Housatonic Valley Association Awarded Grant

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BOSTON, Mass. — The state awarded the Housatonic Valley Association $33,500 to benefit the Berkshire Clean, Cold, Connected Restoration Partnership.
 
The Healey-Driscoll Administration announced the award of $982,360 in grants to ecological restoration projects throughout Massachusetts by the Department of Fish and Game's (DFG) Division of Ecological Restoration (DER). These projects, supported through three DER programs, will strengthen community resilience to climate change, improve climate-ready infrastructure and public safety, and restore crucial habitat and water quality, among other benefits.
 
"Ecological restoration offers transformational benefits for both climate resilience and biodiversity. These priority actions will reduce flooding, improve water quality, and reconnect and restore critical habitats for fish and wildlife," said DFG Commissioner Tom O'Shea. "As climate change brings increasing challenges, these projects and partnerships will support Massachusetts' ResilientMass planning efforts to ensure the Commonwealth is prepared to withstand, adapt to, and rapidly recover from extreme weather events." 
 
DER awarded $327,361 in funds through its Culvert Replacement Municipal Assistance (CRMA) Grant Program to eight municipalities, $555,000 in grant funds to five Priority Restoration Projects, and $100,000 to support three Restoration Partnerships through DER's Regional Restoration Partnerships Program. These projects and partnerships will help Massachusetts prepare for the impacts of climate change, address public safety concerns, improve habitat and water quality, and restore important ecosystems throughout the state.
 
In Berkshire County, this award will continue to build local and regional capacity through training opportunities, restoration collaboration, and planning while advancing locally driven, high-priority restoration projects such as culvert replacements and dam removals. This work will restore degraded aquatic ecosystems and increase climate resilience throughout the Hoosic, Housatonic, and Farmington River watersheds. 
 
DER's Regional Restoration Partnerships Program aims to increase the pace and scale of ecological restoration in Massachusetts by building the capacity of local and regional organizations that work collaboratively to advance restoration work. Partnerships through this program lead projects and activities to restore rivers and wetlands and help people and nature adapt to climate change. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Possible Measles Exposure at Boston, Logan

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Department of Public Health confirmed Wednesday that an out-of-state adult visitor who spent time in Boston and Westborough earlier this month was diagnosed with measles and was present in a number of locations.
 
This could have resulted in other people being exposed to measles virus.
 
The visitor arrived at Logan International Airport on American Airlines flight 2384 from Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, on Dec. 11 at 2:39 p.m. They stayed at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Boston-Westborough in Westborough and departed the state on Dec. 12 via Logan at 9:19 p.m. on JetBlue flight 117 to Las Vegas.
 
DPH is working with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local partners to identify and notify those who may have been exposed to measles from this individual.
 
"Measles is a highly contagious, airborne disease, which has increased significantly in the United States because of the unfortunate decrease in vaccination rates. It is also a preventable disease," said Public Health Commissioner Dr. Robbie Goldstein. "This current situation serves as an important reminder of the critical role vaccination plays in protecting our communities. While Massachusetts has not had a measles case this year, 2025 saw the highest number of nationwide cases in more than a decade — nearly 2,000 in 44 jurisdictions, and sadly, three deaths. 
 
"Fifteen years ago, measles had been considered eliminated in the United States, but that tremendous progress is at risk. Vaccines are one of the most important public health interventions ever — they are safe, effective, and lifesaving."
 
Measles is very contagious. However, the risk to most people in Massachusetts is low because the vaccination rate in the state is high. People who are not immune and visited any of the locations on the following dates and times may be at risk for developing measles.
 
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