Pro Hockey Team to Hold Reception, Waiting on State's Blessing

By Stephen DravisIBerkshires.com Sports
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NORTH ADAMS, Mass. -- The leadership of the pro hockey team hoping to hit the ice this winter will break the ice with Berkshire County fans on Wednesday evening at the Freight Yard Pub. 
 
The Berkshire Battalion of the Federal Hockey League will hold a reception from 5 to 7 p.m. Team officials will be on hand to answer questions and take suggestions from fans. 
 
The FHL announced earlier this month that it plans to make the league-owned team the sixth franchise in the 5-year-old, unaffiliated league. The plan is to play a 56-game schedule with home games at the Peter W. Foote Vietnam Veterans Memorial Skating Rink. 
 
On Tuesday afternoon, rink manager Darin Lane said the FHL is awaiting final approval from the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, which manages the North Adams rink and 40 others like it across the commonwealth. 
 
"We're positive it should be OK," Lane said. "[DCR] sent us what they expect, and we sent all the documentation back in. We don't see any roadblocks.
 
"Until we get the final word, we're just waiting. In all fairness to [DCR], they're pretty busy."
 
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MassDOT Warns of Toll-fee Smishing Scam

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Department of Transportation was alerted that a text message-based scam, also known as smishing, is fraudulently claiming to represent tolling agencies from across the country. The scammers are claiming to represent the tolling agency and requesting payment for unpaid tolls.

The targeted phone numbers seem to be chosen at random and are not uniquely associated with an account or usage of toll roads.

Customers who receive an unsolicited text, email, or similar message suggesting it is from EZDriveMA or another toll agency should not click on the link.

EZDriveMA customers can verify a valid text notification in several ways:

  • EZDriveMA will never request payment by text
  • All links associated with EZDriveMA will include www.EZDriveMA.com

The FBI says it has received more than 2,000 complaints related to toll smishing scams since early March and recommends individuals who receive fraudulent messages do the following:

1. File a complaint with the  Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov; be sure to include:

The phone number from where the text originated.
The website listed within the text

2. Check your account using the toll service's legitimate website.

3. Contact the toll service's customer service phone number.

4. Delete any smishing texts received.

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