Dalton Committee Seeks Funding for Invasive Species

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
02:37PM / Wednesday, March 27, 2024Print Story | Email Story

DALTON, Mass. — The Open Space and Recreation Committee discussed addressing the invasive species at the Pines trailhead during its meeting last week.

There will possibly be a money article on the annual town warrant requesting voters allocate $20,000 from free cash so that the committee can apply for a Community Forest Stewardship program grant. The Select Board placed it on the annual town meeting warrant on Monday.

During a walkthrough of the Pines, Jess Toro, co-owner of Native Habitat Restoration, urged the committee to apply for the program.

According to Town Manager Thomas Hutcheson, although the grant would be reimbursed, the town needs to allocate the amount the committee is requesting in order to apply.

If approved, the first phase would be to hire a consultant and focus on cutting and painting large invasives and vines in the 17 acres, staying out of any wetlands and wetland buffers.

The committee has been thinking about how to address invasive species at the Pines since the start of the project and this year will be taking its first step into the long process of invasive species management.

However, finding a professional to help with invasive species has been difficult due to the limited number of experts in the field, said the committee.

In other news:

• The committee will contact Dan Esko to inquire about the status of his efforts to establish a skate park in town. More information on the endeavor here.

Tags: invasive species, outdoor recreation, trails,

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Possible Measles Exposure at Boston, Logan

12:05PM / Wednesday, December 24, 2025

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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