The Berkshire Argus has transitioned to Reason Gone Mad and The RGM Dispatch newsletter—same independent reporting and storytelling, with more room for creative projects and experiments.
Going forward, get updates via @billshein.bsky.social and subscribe to newsletter at this link.
The times -- and my website/newsletter -- are a-changin': Same deep-dive investigations and storytelling, wider lens, more irreverence. Come along for the ride, peeps!
On Thursday I’m interviewing Mariah Blake about her terrific book, “They Poisoned the World: Life and Death in the Age of Forever Chemicals.” At Ralph Nader’s American Museum of Tort Law in Winsted, CT. Should be an interesting conversation; many parallels to the story of PCBs in the Berkshires.
Had a good conversation with Josh Landes of @wamcradio.bsky.social about this Berkshire Argus story and some of the interesting questions surrounding data privacy and Berkshire Health Systems.
NEW: Previously undisclosed documents obtained by The Argus shed new light on a data breach at Berkshire Health Systems—and its response, which raise questions about its data-privacy practices and auditing.
*checks bank account*
Something—someone?—is coming to Great Barrington soon…
On this #PrimeDay, Behold the Shroud of Bezos! www.berkshireargus.com/prime-day-th...
May you be showered with blessings and amazing deals on this Prime Day... www.berkshireargus.com/prime-day-th...
Back in March, this was just going to be a quick sidebar. But it needed a deep dive. Dozens of interviews and months of research and reporting later, it tells an important story.
![[ORIGINAL] The Rent is Too Damn High!](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:44oqvpfvegbqdg33p5vev3uy/bafkreiclg73f6ndykoh2zksu7mlhrkxc5avzoep7zerubdz4nhw44py4de)
Mamdani won with a plan to make housing and life in NYC more affordable for working people. So let’s give some props to the man who first made that case 15 years ago—also against Cuomo.
Companion video to this story
An in-depth look at PCBs, cancer, environmental-health investigations, and the history of Pittsfield. www.berkshireargus.com/the-uncertai...
Among the Massachusetts' delegation, only Reps. Richard Neal (MA-1) and Bill Keating (MA-9) declined to sign a letter demanding due process and transparency in the arrest of Tufts graduate student Rumeysa Ozturk. www.warren.senate.gov/imo/media/do...
With an all-out assault on transparency and independent oversight underway in Washington, a look at a small-town #Berkshires story from the nineteen thirties that is again timely. #SunshineWeek
A reminder that just about every story is often more complicated — and more fascinating, and more human — than what headlines and day-to-day news coverage suggest.
This is a vitally important story: With #USAID cuts almost certain to create massive suffering and millions of deaths, the Trump administration has also ended a key program that would enable the world to see and count the devastation that experts say is already well underway.
Some new reporting from The Argus on a little-discussed topic: Whether an unidentified person who placed pipe bombs on Capitol Hill on the eve of the January 6, 2021, attack could benefit from President Trump's pardon.
NEW - Our story about yesterday's trip to #Boston by activists fighting a #PCB dump in #Lee, #Massachusetts.
Jenny Hogencamp, a fourth grader at Lee Elementary School, speaking at a rally in Boston about General Electric and the cleanup of PCBs from the Housatonic River.
Jenny Hogencamp, a fourth grader at #Lee Elementary School: "I hope #GE ends up doing the right thing and doesn't make a decision that will continue to hurt our #environment and town."
Housatonic River Initiative's Tim Gray Lee speaking at a rally in Boston about General Electric and the cleanup of PCBs from the Housatonic River.
Tim Gray, of the #Housatonic River Initiative: "In the past year we've lost five Lee people [to cancer] who lived right on the river. And it's affecting all of Berkshire County, but it's very much affecting the town of Lee and the town of #Pittsfield. And I urge everybody to join with us."
Lee, Massachusetts Town Administrator Christopher Brittain speaking at a rally in Boston about General Electric and the cleanup of PCBs from the Housatonic River.
Lee Town Administrator Christopher Brittain: "[General Electric] left the people of Berkshire County with a river that can no longer be used to fish or swim -- a company that, when ordered to clean up their mess, refuses to do the right thing by removing the PCBs from our community."
State Rep. Leigh Davis speaking at a rally in Boston about General Electric and the cleanup of PCBs from the Housatonic River.
#Massachusetts State Rep. Leigh Davis (3rd Berkshire): "I'm not just here as a legislator, but as your neighbor and your advocate and someone who believes in the power of community action. We are united by a vision: A clean, safe, thriving, Housatonic River, fully restored for future generations."
