| News and events in Pittsfield, Mass.
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Berkshire Communities Awarded Recycling and Waste Reduction Grants | 08:09AM / Monday, November 24, 2025 | |
BOSTON — The Healey-Driscoll Administration today announced more than $4 million in Sustainable Materials Recovery Program grants to 280 municipalities and regional collaboratives to help communities maximize recycling, composting and waste reduction. "These grants support our communities, expand recycling and composting efforts, and target new materials to remove from the waste stream," said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper. "We are committed to ensuring our cities and towns have the resources they need to become more sustainable and achieve their goals of reducing disposal costs and the amount of waste in our landfills." In 0 Comments
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BRPC Forms Search Committee to Replace Retiring DirectorBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:39AM / Monday, November 24, 2025 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Berkshire Regional Planning Commission will be seeking a new executive director as Thomas Matuszko plans to retire in March. On Thursday, an Executive Director Search Committee was established with a slate of experienced members. Matuszko has worked with organization for nearly 30 years. He was appointed as executive director in 2018, having previously been a principal planner from 1997 to 2000 and then assistant director from 2001. The search committee will conduct the initial hiring process and make recommendations to the Executive Committee, followed by the full commission. Members include: Buck Donovan, Malcolm Fick, Sheila Irvin, Kyle Hanlon, John Duval,
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Stairs Proposed to Increase Access on Pontoosuc Lake Shoreline By Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:30AM / Monday, November 24, 2025 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The city plans to ensure access along the south shoreline of Pontoosuc Lake Park with stairs funded by the Community Preservation Act.
Last Tuesday, the Parks Commission tabled discussion on the Pontoosuc Lake Park shoreline plantings. This comes after community members argued that erosion control plantings impeded access, four easy access points were proposed, and a site visit with the Conservation Commission revealed that some of the bank erosion was worse than they believed.
Parks, Open Space, and Natural Resources Manager James McGrath will return around springtime with formally engineered plans for two sets of wooden steps with railings along the
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Pittsfield Schools Falling Behind on AttendanceBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:21AM / Monday, November 24, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Pittsfield Public Schools' "scary" attendance rates fall below the state average, and the district is trying to determine the root causes so they can be addressed.
"Really, there's only one or two districts, Holyoke is one, that is higher than us, but there aren't a lot of full districts that rank higher than Pittsfield," Jennifer Stokes, assistant superintendent for school transformation and accountability, said after reporting that Pittsfield schools are listed as 14th in the state for chronic absenteeism.
This was presented during Wednesday's School Committee meeting. Interim Superintendent Latifah Philips said
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Market 32, Price Chopper Donate to St. Peter's Hospital ALS Regional Center| 03:58PM / Sunday, November 23, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Market 32 and Price Chopper today presented a check for $303,965 to the St. Peter's Hospital ALS Regional Center Lewis Golub MDA/ALS Clinic in Albany, NY. The funds—which will directly support patients diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)—were raised at the company's annual Lewis Golub Memorial ALS Golf Classic on Sept. 25 at Van Patten Golf Club in Clifton Park, NY. "The ALS Center embodies the values that guided Lewis Golub and our company for generations—service, compassion, and a commitment to improving lives," said Blaine Bringhurst, president of Market 32 and Price Chopper. "Our annual 0 Comments
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Pittsfield Zoning Board OKs Bousquet CampgroundBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
12:28PM / Sunday, November 23, 2025 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Zoning Board of Appeals has approved special permits for Bousquet's year-round micro cabin and RV lodging proposal.
It was OK'd on Wednesday with several conditions, including a phased installation starting with a few units, check-ins with the Community Development Board, and a two-year period to begin work before the permit lapses.
"The last five years, I've seen a robust revitalization of one of the most prominent properties in the city of Pittsfield. This is just a small part of making that an even better experience for not only those of us in the city, but also trying to welcome new people to this area as well," said
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State Receives Perfect Score Three Years in a Row from Federal Pipeline Safety Agency | 11:05AM / Sunday, November 23, 2025 | |
BOSTON — The Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (DPU) received another perfect score from the federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) for its pipeline safety oversight program in 2024. This evaluation marks the third consecutive year that the DPU's Pipeline Safety Division has received a perfect score for the enforcement and implementation of federal pipeline safety standards. "The Pipeline Safety Division is one hundred percent committed to vigilant oversight of the gas utilities and the safety of our state's natural gas system," said Chair Jeremy McDiarmid. "Under its current leadership, 0 Comments
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Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity Reopens Homeownership Opportunity| 07:37AM / Sunday, November 23, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity has reopened the application process for a 3-bedroom, 2- bath Habitat home at 112 B Robbins Avenue in Pittsfield, after the previously selected homebuyers became ineligible to move forward in the program. "We are excited to offer another family the opportunity to achieve affordable homeownership," said Carolyn Valli, CBHFH CEO. "We encourage anyone who started an application but didn’t finish — or anyone newly interested — to apply now." Habitat’s Homebuyer Services Team has no completed, qualified applications for this home despite over one hundred 0 Comments
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Dalton Cultural Council Starts Review of Grant ApplicationsBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
02:25PM / Saturday, November 22, 2025 | |
DALTON, Mass.— The Cultural Council has started reviewing grant applications to allocate funds received from the state Local Cultural Council Program. The state Cultural Council awarded the town council $8,000 for the 2026 fiscal year, however, they also have a carryover of $1,000 from last year. The town received 41 applications from venues across the Berkshires, including organizations in Becket, Sheffield, Pittsfield, and, of course, Dalton. The winners will be selected sometime in November and September. Applicants have 15 days to appeal the councils decision. On Jan. 16 everything will be submitted to the state. With a 0 Comments
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Eversource: Know the Signs of Utility Imposter Scams| 01:30PM / Saturday, November 22, 2025 | |
BOSTON, Mass. — From phony calls threatening to shut off power to bogus emails and even imposters pretending to be employees, scammers posing as Eversource representatives are becoming increasingly more sophisticated. Every day, electric, water, and natural gas customers throughout the country are being targeted by impostor utility scams. While their deceitful tactics may vary, including having multiple callers on the line impersonating representatives from more than one company as part of the scam, the goal is always the same – to steal money and personal information from unsuspecting people. In recognition of Utilities United Against Scams (UUAS) Day on Nov.
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Holiday Events and Tree Lightings 2025| 12:15PM / Saturday, November 22, 2025 | |
 This year's holiday gatherings and annual tree lightings are being announced Here's what we have so far in events below. If we're missing any, let us know at info@iBerkshires.com. Visit our Holiday Bazaars and Craft Fairs list for holiday craft fairs and markets. Christmas Tree Lightings Adams: There will be a tree lighting and a visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus on Sunday, Nov. 30 at the Adams Town Common. The celebration begins at 2, featuring hayrides, music by DJ Bizz, hot chocolate courtesy of The Daily Grind, candy from the Adams Lions Club, and a special visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus. The official tree lighting will take place at dusk, around 0 Comments
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MassWildlife: Autumn Underwater| 08:55AM / Saturday, November 22, 2025 | |
Leaves are piling up and the nights are growing chilly, unmistakable signs that autumn has arrived. While the season's changes are easy to spot on land, quieter transformations are happening in the ponds, lakes, and rivers across Massachusetts. Beneath the surface, freshwater fish are shifting their behavior in response to cooler water and shorter days. Seasonal changes in water temperature and oxygen levels have a powerful effect on freshwater fish. Because they're cold-blooded, the surrounding water regulates their body temperature, metabolism, and activity. In general, warm water speeds up their metabolism, while cooler water slows it down. But despite the falling 0 Comments
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