Brief thoughts on some of the events making news from around Franklin County and the North Quabbin area:
We can appreciate Greenfield’s attempt to save money. But the decision to limit the annual street sweeping spring cleaning doesn’t sit right. Yes, because of the mild winter, the town didn’t have to put down as much sand as usual. But the streets all over town still have plenty of dust, dirt and grit that begs for a street sweeper to make a pass. We think Greenfield should rethink its plan to limit its cleaning and instead do the whole town. It’s a quality of life issue.
Mutual aid just took on a new meaning for a couple of Franklin County towns. Gill and Northfield are sending $5,000 apiece to Montague to help with its intervenor status involving the proposed Northeast Energy Direct natural gas pipeline. Although there are eight county towns that are on the pipeline’s route, only Montague has been granted full intervenor status when it comes to Berkshire Gas’ request to tap into the proposed pipeline. Such status comes with costs, and Gill and Northfield recognize that, along with seeing that Montague will play an important role here. As Montague Selectman Richard Kuklewicz said, “the whole intention of the town of Montague is to appeal really on behalf of the larger community of Franklin County and beyond.” In return, Montague is getting a little financial help from its friends.
We’ll keep our fingers crossed for only sweet notes coming from an upcoming trip by the Pioneer Valley Regional School band to Canada. The 49-member band will participate in the Heritage Music Festival and compete against other high school concert bands in Toronto. Regardless of how they finish, the trip will prove to be for those participating a memorable moment, and in this case an international one. Good luck.
Having an option of picking up a Peter Pan bus in Deerfield, Greenfield, Shelburne Falls and Charlemont as part of its route between Springfield and Albany, N.Y., is good for the area in providing alternatives to taking a car. It’s the kind of mass transit service that the area needs more of. Even though there are only two buses each way daily, the times work for people interested in a day trip. Ridership, right now is light, let’s hope that changes, so that the route, actually a partnership between the bus company and state Department of Transportation, stays in place.