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The city received a state grant to make signage and marking changes to improve pedestrian safety near Colegrove Park Elementary School.

North Adams Receives $6K Safe Routes to Schools Grant

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
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NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — East Main Street will be getting new signage, including a solar-powered signal, to improve pedestrian safety near Colegrove Park Elementary School.
 
The improvements will be funded by a $6,000 Safe Routes to School grant accepted by the City Council on Tuesday.
 
The public schools have partnered with the state Department of Transportation program since 2016 and more recently was the recipient of a $622,000 project to reconfigure the entrance and sidewalks to the Northern Berkshire Family YMCA and Brayton Elementary.
 
The application for this latest grant from the federally funded program was accepted last fall. The Signs and Lines program is for low-cost infrastructure around elementary and middle schools.
 
A committee of school and city personnel made plans for the grant that have been approved by the Traffic Commission earlier this month. The city is responsible for implementing the plan and then applying for reimbursement from the grant.
 
The area affected runs from the entrance to the library up to the intersection with Miner and Pleasant streets. It will consist of reduced speed limit, new pavement markings for lines, crosswalks and bicycles, and new signage. The solar-powered, blinking radar sign will be programmable and operate between school hours of 7 a.m. and 4 p.m.
 
The grant was accepted overwhelmingly with Councilor Benjamin Lamb, whose wife Emily Schiavoni coordinated the grant, abstaining and Councilor Jason LaForest absent.
 
In other business during the brief meeting, the council:
 
Approved extending the B-2 zone on Massachusetts Avenue east to include 1272 Mass Ave. The property is owned by Centerville Sticks LLC and adjacent to other properties owned or affiliated to Centerville that are in the B-2 zone. The Planning Board approved the change earlier this month after a joint hearing with the council.
 
• Confirmed Christa Sprague to the Human Services Commission for a term to expire Feb. 1, 2024.
 
• Approved the installation of a metal-frame awning at 85 Union St., property owned by Scarafoni & Associates. Proof of liability insurance and council approval was required because the awning will overhang public property.
 
• Referred to General Government and Community Development an ordinance change that would allow the city to revoke special permits if the holders fail to comply with conditions or to pay taxes and fees. The changes are recommended by the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission and were submitted by Councilor Wayne Wilkinson. 

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Companion Corner: Stink at No Paws Left Behind

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — There's a cat at No Paws Left Behind looking for his forever home.

iBerkshire's Companion Corner is a weekly series spotlighting an animal in our local shelters that is ready to find a home.

Don't let the name fool you! Stink is a 4-year-old domestic shorthair tabby who has been at the shelter for about a month.

Volunteer Claire Morin introduced us to him.

Stink came from his previous home after not getting along with some of the cats there.

"He came from a woman who had horses. He was an indoor cat, but he also spent some time in the barn, and I think he was not getting along with the other cats at the house."

Stink does like to roam around and check new stuff out. He can be a little shy at first but once he comes out he likes to play with toys and get a lot of pets. He can be quite territorial especially around male cats.

"He clearly likes treats. He likes to explore when he's out. He is a little bit territorial, so he has not come out that much. Actually, I'm surprised that he's out today, but, like I said, he prefers the company of female cats," she said. "He has been sort of interacting today with the male cats that he can now see ... he hasn't been acting out or hissing or anything towards them."

While it takes him a while to get out of his shell he is not shy to chat with you, most likely asking for more pets or to play.

"He does like people, he's very affectionate. He would not come out on his own for a long time. We could open the cage and he would interact with us, and he would be super sweet. You could interact with him, but he really preferred to stay in his cage. But now that he started to come out more, he's a lot more interactive," she said.

Stink would have to go home as the only cat or with a female cat because of his aversion to male cats.

"I think his perfect home would be someone who has children who are over the age of 8, because he can be a little bit territorial," Morin said. "The home can be cat friendly, there can be other cats, but preferably female, because he has been reactive towards male cats here at the shelter, and he can go home with dogs that have interacted with cats before."

Stink is a very sweet guy who can't wait to talk and snuggle up to you. Plus, you can pick a new name for him.

"I just think he's a super warm, friendly cat. He's clearly exploring the whole space today. He doesn't come out that often, but he's very gentle and very sweet," she said.

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