Volunteers Needed to Help Clean West Branch Housatonic River with BEAT and HVA

PITTSFIELD, Mass. —Volunteers are needed to help clean up the west branch of the Housatonic River with Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT) and Housatonic Valley Association (HVA) at one of their annual river cleanups on Saturday, June 21, from 9 AM to Noon. 

After the cleanup, volunteers will be provided with a free lunch from a local restaurant. Volunteers must RSVP in advance to reserve a free lunch. 

Participants should meet at Wahconah Park, 105 Wahconah Street, Pittsfield, at 9 AM on June 21. Cleanup teams will disperse to nearby locations, gathering miscellaneous trash from the river banks and bottom. Canoes will be used to transport the trash. Volunteers should be prepared to get wet and dirty. Old clothes, a hat, sunscreen, old sneakers or waterproof boots/waders, a full water bottle, and sunglasses are recommended. There will be a limited number of waders available for participants to borrow. In the event of pouring rain or lightning, the cleanup will be canceled. 

Cleanups make a considerable difference in the health of the Housatonic River. Over the years, BEAT and HVA have collected a startling array of debris — including mattresses, shopping carts, inflatable pools, bicycles, televisions, tires, construction materials, metal barrels, and all kinds of everyday trash. Once, they even found an empty ATM. Since beginning annual cleanups, their efforts have made a noticeable difference, with the piles of trash getting smaller. This wouldn't be possible without the help of volunteers. 

Join BEAT and HVA at a cleanup this summer to make a difference for the environment. Register at tinyurl.com/Housatonic-River-Cleanups-2025. For more information, visit thebeatnews.org or call (413) 464-9402.

Dalton Resident Ranks Third in National Snocross Race

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
06:18PM / Sunday, December 21, 2025

Sal LeBeau on his machine with his sister, Kenna, in the black hat, and friend Brandon and his sister Alea.

DALTON, Mass. — At just 16 years old, Salvatore LaBeau is already making avalanches in the national snocross racing scene.

 

Last weekend, LaBeau raced in the Mount Zion Snocross National race in Ironwood, Mich., the first of eight races in the national circuit series. 

 

Competitions take place across national circuits, attracting racers from various regions and even internationally. 

 

Labeau rides for CT Motorsports, a team based in Upstate New York, on a 2025 Polaris 600R. 

 

This is LaBeau's first time competing on the CT Motorsports team. Years prior, he raced for a team owned by Bruce Gaspardi, owner of South Side Sales and Service in North Adams.  

 

Despite a bad first day on Friday when he fell off his snowmobile and didn't make the final, LaBeau carried on with confidence and on Saturday obtained his first national podium, placing in third for the Sport Lite class. 

 

"I'm feeling good. I'm gonna start training more when I come home, and go to the gym more. And I am really excited, because I'm in 11th right now," the Wahconah High student said.