Here are some brief thoughts on recent happenings in Franklin County and the North Quabbin region.
Last Wednesday’s brief storm moving through Western Massachusetts at 60 to 80 miles per hour left in its wake property damage and widespread power outages from central New York to southern New England. Franklin County and the North Quabbin area were hit hard, as reported in this paper. Eversource Spokesperson Reid Lamberty said the storm resulted in 30 blocked roads, 41 broken utility poles and 6 miles of downed wires due to fallen trees and tree limbs. As a result, utility crews were stretched thin for days across a wide geographic area. The damage to iconic structures such as the Bridge of Names in Lake Pleasant and the Franklin County fairgrounds stand as mute witness to the event.
Our town and city police, fire and public works departments and first responders worked nonstop to protect citizens. In Northfield, for example, emergency personnel rescued a man trapped in a vehicle after trees and power lines came down around him. “They were energized and burning on the ground in close proximity to the car,” said Northfield Fire Chief Floyd “Skip” Dunnell III. “One of the primaries was wedged in his trunk lid. It was definitely a life-threatening situation.” The next day, Dunnell and his daughter, Amanda, were going door-to-door along roads still closed to check on the well-being of residents without power. In Bernardston, Fire Chief Peter Shedd responded to more than 30 calls as a result of the storm. Shedd credited “good teamwork” among the police, fire and highway departments, as well as mutual aid from neighboring Guilford, Vt. and Hinsdale, N.H., for keeping residents safe. Athol Police Lt. Ron Cote reported that National Grid and the highway department had been working around the clock to clear roads. “It’s a slow go,” Cote said.
Whether it’s a blizzard, hurricane, flood or other natural whammy, it’s all in a day’s work for public servants: long hours and physical drudgery interspersed with episodes of heroism. Every town has its storm stories; most employees and volunteers were too busy doing their job to stop and talk about it to our reporters. But voters can show their appreciation by supporting them when their budget requests come up at Annual Town Meetings.
It’s heartening the way communities are trying to provide children with a Halloween experience in this year of the pandemic. Parading through classrooms in costume is a common childhood memory as is, of course, going door-to-door for candy in an outfit that expresses our inner hero. “It was such a big part of my childhood,” said Orange Selectboard Chair Ryan Mailloux, “as it is for many.”
So amid the mundane business of budgeting and planning, town and city officials are making time to discuss Halloween activities. According to the Franklin Regional Council of Governments, which coordinates pandemic planning in the region, 13 percent of towns are banning trick-or-treating, while 38 percent have restrictions, 25 percent are offering alternatives, and 38 percent haven’t yet made a decision. FCCOG Director of Community Services Phoebe Walker said, “I think it’s important for towns to be in sync, so that no town is overrun by tons of trick-or-treaters, for instance.” During a virtual roundtable last week, health leaders from Orange, Bernardston, Shelburne, Deerfield and Greenfield were a few who shared their views or their town’s plans for Halloween.
In Orange, leaders have opted to permit three hours of door-to-door trick-or-treating between 5 and 8 p.m., provided that certain COVID-19 safety measures are taken: masks, social distancing and hand sanitizing. In Bernardston, the board of health has banned trick-or-treating, but the town is encouraging residents to participate in a “Halloween Drive-thru” in the parking lot of the United Church of Bernardston from 4 to 6 p.m. From there, families may continue on to the Fire Station, where members of the police and fire departments will hand out more treats. Greenfield will offer a drive-thru event in Highland Park. Shelburne has cancelled its Rag Shag parade. “We’re limiting where we bring children,” Shelburne resident and retired nurse Jody Stetson said, “and asking that parents don’t congregate at houses.”
Like many another tradition, Halloween is being reimagined to keep people safe during a pandemic. We hope every town keeps the fun in this enduring holiday.