Berkshire Briefs: Carousel Horse Unveiled, Mall Road Prepped

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Berkshire Carousel Reveals First Pony

By Larry Kratka

Berkshire News Network


Photo by Larry Kratka
Kali was modeled after 1910 creation by master carver John Zalar.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The first completed handcarved horse for the Berkshire Carousel was unveiled during an open house Saturday night. The nonprofit group is working to build an old-fashioned, wooden carousel and matching museum in the city.

The painted and bejeweled pony is one of 11 currently being carved in the Whipple Street workshop.  Berkshire Carousel Director Maria Caccaviello said there was a lot of research put into the creation of "Kali," adding that hundreds of hours were spent on carving and preparing it for painting. 

Kali is a beautifully appointed Coney Island-style pony that was worked on by many volunteers over the past year. Each horse is sponsored and Kali was sponsored by former Pittsfield resident Mrs. Milton Linder of Phoenix. Kali was modeled after a horse carved by famed carver John Zalar in 1910. 

Zalar was a carousel builder at New York's Coney Island and the original figure was on a carousel that operated in Ocean Beach Park in New London, Conn., for many years. More sponsors and volunteers are needed for the project. Interested parties may call 413-499-0342.



Mall Road Work to Begin

By Al Hartheimer

Lanesborough News

LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — The contract is signed. The signs are up. The surveyors are at work. There is no work started on the Partridge Road detour yet.

Mark Ringee of the state Highway Department, District 1 in Lenox, said Friday that preparatory work on Partridge Road, clearing brush and widening at some places will start soon. Shortly after the asphalt plants open on April 1, Partridge Road will be repaved. The temporary road from the underpass to the mall will also be built at this time.

Then the two-mile mall road will be closed and the major work will begin. The contract specifies that the reconstruction of the mall road from Route 7 to the mall be completed and reopened by Nov. 15. The section of the road from the mall to Route 8 will be done in 2011. Some $10 million in stimulus funds is being used for the long-delayed project.
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FedPoint Accepting Applications for its 2026 Nursing Scholarships

PORTSMOUTH, NH. — FedPoint, a federal benefits administrator and marketplace operator, announced the window to apply for its annual nursing scholarships is now open.
 
The company will award four $5,000 scholarships, with recipients to be announced in May during National Nurses Week, which occurs from May 6-12.
 
"Nurses serve as a critical foundation of the healthcare system," said FedPoint CEO Kevin Hill. "Our scholarship program is designed to attract and develop the next generation of nursing talent and reinforce our communities' ability to meet future care demands."
 
Eligible applicants for the merit-based scholarships include graduating high school seniors, adult learners, and individuals pursuing a career change. Candidates must be U.S. citizens residing in New Hampshire, Maine or Massachusetts who are entering their first year of an accredited nursing program in the fall of 2026. More details about the scholarship, eligibility requirements, decision criteria and important dates are available at fedpointusa.com/scholarships.
 
As a benefits administrator for the Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program (FLTCIP), FedPoint employs several dozen nurses who provide care coordination and planning services to thousands of claimants and their families. The company introduced the FedPoint Nursing Scholarship in 2023 to promote nursing as a highly rewarding career and help bolster the future nursing workforce in northern New England and beyond.
 
The deadline to apply for the 2026 FedPoint Nursing Scholarship is Friday, March 20, 2026. The scholarship review panel will include members of FedPoint's own care coordination team, as well as nurses from the Cornerstone Visiting Nurse Association.
 
For more information on the FedPoint Nursing Scholarship, visit fedpointusa.com/scholarships.
 
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