| News and events in Pittsfield, Mass.
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BHS Upgrades Respiratory Illness Alert to Moderate Level| 02:01PM / Wednesday, January 07, 2026 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. – As the Berkshire region experiences a heightened level of respiratory illnesses, Berkshire Health Systems (BHS) has raised its Respiratory Illness Alert level to Yellow, or Moderate, triggering updated masking and visitation requirements, effective Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, at 7 am. Respiratory illnesses are impacting a significant number of BHS patients, and the changes are being implemented to enhance safety for BHS staff, patients and visitors. Yellow signifies moderate activity and now requires masking for all BHS staff when in direct contact with patients. Any patients with symptoms should mask, and BHS asks that visitors who have any respiratory illness
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Pittsfield Begins Search for OPM to Lead Crosby/Conte ProjectBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
12:40PM / Wednesday, January 07, 2026 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Wheels are moving on the Crosby/Conte proposal.
On Tuesday, the School Building Needs Commission created a seven-member selection committee for an owner's project manager.
The Massachusetts School Building Authority, from which the district is seeking an 80 percent reimbursement, has invited Pittsfield Public Schools to a feasibility study phase, along with five other districts. On the table is a proposal to rebuild and consolidate the outdated John C. Crosby Elementary and Silvio O. Conte Community School on the Crosby property.
Potential solutions will be studied, and a cost estimate and schedule will be laid out. According to a schedule
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Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Detected in Domestic Flock| 10:44AM / Wednesday, January 07, 2026 | |
DUKES COUNTY, Mass. — The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) and its partner agencies safely depopulated and disposed of a backyard flock of chickens in Dukes County due to the detection of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). The affected birds exhibited clinical signs consistent with HPAI and tested positive for the disease. MDAR officials did not find any evidence of contaminated products that were distributed. MDAR is advising backyard and commercial poultry owners to practice strong biosecurity measures to prevent domestic poultry from having contact with wild birds since the HPAI virus is continuing to circulate in the wild bird population.
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BCC Respiratory Care Student Wins Brad Leidich Memorial Scholarship | 07:40AM / Wednesday, January 07, 2026 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Community College (BCC) student Marlena Pellon has been selected as the winner of the 2025 Brad Leidich Memorial Scholarship, with an award of $1,500. She is the first BCC student and the first in New England to win the prestigious award. The scholarship is presented to a first-generation student enrolled in an associate degree program in respiratory therapy. The winner has shown exemplary academic performance and has demonstrated a commitment to his or her career goals, as well as scholarly and community activities in respiratory care. "I am so humbled that I was chosen. It really made me reflect on my 0 Comments
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Pittsfield Mayor Reflects on Economic Development in 2025By Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:14AM / Wednesday, January 07, 2026 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The city welcomed more than a dozen new businesses in 2025 and granted support for further economic development.
During his State of the City Address on Monday, Mayor Peter Marchetti touted the professionals Pittsfield welcomed in 2025 and incentives for growing companies, including the allocation of $1.7 million in Pittsfield Economic Development Funds to four businesses.
"Attracting and remaining businesses has been the top priority in my administration, and we have been hard at work since the beginning. 2025 has been no exception," he said.
"Fourteen new businesses opened in 2025, including a new hotel, a coffee and gathering
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Marchetti Talks New Housing, New Approaches for 2026By Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
11:27AM / Tuesday, January 06, 2026 | |
The mayor, halfway through his four-year term, is applauded after giving his State of the City address at Monday's reorganization of government. PITTSFIELD, Mass.— Housing insecurity sparked passionate conversations at City Hall in 2025. In 2026, some of that insecurity may be alleviated as Mayor Peter Marchetti expects new housing units to come online, along with partnerships to reach people in need. By 2027, 255 new housing units are anticipated from various developers. Pittsfield has supported several projects through tax incentives, grant funding, and American Rescue Plan Act monies. This includes 41 affordable units at 0 Comments
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BCC Invites Community Input on Library Renaming| 07:35AM / Tuesday, January 06, 2026 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Community College (BCC) is inviting students, alumni, employees, and community members to take part in the College's ongoing library renaming process. As a community-centered institution, BCC values broad input and encourages the public to help shape the future identity of this important campus space. As part of the process, BCC will host a virtual feedback session to gather community perspectives on a short list of proposed library names. Virtual Community Feedback Session Date: Thursday, January 15, 2026 Time: 5:00–6:00 p.m. Location: Zoom (registration 0 Comments
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Community Feedback Essential During Ed CollaborativeBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
05:29AM / Tuesday, January 06, 2026 | |
CHESHIRE, Mass. — Ensuring everyone's voices are heard will be a constant during all stages of exploring secondary education collaborative efforts to achieve long-term sustainability in North Berkshire. Hoosac Valley Regional School District Superintendent Aaron Dean presented an update to at the Select Board last meeting of 2025 on the collaboration to pool resources and explore the possibility of regionalizing the three high schools and the elementary districts in the North Berkshire School Union. "I think it's something that we have to make sure we bring everybody's voice to the table and bring everybody's concerns to the table through 0 Comments
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Veterans for Peace Stand Out Against Venezuela StrikeBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
05:07AM / Tuesday, January 06, 2026 | |
Protesters say they fear that the nation and its young men and women will get caught up in another war. PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The new Berkshires chapter of Veterans for Peace held a stand-out Monday against the strike on Venezuela and the U.S. detention of its President Nicolás Maduro and his wife. Veterans For Peace is a global network of military veterans and allies dedicated to creating a culture of peace through education, advocacy, and support services. The organization aims to end all wars, raise awareness about the true costs of conflict, and help veterans and war victims worldwide. Protest organizers Eric Wasileski, a 0 Comments
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Pittsfield Swears in City Council, School CommitteeBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
04:19PM / Monday, January 05, 2026 | |
Earl Persip III is sworn in as president, above; Peter White, right, takes the oath for vice president after beating out Dina Lampiasi for the post. PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The city welcomed both new and familiar leadership for the next two years during its inauguration ceremony on Monday.
There were contested races for School Committee chair and vice president of the City Council. Councilor at Large Earl Persip III, was elected president of the council, Councilor at Large Peter White vice president, and Mayor Peter Marchetti was elected to chair the School Committee, the first mayor to sit as chair in nearly 30 years. "As I think I have stated to most of
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Central Berkshire Regional Schools: 2025 Year in ReviewBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
12:53PM / Monday, January 05, 2026 | |
 DALTON, Mass. — The Central Berkshire Regional School district saw a lot of success and change this year including new administrators, policies, and state recognition. District Improvement Plan The district kicked off its year with the goal to focus on equitable learning, social-emotional support, and family engagement. In an effort to support high-quality instruction, the district has implemented a new curriculum, leveraged instructional leadership, restrictions some of its Tier 2 supports, collaborated with families and local organizations, and established new programming. Administration Change The year also came with a major 0 Comments
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Massachusetts Fire Deaths Drop by 12 Percent in 2025| 10:50AM / Monday, January 05, 2026 | |
STOW, Mass. — Massachusetts fire deaths in 2025 declined from a seven-year high in 2024, with more than 90 percent taking place in the victims' homes, State Fire Marshal Jon M. Davine said. Excluding fatal motor vehicle collisions with an ensuing fire, Massachusetts recorded 44 fire deaths in 30 fires during 2025. That number is a decline from the 50 civilian fire deaths recorded in 2024 and on par with the five-year average of 44 per year from 2020-2024. One child – a 4-year-old North Adams girl – was lost to fire, down from three in 2024. Two dozen people aged 65 or older lost their lives in fires during 2025, making them nearly 55 percent of fatal fire 0 Comments
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