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Steeple City Jiu Jitsu Open in North Adams

Tim Stys and Jon Manley have partnered to open the jui jitsu studio in North Adams. 

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Business partners and coaches Jon Manley and Timothy Stys recently opened Steeple City Jiu Jitsu at 85 Main St.

Stys ran RGS Underground, a jiu jitsu and kickboxing studio in Readsboro, Vt., and Manley ran Jon Manley MMA in Williamstown. The two have been training together for years and decided to come together to open a studio.

"We've been training together for about four years. He's my coach. Yet we both just study and obsess over jiu jitsu and just always want to get better. And decided last year, a year ago, that we wanted to merge," Stys said.

Stys, who owns the Readsboro General Store, started RGS Underground in the basement. He met Manley not long after that to learn more jui jitsu.

"I put a mat in the basement and started training and teaching, and I had to build training partners. So I continued to do that. He opened up, so I started to go learn from him, as I trained people there in a rural area how to do jiu jitsu," Stys said.

Manley has a black belt in jiu jitsu and is a wrestler and professional mixed martial arts fighter. He has been on the mat for over 20 years and has taught at multiple locations, last one being at the Williamstown Youth Center. He said the times were not the best to run a youth class and is happier to bring a bigger presence into the community.

"It's a very good community, and we really, I think we really wanted to build that up again. It's really nice to have, and it is something really good for the town, like you said, not only giving me jiu jitsu, but helping people get in shape and working out. Yeah, lots of good can come from it. And I'm excited just to have a big jiu jitsu community again." Manley said.

The two hope to be a place people can come and learn the art form and know its not a place you should be afraid to be put down in but a place of support.

"Our mission for Steeple City Jiu Jitsu is to educate the community on what jiu jitsu is. And it's not about fighting. It's not about being the best in the room. It's not about dominating," Stys said. "It's really about getting together as a community and playing and connecting and really supporting each other to help each other grow and get better and evolve every single day."

The studio drew a capacity crowd of all ages at its grand opening on Aug. 16. It also drew a lot of friends of that partners from around the region who are a part of the jiujitsu community.

Newcomers were welcome to experience jiu jitsu with anyone with a belt while Stys gathered a dozen children to play games related to the martial art. The mats were soon filled with people grappling with opponents, using their strength to force them onto the ground and pin them into submission. 

The two are hoping to grow their youth program and one day start a sports team that can travel. They also hope to work with the local police departments. 

"We are hoping to work with the local police. The Police Department in North Adams has already reached out. We already had a couple Adams cops reach out, too, definitely working with law enforcement. That's something that I've always wanted to do," Manley said.

They currently hold classes every evening except for Saturday, but hold a Saturday morning class. They encourage people to try it out to see if it’s for you

"Bring yourself in and see what it's like. You know, there's a cliche saying the hardest belt to get is the white belt. You just got to walk through the door, a lot of people don't make that decision, but you just see if you like it or not," Stys said.

They say all ages can join in and learn. You can register online.

Clarksburg Students Write in Support of Rural School Aid

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
07:25AM / Sunday, March 15, 2026

Mason Langenback calculated that Clarksburg would get almost $1 million if the $60 million was allocated equally.

CLARKSBURG, Mass. — Eighth-graders at Clarksburg School took a lesson in civic advocacy this week, researching school funding and writing letters to Beacon Hill that call for fully funding rural school aid. 

 

The students focused on the hardships for small rural schools and their importance to the community — that they struggle with limited funding and teacher shortages, but offer safe and supportive spaces for learning and are a hub for community connections.

 

"They all address the main issue, the funding for rural schools, and how there's a gap, and there's the $4 million gap this year, and then it's about the $40 million next year, and that rural schools need that equitable funding," said social studies teacher Mark Karhan.

 

A rural schools report in 2022 found smaller school districts cost from nearly 17 percent to 23 percent more to operate, and recommended "at least" $60 million be appropriated annually for rural school aid. 

 

Gov. Maura Healey has filed for more Chapter 70 school aid, but that often is little help to small rural schools with declining or static enrollment. For fiscal 2027, she's budgeted $20 million for rural schools, up from around $13 million this year but still far below the hoped for $60 million. 

 

Karhan said the class was broken into four groups and the students were provided a submission letter from Rural Schools Advocacy. The students used the first paragraph, which laid out the funding facts, and then did research and wrote their own letters. 

 

They will submit those with a school picture to the governor.