Wednesday August 1, 2012

Below is a preview of the major stories the Transcript staff is working on for tomorrow’s edition. The Transcript posts breaking news and updates on Twitter (@natranscript), on Facebook www.facebook.com/natranscript, on our mobile app and here on our homepage. Have a story idea or have something to contribute to a story below? Feel free to reach out to reporters or contact Editor-in-Chief Michael Foster at mfoster@thetranscript.com or 413-663-3741, ext. 223.

Collaborating on cancer center: PITTSFIELD -- Two of Berkshire County’s leading health care providers are joining forces for the first time to create a $30 million state-of-the-art cancer center at Berkshire Medical Center’s Hillcrest campus that is expected to be fully operational within three years.

Berkshire Health Systems, the county’s largest employer, and Berkshire Hematology/Oncology, the area’s largest private medical practice, are collaborating on the project, which is being funded solely by BHS. Plans call for the facility to be constructed in three phases, with work on the first phase expected to begin this fall.

Story by New England Newspapers.

Not quite walking on water: CHESHIRE -- Berkshire Outfitters held a demonstration Tuesday evening on enjoying a relatively new way to cut across the water: stand up

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paddle boards. Similar to a surfboard, the SUP board is designed for the user to stand up straight and move through the water with one paddle, providing a "total-body workout."

Gillian Jones is writing this story and can be reached at gjones@thetranscript.com, on Twitter @NAT_DigitalJill, or by phone at 413-663-3741, ext. 232.

Generous junior volunteers: NORTH ADAMS --On a typical summer day, Travis Ciempa, 15, can be found at North Adams Regional Hospital delivering medical records, transporting specimens or helping to discharge patients.

He’s one of 15 local teenagers, ranging in age from 13 to 17, participating in the hospital’s six-week junior volunteer program.

"This is my second year volunteering," Ciempa, of Adams, said Tuesday. "I met so many wonderful people and had such a great time last year that I decided to do it again."

Jennifer Huberdeau is writing this story and can be reached at jhuberdeau@thetranscript.com, on Twitter @NAT_DigitalJen, or by phone at 413-663-3741, ext. 227.