Berkshire Green Drinks: Stream Restoration on the Konkapot River

SHEFFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Environmental Action Team welcomes the first Green Drinks speaker of 2026, Zach Adams of Trout Unlimited.

Adams will share about this summer's stream restoration project on the Konkapot River on Jan. 14.

This project both created habitat in the Konkapot River and stabilized the stream bank to prevent Hartsville-Mill River Road from washing out in the next 5 years. This project required 80+ trees with root wads, tons of boulders, and a lot of adaptability. Adams will share photos and stories about this fairly unique project in Massachusetts. Audience members will have an opportunity to ask questions after the presentation.

This free hybrid event will take place online via Zoom and in person at Dewey Hall, 91 Main Street, Sheffield. The in-person social gathering will begin around 5:30 PM; the presentation and Zoom meeting will start at 6:00 PM.

Zach Adams is a writer, photographer, avid outdoorsman, and lifelong conservationist. He holds a Bachelor's of Science from Juniata College and has worked and studied from the Chesapeake Bay to the Adirondacks. Adams has lived along the banks of the Housatonic River for his entire career, and is passionate about conservation in the Berkshires where he lives with his wife Evelyn and his German Shorthaired Pointer, Millie. He now works for Trout Unlimited, managing stream restoration projects in Berkshire County. You can find him chasing brook trout in the hills, walking behind his bird dog, or scratching his head over a rare bird identification.

Adams writes a sporting column for the Berkshire Eagle, has publications in multiple magazines, and is the author of the field guide Birds of New England.

Learn more and RSVP at https://tinyurl.com/Jan-2026-Green-Drinks. 

Berkshire Green Drinks is sponsored and organized by the Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT). For more information regarding Berkshire Green Drinks, contact Andrew Ferrara, andrew@thebeatnews.org, 

Lee Breaks Ground on Public Safety Building

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
06:26AM / Saturday, April 25, 2026

Lee Town Administrator Chris Brittain says the community voted to invest in its future by approving the new $37 million complex. 

LEE, Mass. — Ground was ceremonially broken on the town's new public safety building, something officials see as a gift to the community and future generations. 

When finished, Lee will have a 37,000 square-foot combined public safety facility on Railroad Street where the Airoldi and Department of Public Works buildings once stood. Construction will cost around $24 million, and is planned to be completed in August 2027.

"This is the town of Lee being proactive. This is the town of Lee being thoughtful and considerate and practical and assertive, and this project is not just for us. This project is a gift," Select Board member Bob Jones said. 

"This is a gift to our children, our grandchildren."

State and local officials, including U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, gathered at the site on Friday, clad in hard hats and yellow vests, and shoveled some dirt to kick off the build. 

Town Administrator Chris Brittain explained that officials have planned and reviewed the need for a modern facility for the public safety departments for years, and that the project marks a new chapter, replacing 19th-century infrastructure with a "state-of-the-art" complex.

"The project is not just about concrete and steel, it's a commitment to the safety of our families, the efficiency of our first responders, and the future of our community," he said. 

He said he was grateful to the town's Police, Fire, and Building departments for their dedication while operating out of outdated facilities, and to the Department of Public Works, for coordinating site preparation and relocating its services.