MassDOT Announces Name A Snowplow Contest for Elementary, Middle Schools

01:37PM / Saturday, November 15, 2025Print Story | Email Story

BOSTON—- The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) is announcing the fourth annual "Name A Snowplow" contest for statewide elementary school and middle school students in Massachusetts.

The contest seeks to solicit names for 12 MassDOT snowplows that will be in service for the upcoming 2025/2026 winter season. The purpose of the contest is to celebrate the snow and ice season, recognize the hard work and dedication shown by public works employees and contractors, and raise awareness about the vital role they play in keeping our roads safe during winter weather events. Winning selections will be announced by Friday, Dec.19.

"Winter is coming and the Name A Snowplow contest is a fun way to engage with students and the communities we serve. It gives our future leaders a chance to show their appreciation for the vital role our workforce plays as we plan and prepare for potential snow and ice events," said Interim Secretary and MBTA General Manager Phillip Eng." Under the leadership of Healey-Driscoll administration, safety of our transportation system will always be a priority. ?I’m proud of the dedication our crews show year-round and especially during the winter months. Operating a snowplow during winter storms is no easy task, so join us in celebrating their hard work by helping name the snowplows that keep the roads safe for everyone."

Applications for the Snowplow Naming Contest are due by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, Dec.5, and can be submitted by using an online portal: https://www.mass.gov/forms/name-a-snowplow-contest-submission. There is no limit to the number of applications that can be submitted per school. The contest winners will be invited to participate in a scheduled snowplow unveiling event.

A selection panel composed of MassDOT employees will choose two elementary school classroom winners that are located within each of the six Highway Division districts. The winning submissions will be evaluated based on two grade-level categories: 1) kindergarten through fourth grade; and 2) fifth grade through eighth grade.

During the third annual snowplow naming contest last winter, the winning names were: Snowana, Control-Salt-Delete, Taylor Drift, Ice S’now More, Ice Ice Baby, It’s Snow Problem, Mac N’Freeze, Blizzard Buster, C 3 P Snow, Snow Force One, Abominable Plowman, and Meltin’ John. These names, which were placed on the sides of plow trucks a year ago, remain on those vehicles.

For more information on the contest, please visit https://www.mass.gov/name-a-snowplow-contest-2025-26

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Fenton: Governor's Council Must Deliver for the Berkshires

Community submissionGuest Column
10:22AM / Friday, August 28, 2026

I am a Springfield lawyer running for Governor's Council and I am asking for Berkshire County residents to support me over an incumbent from North Adams.

Here's why: Last year I learned about staffing issues in our regional courts that I could not ignore. In 2025, it was reported that four of Western Massachusetts' 11 Superior Court judgeships were vacant, all at the same time. A few weeks later, that grew to five vacancies. This meant there were only six Superior Court judges serving all of Western Mass at a time when Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin, and Hampden counties had more than 100 pending homicide cases.

Those numbers were alarming to me, so I started to engage with leaders in the community who work most closely with the court system and I came to learn that these vacancies were only the tip of the iceberg here in Berkshire County.

I learned that no Superior Court or District Court judge had been appointed from the Berkshires since the current incumbent took office. As a result, there is not a single Superior Court judge who lives in the Berkshires today, and several of the District Court judges drive in from other counties to support Berkshire courts in Pittsfield, Great Barrington, and North Adams. Court staff also informed me about severe staffing shortages at the Berkshire Clerk of Courts office resulting in other counties needing to loan staff to the Berkshires just so hardworking employees can take a brief and planned summer vacation. This is not normal. These issues are a reflection of genuine problems with the Berkshire County court system and show a lack of proactive attention from our Governor's Councilor.

Instead of focusing on regional equity, I watched as the current incumbent celebrated that she has voted against the governor's nominees more than any other councilor, without much explanation as to why. Most recently, she voted against two extremely qualified former prosecutors for the Parole Board. This was despite an in-person plea from the governor and a letter of support from all the three of the district attorney's from Western Mass. Those votes do not show independence or standing up for principles, they demonstrate naivete, and an unwillingness to work with the key stakeholders.

I had seen and heard enough. I decided to jump in the race and challenge the incumbent to address these problems head-on.

I am a partner of a regional law firm. I understand our courts and the importance of having qualified, fair and hardworking judges. And I know how important it is to have judges from the Berkshires serving the Berkshires. To achieve that, you need strong relationships with the legal community and local stakeholders. You need to know how to use the power of the Governor's Council to fight forcefully for our region. And you need to be laser focused on identifying vacancies before they occur so that they can be filled quickly with local candidates.

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