A crowd gathers at an open house at the Plant Connector in downtown North Adams. Press photo by Kate Abbott

Jobs

Here are the Hill Country Observer’s articles about jobs, listed from newest to oldest. Questions about local economies surface in The Hill Country Observer as we follow movements in co-ops, small businesses, nonprofits and sustainable ways to make a living in our rural communities and support kinds of work that fulfill workers and local needs.

  • Issue:

    State, watchdogs urge more work on PCBs

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    Reports suggest high levels of contamination remain in Hudson River New studies show the upper Hudson River, seen from North River Road in Fort Edward, remains burdened by PCB pollution despite completion of a seven-year, $1.7 billion cleanup. Joan K. Lentini photo   By EVAN LAWRENCEContributing writer FORT EDWARD, N.Y. A series of new federal read more

    State, watchdogs urge more work on PCBs
  • Issue:

    Spreading solar by the share

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    Community-sponsored energy project is first for Columbia County A new 214-kilowatt solar power installation in the town of Clermont, N.Y., was built using a “community solar” concept in which local people could buy a stake in the project in exchange for credits on their home utility bills. Courtesy photo   By JOHN TOWNESContributing writer CLERMONT, read more

    Spreading solar by the share
  • Issue:

    Cow power — N.Y. farms are slow to follow Vermont, Mass.

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    Manure-to-energy systems could aid farms, environment, but few in N.Y. opt in Three generations of the Wagner family — Peter, Louise and Keith Wagner — stand in front of the anaerobic biodigester at their dairy farm in Brunswick, N.Y. The device converts cow manure and other agricultural wastes into methane that can be burned for read more

    Cow power — N.Y. farms are slow to follow Vermont, Mass.
  • Issue:

    Buy stuff, build houses

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    New store raises funds for area Habitat for Humanity chapter Charlie Burd, center, the manager of the new Habitat for Humanity ReStore in Moreau, N.Y., talks at the store with customers Jamie Moors, Ryan Ashe and Ridge Ashe, 2, all of Hebron. Joan K. Lentini photo   By STACEY MORRISContributing writer MOREAU, N.Y. Walk through read more

    Buy stuff, build houses
  • Issue:

    Community radio aims to rise again

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    Backers seek ‘reboot’ for low-power FM Berkshires station After closing its studio in 2015, WBCR-LP consolidated its remaining equipment near its transmitter atop Fairview Hospital in Great Barrington. Its backers now hope to revitalize the local radio station.  John Townes photo   By JOHN TOWNESContributing writer GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. For much of the first decade read more

    Community radio aims to rise again
  • Issue:

    Happenchance Farm — Serendipity was just the start

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    Across two decades, Happenchance Farm keeps growing organic niche Jamie Snyder kneels with his dogs, Maggie and Benny, in front of a field of broccoli at Happenchance Farm, the certified organic farm Snyder started nearly 20 years ago in the Washington County town of White Creek. Joan K. Lentini photo   By STACEY MORRISContributing writer read more

    Happenchance Farm — Serendipity was just the start
  • Issue:

    Liz Glynn — Tools of progress, past and future

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    MoCA show explores human effects as industry, technology change The artist Liz Glynn’s new installation at Mass MoCA includes three caves fashioned from forklift pallets. Glynn, above, was on hand last month to assemble the show, “The Archaeology of Another Possible Future,” which grapples with the idea of economic progress. Jack Criddle photo   By read more

    Liz Glynn — Tools of progress, past and future
  • Issue:

    Fear of empowerment — In a Vermont town, goal of ‘climate economy’ draws support, resistance

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    In a Vermont town, goal of ‘climate economy’ draws support, resistance Michelle Pekrol and some other residents of Pownal, Vt., have organized under the name SOS Pownal to oppose a new planning initiative aimed at helping the town better prepare for climate change.  Joan K. Lentini photo   By EVAN LAWRENCEContributing writer POWNAL, Vt. This read more

    Fear of empowerment — In a Vermont town, goal of ‘climate economy’ draws support, resistance
  • Issue:

    At Wild Oats food co-op, testing limits of cooperation

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    Workers at a food co-op form a union, testing limits of collectivism By TRACY FRISCHContributing writer WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass.   Erin Merrigan, left, and Karen Kane show off buttons supporting a labor union at Wild Oats Market. Workers at the food co-op in Williamstown voted to unionize in February 2016, but the union and management have read more

    At Wild Oats food co-op, testing limits of cooperation
  • Issue:

    Saving a strawberry farm

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    $1.5M campaign aims to preserve Columbia County destination By JOHN TOWNESContributing writer ANCRAM, N.Y.   Don and Marnie MacLean have been running Thompson-Finch Farm, best known for its pick-your-own organic strawberries, since 1982. But a generational change in the farm’s ownership has threatened to force the sale of the property. Local conservation groups have launched read more

    Saving a strawberry farm