Communities including North Adams have been removing hoop rims to discourage youth congregating at public parks.
Reminder that playgrounds and sports facilities are closed during the state of emergency. Walking paths, fields and benches are still open but group activities and sports such as basketball are prohibited. Playground equipment is not being sanitized and should not be used. Remember to maintain social distancing of 6 feet or more.
North Adams Administrative Officer Michael Canales said the hoop rims were removed from parks including Noel Field and UNO because young people were gathering there.
"Right now parks only for passive recreation," he said. "We removed the rims because even if they're passing a basketball between them, they're making contact through the ball. ... We want them to socially distance."
North Adams has installed large signs at the parks reminding residents of the rules but Canales acknowledged it has been difficult to enforce at the skate park.
Adams has also closed all its athletic fields, skate park and playground equipment, although passive use can continue including on the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail if people follow the 6-foot rule.
Pittsfield is removing some of its playground equipment and roping off areas to discourage use.
State parks are also open, however, "if visitors of state parks observe areas with high concentrations of people, the public is asked to leave the location and either visit a different park in the area or return at a later date or time."
Pittsfield Updates Meal Sites
Effective Monday, March 30, the Pittsfield Public Schools will begin a new schedule for breakfast and lunch service. Meal service for will run from noon to 1 p.m.
The program will be in effect Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. On each day that the meal program is in operation, students will receive meals for multiple days.
The new schedule is as follows:
Monday: meals for Monday and Tuesday
Wednesday: meals for Wednesday and Thursday
Friday: meals for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
The following sites throughout Pittsfield are as follows:
Morningside Community School, 100 Burbank St.
Conte Community School, 200 West Union St.
Dower Square Housing Village, 253 Wahconah St.
The Berkshire Family YMCA, 292 North St.
Boys & Girls Club of the Berkshires,16 Melville St.
Brattlebrook Apartments, April Lane.
Berkshire Peak Apartments, 341 West St.
Wilson Park Housing, Memorial Drive.
Lenox Offices Closed
The Lenox Town Hall offices are closed and staff are checking emails and voicemails remotely. A drop box has been placed in the Police Department lobby intended for correspondence that would normally have to be dropped off in a town office.
Orchards Hotel Closes
The Orchards Hotel in Williamstown posted on Facebook that it was closing "in the best interest of our community at large."
"Per directives and guidance from state officials and the CDC, and in light of recent events, it means that we have made the difficult choice to suspend operations at our hotel for the time being," wrote general manager Janell LaFleche. "We are monitoring this evolving situation constantly and look forward to reopening our doors and welcoming you as soon as possible."
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.
Your Comments
iBerkshires.com welcomes critical, respectful dialogue. Name-calling, personal attacks, libel, slander or foul language is not allowed. All comments are reviewed before posting and will be deleted or edited as necessary.
No Comments
Clarksburg FinCom, Select Board Agree on $1.9M Town Operating Budget
By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
CLARKSBURG, Mass. — The town is looking at an operating budget of $1,859,413 for fiscal 2025, down a percent from this year largely because of debt falling off.
Town officials are projecting a total budget at about $5.1 million, however, the School Committee is not expected to approve a school budget for two more weeks so no final number has been determined.
Town officials said they've asked the school budget to come in at a 2 percent increase. Finance Committee member Carla Fosser asked what would happen if it was more than that.
"Then we would need to make cuts," said Town Administrator Carl McKinney, adding, "I'm a product of that school. But at the same time, we have a town to run to and, you know, we're facing uncertain weather events. And our culverts are old, the roads are falling apart. ... ."
The assessment to McCann Technical School is $363,220, down about $20,000 from this year.
The major increases on the town side are step and cost-of-living raises for employees (with the exception of the town clerk at her request), the addition of a highway laborer, an increase in hours from 16 to 24 for the town accountant, and insurance and benefits that are about $70,000. There is a slight increase for employee training and supplies such as postage.
Select Board Chair Robert Norcross at Wednesday's joint meeting with the Finance Committee, said the town's employees are hard-working and that wages aren't keeping up with inflaction.
The closure was announced on the store's Facebook page late Sunday night, where it immediately drew comments of remembrance and well-wishing.
click for more
Spring arriving in all its raucous and deliberate awakening is heralded by a symphony of vanguard spring peepers, hyla crucifer, that transform the cold and drear into a circus of vivacious trilling. click for more
The fate of the facility attached to Brayton School has been in limbo since the closure of the pool last year because of structural issues and the departure of the Berkshire Family YMCA in March.
click for more