Regional notes

12:00AM / Wednesday, February 18, 2004Print Story | Email Story

Windmill meeting HANCOCK â€” The public is invited to a meeting on â€œWind Power in the Berkshiresâ€ at the Hancock Elementary School, Route 43, on Wednesday, Feb. 25. The meeting is free and is sponsored by the Berkshire Renewable Energy Collaborative and the Center for Ecological Technology (CET), with support from the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative Community Planning Initiative. A reception with light refreshments and informational tables will begin at 6:30 p.m. The forum will run from 7 to 9. In recent months, there has been increased public interest in wind energy as local wind projects in various stages of planning and permitting have been in the news. At the meeting, community members can learn more about wind technologies, how they work and their environmental benefits and impacts. There will be time for questions specific to wind projects in the Berkshires. Sally Wright of the University of Massachusetts Renewable Energy Research Laboratory will discuss the status of wind technology, environmental and economic benefits and siting issues related to wind-power development. Nancy Nylen of CET will talk about the work of the Berkshire Renewable Energy Collaborative, and there will be a brief update about the status of the Berkshire Wind Project proposed on Brodie Mountain. â€œThe forum is extremely timely, as we are experiencing increased interest and activity related to wind-energy projects in our area,â€ Nylen said in a news release. â€œThe Berkshire region, particularly the northern Berkshires, has the potential to supply a significant amount of electricity from wind resources and major wind projects are moving forward. She said the session was designed provide objective information about wind technology as well as up-to-date information and dialogue to help residents make thoughtful and informed decisions. In case of inclement weather, call CET, 445-4556, before 5 p.m. to learn if the meeting will be held. Information: Ruth Dinerman or Nancy Nylen, Center for Ecological Technology, 445-4556 or nancyn@cetonline.org. CET is a non-profit community organization serving western Massachusetts. Founded in 1976, CET works in the areas of energy and resource conservation, renewable energy and environmental education. Snowshoe hike LANESBORO â€” Mount Greylock State Reservation will host a free guided 6-mile snowshoe hike to Roundsâ€™ Rock, sponsored by Eastern Mountain Sports at the Berkshire Mall and the state Department of Conservation and Recreation, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 21. Naturalist Aimee Gelinas and park staff will lead the hike on the lower slopes of the mountain. While a limited number of snowshoes will be available free from Eastern Mountain Sports, people joining the hike are encouraged to bring their own. Reservations are required: 499-4262. The program is appropriate for intermediate to experienced hikers. Appropriate layered clothing for the weather, including proper winter footwear, is strongly advised. Nylon pants, gaiters and ski poles are recommended, as are a snack and water. The group will meet at the Reservation Visitors Center on Rockwell Road, 1.5 miles off Route 7 in Lanesboro. The program will be held, snow or shine. Sheeptacular display PITTSFIELD â€” Thirty-eight table-top sized Merino sheep, conceived and created by Pittsfield school children and their art teachers, will be on display at the Berkshire Artisans gallery, 28 Renne Ave., beginning Wednesday, March 3. Dan O'Connell, curator of the exhibit, will man the gallery Monday through Friday, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. through Saturday, March 27. The official opening will be on Thursday, March 4, at 6 p.m. Once the show at the Artisans Gallery closes, the school sheep will be placed in locations around the center of the city for the rest of the spring. In all likelihood a silent auction will follow, with the proceeds used to benefit future school art projects for each of the participating schools. They include Pittsfield High School, Taconic High School, St. Joseph's High School, Miss Hall's School, Sinai Academy of the Berkshires, Hibbard Alternative School, Reid Middle School, Herberg Middle School, Allendale School, Conte Community School, Crosby School, Egremont School, Morningside School, Capeless School, Highland School, Stearns School and Williams School. Others may also participate. Over the summer, the streets of the city will host more than 60 large sheep decorated by artists. All projects will be sponsored by local businesses, groups and individuals, from June 5 to Sept. 18. Schools may also take part in a two-part educational program, principally aimed at fourth and fifth graders, dealing with the history of Merino sheep and the woolen industry in Pittsfiel. The second program will include a hands-on session with live sheep. Information:J. Peter Bergman, 443-6501. Grant applications GREAT BARRINGTON â€” The Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation has announced that the Central Berkshire Fund will be accepting grant applications through March 1. Grants are available to nonprofit organizations, community organizations or public agencies that serve the residents of Becket, Cummington, Dalton, Hinsdale, Peru, Washington or Windsor. Applications will be reviewed using the combined criteria of excellence of the project or service, impact on the organization or community and ability to carry out the project by a committee of active community residents. Application materials are available at 528-8039 or www.berkshiretaconic.org/grants-scholarships.html. The fund was established in 2001 by a substantial contribution from a Dalton native who wanted to set in motion a community effort to build an endowment that would support nonprofit activities in the seven towns. Members of the fundâ€™s committee include Fran Biagini, Peru; John Eisenhour, Cummington; Bruce Garlow, Becket; John Kittredge, Dalton; Rick Koch, Hinsdale; David Lombard, Dalton; Peter Menard, Windsor; and Rudolph Sacco, Washington. Panel discussion PITTSFIELD â€” The Training Alliance of the Berkshires, a subcommittee of the Human Resources Association of Berkshire County, will hold the first of its 2004 events on Friday, Feb. 27, with a panel discussion, â€œBest Practices for Making Great Training Happen â€” Even with Limited Resources,â€ at Legacy Banks at 8 a.m., followed by optional networking and further discussion from 9 to 9:30. Panelists will include Denise Johns of the Berkshire Applied Technology Council, Sandra Zink of Interprint Inc., Nick Boulas of the Crowne Plaza-Berkshires and Chantal Leven of Legacy Banks. Each panelist will first discuss challenges met and lessons learned in securing high-quality training for their own organizations. The group will then entertain questions from the audience. The alliance is a local collaborative of individuals interested in sharing training resources and expertise to provide high quality, cost-effective professional development opportunities in the Berkshires. Alliance events are generally held on the last Friday of every other month at various locations. Registration is open on a first-come, first-served basis, with a $5 suggested donation per person. Registration: Chantal Leven, Chantal.leven@legacybanks.com, by Feb. 20. Information: hrabconline.com. Jewish storyteller GREAT BARRINGTON â€” The Jewish Federation of the Berkshires will present storyteller Vered Hankin in a performance of â€œIsrael on My Mind,â€ a collection of tales, at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 29, at Hevreh of Southern Berkshire, 270 State St. Tickets, available at the door, are $10. Hankin will interweave her own experience of Israel both as an American and an Israeli, with traditional Jewish folktales, using humor, music, movement and audience participation to bring â€œthe magic of Israel â€” past and presentâ€ to life. The author and storyteller has been a featured performer in schools, theaters, film and television. Jewish Week named her â€œthe leading storyteller of her generation.â€ Information: program director, 442-4360, ext. 21. Health grant PITTSFIELD â€” The Center for Ecological Technology has been awarded a grant of $30,000 from the federal Environmental Protection Agencyâ€™s New England office through the new Healthy Communities Grant program for its Healthy Beginnings program. Through an existing visiting nurse program, the center will provide environmental-health education to new parents, train nurses to identify environmental hazards in the home, provide blood lead-level testing and exchange mercury thermometers. Partners on the project are the Berkshire Visiting Nurse Association, Sprout Berkshire Initiative for Childrenâ€™s Environmental Health and Berkshire Health Systems Inc. The grant program, launched last year, gave a total of 25 grants for community-based projects that it identified as able to achieve measurable environmental and human health improvements across New England. â€œAll of New Englandâ€™s residents deserve to live in neighborhoods with clean air, open space and healthy homes and schools,â€ Robert W. Varney, EPA regional administrator, said in a news release. â€œFrom Chinatown to Holyoke to the North Shore, these grants will help Bay State communities in their efforts to create more livable, safer environments.â€ Fencing classes CAMBRIDGE, N.Y. â€” Hubbard Hall Projects Inc. will host a five-week session of beginning and continuing foil classes taught by Richard Cherry, starting on Saturday, March 6, in the Red Barn Studio behind the firehouse on Main Street. Sword fencing is an ancient martial art that combines the speed and athleticism of boxing with the strategic thinking of chess. Students will learn footwork, basic technique and have a chance to practice their skill against other fencers. Cherry has taught foil at Blue Rock School in Rockland County and studied with Herb Cohen, a member of three U.S. Olympic Teams. Beginning foil will be taught from 9 to 10 a.m. The registration fee is $40 and equipment fee is $25. Continuing foil will run from 10 to 11:30 a.m. The registration fee is $60 and equipment fee is $25. Advance registration is requested. Information and registration: 518-677-2495. Barron running CHESTERFIELD â€” Democratic Town Committee Chairman Matt L. Barron has officially announced his candidacy for the Democratic State Committee from the Berkshire, Franklin and Hampshire District. On the March 2 presidential primary ballot Barron will seek the four-year male seat (in order to guarantee equitable gender representation on the committee, the seats are designated as male or female). â€œMy passion is helping to build our party at the grassroots level, especially in rural communities,â€ Barron said in a news release. â€œMy opponent, Peter G. Arlos, is not representing me or other Democrats in our district. He has not attended a meeting of the DSC during his current four-year term. He neither serves on nor contributes to any state party committees, and he is invisible at party gatherings and events across our district. Mr. Arlos has become a Democratic no-show.â€ Since 1998, Barron has organized 17 Democratic town committees in small towns across western Massachusetts. In June 2001, he initiated the Hilltown Democratic Coalition, a regional group of rural Democrats in 22 towns of Berkshire, Hampshire and Hampden counties. Barron coordinates an e-newsletter, the â€œHilltown Democratic Dispatch,â€ and he has spearheaded the Hilltown Democratic Hoedown events in 1999 and 2002.

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Lanesborough Fifth-Graders Win Snowplow Name Contest

02:13PM / Tuesday, December 23, 2025

LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — One of the snowplows for Highway District 1 has a new name: "The Blizzard Boss."

The name comes from teacher Gina Wagner's fifth-grade class at Lanesborough Elementary School.

The state Department of Transportation announced the winners of the fourth annual "Name A Snowplow" contest on Monday.

The department received entries from public elementary and middle school classrooms across the commonwealth to name the 12 MassDOT snowplows that will be in service during the 2025/2026 winter season.

The purpose of the contest is to celebrate the snow and ice season and to recognize the hard work and dedication shown by public works employees and contractors during winter operations.

"Thank you to all of the students who participated. Your creativity allows us to highlight to all, the importance of the work performed by our workforce," said interim MassDOT Secretary Phil Eng.

"Our workforce takes pride as they clear snow and ice, keeping our roads safe during adverse weather events for all that need to travel. ?To our contest winners and participants, know that you have added some fun to the serious take of operating plows. ?I'm proud of the skill and dedication from our crews and thank the public of the shared responsibility to slow down, give plows space and put safety first every time there is a winter weather event."

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