Lanesborough Opts Out of Early Voting By Mail

LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — Voters will not be able to cast ballots early by mail but can they can still request an absentee ballot for the town election.

Last week, Clerk Ruth Knysh asked the Select Board to opt out of early voting by mail for municipal elections. Her request came after the state expanded access last year.

"An act passed to allow early voting by mail for local elections. It used to be just state and federal," she said. "So my thought on that is it's not in my budget, it's a lot of extra work added on me. I'm only one person in there."

Knysh explained that all of the mail-in ballots would have to be opened and processed by herself before being checked against signatures in the state computer.

"It's a process and the local elections are not well participated in," she said. "I'm just worried that if that is an option to vote by mail, we're going to get hundreds of people that don't typically vote wanting to vote by mail because they can."

The Select Board accepted the request, understanding the nature of Knysh's concern. The board also approved her request to have a police officer at the polling location for every election to "preserve order and protect the election officers." This also is now required by the state.

So far, incumbent Michael Murphy is being challenged by Barbara Davis-Hassan and Deborah Maynard for a three-year seat on the Select Board. 

Work Underway On Blighted Dalton Home But Issues Persist

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
11:59AM / Monday, June 22, 2026

The first phase of remediating the property includes cleanup and exterior work. The property is in receivership through the Attorney General's Office. 

DALTON, Mass. — For over a decade, neighbors have called 27 Mountain View Terrace an eyesore and a safety risk, and now, after a year in court, work is being done to address the blighted condition. 

 

The single-family home was condemned by the town's Board of Health in October 2025 following little progress to address the code violations despite multiple months. 

 

The property was cited for several safety issues, including clutter blocking egresses, a collapsing roof and porch, mold throughout the house, especially in the basement where there is water damage, and the lack of water, electricity, and gas. 

 

Neighbors also attended Board of Health meetings to complain about the rats that have infested their homes coming from the "abandoned" property and the unkept grass in the back yard. According to court documents, there is evidence of pests. 

 

Kathryn Kohlenberger, who lives right next to the property, said she has been dealing with the decaying conditions for 12 years and had to put mouse boxes and cayenne pepper around her house to prevent mice from entering her property. 

 

On March 11, 2026, the Attorney General's Office approved the appointment of a receiver, TM Properties Inc., which has a four-phase plan to rehabilitate the home. The anticipated cost of the project is estimated at $160,714.00 inclusive of all fees.

 

According to court documents, the property has been vacant since 2004. It was appraised, in May 2026, at about $250,000 after rehabilitation and about $50,000 in its current condition.