Hawlemont School Committee supports crosswalk art
CHARLEMONT — The Hawlemont Regional School District School Committee expressed support for crosswalk art at its meeting on Monday night.
Committee member Ashley Sparks said she and fellow member Anne Kaplan believe “one of the bigger safety issues in the school is the crosswalk.”
Sparks said that after conducting research, she has learned that art on crosswalks has been found to slow vehicles down. In an area where many people drive larger SUVs, Sparks added, “when you have little kids, people don’t see them.”
The idea for the subject of the crosswalk art is a barn, as Sparks said the community should know there is a barn behind Hawlemont.
Committee Vice Chair Kenneth Bertsch voiced his support for the idea, and mentioned that he “actually got passed twice in the town last summer” while driving 30 mph. He told Kaplan and Sparks that they should let the School Committee know how it can help with the crosswalk project.
Hawlemont Principal Amber Tulloch said approval for the art would have to come from the town. The School Committee agreed that the project should be a priority.
Charlemont Selectboard considering LED streetlights
CHARLEMONT — The Selectboard plans to consider replacing the town’s high-pressure sodium lights in its streetlights with LEDs.
In her report at Monday’s Selectboard meeting, Town Administrator Sarah Reynolds said National Grid had approached the town to see if Charlemont was interested in switching to LED streetlights.
These LEDs would replace the high-pressure sodium lights on Main Street and South River Road, as well as at the Charlemont Fairgrounds. Reynolds said that in theory, this change would drastically lower Charlemont’s electric bill, following $2,500 in installation costs. An incentive from National Grid to install the LED lights will be active through October.
Selectboard member Wilder Sparks and Star Atkeson, secretary to the town boards, plan to do more research and present their findings in late June. This research includes reaching out to DarkSky Massachusetts, an organization combating light pollution.
Concert coming to Buckland on Sunday
BUCKLAND — Buckland Public Hall at 15 Upper St. will be the site of a concert on Sunday, April 19, at 5 p.m. featuring music from around the world. The event, organized by Fabric of Life, will feature musical groups with distinct styles.
The first group is Orkestar Banitsa, a New England-based group that plays traditional dance music from the Balkans. They’ve performed for 35 years, and feature an accordion, drums, clarinet, tambura and vocals.
The other group featured is the Fireside Orchestra, made up of local musicians who have played together in Shelburne, learning their music at the Fabric of Life farmhouse. The group is led by Eveline MacDougall, who also directs the Fiery Hope chorus.
Attendees can register in advance or pay at the door. It is sliding-scale admission, ranging from $20 to $40. However, no one will be turned away due to lack of funds.
For more information, visit fabric-of-life.org.