Author David Guenette to Discuss Climate Change in Berkshire County

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. Mass. — Author David Guenette, writer of "The Steep Climes Quartet," a literary climate fiction series, will discuss the impact of climate change on daily life in Berkshire County at three upcoming events. 
 
The presentations will explore the costs of climate change at the household level and the challenges of transitioning to clean energy. Guenette will use excerpts from his novels, "Kill Well" (2026 setting) and "Dear Josephine" (2029 setting), to illustrate key points. He will also reference his forthcoming Book Three, "Over Brooklyn Hills" (2035 setting, expected December 2025 publication), and the final book in the series, "Farm to Me" (2049 setting, expected 2026 publication). 
 
The schedule of events is as follows:
  • Wednesday, May 14, 2025, 6:00 p.m. at Griswold Memorial Library, 12 Main Rd., Colrain, MA.
  • Wednesday, May 21, 2025, 6:30 p.m. at Berkshire Athenaeum, One Wendall Ave., Pittsfield, MA 01201.   
  • Friday, May 23, 2025, 4:00 p.m. at Mason Library, 231 Main St., Great Barrington, MA 01230.   
 
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Dalton Police Facility Report Complete; Station Future Still Uncertain

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
DALTON, Mass. — The Public Safety Facility Advisory Committee's final report is complete but the future of the station remains uncertain. 
 
Several members of the committee attended the Select Board meeting last week, as co-Chair Craig Wilbur presented four options delineated in the presentation — build on town-owned land, build on private land, renovate or repurpose the existing buildings, and do nothing. The full report can be found here
 
According to the report, addressing the station's needs coincides with the town facing significant financial challenges, with rising fixed costs and declining state aid straining its budget. 
 
These financial pressures restrict the town's ability to fund major capital projects and a new police station has to compete with a backlog of deferred infrastructure needs like water, sewer, roads, and Americans with Disabilities Act compliance.
 
In June 2024, Police Chief Deanna Strout informed the board of the station's dire condition — including issues with plumbing, mold, ventilation, mice, water damage, heating, and damaged cells — prompting the board to take action on two fronts. 
 
The board set aside American Rescue Plan Act funds to address the immediately dire issues, including the ventilation, and established the Public Safety Facility Advisory Committee to navigate long-term options
 
Very early on it was determined that the current facility is not adequate enough to meet the needs of a 21st-century Police Facility. This determination was backed up following a space needs assessment by Jacunski Humes Architects LLC
 
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