“Sharing tales of those we’ve lost is how we keep from...

By Mary Kronholm

Blandford Historical Society Pres ident Chips Norcross has announced that the Historical Society is the recipient of a $95,000 Capital Grant f rom the Massachuset ts Cultural Council in conjunction with MassDevelopment.

Based on a recommendation from the review panel, the Historical Society has also received an additional award of $7,000 for the express purpose of creating a Systems Replacement Plan.

Historical Society receives grant

By Peter Spotts

Social distancing isn’t going to stop the summer reading program at Meekins Library this year, as Covid-19 restric-tions have caused library staff to find alternative prizes to turn reading into a means of community support.

This summer, children, teens, and adults who read for prizes will be able to earn gift cards from local businesses that the Friends of the Meekins Library is purchasing with their own funds. Businesses get support and families can get the food and items they need most by opening a book.

VIRTUAL, page 10

HISTORICAL, page 6

Virtual programs launch in June

WILLIAMSBURG

BLANDFORD

By Shelby Macri

Arbor Day was celebrated in most appropriate fashion on Saturday, May 16, with the addition of three new ser-viceberry trees planted along Center Street by the Plainfield Tree Alliance.

The Plainfield Tree Alliance is a volunteer group interested in keeping up the maintenance of historic and nat-ural trees within the Town of Plainfield, specifically the historical parts of the town.

Alliance celebrates with tree planting

By Peter Spotts

M o n t g o m e r y a n d Russell have a Democrat State Senator to fill the void left by Mayor Don Humason of Westfield as John Velis, the State Rep. for Westfield, won the special election on Tuesday, May 19 over Republican John Cain.

While he comes from the c i ty, Vel is sa id he thought long and hard about running for the senate seat because he wanted to make sure he would be ready to handle being a voice for all 11 communities he would serve, including the district hilltowns.

“I’m not going to run for this seat unless I can make a promise and vow to myself that I will represent the other 10 communities with the same energy and enthusiasm that I do for the people of Westfield,” Velis said. “They [The hilltowns] are going to have somebody who zealously advocates their cause.”

Velis doesn’t want peo-ple to define him by the let-ter signifying his political party. His form of politics is to represent every person of his district and judge ideas and proposals on their merit,

Senator-elect Velis committed to hilltown advocacy

TREES, page 7

By Peter Spotts

C e m e t e r i e s , t o w n greens, and streets were not packed with residents to observe Memorial Day ceremonies or parades, but towns found ways to honor the fallen, veterans, and the first responders and frontline workers serving during the Covid-19 pandemic.

A m e r i c a n L e g i o n Cummington Post 304 held ceremonies in Chesterfield, Cumming ton , Goshen , Plainfield, and Worthington. While residents were not attending in person, the cer-emonies were recorded and posted on town websites or livestreamed on Facebook. Veteran’s Agent Tom Geryk said it’s important to find a way to hold these ceremo-nies despite the restrictions caused by coronavirus.

“One of the things that we promise our soldiers is once you’re gone, you’re never forgotten. That’s the same idea for why the put flags on the graves every year,” Geryk said. “It really

HONORED, page 2

SENATOR, page 2

American Legion Cummington Post 304 livestreams a ceremony at Chesterfield Veteran’s Park on Memorial Day. The Legion also held ceremonies in Cummington, Goshen, Plainfield, and Worthington. The ceremonies were posted online for residents to view. More Memorial Day photos on pages 8 and 9.

Senator-elect John Velis helps the Westfield Food Pantry distribute grab-and-go meals in the parking lot of the Episcopal Church of the Atonement in Westfield. Velis won the vacant 2nd Hampden and Hampshire district on Tuesday, May 19. File photo

Parades, ceremonies honor townveterans

PLAINFIELD

Blandford ........................6Business Directory ........11Chester ...........................3Chesterfield ..................16Classifieds ....................15

Cummington .................10Hilltowns ........................2Huntington ......................2Middlefield ......................3Obituary ........................13

Opinion .......................4, 5Otis ...............................11Plainfield ........................7Public Notices ...............13Puzzle Page ..................12

Schools & Youth ..............3Westhampton ...............10Williamsburg .................10Worthington ....................3

HILLTOWNS

PAGE 6

HILLTOWNS

A TURLEY PUBLICATION ❙ www.turley.com

May 28, 2020 ❙ Vol. 42, No. 5 ❙ 75¢ www.countryjournal.turley.com

“Sharing tales of those we’ve lost is how we keep from really losing them.” — Mitch Albom

Devoted to the Needs of the HilltownsCountry Journal

Becket, Blandford, Chester, Chesterfield, Cummington, Goshen, Huntington, Middlefield, Montgomery, Otis, Plainfield, Russell, Sandisfield, Westhampton, Williamsburg, Worthington

SOCIALLY DISTANT MEMORIAL

American Legion Post 236 marches through the St. Mary’s cemetery during a ceremony on Monday, May 25. They also held ceremonies at cemeteries on High Street, Valley Road, and Old Valley Road. Photos by Peter Spotts

Country Journal • Thursday, May 28, 2020

HILLTOWNS

The Hilltown Domestic Violence Interfaith Initiative is launching a vir-tual prayer flag project as its 4th annual vigil cannot be held due to Covid-19.

A short video of prayer flag photos set to music will be created, and the video will be circulated through social media and everywhere the initiative and Southern Hilltown Domestic Violence Task Force can distribute it.

Those interested can make the flag on a square of white cloth or piece of white paper, write an answer to the prompt and then take a photo either of themselves with the flag, or of just the flag, and email it to [email protected] as a jpeg. By

emailing the picture of their flag, par-ticipants consent to having their photo used in this public project. Sending a photo does not guarantee it will be used in the video. Every photo that can fit within the limits of a short video will be used.

The prompt for the flag is, “What is your hope, wish, or prayer for those who experience domestic or sexual vio-lence?”

Anyone who cares about uplift-ing victims and survivors of domestic and sexual violence, and can create and email a jpeg of their flag, is welcome to participate. The deadline for submis-sions is June 5.

Virtual prayer flags needed by June 5CVS is offering free drive-th-

ru Covid-19 testing at its pharmacy on King Street in Northampton,and else-where. People will be handed a kit and supervised while doing self-swab in their vehicle.The sample is then sent to a lab

for analysis. Results are promised in two to four days. Testing requires pre-screen-ing and an appointment; an order from a care provider is not a prerequisite. For more information, visit https://www.cvs.com/minuteclinic/covid-19-testing.

CVS opens free Covid-19 testing

HUNTINGTONNORWICH HILL

The First Congregational Church of Huntington will continue to sus-pend physical gatherings for worship services and meetings for the time being out of our deep care and concern for each other, our neighbors and our wider community.

Though our doors may be closed, our spirits are not. We are currently meeting for worship by Zoom. If you do not receive our emails and would like to connect with our Zoom worship, please contact Pastor Carol at [email protected] to receive the information you will need to par-ticipate.

T h i s w e e k o u r r e a d i n g f o r Pentecost from Acts 2.1-21 invites us to wonder about the Spirit that brings

us together when we feel isolated, disconnected and socially distant; the Spirit that invites us to see opportuni-ties and new connectivity as we truly discover that we are in this together.

We wish everyone God’s peace. Our prayers for health and wellbeing are with you and all the world during this time of pandemic. Please use the phone numbers and email address pro-vided to stay in touch or to contact the pastor. You are also invited to find us on Facebook at “First Congregational Church of Huntington, United Church of Christ @NorwichHill” for updates, information and spiritual encourage-ment. For more information, contact 413-667-3935, 860-798-7771, or [email protected].

not party.“The unique perspective

that I bring is that I’m not interested in the partisan pol-itics that define this moment in politics. I am aghast at how democrats attack repub-licans and how republicans attack democrats,” Velis said. “People say who came up with that idea? Was it a dem-ocrat or a republican? My philosophy is to ask, ‘is this a good idea?’”

Since he first ran for office in 2014, Velis said he has had doubters on the campaign trail about his ability to toe party lines. He points to his vot-ing record to show his willingness to support both sides of the aisle and for the people of the 2nd Hampden and Hampshire District who didn’t support him this time at the polls to watch him work between now and November.

“That is a message from the most progressive community in a place like Easthampton to the most conservative in a place like Southwick, that are shar-ing this philosophy,” he said. “We hate this faction; this tribalism politics has devolved into.”

Velis visited every district town during his campaign. While knocking on doors before Covid-19 forced cam-paigns to go remote, he said there were some occasions where a door opened in Montgomery or Russell and he was told, “It’s the first time my door has been knocked on in 50 years.”

For Velis, the personal connection with his new constituents and hearing the issues directly from town officials and residents is a huge part of who he is. He acknowledged it was difficult running his campaign for the final two months, where he wasn’t able to engage in those activities.

“I believe the best way to assess somebody’s character is to have them look you in the eye…ask them who they are,” he said. “To have that taken away under these conditions, it was tough. It was absolutely tough. As we got closer to the election and we had to resort to phonebanks and social media, all that’s okay, but it’s much more difficult for me to sell my brand of politics without peo-ple being able to get a real feel for it.”

During these visits, he’s gained

insight into the issues the h i l l town res idents hold in high concern — from unfunded state mandates dragging down the town bud-gets, to the need for more Chapter 90 funding, unfin-ished road projects, and inter-net service. He said it’s a major issue that kids have to drive or walk closer to a sig-nal tower to be able to access school materials online.

“There’s something wrong that in 2020 America, in Massachusetts — one of the most advanced states in the Country — that our students have to drive away from home just to do their homework,” he said.

However, Velis knows that much of his remaining term — which runs through to the election in November — will be focused on economic recovery coming out of the Covid-19 shutdowns, which has the state currently estimat-ing up to a $6 billion decrease in reve-nue and 1.1 million citizens of the state unemployed.

“Things like workforce devel-opment, regional equity, education, they’re inextricably tied to Covid-19,” Velis explained. “Let’s take the Student Opportunity Act, landmark education reform that we passed the latter part of 2019. The big debate right now is are there going to be funds available to fund the Student Opportunity Act over all these issues that are, in theory, sepa-rate from Covid-19, but are inextricably linked to the budget.”

Velis wants the residents of his new hilltowns to know he will not be the Senator who only looks to his home-town when deciding what’s best for the district. He will be holding office hours in all 11 communities and wants the people to know he will hear them; he will speak for them.

“I hear them loud and clear. If they think I’m going to be a stat rep that takes care of his hometown…that’s not what they’re going to get in me,” he said.

Velis expects to be sworn in within the next week or two. Once in office, he’ll have a few short months to accli-mate to the position and finish out Humason’s term before going on the ballot again in November.

SENATOR from page 1

follows along that idea is for their sacri-fice that they made for us; we can make a small sacrifice in our life to honor the freedom that they’ve basically provided us.”

During the brief ceremony, Post 304 Commander Conrad Liebenow read the names of the veterans in the respective town that have passed away during the past year and gave brief remarks acknowledging the fallen vet-erans, veterans, and the people serving on the frontlines during the Covid-19 pandemic home front.

“As we remember and honor deceased veteran’s this Memorial Day, we remain mindful of healthcare work-ers and other essential personnel who serve in harms way during this histor-ic pandemic,” Liebenow said during the ceremony. “Comrades, this day is sacred with the almost visible presence of those who have gone before us. We honor the memory of those who gave their lives in service of our country and of those others who have dropped their burden by the wayside of life and are gone to their eternal rest. May the cere-monies today deepen our reverence for our departed friends and comrades.”

Whether it was juggling the tech-nical aspects, social distancing, or potential rain, everything came togeth-er in the end for the ceremonies to be carried out on schedule on the morning of Monday, May 25. While the cere-monies were not as long as year’s past, they were held, and people remem-bered.

“It was kind of crazy how we had to modify everything and try to put everything online,” Geryk said. “Hopefully, we won’t have to do that next year. All in all, I felt it was very respectful ceremonies and they really honored our fallen soldiers as neces-sary this year. That’s the most import-ant thing.”

He summarized the meaning of

Memorial Day, noting that “It’s sym-bolic of we can make a small sacri-fice for the ultimate sacrifice that they made, pandemic or not.”

Geryk noted that as of 3:30 p.m. Monday afternoon, the Goshen cere-mony had 488 views on its Facebook feed, showing that more people may be exposed to the ceremonies this year that haven’t been attending in person in years past.

“We don’t see 488 people every year when we have these things,” he said.

In Haydenville, American Legion Post 236 carried out cemetery cere-monies across the town including at High Street, Old Valley Road, Valley Road, and St. Mary’s. The color guard paraded the flags through the cemetery, customary wreaths were placed, taps was played, and the gun salute was performed. The ceremonies also fea-tured the singing of “This Land is Your Land” and “Amazing Grace” by Megan Cone and Kelsey Chandler.

Chester, while official ceremo-nies were cancelled, ended up with an impromptu celebration of its own. Resident Jackson Harding, a scout with Troop 120, was lined up to play taps at 3 p.m. as part of Taps for America — a movement encouraging veterans, musicians, teachers, and students of all abilities to sound taps wherever they are at 3 p.m. on Memorial Day. Resident Tom Huntoon heard about it, donned his uniform, and presented the American Flag with Harding at the Chester Factory Cemetery. About 20 people joined to watch from a social distance.

Blandford, Huntington, Otis and Sandisfield held parades with mem-bers of the town Fire Departments and other town vehicles to help bring cele-brations to people who couldn’t leave their homes to gather on Memorial Day.

HONORED from page 1

John Velis

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Country Journal • Thursday, May 28, 2020 page 3

CHESTER

CHESTER — As a result of the Covid-19 crisis, The Chester Theatre Company has made the necessary deci-sion to cancel the entirety of its 2020 summer season, which had originally been slated to run between June and August. The company, which celebrat-ed its 30th anniversary last year, can-celled its first three shows previously. Now it is announcing that its fourth and final show, which was to be “Tiny Beautiful Things” by Nia Vardalos, will not be performed on the stage of the Town Hall Theatre. Citing concerns about the ability to ensure the safety of all involved — audiences, artists, staff, interns, and Chester residents — Producing Artistic Director Daniel Elihu Kramer says there are no plans for live, in-person performances this summer.

“In the weeks since our previous announcement, it has become clear that even the final show of our intend-ed season cannot happen. Looking ahead, we are committed to producing our commissioned play, ‘The Life of the World to Come’ by Darcy Parker Bruce, as soon as we are able,” Kramer says. “Other productions planned for this summer may make their way to our next season as well.”

Chester Theatre Company has been and will continue to be offering online content and events, and engaging with audiences in new and different ways, including online talkbacks following National Theatre Live performanc-es and a discussion with Matt Wolf, London theatre critic for the New York Times. To be kept up to date on pro-gramming, please sign up for the com-pany’s newsletter on its website, www.chestertheatre.org, and follow Chester Theatre Company on Facebook and Instagram.

“Audiences have been incredibly supportive, and are responding enthu-siastically to our online programming,” Kramer said. “I’ve been heartened to see so many of the Chester Theatre Company family — artists, audiences, and critics — engaged in our conver-sations. We will continue to innovate, and to serve our audience, through this difficult time. The bonds we strengthen now, the ways we hold each other up, will serve to keep us connected until the day we can see each other back in the theatre — a day I know we’re all look-ing forward to with longing and hope.”

For further information, contact [email protected], or visit www.chestertheatre.org.

Covid-19 programming changes at Chester Theatre

SCHOOLS & YOUTH

Gateway Regional High School announced on Tuesday, May 26, its grad-uation plans will be postponed until July 24.

In a letter sent to seniors and their families, Finnie said the decision was made based on the possible chance for a socially distant graduation in late July, instead of the planned drive-by gradua-tion for June 5. An April survey among seniors had 83 percent respond they’d

like to postpone. In a second survey held this month, 71 percent voted to postpone.

“Given this convincing sentiment, we have decided to postpone the 2020 GRHS graduation until July 24 — the date with the most support in the survey (more than 75 percent),” Finnie said.

The ceremony is based on spe-cific guidelines from Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Commissioner Jeffrey Riley. These

guidelines include health and assembly restrictions— attendance must be limited to graduates and immediate family mem-bers, sign up before graduation, and only pre-registered people may attend.

The event will also be contingent on public health data supporting the con-tinued opening of the state. If the guide-lines do not allow for a socially distant graduation to be held, the planned drive-through ceremony will take place on July

24 instead. Weather may also factor into the decision. The cost of renting the stage and other equipment may also not be fea-sible to duplicate on a later date.

If any student has need of documen-tation of a diploma prior to this date, they can contact Finnie for assistance. More information will be released later in June regarding the implementation of the DESE guidelines. Updates will be posted on the school website, grsd.org.

Gateway Regional High School graduation postponed until July 24

Planning for fall school openingBy David B. Hopson

I’m sure that there are many questions around the district’s plan for return-ing to school in August, especially

if you’ve been reading the CDC guide-lines, reviewing the Governor’s plan for reopening the state, and following the many news stories on the pandemic. As one might expect, how we plan to reopen the schools depends greatly on what is required and recommended from the state and federal governments as well as how much progress is made in controlling Covid-19.

Broadly I see three potential options. The first is a return to complete normal-cy for both students and staff with full buses, classrooms, sports, after school activities, and even hot school lunch-es. The second is that students return to school under social distancing guide-lines, which would mean some alternat-ing schedule for both busing and school attendance. The third is that we are

not allowed to have students return to the physical building and all education remains “remote.”

As much as we would all like to return to a normal school year as soon as possible, I don’t see this option as the most probable to occur at the beginning of the school year, although it may hap-pen later in the year. Given the direction the state is headed in terms of opening up, and the ongoing changes to sugges-tions on how to open schools across the country under social distancing guide-lines, this seems to be the most discussed option and, arguably, the most difficult to implement. The third option is a con-tinuation of what’s been happening for the last three months and although easier to maintain, it is very difficult to do well and is hard on students, families, and our staff members. So, as the second option is the most difficult to plan for, may be the only option that is open to us, and requires difficult decisions by everyone involved, that is the plan we’re spending the most time trying to develop.

We are told that sometime in mid

to late June there will be some guidance coming from the state regarding the opening of school and that we shouldn’t make any concrete plans prior to this. Knowing the need for planning childcare for families, the need for staff to deter-mine how to best meet the educational needs of students when they may only be in school for half or less of the normal time, and the district’s need to prepare vendors and others to a change in the school schedule, waiting until July to begin planning seems to be a shortsighted choice.

You can imagine the multiple deci-sions that need to be made to bring stu-dents back under social distancing, espe-cially when the recommendations change on a regular basis. Some of these seem basic but each has multiple impacts on how to operate such as how do we bring a portion of the students in while still maintaining educational services to oth-ers, are there some students who should be face to face more often, do we bring in students on alternate days, alternate weeks, or some other schedule, how do

we transport students, and do we provide alter-natives for those families and staff who may have medical issues that com-promise their ability to be exposed to many people in an enclosed environment. Multiply that by all of the operational questions and you can see that this is not an easy plan to develop. Add to that the desire by the district to gather some input from families and staff, as well as the uncertainty over state aid and educational costs, and you begin to reach a point where very little fit together easily or smoothly.

Despite all of that, I anticipate hav-ing at least some ideas to share with the broader community well before the state provides its recommendations. I can only hope that our plans won’t have to be modified extensively to meet those rec-ommendations.

D a v i d B . H o p s o n i s t h e Superintendent of the Gateway Regional School District.

SUPERINTENDENT’S CORNER David B. Hopson

MIDDLEFIELD

MIDDLEFIELD — Town Caucus nominees were selected on May 20 and will be on the ballot for the Town Election on Saturday, June 27.

Forty-five ballots were cast at the cacus and the following people received nominations: Moderator for one year, Joseph Kearns 38 votes; Board of Selectmen three-year term, Tonya L. Santaniello 37 votes; Board of Selectmen two-year term, Ann Marie Visconti 28 votes; Cemetery Commission three-year term, Larry Pease 41 votes; Library

Trustee for three-year term, Mary L. Kearns 41 votes; Library Trustee for one-year term, Mary Christine Bresnahan 39 votes; Finance Committee for three-year term, David DiNicola 23 votes, Brent LeBeau 8 votes, Curt Robie 5 votes; Board of Assessors three-year term, Tamarine Laurel Paine 23 votes; Constable three-year term, Charles H. Hunter Jr. 43 votes.

Two Planning Board positions, each for three-year terms, and a three-year term on the School Committee were blank.

Planning Board, School Committee positions blank after town caucus

WORTHINGTON

WORTHINGTON — Worthington residents, businesses, and surrounding community representatives are invited to complete a survey and provide comments on the Town of Worthington Hazard Mitigation Plan update, now posted on the town’s website. A presentation of the plan update is scheduled to occur on Wednesday, June 3, at 6:30 p.m. virtually due to concerns about health and safety related to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The meeting will include a review of the hazard mitigation plan update process, results from the public survey, and a discussion of proposed mitiga-tion strategies to address natural haz-ards in Worthington. Municipal officials and volunteers who worked on the plan update, along with PVPC staff, will be available to answer questions and listen to comments and input on the impacts of natural hazards on the Town.

All members of the public, represen-tatives from surrounding communities and other interested parties are encour-aged to complete the on-line survey, review the plan, and provide feedback on the draft plan while attending the event.

Hav ing an approved up - to -date Hazard Mitigation Plan makes Worthington eligible to apply for fed-eral Hazard Mitigation Grant Program funds to implement the plans’ top pri-ority actions. Because the Town of Worthington is becoming a certified MVP community at the same time, the Town is also eligible to apply for up to $2 million of state funds to implement top priorities in the MVP final report.

The plan is available online at http://www.worthingotn-ma.us and at http://www.pvpc.org/sites/default/files/doc-worthington-hazard-mitiga-tion-plan3934.pdf.

Hazard mitigation plan update meets virtually on Wednesday, June 3

Parents & CoachesSEND US YOUR NEWS & PHOTOSemail us at: [email protected]


Beat the buzzersOut on a dusk time stroll, have you heard

that familiar, obnoxious buzzing by your ear? The mosquitoes are coming,

as if people didn’t have enough to worry about with COVID-19, these annoying pests will be descending on our neighborhoods in the coming months and it’s best to be cautious and prepared to avoid getting their bites, and potential viruses, including West Nile and Zika, they may carry.

Dr. Craig Stoops, a retired U.S. Navy medical entomologist and chief science officer at Mosquito Authority, a mosquito control company, shares a few helpful tips on how to alleviate mosquito attractiveness to our prop-erty and skin.

“Some people are more susceptible to bites than others,” Stoops said. “Mosquitoes can be attracted to different chemicals found in human skin. But just because mosquitoes are an inevitable part of summer doesn’t mean you’re defenseless.”

First, make sure there is no standing water around your property. Still water is the ideal breeding ground for mosquitoes and it only needs a tablespoon of water to lay its eggs. Common places of standing water include clogged drain gutters, corrugated drainpipes, bird baths, pet bowls, planters, trash and recycling bins, children’s toys and kiddie pools.

Also, trimming trees, shrubs, and other landscape flora helps improve property air cir-culation, which can sometimes help push mos-quitoes out of that area. If planting a garden, put in basil, lavender, and catnip.

“Many people just think of bug spray during mosquito season,” Stoop said. “The main idea should be to keep them out of your yard as much as possible.”

Make sure to choose mosquito repel-lents that are registered by the Environmental Protection Agency. These repellants have been reviewed and approved to pose minimal risk when use properly. The most common effec-tive ingredients in replants include DEET, picaridin, and oil of lemon eucalyptus, accord-ing to Stoops. EPA-approved repellants will provide up to two hours of protection. For more information on the EPA and approved insect repellants, visit www.epa.gov/insect-re-pellents.

Another tactic to employ against the mos-quitoes is proper attire. Studies have shown that mosquitoes are more attracted to dark clothing, so wear lighter colors when out during peak mosquito times. Lightweight, thin materials can be bitten through by a mosquito. Tightly-woven fabrics such as cotton, denim or nylon are more difficult for the bugs to penetrate. Another good alternative is clothing that provides ultraviolet protection, which is typically tightly woven as well.

Finally, a last resort can be professional services. If home prevention measures aren’t effective or if you need another opinion on how to improve mosquito cautionary mea-sures, contact the pros. The Mosquito Control

GUEST COLUMNS

By Anne Sabo Warner

When researching Goshen’s histo-ry, I came across an old record of chattel mortgages. I had never

heard of such a thing. Chattel, it turns out, is any movable personal property such as fur-niture, farm animals and equipment. Even a crop in the field is chattel because it can be harvested and removed. The mortgages were held by individuals and payment was strictly enforced. The sheriff served notice and the chattel was handed over. The records are a sad tale of desperation and loss. If buildings and land were mortgaged to a bank, they went next. If an individual was bankrupt and couldn’t start over again, he became a responsibility of the town. Selectmen were Overseers of the Poor, and paid various fam-ilies to take in indigent individuals.

This system worked well when towns were small, but around 1830 Massachusetts, as did other states, began creating institu-tions for the needy. These included sanito-ria for tuberculosis, hospitals for the men-tally ill, reform schools, and almshouses (poorhouses) for the poor. These were more commonly called poor farms, since those who were able worked on the farm and sup-ported the others. Poor farms were county

or town-run. Outsiders, upon hearing that Goshen had a Town Farm, assumed it was a poor farm, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. Eccentric bachelor Spencer Tilton died in 1918 and left a prosperous farm to the town of Goshen, stipulating that the income be used to lessen taxes. He intended it to be a “modern fruit farm,” but though apple trees were planted, raising chickens was more profitable. The Tilton Town Farm was occupied and operated by several fam-ilies until the 1980s. It is no longer actively farmed, but is the site of a Recreation Area and the town landfill.

As a child I remember adults joking about going to the poor farm, but it was only half in jest. During the Depression many lived from hand to mouth, and there were no savings for old age or illness. Poor farms were used as one of the arguments that helped pass the Social Security Act in 1935, but the last poor farms and almshous-es didn’t close until the 1960s and early 197’s. The states were still responsible for public assistance, but contributions from the federal government enabled some poor farms to become nursing homes.

Anne Sabo Warner is a former Goshen resident who currently resides in Enfield, CT.

Helping the Poor

It’s safe to say that peonies played a pretty important role in my childhood and

what would turn out to be a blossoming love of horticulture. Because my birthday is in early June, we have numerous snap-shots of yours truly blowing out the candles with a bouquet of frilly pink flowers in the back-ground. My mom still has the two original plants growing near her porch, and they date back to her grandmother who grew them in the 1930s. Although the flowers fall into the old-fashioned category, they continue to be popular in modern gardens because of their fragrance and form, not to mention their lon-gevity. Here are some tips to keep your peo-nies thriving for years to come.

Planting Peonies are best planted in the fall, September or October in our area. This timing will give the plants an opportunity to develop a healthy stand of feeder roots before the ground freezes. Choose a loca-tion that receives six or more hours of sun a

day. Don’t skimp on the size of the planting hole; one that measures a foot and a half deep by two and a half feet wide will sustain the plant for many years. If your soil is aver-age, the addition of a balanced fer-tilizer may be all that is necessary at planting. Soils that are lean should be improved prior to planting by amending the hole with roughly equal parts good soil and aged com-post or manure. Peonies prefer a pH of 6.0-7.0, a wide enough range to

accommodate most home garden situations. If your soil is more acidic than that, bring up your pH by adding lime.

Mail order plants usually arrive bare root. These can be soaked in a bucket of water overnight to rehydrate prior to planting. When it comes time to plant, remember this: eyes point up, roots point down! Eyes should end up no more than two inches below the soil surface; any deeper than that and flowers may be sacrificed. Get your plants off to a

Another favorite fragrant flower

Corrections policyIf you notice a factual error in our

pages, please let us know, so that we can set the record straight. Email information to [email protected], or call us at 413-283-8393.

Corrections will be printed in the same section where the error originally occurred.

EDITORIAL

OPINION

Country Journal

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Country Journal

Roberta McQuaid

Turley PublicationsColumnist

i n t h eGaRden

BUZZERS, page 5

GARDEN, page 5


By Deborah Daniels

Chester’s virtual on track event was terrific! If you did any hik-ing around Chester, you may

have noticed the coal tower built in the 1920s and the remains of the Chester Roundhouse circa 1850. It was actual-ly the cement staircase to heaven, near Olin Ave. that caught my attention. There is no building attached to the staircase. What gives? Turns out it used to be the stairs to a cable bridge that went over the river, shortening the route the rail-road workers took to work. According to Dave Pierce, local railroad guru, it was built and paid for by industrious Chester citizens to offer a quick way to work. The roundhouse located on the other side of the bridge, was staffed 24 hours of the day by railway workers. It was here that the trains were repaired and stored in the roundhouse. You can see the remains of this circular garage on the other side of the river (graffiti artists have visited). There is a circular pit in front of the roundhouse where the turn-table used to sit. The turntable allowed the engine to be turned 180 degrees to go in the opposite direction or to be side-lined or removed from the main trunk line. Ingenuous, considering the aver-age weight of an iron horse in 1840 was 12,000 pounds, so reversing direction was a big deal. And it was the workers who powered rotating the train on the turntable by pushing it.

Now Chester was located at the base of the biggest elevation, 1,458 feet above sea level on the Boston and Albany Railroad line, formerly the Western Railroad. Railroad talk calls this a 1.4 percent grade, a very steep grade for a train to climb. If you must know, grade refers to the number of feet of rise per 100 feet of horizontal distance, so if a track rises 1 foot over 100 feet of distance the gradient is one percent. Eastbound trains climbed six miles of 1.4 percent

grade and westbound trains climbed 10 miles of slightly steeper grade to reach the four miles of level track, the Hinsdale Flats peat bog. This journey required the help from a pusher train. Pusher locomo-tives would have waited in the Chester roundhouse for the call to duty, get the train to the summit of Washington Hill, by pushing the train from behind. There would be careful communication through standard whistle signals between the steam locomotive front engineer to the pusher train engineer to apply power, drift or brake. Sounds like the Fast and Furious movie doesn’t it! Well if the lead locomotive applied the brakes while the pusher was applying power, there would be a violent bunching of train slack that could derail the train! Once the pusher locomotive was done it would coast back-wards down the grade to its siding and wait for the next train. Radio communi-cation was developed and reduced such

dangerous scenarios. Alas, diesel electric trains did not require pusher trains. The glory days for steam engines and pusher trains ended in the 1950s, as they were replaced by diesel trains.

Now all these steam trains from the 1840s to 1950s ran on coal, so the coal tower pictured had a conveyor belt with buckets that brought the coal to the top of the tower. All the train would have to do was to pull up and the coal would drop into the coal car. A train required several coal cars to use as fuel. It was the fireman who shoveled the coal into the engine’s furnace. You can bet no engineer wanted to be short on coal as he began his ascent on Washington Hill.

This area beside the train tracks would have been buzzing with railroad activity. Right opposite the coal tower are the remains of mill buildings to pro-cess the Chester granite and emery. The old stone walls are another testament to

the history of hard labor that lived here. And, oh yes, the usual racked up delivery truck, forgotten as business slacked.

Once the trains got to the summit, they had to press on to Pittsfield over the bog that was known to swallow track and trains at Muddy Pond! Check with Dave Pierce to learn more about the lost train locomotive and the Keystone Arch Railroad Bridges nearby. Better yet attend one of his hikes to learn the history and visit the Chester Railway Station and Museum, 10 Prospect St., in Chester. You will be amazed.

Remember the deer, rabbits, squir-rels, chipmunks, possums and turtles we share the road with and slow down as we resume full speed ahead with Covid-19 in the rearview.

Do you have a memory or historical curiosity from the Hilltowns that you’d like to share with your neighbors? Send your story and photos to [email protected].

Stationing ‘Round Chester

HILLTOWN HISTORY

The remains of a coal tower in Chester.Submitted photos by Deborah DanielsThe remains of the Chester Roundhouse,

where trains were repaired by railroad workers from the 1850s through the 1940s.

OPINION

good start by watering occasionally until the ground freezes. Once it does, a light mulch can be applied over the peonies to prevent them from being heaved out of the ground during periods of freeze and thaw.

Fertilizing and watering Peonies fertilized at planting time

require no additional food until the fol-lowing fall. Bear in mind that too much nitrogen will encourage lots of leaves but few roots and flowers. For that reason choose a fertilizer that is lower in nitro-gen than the other nutrients. After the third season fertilize after blooming, as well as in the fall. An established peony is drought resistant, but if spring rains are scarce, a weekly watering will promote good flowers.

Staking Heavy peony flowers, especially the

old-fashioned types, will no doubt bow down to the ground in the wind and rain

unless staked. I usually pick some for the vase in the bud stage in an attempt to avoid this task, but nevertheless it makes the plant nice and tidy and should be accomplished. Middle-weight bam-boo stakes inserted into the ground on the outer edge of the plant cut to three-quar-ters its height, work well. Run two rows of twine or jute at one third and two thirds up the bamboo, respectively. Simply start by tying a knot on one stake, wrapping around the next and tightening as you go. If green bamboo and jute are used the staking will hardly be visible, especially if you don’t tighten so much that it looks unnatural.

Diseases One year my peony buds wilted and

dried up just prior to bloom. The culprit was botrytis. Good hygiene can reduce the risk of this fungus invading your gar-den. Each fall simply cut the stems of herbaceous peonies down to the ground.

Haul them off to the trash, don’t com-post. If watering is necessary, do so early in the morning and water at the plant’s base rather than overhead to keep foli-age dry. Any stems that show signs of wilting should be cut away and thrown in the trash as well. Disinfect clippers in between cuts.

My mom is anxious to share her grandmother’s plants. No doubt I will be doing some dividing come September. I look forward to having a few of these family heirlooms in my garden for my girls to cherish as I did.

Roberta McQuaid graduated from the Stockbridge School of Agriculture at the University of Massachusetts. For the last 28 years, she has held the position of staff horticulturalist at Old Sturbridge Village. She enjoys growing food as well as flow-ers. Have a question for her? Email it to [email protected] with “Gardening Question” in the subject line.

GARDEN from page 4

Project oversees mosquito control across the commonwealth, including in Berkshire County. For more information, go to www.mass.gov/service-details/mosquito-control-projects-and-districts. There are other companies based in the nearby urban areas, including Mosquito Shield-Western Mass in Westfield.

Be safe when enjoying the sunny weather of summer. There are plenty of

concerns weighing down people’s minds right now without worrying about those buzzing bloodsuckers.

Fresh air, a cool breeze and sun on the face is a little comfort we all can look forward to this summer.

What are your thoughts? Send your letter to the editor to [email protected].

BUZZERS from page 4

The remains of a truck in the Chester woods. Trucks were used to deliver supplies to the Chester Roundhouse in the 1850s.

PoetryCorner••

The Human Way

By Fred Caron

He shed many tears of timeThat made the world his home.

He laughed to balance many daysThat sweeter treasurers deep within.

From child, to man, to elder,All his living well recalled.

His thoughts are now his memories,Which are now the meaning of it all.

Read or subscribe to the Country Journal online: countryjournal.turley.com


BLANDFORD

The award covers a four-step plan to restore The White Church of Blandford, owned by the Historical Society since 2006.

The first step has been accom-plished, replacing the four finials at the base of the spire. However, according to Norcross, during that process several other potential areas of concern were noted. It is essential to repair, re-glaze, and paint all of the windows, special preparation work, and paint the exteri-or of the building. There is also repair work to be done for several cracks in the interior plaster walls and complete that project with a new coat of paint.

The Society hopes to have all the work completed by 2022, which is the 200th anniversary of the construction of the building. Historic Preservation

Associates, under the leadership of Peter Hamm, will be the general con-tractor for this project.

Hamm has already completed work on the structure in the 1990s and in the intervening years has worked on other restoration projects including the Emily Dickinson House, Herman Melville’s home, Arrowhead, Massachusetts Governor Gore mansion in Waltham, and most recently, the Theodor Seuss “Ted” Geisel house in Springfield.

The Society submitted their grant application in January with support-ing letters from State Rep. Smitty Pignatelli, the Board of Selectmen, the Blandford First Congregational Church, the Porter Memorial Library and from performers as well as people who have used the facility for other

purposes.The grant will go with matching

funds, $95,000 from the Historical Society’s White Church Preservation fund and will cover almost all of the entire cost of the renovation projects. The Historical Society does not have to match the $7,000 for the Systems Replacement Plan, which is a 20-year capital needs assessment for the build-ing and its mechanical systems.

T h e g r a n t c o m e s f r o m t h e Massachusetts Cultural Council’s Cultural Facilities Fund as partnered with the board of MassDevelopment.

Norcross expressed his thanks for “Governor Charlie Baker’s support for the Cultural Facilities’ Fund and its ongoing capital investment in projects like The White Church of Blandford.”

HISTORICAL from page 1

The White Church will be receiving much needed repairs thanks to a $95,000 grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council.

Photo by Mary Kronholm

American Flags line North Blandford Road from Kanners to Veteran’s Park at Town Commons.

The Blandford Fire Department leads the parade of vehicles to Veteran’s Park.

Michael Wojcik places the wreath at the Veterans’ Memorial Marker, escorted by Douglas Emo

Michael Wojcik raises the American Flag as Douglas Emo salutes.

Parker Atkin of Montgomery sounded taps for the very subdued Memorial Day observation.

Fire Chief Ed Harvey stands at his post as color guard prior to the wreath placement. Photos by Mary Kronholm

By Mary Kronholm

BLANDFORD — As the parade of vehicles passed by, North Blandford Road only had American Flags lining the street, no people, from Veteran’s Park and the Town Commons as far down as the Kanner home.

The flags were placed by an anony-mous donor.

A d r ive - b y Vo l u n t e e r F i r e Department parade that wound its way through town on a circuitous route replaced traditional marching parade

units.The greatly reduced Memorial Day

observation by the Fire Department hap-pened as a direct result of State Rep. Smitty Pignatelli’s urging not to let the day go by without honoring Veterans.

In an email to the towns, Pignatelli said, “Since we cannot all gather together to watch a parade –I think we should bring the parade to the people.”

He later added, “Covid-19 may prevent us from getting together, but that doesn’t mean it can stop us from honoring those we miss and show the

Commonwealth what it means to #BeBerkshire.”

There were more Fire Department members at Veterans’ Park than observ-ers for the laying of the Memorial Wreath at the Veterans’ Marker by Michael Wojcik, escorted by Douglas Emo, both veterans. Bob Durocher tolled the bell on the lawn of the Blandford Historical Society signaling Parker Atkin to sound taps. The Montgomery trum-pet player is a member of the Gateway Regional High School band and the class of 2021.

Shortly before noon, Wojcik, again escorted by Emo, raised the American Flag to full staff.

A volunteer cleaned the area and set out new plants. Kate Fletcher created the memorial wreath, as she has done in prior years.

Members of the Fire Department served as Color Guard from 8 a.m. until the parade of fire equipment reached its destination.

It was a somber and sobering remembrance, not to be ignored. The cloud shroud and mist made it more so.

Memorial Day parade, ceremony honors fallen veterans


PLAINFIELD

“Plainfield has this really wonder-ful, sort of legacy of historic street trees, and a lot of them are dying and probably won’t survived climate change,” Alliance member Elizabeth Lambert said. “What we’re trying to do is find places where the trees can be replaced and we’re doing research on planting native trees that will also stand up under certain conditions.”

Serviceberry trees, according to Lambert, are native, single stem trees. Typically, a serviceberry is a bush, but these single stem trees are able to stand up to salt from the road and grow 25 to 30 feet high, as to not interfere with ser-vice and power lines.

“There were some trees here, but they didn’t make it for some reason, and you can see that these trees are ill planned cause they had to be cut a lot due to the power lines,” Lambert said. “A lot of the old Maple’s, which are the most beautiful ones, are just dying back, so

this is a sort of historic crossroads here.”To avoid making the same mistake

with the new trees, the Alliance planted the three trees further back from the road and power lines to avoid disturbing either the tree or the lines in the future.

The tree planting was supposed to be a large community celebration event in late April, but due to Covid-19, the Tree Alliance postponed and re-configured the event. They planted the three trees on the Davis property of Mister Tire, on the corner of South Central Street and Route 116. Though they couldn’t have members of the community help plant or celebrate on site, people were encouraged to watch from across the street at a social safe dis-tance, and plenty of people showed their support by honking at the team of volun-teers as they drove by.

The Tree Alliance has been estab-lished for two years; they have been focusing on completing a survey of the

trees in the historic section of town, including the approximate hike, where a tree is, what type of tree it is, what condition it’s in, if it’s near a stone wall or interfering with a wire, and more. This survey is time consuming and after organizing, planning, and setting up, the group had to wait until this past Fall to conduct the survey.

Since completing the survey, the Tree Alliance has done about three tree plantings within the two years they’ve been established. This Tree Planting took a few months to plan and finalize, includ-ing the rescheduling.

“It was sort of an idea in response to many trees being cut down because of electric lines and what not,” Lambert said. “There’s been a lot of research done on what’s native, what can handle salt, what will last, how tall things will get, and then we have to take the aesthet-ics into consideration. Also, serviceberry

trees, for instance, are really good for birds and pollinators, so they’re god for the environment.”

The Tree Alliance is firstly con-cerned about what with help the environ-ment and community they live in, along with what will last a long time, handle climate change, and look good in town.

The group of volunteers is always open to new members and encourage people to get involved, There is no spe-cific committee or list of people on the Alliance, however those who normal-ly attend showed up once more to plant new trees in celebration of Arbor Day and as a way to spread positivity in the community during a difficult time. Each tree had a pair or group to help plant it into the ground and keep it standing upright until proper measures were taken. The planting took less than an hour and was streamed live on the Plainfield Tree Alliance Facebook page.

TREES from page 1

Members of the Plainfield Tree Alliance planted Serviceberry trees along Center Street in Plainfield on Saturday, May 16, in honor of Arbor Day. Photos by Shelby Macri

Rebecca and Dario Coletta are gathering supplies to plant a Serviceberry tree for Arbor Day along Center Street in Plainfield on Saturday, May 16.

On left, Colin and Ethan, with their grandfather Mike Melle, and Tee O’Sullivan, right, are working hard to plant the trees.

Tee O’Sullivan, left, and Pleun Bouricius work together to place the second Serviceberry tree.

Dario and Rebecca Coletta with a nearly planted Serviceberry tree.

Pleun Bouricius records the event while Tee O’Sullivan plants the tree.

A successful Arbor Day celebration on Center Street saw here new trees planted for the community to cherish in the coming years.


United States Army veteran Robin Bak, left, and Navy veteran Art Smith place wreaths at the Chesterfield War Memorial during the Memorial Day ceremony on Monday, May 25.

Photos by Peter Spotts

Chesterfield Town Administrator Sue Labrie livestreams the Memorial Day Ceremony to the town Facebook page. American Legion Cummington Post 304 Commander Conrad Liebenow, right, led the ceremony.

American Legion Cummington Post 304 Commander Conrad Liebenow reads the names of town veterans who passed away this year during the Chesterfield Memorial Day Ceremony. The Legion held ceremonies in Chesterfield, Cummington, Goshen, Plainfield, and Worthington.

The Chesterfield Memorial for World War I and II.

Flags mark every veteran grave in the High Street cemetery in Haydenville.

From left; VFW members Troy Henke, Russel Jobe, Karen Jobe, George Mengel, William Elsden, Kenneth White, and Joseph Zustra gather before the start of the Otis-Sandisfield Memorial Day. Photo by Shelby Macri

Kelsy Chandler, left, and Megan Cone sing “Amazing Grace” and “This Land is Your Land” during the ceremony at St. Mary’s Cemetery.

The customary gun salute is performed by American Legion Post 236 following the playing of Taps.

HONOR THE FALLEN


Jackson Harding, a scout with Troop 120 from Chester, played Taps at the Chester Factory Cemetery as part of Taps Across America. Also, a Chester resident, Vietnam veteran Tom Huntoon accompanied Jackson and presented the Flag on Memorial Day, Monday, May 25. About 20 people stopped by and observed the impromptu ceremony while social distancing. Submitted Photo by Barbara Huntoon

The Sandisfield fire engine pulls onto the parade route. The Sandisfield Fire Department was joined by fire department members from Otis and Monterey. Photo by Shelby Macri

HONOR THE FALLEN

Local vehicles adorned with American Flags drive in the parade through Otis and Sandisfield to honor fallen heroes. Photo by Shelby Macri

Randon Ziegler, left, and Charidy Loy ride in the Monterey Fire Truck for the Memorial Day Parade in Otis and Sandisfield on Sunday, May 24. Photo by Shelby Macri

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WILLIAMSBURG

WILLIAMSBURG — As of May 26, available daily from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., customers across Hampshire county can order everyday essentials and hot food to be delivered to their vehicle curbside or at the pump while they fill up on gas at any one of Cumberland’s New Concept

stores, like the one located at 37 Main Street in Williamsburg.

To use the new curbside pickup feature, guests must have the latest ver-sion of the SmartPay Rewards app — which is free to download and free to use — and saves members 10 cents on

every gallon of gas when used at the pump. Within the app, guests can select “Curbside Pickup” on the home screen to add items to their order and, once complete, they’ll receive a push notifi-cation and email when the order is ready for pickup. Once guests arrive at the

store location, team members wearing masks will bring out and load bundles right to the car. More information on Cumberland Farms’ safety and sanitation procedures in response to COVID-19, visit www.cumberlandfarms.com/covid-19-update.

Cumberland Farms launches curbside pickup

“Our prizes are going to be gift cards for like local businesses, were pretty excited about that. It’s all supporting the local economy,” said Director Beverly Bullock. “My idea was not read for priz-es, but read for good. Do something spe-cial in your community. Because Covid-19 came along, it made it easy to say we’re going to read for our local busi-nesses, read for the, and get prizes for them too.”

Businesses participating include The Elbow Room Coffee Shop, the Green Aura Shop, Bread Euphoria Bakery & Café, Williamsburg Market, The Snow Farm, and Cichy’s Garage. For kids’ prizes, Bullock said they’re looking at adding coupons for ice cream at the Village Green and other goodies kids will enjoy.

The program will operate com-pletely online through a program called Beanstack, a reading challenge soft-ware and mobile app. Other local librar-ies are using it and its recommended by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners.

“The kids can earn badges for reading books, depending on the age,” Bullocks said. “Little kids can read pic-ture books; bigger kids can read by hour. For adults, we’re going to have the same sort of thing.”

In addition to unlocking prizes, upgrading reading badges will unlock other surprises, like magic tricks on YouTube from a magician. The challenge will begin on Saturday, June 20. Visit meekins-library.org for updates and sign-up links may be available before the offi-cial start date.

The library will also be opening a virtual escape room on June 20. KMIT

Librarian Naomi Schmidt took photos all over the library — including places like Bullock’s office and “the vault” that kids don’t see — and kids can use the pictures to find clues for which picture t go to next.

“The kids have to figure where in the library the next clue is and go there and pick up the clue,” Bullock said. “I actually think she [Schmidt] has to be set free from being locked in the vault. We’re excited about that.”

The library has a third program running this summer, which started a few weeks ago, called the Brown Bag

Grab. Cleaning out some of the collec-tion not meant for circulation, every two weeks the library staff fills brown bags with kids’ books, mysteries, thrillers, romances, or DVDs, sorted by genre, staples them shut, labels them, and places them outside for people to come by and pick up. Last week, 37 people came to take a bag.

“It’s a blind date,” Bullock said. “You’re stuck with it. Sometimes they’re good, sometimes they’re duds, but that’s the way it is.”

The next Brown Bag Book Grab will be on Saturday, May 30, from noon to 2

p.m. For more information on the grab bags, escape room, summer reading chal-lenge, or the library visit meekins-library.org.

VIRTUAL from page 1

CUMMINGTON WESTHAMPTON

W E S T H A M P T O N — T h e Westhampton Public Library continues to provide community support and virtual programming during the Covid-19 pan-demic, including book group and family trivia night.

Weekly offerings and upcoming events are listed below. For updates on library programs and services, visit www.westhampton-ma.com/ and the Library’s Facebook page.

The Library and Westhampton Mask Makers are also still accepting orders for masks for individuals and families. Please send a message to [email protected] to request masks.

The Hampshire Regional Arts exhib-it is being held online. High School stu-dents had planned to exhibit their art-work in the Community Room Gallery this month. Instead, the library is collab-orating with the HRHS Art Department to bring the community a virtual art exhibit. Please view wonderful art by local teens at padlet.com/westhampton/hywp9ftvhuicqwel.

Upcoming Library events include:Tuesday, June 23: Virtual Book

Group, 7 p.m. Book Group meets once a month and is open to new members. It’s a great way to connect with local readers with a variety of reading tastes.

This month, the group will be reading Colum McCann’s “Let the Great World Spin,” winner of the 2009 National Book Award. The June Book Group will meet via Zoom. Those interested may request login information or information on how to get our current title by contacting [email protected].

Saturday, June 27: Virtual Family Trivia Night, 6:30 p.m. Join the library for an evening of fun, challenging triv-ia questions that the whole family can enjoy. Categories will include Harry Potter, Disney movies, local interest, and more. Please register with a team name and a request for Zoom login details at [email protected].

Weekly events include:Mondays: Facebook Crafts with

Emily, noon. Youth Services Librarian, Emily, is posting a weekly craft to Westhampton Public Library’s Facebook page. She’s using simple materials that can be found at home and sharing crafts for kids of all ages.

Thursdays: Virtual Reading Buddy, 1 p.m. Children are invited to take turns reading to Comet, a registered Bright Spot Therapy dog. Reading Buddy ses-sions will be held via Zoom. Participants must be a member of the Westhampton Kindergarten page to view login details.

Virtual book group, trivia night coming in June

CUMMINGTON — The Friday Night Café is delivering music throughout the Covid-19 pandemic online until it’s safe to gather together again.

This week’s performances feature two different local artists. The first piece is a poetry and banjo compo-sition from Rochelle Wildfong and Jack Barry. The second piece is called “It’s My Lazy Day,” performed by One Part Luck and written by Smiley Burnette; with the summery weather and the Covidness of everything, it somehow seemed appropriate, in a weird way.

Friday Night Café adopted a “Lo-Fi” approach as many performers have gone the route of live streaming their performances, or making vid-eos. Those efforts present an array of technology challenges including slow hilltown internet, lack of gear, lack of knowledge or experience

with gear, and watching on screens. People are also just tired of looking at screens. Last month, in a sort of “eureka” moment, Friday Night Café realized how to move forward — a Lo-Fi approach.

Café performers are invited to make simple, audio recordings of themselves performing songs or poems they would like the cafe audi-ence to hear right now. These are not polished, high quality recordings. They are simply an extended, musi-cal or poetic hand, reaching out to let people know that the café is still here, and the café team feels music can help build community. Depending on the flow, one or a few recordings will be sent out on Fridays.

Once again, this is brought to the community by the friendly folks at the Village Church who believe that music can be a powerful force for building community.

Latest “Lo-Fi” releasesfrom Friday Night Cafe

Stay tuned this summer — KMIT Librarian Naomi Schmidt will need help to escape from the Meekins Library virtual escape room. Submitted photos

Meekins Library is planning a variety of virtual events this summer and running a Brown Bag Book Grab to bring residents their services while doors remain closed for Covid-19.

Send Us Your [email protected]


OTISBroadband installations begin June 1

OTIS — Inside installations of the Otis Fiber broadband network will begin again on Monday, June 1.

Whip City Fiber started setting up appointment son May 27 for the follow-ing week. The town hopes to have this process complete by the end of June or mid-July at the latest. If anyone is inter-ested in getting internet, go to OtisFiber.com and submit an application.

OTIS — In accordance with phase one of Gov. Charles Baker’s reopening plan for Massachusetts, the Otis Library announced this week curbside pickup is available as of Wednesday, May 27.

Request items are local items only, museum passes not available at this time. Items must be known, browse the Otis library catalog at catalog.cwmars.org, select Otis Library in the third box, “libraries.” If someone would like a staff recommendation, call 413-269-0109.

To submit an item request, contact the library at [email protected] or 413-269-0109. Include the item request, recipient name, library card number, and a phone number.

When staff fill local orders, they

will be equipped with masks, gloves, and individual bags for items. Names will be placed on the outside of the bags with additional notes placed inside. The staff will call and sched-ule pick-ups when items are ready at 15-minute intervals. The designated pick-up area will require social dis-tancing and be wiped down after each pick-up.

All returned materials must be placed in the book return outside. All returned materials are handled by staff and these items are quarantined for 72 hours before returning to circulation.

All staff wear masks and gloves when handling library items. The library is cleaned and sanitized weekly and surfaces are wiped down each day

before opening and upon closing.During this phase the library will

be on an altered winter schedule. It is closed Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. It will be open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, with pick-up hours between noon and 4 p.m. On Saturday, the library will be open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. with pickup hours from 10 a.m. to noon.

The library will remain in this phase one for the duration of the Governor’s Plan. The Board of Trustees shall determine when to move to Phase Two. For more information, visit https://www.mass.gov/info-details/reopening-massachusetts or townofotis-ma.com, or contact Director Kathleen Bort at [email protected].

Library opens curbside pickup May 27

MOHAWK TRAIL News, photo publication policyAs a community newspaper our focus has always been local news.

While we try very hard to run upcoming events as a public service whenever space allows, space does not allow us to run an upcoming event repeatedly. Our policy is to limit publication of upcoming events to one article in advance of the event and, space permitting, a second brief reminder article the week prior to an event, and to run those articles in only one section of the paper, and not in multiple sections simultaneously.

All such public service announcements and photos are subject to space limitations and deadlines, therefore publication cannot be guaranteed. Whenever copy for the week exceeds allotted space, news copy will take priority, and public service copy is the first area to be cut. We also reserve the right to edit for style and space, and are under no obligation to print lists of sponsorships, or articles that arrive after deadline, unless time and space allows.

Deadline is Monday at NOON, on holidays it is Friday at 2 p.m.

Mohawk Trail Concerts is cancelling its 2020 summer series of chamber music concerts, which were to take place at the Federated Church of Charlemont from June 20 to July 18. This is a difficult decision to make, after 50 years of unin-terrupted summer concert seasons since 1969.

Mohawk Trail Concerts still plans to present the Rasa String Quartet at the Arms Library in Shelburne Falls on Friday, Sept. 18 at noon, and The Adaskin String Trio with Sally Pinkas, piano, on Saturday, Oct. 3, at a location to be determined.

For more information or questions, contact Denese at [email protected] or 413-625-9511.

Concerts cancel 2020 season

•

•

To Advertise OnThe Business Directory

Contact Your Advertising RepresentativeJohn Baskin at 413-695-4901or email: [email protected]

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77 Worthington Road, Huntington, MA 01050Tel. 413w-667-5230fax. 413-667-3082

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FEED • PET SUPPLIES • CLOTHING • COAL WOOD PELLETS • WILD & CAGED BIRDSEED POOL SUPPLIES • MOTOR OILS • FENCINGLAWN & GARDEN SUPPLIES • FERTILIZER

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WaterTesting

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Time toCLEAN UP Hilltown

Cleaning ServicesEstablished in 1982 • House Cleaning Plus

Carpet & Upholstery Steam CleanedWood Floors, Waxed & Buffed

No Wax Floors, Stripped & RefinishedHauling Trash • Appliance Removal • Pressure Washing

Gutters Cleaned Out • Cleaning Out Cellars & Attics

Carol LabontePaul Labonte

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Phone: (413) 238-5966Fax: (413) 238-0459

Paul’sPlumbing & Heating

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CLUES ACROSS 1. Common request 5. Department in France10. Fungi cells14. Famed inventor15. Hillsides16. Cold wind17. La __ Tar Pits,

Hollywood18. Resembling a

doddering old woman19. Geological periods20. Assists22. Comedienne Gasteyer23. Jewish spiritual leader24. English soccer club27. Body art30. No (Scottish)31. Clumsy person32. Swiss river35. Belittled37. Luxury car38. Single sheet of glass in

a window39. Monetary units40. Supervises flying

41. Indian term of respect42. Breezed through43. The bill in a restaurant44. Flower cluster45. Moved quickly46. Shooters need to do it47. High schoolers’ test48. Split pulses49. Salts52. Breaking Bad actor

__ Paul55. Set ablaze56. Semitic Sun god60. Nervous system cells61. Tourist destination

Buenos __63. A way to bind64. Behave uncontrollably65. Feels concern66. Sportscaster Andrews67. Subway dwellers68. Astrological aspect69. You may take one

CLUES DOWN 1. Swedish rock group

2. Serbian 3. Away from wind 4. Actor Oliver 5. Helps little firms 6. Intricately decorative 7. American state 8. Type of tumor 9. Midway between east

and southeast10. On a line at right angles

to a ship’s length11. Fruit of the service tree12. Grouch13. Romanian city21. Units of loudness23. British Air Aces25. Small amount26. Hem’s partner27. Turkic people28. Member of the banana

family29. Liam Neeson franchise32. Expressed pleasure33. Inward-directed part of

psyche34. Insurgent

36. Unhappy37. Gateway (Arabic)38. Fundraising political

group (abbr.)40. Well-known41. Satisfies43. ‘__ death do us part44. Jailhouse informant46. French river47. A cotton fabric with a

satiny finish49. Drenches50. Clouds51. Companies need to

make them52. Created from seaweed53. One’s school: __ mater54. A type of act57. Member of Russian

people58. Neutralizes alkalis59. Monetary unit61. Play a role62. Midway between south

and southeast

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ARIESMar 21/Apr 20Something is stirring in your life, but you can’t zero in on what needs to get done at this point in time, Aries. But you will get your focus and be able to zero in on the tasks at hand.

TAURUS Apr 21/May 21A conflict between your personal values and those of a larger group may not make you popu-lar with everyone, Taurus. That is alright, as you need to stick to your be-liefs and feelings.

GEMINI May 22/Jun 21Hold your tongue when others ask for your opin-ion this week, Gemini. You may not be able to take things back once the words are said. Bow out graciously instead.

CANCER Jun 22/Jul 22Cancer, do not feel bad about caring for yourself this week, even if you must put your needs above the needs of oth-ers. How can you help others without first help-ing yourself?

LEOJul 23/Aug 23It is okay to be skeptical from time to time, Leo. Just do not let negative perceptions bog you down. Realize there are moments when things are right and you can forge ahead.

VIRGO Aug 24/Sept 22Virgo, you may have an idea of what your rela-tionship should look like, but it may be built on un-reasonable perceptions. Get to the heart of your partner this week.

LIBRASept 23/Oct 23Libra, it may take a leap of faith to get to the next level in your career. In-stead of taking the safe path, you might need to change things up a bit to ensure action. SCORPIOOct 24/Nov 22A project that once in-spired you, Scorpio, may no longer seem worthy of your time. You’re not fickle; you just want to maximize productivity. Something new will turn up.

SAGITTARIUS Nov 23/Dec 21Love isn’t always easy, Sagittarius. Oftentimes you have to work at it to make it stronger. If you’re willing to put in the effort, you will reap the rewards.

CAPRICORN Dec 22/Jan 20Clear and concise con-versations will compel others to see your side of the story, Capricorn. You will probably gain a few extra supporters in the process.

AQUARIUS Jan 21/Feb 18This week you will get a chance to express your values in a new way, Aquarius. Convey your feelings with gusto so that you can get the message out to as many people as possible.

PISCES Feb 19/Mar 20How you are feeling inside may be at odds with the way you are portraying yourself on the outside. You don’t always have to hide feelings, Pi-sces.


Town of BlandfordNOTICE OF

PUBLIC HEARINGCOVID-19: At the time

of posting we anticipate that the hearing will pro-ceed with social distancing and face covering required. This is subject to change as required. Please check our website: townofbland-ford.com for COVID-19 safety protocol changes.

Pursuant to MGL., CH. 40A, Sec. 11 the Planning Board wil l hold a Public Hearing at the Blandford Town Hall, 1 Russell Stage Road, Blandford, MA 01008, on June 17, 2020 at 7:00 PM to present:

Zoning By-law Changes:Article 21: To see if the

Town will vote to amend Zon ing By- law Sec t ion IV: PROVIS IONS FOR DISTRICTS, Sub-Section 4.2: BUSINESS DISTRICT, Sub-Section 4.2.1; Sub-Section 4.2.1.9

Article 22: To see if the Town will vote to amend Zoning By-law SECTION VIII: GROUND MOUNTED SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC INSTALLATIONS, Section 8.1: PURPOSE, Sub-Section 8.1.2: Definitions

Article 23: To see if the Town will vote to amend its Zoning By-law SECTION VIII: GROUND MOUNTED SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC I N S TA L L AT I O N S , S u b -Section 8.1: PURPOSE, Sub-Section 8.1.2: Definitions

Article 24: To see if the Town will vote to amend its Zoning By-law, SECTION VIII, GROUND MOUNTED SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC I N S TA L L AT I O N S , S u b -Section 8.2: APPLICABILITY, Sub-Section 8.2.2

Article 25: To see if the Town will vote to amend its Zoning By-law SECTION VIII: GROUND MOUNTED

SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC I N S TA L L AT I O N S , S u b -Section 8.2: APPLICABILITY, to insert the following new Sub-Sections:

Any person interested or wishing to be heard should appear at the time and place designated to contact [email protected] for potential call-in infor-mation. If unable to attend please submit comments, in writing, to the Blandford Planning Board at 1 Russell Stage Road, Blandford, MA 01008. Failure to make rec-ommendations on the matter for review shall be deemed lack of opposition thereto. A copy of the proposed articles is available for review on the Town website.

Richard Barnard, Sr., Chairman

Blandford Planning Board5/28, 6/04/2020

Commonwealth of Massa-chusetts

The Trial Court Hampshire Probate and

Family Court15 Atwood Drive

Northampton, MA 01060(413)586-8500

Docket No. HS20P0248EAEstate of:

Ruby Maxine DonovanAlso known as:

Ruby B. DonovanDate of Death: 11/0I/2019CITATION ON PETITION

FOR FORMALADJUDICATION

To all interested persons:A Petition for Formal Pro-

bate of Will with Appoint-ment of Personal Represen-tative has been filed by Mary Senatore of Huntington MA requesting that the Court en-ter a formal Decree and Order and for such other relief as re-quested in the Petition.

The Petitioner requests that: Mary Senatore of Hun-tington MA be ap point ed as

Person al Rep resenta tive(s) of said estate to serve Without Surety on the bond in an un-supervised administration.

IMPORTANT NOTICEYou have the right to ob-

tain a copy of the Petition from the Petit ioner or at the Court. You have a right to object to this proceeding. To do so, you or your attorney must file a written appearance and ob-jection at this Court before: 10:00 a.m. on the return day of 06/24/2020.

This is NOT a hearing date, but a deadline by which you must file a written ap-pearance and objection if you object to this proceeding. If you fail to file a timely written appearance and objection fol-lowed by an affidavit of objec-tions within thirty (30) days of the return day, action may be taken without further notice to you.

UNSUPERVISEDADMINISTRATION UNDER

THE MASSACHUSETTSUNIFORM PROBATE

CODE (MUPC)A Personal Represent ative

appointed under the MUPC in an unsupervised administra-tion is not re quired to file an

inventory or annual accounts with the Court. Persons inter-ested in the estate are entitled to notice regarding the ad-ministration directly from the Personal Representative and may petition the Court in any matter relating to the estate, including the distribution of assets and expenses of ad-ministration.WITNESS, Hon. Linda S Fidnick, First Justice of this Court.Date: May 20,2020

Michael J. CareyRegister of Probate

5/28/2020

TOWN OF HUNTINGTONBOARD OF HEALTH

NOTICE OF MEETINGThe Town of Huntington

Board of Health will host a meeting on Monday, June 1, 2020 at 5:30 p.m. to vote on the proposed price increases at the transfer station. A list of the proposed fee sched-ule can be found on the town website. The meeting will be WEBEx. To join please call 1-408-418-9388 Meeting Number: 794 327 962 Meeting Password: 523 836 225/28/2020

Eugene Barton “Gene” Watters was born in Waukegan Illinois on April 16, 1929. From humble and difficult begin-nings, this earnest and indisputably gra-cious and handsome man made his way to New York City, where he and his magnetic personality achieved success in advertising.

An invitation from a friend for a week-end getaway would eventually, in 1969, bring him home to the hilltown of Chester, MA, a community which he loved dearly.

He served in world War II as a naval subma-rine radioman, married several times, had eight chil-dren, adopted another, helped cousin and artist Robert Indiana of “Love Stamp” fame get his first creative job, singlehandedly facilitated the happy adoption of two orphans and maybe less notably, but more impor-tantly, he simply enriched the world around him with his quiet, unique generosity, unwavering humor, and an unflinching respect and kindness for all.

Whether it was teaching kindness by example to the kids on the school bus he drove for Gateway, working at the Chester Town Hall, helping his neigh-bors by plowing, collecting their dump items since “he was going anyway,” delivering groceries to those

in need, or just enjoying the company of his friends over an egg and toast at his beloved Carm’s or Tuesday Community Dinners at Azure Green (thank you Azure Green!), this true gentleman and truly gen-tle man “gave back” to all who knew him, along with a joke and his cute smile for good measure. All these things helped to make our small lives a little less trivial, a little sunnier, decent, and purposeful. The purpose being maybe as simple as serving

and supporting one another regardless of self-benefit or family connection or circumstance. The world was a better place because Gene Watters was here. Let’ hope we find a way to fill the big space he’s left in our lives and our hearts. Let’s hope we can all strive to be as unselfish, as decent, as kind, and as lovely a person as he was.

He is much loved and missed by his family, his community, and his many, many friends.

Covid-19 allowing, there will be an outdoor memorial service to be announced. In lieu of flowers, donate to Highland Valley Elder Services at highland-valley.org or just be helpful to an elderly neighbor in Gene’s memory.

Turley Publications offers two types of obituaries.

One is a free, brief Death Notice listing the name of deceased, date of death and funeral date and place.

The other is a Paid Obituary, costing $100, which allows families to publish extended death notice information of their own choice and may include a photograph. Death Notices & Paid Obituaries should be submitted through a funeral home to: [email protected].

Exceptions will be made only when the familyprovides a death certificate and must be pre-paid.

Obituary PolicyCountry Journal

WATTERS, EUGENE B.Died May 18, 2020

Outdoor Memorial Serviceat a later date

DEATH NOTICE

HOW TO SUBMIT PUBLIC NOTICESAll legal notices to be published in the Country Journal should be sent directly to notices@turley.

com. Jamie Joslyn processes all legals for this newspaper and can answer all of your questions regarding these notices. Please indicate the newspapers and publication date(s) for the notice(s) in the subject line of your email. For questions regarding coverage area, procedures or cost, please call Jamie directly at 413-283-8393.

Please check the accuracy of your legal notice prior to submission (i.e., date, time, spelling). Also, be sure the requested publication date coincides with the purpose of the notice, or as the law demands. Thank you.

Turley Publications, Inc. publishes 13 weekly newspapers throughout Western Massachusetts. Visit www.turley.com for more information.

Public NoticesWE’VE EXPANDED OUR WEB SITE

ARE NOW ONLINE

visit www.publicnotices.turley.com

Email all notices [email protected]

Access archives anddigital tear sheets by newspaper title.

Find a quick link to the state of Massachusetts’ public notice web site to search all notices in Massachusetts newspapers.1 2 3

Public notice deadlines are Mondays at noon, Fridays noon for Monday holidays.

OBITUARY

PUBLIC NOTICES

Gene Watters

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REGION

As the weather gets warmer and summer approaches State Fire Marshal Peter J. Ostroskey reminded residents that it’s important to be safe. “Take a few minutes for a safety check and inspect grills for leaks and cracks, and teach children to stay three feet away from any grill in use,” said Ostroskey.

Grill Fire FactsIn 2019, there were 81 fire and

explosion incidents reported to the Massachusetts Fire Incident Reporting System involving open fired grills. These incidents caused five civilian injuries, one fire service injury and an estimated dollar loss of $1.4 million. Of the 81 grill fires, 71, or 88%, were gas grills. Solid fuels such as charcoal briquettes were involved in eight, or 10% of these fires.

On Sept. 11, 2019, at 11:21 p.m., the Canton Fire Department was called to a fire in a single-family home. A gas grill on the rear deck of the house started the fire. Alarms were present and alerted the occupants; there were no injuries. The building had no fire sprinklers and dam-ages from the blaze were estimated to be $1.15 million.

Check for leaks“Check to make sure all the connec-

tions are tight and secure before firing up the gas grill for the first time this season,” said Fire Marshal Ostroskey. “Using a brush, apply a soapy solution made of one part dish liquid and one part water to the tank connection. If the solu-tion bubbles, you have a leak that needs repair.” He recommended checking for and replacing any cracked hoses.

Rules for grills “Grills can only be used on first-

floor porches, decks, or patios if there is an outdoor stairway to the ground, or the porch is at ground level. Grills are prohibited on any porch, balcony or deck that has a roof, or overhang,” said State Fire Marshal Ostroskey. For more infor-mation, contact your local fire prevention office.

Safety firstOver the past five years (2015-

2019), there were 449 fires involving grills, hibachis and barbeques. These fires caused 20 civilian injuries, five fire-fighter injuries and $3.8 million in esti-mated property damages.

• Read and follow the owner’s man-ual for any cooking appliance.

• Always grill outdoors.• Keep children and pets three feet

away from the grill area. Create a circle of safety.

• Place grills 10-feet away from the house. Make sure they are not under eaves, overhanging branches or against the side of the building. Keep them away from deck railings.

• Grills can be used on open (no

roof) first floor porches, decks or pati-os if there is an exterior stairway to the ground, or it is at ground level.

• Grills should never be used indoors or on fire escapes.

• Never leave a grill burning unat-tended.

• Keep the grill clean by removing grease or fat build-up from the grills and trays below the grill.

• If gas can be smelled while cook-ing, immediately get away from the grill and call the fire department. Do not move the grill.

• If the flame goes out, turn the grill and gas off and wait 15 minutes before relighting.

• Never use gasoline on any grill.

Shut off gas at tank After each use, and before discon-

necting the propane tank, be sure to shut off the gas at the tank.

Charcoal grill safetyState Fire Marshal Ostroskey also

said, “Practice safety around char-coal grills.” Once the coals have been lit, never add lighter fluid to the fire – flames may travel up the stream of lighter fluid resulting in serious burns. Charcoal briquettes give off carbon mon-oxide, a colorless, odorless gas that can be deadly. “Make sure to always use charcoal grills outside in a well-venti-lated are.” He added,” Let the coals cool completely before disposing in a metal container.” Charcoal grills cannot be used on decks, balconies, or fire escape stairways.

Smoking fire safetyThere have been so many fires

this spring from improperly discard-ed smoking materials on porches and in backyards. These fires can smolder undetected for a long time and when they erupt into flames, they travel fast. Anyone smoking should put out their material all the way, every time. Extinguish smoking materials in a can with sand or water, not in the mulch, leaves, grass, a potted plant or other container that can catch fire. Don’t snub them out on the porch railing or stairs.

On May 9, one woman was hos-pitalized with burns suffered escap-ing a fire in her two-family home. The improper disposal of smoking materials ignited the porch fire.

A 58-year old woman died in a May 4 fire in her home in Hanson when improperly discarded smoking materials ignited a fire on the porch of the 1-family home.

Gasoline and lawn mowersOstroskey said, “If your older chil-

dren are learning to mow the lawn, be sure to teach them about gasoline safe-ty at the same time.” Gasoline vapors are highly flammable. They stay on your clothing and can ignite if a match is lighted.

• Store gasoline only in approved containers, outside.

• Keep gasoline away from all heat sources, such as smoking materials, pilot lights, campfires, and grills.

• Fill a cooled lawn mower. Never refill while it is hot.

• Keep hands and feet away from a mower while it’s running.

• Never use gasoline to start a campfire.

State Fire Marshal urges springing safely into summer

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By Peter Spotts

The town announced its first confirmed case of Covid-19 on Wednesday, April 1, but town officials are optimistic with the measures that have been taken and the work the com-munity has done over the past few dif-ficult weeks.

Receiving daily updates from the Board of Health, information from the Department of Public Health, and calls with Rep. Natalie Blais’ office, the Board of Selectmen is maintain-ing daily opportunities to get the latest information and guidance on handling the Covid-19 situation.

Town works to combat Covid-19

By Peter Spotts

Calling all stuffed furry friends in the Gateway Hilltowns, attendance is requested at this weekend’s Huntington Safari Hunt and Hilltown Bear Hunt.

From 9 a.m. on Friday April 10, through 8 p.m. on Sunday, April 12, Huntington families are encouraged to put stuffed animals in their yard or window and then drive around the com-munity to see how many they can find. Huntington’s Fawn Busby said she was inspired by “bear hunts” that other towns have been doing during this time of shelter-in-place.

HUNT, page 2

COMBAT, page 7

Safari, Bear Hunt start Friday

HILLTOWNS

CHESTER

By Shelby Macri

Te a c h e r s f r o m L i t t l ev i l l e Elementary School, Gateway Middle School, and Gateway High School are getting creative and technology savvy, adapting their courses into remote learn-ing for students, now extended through at least May 4.

Teachers share remote learning

By Peter Spotts

Food providers find themselves facing unusual times. Grocery stores have seen the shelves be hit hard day after day as people stock-pile supplies to leave their homes as little as possible and restaurants face declines with only take-out business allowed by the state.

Outlook Farm Barn & Eatery in Westhampton has seen the highs and lows of both. Owners Brad and Erin

Morse have been kept on their toes keeping shipments of meat coming in, acquiring produce, stocking shelves, and enacting safety measures to help make shoppers feel safer for their grocery busi-ness.

“It’s been going very well here. We’re selling food and that’s what everybody is buying right now,” Brad Morse said. “They also like the locals more and people in

Restaurants, groceries adjust to Covid-19

TEACHERS, page 8

By Peter Spotts

As schools navigate through three weeks of remote learning, with at least another month remaining, Hampshire Regional Middle and High School have taken strides to make sure all stu-dents can access the work with or without internet access and raise community spirits.

While the Class of 2020 is spending the spring of senior year in isolation, Principal Kristin Smidy and her staff wanted to find a way to bring some senior year cheer to the soon-to-be graduates. The school donat-ed money to deliver lawn signs for the seniors, while maintaining social distanc-ing, bringing some positivity to the tough situation.

“That was met with such enthusiasm from the staff, I raised over $500 more than what the signs cost so we were able to donate money to organizations that are pro-viding food for kids,” Smidy said. “When we delivered the signs to the seniors, they all came out on their lawns and we’re really excited.”

Smidy also said that one way or another, the senior

class will get a graduation ceremony. Whether that hap-pens in the summer, or next fall, the event will be post-poned if necessary, not can-celled.

“Depend ing on the Governor’s recommendations and requirements around meetings and gatherings, we’re looking at summer,

CHEER, page 9

ADJUST, page 2

Outlook Farm in Westhampton has seen the highs and lows of coronavirus business impacts as the grocery business flourishes while restaurant take-out sales have dropped significantly.

Photo by Peter Spotts

School brings senior year cheer

SCHOOLS & YOUTH

Blandford ....................6, 7Business Directory ........11Chester ...........................7Classifieds ...............14,15Cummington .................10

Hilltowns ....................2, 3Huntington ......................3Middlefield ....................13Montgomery .................13Obituary ........................13

Opinion .......................4, 5Public Notices ...............12Puzzle Page ..................13Schools & Youth ..........8, 9Westhampton ...............10

HILLTOWNS

PAGE 9

SCHOOLS & YOUTH

A TURLEY PUBLICATION ❙ www.turley.com

April 9, 2020 ❙ Vol. 41, No. 50 ❙ 75¢ www.countryjournal.turley.com

“Some old-fashioned things like fresh air and sunshine are hard to beat.” — Laura Ingalls Wilder

Devoted to the Needs of the HilltownsCountry Journal

Becket, Blandford, Chester, Chesterfield, Cummington, Goshen, Huntington, Middlefield, Montgomery, Otis, Plainfield, Russell, Sandisfield, Westhampton, Williamsburg, Worthington

A self-serve community food bank sits on the lawn outside the Westhampton Congregational United Church of Christ in the center of town. Community members are encouraged to donate items they can, after sanitizing items with a disinfectant, and take what they need. Items taken from the food bank should also be wiped down upon returning home and then washing hands for 20 seconds afterwards. Food bank attendees are reminded to maintain a six-foot separation with other food bank attendees. Photo by Peter Spotts

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13 WEEKLY NEWSPAPERS ❙ SERVING 50 LO CAL C OMMUNITIES

ANTIQUE AND PERIOD CHAIRS – Restored with new woven seats – Many styles and weaves available. Call (413)289-6670

DISH TV - $59.99 For 190 Channels + $14.95 High Speed Internet. Free installation, Smart HD DVR Included, Free Voice Remote. Some restrictions apply. Call 1-877-925-7371

MAXIMUM EFFICIENCY. EX-TRAORDINARY performance. Central Boiler certified Classic Edge Titanium HDX OUTDOOR WOOD FURNACE. Call today 413-296-4320.

SKAG 61” MOWER $950 or OBO. 413-539-7704.

MISCELLANEOUSA PLACE FOR MOM. The nation’s largest senior living referral service. Contact our trusted, local experts to-day! Our service is FREE/no obliga-tion. CALL 1-855-799-4127

DEALING WITH WATER DAM-AGE requires immediate action. Local professionals that respond immediate-ly. Nationwide and 24/7. No Mold Calls. 1-800-506-3367

DO YOU HAVE chronic knee or back pain? If you have insurance, you may qualify for the perfect brace at little to no cost. Get yours today! Call 1-800-217-0504

INVENTORS- FREE INFOR-MATION PACKAGE Have your product idea developed affordably by the Research & Development pros and presented to manufacturers. Call 855-380-5976 for a free idea starter guide. Submit your idea for a free con-sultation.

LIFE ALERT. 24/7. One press of a button sends help FAST! Medical, Fire, Burglar. Even if you can’t reach a phone! FREE brochure. CALL 800-457-1917

MOBILEHELP, AMERICA’S PRE-MIER MOBILE MEDICAL ALERT SYSTEM. Whether you’re Home or Away. For Safety and Peace of Mind. No Long Term Contracts! Free Bro-chure! Call Today! 1-844-892-1017

OXYGEN-ANYTIME. ANY-WHERE. No tanks to refill. No deliv-eries. Only 2.8 pounds! FAA approved! FREE info kit: Call 1-855-917-4693

PROMOTE YOUR PRODUCT, ser-vice or business to 1.7 million house-holds throughout New England. Reach 4 million potential readers quickly and inexpensively with great results. Use the Buy New England Classified Ad Network by calling (413)283-8393, [email protected]. Do they work? You are reading one of our ads now!! Visit our website to see where your ads run communitypapersne.com

STAY IN YOUR HOME longer with an American Standard Walk-In Bath-tub. Receive up to $1,500 off, including a free toilet, and a lifetime warranty on the tub and installation! Call us at 1-866-945-3783.

STOP STRUGGLING ON THE STAIRS. Give your life a lift with an ACORN STAIRLIFT! Call now for $250. OFF your stairlift purchase and FREE DVD & brochure! 1-844-325-8610

OLD CARPENTER TOOLS want-ed. Planes, chisels, axes, etc. Also hunting, fishing gear. Old advertis-ing, cast iron cookware. Call Ken (413)433-2195.

**A CALL WE HAUL**Dumpsters available on site

Call for delivery (413)531-1936

[email protected]

CHAIR SEAT WEAVING & refinish-ing - cane, fiber rush & splint - Class-room instructor, 20+ years experience. Call Walt at (413)289-6670 for esti-mate.

MULCH - SINCE YOU’RE stuck at home, you might as well mulch! All nat-ural forest blend mulch, no dyes add-ed. Save $25 with mention of this ad (3 yard minimum). Truck load of log length firewood and cord wood also available, give us a call today! Lashway Lumber (413)268-7685 or send an e-mail to [email protected].

WE RENOVATE, SELL & PUR-CHASE (any condition) horse drawn vehicles such as sleighs, carriages, surreys, wagons, dr’s buggies, drive-able or lawn ornaments. Some fur-niture and other restoration services available. Reasonable prices. Quality workmanship. Call (413)213-0373 for estimate and information.

DEMERS & SONSBELCHERTOWN, MA

CHILD SERVICES*NEW STATE LAW. Anyone adver-tising caring of children must list a li-cense number to do so if they offer this service in their own home.

HOME IMPROVEMENT

DELREO HOME IMPROVEMENT for all your exterior home improve-ment needs. ROOFING, SIDING, WINDOWS, DOORS, DECKS & GUT-TERS. Extensive references available, Fully Licensed & Insured in MA. & CT. Call GARY DELCAMP @ 413-569-3733

LANDSCAPINGT & S LANDSCAPING Highest quality, lowest price. Serving the Pio-neer Valley. Weekly, bi-weekly mow-ing, Spring, Fall and Gutter clean-ups. (413)330-3917

MASONRY

STOP WET BASEMENTS

ABC MASONRY & BASEMENT WATERPROOFING

All brick, block, stone, concrete. Hatch-way doors, basement windows, chim-neys rebuilt & repaired, foundations repaired, basement waterproofing sys-tems, sump pumps. BBB+ rating. Free estimates. Lic #14790. Call (413)569-1611, (413)374-5377

CARS/TRUCKS WANTED!!! All Makes/ Models 2000-2019! Any Con-dition, Running or Not. Top $$$ Paid! Free Towing! We’re Nationwide! Call Now: 1-888-513-1505.

HORSESHORSEBACK RIDING LESSONS offered year round at our state of the art facility. beginner to advanced. Ages 4 years to adult. Boarding, sales and Leasing also available. Convenient lo-cation at Orion Farm in South Hadley (413)532-9753 www.orionfarm.net

INTERIOR/ EXTERIOR PAINT-ING help. Experience preferred. Own transportation a must. Call/ text 413-218-8782 ask for Mike.

NURSE COORDINATOR/SU-PERVISOR Christopher Heights of Belchertown, an 83 unit assisted living community, is accepting applications for an LPN/RN part time (includes ev-ery other weekend). 8:30AM - 5:00 PMWe are looking for a friendly, cheerful person who can interact with residents and their families in a professional manner. Organized and computer skills required. CORI’s check required for all positions. EOEJob Type: Part-time Please inquire within atChristopher Heights of Belchertown99 Front StreetBelchertown, MA 01007413-323-5500 Fax 413-370-9189

OVERNIGHT COMPANION Chris-topher Heights of Belchertown is look-ing for caring, dedicated individuals! We are looking for CNA’s or HHA’s for 3rd shift 11:00 P.M. - 7:00 AM working every-other weekend to assist res-idents with activities of daily living, medication reminders, with meals, and laundry. The ideal candidate will be friendly, team-oriented, reliable and flexible. CORI check required for all po-sitions. EOEJob Type: Full-timePlease inquire within atChristopher Heights of Belchertown99 Front StreetBelchertown, MA 01007413-323-5500 Fax 413-370-9189

FOR RENT

ALL REAL ESTATE advertised herein is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation, or discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin, or intention to make any such preference, limitation, or discrimination.” We will not know-ingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis.

VACATION RENTALS

WARM WEATHER IS Year Round In Aruba. The water is safe, and the dining is fantastic. Walk out to the beach. 3-Bedroom weeks available. Sleeps 8. Email: [email protected] for more information.

WANTED TO RENT

NEED SMALL HOUSE to rent in Worthington or Cummington, MA. Need occupancy by July 1, 2020, call 413-478-0178.

FOR SALE SERVICES

MAIL TO: Classifieds, 24 Water St., Palmer, MA 01069or call toll free: 800-824-6548

Name: ____________________________________________________ Phone: ______________________

Address: _______________________________________________________________________________

Town: _____________________________________________________ State:_______ Zip:_____________

Number of Weeks: _________________________________________ X per week rate = $______________

Credit Card: ❏ MasterCard ❏ VISA ❏ Discover ❏ Cash ❏ Check# ___________

Card #: ______________________________________________ Exp. Date ___________ CVV __________

Amount of charge: ___________________________________________________Date: _______________

First ZONE base price ___________

Add a second ZONE ___________

Add a third ZONE ___________

Subtotal ___________

x Number of Weeks ___________

TOTAL Enclosed ___________

$10.00$5.00

Quabbin❏

Suburban❏

Hilltowns❏

Run my ad in thefollowing ZONE(s):

Includesadditional words

1 2 3 4

5 6 7 8

9 10 11 12

13 14 15 16

17 18 19 20

21 22 23 24

25 26 27 28

29 30 31 32

33 34 35 36

37 38 39 40

Base Price$9.50

Base Price$10.00

Base Price$10.50

Base Price$11.00

Base Price$11.50

Base Price$12.00

Base Price$12.50

Base Price$13.00

Base Price$13.50

Base Price$14.00

Base Price$14.50

Base Price$15.00

Base Price$15.50

Base Price$16.00

Base Price$16.50

Base Price$17.00

Base Price$17.50

Base Price$18.00

Base Price$18.50

Base Price$19.00

Base Price$19.50

FILL OUT AND MAIL THIS MONEY MAKER

CATEGORY:

DEADLINES: HILLTOWNS – MONDAY AT NOON QUABBIN & SUBURBAN – FRIDAY AT NOON

OUR CLASSIFIEDS REACH 50 COMMUNITIES EVERY WEEK!

HilltownsCirculation: 11,900

Buy the Hilltowns ZONE for $9.50 for 20 words plus 50¢ for each additional word. Add $10 for a second Zone or add $15 to run in ALL THREE ZONES.

PLEASE RECYCLE THIS NEWSPAPER

Find archives of this local newspaper at


All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act of 1968, which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status (number of children and or pregnancy), national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, or any intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate that is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertising in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To complain about discrimination call The Department of Housing and Urban Development “ HUD” toll-free at 1-800-669-9777. For the N.E. area, call HUD at 617-565-5308. The toll free number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275.

FOR RENT

Classified AdvertisingDEADLINES

QUABBIN & SUBURBAN

FRIDAY AT NOON

HILLTOWNSMONDAY AT NOON

ClassifiedsA TURLEY PUBLICATION ❙ www.turley.com COMMUNITY MARKETPLACE Call us toll free 800.824.6548

13 WEEKLY NEWSPAPERS ❙ SERVING 50 LO CAL C OMMUNITIES

ANTIQUE AND PERIOD CHAIRS – Restored with new woven seats – Many styles and weaves available. Call (413)289-6670

DISH TV - $59.99 For 190 Channels + $14.95 High Speed Internet. Free installation, Smart HD DVR Included, Free Voice Remote. Some restrictions apply. Call 1-877-925-7371

MAXIMUM EFFICIENCY. EX-TRAORDINARY performance. Central Boiler certified Classic Edge Titanium HDX OUTDOOR WOOD FURNACE. Call today 413-296-4320.

SKAG 61” MOWER $950 or OBO. 413-539-7704.

MISCELLANEOUSA PLACE FOR MOM. The nation’s largest senior living referral service. Contact our trusted, local experts to-day! Our service is FREE/no obliga-tion. CALL 1-855-799-4127

DEALING WITH WATER DAM-AGE requires immediate action. Local professionals that respond immediate-ly. Nationwide and 24/7. No Mold Calls. 1-800-506-3367

DO YOU HAVE chronic knee or back pain? If you have insurance, you may qualify for the perfect brace at little to no cost. Get yours today! Call 1-800-217-0504

INVENTORS- FREE INFOR-MATION PACKAGE Have your product idea developed affordably by the Research & Development pros and presented to manufacturers. Call 855-380-5976 for a free idea starter guide. Submit your idea for a free con-sultation.

LIFE ALERT. 24/7. One press of a button sends help FAST! Medical, Fire, Burglar. Even if you can’t reach a phone! FREE brochure. CALL 800-457-1917

MOBILEHELP, AMERICA’S PRE-MIER MOBILE MEDICAL ALERT SYSTEM. Whether you’re Home or Away. For Safety and Peace of Mind. No Long Term Contracts! Free Bro-chure! Call Today! 1-844-892-1017

OXYGEN-ANYTIME. ANY-WHERE. No tanks to refill. No deliv-eries. Only 2.8 pounds! FAA approved! FREE info kit: Call 1-855-917-4693

PROMOTE YOUR PRODUCT, ser-vice or business to 1.7 million house-holds throughout New England. Reach 4 million potential readers quickly and inexpensively with great results. Use the Buy New England Classified Ad Network by calling (413)283-8393, [email protected]. Do they work? You are reading one of our ads now!! Visit our website to see where your ads run communitypapersne.com

STAY IN YOUR HOME longer with an American Standard Walk-In Bath-tub. Receive up to $1,500 off, including a free toilet, and a lifetime warranty on the tub and installation! Call us at 1-866-945-3783.

STOP STRUGGLING ON THE STAIRS. Give your life a lift with an ACORN STAIRLIFT! Call now for $250. OFF your stairlift purchase and FREE DVD & brochure! 1-844-325-8610

OLD CARPENTER TOOLS want-ed. Planes, chisels, axes, etc. Also hunting, fishing gear. Old advertis-ing, cast iron cookware. Call Ken (413)433-2195.

**A CALL WE HAUL**Dumpsters available on site

Call for delivery (413)531-1936

[email protected]

CHAIR SEAT WEAVING & refinish-ing - cane, fiber rush & splint - Class-room instructor, 20+ years experience. Call Walt at (413)289-6670 for esti-mate.

MULCH - SINCE YOU’RE stuck at home, you might as well mulch! All nat-ural forest blend mulch, no dyes add-ed. Save $25 with mention of this ad (3 yard minimum). Truck load of log length firewood and cord wood also available, give us a call today! Lashway Lumber (413)268-7685 or send an e-mail to [email protected].

WE RENOVATE, SELL & PUR-CHASE (any condition) horse drawn vehicles such as sleighs, carriages, surreys, wagons, dr’s buggies, drive-able or lawn ornaments. Some fur-niture and other restoration services available. Reasonable prices. Quality workmanship. Call (413)213-0373 for estimate and information.

DEMERS & SONSBELCHERTOWN, MA

CHILD SERVICES*NEW STATE LAW. Anyone adver-tising caring of children must list a li-cense number to do so if they offer this service in their own home.

HOME IMPROVEMENT

DELREO HOME IMPROVEMENT for all your exterior home improve-ment needs. ROOFING, SIDING, WINDOWS, DOORS, DECKS & GUT-TERS. Extensive references available, Fully Licensed & Insured in MA. & CT. Call GARY DELCAMP @ 413-569-3733

LANDSCAPINGT & S LANDSCAPING Highest quality, lowest price. Serving the Pio-neer Valley. Weekly, bi-weekly mow-ing, Spring, Fall and Gutter clean-ups. (413)330-3917

MASONRY

STOP WET BASEMENTS

ABC MASONRY & BASEMENT WATERPROOFING

All brick, block, stone, concrete. Hatch-way doors, basement windows, chim-neys rebuilt & repaired, foundations repaired, basement waterproofing sys-tems, sump pumps. BBB+ rating. Free estimates. Lic #14790. Call (413)569-1611, (413)374-5377

CARS/TRUCKS WANTED!!! All Makes/ Models 2000-2019! Any Con-dition, Running or Not. Top $$$ Paid! Free Towing! We’re Nationwide! Call Now: 1-888-513-1505.

HORSESHORSEBACK RIDING LESSONS offered year round at our state of the art facility. beginner to advanced. Ages 4 years to adult. Boarding, sales and Leasing also available. Convenient lo-cation at Orion Farm in South Hadley (413)532-9753 www.orionfarm.net

INTERIOR/ EXTERIOR PAINT-ING help. Experience preferred. Own transportation a must. Call/ text 413-218-8782 ask for Mike.

NURSE COORDINATOR/SU-PERVISOR Christopher Heights of Belchertown, an 83 unit assisted living community, is accepting applications for an LPN/RN part time (includes ev-ery other weekend). 8:30AM - 5:00 PMWe are looking for a friendly, cheerful person who can interact with residents and their families in a professional manner. Organized and computer skills required. CORI’s check required for all positions. EOEJob Type: Part-time Please inquire within atChristopher Heights of Belchertown99 Front StreetBelchertown, MA 01007413-323-5500 Fax 413-370-9189

OVERNIGHT COMPANION Chris-topher Heights of Belchertown is look-ing for caring, dedicated individuals! We are looking for CNA’s or HHA’s for 3rd shift 11:00 P.M. - 7:00 AM working every-other weekend to assist res-idents with activities of daily living, medication reminders, with meals, and laundry. The ideal candidate will be friendly, team-oriented, reliable and flexible. CORI check required for all po-sitions. EOEJob Type: Full-timePlease inquire within atChristopher Heights of Belchertown99 Front StreetBelchertown, MA 01007413-323-5500 Fax 413-370-9189

FOR RENT

ALL REAL ESTATE advertised herein is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation, or discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin, or intention to make any such preference, limitation, or discrimination.” We will not know-ingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis.

VACATION RENTALS

WARM WEATHER IS Year Round In Aruba. The water is safe, and the dining is fantastic. Walk out to the beach. 3-Bedroom weeks available. Sleeps 8. Email: [email protected] for more information.

WANTED TO RENT

NEED SMALL HOUSE to rent in Worthington or Cummington, MA. Need occupancy by July 1, 2020, call 413-478-0178.

FOR SALE SERVICES

MAIL TO: Classifieds, 24 Water St., Palmer, MA 01069or call toll free: 800-824-6548

Name: ____________________________________________________ Phone: ______________________

Address: _______________________________________________________________________________

Town: _____________________________________________________ State:_______ Zip:_____________

Number of Weeks: _________________________________________ X per week rate = $______________

Credit Card: ❏ MasterCard ❏ VISA ❏ Discover ❏ Cash ❏ Check# ___________

Card #: ______________________________________________ Exp. Date ___________ CVV __________

Amount of charge: ___________________________________________________Date: _______________

First ZONE base price ___________

Add a second ZONE ___________

Add a third ZONE ___________

Subtotal ___________

x Number of Weeks ___________

TOTAL Enclosed ___________

$10.00$5.00

Quabbin❏

Suburban❏

Hilltowns❏

Run my ad in thefollowing ZONE(s):

Includesadditional words

1 2 3 4

5 6 7 8

9 10 11 12

13 14 15 16

17 18 19 20

21 22 23 24

25 26 27 28

29 30 31 32

33 34 35 36

37 38 39 40

Base Price$9.50

Base Price$10.00

Base Price$10.50

Base Price$11.00

Base Price$11.50

Base Price$12.00

Base Price$12.50

Base Price$13.00

Base Price$13.50

Base Price$14.00

Base Price$14.50

Base Price$15.00

Base Price$15.50

Base Price$16.00

Base Price$16.50

Base Price$17.00

Base Price$17.50

Base Price$18.00

Base Price$18.50

Base Price$19.00

Base Price$19.50

FILL OUT AND MAIL THIS MONEY MAKER

CATEGORY:

DEADLINES: HILLTOWNS – MONDAY AT NOON QUABBIN & SUBURBAN – FRIDAY AT NOON

OUR CLASSIFIEDS REACH 50 COMMUNITIES EVERY WEEK!

HilltownsCirculation: 11,900

Buy the Hilltowns ZONE for $9.50 for 20 words plus 50¢ for each additional word. Add $10 for a second Zone or add $15 to run in ALL THREE ZONES.

PLEASE RECYCLE THIS NEWSPAPER

Find archives of this local newspaper at


All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act of 1968, which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status (number of children and or pregnancy), national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, or any intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate that is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertising in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To complain about discrimination call The Department of Housing and Urban Development “ HUD” toll-free at 1-800-669-9777. For the N.E. area, call HUD at 617-565-5308. The toll free number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275.

FOR RENT

Classified AdvertisingDEADLINES

QUABBIN & SUBURBAN

FRIDAY AT NOON

HILLTOWNSMONDAY AT NOON


CHESTERFIELD

Corbin Liimatainen, left, and Dylan Liimatainen from Chesterfield Pack 705 place flags to mark the Veteran’s graves on Memorial Day at the cemeteries in Chesterfield.

SCOUT’S HONOR

Trevor Christensen steadies the flag next to a gravestone. Joseph Gagne looks for the next grave that needs a flag.

Chesterfield Pack 705 marked all the town veteran graves with flags in honor of Memorial Day. Pictured, from left, are Joseph Gagne, Garrett Bak, Corbin Liimatainen and Dylan Liimatainen. Submitted photos by Claudette Gagne

BRANDONCongratulations

PALMER HIGH SCHOOLClass of 2020

Celebrate Your Graduate

2020Class of

TAYLORCongratulations

PALMER HIGH SCHOOLKALEBCongratulations

Class of 2020WEST SPRINGFIELD HIGH SCHOOL

8 ft. x 2 ft. Banner $59.95*

6 ft. x 3 ft. Banner $69.95*

3 ft. x 2.5 ft. Banner $34.95*

SPECIAL 2020 OFFER

Please send your banner request to [email protected] will need to submit a high resolution digital image.

Please include school name, school colors and contact phone number.or CALL 413-283-8393

*Pickup at Palmer Location FREE - Delivery/Shipping additional charge.

Personalized, weather resistant vinyl banner

with grommets.

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