News & Notes: BRTA Cuts Deficit; Winning Ticket Sold in Adams
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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Berkshire Regional Transit Authority last month locked into a diesel fuel price of $3.21 a gallon after raising its fares 15 percent in September to offset the rise in fuel prices.
That price will be in effect through the end of the year and then the price will drop significantly, shifting to $2.39 a gallon for the first half of next year. BRTA officials say declining fuel process are easing the agency's worries, as ridership has increased and fuel prices have come down recently. As a result of the lower fuel prices, the BRTA has lowered its projected deficit from $290,000 to roughly $100,000.
Adams Store Sells Winning Mass Cash Ticket
ADAMS, Mass. — Val's Variety Store apparently sold a winning $100,000 Mass Cash ticket. The ticket was purchased for the Tuesday night drawing last week.
The store has had a banner hanging in its front window announcing that they sold the winning ticket. But the winner didn't come back to the store - he or she apparently went directly to Lottery headquarters in Braintree on Wednesday to collect a check.
There were two winners for Tuesday's drawing of 3-10-22-27-34; the second was in Sandwich. Both winnes will receive $100,000 before taxes. The ticket sellers receive 1 percent, or $1,000.
Towns Setting Parking Bans
CLARKSBURG, Mass. — As the winter weather gets closer you'll be seeing many overnight parking bans going into effect to allow communities to remove snow and ice without having to work around parked vehicles.
Selectmen in Clarksburg have put an overnight parking ban in place on all town roads. The ban went into effect on Saturday and will remain in effect until April 30. The Clarksburg ban says overnight parking will not be permitted between the hours of 10 pm and 6 am and that absolutely no parking will be allowed or streets during any snowstorm.
Offenders will be ticketed and their vehicles towed at the owner's expense. Now, the Clarksburg ban isn't the first that the Berkshire News Network has received. In mid-October we got the details of the town of Adams parking ban.
Adams is not allowing parking longer than two hours on any street or parking lot longer than two hours between noon and 7 a.m. That ban starts on Nov. 15, this coming Saturday. The town's bylaws also say tenants and owners need to remove snow and ice from their walks within 24 hours. Violators to that rule are subject to a $50 fine.
Canyon Ranch Lays Off 30
LENOX, Mass. — The economic downtown has forced the Canyon Ranch resort to layoff 30 employees. Officials at the resort say the layoffs have nothing to do with their recent $14.7 million settlement with former employees who filed a lawsuit claiming that the resort was withholding tips from spa-related services from them.
The resort was not specific about what positions were cut, but says they are positions that will least affect the "guest experience."
