LIGHTER ITEMS

First footage ever captured of the elusive “ram’s horn” squid, which can only be described as the “Beaker of the sea”: https://www.sciencealert.com/first-ever-deep-sea-footage-of-a-ram-s-horn-squid-has-scientists-freaking-out 

LOCAL

Williamstown to retain embattled police chief

https://www.berkshireeagle.com/news/local/williamstown-to-retain-embattled-police-chief/article_f229fed0-1a0d-11eb-8231-13b6cfd3ee52.html

Town Manager Jason Hoch announced at Tuesday’s Select Board meeting that he would retain the services of Police Chief Kyle Johnson, amid calls for the termination of both men.

Chad Topaz’s statement on Racism in Williamstown:

https://chadtopaz.com/racism-in-williamstown-ma/

And the insane public records request he just filed with Williamstown PD on Friday, below.

Related:

Williamstown Select Board Pleads for Patience, Asks for Respect for Police

https://www.iberkshires.com/story/63343/Williamstown-Select-Board-Pleads-for-Patience-Asks-for-Respect-for-Police.html

Williamstown Prepares to Protect Potential Post-Election Protests

https://www.iberkshires.com/storyOld/63457/Williamstown-Prepares-to-Protect-Potential-Post-Election-Protests.html?source=most_comments

(Only so much the police can do against white supremacists, notes Williamstown manager.)

“Where we’re less well equipped because there is only so much we can do with 10 or 12 of our people protecting those edges is what may happen as people pass through those edges [of protests],” Hoch said.

The Eagle is reporting that Williams College reported 2 new COVID-19 cases since the last round of testing, which is really bad news for the school and the rest of us, given the enormous amount of resources that Williams has put into testing and contract tracing. I will look for a link and provide it if I find one.

North Adams Public Schools refuses to acknowledge receipt of a Greylock Glass public records request AND refuses to identify RAO for NAPS.

State tells North Adams parent that NAPS did NOT report case of COVID-19 and DESE commissioner says conversation that Superintendent Malkas claimed to have had with commissioner and assistant commissioner never took place.

Wary of ‘harsh’ tone, selectboard refuses to endorse letter blasting Great Barrington Declaration

https://theberkshireedge.com/wary-of-harsh-tone-selectboard-refuses-to-endorse-letter-blasting-great-barrington-declaration

Local news peg for a discussion of agita over tone and “civility” in our politics more broadly and how it’s a trap the Left can’t allow itself to get caught in ever again.

STATE

Gov. Baker’s stated “confusion” over ranked-choice voting is hilarious:

https://www.wgbh.org/news/politics/2020/10/27/baker-opposes-ranked-choice-voting-in-mass

Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources launches the Mass MassGrown Exchange

https://massnrc.org/farmexchange/

Which is not quite as useful as the tool the Pioneer Valley based organization, CISA, has had for at least a decade: