Pittsfield Plans Second Mosquito Spraying Friday

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Health Department has announced that spraying will once again take place on Friday between 9 p.m. and 2 a.m. in response to the recent Eastern Equine Encephalitis finding in the city.

Spraying will occur in the southeast section of the city in the area bordered by East Street to the North, Dalton Division Road to the East, Williams and Elm streets to the south, and Dorchester Avenue and Newell Street to the west.

"While no other special measures are required either before or after the application, residents may consider closing windows, turning off fans and air conditioners, washing homegrown vegetables, removing clothes from the clothesline and staying indoors during the applications," said Public Health Director Merridith O'Leary.

Last Friday, the state Department of Public Health announced that EEE virus has been detected in bird-biting mosquitoes collected from the southeast section of Pittsfield. Berkshire County Mosquito Control treated the area last weekend, and plans to follow up again on Friday evening as recommended by the MDPH and Berkshire County Mosquito Control Project.

All spray exclusions registered with the Berkshire County Mosquito Project will be honored during this latest treatment. Any resident who wishes to opt out of the this application and future treatments is asked to contact the BCMP before Friday at 5 at 413-474-9808.

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Wahconah Students Join Statewide 'SOS' Call for Rural School Funding

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff

DALTON, Mass. — Students at Wahconah Regional High School are urging the state to fully fund Rural School Aid that supports essential services that shape their future.
 
Rural districts across the state participated in Rural and Declining Enrollment Schools Week of Action to insist Beacon Hill fully fund rural aid at $60 million. 
 
Schools across Massachusetts sent their pleas for aid to lawmakers through letter-writing campaigns, sign-making, and coordinated gatherings where students and educators formed the letters "SOS."

Wahconah students did something different — they created an educational video detailing the need for increased funding for rural schools with the school's music teacher Brian Rabuse, who edited the video, Assistant Superintendent Aaron Robb said. 

The advocacy efforts move the issue from spreadsheets to show the human cost of a funding formula previously described as "remarkably wrong." 
 
During an interview with iBerkshires, students expressed how districts without rural aid would have to make reductions in world language programing, mental health support, extracurricular opportunities, and other areas they find essential. 
 
"Our students deserve the same quality of education as any child in Massachusetts, regardless of their ZIP code," Superintendent Mike Henault said in a press release.
 
"The week of action is an opportunity for our communities to come together and make it clear to Beacon Hill that the status quo is no longer acceptable." 
 
Rural schools attempt to create the same quality education as urban and suburban areas while balancing high fixed costs of transportation and operations of geographically large, low-population districts.
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