| News and events in Pittsfield, Mass.
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Lanesborough ZBA Denies Local Country Store's Appeal By Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
05:32PM / Wednesday, January 21, 2026 | |
LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — The fate of the Lanesborough Local Country Store's signature vintage pickup truck remains uncertain following the Zoning Board of Appeals' recent decision. Tensions flared at last week's meeting as the board debated whether a truck with a sign mounted on its bed complies with the town's sign bylaws. The board voted to uphold the building inspector's violation, though board member Ronald Tinkham expressed reluctance about the decision. For the last five years, the truck has been a familiar sight on the grass near the store, at local events and parades, and serving ice cream at summer gatherings. That was until 0 Comments
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Dalton Board OKs Personnel Policies, Handbook UpdatesBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
02:44PM / Wednesday, January 21, 2026 | |
DALTON, Mass. — The Select Board started approving updates to the town's Personnel Policies and Administrative Procedures Handbook last week. Town Manager Eric Anderson, who started his new role on Nov. 1, presented to the board proposed amendments to the policies. The town's solicitor, KP Law, reviewed the document and made suggested changes to verbiage that didn't change the document's intent and did not require the board to sign off. However, there are six items that require board-level approval including amendments to the Commercial Driver's License training reimbursement, implementing a bi-weekly pay period and 0 Comments
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Dalton Capital Planning Committee Members SelectedBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
12:57PM / Wednesday, January 21, 2026 | |
DALTON, Mass. — The members of the town's Capital Planning Committee have been selected. In December, the Attorney General's Office approved the Capital Planning Committee bylaw that was approved by voters at the annual town meeting last May, Town Manager Eric Anderson said last week. The bylaw creates the committee, outlines membership, appointment and term, and highlights the committee's duties, which is to prepare a Capital Improvement Plan financing plan with a five-year forecast of revenues and expenses. The members of the committee are Karen Schmidt and Tom Irwin, representatives of the Finance Committee, and Dennis Croughwell, a 0 Comments
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Pittsfield School Board See Update on Middle School RestructuringBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:24AM / Wednesday, January 21, 2026 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Wheels are moving on the Pittsfield Public Schools plan to realign the middle schools in the fall.
Last week, the School Committee received updates on the transition to an upper elementary and junior high school model in September, with Grades 5 and 6 attending Herberg Middle School and Grades 7 and 8 attending Reid Middle School.
"This is an equity strategy that was started maybe a year ago, a year and a half ago, that we’ve been working towards to ensure that every intermediate and middle school student has access to equitable educational opportunities," Interim Superintendent Latifah Phillips said.
"I know that there
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Pittsfield's Christian Center Seeks Community Input on Services, NameBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:57PM / Tuesday, January 20, 2026 | |
Worker Dionisio Kelly, left, board member Kenny Warren, Executive Director Jessica Jones, and Food and Services Director Karen Ryan. PITTSFIELD, Mass. — It's a new year, and The Christian Center is looking at how it can serve the area in 2026 and beyond.
This includes a possible new name fueled by community forums in late January and early February.
"We're hoping people will come in and talk about the name, talk about what programs, what services they would like to see from us. What would be most meaningful," Executive Director Jessica Jones said.
"Because the population in this area has changed quite a bit, and we no longer serve just
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Letter: I Do Not Apologize For Being Out of OrderLetter to the Editor,
05:00PM / Tuesday, January 20, 2026 | |
 To the Editor:
I do not apologize for being "out of order" at a recent Dalton Select Board meeting, as it is a right and a responsibility for citizens to criticize their government when it makes a bad decision. In this case, I and several other town residents objected to the lack of transparency by our Selectmen regarding the sale of a parcel of town land, deciding to accept a bid $20,000 lower than the highest bid. The public still deserves a satisfactory explanation.
At a subsequent Select Board meeting, Chairman Bishop added to the mistake by threatening to shut down any meeting in which the public is "out of order" and that police would be used for enforcement. Is
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Dalton Will Warn Commercial Vehicles Off Orchard Road By Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
05:40AM / Tuesday, January 20, 2026 | |
DALTON, Mass. — Now the Orchard Road has been paved, the neighborhood is facing a new problem — commercial vehicles. The road, which is often used as a connector to Route 9, was plagued with potholes and flooding because of its undersized drainage pipes. This past summer, the Highway Department had it repaved and added sidewalks. Since then, the road has seen an increase in tractor trailers cutting through from Route 8 to Route 9, during which they have been using their Jake brake, resident Carrie Thomson wrote to the town. "This is happening all hours of the day and night. Prior to the road being done it was never a problem, I have 0 Comments
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North Adams, Pittsfield Mark King Day With Calls for ActivismBy Tammy Daniels & Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
04:01PM / Monday, January 19, 2026 | |
Alÿcia Bacon, community engagement officer for the Berkshire Taconic Foundation, speaks at the MLK service held Price Memorial AME Church in Pittsfield. NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Wendy Penner can be found pretty much everywhere: leading local initiatives to address climate change and sustainability, championing public health approaches for substance abuse, and motivating citizens to defend their rights and the rights of others. That's all when she's not working her day job in public health, or being co-president of Congregation Beth Israel, or chairing the Williamstown COOL Committee, or volunteering on a local 0 Comments
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BCC to Offer Free Advanced Basic Computer Training Course| 07:34AM / Monday, January 19, 2026 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Workforce and Community Education Department at Berkshire Community College (BCC) will offer an Advanced Basic Computer Training course on Mondays and Wednesdays from 5:30-8:30 p.m., Feb. 23 – April 1, 2026. Designed for adults eager to advance their careers, this hands-on course is intended only for learners who already have basic computer knowledge. If you can comfortably use a computer and are ready to build on that foundation, this class will help students master essential digital office skills in Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint and 0 Comments
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Pittsfield School Committee Sees Budget Calendar, Chapter 70 ConcernsBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:28AM / Monday, January 19, 2026 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Pittsfield Public Schools kicked off its fiscal year 2027 budget calendar, and are again facing uncertainties with state Chapter 70 funding.
During the first meeting of the new term on Wednesday, the School Committee OK'd an FY27 budget calendar that plans the committee's vote in mid-April. Interim Superintendent Latifah Phillips stressed the importance of equity in this process.
"It's really important for us through these next couple of months to look at our different schools, our different needs, different student demographics, and really understand, are we just assigning resources equally, or are we really assigning them based
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Ice Skating Destinations in the BerkshiresBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
05:51PM / Sunday, January 18, 2026 | |
Every year several towns and cities in the Berkshires create outdoor skating rinks or open their doors to the numerous indoor ice skating venues. So, dust off your ice skates, lace up, and glide the winter away at these ice skating destinations. All outdoor rinks and natural skating destinations are weather dependent and do not have skate rentals unless noted otherwise. Have a skating destination you want included on our list–email info@iberskhires.com. Outdoor Rinks Wahconah Park Rink Pittsfield The city will soon open a rink outside the historic baseball stadium. The 50-by-100-foot rink will be open to skaters of all 0 Comments
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Governor Appoints Secretary of Veterans Services | 04:20PM / Sunday, January 18, 2026 | |
BOSTON — Governor Maura Healey announced the appointment of Eric Goralnick, MD, MS, as Secretary of the Massachusetts Executive Office of Veterans Services (EOVS). "We have made a strong commitment to fixing a broken system and delivering for our veterans," said Governor Maura Healey. "Dr. Goralnick understands that veterans deserve care that meets them where they are. He brings deep experience as a physician, a leader and a collaborator, and he has spent his career strengthening systems, improving access to care and bringing people together across institutions. He is the right person to build on this progress and continue delivering for veterans and their 0 Comments
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