State Gets Millions for COVID-19 Testing Costs

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BOSTON — The Federal Emergency Management Agency will be sending nearly $4.5 million to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to reimburse it for the cost of providing testing for daycare facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
The $4,480,000 Public Assistance grant will reimburse the Massachusetts Department of Early Childhood Education and Care for contracting to provide testing services for early education and care (EEC) affiliated providers, staff, children, and families between March 2021 and June 2022.
 
The contractor operated mobile specimen collection sites, provided all equipment necessary for site operations, confirmed eligibility for testing, and handled collection and transport of all specimens.
 
"FEMA is pleased to be able to assist the Massachusetts Department of Early Childhood Education and Care with these costs," said FEMA Region 1 Regional Administrator Lori Ehrlich. "Providing resources for our partners on the front lines of the pandemic fight is critical to their success, and to our success as a nation."
 
FEMA's Public Assistance program is a source of funding for states and communities recovering from a federally declared disaster or emergency.
 
So far, FEMA has provided more than $1.5 billion in Public Assistance grants to Massachusetts to reimburse the commonwealth for pandemic-related expenses.
 
 

Tags: COVID-19,   FEMA,   


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Historic Wahconah Park Grandstand Almost Leveled

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — If you want to catch a last glimpse of the remaining Wahconah Park grandstand, you need to hurry.  

The historic grandstand is currently being demolished, with only a couple of the major structures remaining. Pittsfield is also working on what comes next for the park, and how baseball will return next year. 

Parks, Open Space, and Natural Resources Manager James McGrath said if people want to see the last of the structure, they should head down by the end of this week because "by Thursday or Friday it probably will entirely be down."

"It's moving quickly now that they're into the active demo phase," he told the Parks Commission on Tuesday. 

"…Certainly, I think by the end of September we'll see cleanup and, if you will, the big hole where the stadium sat. That all will be filled to grade." 

The more than 75-year-old structure was deemed unsafe in 2022, and planners determined that starting from square one is the best option.

On Sept. 3, the Conservation Commission issued 36 orders of conditions for the reconstruction of the ballpark. 

Conservation Agent Shannon Poulin pointed out that the application has gone through many revisions; reconstruction cannot begin until a certificate of compliance for the demolition is issued. 

The project crew will have an on-site meeting on Friday morning and consider two avenues of revitalization: The funding, last estimated around $15 million, and a financial strategy coming together through the mayor so that Pittsfield can move into an active build next year, or a longer process where the field is utilized before a new grandstand is built. 

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