image description — The mobile memorial to the Vietnam War makes its way to War Memorial Field in Lenox on Thursday.

Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall Installed in Lenox

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires Staff
02:42PM / Thursday, July 10, 2025Print Story | Email Story

Volunteers put the pieces of the wall together at War Memorial Field. More photos here.

LENOX, Mass. — With a motorcade that stretched for a mile and dozens of volunteers ready to help with the erection process, the Vietnam Traveling War Memorial arrived at War Memorial Field on Thursday afternoon.

The three-fifths scale replica of the national monument in Washington, D.C., will officially open to the public with an 11 a.m. opening ceremony on Friday morning and will be on view through a 3 p.m. closing ceremony on Sunday.

The traveling exhibit made its last stop in Berkshire County two years ago when it was installed in Dalton.

The black granite monument in the nation's capitol, designed by then 21-year-old Maya Lin, was dedicated on Veterans Day, 1982.

The 493-foot wall on the National Mall is inscribed with the names of 58,318 men and women who died in combat or are listed as missing in action in Vietnam, where the United States was at war from the 1950s through 1975.

Those same names are inscribed on the traveling wall, and the Lenox installation has the added feature of 27 markers recognizing Berkshire County residents who gave their lives in service of their country during the war.

In addition to the 27 placards designed and framed by students at McCann Tech, the local heroes are marked by 27 American flags installed on Thursday by volunteers, who also helped put up the dozens of sections of the wall.

According to the traveling memorial's website, travelingwall.us, its next stop after Lenox will be in Hudson Falls, N.Y., July 24-28.

Tags: Vietnam, war memorial,

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Pittsfield Schools Consider Enhanced Bus Surveillance

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
05:58PM / Tuesday, October 20, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass.— The Pittsfield Public Schools are considering a couple of companies for enhanced bus safety surveillance after a spring pilot.

Assistant Superintendent for Business and Finance Bonnie Howland reported that they have met with BusPatrol and Gatekeeper Systems, which offer automated stop-arm enforcement and video surveillance.

It is illegal for drivers to pass a school bus when the red warning lights are flashing, and the stop-sign arm is extended. This protects children exiting and entering the school bus.

A stop-arm camera pilot program was conducted in May.

"We currently have a four-camera system on the interior of the bus, so Gatekeeper is sort of better as far as functionality. It's a little more of an upfront investment," Howland told the School Committee last week.

"BusPatrol works where you basically have an installation of the cameras, and then as tickets are issued to people, you sort of regain your investment, so it's two different sort of cost profiles."

Gatekeeper would cost about $100,000 to purchase, while BusPatrol has no upfront cost and a monthly charge.

PPS is interested in putting cameras in all of its buses, about 30. Howland said that Gatekeeper has a little more robust system that fits into our current system, and Mayor Peter Marchetti reported that the company with no upfront cost helps secure a grant for implementation: $1,200 per camera and $250 a month per bus.

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