West County Notebook: Jan. 7, 2025

A page from “The Art of Eating Wild,” which can be viewed at Plainfield’s Shaw Memorial Library at 312 Main St. through February. The book showcases 15 plants and one fungus in the New England ecosystem that are available to eat.

A page from “The Art of Eating Wild,” which can be viewed at Plainfield’s Shaw Memorial Library at 312 Main St. through February. The book showcases 15 plants and one fungus in the New England ecosystem that are available to eat. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/PALOMA HSIAO-SHELTON

A page from “The Art of Eating Wild,” which can be viewed at Plainfield’s Shaw Memorial Library at 312 Main St. through February. The book showcases 15 plants and one fungus in the New England ecosystem that are available to eat.

A page from “The Art of Eating Wild,” which can be viewed at Plainfield’s Shaw Memorial Library at 312 Main St. through February. The book showcases 15 plants and one fungus in the New England ecosystem that are available to eat. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/PALOMA HSIAO-SHELTON

Paloma Hsiao-Shelton with her book “The Art of Eating Wild,” which can be viewed at Plainfield’s Shaw Memorial Library at 312 Main St. through February.

Paloma Hsiao-Shelton with her book “The Art of Eating Wild,” which can be viewed at Plainfield’s Shaw Memorial Library at 312 Main St. through February. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Published: 01-06-2025 1:27 PM

Modified: 01-06-2025 6:39 PM


Colrain seeks new members for Cultural Council

COLRAIN — The Cultural Council is looking for new members.

The Colrain Cultural Council is responsible for the distribution of annual funding from the Massachusetts Cultural Council in support of cultural programming in Colrain that caters to a variety of audiences. More information and a member toolkit can be found at massculturalcouncil.org.

Those who are interested in serving on the Cultural Council should send a letter of interest to bos@colrain-ma.gov. Contact Town Administrator Diana Parsons at 413-624-636 with questions.

Hawley to hold remembrance ceremony

HAWLEY — The town of Hawley will hold a brief remembrance ceremony for late President Jimmy Carter on Thursday, Jan. 9, at 7 p.m. at the Town Office. Those gathered will share a moment of silence, a few words and peanut butter cookies.

Colrain residents can sign up for alerts and news

COLRAIN — The town invites residents to sign up for emergency alerts and general notifications of meetings and town news. Get email, text or call updates anytime a board or committee schedules a meeting, a road closes or an emergency occurs that requires town officials to share important updates quickly.

To sign up for meeting notices and general town news, visit colrain-ma.gov/contact.

To sign up for emergency alerts, visit townofcolrainma.portal.finalsiteconnect.com.

Nomination papers available in Rowe

ROWE — Nomination papers are available for those looking to throw their hat in the ring ahead of this year’s town election.

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In May, the terms of 11 town officials will be expiring. To get nomination papers to have their name on the ballot, residents should contact Town Clerk Kevin Balawick at 413-339-5520, ext. 103 or townclerk@rowe-ma.gov. Papers must be returned with 20 signatures by March 29.

In addition to a three-year term as moderator, three-year terms on the following boards and committees will be on the ballot this year:

■Board of Assessors.

■Board of Health.

■Selectboard.

■Cemetery Commission.

■Finance Committee.

■Library Trustees.

■Park Commission.

■School Committee.

Additionally, a five-year term and a one-year term on the Planning Board will be up for grabs.

Academy at Charlemont alum showcases ‘The Art of Eating Wild’

PLAINFIELD — Plainfield resident and Academy at Charlemont alumna Paloma Hsiao-Shelton will showcase “The Art of Eating Wild” at Plainfield’s Shaw Memorial Library at 312 Main St. through February.

Hsiao-Shelton is now a freshman at Bowdoin College, but last year as her senior project at The Academy at Charlemont, she created 32 watercolor paintings showing various food sources in the local environment. Her book, “The Art of Eating Wild,” showcases 15 plants and one fungus in the New England ecosystem that are available to eat and have been harvested for medicine and food by Indigenous people in the region for thousands of years.

The book can be seen at the library during its open hours on Tuesdays from 2 to 8 p.m., Thursdays from 5 to 8 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon through the end of February.