Students on the Simon's Rock campus gather at the library in preparation for the Bard Queer Leadership Project. Press photo courtesy of Bard College at Simon's Rock

News

Here are the Hill Country Observer’s news articles, listed from newest to oldest. The Hill Country Observer covers town events, local government, community stories and more — from public health to housing to education and freedom of mind in New York, Vermont and Western Massachusetts.

  • Issue:

    A menu of constant change

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    Restaurants struggle to navigate pandemic, partial reopening   Railroad Street in Great Barrington is car-free on a Friday night in June, allowing the street’s many restaurants to serve more customers at outdoor tables. Scott Langley photo   By KATE ABBOTTContributing writer GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. At the Prairie Whale, strings of lights are gleaming in the read more

    A menu of constant change
  • Issue:

    Fresh food in a pandemic

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    Region’s farmers forge ahead as shutdowns scramble local-food networks Lisa MacDougall holds two flats of kale inside one of her many greenhouses at Mighty Food Farm in Shaftsbury, Vt. photo by Joan K. Lentini   By TRACY FRISCHContributing writer As the Covid-19 outbreak began to shut down the nation last month, the region’s farmers and read more

    Fresh food in a pandemic
  • Issue:

    Work at home? Not so fast

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    Rural towns work to upgrade spotty, slow Internet links   Arlene Bentley and Bill Meyer stand with a laptop computer outside the Rosalind K. Kittay Public Library in Rupert, Vt. The local library is the only WiFi hotspot in the rural town, where most residents can’t get high-speed Internet service at home. Joan K. Lentini read more

    Work at home? Not so fast
  • Issue:

    Early voting’s first try

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    Area counties rank near top, bottom as New York expands its election system   William Van Ness and Beth McLaughlin, the Republican and Democratic elections commissioners for Warren County, demonstrate one of the new electronic poll books used as part of New York’s system for early voting. Photo by Joan K. Lentini   By EVAN read more

    Early voting’s first try
  • Issue:

    Bakery, cafe unite in urban retrofit

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    Rock Hill’s restaurant side rises again in new space at Shirt Factory complex   Matt Funiciello, the owner of Rock Hill Bakehouse, removes several loaves of bread from the oven at the bakery’s new home in the Shirt Factory complex in Glens Falls. Joan K. Lentini photo   By STACEY MORRISContributing writer GLENS FALLS, N.Y. read more

    Bakery, cafe unite in urban retrofit
  • Issue:

    Debate over New York bail system balances fairness, risk

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    Local officials in N.Y. push back against bail system overhaul   Saratoga County District Attorney Karen Heggen is among the local law enforcement officials calling for changes or a delay in implementing New York’s new bail reform law. Photo by Joan K. Lentini   EVAN LAWRENCEContributing writer   Supporters of New York’s new bail reform read more

    Debate over New York bail system balances fairness, risk
  • Issue:

    Advocates push to curb use of herbicide

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    State, towns weigh new limits on glyphosate   Bruce Winn and Elia del Molino of the Berkshire Environmental Action Team stand amid a large patch of hardy kiwi at Burbank Park in Pittsfield. The group has organized a volunteer effort to control the invasive species without the use of herbicides like glyphosate. Hardy kiwi’s vines read more

    Advocates push to curb use of herbicide
  • Issue:

    Curtain rises at restored theater

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    In Hudson Falls, community rallies to revive a long-dormant venue   Jonathan Newell stands at the ticket booth of the newly restored Strand Theatre in Hudson Falls, N.Y. Newell is executive director of Hudson River Music Hall Productions, which led a years-long effort to revive the long-dormant theater at 210 Main St. Joan K. Lentini read more

    Curtain rises at restored theater
  • Issue:

    Election 2019

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    Here are the results from major local races and ballot issues in the Nov. 5 general elecction in New York and Massachusetts. Winning candidates are in bold type. A brief summary follows the results for each county. The results shown for Rensselaer, Warren and Washington counties are final, official tallies certified by local election officials. read more

    Election 2019
  • Issue:

    Legal fight over an epidemic

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    Local governments push drug industry over costs of opioid crisis   Tom Haley, executive director of the Turning Point Recovery Center in Bennington, stands in the meeting room of the center, which helps people who are recovering from addiction. photo by Joan K. Lentini   EVAN LAWRENCEContributing writer BENNINGTON, Vt. As opioid addiction has devastated read more

    Legal fight over an epidemic