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Hoosac Valley Names Top Students for Class of 2025

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CHESHIRE, Mass. — Hoosac Valley High School has named Kimberly Mach and Maryn Cappiello as the valedictorian and salutatorian, respectively, of the class of 2025. 
 
Both will speak at graduation on Friday, June 4, at 6 p.m. in the school gym. 
 
Mach, daughter of Lawrence and Loretta Mach of Adams, has been a Student Council member and treasurer all four years, as well as a member and treasurer of the school chapter of the National Honor Society. She was also a peer mentor, member of the Art Club, Girls Who Code and Student-Adult Advisory Board, and participated in the General Dynamics High School Engineering Competition.
 
She is an Advanced Placement scholar with honors and recipient of the Superintendent's Award, Rensselaer (N.Y.) Polytechnic Institute Medal, Presidential awards for numerous honors and AP courses, and the National and the College Board's National Rural and Small Town Recognition Program. She was a member of the Nordic and downhill ski clubs,
and played soccer for Hoosac and the Berkshire Ajax Club and was volunteer travel soccer coach for middle school girls.
 
Mach will be attending the University of Massachusetts at Amherst to pursue a degree in chemical engineering. 
 
Cappiello, daughter of Timothy and Brittney Cappiello of Adams, was a member of Student Council all four years, the National Honor Society, Student-Adult Advisory Board and Athletic Council and was class secretary and a peer mentor. She also completed the 1Berkshire Youth Leadership Program.
 
She is the recipient of the Bausch & Lomb Honorary Science Award and the Scholar-Athlete Award. She was a member of the soccer, lacrosse and basketball teams, including Hoosac's state champion basketball teams in 2024 and 2025, and volunteered with youth sports and domestic violence victims. 
 
Cappiello plans to attend Assumption University to major in nursing. 

Tags: graduation 2025,   val & sal,   

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Adams Town Meeting Approves FY2026 Budget with Amendments

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
ADAMS, Mass. — Town meeting members approved all town meeting articles on the warrant Tuesday night after making some amendments to the operating budget.
 
Although the 108 town meeting members in attendance ultimately approved the $19,763,563 fiscal year 2026 budget that will raise $14,369,951 through taxation, they did make some changes to the operating budget.
 
A significant portion of the nearly two hour meeting was devoted to a discussion about changes in salaries for various positions. 
 
Meeting members approved an amended version of Article Four, setting the compensation for elected officials. 
 
Increases to the salaries of the board of assessors, treasurer/collector, and town clerk were set for $81,932, an increase of $1,170 from the initial proposed $80,762.  
 
"This represents a 5 percent increase from FY 2025, and the full-time assessor, treasurer, collector, and town clerk salaries. The 5 percent is constituted of 2 percent cost of living adjustment, which represents $1,561 and 3 percent additional, which represents $2,340," said Finance Chair Justin Duval. 
 
"These positions are only eligible for salary adjustment through town meeting approval. The officials presented a compelling case to the committee, outlining the significant changes in the scope and responsibilities of their rules, along with justification for the proposed increase.""
 
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