Berkshire Green Drinks: Pollinator Paradise Lawns

08:01AM / Wednesday, March 06, 2024Print Story | Email Story

GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — Rich Lassor of Nature Works Land Care will present at the March Berkshire Green Drinks on Wednesday, March 13.

This free hybrid event is taking place online via Zoom and in person at Barrington Brewery, 420 Stockbridge Rd, in Great Barrington. The in-person social gathering begins around 5:15 PM; the presentation and Zoom meeting start at 6:00 PM.

According to a press release:

The typical grass lawn is a monoculture that hinders biodiversity and is a detriment to the environment in multiple ways. Yet, it's estimated that between 40 to 50 million acres of land in the US are some form of manicured lawn (i.e., mowed grass). However, transforming lawns into pollinator-friendly spaces that promote native biodiversity is accessible to both homeowners and landscapers. It can be as simple as introducing more diverse species into a lawn or as complex as turning a portion of a lawn into a meadow. Join Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT) and Nature Works Land Care to learn different strategies to convert monoculture lawns to habitats that fight climate change and support local wildlife of all kinds.

Learn more and RSVP at: http://tinyurl.com/March2024-Berks-Green-Drinks

Rich Lassor is the owner and general manager of Nature Works Land Care, an ecological landscape construction company based in Lee and specializes in creating innovative outdoor living spaces for their clients.

Tags: BEAT,

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Monument Mountain Sophomore Wins Congressional App Challenge

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
12:12PM / Saturday, January 17, 2026

Congressman Neal takes questions from students during his visit.

GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — Monument Mountain Regional High School sophomore Jonah Sanabria is the winner of this year's Congressional App Challenge for the 1st Massachusetts District.

His Health Advocate application acts as just that in your pocket, Sanabria said, helping resolve one of the biggest problems in health care — miscommunication.

"Every day, patients of all ages go to the doctor feeling stressed, confused, scared and uncertain, meaning they often forget what they wanted to say, and they leave without fully understanding what was said or the plan ahead," he said.

"It's not because doctors don't care; it's because the system is set up in a way that makes relaxed communications really hard. Appointments are abbreviated. Patients aren't always sure what they can ask physicians, and nerves often make them forgetful."

The challenge was authorized by Congress in 2015 to promote interest in science, technology, engineering and math. Each representative may host an official computer science competition in their districts. More than 85,000 high school students in all 50 states have since participated, with more than 18,000 in 2025.

Jonah beat out nine other submissions in the 1st Mass. His app will be featured on the challenge page and displayed in the U.S. Capitol for one year. In addition, he will have the opportunity to visit Capitol Hill in the spring at a celebration called #HouseOfCode, where winning teams from across the country hear from lawmakers, interact with sponsors and partners at the STEM Expo, and demonstrate their apps.

Before a scheduled doctor's appointment, the program asks the user about their symptoms, health issues, and health goals and organizes and prioritizes questions to ask during the doctor visit.

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