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Sen. Adam Hinds’ 2018 greeting card was designed by Lenox sixth-grader Savannah Reber.

Hinds Seeks Designs for Annual Holiday Card Contest

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — School is in session and summer doesn't officially end until Sept. 23, but Team Hinds is thinking about the holidays.

State Sen. Adam G. Hinds (D- Pittsfield) has sent packages to 57 schools across his Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin and Hampden District inviting students in grades three through six to participate in his annual Holiday Card Design Contest.

Each December, Hinds sends almost 1,000 greeting cards by mail to friends, family, colleagues and constituents. The winning design will be used as the cover art for his 2019 holiday greeting card. The student artist will be identified on the card, featured in the senator's media and social media outreach, and win a pizza party for their classroom with Hinds.

"One of my favorite things to do is visit local schools and interact with students of all ages," Hinds said. "I love the holidays, and I love to see children’s excitement during the holiday season. This contest lets our team tap into that excitement and spread cheer throughout the community."

Last year, 348 students from a dozen schools located across western Massachusetts submitted entries to the contest. The winning drawing was submitted by Savannah Reber, who was then a sixth-grader at Lenox Memorial Middle & High School. For weeks, Hinds’ district office, located in downtown Pittsfield, was extremely festive, decorated with all the student entries.


"Visitors in my office loved looking at all the artwork last year," Hinds said. "I know I'm looking forward to seeing them all as well."

The contest is open to all students in grades three through six who live in one of the 52 communities within the senator's Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin & Hampden District. The winning image will be chosen by Hinds and used as the cover of his 2019 holiday greeting card. The image may also be used in the his press and social media. The printed holiday card will credit the student artist by listing their name, age, grade, hometown and school. The winning student will be announced by Senator Hinds in December and will win a pizza party luncheon with the Senator for their classroom.

Contest entries must be returned to Hinds' Pittsfield office no later than 4 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 15. Entries may be dropped off in the office Monday through Friday during normal business hours, or mailed to Senator Adam Hinds Holiday Greeting Card Contest, 100 North Street, Suite 410, Pittsfield, MA 01201. Entries can also be scanned (in color) and emailed.

Contest entry forms have been mailed to schools in Hinds' district this week, and are also available on the senator's social media pages or by contacting his office.


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North Street Parking Study Favors Parallel Parking

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A parking study of North Street will be presented at Tuesday's City Council meeting. The design maintains parallel parking while expanding pedestrian zones and adding protected bike lanes.

The city, by request, has studied parking and bike lane opportunities for North Street and come up with the proposal staged for implementation next year. 

While the request was to evaluate angle parking configurations, it was determined that it would present too many trade-offs such as impacts on emergency services, bike lanes, and pedestrian spaces.

"The commissioner has been working with Downtown Pittsfield Inc. and my office to come up with this plan," Mayor Peter Marchetti said during his biweekly television show "One Pittsfield."

"We will probably take this plan on the road to have many public input sessions and hopefully break ground sometime in the summer of 2025."

Working with Kittleson & Associates, the city evaluated existing typical sections, potential parking
configurations, and a review of parking standards. It compared front-in and back-in angle parking and explored parking-space count alterations, emergency routing, and alternate routes for passing through traffic within the framework of current infrastructure constraints.

The chosen option is said to align with the commitment to safety, inclusivity, and aesthetic appeal and offer a solution that enhances the streetscape for pedestrians, businesses, cyclists, and drivers without compromising the functionality of the corridor.

"The potential for increasing parking space is considerable; however, the implications on safety and the overall streetscape call for a balanced approach," Commissioner of Public Services and Utilities Ricardo Morales wrote.

Bike lanes and parking have been a hot topic over the last few years since North Street was redesigned.

In September 2020, the city received around $239,000 in a state Shared Streets and Spaces grant to support new bike lanes, curb extensions, vehicle lane reductions, and outdoor seating areas, and enhanced intersections for better pedestrian safety and comfort.

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