NORTH ADAMS - A local group wants the city to become part of a worldwide event to break the Guinness World Record for "sport stacking."
Special Forces, a video-recording group that volunteers with Northern Berkshire Community Television Corp., is organizing a stacking event at Northern Berkshire YMCA on Thursday beginning at 6 p.m.
Stackers will, yes, stack and unstack 12 brightly colored cups in predetermined sequences. The game originated in Southern California in the 1980s and has grown in popularity over the last decade as tournaments testing speed and precision have popped up around the world.
The sport is mostly geared for children, although adults also compete in age categories. Tournaments include team relays and doubles. Wikipedia lists 11-year-old David Wolf of Germany as the record holder for the 3-6-3 configuration with a time of 2.65 seconds.
Speed stacking
Doug Greenlaw of Special Forces said Thursday's event isn't a tournament and participants won't be measured for speed. The idea is to try to have as many people as possible stacking for a total of 30 minutes each - with the goal of 200,000 participants worldwide.
Guinness describes the second annual gathering as the "World's Largest Sport Stacking Event." According to the World Sport Stacking Association, some 164,416 stackers, representing 996 schools and organizations from 10 countries, had registered by last week.
Greenlaw said residents of all ages are welcome to join the Special Forces group, which will take registration at the door. The group will submit the verification numbers to Guinness after the event.
"I got a set [of cups] as a present for Christmas," said Greenlaw. "I thought, 'This is awesome.'"
He said people can bring their own equipment and that Special Forces will videotape the event.
It's the latest effort of the group that is made up of primarily special-needs residents and their families. The group, which started as a video-recording unit for the local cable-access station, has become very involved in promoting community events, said Greenlaw.
Experienced stackers, novices and people wondering about the sport are encouraged to come and try it. Game packs that include cups, mat with timer, instructional DVD and cup holder are available at the Wal-Mart in Pittsfield and Target in the Berkshire Mall.
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Lanesborough Town Meeting to Vote Budget, Bylaws & Vehicle Purchases
By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — Tuesday's annual town meeting includes a $14 million operating budget, new short-term rentals, accessory dwelling units and sign bylaws, and free cash article appropriations.
Voters will gather at Lanesborough Elementary School on June 9 at 6 p.m. to decide on 20 warrant articles.
The fiscal 2027 budget is up a little over 10 percent. Some of the main increases are the Mount Greylock Regional School District and McCann Technical School: the McCann assessment is up more than 30 percent based on factors including enrollment and the school renovation project, and Mount Greylock's is up 11 percent.
Article 11 is for the town to vote to approve from free cash the sum of $16,298.48 for the McCann Technical School roof and window replacement project so as not to impact the budget. Article 3 is appropriate $7,586,284 for Mount Greylock Regional School assessment.
Another notable increase was in life and health insurance, showing an increase of about 26 percent.
Ambulance Director Jen Weber is planning 24-hour coverage, which means more staff and a hike in her budget. One of the articles asks the town to appropriate $234,100 to operate the Ambulance Enterprise Fund for salaries and expenses.
Many town departments are looking for new vehicles. The Fire Department is looking to replace its outdated 1996 fire engine. There are two articles related to the truck at a total of $813,366. Article 12 would transfer $225,000 from free cash into the Fire Truck Stabilization Fund; Article 13 would transfer $605,000 from the fund and authorize the borrowing of $208,366.08.
The total includes a $100,000 contingency cost to cover any additional costs if a 2026 model-year chassis cannot be secured before new emissions standards go into effect in 2027.
The board at its last meeting moved the $225,000 transfer to come before the borrowing article, changing the stabilization number. If the $225,000 is not voted on, then they will amend the next article's number on the floor, subtracting the $225,000. This shows the borrowing number significantly lower.
Article 17 asks for the transfer of $80,000 from free cash to replace a police cruiser.
Police Chief Rob Derksen's aim is to replace one vehicle every other year, meaning the oldest vehicle gets replaced about every 10 years.
He stressed that if delayed this year, the town may have to double up in a future year to get back on schedule, and that paying later usually costs more. The article will ask for $80,000 from free cash, the vehicles used to be funded by the BHRD.
Lastly, the Highway Department is looking to replace a 2014 International dump truck that will be a total of $330,000 and will take two to three years to receive.
Money will be used from last year's approval of $250,000 from free cash for the replacement of a 2012 highway front-end loader that was underspent $49,261. Town meeting is being asked to approve a transfer of $53,274.85 from free cash and the use of $227,464 from funds from the Sale of Town Real Estate to fund the balance.
Other free cash proposals include $1,200 to purchase software to support tracking and ongoing maintenance schedules of town-owned vehicles; $42,000 for the replacement of the Highway Department's storage shed roof, $200,000 to reduce the tax levy.
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