image description — Michael Peters is cheers as he takes his retirement ride through the 'car wash' on Thursday.

Clarksburg Custodian Gets Royal Retirement Sendoff

By Tammy Daniels iBerkshires Staff
11:59AM / Friday, September 11, 2026Print Story | Email Story

Retiring head custodian Michael Peters with School Committee member Mary Giron, a former longtime employee at the school.

CLARKSBURG, Mass. — Custodian Michael Peters happily went through the "car wash" on his last day at Clarksburg School on Thursday.

It's a tradition at the school to send off their retiring personnel with a hand-waving gauntlet of children and a drive around town in a classy vehicle.

Decked out in a crown and a sash declaring "The Legend Has Retired," Peters stepped into Kevin Gamache's 1966 Chevrolet Impala SS 427 to ride by a line of cheering children.

They stood waving and cheering on both sides of the long driveway to the back of the school, with first-graders holding signs saying "Thank you," "Happy Retirement, and "We Love" Mr. Peters. An older student declared, "I'm going to miss him."

Peters,of North Adams, worked for the school for 19 years, the last 16 as the head custodian, and said he felt pretty but also a "little anxious" as he pondered his next chapter.

"It's been fun. It's been really good. Everybody's been really great," said the Clarksburg native. "I've never had a problem with anybody, and it's been fun. It's been a really good, good time here."

His last two principals paid him high compliments not only on his work but the extra efforts he's put in over the years.

Oh, I think I think he's been amazing," said Principal Kimberly Rougeau. "He stuck out an extra year for me when I became principal last year, knowing that one more change might be a little tricky.

"He's willing to help out. He sees us working on something, and finds where he can jump in. So he's going to be missed."

Tara Barnes, now assistant superintendent, said, "Michael Peters was way more than a custodian for Clarksburg School. He's part of our family. He was reliable, always there for us, and we're going to miss him a lot."

Peters wasn't sure what he would be doing next, but would be taking it day by day.

"We'll find out. Yeah, we'll find out," he said. "We'll keep busy though. We got to keep busy."

Tags: Clarksburg School, retirement,

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Berkshires Remember First Responders, Military Personnel Lost at 9/11 and Aftermath

By Jack Guerino & Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
02:30PM / Friday, September 11, 2026

North Adams Mayor Jennifer Macksey, with Fire Chief Brent Lefebvre speaks at Friday's memorial.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The county's two cities held memorials on Friday morning to mark the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terror attacks.

Great Barrington was scheduled to hold a dedication of piece of steel from the World Trade Center at 6 p.m.

North Adams held its ceremony in the fire station's side garden starting at exactly 8:46 a.m., the time Flight 11 crashed into the World Trade Center's North Tower.

The small square of grass was packed with police officers, firefighters, wire and alarm personnel, dispatchers, and Northern Berkshire EMS employees, and city employees, officials and community members.

After the ceremonial tolling of the bell, an honor guard presented the colors.

Mayor Jennifer Macksey said it felt odd welcoming people to a very solemn event.

"What happened 25 years ago put a mark on emergency services. It put additional pressure on police, fire, EMS, and dispatchers," Macksey said. "While we remember those who lost their lives during 9/11, and those who ran to help as many as they could during 9/11, we have to pause and appreciate those who continue to serve despite that awful threat that occurred 25 years ago."

She said it was a direct attack on the United States and all of its people.

"It was a question of our freedoms and our ability to be safe in our communities," the mayor said. "I can say today that here in North Adams, it could happen to us, but I know with the professionalism of our Fire Department, Police Department, EMS, and our dispatch team, we are a better community; we are a safer community than we were 25 years ago."

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