision, and a plan, for the education of your children we can find a way to make this work. This is too big a job for a superintendent and a school committee. we need to create a process that guar-antees results, involves par-ents and taxpayers both, and maintains the good education we’ve come to expect from our schools.� 4

Kenneth Rocke’s opinions are informed by his work as super-intendent and director of Blue Hills Regional Technical School in Canton. He previously taught carpentry at Franklin County Technical School for 12 years. Rocke and his wife, Julie, have lived in Heath since 1981.

To the Editor of the Independent: I read State Representative Stephen Kulik’s legislative up-date [Independent, March 16–29] with considerable interest. That interest led to an unfet-tered rage, however, as I once again came across the “m” word — that scurrilous “health” insurance mandate — cooked up somewhere on Beacon hill, no doubt with the hot tongs of insurance lobbyists stirring the fire. I’d hoped it had gone away for good; hopefully it will. There’s just got to be a better way. But before I go any further with this, let me be the first to say no! Translation? no hMo will be getting my hard-earned money, whether by decree or volition. I flatly refuse now, and will so in the future, to purchase their

To the Editor of the Independent: we face a serious threat to the quality of education not only in our district, but across Massachusetts. I need your help in fixing the priorities of our state to save our schools and our towns. we are facing the prospect of having to close elementary schools and busing children over an hour each way to get them to a consolidated el-ementary school. If we don’t do that, we face massive cuts to the quality of education in our schools. our towns are at the limits of what they can as-sess in property taxes and are facing bankruptcy themselves. Meanwhile since 2002, Massa-chusetts has cut state funding for education while state man-dates and unavoidable costs keep going up. There are two ways you can calculate the state’s contribu-tion to public schools. The state figures that it pays �3 percent of the Foundation Budget — the amount legally required to be spent to provide the minimum educational standards for our children. By this measure, Mas-sachusetts ranks ��th in the nation. This is shameful enough for a relatively wealthy state, home to prestigious schools and colleges. But the Foundation Budget is seriously flawed. It doesn’t come close to counting the real costs of that minimal educa-tion. For example, the Founda-tion Budget for fiscal year 2007 contains an inflation factor of �.5 percent. Yet health insur-ance costs rose by 18 percent. If a realistic Foundation Budget figure were used, the state’s contribution would more ac-curately be measured at 39 percent.

Please spread the word. citi-zens of Massachusetts need to let their government officials know that last place is not good enough for Massachusetts. we need to work for: • An increase in the state share of education to 50 percent of the Foundation Budget. • An increase in the Founda-tion Budget to cover realistic costs of education. • Full reimbursement of transportation for regional shool districts as promised. • Restoration of “hold harm-less” money to districts with declining enrollment. A group of parents in the Mo-hawk district have prepared a lobbying packet with a sample letter that you can write to government officials. It has ad-

dresses and phone numbers for key legislators. If you’re outside of our legislative district, you’ll need to find contact informa-tion for your own legislators. You can get the lobbying packet at: www.mohawkdistrictsolutions.org/files/17/resources/entry67.aspx. Massachusetts is sitting on a surplus of over $1 billion dol-lars, but the governor wants to cut the income tax rather than adequately fund schools. without a penny more in taxes, we could save our schools and save our towns. Please spread the word.

Joe Kurland

Colrain, April 8

The writer represents Colrain on the Mohawk Trail Regional School Committee.

pathetic products. They’ll pry a mandatory hMo payment from my cold dead hands! That said, be aware that most of us aren’t so stupid as to be-lieve an insurance mandate will improve anything for us. our biggest shortfall, of course, is that we have no powerful lob-bies pulling strings on Beacon hill. So we, the people, see this for what it really is — a creative way to put more money into the coffers of a greedy, ineffi-cient industry — and hopefully we can stop this thing in its tracks. There should be no pretense of other priorities, i.e. “bring-ing younger and healthier people into the system, which will help lower the cost of insurance” or “bringing more

stakeholders into the system and help parts of it that do not work well.” Such irony! hMos exacerbate the parts that don’t work well! here’s a part that definitely won’t work too well: taking $200 a month from my pocket — don’t forget that outrageous-ly high deductible — without a commensurate tax deduction! Try this experiment: replace the word stakeholders with shareholders (in Big Insurance), and that’s where the champagne glasses will be clinking. controversial? You bet! The mandate needs to be deep-sixed. Rep. Kulik: Please don’t contribute toward this insult to our intelligence by painting the mandate in a cheery color!

david andrew hopKinS

Colrain, March 29

LET TERS TO THE EDITOR

Lobby the state for education spending

No to scurrilous ‘health’ mandate

To the Editor of the Independent: “The hills are alive” with the hum of small task-force discussion groups. At the heath meetings to talk over the cur-rent problems of our school dis-trict, one does not come away depressed and combative, but very encouraged. It is most uplifting to hear dedicated parents, grandpar-ents, and others who are inter-ested in a good education for our children contributing to a good dialogue. unfortunately, it seems to take a crisis to make people come together, but it is our heritage to fight for our liber-ties. whatever hard decisions have to be made, it is gratifying to see such dedication to work together.

I, as a senior citizen of heath, am proud to know the commu-nity is still the same forward-looking entity I have worked with these many years. So hea-thens, let us continue to work as a unit and keep our school in town!

ruth e. JohnSon

Heath, April 4

Heath discussion uplifting

It’s time for the towns to step up and do their part. If the district plan is not

acceptable, the towns need to begin to determine what is

VIEWPOINT n By Phil Dzialo

Alternatives? Not much we haven’t considered bucKland

TheRe ARe not re-ally many alternatives which have not been

fully explored in the many budget epidemics which I have lived through in the past 25 years in the district. 1. Transportation is a $1.3 million expense. we receive about 70 percent in reimburse-ment. Yearly we fight for an increase in the percentage rate and it has risen somewhat. Get-ting 100 percent would mean an additional $500,000 to the districts. It would mean a simi-lar amount to the many other regionals; hence, the legislature is slow to respond, and most votes are east of the Interstate �95 belt. Transportation is highly regu-lated in terms of safety, vehicle compliance, liability, and the like. we have even completed a study, which warned that main-taining our own buses would not be very cost effective. There aren’t many good alternatives, since the district encompasses over 250 square miles. 2. charging for educational expenses is illegal if the programs are part of the cur-riculum. we offer art, music, and physical education to all students, so we must do so at public expense. we offer fewer hours of these subjects than many districts, so reductions here are not educationally fea-

sible. The district can charge for non-mandated prekinder-garten and extracurriculars. Many sports at Mohawk carrry a user fee of up to $75 per sport, and all buildings are available for public to rent. while these generate some in-come, that amount is nowhere near the scope that lets us deal with the deficit the district faces. 3. Because the district does not subsidize lunch programs, they must carry their own weight. It’s all an economy of scale. Mohawk has more than 800 students and makes about $�5,000 a year in profit. The combined elementary (all small scale) lose about that amount each year. It’s a wash in the end, but larger operations are more cost effective. The major expense is labor, and cafe work-ers are certainly not paid well. �. Fundraising: I have been there and done that. People and businesses (and also 99 percent of grant operations) do not provide money to main-tain operations and programs. That’s a simple reality. Build a new state-of-the-art rubberized track at Mohawk ($250,000): no problem. Put in lights on the football field, used a dozen times a year ($80,000): no prob-lem. Raising money for the extras of athletics and music at Mohawk: no problem. writing grants for professional develop-ment: no problem. Almost no

one — not public foundations, not the state of Massachusetts, not the federal government — provides grants that give money for continuing opera-tions of education. 5. Money from “famous” people? Seniors at Mohawk have invited Bill cosby to be the graduation speaker here for years. even this request results in only a polite “no” from his public relations agency.6. Disband the region, and you would lose “regional” transpor-tation money — the 70 percent of cost we do get — lose region-al school assistance funding, and lose the savings in insur-ance we gained by forming a wide region. Furthermore, the towns would lose the financial benefit that softens the finan-cial consequences of special education costs, which hap-pen yearly. If one elementary school gets hit with the costs of a $150,000 special-education placement for one child, Town A doesn’t absorb a fiscally cata-strophic hit, the region does. 7. The fundamental problem is the educational reform (1993) formula used to deter-mine regional school aid. This formula discriminates against large, rural regions for a lot of complex reasons The formula is five pages long in the Mas-sachusetts General Laws. no one wants to really tamper with it (despite what legisla-tors tell you) because doing so

would help only 10 percent of regionals and give the other 90 percent more wealth than than need.

The ReALITY IS there aren’t many good choices. I remem-ber in 2002 facing the loss of 22 positions at the high school, and I would not want to repeat that year. unfortunately, we are faced with a hard choice and we have looked at much data, perhaps too much. we must consolidate operations as the superintendent has suggest-ed or lose many valuable pro-grams — programs that attract 70 school choice students to Mohawk and the $500,000 per year that comes to the district as a result. not consolidating will force the district to reduce staff and will have many, many other unintended effects. It’s important for us all to remember that we are not the separate entities we think of as heath, Buckland-Shelburne elementary, colrain, Sander-son, and Mohawk. we are the region. we must work together to provide the best advantage for all our students within the fiscal restraints of the taxpay-ing public.� 4

Phil Dzialo is in his last months as principal of Mohawk Trail Regional School.

Letters may be e-mailed to editor@sfindependent.net. When space is at a premi-um, we give priority to let-ters that have not already appeared elsewhere. We do not publish anonymous let-ters, nor do we print letters that libel or, in our judg-ment, don’t meet a baseline standard of civility.

By Laura Rodleylaura@sfindependent.net

——— SHELBURNEFALLS—Con-wayresidentsYaninaVargasandJaneStanglarethenewownersoftheTusk‘n’RattleCafe.Thepartnersrecentlypurchasedthepopular10BridgeStreetspotfromTanyaBryantandMargaretFitzgerald. BryantandFitzgeraldhavehadsomethingoftheMidastouchwiththesuccessoftheirPartyGirlscateringbusiness,theirformerrestaurant,Margo’sBistro,andthehighlysuccessfulTusk‘n’Rattle,mentionedaseditor’schoice2004inYankee.Tusk‘n’Rattleisincludedintravelmagazinesasamust-see,arestaurantsteepedwithNewYorkCityclassandjazzyatmo-spherehousedinthebasementofatinyvillage.Astheirmenustates,theirfood“fusesSouthIndianandNuevoLatinrecipes

New owners for Tusk ‘n’ Rattle CaféSpring 2006Quilt Show

Friday–Saturday, April 28–2910 a.m.–4 p.m.

Quilt ExhibitQuilt Raffle

Donation $5St. Paul’s Lutheran Church

23 Long Ave., Greenfieldpastor@stpaulslutheran.com

•Directions: Exit 27 off I-91South on Routes 5 and 10

Second left

Help stock salmon GREENFIELD—SpendadayoutinastreamhavingfunandhelpingtheMassachusettsDivi-sionofFisheriesandWildliferestoreAtlanticsalmontotheConnecticutRiverwatershed.Volunteersareneededtospendafewhoursdeliveringsalmonfry(recentlyhatchedfish,onlyafewincheslong)tostreamsintheDeerfieldRiverwatershedandtheSawmillRiver.Groupsmeetat8a.m.attheHomeDepotinGreenfieldjustwestoftheRoute2rotaryandI-91exit26(unlessotherwisenoted)andareusuallyfinishedintheearlyafternoon.Bringalunch,drinkingwaterandwadersorhipbootsifyouownsome.TheDivisionofFisheriesandWildlifehaswaderstoborrowforthosewhodon’townthem. Formoreinformation,contactCalebSlaterat(508)792-7270,ext.133

Stocking schedule MeetatGreenfieldHomeDe-potunlessotherwisenoted. •Friday,April14-SouthRiver •Tuesday,April18-WestBranchof theNorthRiver(Massachusetts). •Wednesday,April19-EastBranchof theNorthRiver(Vermont) •Thursday,April20-EastBranchof theNorthRiver(Massachusetts). •Friday,April21-GreenRiver •Sunday,April30-SawmillRiver(MeetatLeverettCo-op) StockingforChickleyRiver,FallRiver,ColdRiverandSouthRiveralreadytookplace.

CHARLEMONT—AcademyatCharlemontgraduateCarlyCareymayhavemovedonthisyeartocollege,butshehasleftbehindwhatlookstobeanenduringlegacy:theRun/WalkforHunger,scheduledforSaturday,April22at10:30a.m.atTheAcademy. Careystartedtheeventin2005asherseniorproject.TheRun/WalkwasintendedtoraisefundsfortheFoodBankofWesternMassachusetts,whilealsoraisingawarenessoftheserioushungerproblemthatexistsinthelocalcommunity. In2005,$2,500wasdonatedtotheFoodBankandmorethan200runners/walkersparticipatedintheevent. Thisyear,thestudent-runCom-munityServiceCouncilvoted

Student vigil BUCKLAND—Ninth-gradegeographystudentsfromtheMo-hawkTrailRegionalSchoolwillholdavigiltoraiseawarenessofthegenocideissuesinDarfuronFriday,April14at7p.m.infrontoftheMassamontbuildingonBridgeStreetinShelburneFalls. Afterstudyinggenocide,asmallgroupfeltthe“needtogofurtherandholdthisevent,”saidSylviaGarfield-WrightofBuck-land.OthersinhercoregroupincludeNatPosever,EveLytle-Rich,MollieBeebe,KatePar-sons,MargaretWilliams,AshleyBrazilandRachelKuklinski. “Notnearlyenoughpeopleareawareofthisgenocide,notenoughcountieshavesteppedintohelpAUpeacekeepers,”Garfield-Wrightsaid.“Wefeelbyraisingawareness,morecouldbedonetohelpstopthis.”Donationswillbewelcome.

Run and walk to fight hunger

toorganizetheRun/WalkasanannualeventandtheAcademyParentCouncilvolunteeredtoassist. ThecourseisapproximatelytwomilesonTheAcademy’scampus.Mostofthe$10entryfeewillbedonatedtotheFoodBank,whichdistributesnearly$9worthoffoodforevery$1itreceives.EachparticipantwillreceiveacommemorativewaterbottleandisinvitedtoapostRun/Walkpotlucklunch.Par-ticipantscanregisteronthedayoftheRun/Walkat9:45a.m.ordownloadtheregistrationformatwww.charlemont.org.AllmembersofthegreatercommunityareencouragedtojoinTheAcademycommunityinthisevent.

tocreatenewAmericanFare.” ButnowBryanthasasecondcareerasaregisterednurseandFitzgeraldhasseveralprojectslinedup. “I’vebeeninthesamebusinessfor26years,”saidChefFitzger-ald.“I’mcatchingmybreath.” Shewillstayonattherestau-rantthroughApriltoimmerseVargasfullyintherestaurantbusiness.Therestauranthasbeenclosedforminorchanges,includingpaintingthewallsaMediterraneanorangeandinstallingartworkbyMelissaScheidFrantzofGreenfield.Herartworkusessolidblocksofcolorinoilpaintmergedtogetherwithherfingerstocreatesouthwest-ernmoods.Newchef,JoshuaRock,hasbeenattherestaurantforsixmonths. Vargasisn’tplanningtoomanychanges. “Itwillbethesamemenu,thesamerestaurant,”shesaid.“I

havebeenworkingwithMarga-retsinceJanuary,soitwillbeasmoothtransition.Thishasbeenmydream.Ihavedonealotofthings;I’vebeenlucky.WhenaskedwhatdoIreallywant,Iwantedtoownarestaurant.” Vargashasbeencookingformanyyearsasahobby. “Ihavecookedforlargepar-ties,LatinAmericanfood,”shesaid.“Myshareinthekitchen.IcamehereonenightfordinnerandIfoundoutMargaretwassellingtherestaurant.IhaveawonderfulrelationshipwithMargaret,andhavelearnedfromTanyaandMargaret.ShelburneFallsisaveryspecialplace,thecommunityiswonderful.Ihavetopinchmyself.Ican’tbelievethisishappening.” Offutureplansforthebusi-ness,Vargassaid,“Iplantostayhereforaverylongtime.Ilovethisplace.”

inNorthCarolinainthe30sand40s.Whenitwascustomaryforwomantogetmarriedandhavechildren,mymotherworked.Shetaughtballroomdancinginthe30s.Shealsowasarealestatebroker.Shehadastrokewhenshewas96.UpuntilJulyof2005shewashelpinguswithreservations.” Theenterprisewasverymuchafamilyaffair,onbothMorben’sandMerrill’ssides. “Wehadachancetobuybackmygreat-great-grandfatherMer-rill’shousenineyearsago,”saidMerrilloftheoriginalMosesW.Merrillhomesteaddatingbackto1852. Thecouplehasalotincom-monwiththenewowners,too,asMerrillandMorbenmovedfromBerkley,CaliforniatoShelburneFalls, MorbenandMerrillwillstayonuntilJuly,packingtheirmanybelongings,andMerrill,whoteachesattheMohawkTrailRe-gionalSchool,willfinishouttheyear. Theirtrademarkteddybearsarestillinresidence,liningthecouches,whileyear-oldGoldenretriever,Julia,playshappily. Ontheothersideofthecoun-try,inHollister,California,PhilipBragdonwillfinishouthisteach-ingyear,too. “WeknewMassachusettsandnorthernNewEnglandverywell,”hesaid.“I’mahighschoolEnglishteacher.Idon’tknowwhatI’llbe[inShelburneFalls.]I’llbelookingatleasttoteachEnglishparttimeorEnglishasaSecondLanguage(ESL).IwilldevotemyselftotheB&B,really

concentrateonthebusiness.Achancetooperateabedandbreakfastisalife-longdreamofours.” Bragdon’swife,EdithBingham,isacommercialartist.Alreadyestablishedhereaspartoftheartscommunity,shesellspapercutsandcardsattheShelburneArtsCo-oponBridgeStreet.Shehasillustratedseveralbooks,includingatwovolumeset,The Civil War Era,byHaroldHolzer,andThe Poetry Break,byCarolineFellerBauer. Thecouplebringswiththemtwochildren,Owen,age10,andLeyla,whois5yearsold. “Edithwillmoveinrightaboutthe1stofJune.Iwillbethereacoupleofweekslater,”saidBragdon.

SFI photo/Laura RodleyDeane Merrill and Christine Morben and their one-year-old yellow lab, Julia, in their Shelburne Falls home, Bear Haven, which has been sold to Philip Bragdon and Edith Bingham.

California family buys bed and breakfast

Marty’s moves to Colrain COLRAIN—MartyBirdofMarty’sRepairhasmovedhisshoptoitsnewlocation271MainRoadinColrainfromitsoldloca-tionnexttoNeighbor’sonStateStreetinBuckland,wherehehadbeenrepairingautomobilessinceMarchof1990.HeopenedthenewshoponMarch1. AgraduateofFranklinCountyTechnicalSchoolinTurnersFalls,BirdworkedforSession’sRepairinBucklandandLabelle&Leit-nerAutoRepairinGreenfieldbeforeopeninghisownshop. “IworkedhereasakidwhenitwasStreeter’sTexaco,”saidBirdofhisnewlocation,whichincludestwofullbays,afrontofficeandplentyofroomforparkingcars. “There’splentyofcarsthatneedfixing,”Birdsaid.

SPRINGFIELD—Summeremploymentcanoffernumerouschallengestomanyemployers,includingincreaseinseasonalbusiness,theneedtohiresum-mer/seasonalhelpandvacationrequests.Inacollaborativeeffortdesignedtoaddresstheseandothersmallbusinessneeds,theEconomicDevelopmentResourceCollaborativewasformedbyTheBankofWesternMassachusetts,theEmployersAssociationoftheNorthEast,FranklinCountyChamberofCommerce,FranklinCountyCommunityDevelopmentCorporation(CDC),andGreen-fieldCommunityCollege ThecollaborativewillofferaworkshoponTuesday,May9from8:30-10:30a.m.atGreenfieldCommunityCollege’sdowntowncenter,270MainSt.Costis$30/personorcompany(uptotwopeoplepercompany)and$20/perperson/company(threeormorepeoplepercompany).RegisterbycallingtheFranklinCountyChamberofCommerceat(413)773-5463. PanelistswillincludeMichaelMcCusker,ownerofMcCusk-ersMarket/Deli;ErickaHeilig,programcoordinatorforthePathwaystoSuccessprogramoftheFranklin/HampshireRegionalEmploymentBoard;andKarenHarmon,ownerofHarmonPer-sonnelServices.MeredithWise,presidentoftheEmployersAs-sociationoftheNorthEast,willserveasfacilitator.

Summer hiring workshop set for May 5

page6• Shelburne Falls Independent • April13–26,2006• www.sfindependent.net

By Laura Rodleylaura@sfindependent.net

——— SHELBURNEFALLS—ThebrightlydecoratedVolkswagenthatsparkledwithlightswasal-readysoldbeforeBearHavenBed&BreakfastofficiallychangedhandsonApril7. ChristineMorbenandherhusband,DeaneMerrill,aremovingtoAsheville,NorthCaro-lina,aftereightyearsofrunningtheirseasonalbedandbreakfastwiththreeroomsthatthecouplerented. “Wearemovingtobewithmyfamilyandmyfriends,”Morbensaid. Newowners,PhilipBragdonandEdithBingham,arefromtheSanFranciscoBayareainCalifornia,butownahouseinCharlemont.EleanorMerrill,Merrill’sdaughterandMorben’sstepdaughter,hasbeenhousesit-tingattheCharlemontresidencewhentheyareaway. WhatMorbensaidshelikedmostaboutrunningthebusinesswas“thepeoplewemet.” “Wedidn’tgetrich,butwemetalotofnicepeoplefromallovertheworld,”shesaid. Morben’smother,LauraWalk-er,alsohelpedattheb&bforyears—makingbreakfast,show-inggueststotheirroomsandmak-ingreservations,usingherhotelbusinessbackgroundtoteachherdaughterandson-in-law—untilshediedinNovember. “Mymotherhadbeen60yearsinthehotelbusiness,”Morbensaid.“ShelivedinMarylandandworkedinWashingtonD.C.andownedherownrestaurant

B U S I N E S S A N D E C O N O M Y

141 Buckland Rd. • Ashfield, MA • 628-0158

Serving breakfast Easter SundayApril 16 • Starting at 8 a.m.

Live music! Friday, April 14 - Art Steele Band

Friday, April 21 - Swift Kicks

Saturday, April 22 - Radio Free Earth

Dinners 5–9 weekdays, until 10 weekends Lunches Wednesday–Monday from 11:30 a.m., Tuesday from 3 p.m.

Children’s Menu • Open 7 nights a week

Just a 10 mile ride from Shelburne Falls!

Bring this ad to the diner and save 10 percent!

Accepting takeout ordersCall ahead for fast service

Mohawk Dinerat the Arrowhead Shops

1105 Mohawk Trail, Shelburne

Open Monday–Friday 5 a.m.–3 p.m.Saturday and Sunday 6 a.m.–3 p.m.

D i n n e r S e r v e D

Friday and Saturday 4–9 p.m.

625-6643 • mohawkdiner1105@aol.comMichael ryan, Proprietor

Shelburne Falls Independent • April 13–26, 2006 • www.sfindependent.net • page �

CALENDAR

ONGOING

GREENFIELDYes to chess:YMCA Chess Club meets

every Thursday 5:30-9 p.m. All wel-come to participate for an hour or the entire evening. Club members will help beginners learn the ba-sics. Information: (413) 773-3646.

SHELBURNE FALLSNature’s Ge-ometry : Se -

ries of photographic abstractions by Martha Braun. On exhibit at McCusker’s Market & Deli, 3 State Street. Through May 15. Open daily 7 a.m.-6 p.m.

TURNERS FALLSHealing move-ment: Register

now for “Natural Rhythms: Heal-ing through Nature.” A unique movement group for women. April 5–May 10. Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A. Information: (978) 544-7073

CHARLEMONTAA meets: Alco-holics Anonymous

holds open meetings Mondays at the Community Bible Church, 108 Main St. � p.m. Free. Information: (413) 339-4488.

SHELBURNE FALLSAA meets: Alco-holics Anony-

mous holds open meetings Thurs-days at Trinity Church, Severance St. � p.m. Free. (413) 625-2341.

TURNERS FALLSZen programs: Zen Peacemak-

ers/The Maezumi Institute present programs at The House of One People, 1�� Ripley Road. Medita-tion, yoga and workshop informa-tion. (413) 367-2080, ext. 2#; www.zenpeacemakers.org.

TURNERS FALLSP h o t o g r a p h y exhibit: “Retro-

spective,” a photography exhibit Jay Maisel’s bold, graphic, satu-rated color images. Maisel, photo-graphing since 1954, has selected works from his career as an ad-vertising, corporate and editorial photographer based in New York City. Opens April 6. Free. Hallmark Museum of Contemporary Photog-raphy, 85 Avenue A. Thurs.-Sun. 1-5 p.m. Information: (413) 863-0009; www.hmcp.org.

SHELBURNE FALLSCourage Choir sings: Join the

Courage Choir, 6:30 p.m., in the Red Studio at Shelburne Falls Yoga Studio, Deerfield Avenue. Open to all. Wednesdays, ongoing. $10 fee suggested, but contributions are on sliding scale. Information: (413) 625-2355.

GREENFIELDRecover Project programs: Mondays:

10 a.m. Wellness Walkers, 1:30-2:30 p.m. Crochet with Julie, 5 p.m. S.M.A.R.T. Recovery for Youth; Tuesdays: 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. free Reiki sessions for the drug and alcohol recovery community, call Jess to schedule an appointment (413) 774-5489, Wednesdays: 6 p.m. women’s yoga at the Grapevine, 93 Chapman St., free; Thursdays: every other week community meetings at 1:30 p.m.; Fridays: 3 p.m. games/ movie/ music. Information: (413) 774-5489.

TURNERS FALLSArt in Nature: Photographic im-

ages by Tom Whalen on display through April. Also general exhibit tours. Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A, Saturdays at 11 a.m.

Information: (413) 863-3221; www.greatfallsma.org.

GREENFIELDApril vacation ac-tivities: Greenfield

Public Library hosts children’s activities: Tuesday, April 18 Pre-school Story Hour 10-11 a.m. for ages 5 and under; Wednesday, April 19 2-4 p.m. Bring Your Doll to Tea for special treats and craft time with your favorite doll for age 6 and older; then 6-8 p.m. reading for preteens, bring your own poem to recite or one you like; Thursday, April 20 10-11 a.m. Terrific Twos, the weekly story hour for children ages 2 -3; then 2-4 p.m. Treasure in a Box, a craft activity for chil-dren ages 6 and older to make a kaleidoscope and box; a.. Friday, April 21 10-11 a.m. Tales for Tots, story hour for children from birth to age 2 and 1-3 p.m. Anime Club for teens and adults. Information: Kay Lyons at (413) 772-1544, ext. 4; kay_lyons@hotmail.com.

TURNERS FALLSGreat discoveries: Various special

programs during extended hours for school vacation week, April 19-22. Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A. Information: (413) 863-3221; www.greatfallsma.org.

GREENFIELDKindermusik: Sat-urday Kindermusik

classes begin Saturday, April 22 and continue through May 20. $80 tuition includes materials for each parent/child class with instructor Amy Crawford. Artspace, 15 Mill St. Information: (413) 772-6811; www.franklyarts.org.

NORTH ADAMSFamily-friend-ly modern art :

“Stringing Styrofoam” and “Cub-ist Collages” for children and their families during spring break. Create your own hybrid string and collage instruments inspired by the Kidspace exhibition, ”The New Sound of Music: Hybrid In-struments,” by Ken Butler, which opened March 30. Kidspace at MASS MoCA, 87 Marshall St. Information and registration: (413) 664-4481, ext. 8131; kidspace@massmoca.org.

HOLYOKEPhotos honor chil -dren’s mental health

week: The Support Network for W. MA/PAL/The Consortium, the Children’s Museum at Holyoke and the state department of Men-tal Health present an exhibit by children from western Mass. who are sharing photographs of things that are important to them and that make them happy. Opening reception Sunday, April 30 from 1-2 p.m. followed by “The Dangers of Empathy” from 2-3 p.m. The pro-gram presents a family’s struggles for safety and stability when facing childhood mental illness. Children’s Museum of Holyoke, 444 Dwight St. Through May. Information: www.wmtcinfo.org.

Thursday,aprIl13

COLRAINW h i t i n g h a m d a m : Robert Coombs speaks

about building the Whitingham Dam and his collection of construc-tion photos. Supper at 6 p.m. Talk at 7:30 p.m. Diners bring covered dish, salad or dessert to share, table settings and beverage. Information: (413) 624-8818.

FrIday, aprIl14

TURNERS FALLS Feathered friends: P re s ch o o l e rs

learn about a mixed-up bird and his friends, feather secrets and games. 11 a.m.-12 p.m. Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A. In-formation: (413) 863-3221; www.greatfallsma.org

saTurday, aprIl15

TURNERS FALLSFo s s i l s r o ck : Learn about di-

nosaurs and more at the Great Falls Discovery Center. 1-2 p.m. School-age children and families. Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A. Information: (413) 863-3221; www.greatfallsma.org

GREENFIELDS w i m m i n g t i p s : YMCA will hold clin-

ic to help improve technique. 2:30-3:15 p.m. Not a lesson, but a skill clinic. Information: Pam Mickiewicz at (413) 773-3646, ext. 427.

CHARLEMONTE s p r e s s o Ja z z : Performs at the

Charlemont Inn, Rt. 2. �-10 p.m. Reservations: (413) 339-5�96; www.charlemontinn.com.

GREENFIELDContra dance: Tacon-ic Tonic with George

Wilson, Becky Ashenden and Chuck Corman and caller Steve Howland Beginners welcome; no partner needed. $8. Guiding Star Grange, 410 Chapman St. Informa-tion: (413) ��4-2830.

suNday, aprIl16

MARLBORO, Vt.Pianist Cecile Licad performs:

Cecile Licad plays selections from Emmanuel Chabrier and Sergei Rachmaninoff, as well as works by Mozart and Chopin. 3 p.m. Free, but tickets must be obtained in advance. Tickets will be available three weeks before each perfor-mance and must be picked up at the Marlboro College Graduate Center in Brattleboro or on campus at the college bookstore. Marlboro College’s Serkin Center for the Per-forming Arts. Information: (802) 257-4333; www.marlboro.edu.

Tuesday, aprIl18

SHELBURNE FALLSA look at South Africa: West

County residents Liz Kelner, Sher-rill Hogen and Carl Doerner offer perspectives and images of pres-ent-day South Africa based on their recent three-week journey there. Free. 7 p.m.; Arms Library, Main and Bridge streets.

WedNesday,aprIl19

TURNERS FALLSOwl prowl: Intro-duction to owls

program and field trip. Limited to

12 people and geared to ages 10 and older. Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A. Registration required. Information and res-ervations: (413) 863-3221; www.greatfallsma.org.

GREENFIELDCreative chat: Cre-ative Conversation

series continues with “The Art of Translation,” exploring how the artist mediates experience and per-ception of the world. John Reuter, photographer, Dan Mahoney, poet, and Dana Salisbury, choreographer. Free. Art Gallery, Main Building, Greenfield Community College, 1 College Dr. Information and reserva-tions: (413) 775-1606.

GREENFIELDCholesterol screen-ing: Cardiac risk

cholesterol screenings. Participants must fast for 12 hours prior to screening. $7. 8:30-10 a.m., Con-ference Room C, Franklin Medical Center, 164 High St. Information and preregistration (required): (413) 773-8557.

Thursday, aprIl20

MARLBORO, Vt.Environmental effects on breast

cancer: Marlboro College alum Janna Cordeiro speaks on “Breast Cancer and the Environment: Advocacy, Science and Innova-tion.” Cordeiro coordinates special projects, evaluation and strategic planning for the California Breast Cancer Research Program. Free. 7 p.m., Ragle Hall, Marlboro College. Information: (802) 251-7644; www.marlboro.edu.

NORTH ADAMSMariachi documen-tary: Bittersweet

portrait of two humble, earnest mariachi singers who roam the bars, restaurants and streets of San Francisco playing for tips, “Romántico” shines a spotlight on not just mariachi music, but illegal immigration, U.S.-Mexican economics and the underground American alien communities that live under our noses every day. Director Mark Becker, best known for his Lost Boys of the Sudan documentary, will be on hand for a discussion after the screening. 8 p.m.; doors open � p.m. Tickets, $6. MASS MoCA’s Club B-10, 8� Marshall St. Information: (413) 662-2111; www.massmoca.org.

SHELBURNE FALLSSpaghetti and crime: Mem-

bers of the Ashfield, Buckland, Colrain and Shelburne police de-partments with Triad officers from the Franklin County Sheriff’s Dept. prepare and serve dinner. Followed by a talk about home repair scams. Raffle. $5; 5 p.m. Shelburne Senior Center, Main Street.

FrIday, aprIl21

NORTH ADAMSBig band dance p a r t y : M A S S

MoCA hosts Ellington Orchestra alum Art Baron with his 8-piece orchestra, Duke’s Men. Part of the Williamstown Jazz Festival (www.williamstownjazz.com), April 14-23. 8 p.m. $17; $14, advance; $8, under 12. Information and reservations: (413) 662-2111; www.massmoca.org.

saTurday, aprIl22

CHARLEMONTRun/Walk for Hun-ger: Two-mile run/

walk to benefit the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts. Rain or shine. Potluck lunch follows. Register day of event. 10:30, The Academy at Charlemont, Route 2. Entry fee $10. Information: (413) 339-4912; www.charlemont.org.

COLRAINExplore Catamount: Join local historian Mu-

riel Russell in exploring caves and wildflowers in the Catamount State Forest. Bring a flashlight and lunch to enjoy at McLeod Pond. Directions: From Route 112 in the Griswoldville section of Colrain, take Adamsville Road to Lively Road, then a quick left onto East Cata-mount Road (steep and dirt). Drive to the end where there is parking. 10 a.m. Rain date April 29. Information and registration: (413) 624-3311.

COLRAINSpring potluck: A com-munity potluck supper

to benefit Brick Meeting House’s steeple fund. Those with last names beginning with A-Z bring an entree; J-P, a salad or vegetable; Q-T, des-sert; U-Z, nonalcoholic beverage. 6:30 p.m., Brick Meeting House. Information and reservations (re-quired): (413) 624-0200.

WALTHAMHorses, Livestock and Heritage Breeds Day:

UMass sponsors “Horses, Livestock & Heritage Breeds Day” with pes-ticide safety and equipment, part of its Small Farm and Garden Day series. UMass Eastern Extension Center, 240 Beaver Street. Instruc-tion topics include exploring the

Calendar continues on the next page

heritage breeds of livestock and poultry, managing pastures for horses and livestock, managing nutrients and manure on horse farms, West Nile, encephalitis, Lyme disease, and rabies, under-standing hay quality for horses and livestock, proper use of lawn spreaders and pesticide sprayers, poisonous weeds in pastures, tips for proper use of pesticides. Indi-vidual sessions, $20; entire day, $50. Information and preregistra-tion (required): (413) 545-0895.

suNday, aprIl23

BERNARDSTONGreat Depression stories and music:

Ed Phelps and the Falltown String Band. Readings and firsthand ac-counts from local residents who lived through the Great Depression and music of the 30s and 40s by the band. 4 p.m. Sponsored by the Pioneer Valley Institute. PVI mem-bers free, others $5. Bernardston Unitarian Church, Church and Center streets just off I-91 exit 28. Information: (413) 775-1671; keldaby@mtdata.com.

NORTHAMPTONConcert to com-memorate Acad-

emy 25th: Grammy Award–winning saxophonist, bandleader and com-poser Paul Winter and friends help celebrate The Academy at Char-lemont’s 25th anniversary. Tickets — $25, $35 and $50 (includes pre-concert reception) — available at The Academy at Charlemont, World Eye Bookshop and UMass Fine Arts Center box office. 7 p.m. Academy of Music, 274 Main St. Information and tickets: (413) 339-4912; www.charlemont.org.

MONday, aprIl24

AMHERSTLark strings end sea-son: The Lark String

Quartet in a program featuring two Amherst artists, Estela Olevsky and Amelia Clingman, performing Robert Schumann’s Piano Quintet in E-flat Major, Op. 44 and the Allegro movement of Mozart’s String Quintet in G Minor, K. 516. Tickets ($10; $5, students, seniors and children) available at the Fine Arts Center box office (413-545-2511). Free open rehearsal, 4:30 p.m.; concert, 7:30 p.m., Bezanson Recital Hall, UMass. Information: www.umass.edu/fac/

Tuesday, aprIl25

AMHERSTJazz ensemble plays: The UMass Amherst

Jazz Lab Ensemble performs under direction of John Leonard. Free; 8 p.m., Bezanson Recital Hall,

UMass. Information: www.umass.edu/fac/.

AMHERSTBlack-Eyed Peas in concert: Hip-hop and

more from Grammy-award-winning band The Black-Eyed Peas (www.blackeyedpeas.com). Pussycat Dolls (www.pcdmusic.com) open. $35. 8 p.m., Mullins Center, University of Massachusetts, Information: (413) 545-0505. Tickets: Mullins Center Box Office; any Ticketmas-ter outlet; (413) 733-2500; www.ticketmaster.com.

WedNesday, aprIl26

ASHFIELDMaude’s Closet pres-ents “Guys in Ties”:

The Hunger Mountain Boys and Boulder Acoustic Society with their new take on American roots music. $14; $12, advance. Age 14 and un-der half price; age 5 and younger in laps, free. Ashfield Town Hall, 412 Main St. 7:30 p.m. Information: www.virtuous.com/events/maudescloset. Tickets: Ashfield Hardware, Old Creamery Grocery Store, Boswell’s Books, Broadside Books, World Eye Book Shop.

FrIday, aprIl28

CHARLEMONTShelburne Falls Area Business As-

sociation meets: Annual spring breakfast and meeting, which in-cludes presentation of the Marvin J. Shippee Community Service Award. �:30 a.m., Academy at Charlemont, Route 2. Catered by Margaret Fitzpatrick, former owner of Tusk ‘n’ Rattle. $12; $10 per person if payment sent by Tuesday, April 25 to Karen Laudon, c/o Greenfield Savings Bank. In-formation: (413) 625-2525; www.shelburnefalls.com.

AMHERSTCats on stage: Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Tony-

award-winning musical (www.really-useful.com) comes to Massachusetts. Continues Saturday, April 29. $65, $57.50 and $50. 8 p.m., University of Massachusetts, Mullins Center Tickets: Mullins Center Box Office, any Ticketmaster outlet, (413) 733-2500 or www.ticketmaster.com.

NORTHAMPTONCommonwealth Opera presents

Guys and Dolls: Tony Award-win-ning musical takes the stage under the artistic direction of Li Ciaglo with Michael Rheault conducting. $30, $26 and $15; student and se-nior discount and 20 percent group rates available 8 p.m., Fayette Congdon Auditorium, Northamp-ton High School, 380 Elm St. Also Saturday, April 29 at 8 p.m. and

SHELBURNE FALLSPlay to bene-fit Citizen’s

Awareness Network: Howard Zinn’s Marx in Soho, a one-act play starring Marlboro College professor Jerry Levy, provides an introduction to Marx’s life, his analysis of society, his pas-sion for radical change, and the relevance of his ideas are in today’s world. The play benefits the nonprofit Citizens Aware-ness Network, which has been protesting plans for Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Plant in Vernon, Vt. to expand capacity and extend its license. “We’re living in particularly propicious times,” says Harvey Schackt-man, “and all these efforts are very expensive.” Zinn and Levy have autographed copies of the program and copies of Zinn’s book A People’s History of the United States, and these will be auctioned at the event. Sat-urday, Aprl 22, 8 p.m. $15; $10, students/retired/unemployed. Tickets at Boswell’s Books and World Eye Bookshop or at the door. Benefits Citizens Aware-ness Network. Performance at Memorial Hall, 51 Bridge St. Information: (413) 625-6177; harvey@nukebusters.org.

Mirick insurance agencyP.O. Box 375 • 28 Bridge St. • Shelburne Falls, MA 01370

Tel: 413-625-9437 • Fax 413-625-9473 • www.mirickins.com

• Homeowners • Business Owners • Contractors • Workers’ Compensation

• Auto (Personal & Commercial)

Locally owned • Personal service

We insure boatsand motorcyclesBring in or fax your current policyfor free quote (413-625-9473)

Insuring what we care most about in West County

POTHOLEPICTURES

October SkySaturday, April 28 • 7:30 p.m.1999. PG. 108 min., color.Part of We’re Reading! program of Buckland Public Library, Arms Library, and Shelburne Free Library

AmadeusSunday, April 29 • 7:30 p.m.Directed by Milos Forman. 1984. PG. 180 min. color. Director’s cut with 30 min. extra footage. Co-sponsored by Mohawk Trail Concerts

On the big screenin beautiful

Shelburne Falls

at the historic

M E M O R I A LH A L L

T H E A T E R51 Bridge St.

(above town hall)

——$6 at the door

or 1 prepurchased ticket

page 8 • Shelburne Falls Independent • April 13–26, 2006 • www.sfindependent.net

Calendar _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _from previous page

Sunday, April 30 at 2 p.m. Infor-mation: www.commonwealthopera.org; (413) 586-5026. Tickets: (413) 587-0067.

NORTHAMPTONClowns, juggling, mimes, music and

more: Lynx Company presents “Side Dish: A Vaudeville Show.” Performed by Biz Wells, Evan Young, and Ezra LeBank, with live music by Sofia Abassi and Katie Kloss. The History of a Hand, writ-ten and performed by Ezra LeBank, will open the show. A.P.E. Perfor-mance Space, third floor Thorne’s Market, 150 Main St. Through Sun-day. Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets $10; $8, seniors, $5, students and children. Reservations and information: (413) 586-5553l; www.apearts.org.

SHELBURNE FALLSOctober Sky at Pothole Pic-

tures: Growing up in a dead-end coal-mining town in the 1950s, a misfit teenager (Jake Gyllenhaal) dreams of making rockets and is encouraged by his enthusiastic teacher (Laura Dern) to fulfill his vision. Fighting poverty and his father’s disapproval, the boy faces seemingly impossible odds in this inspiring and timeless coming-of-age story. Chris Cooper. Part of We’re Reading! program, sponsored by Buckland Public Library, Arms Library, and Shelburne Free Library. Directed by Joe Johnston. 1999. PG. 108 min., color. 7:30 p.m., Memorial Hall, 51 Bridge St. Information: (413) 625-2896; www.shelburnefalls.com.

GREENFIELDSpring quilt show: Third annual show

features more than 100 quilts and quilted items — some by West County quilters — including family, antique, historic and baby quilts. A quilt of special interest:

“Louisa’s Sweet Freedom Quilt” by Bambi Miller of Charlemont and her group, made in honor of Louisa Dorsey, one of a family of runaway slaves known to have stayed in Charlemont as part of the Underground Railroad. Tickets to raffle of handmade flying geese quilt at show. $5. Show continues Saturday, April 29. St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 23 Long Ave. Information and directions: Ruth Warner, (413) 625-9029 or Cathy Nelson, (413) 773-7361; pastor@stpaulslutheran.com.

GREENFIELDS a x q u a r t e t a t FMC: Northside

Saxophone Quartet performs at the next “A Bouquet of Music” series. The group includes Jon M. Weeks of Leyden on soprano and alto sax, Ronald R Smith of Northfield on alto sax, Adam Scotera of Northampton on tenor sax and Cliff White of Ashfield on baritone sax. 1 p.m. Main lobby, Franklin Medical Center, 164 High St. Information: (413) 773-2573.

saTurday, aprIl29

AMHERST24th annual sax sympo-sium: UMass Amherst

Department of Music & Dance sponsors the Annual New England Saxophone Symposium. Featured is the Marine Band Saxophone Quar-tet with UMass Amherst alumnus David Jenkins. 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Music Wing of the Fine Arts Center, Uni-versity of Massachusetts. Informa-tion/registration: (413) 545-2810; www.umass.edu/fac/.

AMHERSTCats: See listing for Friday, April 28.

NORTHAMPTONGuys and Dolls: See listing for Fri-

day, April 28.

TURNERS FALLSJapanese knot-weed workshop:

The Deerfield River Watershed Association and Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge sponsor a workshop on updated methods to control Japanese knot-weed in wetland and upland areas. 1-4:30 p.m. Free. Great Falls Discov-ery Center, 2 Avenue A. Informa-tion and registration (required by

April 21) to Cynthia Boettner at (413) 863-0209, ext. 6.

TURNERS FALLSWatershed tour in pictures: In-

terpretive mural backdrop tour with artist Frank Gregory (www.frankgregory.com). Journey through the Connecticut River watershed via the center’s murals. Great Falls Discovery Center, 1-2 p.m. Information: (413) 863-0209; www.greatfallsma.org.

SHELBURNE FALLSC e l e b r a t e Mozart’s 250th

birthday! Amadeus director’s cut . “How does the boorish, hedonistic Mozart (Tom Hulce) produce ex-quisite music while the cultured Salieri (F. Murray Abraham) pro-duces mediocrity? This literate, intelligent film examines this paradox while surrounding us with Mozart’s gorgeous music. A marvelous, sensitive study of the nature of genius and a sometimes hilarious depiction of this onesided rivalry.” —Fred DeVecca, Pothole Pictures coordinator. (Directed by Milos Forman. 1984. PG. 180 min. color. Director’s cut with 30 min. extra footage.) Co-sponsored by Mohawk Trail Concerts. 7:30 p.m., Memorial Hall, 51 Bridge St. Information: (413) 625-2896; www.shelburnefalls.com.

GREENFIELDSpring quilt show: See listing for Friday,

April 29.

BUCKLANDSpring bird walk: Ben Mazzei leads hike

through fields and forest of Red Gate Farm. 9-11 a.m. All ages. $5/members, $10/nonmembers. Red Gate Farm, 4 Norman Rd. In-formation: (413) 625-9503; www.redgatefarm.org.

suNday, aprIl30

SHELBURNEMeditation for chil-dren: Introductory

meditation course for children ages 8-12. Participants learn a nonsectarian technique said to help improve concentration and self-control. Donation. 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m., Vipassana Meditation Center, Colrain-Shelburne Road. Information and registration (required): (413) 625-2160; www.dhara.dhamma.org.

NORTHAMPTONGuys and Dolls: See listing for Fri-

day, April 28.

GREENFIELDFMC hosts sacred gathering: Baystate

Regional Cancer Program at Frank-lin Medical Center and the FMC Volunteer Chaplains sponsor the third annual Sacred Gathering for Those Touched by Cancer. Inter-denominational service includes prayer, blessings, music, dance and readings designed to help people surrender fear, maintain hope, and feel a deep sense of peace and community. 3-4 p.m. at the First Congregational Church, 43 Silver St. Information: (413) 773-2570.

AMHERSTStrings play: Advanced UMass Amherst string

students perform as part of the Opus One String Ensemble under the coordination of violin profes-sor Elizabeth Chang. Free; 8 p.m., Bezanson Recital Hall, University of Massachusetts. Information: www.umass.edu/music/.

AMHERSTLord of the Rings mu-sic: UMass Amherst’s

Minuteman Band performs Sousa, Tull and premieres a student arrangement of music from the film Lord of the Rings. $10; $5, students, senior citizens, and un-der 18. 3 p.m.; Fine Arts Concert Hall, University of Massachusetts. Information: www.umass.edu/music/. Tickets: Fine Arts Center Box Office, (413) 545-2511.

By Laura Rodleylaura@sfindependent.net

——— S H E L B U R N E FA L L S —Shelburne Falls photographer Tom Young has teamed up with John Willis to produce Recycled Realities, published by the Cen-ter for American Places in asso-ciation with Columbia College Chicago and distributed by the University of Chicago Press. “John and I have known each other a long time,” Young said. “We have photographed together for 15 years on different projects. This is the first time we have done one collaboratively.” Willis teaches photography at Marlboro College in Vermont. Young teaches art at Greenfield Community College in a partner-ship program with Massachusetts College of Art and offers painting and photography classes. The photographic content of the book was about four years in the making, Young said. Young’s photographs are in the permanent collections of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, the Polaroid International Col-lection in Germany and the Fogg Museum at Harvard University. Willis’s photographs are in the permanent collections of the Whitney Museum of Ameri-can Art in New York City, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston. Released in March, Recycled Realities features 60 plates of black-and-white photographs of the paper bales at Erving Paper Mills. “The pictures are in part about recycling,” Young said. “They go beyond that. There are architec-tural landscapes inside the bales of paper; images that move one in close. The photographs are at once a language.” As to what drew them to the Erving Paper Mills, Young an-swered, “We stopped and looked around.” “That’s what we do as pho-tographers,” he said. “We don’t know what we’re going to find. That’s how a photographer makes connections; what we chose to pull out. Our hope is that there is a narrative that gets built while looking through the photographs.” In this case, he said, “we pulled images from popular culture about to be recycled into toilet paper.” Literally. The half-ton paper

Recycled Realities showsimagesfrompopularcultureinrecycledpaper

bales at Erving, wrapped in baling wire, are waiting to be recycled into toilet paper, paper towels and other paper prod-ucts. Inside the bales are actual photographs, caught inside the compressed paper that at first glance looks like leaves. The pictures caught inside the bales resemble what one might find after a disaster—like Hurricane Katrina—has ripped through a house and only fragments of loved one’s photographs are left behind. By looking hard through the rubble, one finds a whole image. The bales consist of paper collected in bags from people’s homes and offices that’s brought to the town dump, picked up in trucks and brought to Erving. It’s a miracle that any of the pictures on the printed pages remain intact. Being compressed in the bales has caused some of the photos to be stretched as if they were being viewed in a fun house mirror, or squished and contorted. In one photo plate an eye peers at the viewer from the

middle of the bale. In another, 50 eyeballs are suspended in air. Another pictures a man praying and the word devil juxtaposed to the left above his head. Saints are suspended in the bales in another plate. A naked virgin serves as a diagram naming the bones of the skeleton while the compressed paper around her appears as a mattress of rags supporting her. The final plate has a scrap of paper with Hebrew letters floating underneath a man’s torso and nurses leaning over another man’s bed. The man is worn away. Looking at the pictures is unsettling. “It’s supposed to be,” said Young. “I went there every week,” said Willis of the paper mill. “I spent hours and hours there, took hundreds of rolls of film; tons and tons of pictures. Everything that goes on in society goes into those bales. Very famous pho-tographs—paparazzi stuff—and ‘The Migrant Mother,’ that was there.” “The Migrant Mother” is the title of a 1936 photograph by Dorothea Lange taken during her Depression series of a girl with short hair facing away from the camera being held by her mother, and her brother. Exhaustion and endurance mark the mother’s pose. There were also photo-graphs by famed photographer Ansel Adams in the mix. “The bales were a microcosm of everything in the world,” Wil-lis said. “I went through a full range of emotion. That there was something horribly, horribly wrong—the amount of waste we have and create—then incredibly beautiful that wouldn’t have hap-pened, that happened because these things fell together. It had an edge, something beautiful: One can experience the world aesthetically. I did a lot of work in the third world and on Indian reservations. The attraction for me is [that] those people have so little, and how happy they are with the hardships they have.” Hardships, that is, including poverty, not having cars, or even running water. Willis said he prints his pho-tographs in the dark room while Young prints his digitally. “I worked in the darkroom with chemicals to get the colors I get,” Willis said. “Digital has not got-ten better than film. [But] I’m do-ing digital now, as a teacher. The world is definitely changing.” Photographer Emmet Gowin of Princeton University writes on the book’s inside jacket, “Re-cycled Realities is a book by true visual poets, and it is difficult to imagine a richer or more fortunate collaboration...John Willis and Tom Young have made splendid, positive, lyrical images out of the waste and debris left over from our busy lives.” Sylvia Wolf of the Whitney Museum of Modern Art and Margaret Sandweiss, professor of American studies and history at Amherst College, each contrib-uted to the book. Young and Willis write in their opening essay, “In ways both disturbing and intriguing, this discarded paper carries images and text from popular culture, formed into new topography with lingering evidence of its past existence.”

Special order the book at your local book store for $45 or order it online at www.amazon.com.

A R T S A N D C U L T U R E

SFI photo/Laura RodleyTom Young of Shelburne Falls holds his new book, Recycled Realities, published by University of Chicago Press and written with John Willis of Dummerston,Vermont. He is standing in his office at Greenfield Com-munity College, where he has taught photography for 28 years.

SHELBURNE FALLS—The Reel World Documentary Film Series, offering alternative per-spectives on U.S. national and foreign policy, will start a new spring series April 19. Reel World films offer informa-tion about current issues often not found in major U.S. media. The films are shown at � p.m. Wednesdays at Arms Library, Bridge and Main streets (which provides the meeting space and is not affiliated with Reel World). Discussions with expert guests usually follow each showing and all political perspectives are welcome. Admission is free. For information call 625-9�08 or 625-9543. April 19 –� p.m. - After the Fog: Interviews With Combat Veterans chronicles the lasting effects of war experienced by veterans who discuss how they cope with the intense changes they still experience. Local veterans will participate in discussion follow-ing film. �5 minutes. April 26 – � p.m. - Worlds Apart 9-11: First Responders Against the War explores the experiences of many of New York City’s First Responders and the effect 9/11 has had on them. Several, be-lieving that violence only breeds more violence, founded “Ground Zero for Peace.” Founder, Megan Bartlett, will attend for a post-film Q & A. 59 minutes. May 3 – � p.m. - Lovejoy’s Nuclear War: How one person mobilized a whole community by toppling the 500-foot tower that was to be a preliminary step toward building a nuclear reactor in Montague. Deb Katz of CAN will lead a discussion after the film. 60 minutes. May 10 – �p.m. - Long Night’s Journey into Day presents four stories focusing on victims and perpetrators of the brutal and violent apartheid system in South Africa during the process of the Truth and Reconciliation Com-mission. Local residents recently returned from South Africa will be present for discussion. 94 minutes.

May 1� – � p.m. - Winter Soldier documents the “Winter Soldier Investigation” conducted by Vietnam Veterans Against the War. More than 125 veterans give testimony to war crimes and atrocities they either participat-ed in or witnessed. Documentary footage—often taken by the vet-erans—supports their testimony. Local veterans will be present for discussion. 95 minutes. May 24 – � p.m. - Hidden in Plain Sight. Documentary on U.S. foreign policy in Latin Amer-ica and its use of The School of the Americas at Fort Benning, GA to implement this policy. Noam Chomsky, Eduardo Ga-leano, Christopher Hitchins and Michael Parenti address issues of militarism, globalization, na-tional security and international terrorism. Community members who have participated in the campaign to close the school will be present for discussion. �1 minutes. May 31 – � p.m. - Two films about Nuclear Power. The Reach of Chernobyl documents the full consequences of the Chernobyl disaster. Addresses concern for people in other parts of the world who have also been affected by this first “truly international disaster.” 29 minutes. Three Mile Island Revisited chronicles the medical consequences of the near core meltdown of the worst nuclear disaster in the U.S. The utility that owns the nuclear plant has been quietly awarding damages to hundreds of local residents who have brought suits, despite its insistence that no one was harmed. 29 minutes. June � – � p.m. - The Future of Food. Investigation into the unlabeled, patented and geneti-cally engineered foods that have quietly filled U.S. grocery shelves for the past decade. Examines the complex web of market and political forces changing what we eat as huge multinational corpo-rations seek to control the world’s food system. Local farmers will be present for discussion.

Reel World sets spring series of alternative documentaries

R E L I G I O U S D I R E C T O R Y

ASHFIELDFirst Congregational Church, UCC: Rev. Kate Stevens, Main Street,

(413)628-4470; www.members.tripod.com/~skreynolds/church/. n  G E N E R A L I N F O R M AT I O N : Sunday School for children in kindergarten through grade six led by Maryellen Abbatiello, minister of children’s education. Child care is provided for preschool-ers, and there is a nursery from which you can listen to the service on intercom. Coffee hour, with fair trade coffee served, follows worship.

ASHFIELDSt. John’s Episcopal Church: Rev. Jane Dunning; Main Street, (413) 628-4402.

n  U P C O M I N G S E R V I C E S A N D E V E N T S : Thursday, April 13: Maundy Thursday. Holy Eucharist and Foot Washing, �:30 p.m. Friday, April 14: Good Friday. Liturgy � p.m. Saturday, April 15: Holy Satur-day. Great Vigil of Easter, 8 p.m. Sunday, April 16: Easter Sunday. Festival Eucharist, 10 a.m. Wednesday, April 19: Office hours, 10-11:30 a.m.. Sunday, April 23: Holy Eucharist 10 a.m. Wednes-day, April 26: Office hours, 10-11:30 a.m.

BUCKLANDFirst Congregational Church of Buckland, UCC (Mary Lyon Church):

Rev. Dr. Kenneth R. Downes, acting pastor. 17 Upper St., (413) 625-9440. n S C H E D U L E : Worship service on Sundays, 10:30 a.m. Communion, first Sun-day of the month. n  U P C O M I N G S E R V I C E S A N D E V E N T S :

Thursday, April 13: Maundy Thursday. Sermon: “Caught in the Middle” (Luke 22:14-23). Sunday, April 16: Easter Sunrise and Breakfast, 6:30 a.m. “A Tale of Two Tombs” (Matthew 28:1-10). Easter Sunday with Orchestra, 10:30 a.m. “He Stooped to Conquer” (Luke 24:13-35, Philippians 2:5-11). Sunday, April 23: Earth Day. “The Earth Is the Lord’s (God Is Owner)” (Psalm 24:1-2, Acts 1�:16-28)

CHARLEMONTCharlemont Federated Church: 175 Main St., (413) 339-4294. n G E N -

E R A L I N F O R M AT I O N : Child care is provided for young children during the worship service and coffee is served afterward. Sunday School for children will be held on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of the month at the same time as the worship service. Choir practices are held on Saturdays at 4 p.m. and Sundays at 9 a.m. To join, call Esther Haskell at 339-4282. n S C H E D U L E : Worship service on Sundays, 9:30 a.m.

CHARLEMONTCommunity Bible Church: Rev. Michael Looman; 108 Main St.,

(413) 339-4488. n  G E N E R A L I N F O R M AT I O N : A Baptist General Conference Church. Child care is avail-able during all worship services. n  S C H E D U L E :

Tuesdays: � p.m. Alcoholics Anonymous open meeting. Wednesdays: 8 a.m. and � p.m.: Fire and Reign Prayer. 6 p.m.: Community Supper, followed by Small Group Bible Study and Prayer at � p.m. Sundays: 10:30 a.m. worship service. 10:30 a.m. Sunday School and Junior Church, for children in grades six and under. n  H O Ly w E E k

A C T I V I T I E S : Thursday, April 13: Maundy Thursday Worship, � p.m. Friday and Saturday, April 14 and 15: Movie, Chronicles of Narnia, 6:30 p.m. Free. Sunday, April 16: Easter Sunday. Sunrise services at the Warfield House, 6 a.m. Commu-nity breakfast, 8 a.m. Children’s activities, 9:30 a.m. Worship services, 10:30 a.m.

CHARLEMONTMaranatha Bible Chapel: Rev. Paul Norcross, 1977 Main St., Mohawk

Trail. (413) 625–9284 or (413) 339-8630; www.kingdomfaith.org. n  S C H E D U L E : Sunday services, 10:30 a.m. Tuesday Bible Study, 2 p.m. Tuesday prayer and healing night, � p.m. Sermons broadcast Sundays, 2 p.m. on WPLV (10�.9 FM).

COLRAINColrain Community Church: Pastor Robert Szafran; 306 Main Rd., (413)

624-3808 or (413) 624-3840. n  S C H E D U L E : Services: Sunday, 10:30 a.m. Weekly office hours: Tuesday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Thursday and Saturday 9 a.m. to noon, and by appointment.

COLRAINFirst Baptist Church of Colrain: Rev. Robert W. Peck; Foundry Village Road,

(413) 624–8886. n  S C H E D U L E : Sunday school for everybody: Sundays, 9:15 a.m. Worship service: Sundays, 10:30 a.m. Prayer meeting: Wednes-days, � p.m.

COLRAINSt. John’s the Baptist Catholic: Church Street; (413) 625–6405. n  G E N E R A L I N F O R-

M AT I O N : A mission of St. Joseph Parish, Shelburne Falls n  S C H E D U L E : Mass: Saturdays, 4 p.m.

CONWAYSt. Mark’s Catholic: Delabarre Avenue; (413) 665–4535. n  G E N E R A L I N F O R M A -

T I O N : A mission of St. James Parish, South Deerfield. n  S C H E D U L E : Call for Mass schedule.

CONWAYUnited Congregational Church Rev. Dr. Candice M. Ashenden; 44 Whately

Rd., P.O. Box 214, (413) 369–4040; www.uccweb-sites.net/uccconwayma.html. n  G E N E R A L I N F O R M AT I O N :

Special services are held to celebrate holidays throughout the year. Universally accessible. Audio amplification available. S C H E D U L E : Wor-ship service: Sundays, 9:30 a.m. Sunday school: 9:45 a.m. Office hours: Tuesdays, 9:30 a.m.–noon. at the church. Women’s Group: 2 p.m., second Monday. Executive Committee: �:30 p.m., first Wednesday. Communion on the first Sunday of each month.

GREENFIELDAll Souls Church: Jonathan Reh-mus, minister; 399 Main St., (413)

773-5018; www.uugreenfield.org. n G E N E R A L I N F O R M A -

T I O N : All Souls is a non-creedal church in which members are encouraged to develop their own philosophies of life in the light of conscience, a liberal religious tradition and experience. Uni-tarian-Universalists treasure the universal truths taught by great teachers of humanity in every age and tradition. n S C H E D U L E : Sunday services, 10:30 a.m. n  U P C O M I N G S E R V I C E S A N D E V E N T S : Sunday, April 16: Celebration of Easter and Passover/Child Dedication. Worship: Director of Religious Edu-cation Martha Elliott and Eve Brown-Waite. If you wish to have your child participate in this special event, contact Martha Elliott (��4-5601). Sunday, April 23: Shared Ministry. Worship: Rev. Lynn Thomas, UUA District Executive, Clara Barton District.

GREENFIELDUnity in the Pioneer Valley: Rev. Car-ol Kelshaw. 322 Deerfield St., (413)

774-5552; www.unityinthepioneervalley.org. n  G E N E R A L

I N F O R M AT I O N : Association of Unity Churches Inter-national: “Unity is positive, practical Christianity.” As a gift to those who are chemically sensitive, the congregation strives to be a scent free community. n S C H E D U L E : Sunday services, 10 a.m.; child care is available from 9:50 to 11:15; youth education/Sunday school, 10–11 a.m. “A

Course in Miracles” class meets every Sunday noon–1p.m. Caroline Wenck and Don Wheeler are the facilitator. Class: The Quest, Thursdays, � p.m. n  U P C O M I N G S E R V I C E S A N D E V E N T S : Thursday, April 13: Maundy Thursday. Spiritual Commu-nion, � p.m. Understanding the Last Supper from a metaphysical perspective. Friday, April 14: Good Friday: Taize’ Service: Jesus’ last words from the cross. � p.m. Sunday, April 16: Easter. Easter Sunrise Service: 6 a.m. at 12� Barnard Road, in Shelburne Center. Direction on Web site, or call ��4-5552. 10 a.m. service: “He Lives, We Live,” Rev. Carol Kelshaw. Sunday, April 23: “Ascension, the Power of Love,” Rev. Carol Kelshaw.

HEATHHeath Union Church: 5 East Main St., (413) 337-4845. n S C H E D U L E : Sunday

services, 10 a.m.

ROWERowe Community Church: 294 Zoar Rd. (413) 339–4222.

SHELBURNEFirst Congregational Church of Shelburne: Phyllis Evelyn, pas-

tor; 22 Church Commons, Common Road; (413) 625–0028; firstucc@comcast.net. n  G E N E R A L I N F O R M A -

T I O N : Handicap accessible. Audio amplification (for the hearing impaired). n S C H E D U L E : Sundays, 10 a.m.; Sunday School, 10:15-11 a.m. Social hour follows at the church hall. Child care is available during the service.

SHELBURNE FALLSKingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses: 412 Mohawk Trail,

(413) 625-2976. n S C H E D U L E : Services on Sundays, 10 a.m.; Tuesdays, �:30 p.m., and Thursdays, �:30 p.m. Home Bible studies available.

SHELBURNE FALLSS eve n t h – d ay A dve n t i s t Church: Ashfield Street, (413)

625–2489.

SHELBURNE FALLS Shelburne Falls Shambala Meditation Center: Tony and

Gisela Walker, 71b Ashfield St. (413) 625–2982. n  G E N E R A L I N F O R M A T I O N : Beginners are welcome. n S C H E D U L E : Sundays, 10 a.m.–noon, meditation.

SHELBURNE FALLSSt. Joseph Parish: Father John Roach. 34 Monroe Ave., (413)

625–6405. n S C H E D U L E : Mass on Sundays, 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. and 8 a.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays. Confessions: Sundays, 9:45 a.m. and first Thursday of the month, � p.m. n  H O Ly

w E E k S E R V I C E S : Holy Week: Morning Mass on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, April 10, 11 & 12, 2006, will be celebrated at 8:00 AM at Saint Joseph’s Church in Shelburne Falls. All services during Holy Week through Easter Sunday will be held at Saint Joseph’s Church in Shelburne Falls. No services will be held at the Mission Churches of St. John the Baptist in Colrain or at Saint Christopher in Charlemont. Thursday, April 13, Holy Thursday: Liturgy of the Lord’s Supper � p.m. at Saint Joseph’s Church. (This is the only Holy Thursday Liturgy.) Adoration will end with a half hour of prayer for priests and vocations to the priesthood, as on this day Christ instituted the priesthood. Please come back and join us for this important half hour of prayer. Friday, April 14, Good Friday: Way of the Cross and Novena to the Divine Mercy: 3 p.m., the traditional Way of the Cross will take place in Saint Joseph’s Church. Following the Stations of the Cross, we will begin the Novena to the Divine Mercy, a Novena that begins on this day and ends on April 23, the Feast of the Divine Mercy, the Sunday after Easter. Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion: � PM at Saint Joseph’s Church. We will celebrate this very beautiful Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion. The dramatic proclamation of the Lord’s Passion and Death according to Saint John, and the Veneration of the Cross, are two of the high points in this Liturgy. (This is the only Good Friday Liturgy.) Saturday, April 15, Holy Saturday: The Great Easter Vigil Liturgy at 8 PM at Saint Joseph’s Church. This most beauti-ful of all Liturgies brings our great Holy Week Triduum to a most dramatic crescendo. (This is the only Holy Saturday Liturgy.) Sunday, April 16, Easter Sunday: Liturgies of the Eucharist: 8 a.m., and 10 a.m., all in Saint Joseph’s Church in Shelburne Falls. The 10 a.m. Liturgy will be a special Children’s Liturgy. Sunday, April 23: Feast of Divine Mercy. We invite our parishio-ners to join us on Good Friday, the start of the Novena, at 3:00 PM for the praying of the Sta-tions and to begin this nine-day Novena of the Divine Mercy. The Novena will be concluded with the Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament and the praying of the Novena and Chaplet of the Divine Mercy at 3 p.m. at Blessed Sacrament Church inGreenfield.

SHELBURNE FALLSThe Tiferet Center: Rachel Cohen-Rottenberg and Bob

Rottenberg; 71 Ashfield St. (Shambhala Medita-tion Center). (413) 624-3921. n S C H E D U L E : Shab-bos morning services, 10 a.m., first and third Saturdays of each month. Potluck lunch and Torah study follow the service on the first Sat-urday of each month. Food Bank donations of non-perishable food items are accepted at all Shabbos morning services.

SHELBURNE FALLSQuaker Worship Group: Holly Iglesias; 28 Elm St., (413) 625-

2451. n S C H E D U L E : Meeting for worship followed by potluck supper and fellowship is held on the fourth Sunday of each month at 6 p.m.

SHELBURNE FALLSTrinity Church: Rev. David Neil; 17 Severance St., (413)

625-2341. n  G E N E R A L I N F O R M AT I O N : Multidenomina-tional congregation (Congregational, Episcopal, Baptist and Methodist). n S C H E D U L E : Sunday worship, 8:30 a.m. and 10 a.m. Fridays: Free community meal, open to all. 5 p.m., coffee and fellowship; 5:30 p.m., meal served in Fellowship Hall. n  U P C O M I N G S E RV I C E S A N D E V E N T S : Sunday, April 30: Rev. David Neil, sermon: “Called to be an I-witness.” n  H O Ly w E E k S E R V I C E S : Thursday, April 13: � p.m., Maundy Thursday Tennebrae and Holy Communion. Friday, April 14: � p.m. Good Friday, Stations of the Cross. Sunday, April 16: Easter Day, 6:30 a.m. Sunrise Service at the Roberts home on Bray Road, Buckland. 8:30 a.m. Holy Eucharist, Rev. Gordon Dean, celebrant. 10 a.m. Celebration of the Resurrection, Rev. David Neil. Sermon, 10 a.m.: “The Light of the World.”

Religious groups in the West County area are wel-come to list their services and events here free of charge. Send to us at 8 Deerfield Ave., Shelburne Falls, MA 01370 or calendar@sfindependent.net.

O B I T U A R I E S

The following deeds were recorded March 27–April 7 at Franklin County Registry of Deeds (West County towns) and at the Hamp-shire County Registry of Deeds (Plainfield) during this time.

Ashfield

Richard L. Stevens, Sr. of Ash-field to Richard L. Stevens, Jr. and Sofia M. Stevens of Ashfield. Property: 1003 Apple Valley Rd. Transferred on March 31 for $231,250.

Sheryl T. Selby of Newton Cen-ter to Naira R. Chadwick and Cosima J. L. Hewes of Buckland. Property: 1�62 Baptist Corner Rd. Transferred on March 31 for $202,400.

Alan W. Lilly and Shirley A. Lilly of Ashfield to Thomas T. Merrigan of Greenfield. Property: 1144 Watson Spruce Corner Rd. Transferred on April 3 for $1.

•

•

•

Thomas T. Merrigan of Green-field to Alan W. Lilly and Shirley A. Lilly of Ashfield. Property: 1144 Watson Spruce Corner Rd. Trans-ferred on April 3 for $1.

Buckland

Viola Lyons of Buckland to Viola Lyons Revocable Trust, Viola Lyons trustee, of Buckland. Property: 3 Hillside Ave. Transferred on March 2� for $1.

Frederick E. Martin of Sebring, Fla. to Marcus P. Fisher, a.k.a. Mark P. Fisher, and Cynthia L. Fisher, f.k.a. Cynthia L. Wiedman. Property: 13 Forget Road and East Hawley Road. Transferred on March 29 for $35,000.

Charlemont

Colin J. Premo of Charlemont to Stephen J. Arsenault of Green-field. Property: 502 South River Rd. Transferred on March 24 for $242,900.

Hawley

Viola E. King of Worcester to Paul D. Norcross and Rita M. Nor-cross of Hawley. Property: Land off West Hawley Road. Trans-ferred on April 6 for $�,000.

Heath

David A. Thane and Phyllis E. Thane of Heath to Kenneth Thane and Paula Thane of Heath. Prop-erty: Brunelle Road. Transferred on March 29 for $10,000.

Plainfield

Christopher P. Morey of Green-field and Heather M. Morey of Plainfield to Heather M. Gould, f.k.a. Heather M. Morey, of Plain-field. Property: 82 Grant St. Trans-ferred on Feb. 9 for $1.

Shelburne

Lynne G. Wichman of Shelburne to Lillian A. Glushien, f.k.a. Lillian A. Rush, of Shelburne. Property: 24 Cooper Lane. Transferred on March 10; no consideration.

Terry J. Kimball of Shelburne to Robert P. Warren of North Falmouth. Property: Lot 2, Old Albany Road. Transferred on March 2 for $80,000.

Donna Noyes of Shelburne to Machelle S. Vanderlick of Ozona, Fla. Property: 1063 Mohawk Trail. Transferred on March 23 for $1��,000.

Thomas E. Richardson of Shelburne to Thomas E. Rich-ardson and Janet L. Richard-son of Shelburne. Property: 28� Bardwells Ferry Rd. Transferred on March 28 for $1.

Robert J. Spencer and Sarah B. Spencer of Shelburne to Ralph Goo-drum of Brattleboro, Vt. Property: 105–10� Bridge St. Transferred on March 31 for $155,000.

Deane W. Merrill, Jr. and Anna Christine Morben to Philip Lund Bragdon and Edith Lavinia Bing-ham of Hollister, Calif. Property: 22 Mechanic St. Transferred on April � for $389,000.

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

P R O P E R T Y T R A N S F E R S

40 Church Street, Shelburne Falls(413) 625-2121

P J. K———

87 Franklin Street, Greenfi eld(413) 773-8853

T P. K

SK

R, I, C . . .

Shelburne Falls Independent • April 13–26, 2006 • www.sfindependent.net • page 9

TRANSITIONS

William R. Clark, 37 FRUITLAND PARK, Fla—Wil-liam R. Clark, 3�, formerly of Buckland and Macedon, N.Y., died March 2� at Leesburg Re-gional Medical Center. Clark was the son of Jenni-fer (Plumb) and Keith Wall of Buckland. He was born on Au-gust 26, 1968 in Newark, N.Y.. A 1986 graduate of Mohawk Trail Regional High School, he spent the year after graduation as an AFS exchange student in Belgium. After returning home he continued his education at American International College, earned an associate’s degree from Greenfield Community College, and attended the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. During his school years he was active in band, tennis, local theater, and enjoyed dabbling in black-and-white photography of local sites and people. He loved composing music on his keyboard. As a teenager, he became interested in genealogy. He suc-cessfully completed extensive research of the Plumb family cul-minating in a trip to Mobile, Ala. where he attended a reunion of many of the descendants he had “met” through his research. After completing his educa-tion, he returned to Macedon, N.Y. Following in his mother’s footsteps he was a key member of the original organizing commit-tee of the first American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life of Wayne County. He also organized and was President of the Rainbow Pool League of Rochester, N.Y. Additionally he enjoyed bowl-ing, playing internet games, and meeting people all over the world via the internet. Bill Clark is survived by his parents, maternal grandmother, Bertha Plumb, of Macedon, N.Y.; paternal step-grandmother Bev-erly Wall of Shelburne Falls, and friends, aunts, uncles, and cousins in Massachusetts, New York, Oklahoma, and Florida. A service of remembrance and celebration of his life took place April 1 at Mary Lyon Church in Buckland. Burial will take place in Trow Cemetery in Buckland. In lieu of flowers, donations to the American Cancer Society Relay For Life Wall “Nuts” Team, c/o Pam Wilder, 114 Wendell De-pot Rd., Wendell, MA 013�9; the Sherry Plumb Foundation, c/o Al Plumb, 120� Fairway �, Macedon, NY 14502; or the Buster Plumb

Scholarship Fund, c/o Velda Miner, Rte. 350, Macedon, NY 14502 would be appreciated.

Johnson Funeral Home

Florence Davenport Reynolds, 86 GENESCO, N.Y.—Florence Louise Davenport Reynolds, 86, a resident of Shelburne Falls from 1982 to 2003, died March 25 at Morgan Estates Assisted Living after a long illness. Reynolds was born Dec. 30, 1919 in Deerfield to Elmer and Roxanna Davenport. After her graduation from Weaver High School in Hartford, Conn., she worked as a secretary to a neurosurgeon. She met her husband, Freder-ick L. Reynolds, in 1940 and they were married in 1944 after he served as an officer in the U.S. Army during World War II. She is survived by her three children: Tawn Feeney of Cone-sus, N.Y.; Craig Reynolds of Phoenix, Ariz.; and Frederick L. “Larry” Reynolds, Jr., of Fort Lauderdale, Fla. She leaves three grandsons: Aaron Feeney, Freder-ick Lawrence “Trace” Reynolds III, and Jeff Lundgren. Also sur-viving are two granddaughters:

Krista Bidwell and GGretchen Lundgren. She also leaves daughters-in-law, great grandchildren, brothers- and sisters-in-law, sev-eral nieces and nephews, and cousins. A brother, Thomas Davenport, died previously. Reynolds was active in the North Presbyterian Church in Geneva, N.Y., where she lived for many years, and in Trinity Church in Shelburne Falls. She enjoyed reading, bridge and sewing, and she travelled extensively to the Caribbean, Europe, Canada and throughout the United States. She shared her father’s pas-sion for local history and lived in Shelburne Falls’s historic “Patch-work House,” so named because it was constructed by her family of various architectural remnants of New England wooden bridges and buildings torn down during the Depression. She was an active supporter of the Catamount Hill Association and the Shelburne Falls Trolley Museum. Her grand-father, Freeman Levi Davenport, started the trolley company in the early 1900s. A memorial service took place at Morgan Estates on March 2�. Donations in Florence Reyn-olds’s memory may be made to Trinity Church, 1� Severance St., Shelburne Falls, MA 013�0, or to Morgan Estates Assisted Living, 4588 Morganview Rd., Genesco, NY 14435.

u ANImALS

PIONEER VALLEy HUMANE SOCIETy

155 French King Hwy Greenfield, 413-773-3148

All pets are spayed/neu-tered and Vaccinated Accepting pets by appoint-ments only.

u fOR RENT

SHELBURNE FALLSLarge, bright first-floor in village, walk to everything! Updated with period charm and character, 2 bedrooms, study, eat-in kitchen, wide floors, porch, and garage stall. $800/month plus utilities.

R. C. Dils Real Estate(413) 625-2383

u fOR SALE

SkIING’S DONE? Try a new bike, kayak, canoe at Berkshire Outfitters, Rt. 8, Adams. 413-743-5900.

DELL DIMENSION 2400 desktop computer. Intel Cel-eron processor, 2.4GHz. 256 MB RAM. 37GB hard drive. Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition. 17” monitor. All original documentation and back up disks included. Great for a student! $325 OBO. Call Marissa @ 625-2326 or 413-522-3949.

u fOR SALE

APPLE POwERBOOk 17", 1.33 GB RAM. Nice machine, large and light. Perfect for professional use and digital entertainment anywhere in the world. Works beautifully as desktop with external monitor. Comes with al-most-new battery. $1,200. 413-625-2818.

LADIES’ 21-INCH MAGNA. 10-speed bicycle. Excel-lent condition. $50 or best offer. Call Don at (413) 625-6665.

HIMILAyA STONE wORkS. Yard work, cleanup, stone walls, patios, stairs, what-ever you need! Thinley Dhargay, 413-834-0498. References available.

BUy NOw AND SAVE! Un-seasoned hardwood fire-wood. Cut, split, delivered. $150 cord. 339.5322.

u fREE

FREE HORSE MANURE in Conway. You take away. 625-6588.

u HELP WANTED

LOOkING FOR A TEAM PLAyER with a flexible schecule to work part time with our growing company. Curtis Country Store. Fax resume to 413-339-4043; mail to P.O. Box 585, Char-lemont, 01339, or stop in for an application.

u INSTRUCTION

IRISH DANCE LESSONS. Children's traditional Irish step dancing or adult tradi-tional Ceili dancing. Begin-ners are welcome. Call Kay, 624-3233.

u SERvICES

PIANO TUNING AND RE-PAIRS. Dave Locke, 413-634-0130, drlocke@map.com.

u SERvICES

wISDOM wAy SELF STOR-AGE. Safe, clean, secure. “We’ll keep your stuff buff!” Greenfield, 775-9333.

wRITING COACH/TUTOR/EDITOR. All ages. Experience with homeschoolers. Weekly creative writing workshops. Edite Cunhã, MFA, Iron Bridge Writing Studio, 413 625-6987. editec@verizon.net

Classified Ads

P l e a s e P l a c e m y a d u n d e r t h e h e a d i n g

Antiques For Sale Lost Wanted to RentAnimals Found Help Wanted Wanted to BuyAuto Free Services Volunteers NeededFor Rent Instruction/classes Other suggestion:

P l e a s e w r i t e o n e w o r d P e r s P a c e . t h e P r i c e P e r i s s u e i s i n d i c a t e d .

$5.00

$5.25 $5.50 $5.75 $6.00 $6.25 $6.50 $6.75

$7.00 $7.25 $7.50 $7.75 $8.00 $8.25 $8.50

Please include your Phone number/e-mail address in the ad text.

Insert ad for # of issues

Cost per issue × number of issues

I enclose my check for $

Name ������������������������������������������

Phone ������������������������������������������

E-mail������������������������������������������

8 Deerfield Ave., Shelburne Falls, MA 01370

Also: 110 North Hillside Rd.,South Deerfi eld, MA 01373 • (413) 665-3760 • 665-0482 fax

87 Bridge StreetShelburne Falls,

MA 01370

(413) 625-6038 625-6640 fax Richard A. Baker

B R O K E R

SHELBURNE FALLS

This historic colonial has not been on the market since it was built in 1858. With nearly 3 acres of beautiful land is near to the heart of historic Deerfi eld, Deerfi eld Academy, Bement and Eagle Brook Schools. Come view this great home and picturesque setting. $339,000

DEERFIELD

In the village: 3-bedroom, 1½ bath home with a 1-car garage. Updated windows, wood floors, 1st-floor laundry, 3-season porch. $187,500

a division of Andy’s352 Deerfield St., Rtes. 5 & 10.

Greenfield, MA 413-773-3949

Mon-Fri 9:30-5:30 • Sat 9:30-5:00 • Sun 12-4:00

www.andysoak.comMission-StyleBookshelf12”D x 36”L x 48”H

Mission-StyleDeacon’s Bench18”D x 44”L x 45”H

Mission-StyleLarge Coffee Tablewith Drawer25”D x 50”L x 18”H

Mission-StyleEnd Table with Drawer26”D x 20”L x 25”H

$21995$21995

Mission-StyleTV/VCR Cabinet22”D x 44”L x 30”H

$37995$37995$24495$24495 $33995$33995 $40995$40995

www.cbupton-massamont.com

7 Bridge St., Shelburne Falls • 625-6366So. Deerfi eld- 665-3771 • Florence - 586-8355

MMohawk Trohawk Trail Landmark! ail Landmark!Highly visible, ample parking and one of the best com-mercial sites on Rte 2. Known as “The Big Indian Shop”,this property offers 1320 sf of retail space, 4 room apart-ment with oak fl oors and fi replace. Located in Charlemont, minutes from Shelburne Falls. $295,000

NEW

Shelburne Multi-Use PropertyBuy this 5,000sf. commercial building and we’ll toss in the 4BR cape next door! Heated commercial space, 8 garage bays, loads of storage and it is only 5 minutes from I-91 north or south. Entrepreneurs give us a call today! $399,900

Shelburne Multi-Use Property

Exciting Opportunity in Custom Millwork Industry!

Growing Company Seeks Applicants for the Following Positions on 1st and 2nd Shifts in Shop:

Architectural MillworkerMachine OperatorMoulder OperatorForklift Operator

Spray PainterAssembler

•Minimum Two Years Experience a Must!

•Apply in Person at:

Standish Manufacturing, Inc.63 Jackson St., Suite 201

Holyoke, MA 01040or

Mail Resume or Job Qualifications to:Attention: Ted

Shelburne Falls Independent8 Deerfield Ave.

Shelburne Falls, MA 01370

Stop the cruelty!Gather to protest the Shrine Circus’ cruelty to cir-cus animals in W. Springfield, MA on Friday, April 28 & Saturday April 29 at the Eastern States Colosseum in West Springfield, MA. In order to force wild animals to perform stressful and often painful acts, trainers use metal bull-hooks, whips, muzzles, and electric prods. Activists will hold poster-size photos of animals who have died at the Shrine’s hands, while others will pass out informational leaflets that detailthe abuse. Contact Linda Rollins at 413.625.6588 for more information.

page 10 • Shelburne Falls Independent • April 13–26, 2006 • www.sfindependent.net

Specializing in Interior Renovations• kitchens and bathrooms• single rooms to entire homes• additions — porches — dormers• full-service renovation services• What would you like to do?

Call today for an estimate5 Bridge St., Shelburne Falls • onthehousebuilders@yahoo.com

625-9914OnThe House

Builders

SHELBURNE FALLS— Fifty years after the heydey of such musicians as Elvis Presley, John-ny Cash, Jerry Lee, Fats Domino, Buddy Holly and Chuck Berry, the beloved music of the era lives on. The songs of that golden age are everywhere, including in the repertoire of Shakin’ All Over, a band whose female vocal-ist is Buckland resident Janice Dompke and her alter-ego, “Jan-ice Dee.” To celebrate its first CD, “This is Rock ’n’ Roll,” recorded at Eastlake, a new studio in the home of Shelburne resident Enoch Jensen, the band will play at the YMCA in Greenfield from �:30–10:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 22. For the band’s leader, Mike Sla-hetka of Greenfield (also known as “Slimboy Slam”), covering a library of 300 tunes from 1954–1963 creates both constraint and opportunity. “People who grew up with these songs — they know the lyrics, the hook lines,” Slahetka said. “We’re not at liberty to take a lot of musical interpretation. We stay pretty close to the origi-nal arrangements, adding 10 to 20 percent of our spin, but only on certain songs.” Besides Dompke and Slahetka, Shakin’ All Over features vocalist Richard Eriksen as “Nick Real,” Jack Dunham as “Johnny Black-top” on drums and vocals, and Jon Weeks as “Ace Raveon” on

areabandhasaudiencesrockingaroundclockShakin’ All Over releases first CD

saxophone and percussion. Slahetka spoke reverently about Weeks and the “vital” importance of the saxophone to the sound of the era, noting with pride the band’s “integrity” of the rock-and-roll combination of piano, organ, saxophone and guitar. “The sax instantaneously puts a smile on people’s faces,” he said, describing his audience’s recognition of the distinctive sound of that era. The CD leads with a song that Slahetka says many consider the watershed tune, the first song that clearly could be considered part of a musical genre distinct from the blues: Bill Haley’s “Rock Around the Clock.” Of the 14 tracks on the CD, four inspired Slahetka and his band-mates to “dig deep” emotionally to put a personal spin on several songs that resonated with them: “So Fine,” “I’m Leaving It All Up to You,” “I’ve Had It” and “My Baby Left Me.” The CD — is-sued after many requests from the band’s fan base, Slahetka said — offers a snapshot of the band’s repertoire, which runs the gamut from the ubiquitous to the “forgotten gems” of the era to instrumentals. As for broadening the focus to original tunes, Slahetka said that three members of the band are also songwriters. “We haven’t had the time to sort that out,” he said. “Maybe on the second or third album.”

TURNERS FALLS—The Ja’Duke Center for the Perform-ing Arts (JCPA) will bring the Broadway musical Beauty and the Beast to the Shea Theatre stage on May 5-� and 12-14. Ja’Duke creates its own inter-pretation of one of the best-loved stories from the Broadway stage. The performance will not only feature many Ja’Duke favorites in starring roles, but choreogra-pher Kimberly Waynelovich has also theatrically crafted ways to highlight more than 200 talented JCPA performers. The result is spectacular production numbers, one of Ja’Duke’s unique perfor-mance signatures. The musical is based on the 1991 Disney animated film which became the first animated fea-ture film to be nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards. On Broadway, it has been nominated for nine Tony Awards, including Best Musical. Beauty and the Beast has been a favorite for all ages in New York, London, Los Angeles, Toronto, Sydney, Tokyo and now Turners Falls. Beauty and the Beast tells the tale of a young prince who is transformed into a hideous beast when he turns away an ugly beg-gar woman who turns out to be a beautiful enchantress in disguise. The curse on the prince and the entire castle can’t be reversed un-til he achieves true love by loving another and earning another’s love. His road to redemption takes many entertaining twists and turns as he learns not to be deceived by appearances and that beauty truly comes from in-side. And it’s not just the prince on this journey: Everyone in the castle is under the spell. The Beast is played by veteran

Ja’Duke actor Patrick McGuire, recently featured in Ja’Duke’s “Fiddler on the Roof.” He is joined by Valerie Mosher as the beautiful, intelligent Belle. Belle’s father, Maurice, an ec-centric inventor, is played by Val’s real life father, Tim Mosher. The egotistical Gaston is performed by John Redeker. He is teamed up with Eric Allen playing LeFou. Judith Dean Kulp and B.J. Kulp play Mrs. Potts and Lumiere, re-spectively. Rounding out the cast are Curtis Rich as the high-strung butler-turned-clock Cogsworth and Toni Wilcox as the irrepress-ible opera-singing wardrobe, La Grand Bouche. On the dark side of the story Colin Allen plays one of the evil villains D’Arque. In addition to its theatre awards, the original Broadway cast recording was nominated for a Grammy as Best Musical Show Album. The score features songs including “Belle,” “Gaston,” “If I Can’t Have Her,” “Be Our Guest,” “Human Again” and the title song, “Beauty and the Beast.” Presenting theater productions since 199�, Ja’Duke has staged more than 45 plays and musicals since its inception. The Ja’Duke Center for the Performing Arts incorporates singing, acting and dance with offerings for all ages and abilities. For more informa-tion visit www.jaduke.com.

Beauty and the Beastis underwrit-ten by the Greenfield Savings Bank. Performances are Fridays and Saturdays May 5 and 6, 12 and 13

at 8 p.m. and Sundays May 7 and 14 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $12/adults and $10/ and 12 and younger and age 65 and older. Information and reservations: (413) 863-2281 Ext. 2.

Ja’Duke plans production of Beauty and the Beast

M O R E A R T S N E W S