MCLA to offer Green Living series

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North Adams – Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) will begin a Green Living Seminar series this semester, entitled “From personal decisions to large scale conservation efforts: an introduction to the diverse stewards of the environment.” The program is coordinated by Elena Traister, a faculty member of environmental studies. The purpose of the program is to inform the community about the ways that environmental conservation can be achieved through individual actions in combination with larger scale environmental efforts. The first speaker in this series is MCLA alumnus, Christopher Derby Kilfoyle ’76, president of Berkshire Photovoltaic Services, who will present “The power of solar energy: Benefits and costs of implementing photovoltaics in Massachusetts.” The program will take place at 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 31 in Sullivan Lounge in the Amsler Campus Center. Kilfoyle has led BPVS, Berkshire Photovoltaic Services since its formation twenty years ago. The Adams company, a selected contractor for Utility, DOE, and NREL sponsored projects, has designed and installed commercial, residential and agricultural PV systems throughout New England and New York. A leader of the popular "PV for Professionals" workshops sponsored by the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association, Kilfoyle, is a NABCEP certified PV installer. A long time member of the American Solar Energy Society and a founding member of the Solar Energy Business Association of New England, he is also the Technical Advisor to the Cornell University Solar Decathlon Team and a frequent guest lecturer on PV and Energy policy issues at Cornell and the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. Green Living presentations are free and open to the public. Each presentation will last approximately one hour, and light refreshments will be provided. For further information, contact Traister at 413-662-5301.
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Lanesborough Fifth-Graders Win Snowplow Name Contest

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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