Cheshire to Paint Mural on Route 8 Rest Stop

CHESHIRE, Mass. — A mural is being planned for the rest area off Route 8 to help beautify the town.

Maureen Riley-Moriarty presented the Selectmen on Tuesday with a minor update on the project, which is pending approval with the state of Massachusetts. The mural will be on a 438-foot-long concrete wall in a rest area off Route 8 near the Green Acres variety store.

Riley-Moriarty said the mural image has not been decided upon, but will likely have a natural theme. Some ideas she had included are wildlife or a reflection of the lake, which is just across Route 8 and the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail from the rest stop.

She plans to involve high school students in the painting of the mural. This would allow them to do something outside after the school year they have spent inside their homes, she said, "and also to build a sense of community for them." She hoped this latter point would deter any potential vandalism of the mural by other high school students.

Riley-Moriarty also assured the Selectmen that the mural would not be a distraction for drivers. Since it will be at a rest stop, drivers would have to pull over to really see it. Riley-Moriarty said this project will "make that shameful wall go away, and even uplift it,” as part of a beautifying project for the town.

In other business:

• The town accountant asked to modify her hours so that she could work together with the treasurer outside of the office. This clashed with the Selectmen's previous decision to mandate that the accountant work 20 hours in-office in order to maintain compliance with the town's health insurance coverage. Eventually, the board compromised and allowed for more flexibility on the accountant's schedule.
• Highway Superintendent Robert Navin reported that his custodian is out on medical leave. He is trying to find a substitute, but said doing so will likely be difficult because the term would likely only last for the duration of the medical leave, which could be as little as four months.

62 'Fighting' Hoosac Valley Students Graduate

Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
08:19PM / Friday, June 05, 2026

Class speaker Noah Rehill describes the class of 2026 as having a fighting spirit. See more photos here. 

CHESHIRE, Mass. — The 62 members of the Hoosac Valley class of 2026 were told to hold on to their fighting spirit during their graduation ceremony. 

"What gives me the most pride in Hoosac is the tenacity our students have. Everyone here is so passionate, which is both a blessing and a curse. A blessing because we fight for our wins, and a curse because we do, indeed, fight," said class speaker Noah Rehill on Friday night. "... But nonetheless, you'll never find a bunch of kids from a public high school in rural Massachusetts with that much fighting spirit within them."

 

Rehill said the class of 2026 fought for audiences during performances, they fought on the Student Adult Advisory Board for better school conditions, they fought on the field, and fought through long nights studying.

 

And now they face a different fight.

 

"We've fought all the way through all the scary thoughts of who we would become when we leave this place," he said. "We've fought through college decisions. We've definitely fought through FAFSA. And here we are tonight, fighting through tears as we celebrate everything it took to get here."

 

Rehill thanked all of those who helped along the way including friends, family, and teachers. He said the school is filled with "hundreds of helping hands." He added that their education went beyond just math or social studies, and the graduates picked up some street smarts along the way.

 

He ended by calling out some community members who took to social media to point out the smaller class sizes graduating from Hoosac Valley. He said there was one message that stated Hoosac Valley's glory days were behind it. 

 

"To that I'd say I disagree and not to worry," he said. "Remember, I got this role by knowing all 62 of my classmates better than anybody, and I have to say that there's a certain magic that you may not see from the outside, but that radiates on the inside...What I've learned from the class of 2026 is that greatness isn't about how many people are standing beside you. It's about what kind of people are standing beside you...So, if anyone is worried that the best days at Hoosac are behind us, I got news for you. I think you're looking in the wrong direction, because the best days of Hoosac are sitting right here in front of you. Congratulations, class of 2026, and one last thing: we will always be better than Drury. Roll Canes.