Sheffield
LATEST NEWS
Feds propose high heat work standards
The federal government on Tuesday proposed the first national safety standard meant to keep workers safe from excessive heat in the workplace and made $1 billion available to hundreds of projects -- including 30 in Massachusetts -- that try to mitigate climate threats including extreme heat. The federal action comes...
Chronicles: The Ancram Swimming Pool
A little bird told me the Ancram swimming pool is reopening for the summer season. Before the Ancram swimming pool and adjacent Blass Memorial Field were built in 1960, Ancram swimmers, myself included, cooled off in Round Hole, a sharp kink in the Roeliff Jansen Kill about a mile out of town. Round Hole was down a dirt lane off what is now private property on Wiltsie Bridge Road, where swimmers shared the waters with snapping turtles the size of wash tubs. Meanwhile, Holstein milk cows from Sommerhoff Farm cooled off upstream; in the 1950s, the “solution to pollution was dilution.”
World War II was the last time Mass. residents could set off their own fireworks
While it used to have the company of a few other states, Massachusetts is now the only U.S. state with a full ban on consumer fireworks. In the Bay State, private citizens cannot possess, sell or use fireworks of any kind, including sparklers and firecrackers. According to CBS News, the state’s ban has existed since 1943, meaning World War II was the last time Massachusetts residents were able to use fireworks for personal displays.
Mass. astronaut continues orbiting space due to spaceship malfunctions
One of the NASA astronauts who’s been orbiting space for weeks due to several malfunctions on her spaceship is a Massachusetts native. Although Sunita L. Williams was born in Ohio, Williams considers Needham her hometown and graduated from the town’s high school in 1983, according to her NASA biography. In 2019, Needham renamed an elementary school after Williams to honor her aerospace career, MassLive previously reported. It was also the first time a school in Needham was named after a woman of color.
Have thoughts on child care? The state’s Child Care Task Force wants to hear ‘em
A task force mandated with delivering recommendations to make child care more accessible in the state will be holding 12 listening sessions this summer to hear the status of child care and insights into the issue directly from residents. “We will learn about the unique challenges and strengths (of each...
BITS & BYTES: Sonny Troupé at The Clark; Wanda Houston at Berkshire Botanical Garden; Lita Williams at Williams Inn; Mill Town’s Common Ground Festival; Marjorie Kaye and Carolyn Newberger at Future Lab(s); Stockbridge ‘Chimes & Family Day’; Stockbridge Bowl aquatic presentation
Clark Art Institute presents Sonny Troupé and Band. Williamstown— On Wednesday, July 10th at 6 p.m., The Clark Art Institute presents Sonny Troupé and Band, continuing their July outdoor concert series, which celebrates the French Caribbean with some of the best musicians from Guadeloupe and Haiti. Under...
Mass. Rep. Auchincloss urges state to share resources on safe gun storage with schools
There might be plenty of summer vacation left to go, but one Massachusetts lawmaker alreadyb is urging Bay State school districts to plan ahead in one big way. This week, U.S. Rep. Jake Auchincloss, D-4th District, called on the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to encourage school districts to share federal resources on safe firearms storage with parents and others.
Fire chief urges people to enjoy professional fireworks shows, not backyard ones
OXFORD, Mass. - Fireworks are illegal in Massachusetts and only sparklers are allowed in Connecticut, but the Fourth of July is still a popular time for people to light off their own displays. Local fire departments are warning the combination of explosives and alcohol can be extremely dangerous, and partygoers should think twice.
Fewest ever contested state legislative primaries in Massachusetts
Massachusetts has 33 contested state legislative primaries on September 3, 2024, the fewest since Ballotpedia started tracking in 2010. There are 27 contested Democratic primaries and six contested Republican primaries. For both parties that is below the average from 2010 to 2022. The average number of contested Democratic primaries was 36.9 and the average number of contested Republican primaries was 8.3.
West Stockbridge reverses course on new Fire/EMT Committee meetings
West Stockbridge — Following a June 21 statement by Town Administrator Marie Ryan to The Berkshire Edge that the town’s new Fire/EMS Committee meetings would be held in private, West Stockbridge officials changed course. On July 2, Ryan emailed The Berkshire Edge stating that the Shared Fire/EMS Committee meetings—to include representatives from Richmond and Stockbridge—would be open to the public. However, she did not respond by press time as to whether any sessions of the West Stockbridge Fire/EMS Committee alone, without representatives from the other two towns, would be available to the public.
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments. It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency: our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. We strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation. Join us in shaping the news narrative together.