McCann Tech Deems Social Media Threat 'Not Credible' After Police Investigation

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NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — McCann Technical School officials confirmed Thursday that a threatening social media post directed at the school was found to be a illagitaemt following an investigation by the North Adams Police Department (NAPD).

School administrators notified families that the NAPD determined the social media account responsible for the post was not legitimate and there is no credible threat to the campus.

"The post did contain threatening content to McCann Tech, but after investigation by NAPD it was found that the threat was NOT credible and that the social media account was NOT legitimate," the school stated in a message to the community.

Principal Justin Kratz noted in another communication that the fake social media threat started with an Artificial Intelligence hoax featuring a created picture of a post. 
 
"There is no evidence to suggest the hoax-post was ever actually posted on any social media or linked to a real social media account but instead it was an AI-generated image of a post that never really existed on social media," Kratz wrote.
 
He said NAPD identified the person responsible for creating the post.

While authorities have concluded that students and staff are not in any danger, McCann officials requested an increased police presence at the school on Thursday morning. The school emphasized that this measure is being taken out of an "extreme abundance of caution" to help students and families feel comfortable starting the day.

Following the internal notification from McCann, North Adams Public Schools (NAPS) issued an "all-call" to its own district families Thursday morning.

"North Adams Public Schools will continue to operate using its standard safety procedures," the NAPS statement read, echoing the police department's conclusion that there is no active threat to local students.

McCann is part of the Northern Berkshire Regional Vocational Technical School District, not NAPS.

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Keene SwampBats Down North Adams

By Ben McDonoughFor iBerkshires.com Sports
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. -- The SteepleCats battled back from an early deficit and pulled within one run midway through Saturday night’s contest, but a late offensive push by the Keene Swamp Bats resulted in an 8-4 defeat in New England Collegiate Baseball League action at Joe Wolfe Field.
 
Keene struck first in the opening inning. Jackson Smith led off with a single and later scored on an RBI double by Jackson Marshall. Eli Stephens followed with an RBI single to put the Swamp Bats ahead 2-0.
 
The SteepleCats answered in the second inning. After Matthew Colella lined a double into the gap, Parker Camelo delivered an RBI single to score Colella and cut the deficit to one.
 
North Adams’ defense kept the game close over the next two innings. A great catch at third base robbed Michael O’Brien of extra bases in the second, while center field and left field each came up with impressive grabs during a scoreless third inning.
 
The Swamp Bats added to their lead in the fourth. Consecutive singles put runners on second and third before an error allowed both to score, extending the advantage to 4-1.
 
The SteepleCats quickly responded in the bottom half of the inning. Nelphie Lopez opened the frame with a double before Sean Stephenson singled to put runners at the corners. Sebastian Rose followed with an RBI single, and after Stephenson aggressively advanced around the bases, Colella drove in another run with a groundout to trim the deficit to 4-3.
 
Richie Kerstetter provided a strong inning out of the bullpen in the fifth, retiring three of the four hitters he faced after issuing a leadoff walk. Steven Sams entered in the sixth and struck out one, though Nico Senese led off the inning with a solo home run that pushed Keene’s lead to 5-3.
 
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