image description — A youth committee runs the annual tree lighting in Lanesborough, led this year by Ava Charbonneau and Kiera Kristensen.

Elementary Chorus Serenades Lanesborough Christmas Tree Lighting

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
12:37PM / Friday, December 06, 2024Print Story | Email Story

Refreshments included hot cocoa and cookies.

LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — Elementary schoolers serenaded the town's tree lighting with holiday tunes on Thursday evening.

The illuminated evergreen can be seen at the corner of Church Street and Route 7, the site of the former police department. Complimentary hot cocoa, decorated sugar cookies made by Bailey's Bakery in North Adams, and other treats helped attendees get into the holiday spirit.

The 9th annual tree lighting was hosted by a youth-run committee consisting of Mount Greylock Regional High School students Ava Charbonneau, Kiera Kristensen, and Madison Powell.

"It's wonderful. I think we had a great turnout considering how cold and snowy it is today and it just means a lot to see the town come together for something like this," Kristensen said. "And the chorus did great."

Charbonneau said Lisa Trybus, whose daughter started the event, was looking for youth to help out with the event and they answered the call.

"We met a few times, we wrote the speeches, and we made sure that this was all set," she said.

Nine years ago, Samantha Trybus and a couple of her friends fundraised to buy the tree and plant it. Now, the torch is being passed to younger generations.

"I just think it's really beautiful that this is still a tradition that was able to be carried on," she said.

"I'm really thankful that my mom and my little brother were able to keep it going while I was in college and I think it's great that there is a younger generation of these girls willing to take it over and I hope that it just keeps growing."

The tree began at her height nearly a decade ago and has grown to be impressively tall.

"It's cool to kind of see it as a landmark after all those years ago, it's almost been a decade," she said.

Longtime town volunteer Mary Ellen Donna had the important task of lighting the tree. She and her husband, John, are big supporters of the event, maintaining its lights every year.

Jake's Java, which opened earlier this year in honor of fallen Air Force Staff Sgt. Jacob Galliher, was thanked for providing the hot cocoa. Other sponsors include the Lanesborough Police Department, Adams Community Bank, Greylock Federal Credit Union, Berkshire Dog, Sayers Auto Wrecking, BCM General Contracting, and John's Tractor.

Tags: holiday story, tree lighting,

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Fenton: Governor's Council Must Deliver for the Berkshires

Community submissionGuest Column
10:22AM / Friday, August 28, 2026

I am a Springfield lawyer running for Governor's Council and I am asking for Berkshire County residents to support me over an incumbent from North Adams.

Here's why: Last year I learned about staffing issues in our regional courts that I could not ignore. In 2025, it was reported that four of Western Massachusetts' 11 Superior Court judgeships were vacant, all at the same time. A few weeks later, that grew to five vacancies. This meant there were only six Superior Court judges serving all of Western Mass at a time when Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin, and Hampden counties had more than 100 pending homicide cases.

Those numbers were alarming to me, so I started to engage with leaders in the community who work most closely with the court system and I came to learn that these vacancies were only the tip of the iceberg here in Berkshire County.

I learned that no Superior Court or District Court judge had been appointed from the Berkshires since the current incumbent took office. As a result, there is not a single Superior Court judge who lives in the Berkshires today, and several of the District Court judges drive in from other counties to support Berkshire courts in Pittsfield, Great Barrington, and North Adams. Court staff also informed me about severe staffing shortages at the Berkshire Clerk of Courts office resulting in other counties needing to loan staff to the Berkshires just so hardworking employees can take a brief and planned summer vacation. This is not normal. These issues are a reflection of genuine problems with the Berkshire County court system and show a lack of proactive attention from our Governor's Councilor.

Instead of focusing on regional equity, I watched as the current incumbent celebrated that she has voted against the governor's nominees more than any other councilor, without much explanation as to why. Most recently, she voted against two extremely qualified former prosecutors for the Parole Board. This was despite an in-person plea from the governor and a letter of support from all the three of the district attorney's from Western Mass. Those votes do not show independence or standing up for principles, they demonstrate naivete, and an unwillingness to work with the key stakeholders.

I had seen and heard enough. I decided to jump in the race and challenge the incumbent to address these problems head-on.

I am a partner of a regional law firm. I understand our courts and the importance of having qualified, fair and hardworking judges. And I know how important it is to have judges from the Berkshires serving the Berkshires. To achieve that, you need strong relationships with the legal community and local stakeholders. You need to know how to use the power of the Governor's Council to fight forcefully for our region. And you need to be laser focused on identifying vacancies before they occur so that they can be filled quickly with local candidates.

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