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Saturday November 21, 2009
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What's Playing


The Drury Drama Team presents "Dracula" on Thursday-Saturday, Nov. 19-21.

If you don't know who these guys are, just stay home. Holy batmania! "New Moon" surpasses "Dark Knight's" opening numbers.


'Pirate Radio': Good Movie Ahoy, Mateys
Movie schedules and times

Bazaars

Nov. 21

St. Stanislaus School benefit, 9 to 4 in Kolbe Hall, Adams. Bake sale, snack bar, games, Chinese auctions, money raffle, crafts, and pierogi.

Blackinton Union Church, 1373 Massachusetts Ave., North Adams; 10 to 2. Crafts table, bake sale, Chinese auction, the Christmas table, and kid's grab bag. Lunch $4, $2 kids.

First Congregational Church, North Adams, 9-2.

Nov. 28

Becket Federated Church
, Route 8, holiday bazaar from 9-3. Lunch, crafts, baked goods, holiday and other items. Information: Mary Peltier, Parish House, 413-623-5217.


Dec. 5

Holiday Fair at First Congregational Church, 25 Park Place, Lee, from 10 to 3; handcrafted items, raffles, children's shop, bake sale, cut Christmas trees and lunch from 11 to 1. Includes angel-themed goods from SERRV. Information, 413-243-1033 or www.ucc-lee.org.


Dec. 12-13

North Adams Country Club, crafts 9-4; food from That's a Wrap from 11-2. Information: Sheryl Morehouse at 413-822-3329.

Planning a bazaar this season? Submit information to info@iberkshires.com to have it listed here.

Sales Fliers

 
 

Daily Digest

Hooray for Vermont's Sanders and his battle against credit card companies.
How Much is Heating Oil this Week?
It's breaking $2.50 but still cheaper than gas.
Clarksburg Crime Watch Signs



We're trying out blogs to offer shorter, easy-to-find news. Let us know what you think.
Send press releases and announcements to info@iberkshires.com. Need to contact someone at iBerkshires? Here's how.
Mammography Dispute
The government's issued controversial new guidelines stating that women shouldn't get annual mammograms until age 50, rather than age 40.

iBerkshires will be meeting with local medical experts Monday. Have a question you'd like answered on this issue? Send it info@iberkshires.com with "mammogram" in the subject line.

Obituaries

Paul Sandler, 64
Robert J. Heideman, 73
Carol V. Vallieres, 75
More obituaries

Sports

Williams College Men's Basketball Season Outlook
2009 MIAA Girls Soccer - State Division 2

Final: Wahconah vs Cardinal Spellman
Date / Time: 11/21/2009; 3:30pm
Location: Foley Stadium, Worcester
MCLA Picked Last in Men's Preseason Coaches Poll

Media Partners

Berkshire News Network (WNAW;WUPE)
WJJW Charlie in the Morning

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Major Roadwork In Adams' Future

By Jen Thomas
11:02AM / Monday, January 28, 2008

ADAMS - Several major road projects are ready to begin construction as town and state officials have partnered up to move forward with long-awaited improvements.

According to Town Administrator William Ketcham and Department of Public Works Director Thomas Satko, construction on Route 116 (Orchard Street) and the Leonard Street bridge are slated for the spring and summer months and plans for the extension of the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail have been established.

Repairs to a 7,900-foot section of road from the Cheshire town line north to near where Orchard Street meets Commonwealth Avenue will be undertaken by the state Highway Department and will hopefully begin in the spring, said Satko. The road, which was also the site of water main construction by the Fire District earlier this year, will be repaved, sidewalks and a 300-foot retaining wall will be rebuilt and minor drainage issues will be addressed.

"Right now, the sidewalks are black top and they only extend totally down one side of the street. They'll be replaced by concrete and widened to five feet [to meet Americans with Disabilities Act specifications]," said Satko.

Stairs that lead up to residences along Orchard Street may need to be removed and then replaced, said Ketcham, and stone walls that were built by property owners will need to be moved back because they are encroaching on state property.
Additionally, as a result of public hearings, concrete retaining walls along one side of the street will have stone veneers, which are much more aesthetically-pleasing for homeowners living opposite them, he said.
 
The total project will cost about $1.7 million, according to MassHighway.

Orchard Street, which is owned by the state but is maintained by the town during winter months, will be under the town's ownership following construction, Satko said. An agreement struck between the town and MassHighway will see the state take over maintenance of Howland Avenue (Route 8) from Specialty Minerals Inc. to the North Adams city line in exchange for the town's full-time maintenance of Route 116.

"When they're done, they'll give us a nice new road," Satko said.

Ketcham said the state may consider a reconfiguration of Howland Avenue to help assuage snow plowing issues that have local residents up in arms.

"There may be some kind of reconfiguration for the future, perhaps some narrowing," he said.


Patchwork paving on Orchard Street after water main work last year.
The Leonard Street bridge will also see construction this spring, as the town expects the aging bridge to get a complete $990,700 makeover. Contracted to Petricca Industries Inc., the project is expected to begin in April and be completed in October.

"It'll be a big change for the residents in that area," said Ketcham.

During the duration of the construction, parking will be suspended on both sides of the street on Bellevue Avenue and detours will be set up to keep traffic off the bridge.

The town's other big project is the extension of the Ashuwillticook Rail trail past Cook Street and north to Lime Street. The approximate 1.2-mile extension of the popular walking and biking trail will cost an estimated $1 million and is still in the planning stages.




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Thank you for the clarification. I had been told that it was a year round maintenance trade-off. I'm not being down about the project...we should take anything we can get....but I'm just so frustrated by the lack of any proactive, interactive discussion on town economic development strategy or growth initiatives. Presentations from community development regarding the projects they spend state and federal monies on are nice but after the fact and inadequate without active networking with and solicitation of new business or commercial development. The town reacts to the odd call coming in but we don't go out and pound the pavement in search of new opportunities. Ask the board of selectmen or administrator when the last time was that they went to a chamber of commerce function or economic development meeting locally.....I've been to practically EVERY one for my job and I NEVER see or hear anyone from Adams. North Adams, Pittsfield, Williamstown and south county communities are ALWAYS represented.....not Adams. As a taxpayer, it is VERY frustrating.
from: Amusedon: 01-29-2008

While it is great news to hear that work will be done on Orchard St (116) and the bridge finally fixed on Leonard, it is not so good news for those that live in the area of Bellevue Ave and the cemetary. With the bridge being closed and 116 being worked on, the only way to any road will be Bellevue Ave. That street will certainly be very busy during the spring, summer and fall!
from: on: 01-29-2008

Amused: there is a new development here...the town will take care of Rte 116 ALL YEAR LONG instead of just in the winter months. Right now this is a state road and the only reason why the town maintains the road during winter months is because of the high school being located on 116. The town of Adams can get there faster thann if they had the state plow and salt the road.
from: sassafrasson: 01-29-2008

This article is not new news, it is an update on future road construction projects for the Town of Adams.
The agreement the town and state has for rt 116 at the current time is only for winter road maintenance (ie snowplowing and sanding). At the current time the town does rt 116 which is a state highway and the state does Howland Ave. which is the towns road. After reconstruction the town and the state will swap the two roads and the town will do all maintenance to rt 116 and the state will do the maintenance to Howland Ave.
from: +fact+on: 01-28-2008

Considering the town has already had an arrangement with the state (10 years I believe) to take care of 116 in lieu of Rte 8 Howland Ave, this is not new news. I hate when they try to pass something like this off as a new development. The fire district had to coordinate their efforts with the state so the pipes could be underground first. That's the bigger news...those new water pipes just made the land opened for development up on East Orchard Terrace and up 116 all the more attractive....and that's what the town needs.....new homes and new taxpayers adding to the coffers.
from: Amusedon: 01-28-2008



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