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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Lanesborough Fifth-Graders Win Snowplow Name Contest

LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — One of the snowplows for Highway District 1 has a new name: "The Blizzard Boss."
 
The name comes from teacher Gina Wagner's fifth-grade class at Lanesborough Elementary School. 
 
The state Department of Transportation announced the winners of the fourth annual "Name A Snowplow" contest on Monday. 
 
The department received entries from public elementary and middle school classrooms across the commonwealth to name the 12 MassDOT snowplows that will be in service during the 2025/2026 winter season. 
 
The purpose of the contest is to celebrate the snow and ice season and to recognize the hard work and dedication shown by public works employees and contractors during winter operations. 
 
"Thank you to all of the students who participated. Your creativity allows us to highlight to all, the importance of the work performed by our workforce," said  interim MassDOT Secretary Phil Eng.  
 
"Our workforce takes pride as they clear snow and ice, keeping our roads safe during adverse weather events for all that need to travel. ?To our contest winners and participants, know that you have added some fun to the serious take of operating plows. ?I'm proud of the skill and dedication from our crews and thank the public of the shared responsibility to slow down, give plows space and put safety first every time there is a winter weather event."
 
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