MassWildLife: Drivers Watch for amphibians

For many Massachusetts residents, spring rain is a reminder of the changing seasons. For smaller Massachusetts natives, like amphibians, spring rains signal it’s time to emerge from winter retreats and migrate to breeding sites or disperse to new areas. Unfortunately, many of those animals will face the daunting task of having to cross roads to reach their destinations. Spotted salamanders, wood frogs, blue-spotted salamanders, Jefferson salamanders, American toads, spring peepers, four-toed salamanders, northern leopard frogs, and eastern red-backed salamanders are frequently encountered on roads during early spring rains. With little to no snow cover and the ground thawed in many areas, we expect migrations in milder, lower-elevation parts of Massachusetts to commence with the next warm, rainy night.

These animals can be difficult to see, as they are generally small-bodied and move under the cover of dark. This spring, please be mindful of our amphibians and our natural heritage.

How you can help:

• Please drive cautiously and carefully.
• Whenever possible, please consider not driving on rainy nights when air temperatures are 40°F or higher to protect amphibians who are on the move.
• Travel on larger highways rather than small, wooded roads if possible. Plan routes that minimize the number of wetlands or vernal pools passed.
• If observing amphibian migrations, consider arriving at your destination prior to sunset, and then conduct your monitoring on foot.
• If assisting amphibians across roadways or handling them for other reasons, be sure your hands are free of lotions, bug repellent, or other chemicals.
• If you encounter any of our state-listed rare amphibian species (eastern spadefoot, blue-spotted salamander, Jefferson salamander, and marbled salamander), please take a clear photograph of the animal, carefully record the location, and submit an observation report to MassWildlife's Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program.
• Go the extra mile to help preserve amphibian habitat by certifying vernal pools on your property. The data you collect is used to help MassWildlife and local conservation organizations better understand habitat resources for our native amphibians.

Pittsfield School Officials Refer PHS Report to State Records Supervisor

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
05:59AM / Friday, May 02, 2025

Mayor Peter Marchetti asks that the committee not discuss the report in executive session, as he felt it did not fall under OML exemptions.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The state now controls what can and can't be released on the Pittsfield High School investigation.

On Wednesday, the School Committee voted to refer the investigative report to Manza Arthur, supervisor of records with the secretary of state's office, and ask her to return a proper redacted report to release to the public.

The Pittsfield Public Schools have been ordered to release non-exempt parts of Bulkley Richardson & Gelinas' investigation into alleged staff wrongdoing by May 8 after community advocate Ciara Batory filed a public records request.

"Although people will say this isn't true, it is not the case that the School Committee is trying to stop anybody from knowing whether it's safe to have their kids go to school, but there is a concern about just how far that assurance has to go," Chair William Cameron said during Wednesday's meeting.

"And we'd like to be in well, in fact, we will act in accordance with the law as it's ultimately determined to be, but I don't believe that the letter we got is a satisfactory basis for our proceeding."

The School Department initially denied Batory's public records request on April 1, and following an appeal to the secretary of the commonwealth's Public Records Division, Arthur ruled on April 24 that the district failed to justify withholding the report in full and ordered that any non-exempt portions of the report be provided.

"That is not a suggestion. That is not an option. You are legally required to release the report. Yet the families affected and this entire community are still being denied the truth they deserve. Let me be very clear: withholding that report, after a direct order from the state, is not just unethical, it is unlawful. Every day you delay, every excuse you give, further destroys the public's trust in this school system," Batory said during open microphone.

"It does something else: it discredits the many teachers and staff who work hard every day to support and protect their students who care deeply, but are too afraid to speak out for fear of retaliation. Your silence sends a message that doing the right thing in this district comes at a cost. That protecting the system is more important than protecting the people in it."