Berkshire Athenaeum Hosts Seed Library Opening Celebration

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — On Saturday, March 22, 2025 from 10:30 am – 12 pm, the Berkshire Athenaeum, Pittsfield's Public Library, will host an event to celebrate the season opening of the Berkshire Seed Library.
 
The centerpiece of this event will be a ribbon-cutting for the Seed Library at 11 am, after which anyone with a library card may select up to 10 packets of vegetable or flower seeds to take home, free of charge. 
 
If those interested do not have a library card, patrons can sign up for one for free anytime the library is open. In the spirit of a community library, users are encouraged to return any unused seeds to the library after planting and save seeds from plants they grow and donate them to the library next season.
 
The Season Opening celebration will also include a Seed Exchange. Anyone may bring extra seeds they might have at home to share with their neighbors. Particularly welcome are seeds that are unique, saved from previous harvests, or hold special meaning to growers. No library card is required to share or collect seeds from the Seed Exchange.
 
Finally, community organizations including Roots Rising, Greenagers, and others will be available to discuss resources and information related to gardening and access to healthy food.

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Possible Measles Exposure at Boston, Logan

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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