After a decade of community organizing, Williamstown may soon be getting new street lights. On Feb. 8, the Williamstown Select Board unanimously approved an intra-municipal agreement to transfer jurisdiction of Williamstown’s street lights from the fire department to the Town Hall, making the Town fiscally responsible for the lights. The decision is the first step in the Town making the switch from high-pressure sodium (HPS) streetlights to more environmentally friendly LED ones.

The College began welcoming students back to campus on Feb. 10 after a prolonged winter break. As of Feb. 16, 1,723 students are enrolled on campus for the spring semester. Seven students tested positive for COVID-19 upon arrival, and two more tested positive afterward. Twenty additional students, whose initial COVID tests were negative, have moved to quarantine housing because they came into close contact with students who tested positive.

In light of COVID-related restrictions, Williams Recovery of All Perishable Surplus (WRAPS) has had to make many adjustments to the way they approach their mission of collecting surplus food from dining halls and packaging it into individual meals that are then distributed to their community partners. This year, the group’s model was forced to change, as public health guidelines prevent students from handling food and using most kitchen spaces.