| News and events in Pittsfield, Mass.
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BRTA Proposes New Routes To Help with Driver ShortageBy Breanna Steele, iBerkshires Staff
05:35PM / Friday, February 06, 2026 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Berkshire Regional Transit Authority is looking to realign its routes because of a driver shortage. New BRTA Administrator Kathleen Lambert and Berkshire Transit Management Operations Manager Ben Hansen last Thursday proposed the changes to the board that included eliminating a few routes and creating a new one. "Over the last couple of months, I've been working with captain Bob [Robert Malnati] trying to come up with a solution to our reliability for our history customers," said Hansen. "As you may or may not know, we have many canceled runs on a day-to-day basis. So we try to realign this so it doesn't affect everyone, and 0 Comments
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Dalton Capital Planning Committee Takes First Steps By Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
10:59AM / Friday, February 06, 2026 | |
DALTON, Mass. — The Capital Planning Committee held its first meeting last week; the first step in a yearlong process of developing a five-year capital plan. The meeting kicked off with Thomas Irwin, a Finance Committee member, elected chairman, and Dennis Croughwell, a Planning Board member, elected vice chair. The committee was established during the annual town meeting in May 2025. Irwin was instrumental in developing the Capital Planning Committee, which was modeled on the town of Lee's committee. The goal is to produce a practical, prioritized five-year capital improvement plan that helps the Select Board and Finance Committee make informed 0 Comments
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Pittsfield Seeks OPM for Crosby/Conte ProposalBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
06:04AM / Friday, February 06, 2026 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The School Building Needs Commission met with some new members under a new defining ordinance on Tuesday.
"You're joining at a very exciting time for our district," interim Superintendent Latifah Phillips said.
The Pittsfield Public Schools are seeking up to 80 percent reimbursement from the Massachusetts Schools Building Authority to rebuild and consolidate the outdated John C. Crosby Elementary and Silvio O. Conte Community School on the Crosby property.
Last week, the City Council approved an ordinance for a 19-member School Building Needs Commission. The mayor appoints seven members, the superintendent appoints five, and
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Lanesborough ZBA Asserts STRs Not Yet PermittedBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
05:44PM / Thursday, February 05, 2026 | |
Second Drop Farm owner Patrick Elliot, with attorney Elisabeth Goodman, states his case for short-term rentals at the farm. LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — A heated Zoning Board of Appeals meeting ended in a decision that shocked and frustrated many in the audience. The board voted to uphold the cease-and-desist order issued to Second Drop Farm regarding short-term rentals, citing the building inspector's determination that, because of the absence of town bylaw regulations, short-term rentals are not permitted. The audience erupted in indignation with one attendee saying "You are going to create war in this town." The decision split the 0 Comments
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Pittsfield Warming Centers Available| 05:12PM / Thursday, February 05, 2026 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Due to the frigid temperatures expected this weekend, the City of Pittsfield announced the following locations will be available for residents looking for some relief from the cold. The Berkshire Athenaeum, located at 1 Wendell Avenue, will be open for regular business hours on Friday, Feb. 6, from 9:00a.m. to 5:00p.m. and on Saturday, Feb. 7 from 10:00a.m. to 5:00p.m. The Ralph J. Froio Senior Center, located at 330 North Street, will be open on Sunday, Feb. 8 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. For those that are seeking shelter overnight, please visit the warming center at the Pearl located at 21 Pearl Street, which will be open from 9:00 p.m. to 0 Comments
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The Retired Investor: Does It Make Sense to Borrow From Your 401(k) to Buy a House?By Bill Schmick,
04:03PM / Thursday, February 05, 2026 | |
Younger generations cannot afford to buy a home. They cannot even make the down payments necessary to take out a mortgage. Borrowing the down payment from your 401(k) might make sense, especially if the Trump administration helps out. Last week, the president's director of the National Economic Council, Kevin Hassett, said the administration was finalizing a plan for some 401(k) funds to go toward home down payments. He said it would be part of a series of White House initiatives on housing affordability. "I'm not a huge fan," said the boss. Trump said, "One of the reasons I don't like it is that their 401(k)s are doing so 0 Comments
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Pittsfield Council Approves 'Green' ItemsBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
03:48PM / Thursday, February 05, 2026 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The City Council approved a couple of "green" items during its meeting last week.
This includes more than $20,000 from the state for recycling initiatives, as well as cell phone recycling automated machines at Cumberland Farms on First Street and in Market 32 at 555 Hubbard Ave.
Pittsfield received $21,000 from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection’s Sustainable Materials Recovery Program, which reinvests a portion of Waste Energy Certificates into recycling programs. More than $4.2 million was distributed across the state this year.
WECs are tradable, unit-specific certificates (1 per MWh) generated by
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Pittsfield Announces 3rd Annual Winter Festival at Clapp Park| 03:01PM / Thursday, February 05, 2026 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Pittsfield's Department of Community Development Recreation Program has announced its third annual Winter Festival for Monday, Feb. 16, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Clapp Park. As a kickoff to winter break for local Pittsfield schools, this year's festival will include a variety of outdoor activities for children and their families including: Cardboard Sled Design Contest & Races Prior to the day of Winter Festival, all children and families are asked to construct their own cardboard sled at home using glue, tape, paint, and decorations. No plastic or purchased sleds are allowed. Awards will be given for Best Use of Materials, Most Creative 0 Comments
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BCArc Names New Chief Operating Officer| 11:46AM / Thursday, February 05, 2026 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire County Arc has named Sonja Haecker the new Chief Operating Officer. Haecker has been serving as the Agency's Executive Vice President, overseeing a wide range of programs for BCArc. "Sonja continues to show incredible leadership," said Maryann Hyatt, President & CEO. "She is a great motivator, demands high standards, and has great energy for advancing this agency forward. The staff and families are well-served with her as the new Chief Operating Officer." Haecker's responsibilities, in collaboration with the Chief Executive Officer, cover the Agency's program operations and strategic planning, along 0 Comments
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Lenox Applying for Housing Rehab ProgramBy Breanna Steele, iBerkshires Staff
11:35AM / Thursday, February 05, 2026 | |
LENOX, Mass. — The town is applying for a federal Housing Rehabilitation Program to help low- and moderate-income residents fix their homes. The Select Board last Wednesday voted to authorize Bailey Boyd Associates to apply for the Community Development Block Grant funding for fiscal 2026. The grant is up to $1,150,000 and will help with the renovation of 13 homes with zero-percent interest, deferred-payment forgivable loans. Cassie Boyd Marsh, president of Bailey Boyd Associates, a community development consultant, explained how the program will work. "The program prioritizes health and safety, including weather, vacant and other 0 Comments
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The First's Housing Resource Center Opens in PittsfieldBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:17AM / Thursday, February 05, 2026 | |
Tenants for the nine studio apartments will be moving in over the next few days. PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The First's housing resource center opened its doors on Tuesday, drawing about a dozen people.
"I was hoping to do a soft open yesterday at The First. It became a little louder, which is fine," ServiceNet's Director of Shelter and Housing Erin Forbush told the Homelessness Advisory Committee on Wednesday.
"But we are open Tuesday through Saturday for the next few weeks, and that is really due to just onboarding staff and training."
The housing resource center is funded by Pittsfield's American Rescue Plan Act
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BCC 40 Under 40 Winners to be Honored| 01:24PM / Wednesday, February 04, 2026 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Community College (BCC), together with partners 1Berkshire and Mill Town Foundation, will honor the winners of its annual 40 Under Forty Awards on Wednesday, March 18 at 5 p.m. in the Robert Boland Theater, located on the main campus at 1350 West Street. Tickets are $40 per person (free for award winners and one guest per winner) and may be purchased online at www.berkshirecc.edu/40-tix. Proceeds benefit support Workforce and Community Education programs at BCC, addressing immediate needs and helping to build a lasting 0 Comments
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