Crow Suspected in North County Power Outage

Staff ReportsiBerkshires
11:55AM / Saturday, March 12, 2011Print Story | Email Story

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — An errant crow apparently caused a power outage that affected nearly 7,000 National Grid customers on Saturday morning.

While the utility company can't confirm for sure it was the bird, a crow was found at the North Adams substation, said National Grid spokeswoman Jackie Barry.

"Crows, sometimes when they alight or take off different parts of their body touch different parts of energized equipment and it can arc," she said, because of their size and wingspan. "There was no damage to the equipment but it shut off a number of breakers that are connected to three lines that serve Williamstown and North Adams."

The breakers flipped at about 10:30, affecting customers in North Adams' West End, Williamstown and south along the west side of Route 7, according to the company's power outage map. The outage lasted about 45 minutes.

The utility does put in animal deterrents but they can find their way in, said Barry, particularly squirrels.

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Gotta love iberkshires for being on the ball and getting this story up so fast! thanks!
from: well done	on: 03-12-2011 12:11PM I Agree (28) - I Disagree (0)

Does anyone ever thing about asking a utility company for a credit for the 45 min. we went without service? Just wondering.
from: L.Perry	on: 03-12-2011 04:47PM I Agree (4) - I Disagree (13)

Your meter stopped for 45min. that is your credit.
from: Percy	on: 03-12-2011 05:10PM I Agree (16) - I Disagree (0)

Man I hope L Perry is never in a real disaster if they can't handle 45 minutes with no power without demanding some accommodations.
from: Electric Slide	on: 03-12-2011 05:39PM I Agree (15) - I Disagree (0)

To L Perry's point ... the opposite is likely to happen. I wonder how much National Grid guys make for overtime on a Saturday when they're called to take care of this. The little fried crow incident probably cost several hundred dollars in overtime. Do they get a four-hour minimum?
from: well done crow	on: 03-12-2011 08:25PM I Agree (6) - I Disagree (0)

I once lived in the Berkshires, now live in New Hampshire. In the last 2 years I have lost my power for weeks at a time. Do not complain about 45 minutes!!!!!!
from: liz	on: 03-13-2011 09:39AM I Agree (10) - I Disagree (1)

Don't know about anyone else but these crows are becoming quite the nusanace in many parts of the City. They have grown to an enormous amount. Wait 'til Spring, you'll get wake up calls about 4am. I hate the damn things. Wish there was something that can be done to get rid of them. Any ideas? Maybe if enough of these incidents happen the authorities will do something about it?
from:	on: 03-14-2011 07:06AM I Agree (4) - I Disagree (0)

@Liz I to once lived in the berkshires and live in NH as well.Ive been here since 2004.And Last Feb we lost power for 5 days.I can't believe someone would even think about asking the electric company for accomidations.45 Minutes is nothing compaired to how often we lose it up here.
from: Formerresident	on: 03-14-2011 10:58AM I Agree (3) - I Disagree (0)

If you are worried about crows being a nuisance in your yard, then get a cat!
from: about the crows	on: 03-14-2011 12:35PM I Agree (0) - I Disagree (3)

To Well Done Crow: Right on! Rather than pay those guys a 4 hr min to come in and restore your power on a Sat morning, tell them to stay home! You wouldn't mind using candles and cooking on a fire in your yard till they come in on Mon morning.
from: Yail Bloor III	on: 03-15-2011 12:18PM I Agree (1) - I Disagree (0)

What about the other west end outage this week? And the fact is, at least in the west end, the power is out at least once a week.
from: lights out	on: 03-18-2011 02:14PM I Agree (0) - I Disagree (1)

Way to go genius....the damn crows are twice the size of a cat. Now there's an intelligent thought. Maybe a 12 gauge and some #2 birdshot would solve the problem. Although it is tough to do living in the city. Here's a thought, move to the country with the fisher cats and bears. They're more entertaining.
from: NRA supporter	on: 03-19-2011 10:41PM I Agree (0) - I Disagree (0)

North Adams Cemetery Commission Supports Green Burials

By Tammy Daniels iBerkshires Staff
05:14AM / Friday, February 06, 2026

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Cemetery Commission indicated it had no issues with the addition of so-called "green" burials at Southview Cemetery and referred the matter to the mayor's office.

The decision came after a discussion on last Friday with representatives from the Cemetery Department and input from Nicholas Flynn of Flynn & Dagnoli Funeral Homes.

"The city has been approached about green burials, a true interest in having them happen," said Rosemari Dickinson, of the Cemetery Department. "And at this time we haven't done any. So we talked about it, and thought it had to come before you, to give the advice to administration, and in reviewing it and deciding if it's something that you want to support."

Paul Markland, of the Department of Public Works, picked out a spot near the Weber Mausoleum that could used for green burial lots.

"It's kind of pie-shaped, more or less. It's at a higher elevation, you're probably 150 feet above the pond," he said, referring to the pond in the northwest corner of cemetery near the equipment building.

"I don't know the exact number how many we can get in there yet, I'm going to guess 25 to 30."

Dickinson said the draft policy presented would allow someone who already owns a lot to have a green burial in one.

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