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| News and events in Pittsfield, Mass.
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DOR: January Revenue Collections| 08:24AM / Sunday, February 11, 2024 | |
BOSTON — Massachusetts Department of Revenue (DOR) Commissioner Geoffrey Snyder announced that preliminary revenue collections for January totaled $3.594 billion, $268 million or 6.9 percent less than actual collections in January 2023, and $263 million or 6.8 percent below benchmark. FY2024 year-to-date collections totaled approximately $21.460 billion, which is $212 million or 1 percent less than collections in the same period of FY2023, and $263 million or 1.2 percent less than the year-to-date benchmark. "January collections decreased in income tax withholding, non-withheld income tax, corporate and business tax, and 'all other' tax in comparison to 0 Comments
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Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Detected in Mass| 04:00PM / Saturday, February 10, 2024 | |
BOSTON — The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources' (MDAR) Division of Animal Health is informing the public that Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) has been detected in Essex County. MDAR and its partner agencies depopulated and disposed of a non-commercial, mixed-species backyard flock (non-poultry) in Essex County due to HPAI. Birds on the affected premises died suddenly without exhibiting any other clinical signs consistent with HPAI and samples tested positive for the disease. MDAR advises backyard and commercial poultry owners to practice strong biosecurity measures to prevent domestic poultry from having contact with wild birds, their 0 Comments
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'Down Memory Lane' Issues a Success in DaltonBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
03:56PM / Saturday, February 10, 2024 | |
 DALTON, Mass. — The reissuing of the book "Down Memory Lane" has been a success, Historical Commission members said during its meeting on Wednesday. At the time of meeting there were only eight more copies left of the 40 reprints. The commission started to accept orders in December. Commissioners voted to order another 20 copies. This is the second time they ordered more copies. They initially ordered 20 from Adams Specialty & Printing Co. but voted to order another 20 during their last meeting due to the high demand. The commission is interested in selling the books at elections where they hope to be able to accept cash. 0 Comments
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FEMA Awards Funds to Massachusetts for COVID School Testing Costs| 08:00AM / Saturday, February 10, 2024 | |
BOSTON — The Federal Emergency Management Agency will be sending more than $64 million to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to reimburse it for the cost of contracting to provide testing services in public schools during the COVID-19 pandemic. The $64,144,440 Public Assistance grant will reimburse the Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services for the cost of contracting to provide testing at schools and in public buildings in surrounding communities between February 2021 and June 2022. The contractor provided services which included operations and logistics of pooled testing, training, software, and technical assistance to school personnel. The 0 Comments
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@theMarket: Melt-up in Markets Fueled by MomentumBy Bill Schmick,
01:44PM / Friday, February 09, 2024 | |
Stocks are climbing, scaling new heights while euphoria abounds. Momentum is pushing the technology sector, and AI stocks in particular. How long can it last and how high can it go? It is the question on the minds of many on Wall Street. At this point, the consensus opinion is that we are due for a pullback. Even the bulls are getting worried as valuations become stretched. However, valuations are in the eye of the beholder. While the price-earnings ratio of the market is about 21 percent, if you remove a handful of mega-cap stocks the average is only 17 times earnings. That handful of stocks has accounted for more than 50 percent of the gains this year in the S&P 500 0 Comments
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Seiji Ozawa, Longtime BSO Conductor, Dies at 88| 10:00AM / Friday, February 09, 2024 | |
 LENOX, Mass. — Longtime Boston Symphony Orchestra conductor Seiji Ozawa died Feb. 6 in Tokyo at the age of 88. Ozawa was the orchestra's longest serving conductor and held the title of music director for 29 years until stepping down in 2002. Seiji Ozawa Hall on the grounds of BSO's summer home Tanglewood was opened in his honor in 1994. One of his generation's most sought-after and celebrated conductors, Ozawa was born in Shenyang, China, in 1935 and from a young age studied piano and then conducting (under Hideo Saito) in Japan. He burst upon the musical scene in 1959, winning First Prize at the International Competition of Orchestra 0 Comments
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Buds, Twigs, and Bark: How to Identify Trees and Shrubs in Winter| 08:01AM / Friday, February 09, 2024 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Join Chelsey Simmons of Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT) for the February Berkshire Green Drinks virtual event to explore the buds, twigs, and bark of common trees seen in the New England landscape. It may be surprising, but winter is actually an excellent time to learn how to identify woody plant species. The absence of leaves allows for the opportunity to take a closer look at the characteristics that are often overlooked, like the subtle features of a twig, the arrangement of buds, and the overall form and structure of a tree. Chelsey will go over the steps to tree identification, break down twig morphology, and give helpful hints on 0 Comments
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Roots Rising Secures Land for Youth Farm| 08:00AM / Friday, February 09, 2024 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — After an extensive, multi-year search, Roots Rising announced the successful acquisition of 923 Barker Road in Pittsfield, marking a milestone in their journey towards launching the Youth Farm. The process of finding the right location for the Youth Farm involved years of searching and the exploration of over twenty parcels. Roots Rising ensured that the selected land was not only viable but aligned with their vision. Serious consideration was given to several potential locations, including a thorough exploration of a parcel within Springside Park. The Youth Farm will be teen-powered and community-centered, integrating Roots Rising's longstanding 0 Comments
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Pittsfield Health Board Plans Mosquito Task Force, Public OutreachBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:28AM / Friday, February 09, 2024 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Board of Health will establish a task force to handle mosquito control after efforts to resume to spraying were not supported by the City Council. This part of the panel's path forward after unsuccessfully recommending that the city resume mosquito spraying, which was discontinued in 2021. Last summer, six mosquitos tested positive for West Nile virus but there were no reported human cases.
After members are added to the subcommittee, it plans to meet in early March ahead of the BOH's April meeting — also ahead of mosquito season.
"I would also want to have someone that has consistently and historically expressed articulated concerns
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Mainwaring Sentenced to State Prison on Molestation ChargesBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:21PM / Thursday, February 08, 2024 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A former Olympian pleaded guilty on Thursday to indecent assault and battery in a case dating back to the 1970s. Conrad Mainwaring, 72, pleaded guilty to molesting nine boys while a counselor at a local camp. He was sentenced to up to 11 years in state prison (with credit for time served) followed by three years probation. He will have to register as a sex offender and can have no contact with the victims. Should the Defendant violate his probation, he will face an additional 10 years in state prison. Judge John Agostini said it was a difficult case because of its nature and the logistics, as victims were spread across two 0 Comments
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The Retired Investor: Electric Vehicles Hit a Speed BumpBy Bill Schmick,
04:13PM / Thursday, February 08, 2024 | |
Electric vehicles are piling up in dealer lots. Consumers are by-passing EVs for gas-powered autos and hybrids while unwanted EVs sit at the dealerships for months. Production is being cut at the Big Three auto companies. What happened to the EV boom? The green revolution promised that electric vehicles were the wave of the future. Government incentives were offered to boost purchases in the name of clean energy as a way to fight climate change. Over the last few years, wealthy American consumers waited in long queues for their chance to plunk $75,000 or more down for their vehicular status symbol. Auto producers worldwide scrambled to build their version of EVs. Companies 0 Comments
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Softball, Baseball Winter Vacation Camps OfferedCommunity submission,
11:39AM / Thursday, February 08, 2024 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. -- The Infield Berkshire Baseball Academy is offering winter vacation day camps for baseball and softball players aged 8 to 12. The baseball camp will run from 9 a.m. to noon on Feb. 19 and 20. The softball camp is 9 a.m. to noon on Feb. 21 and 22. The cost is $50 per day. The camp will focus on basic offense and defense skills. Campers are asked to bring a snack, indoor shoes, glove and bat. The Infield is located at 10 Lyman St. To register, email theinfieldbba@gmai.com. 0 Comments
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