State Awards Greylock Elementary Project Green Grant

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BOSTON — The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) awarded North Adams Public Schools $300,000 to support the Greylock Elementary School project.
 
North Adams Public Schools will use the $300,000 in funding to help cover the cost difference between ground-source heat pumps and conventional HVAC at their newly built Greylock Elementary School, serving PreK through 2nd grades.
 
"Investing in clean energy to modernize our schools is one of the smartest steps we can take to create healthier, safer learning environments for our students and educators," said Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper. "By improving energy efficiency, we lower costs, reduce harmful pollution, and free up valuable resources to support teachers and educational programs. This is an investment in our buildings, the future of our communities, and the well-being of the next generation." 
 
The state awarded over $52 million in grants to help upgrade public school facilities through the Green School Works program. 
 
Funded through the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), the program aims to make K–12 public school buildings more energy-efficient, lower costs for school districts, reduce pollution, and create safer and healthier learning environments for students and educators. 
 
The program will fund 18 projects across Massachusetts to modernize energy systems while investing in the well-being of communities. Each project benefits student populations where at least 40 percent of the students come from low-income backgrounds, with many of them located in environmental justice communities that have historically lacked access to building upgrades and infrastructure investment. 
 
"The Green School Works funding is going to 18 schools across Massachusetts, from North Adams to Barnstable, highlighting our commitment to supporting public school districts with the tools they need to create safe, healthy, and high-quality learning environments for students and educators. At a time when the federal government is trying to cut education funding for heat pumps and ventilation, I am proud that Massachusetts is investing in programs like this," said Secretary of Education Dr. Patrick Tutwiler.

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Weekend Outlook: Lenox Apple Squeeze and More

It might look to be a rainy first weekend of fall, but there's plenty to do around the Berkshires.

Editor's Pick

Lenox Apple Squeeze
Downtown Lenox
Saturday, Sept. 26, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

The 45th edition of Lenox's signature fall festival features more than 100 artisan and food vendors, live music, family activities, and a full street fair experience in downtown Lenox.

The festival is free to attend and will include a day of family fun with music, food and a kids carnival, as well as musical performances throughout downtown.

More information here.

Multiple Days

Eastern States Exposition
West Springfield
Through Oct. 4

The Big E is the region's biggest fair with live entertainment, a midway, circus, exhibits, parades, booths, food, agricultural competitions, and presentations by each of the New England states.

Tickets and information here. 

North Adams Library Book Sale
St. Elizabeth's Parish Hall
Friday 9 to 4, Saturday 9 to 3
 
Stock up on reading material for the winter: Books, DVDs, CDs, puzzles, games, and baked goods. Proceeds benefit the public library. 

Friday

Fall Migration for Beginning Birders
Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary, Lenox
7-8:30 a.m.

This beginner-friendly walk focuses on bird-finding tips, simple identification cues, and observing bird behavior. The Pike's Pond Loop — a mostly flat trail with accessible features — offers a beautiful scenic view of both the pond and Yokun Ridge in the distance.

Registration and information here.

American Stories Curator Talks: Service and Sacrifice
Norman Rockwell Museum, Stockbridge
9:30 a.m. 

Chief Curator Stephanie Haboush Plunkett will describe how during times of war artists and illustrators have worked as reporters, makers of propaganda, and mythmakers. This session will consider the ethical responsibilities of artists, including Norman Rockwell and J.C. Leyendecker, involved in wartime image production and will pose questions about memory, accountability, and the relevance of wartime imagery in our society.

Tickets and information here.

What's The Tea @ WCMA
Williams College Museum of Art, Williamstown
4-5:30 p.m.

Stop by the museum between 4 and 5:30 to learn about what's happening at WCMA this year. Start off in the lounge with a cup of tea before heading into the galleries for a peek at Object Lab, where you will see works of art classes will be studying this fall. Then make your way upstairs to get a behind-the-scenes look of how the museum is preparing for its new home, opening in 2027. Free and open to all.

More information here.

'Be Good!' with Paulette
The Foundry, West Stockbridge
7:30 p.m.

Hot off of an international tour, certified clown Daniel Maseda brings well-mannered idiot Paulette to the Berkshires for the very second time with this fan-favorite show that never plays out the same way twice. A good night for anyone who wants to scream at a polite person.

Tickets and information here.

Friday Karaoke
Dalton American Legion
6 p.m.

More information here.

Saturday

Harvest Run and Community Fun 2026

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