Berkshire Briefs: Carousel Horse Unveiled, Mall Road Prepped

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Berkshire Carousel Reveals First Pony

By Larry Kratka

Berkshire News Network


Photo by Larry Kratka
Kali was modeled after 1910 creation by master carver John Zalar.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The first completed handcarved horse for the Berkshire Carousel was unveiled during an open house Saturday night. The nonprofit group is working to build an old-fashioned, wooden carousel and matching museum in the city.

The painted and bejeweled pony is one of 11 currently being carved in the Whipple Street workshop.  Berkshire Carousel Director Maria Caccaviello said there was a lot of research put into the creation of "Kali," adding that hundreds of hours were spent on carving and preparing it for painting. 

Kali is a beautifully appointed Coney Island-style pony that was worked on by many volunteers over the past year. Each horse is sponsored and Kali was sponsored by former Pittsfield resident Mrs. Milton Linder of Phoenix. Kali was modeled after a horse carved by famed carver John Zalar in 1910. 

Zalar was a carousel builder at New York's Coney Island and the original figure was on a carousel that operated in Ocean Beach Park in New London, Conn., for many years. More sponsors and volunteers are needed for the project. Interested parties may call 413-499-0342.



Mall Road Work to Begin

By Al Hartheimer

Lanesborough News

LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — The contract is signed. The signs are up. The surveyors are at work. There is no work started on the Partridge Road detour yet.

Mark Ringee of the state Highway Department, District 1 in Lenox, said Friday that preparatory work on Partridge Road, clearing brush and widening at some places will start soon. Shortly after the asphalt plants open on April 1, Partridge Road will be repaved. The temporary road from the underpass to the mall will also be built at this time.

Then the two-mile mall road will be closed and the major work will begin. The contract specifies that the reconstruction of the mall road from Route 7 to the mall be completed and reopened by Nov. 15. The section of the road from the mall to Route 8 will be done in 2011. Some $10 million in stimulus funds is being used for the long-delayed project.
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Dalton Day Returns This Saturday

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
DALTON, Mass. — The town's popular Dalton Day festival is returning this weekend after a year's hiatus.
 
The event will kick off this Saturday at 11 a.m. and runs until 4 p.m. in the field in front of the Senior Center. 
 
The community celebration was established in 2023 by the Cultural Council in an effort to increase resident participation at town meetings while also showcasing the area's welcoming, diverse, artistic and sporty atmosphere. In 2024, the event brought together 300 residents. 
 
"The primary mission of Dalton Day is to foster a strong sense of community, build civic pride, and bring residents together through a shared celebration of local culture, music, and food," said Jeannie Ingram, Select Board member and cultural council chair, and Lori Venezia, executive assistant to the town manager. 
 
The event provides an accessible and free platform for "civic education, community bonding, and supporting local businesses, artisans, makers, and culture more broadly," they said.
 
The festival strengthens the fabric of the town both civically and economically by connecting grassroots organizations with residents, fostering a shared sense of belonging, and providing free, family-friendly entertainment.
 
It also serves as an opportunity for community members to meet with local officials and a couple of state officials. State Sen. Paul Mark and state Rep. Leigh Davis will be coming from Beacon Hill to speak at the event. 
 
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