Neal Announces $750K Earmark for Town Hall Restoration

09:50AM / Sunday, July 21, 2024Print Story | Email Story

LENOX, Mass. — U.S. Rep. Richard Neal joined state Rep. William "Smitty" Pignatelli this week to announce a $750,000 earmark for the Lenox Town Hall Restoration Project. Pignatelli has also temporarily stepped into the role of town manager.

The allocation was made possible through Congressionally Direct Spending (CDS) from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Neal included funding for this project in the Fiscal Year 2023 spending bill that was signed into law on Dec. 29, 2022.

"A town hall holds a prominent place in a community's downtown, representing the cornerstone for public discourse and the nexus for local governance. In a community like Lenox, whose history pre-dates the Revolutionary War, the town hall represents an institution with which generations of residents identify," said Neal. "I was pleased to partner with state Rep. Smitty Pignatelli to further the Town Hall Restoration Project. This funding will help preserve and maintain this historic building, ensuring it can continue to serve the residents of Lenox for years to come."

Built in 1901, the historic Lenox Town Hall stands in a prominent position in downtown Lenox. A signature building of the Downtown Historic District, the Town Hall is on the State Register of Historic Places. Funding secured by Neal will support the restoration and repair interior and exterior features throughout the building, including:

Repairing and restoring the deteriorating dome;
Re-shingling the roof and exterior painting;
Addressing extensive water damage in the rotunda;
Installing more modern, energy-efficient lighting fixtures;
Replacing the flooring and sound system in the auditorium; and
Improving the handicapped-accessible ramp.

Under guidelines issued by the Senate and House Appropriations Committees, members of Congress requested CDS funding for projects in their state for Fiscal Year 2023. CDS requests were restricted to a limited number of federal funding streams, and only state and local governments, and eligible non-profit entities, were permitted to receive CDS funding.

This project is one of 15 CDS projects submitted by Neal, totaling over $20 million in investments throughout the First Congressional District of Massachusetts.

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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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