Stories - Reason Gone Mad (Page 3)

NOTED: Lee activists take their fight against a PCB dump to Boston

As plans for a PCB landfill in Lee, Massachusetts reach a critical stage, a group of Berkshire County residents rallied in Boston—near the headquarters of General Electric, the company responsible for dumping PCBs into the Housatonic River.

By Bill Shein

/ 28 Feb 2025

NOTED: Lee activists take their fight against a PCB dump to Boston

At the Pentagon, reality likely to trump rhetoric on climate change and national security

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

By Bill Shein

/ 7 Feb 2025

At the Pentagon, reality likely to trump rhetoric on climate change and national security

NOTED: A few words from an 'enemy of the people'

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

By Bill Shein

/ 8 Jan 2025

NOTED: A few words from an 'enemy of the people'

EXCLUSIVE: MassDEP fines Housatonic Water Works $10,205 for withholding test results

A previously unreported penalty-assessment notice sent to the company in November called the facts “undisputed” and the company’s violations “willful.” The penalty was revealed in a response to a public-records request filed by The Argus.

By Bill Shein

/ 12 Dec 2024

EXCLUSIVE: MassDEP fines Housatonic Water Works $10,205 for withholding test results

In race for state rep, Mitts and Davis navigate choppy waters of ‘Rest of River’ debate

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

By Bill Shein

/ 3 Nov 2024

A graphic of the Rest of River map overlayed with photos of Marybeth Mitts and Leigh Davis.

MassDEP cites Housatonic Water Works for withholding poor test results

The company withheld results from July that showed manganese levels at more than double the regulatory limit and a health risk to infants.

By Bill Shein

/ 12 Oct 2024

MassDEP cites Housatonic Water Works for withholding poor test results

AUDIO: In new book, Berkshires rock critic Seth Rogovoy explores the music of Beatles guitarist George Harrison

"Within You, Without You: Listening to George Harrison" is a deep, passionate dive into the music of the so-called "Quiet Beatle."

By Bill Shein

/ 11 Oct 2024

AUDIO: In new book, Berkshires rock critic Seth Rogovoy explores the music of Beatles guitarist George Harrison

Doing the Job: Paramedics, EMTs, and the Crisis in Rural EMS

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

By Bill Shein

/ 22 Aug 2024

Doing the Job: Paramedics, EMTs, and the Crisis in Rural EMS

AUDIO: Amid Gaza protests and sharp rhetoric, a conversation about nonviolence

A discussion with journalist Eric Stoner about protest movements, nonviolent strategy and tactics, and the present moment.

By Bill Shein

/ 1 Jul 2024

AUDIO: Amid Gaza protests and sharp rhetoric, a conversation about nonviolence

AUDIO: How to address the Berkshires' economic development challenges

A part-time Berkshires resident also happens to be a leader in urban planning, regional economic development, and place-making.

By Bill Shein

/ 20 Jun 2024

A outdoor photo of Professor Steven Pedigo of the University of Texas at Austin.

AUDIO: A conversation with Ralph Nader

Now ninety years old, Ralph Nader discusses his American Museum of Tort Law, the power of organized citizens to make a difference, and lessons he learned growing up in a small, working-class town a stone’s throw from the Berkshires.

By Bill Shein

/ 14 May 2024

The Unlikeliest Museum

Against all odds, Ralph Nader’s American Museum of Tort Law in Winsted, Connecticut, educates visitors about the law and their rights.

By Bill Shein

/ 8 May 2024