News & Notes: Round and Round They'll Go

By Larry KratkaBerkshire News Network
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PITTSFIELD — Build it and they will come. That's the projection of a group of residents currently raising money and awareness of a project to build a carousel and equip it with 36 horses carved by local artists. 

The carousal building will be constructed on property that was once the site of the old Falcon Chevrolet/Cadillac dealership on Center Street, alongside the current CVS store.

The site had been proposed for a minor league baseball stadium until voters shot the idea down several years ago. The CVS store was built there but the rest of the property's been vacant.

Organizer Frank Bonnevie said the group's vision of the project is a 60-foot diameter, enclosed gazebo to house the carousel and an attached building for a carousel museum. 

The carousel would be open year-round. The state-of-the-art museum would house memorabilia and a history of carousels. The project is the dream of developer Jim Shulman, who purchased the property for $325,000 and is recruiting area artisans to carve each of the 36 carousel horses.


Shulman, a retired psychologist from Ohio, is a Pittsfield High School graduate.

Organizers are shooting for a grand opening in 2011, the 250th anniversary of Pittsfield's founding. A fundraiser event will be held the weekend of May 3 and 4 under a big top at the Center Street location — complete with a 60-horse carousel. 

The benefit will include silent and live auctions and a raffle, all for time (and lunch) with local celebrities and at area cultural venues.

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Possible Measles Exposure at Boston, Logan

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Department of Public Health confirmed Wednesday that an out-of-state adult visitor who spent time in Boston and Westborough earlier this month was diagnosed with measles and was present in a number of locations.
 
This could have resulted in other people being exposed to measles virus.
 
The visitor arrived at Logan International Airport on American Airlines flight 2384 from Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, on Dec. 11 at 2:39 p.m. They stayed at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Boston-Westborough in Westborough and departed the state on Dec. 12 via Logan at 9:19 p.m. on JetBlue flight 117 to Las Vegas.
 
DPH is working with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local partners to identify and notify those who may have been exposed to measles from this individual.
 
"Measles is a highly contagious, airborne disease, which has increased significantly in the United States because of the unfortunate decrease in vaccination rates. It is also a preventable disease," said Public Health Commissioner Dr. Robbie Goldstein. "This current situation serves as an important reminder of the critical role vaccination plays in protecting our communities. While Massachusetts has not had a measles case this year, 2025 saw the highest number of nationwide cases in more than a decade — nearly 2,000 in 44 jurisdictions, and sadly, three deaths. 
 
"Fifteen years ago, measles had been considered eliminated in the United States, but that tremendous progress is at risk. Vaccines are one of the most important public health interventions ever — they are safe, effective, and lifesaving."
 
Measles is very contagious. However, the risk to most people in Massachusetts is low because the vaccination rate in the state is high. People who are not immune and visited any of the locations on the following dates and times may be at risk for developing measles.
 
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