Lucas Willard

Superstorm Sandy released 11 billion gallons of sewage from East Coast treatment plants into bodies of water from Washington, D.C., to Connecticut.

That's according to a study by the nonprofit science journalism group Climate Central. It says that's equivalent to having Central Park covered 41 feet high with sewage.

Most of the overflow was due to storm-surge flooding that inundated sewage treatment facilities.

The sewage spilled into surrounding waters and even some city streets, most of it in New York City and northern New Jersey.

Massachusetts Democratic Congressman Richard Neal joined city and public safety officials in Pittsfield today to announce a federal grant that will help the city upgrade its fire safety equipment.

It appears that interest for Massachusetts’ U.S. Senate primary election tomorrow is low, particularly for cities and towns in the westernmost part of the commonwealth.

Connecticut Gov. Dannel P. Malloy says it is unlikely the General Assembly will take up his proposal to slash local taxes on vehicles during this year's legislative session.

The Democrat told reporters on Friday that he's "accepted the reality that it's probably not going to be addressed this year."

Malloy had called for exempting the first $20,000 of a vehicle's assessed value from the local property tax. That would mean someone who owns a car with a market value of under $28,571 would pay no property tax.

A community discussion in the Berkshires Thursday focused on gun violence revealed a range of opinions that mirrors the debate at the national level.

The gun violence forum, hosted by the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, brought together members of the public on both sides of the gun control debate, and three guest speakers.

Since Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino announced the creation of  The One Fund last week, more than $23 million and counting has been raised to help the people most affected by recent attacks near the finish line of the Boston Marathon.

Much of the fund consists of the $16 million donated from corporations, but more than $7 million has been raised through donations from the public. 

And in the Berkshires, people are doing their part.

More than 750 voters filled the gymnasium of the Mount Greylock Regional High School on Wednesday, with many expecting to vote on articles that would determine the future use for properties currently under conservation restriction.

One article was included as the result of a citizen’s petition, which sought to place a permanent restriction on the 30.5-acre parcel of land known as the Lowry Property, and a nearby 140-acre parcel known as the Burbank Property.

A recently released report in Massachusetts analyzed and made recommendations on how to address the growing skills gap in education and workforce.

The report is titled Closing the Massachusetts Skills Gap: Recommendations and Action Steps, and is published by the Commonwealth Corporation, a quasi-public organization within the state’s Executive Office of Labor of Workforce Development.

Residents of Williamstown, Massachusetts tonight will vote for or against opening a portion of conservation-restricted for development. The land is being considered as a potential site for new affordable housing units.

Williamstown has received a $6 million Hazard Mitigation Grant from FEMA to purchase and demolish the Spruces Mobile Home Park and build replacement affordable housing for residents at another area in town. Most of the homes in the Spruces were destroyed by flooding in 2011 by Tropical Storm Irene.