Leo Kottke at the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall

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Leo Kottke
TROY, NY - His sensational idiosyncratic finger picking styles and acoustic performance are mesmerizing. His quirky jumble of folk, blues and bluegrass styles are captivating. On Saturday, April 12 at 8 p.m., Leo Kottke returns to the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall and there's no better venue in which to get up close and personal with this master guitarist.

Kottke found his love of music at an early age and -despite his diminished hearing in both ears -continued his infatuation. This love of music led him across the country, where he finally settled in the Twin Cities area and became a recurrent face in the city's folk club scene. He recorded his first album in 1969, live from the Minneapolis Scholar Coffee House under the small Oblivion label.

Almost four decades later, Leo Kottke has produced 28 albums and established himself as one of the leading acoustic solo guitarists in the country. Although he has experimented with many different musical instruments from the trombone to the violin, his love affair with the guitar endures.

In 1971 Kottke signed with Capitol Records and soon after produced Mudlark. His music flourished under the Capitol label, where he slowly transitioned from instrumental performer to singer/songwriter. He reached the U.S. top 50 with Chewing Pine in 1975 and in 1976 switched his label to Chrysalis. In the 1980s a combination of Kottke's intense and powerful technique and his taxing touring schedule took its toll on his hands. After a short break he returned to the Private Music Label and in 2002 caught the audiences' attention once again with Clone, a musical collaboration between Kottke and Mike Gordon of Phish.

Throughout his career Kottke has fascinated his audiences with his quick play and even quicker fingers. Some of his most accomplished works can be found in such albums as 6 and 12 String Guitar, Green House, Ice Water, My Father's Face and Great Big Boy, which featured a guest appearance by Lyle Lovett..

Tickets for Leo Kottke are $29 and $26 and may be purchased through the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall Box Office by calling (518) 273-0038 or online at www.troymusichall.org. The Music Hall Box Office opens 90 minutes prior to the performance. Otherwise, Box Office operations are handled at its business office at 30 Second Street, Monday through Friday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. The Troy Savings Bank Music Hall's full season schedule can be viewed at www.troymusichall.org
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Lanesborough Town Meeting to Vote Budget, Bylaws & Vehicle Purchases

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — Tuesday's annual town meeting includes a $14 million operating budget, new short-term rentals, accessory dwelling units and sign bylaws, and free cash article appropriations.

Voters will gather at Lanesborough Elementary School on June 9 at 6 p.m. to decide on 20 warrant articles.

The fiscal 2027 budget is up a little over 10 percent. Some of the main increases are the Mount Greylock Regional School District and McCann Technical School: the McCann assessment is up more than 30 percent based on factors including enrollment and the school renovation project, and Mount Greylock's is up 11 percent.

Article 11 is for the town to vote to approve from free cash the sum of $16,298.48 for the McCann Technical School roof and window replacement project so as not to impact the budget. Article 3 is  appropriate $7,586,284 for Mount Greylock Regional School assessment.

Another notable increase was in life and health insurance, showing an increase of about 26 percent.

Ambulance Director Jen Weber is planning 24-hour coverage, which means more staff and a hike in her budget. One of the articles asks the town to appropriate $234,100 to operate the Ambulance Enterprise Fund for salaries and expenses.

Many town departments are looking for new vehicles. The Fire Department is looking to replace its outdated 1996 fire engine. There are two articles related to the truck at a total of $813,366. Article 12 would transfer $225,000 from free cash into the Fire Truck Stabilization Fund; Article 13 would transfer $605,000 from the fund and authorize the borrowing of $208,366.08.

The total includes a $100,000 contingency cost to cover any additional costs if a 2026 model-year chassis cannot be secured before new emissions standards go into effect in 2027.

The board at its last meeting moved the $225,000 transfer to come before the borrowing article, changing the stabilization number. If the $225,000 is not voted on, then they will amend the next article's number on the floor, subtracting the $225,000. This shows the borrowing number significantly lower.

Article 17 asks for the transfer of $80,000 from free cash to replace a police cruiser.

Police Chief Rob Derksen's aim is to replace one vehicle every other year, meaning the oldest vehicle gets replaced about every 10 years. 

He stressed that if delayed this year, the town may have to double up in a future year to get back on schedule, and that paying later usually costs more. The article will ask for $80,000 from free cash, the vehicles used to be funded by the BHRD.

Lastly, the Highway Department is looking to replace a 2014 International dump truck that will be a total of $330,000 and will take two to three years to receive.

Money will be used from last year's approval of $250,000 from free cash for the replacement of a 2012 highway front-end loader that was underspent $49,261. Town meeting is being asked to approve  a transfer of $53,274.85 from free cash and the use of $227,464 from funds from the Sale of Town Real Estate to fund the balance.

Other free cash proposals include $1,200 to purchase software to support tracking and ongoing maintenance schedules of town-owned vehicles; $42,000 for the replacement of the Highway Department's storage shed roof, $200,000 to reduce the tax levy.

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