BEAT: The Invasive Spotted Lanternfly

12:01PM / Friday, April 05, 2024Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Elizabeth Barnes, the Forest Pest Outreach Coordinator with the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources, will present at the April Berkshire Green Drinks on Wednesday, April 10.

This free hybrid event will take place online via Zoom and in person at Hot Plate Brewing Co., 1 School Street in Pittsfield. The in-person social gathering will begin around 5:15 PM; the presentation and Zoom meeting will start at 6:00 PM.

According to a press release:

Invasive insects can have devastating impacts on our ecosystem, economy, and quality of life. But how are they able to be so disruptive, and what can we do about it? Join Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT) for their monthly speaker series, where guest speaker Elizabeth Barnes will answer these questions by focusing on the spotted lanternfly, an invasive insect that eats grapes, roses, black walnut, and over 100 other plants — and is now found in Massachusetts. Learn about the problems it’s causing, what conservation and natural resources agencies are doing to deal with it, what individuals can do, and, importantly, some rays of hope for mitigating its impact.

Learn more and RSVP at: https://tinyurl.com/April2024-Berks-Green-Drinks

Elizabeth Barnes is the Forest Pest Outreach Coordinator with the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources and previously worked as the Exotic Forest Pest Educator at Purdue University. She studied biology as an undergraduate at Mount Holyoke College and received her Doctorate in plant-insect interactions from the University of Denver, where she studied tent caterpillars and fall webworms. In her spare time, Elizabeth is an avid caterpillar watcher and is always happy to answer questions about all things insect-related.

Berkshire Green Drinks (formerly Pittsfield Green Drinks) is an informal gathering on the second Wednesday of the month that is free and open to everyone with any environmental interest. A guest speaker talks about an environmentally related topic for approximately 30 minutes beginning at 6 PM; the presentation is followed by a discussion and Q&A.

Berkshire Green Drinks is sponsored and organized by the Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT).

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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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