LENOX – The town of Lenox, Massachusetts was pushed into the Massachusetts Department of Health’s COVID-19 “red zone” designation last week with an average daily incidence rate of 38.4 per 100,000. It was the only Berkshire County community given that high-risk designation through mid-November, with around 30 active cases.
New grant program to help Berkshire businesses cover COVID-19 expenses
The Berkshire Regional Planning Commission has created a grant program to help businesses pay for COVID-19-related expenses.
The Berkshire County COVID-19 Adaptation Fund will assist businesses and organizations with up to 25 employees. Applicants can use the funds to cover the purchase of personal protection equipment and other COVID-related supplies, along with general businesses expenses, which include rent, utilities, payroll and insurance.
Pittsfield Aims to Make Lower-Income Neighborhoods Greener
PITTSFIELD — Two city neighborhoods will be going from “Grey to Green” as part of a project to engage the community and prioritize green planning in a social and racial justice context.
Studies have shown that low-income neighborhoods are more concrete or “gray” than higher-income neighborhoods, which can have a deleterious effect on the health of residents, Senior Planner Allison Egan told the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission on Thursday.