Berkshire Green Drinks Feature BEAT Update

12:26PM / Thursday, December 05, 2024Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Join Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT) for their final Green Drinks presentation of 2024, where BEAT staff will talk about the organization's work of this past year and explore what comes next as the new year approaches.

The virtual gathering will take place by Zoom on Wednesday, Dec. 11, from 6:00 to 7:15 PM.

Be part of the discussion and hear about the ongoing air quality monitoring work BEAT's Breathe Easy Berkshires program is doing, the organization's continued work in improving aquatic and terrestrial wildlife connectivity, progress made on BEAT's Environmental Leadership & Education Center, the continuing campaign to end fossil-fueled peaker plants, the fight to prevent the expansion of the Enbridge Algonquin pipeline through Project Maple, and some of their favorite 2024 highlights from BEAT-organized events.

Registration is required to attend this virtual event. Register at https://tinyurl.com/Dec2024-Berks-Green-Drinks.

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). For more information regarding Berkshire Green Drinks, contact Chelsey Simmons, chelsey@thebeatnews.org, (413) 464-9402.

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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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