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| News and events in Pittsfield, Mass.
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Veteran Spotlight: Navy Cmdr. David VermilyeaBy Wayne Soares, Special to iBerkshires
06:19PM / Sunday, October 16, 2022 | |
 FALMOUTH, Mass. — It was an honor to interview this week's Veterans Spotlight guest. Navy Cmdr. David Vermilyea served his country for 27 years, from 1962 to 1989. He was in the Vietnam from 1965 to 1967, flying an amazing 300 missions. "It was not a big deal. Some guys flew a lot more than that," he said humbly. He went to basic training in San Diego in April 1962 and described it as this: "It was a shock." "It's a bear," he said. "The Navy turns you into a team player. If you don't know what you're doing a sea, your ship sinks. It also provided an excellent educational experience." After aviation 0 Comments
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Mission Restaurant to Close at the End of the MonthBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
03:31PM / Sunday, October 16, 2022 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. —After 15 years on North Street, Mission Restaurant will be closing its doors on Halloween. The news was announced in a Facebook post on Sunday. "We would like to extend our deepest appreciation to all our patrons for making Mission such an incredible part of downtown Pittsfield through the years. A special thank you to our team members, past and present, who brought their passion and talents to the restaurant shift after shift – though our chapter together may be closing, the memories and experiences we've shared are timeless," the post read. "Finally, we would like to thank all musicians for bringing so much joy to our 0 Comments
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Lanesborough Staff to Participate in Administrator Search CommitteeBy Brian Rhodes, iBerkshires Staff
10:22AM / Sunday, October 16, 2022 | |
LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — The Board of Selectmen has formed a steering committee for a new town administrator, a little under a year after it last filled the position. The new committee will consist primarily of Town Hall staff, who were invited to be a part of the search. The board also appointed community member Claire Kristensen to be the committee's chair. "Basically, we're having a Town Hall staff, be the search committee for the position of the new administrator," said board Chair John Goerlach. Board member Timothy Sorrell said he would additionally like to see someone from Berkshire Village on the
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MassDOT launches 2022-2023 Safe Routes to School Infrastructure Funding Program| 08:01AM / Sunday, October 16, 2022 | |
BOSTON — The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT), through its Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Program, announced the launch of the 2022-2023 Infrastructure Funding Program. The Program provides both design and construction services for projects between $300,000 and $1.5 million in areas immediately around public elementary, middle, and high schools throughout the Commonwealth. "The Safe Routes to School Infrastructure Program provides communities across the Commonwealth with funding that can be used to make key infrastructure improvements to help make walking and biking to and from school safe and accessible," said Transportation Secretary 0 Comments
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Signs of Peace: Park Square Vigils Mark 20th AnniversaryBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
07:08AM / Sunday, October 16, 2022 | |
Gordon has been holding his sign at Park Square for almost 20 years. PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A lot has changed in the city over the years but one constant has been the peace vigil at Park Square on Thursday evenings. Last week marked 20 years since Donald and Merry Lathrop held the first vigil on Oct. 3, 2002, when the Iraq war was about the begin.
Though the war concluded some years ago and the United States ended its "combat mission" in Iraq last year, there are still a number of worldly causes to advocate for, they said.
The couple, who are now in their 80s, return to the park weekly to hold signs with slogans such as "World cooperation, not world
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2022 One Book, One Community Read Tackles Intimate AbuseBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:53PM / Saturday, October 15, 2022 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The third annual One Book, One Community read features Tanya Selvaratnam's recount of intimate abuse from former New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman. In October, about two dozen virtual groups began reading "Assume Nothing: A Story of Intimate Violence" by Tanya Selvaratnam, and in April, the event will conclude with a webinar with the author.
The read is organized by the Berkshire Domestic and Sexual Violence Task Force and kicked off during Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
Selvaratnam's story shows that abuse can happen to any person regardless of their job, income, or societal standing.
"It's a memoir and it's
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Pittsfield School Committee OKs Higher Custodial WagesBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
04:20PM / Saturday, October 15, 2022 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The School Committee on Wednesday approved a memorandum of agreement with the district custodial union through 2025, bumping up senior custodians' hourly wages by over a dollar. The approval was unanimous with no public conversation after about an hour in executive session.
The custodial union is represented by the Pittsfield Federation of School Employees, a local affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers. On Tuesday, the contracts was ratified by the federation.
A retroactive MOA for the 2021-2022 school/work year and for the 2022-2025 school/work years were approved. The 2021-2022 MOA is effective through July 1, 2021, and June
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Department of Public Utilities Approves Grid Modernization Investments| 01:19PM / Saturday, October 15, 2022 | |
BOSTON — The Baker-Polito Administration announced additional efforts to modernize the electric distribution system to improve reliability and enable clean energy development through a Department of Public Utilities (DPU) Order. The DPU order grants final approval for Eversource, National Grid, and Unitil to collectively invest over $450 million in various grid modernization technologies over a four-year term. Based on this approval, the electric distribution companies will expand the deployment of grid monitoring technologies, advanced communication technologies, and automation technologies that will modernize the state's electric power system and allow for more 0 Comments
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RSVP Recognizes Volunteers with Annual Luncheon By Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
11:51AM / Saturday, October 15, 2022 | |
The 248 volunteers donated nearly 30,000 hours of service to the community last year. PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Retired Senior Volunteer Program held its annual Volunteer Recognition Luncheon on Friday afternoon at Country Club of Pittsfield to honor volunteers and staff who helped make an impact to the community. RSVP provides individuals 55 and older who live in Berkshire County the opportunity to use their time and skills to make a difference in the community while meeting new people. RSVP Director Lisa Torrey took the podium for the first time since being appointed as director in March. She thanked the volunteers and everyone who helped 0 Comments
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MassDOT Launches BIL Expenditures Website| 09:00AM / Saturday, October 15, 2022 | |
BOSTON — The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) announced it has launched a new website, "Project Viewer," displaying information on expenditures made using federal funding from the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) of 2021 as well as information on state matching funds. The website will be updated weekly and allows users to view a breakdown of all federal and state matching dollars used on BIL-funded projects. Users can also filter this information by project type and view information on the current balances of funds that have not yet been obligated. The website was developed as required by An Act Relative to 0 Comments
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Ready Set Play Opens in PittsfieldBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
06:14AM / Saturday, October 15, 2022 | |
Read Set Play is recommended for ages 1 to 12. The Fawcetts say it's an opportunity for youngsters to release some energy in a safe environment. PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Preschool operators Melissa and Kenneth Fawcett are embarking on a new adventure in opening an indoor playground on Merrill Road. The Fawcetts opened the Ready Set Learn preschool eight years ago in Dalton and, last week, opened Ready Set Play for young children. "I feel like for both businesses Ready Set Learn, Ready Set Play, we're just really trying to bring something better to the Berkshires," Melissa Fawcett said. "Our preschool was voted Best 1 Comment
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Two PHS, One Taconic Student Honored With Superintendent's AwardBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
04:06PM / Friday, October 14, 2022 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Two Pittsfield High School and one Taconic High School student were honored with the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendent's Award. Seniors Jamie Duquette and Randi Duquette of PHS and Jane Wong of Taconic were congratulated by the School Committee on Wednesday for their scholastic achievements.
The Superintendent's Award for Academic Excellence is given out annually to high school students who have distinguished themselves in the pursuit of academic excellence and have achieved the highest grade average at their school.
This is the second time in Pittsfield's history that it was given to a set of twins.
Wong ranked second in her class
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