Israel Frees Sheffield Men Detained on Gaza Aid Flotilla

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
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SHEFFIELD, Mass. — Two Sheffield natives detained by Israeli forces while trying to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza have been released. 
 
"THEY ARE FREE," the mother of Adnaan and Tor Stumo posted on Tuesday. 

The Stumos were among the hundreds volunteering on the Global Sumund Flotilla to bring food and medical supplies to Gaza when they were intercepted by Israeli Defense Forces. Tor was taken from the Huga boat on Wednesday, and Adnaan from the Mikeno boat near Gaza on Thursday. 

During their detainment, their mother, Nadia Milleron, an aviation and consumer advocate who ran as an independent for Congress in 2024, was searching for her sons while urging constituents and lawmakers to speak out against the actions of the IDF. 
 
"Thank you to everyone for contacting your government officials, for sharing posts about my sons and the Flotilla, and for all of your messages of love and support," Milleron wrote on Instagram on Tuesday. 

"I am so very grateful for all of you." 

Above her thanks was a picture of Adnaan and Tor filing out of a bus with a heart drawn around them. 



The flotilla that set out from Spain early last month had about 50 vessels with 500 activists and humanitarian aid. They were escorted part of the way by the Spanish and Italian navies. 

According to the Global Sumud Flotilla tracker, the Huga was intercepted around 4:15 on Oct. 1, and the Mikeno was intercepted around 4:20 a.m. on Oct. 2. 

"All 42 boats in the historic Global Sumud Flotilla mission were illegally intercepted between October 1-3, while attempting to break Israel's siege on Gaza. 462 people were kidnapped in international waters," the flotilla’s website reads. 

"This world's commitment to stand with Palestine continues. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, in partnership with Thousand Madleens and the Conscience, has more boats on the way." 

Along with the Stumos were climate activist Greta Thunberg, who was deported to Greece on Monday with 170 others, and Nelson Mandela's grandson Mandla Mandela.

Mandela was released and flown to South Africa on Wednesday morning. Those detained have spoken of mistreatment and Mandela and other South Africans believe they were singled out because of their nation's involvement in a U.N. case accusing Israel of genocide. 

"My kids insist that countries behave in a humane manner toward all citizens, so that our world will be good for everybody to live in. And that's the type of people that they are, and that's the standard that they are looking for from everyone," Milleron told iBerkshires on Monday. 
 
She said Israel accused people who went through rigorous nonviolent training of being terrorists. Reportedly, flotilla volunteers threw away all knives and screwdrivers before being intercepted, so they did not appear violent. 

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Pryor & Peacock's Whimsical Furniture Environmentally Friendly

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
 

The company uses digital printing to create the upholstery fabric, saving water and saving vintage furniture from ending up in landfills.

STOCKBRIDGE, Mass. — A unique furniture store has popped up on Elm Street this month.

Mom-and-daughter store Pryor & Peacock is hosting the pop-up storefront from Aug. 13 to Aug. 25 at 6 Elm. The New Marlborough business is co-founded by Rosalina Wright and Luca Shapiro, who is also the creative director. 

Their online shop was created in 2024 but they wanted people to see the pieces in person, so they're renting the space for a limited time before a long-term tenant moves in.

The store sources prints to create unique fabrics and reimagines vintage and antique furniture acquired at auctions, local shops, and online.

"We source prints from all over the world that date from the late 1600s up through mid-20th century, and Luca turns those prints into fabric by manipulating them, scanning them, oftentimes has to add or subtract things, and then we manufacture the fabric using only digital printing, which is very environmentally friendly, unlike traditional textile printing," Wright said.

Upholstering the furniture can take weeks of work. Shapiro looks for the perfect design for each piece and, if need be, uses Adobe Photoshop to extend the art work to fit or enhance the print.

"One of the most difficult parts comes in marrying the fabric to a piece of furniture because we only use antique and vintage frames also to be earth friendly, and they're also more beautiful and durable than new furniture," Wright said. "So the image has to go with the furniture, so that takes a lot of work."

One of Pryor & Peacock's missions is to be environmentally friendly. Digital printing doesn't use the same amount of water as traditional textile productions do nor does it contaminate water with ink according to their website.

Not only are they saving water, but they are saving furniture from going into the landfill while also using more durable furniture that doesn't break as easily as current pieces. They started their business to create something unique and to help the environment together.

"It's creating something nobody else is doing. People can't continue to buy throwaway furniture. Six percent of American landfills is furniture, and digital printing not only opens up the possibility of being able to put unique images on a piece of furniture, but it also is, as I said, environmentally friendly. So, for us, the excitement is to take an old East Lake settee that somebody's going to store in their barn and forget about, and make it something completely new and surprising," Wright said.

They hope their furniture helps bring a pop of fun to someone's home.

"We think our furniture is very whimsical and surprising, and most furniture today is oatmeal colored couches and gray neutral chairs, and it's boring," she said.

The two named their business after their mothers' maiden names to honor them and believe the name reflects their pieces.

Shapiro works in interior design outside of the business and the two liked working together and thought it would be great to start a business together. Shapiro says they can work well together and that her and her mother, Wright, has flipped houses before and have the same eye for design.

"So it's very easy for us to work together. When we see something, generally we agree on whether it works or doesn't work on a piece. We agree on the color schemes and that sort of thing. So it's very fun and fulfilling to work together," Shapiro said. 

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