TriTown Connector Expands with Late Night Hours

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Great Barrington, Mass. — With a $12,000 grant from the Southern Berkshire Rural Health Network, the TriTown Connector is expanding with new "OWL" late night summer service, starting June 20 and running through Aug. 31.
 
The expanded hours are intended to provide transportation for seniors and persons with disabilities who need to return home from the Fairview Hospital emergency room in the evenings, and to provide transportation for late shift employees at area healthcare facilities, including Fairview and a number of nursing homes.
 
The late night OWL service will also be open to everyone, including anyone coming home late from a night out, or service and hospitality industry workers coming home from night shifts.
 
As a reminder, all veterans ride free this summer, due to a grant from the American Public Transportation Association.
 
Visit tritown.org for details, and download the TripShot app, which operates like Uber or Lyft, to reserve your ride.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Elevated Mercury Level Found in Center Pond Fish

BECKET, Mass. — The state Department of Public Health has issued an advisory after a mercury-contaminated fish was found in Center Pond. 
 
According to a letter sent to the local Board of Health from the Division of Environmental Toxicology, Hazard Assessment and Prevention, elevated levels of mercury were measured in the sample taken from the pond. 
 
The concentration in the fish exceeded DPH's action level of 0.5 milligrams per kilogram, or parts per million. 
 
"This indicates that daily consumption of fish from the waterbody may pose a health concern. Therefore, DPH has issued a FCA for Center Pond recommending that sensitive populations should not eat chain pickerel and all other people should limit consumption of chain pickerel to 2 meals/month," the letter states.
 
The letter specifically points to chain pickerel, but the 60-acre pond also has largemouth and smallmouth bass and yellow perch.
 
The "sensitive populations" include children younger than 12, those who are nursing, pregnant, or who may become pregnant.
 
The Toxicology Division recommends reducing intake of "large, predatory fish" or fish that feed on the bottoms of waterbodies, such as largemouth bass and carp. More information on safely eating fish can be found here
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