BECKET, Mass. — The police force's K-9 Kain died Sept. 14 after six years of service to the town.
The Police Department, in a Facebook post, said Kain had "proudly and enthusiastically served as a member of the Becket Police Department since August of 2018."
Born in Hungary on Aug. 28, 2017, Kain was a dual-purpose police canine. He was certified by the North American Police Work Dog Association, a nationally recognized certification that he successfully renewed annually at a weeklong training conference. He also was certified as a narcotics detection and patrol utility canine.
This training and certification gave K-9 Kain the ability to locate missing parties, and individuals who fled from police after committing crimes. Additionally, he was trained to detect illicit narcotics in vehicles, buildings, and luggage.
Police said Kain had been an enormous asset to the town and to Berkshire County as a whole. He had been deployed in more than 10 communities assisting with the locating of suspects and of missing persons, individuals struggling with mental health, building searches, and narcotics detection in vehicles, buildings, and schools. In addition, Kain had participated in numerous canine demonstrations at schools, DARE programs and various community events.
"He truly was an integral member of our community and will be deeply missed. K-9 Kain's partner, Sgt. [Michael] Hunt, and the Becket Police Department wish to extend our sincere thanks and appreciation to our community for its unparalleled support through this difficult time," stated the post.
Police Chief Kristopher McDonough says the "overwhelming support" from the community has prompted the department to establish a donation account to ensure the K-9 unit's future.
"Over the last week, several community members have reached out offering to make financial contributions in memory of K-9 Kain," said McDonough in a statement. "The Becket Police Department as a whole cannot express enough how sincerely thankful we are to have such support from our community, colleagues, and extended family."
He said all funds will be only for expenses such as "purchasing, outfitting, caring for, and the training of a dedicated Police K-9."
Checks can be mailed or dropped off to the Becket Police Department, 557 Main Street, Becket MA 01223. Checks payable to: Kain's Legacy K-9 Fund C/O Becket Police Department.
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Berkshire Art Center Announces Fall 2026 Classes & Workshops
STOCKBRIDGE, Mass. — Berkshire Art Center (BAC) invites artists of all ages and experience levels to participate in lineup of Fall 2026 classes and workshops.
With programs offered at Citizens' Hall in Stockbridge as well as partner locations including Berkshire Music School, WANDER Berkshires, and the Mass Audubon's Canoe Meadows Wildlife Sanctuary, BAC's fall season celebrates creativity through ceramics, painting, drawing, printmaking, mixed media, photography, and more.
Ceramics students will find opportunities to develop their skills this fall. Faculty Artist Paula Shalan returns with Tableware: Creating with Soft Slabs, where students create functional pottery such as mugs, tumblers, and bowls, as well as Cut, Add, and Stretch: Creating with Soft Slabs, which explores more contemporary approaches to handbuilding. Jess Cropper-Alt teaches Timeless & Tactile: Handbuilding Traditions, while Donna Bernstein leads Wheel Throwing for All, an all-levels course featuring demonstrations, individualized instruction, and ample studio time.
For those looking to try clay for the first time, Lorimer Burns offers Try Your Hand at the Pottery Wheel, a welcoming two-hour introduction to wheel throwing. BAC also offers fun, social workshops including Wall Pocket Party, perfect for beginners, friends, couples, and families with children ages 10 and up, and Pottery Night: Beer Stein Social, an evening of creativity and community where participants craft their own handmade ceramic beer stein.
Mixed media and printmaking enthusiasts will find an inspiring variety of offerings throughout the season. Jody King Camarra teaches Color Theory Through Collage, Print Lab: Collagraph, Drypoint & Relief, Working in a Series: Creating Cohesive Collages, Monoprint Magic, and concludes the season with the festive workshop Handmade Holidays: Winter Layers in Gel Plate Printmaking.
Additional printmaking opportunities include Eco-Printing: Basics and Beyond with Mallorey Caron, where students create beautiful botanical prints using real flowers and leaves, Gelatin Plate Printmaking with Johanna Merfeld, an introduction to playful experimentation with layering, texture, stencils, and image transfers, and Image Transfers & Mixed Media, where Diane Firtell shares versatile techniques that can stand alone or enhance existing artwork.
Photographers can celebrate autumn alongside Thad Kubis, whose seasonal workshops include Photography of Daniel Chester French's Studio at Chesterwood in Stockbridge and Photographing Fall Colors in the Berkshires at Canoe Meadows Wildlife Sanctuary in Pittsfield.
Painters and drawing enthusiasts will discover classes ranging from foundational techniques to expressive exploration. Jill McLean returns with Watercolor Foundations and Watercolor Landscapes at Berkshire Music School, along with shorter, 1-day workshops including Berkshire Polaroids in Watercolor and Handmade Holidays: Watercolor Bookmarks.
Wednesday Nelena Sorokin offers Creative Writing & Abstraction, where students use stream-of-consciousness writing to inspire expressive abstract paintings, along with Painting Basics, Two-Dimensional Composition Workshop, and the popular Abstract Painting: Color, Design and Spirit. Artists looking for a relaxed, supportive studio environment can also enjoy the return of Friday Painting Studio, featuring a new and more accessible tuition rate and experienced facilitators who provide encouragement, feedback, and creative community while participants work on independent projects.
BAC's monthly workshop series at WANDER Berkshires in Pittsfield also continues this fall. Held on the second Saturday of each month, these welcoming two-hour sessions invite participants to sketch, paint, journal, and experiment in a relaxed community setting—no long-term commitment required. The series begins September 12 with Commonplace Visual Journaling led by Kaily Ritz, followed by Mini Nature Assemblage Boxes with Johanna Merfeld on October 10, Indoor Urban Sketching with Jill McLean on November 14, and concludes December 12 with Watercolor Reset for the New Year, led by BAC Executive Director Laura Thompson.
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