Charles Cahoon to Give Talk on Hoosac Tunnel Aug. 7

09:31AM / Sunday, July 24, 2022Print Story | Email Story

STEPHENTOWN, N.Y. — Charles Cahoon will give an illustrated talk on the Hoosac Tunnel, on Sunday, Aug. 7, at 2 p.m. at the Stephentown Heritage Center.

The tunnel, a straight run of 4.75 miles between North Adams and the Massachusetts town of Florida, is the longest active railroad tunnel east of the Rockies. This Stephentown Historical Society program meeting will be held. The program is free and the building is handicapped accessible.

The construction of the Hoosac Tunnel produced a shorter and lower elevation rail route from Boston to Troy, New York. The work took nearly 25 years and cost the lives of 196 workers. Drilling and removal of two million tons of rock required innovative surveying and engineering methods and 21 million dollars. The first train chugged through the tunnel in 1875. Both freight and passenger service used this route. It currently carries eight freight trains a day.

Cahoon is the president of the North Adams Historical Society dba North Adams Museum of History and Science. He has been promoting the history of the tunnel since 1971 when the town of North Adams began preparing the centennial celebration of the tunnel’s completion.

For more information, go to (518) 733-0010.

Tags: Hoosac Tunnel,

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BRPC, BDAO to Host Community Forum on Kratom

12:50PM / Saturday, September 19, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass.— Effective Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, Massachusetts has temporarily placed Kratom into Schedule I for one year while additional study and evaluation occur.

Under this temporary order, retailers may not display, sell, or distribute Kratom products, though they may store them out of sight. Local Boards of Health hold discretion on determining municipal enforcement.

To address these changes and discuss community impacts, the Berkshire District Attorney's Office, Berkshire Public Health Alliance, and Southern Berkshire Public Health Collaborative are hosting a community forum on Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2026, from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM. The event will take place in person at the Berkshire Innovation Center (45 Woodlawn Avenue, Pittsfield, MA) and virtually via Zoom.

The event begins with welcoming remarks from District Attorney Shugrue, followed by a presentation from Dr. Jennifer Michaels, Medical Director at The Brien Center, on Kratom fundamentals and local treatment and recovery resources. Attendees will also hear state and regional perspectives from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and the Massachusetts Association of Health Boards, followed by a collaborative cross-sector discussion on prevention and recovery strategies.

To RSVP or to receive Zoom meeting information, please email Stacy Parsons at Stacy.Parsons@mass.gov.

For additional state background, regulatory documentation, and health guidance, visit mass.gov/info-details/kratom

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