Dalton Traffic Commission Approves Special Permit for Nicholas Sand and Gravel

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
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DALTON, Mass. — The Traffic Commission approved the renewal of Nichols Sand and Gravel's special permit for earth removal. 
 
The company, located at 190 Cleveland Road, operates a gravel pit there. 
 
The hours of operation will remain 7 to 4 p.m. The commission approved owner Paul Nichols' request to allow his trucks to depart the property in either direction. 
 
Nichols has to apply for renewal of the special permit every year. 
 
The previous permit required the truck to exit the property to the right. Former residents requested this stipulation nearly 16 years ago to reduce the number of trucks using the residential street to avoid disturbing the quality of life and neighborhood. 
 
Since then those residents have relocated and there have not been any other objections to the change, Traffic Commission Chair William Drosehn said. 
 
Traffic in the area is going to be the same as there are the same amount of trucks, Nichols said. The only difference is that the traffic will be dispersed. 
 
The only concern is that the road is narrow and Drosehn questioned whether this would be an issue for emergency personnel. Nichols said the street meets state specifications of 22 feet. 
 
No objections were raised by Commissioners Camillus Cachat Jr., Adelard Nadeau, Highway Superintendent Edward "Bud" Hall, Fire Chief Christian Tobin or Drosehn. 
 
The commission also is organizing a list of Complete Street projects to demonstrate which ones have the highest priority. These projects include sidewalk installations and repairs, pedestrian lighting, bike racks, transit shelters, and more. 

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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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