The annual Buddy Walk is a national event established in 1995 to promote inclusion and awareness. It's raised more than $15 million.
DALTON, Mass. — For the 17th year, the Berkshire County Arc's Down Syndrome Family Group and its allies took over Main Street for the annual Buddy Walk.
Hundreds of people in maroon walk T-shirts gathered at Craneville School for a festive event that includes the signature walk through downtown, music, food and games on school's playground.
The walk was one of two in Massachusetts (the other is in Wakefield next Sunday) and dozens across the country under the auspices of the National Down Syndrome Society, which started the program in 1995.
The goals of the walk are three-fold: to celebrate Down syndrome awareness, to educate the general public and to advocate on behalf of the 5,100 Americans born with Down syndrome each year.
Locally, BCArc is the lead agency serving Berkshire County residents with developmental disabilities, brain injuries and autism and their families.
A longtime advocate of the agency and its clients is state Sen. Paul Mark, D-Peru, a member of the Legislature's Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities and one of several public officials to participate in Saturday's walk.
Mark was back in his district after joining an overwhelming majority in both houses of the Legislature to pass a $1 billion tax relief measure earlier in the week.
On Saturday, he said there is no concern that the tax cuts to be phased in over several years will negatively impact social service agencies, like BCArc, that rely on state funding and have struggled to address staff salary needs even before this year's tax relief push.
"Overall, everything we're hearing is that this [tax cut] is safe, that we're on a good pace of revenue growth," Mark said. "And the cuts and the [tax] credits that are happening aren't going to hamper that, that they're in line with what we think is going to keep our state growing in a responsible manner.
"We have an $8 billion rainy day fund that we're sitting on, and also the cuts are going to be phased in."
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Detours have been set because of the closed bridge.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Rapid deterioration of the Peck's Road bridge has led to its closure until further notice and a hopefully expedited process to replace the entire structure.
The bridge was fully closed to traffic on Monday following an inspection from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation that found six areas of deterioration. Repair work is slated to begin in August by Rifenburg Contracting Corp. and the city says it continues to work closely with MassDOT on steps ahead.
Work will include demolition and reconstruction of the bridge over Onota Brook that has been reduced to one lane for five years. A detour has been routed from Peck's Road to Onota Street, Vin Herbert Boulevard, and Valentine Road.
"Today, upon a 6-month routine inspection, the state found signs of rapid deterioration and ordered the bridge to be closed," Commissioner of Public Services and Utilities Ricardo Morales wrote in an email.
"We are now moving towards having the bridge replaced in one go, as opposed to splitting the work in phases and maintaining traffic flow. This has some setbacks but overall the project should be completed faster."
The bid was awarded to the contracting company for $1,535,420 with a 10 percent construction administration budget and a 10 percent contingency budget, bringing the total estimated cost to $1,842,504.
Morales reported that the city has multiple authorizations for funding from previous years and a state Small Bridge grant that will cover all of the costs. He said a schedule will be shared once the contractor finishes changing the construction approach.
Pedestrian access is still available until construction begins.
Rapid deterioration of the Peck's Road bridge has led to its closure until further notice and a hopefully expedited process to replace the entire structure. click for more
signature building of the Downtown Historic District, the Town Hall is on the State Register of Historic Places. Funding secured by Neal will support the restoration and repair interior and exterior features throughout the building. click for more
Two peaker plants in Berkshire County have been out of service for two years and are in the process of demolition. Local environmentalists are rejoicing.
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The Controy Pavilion at Onota Lake was filled with some of Berkshire United Way's funded partners for its second annual "thank you" summer celebration picnic. click for more