| News and events in Pittsfield, Mass.
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BCC Offers Para Educator Training this Fall | 07:51AM / Wednesday, July 02, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Community College (BCC) will offer a six-week Para Educator Training course this fall, beginning September 8 and concluding October 17, 2025. Classes will be held at BCC's main campus, located at 1350 West Street, Pittsfield, Mondays through Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. (final week Tuesday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.). Students will gain hands-on support from experienced mentors and receive career preparation and job placement support. Graduates will earn the industry-recognized ParaPro credential and be prepared to work as paraprofessionals in a public or private K-12 education setting Para 0 Comments
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Pittsfield Licensing Board OKs East Side Outdoor DiningBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:22AM / Wednesday, July 02, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Licensing Board approved several business alterations on Monday, and two neighboring owners were able to step out and clarify the terms of outdoor seating.
East Side Cafe secured outdoor table service in about 10 feet of property next to the longtime business. Owner Marco Allessio said there will be a few tables with lattice fencing for privacy.
His cousin, Amy Koenig, owner of Lakewood Creamery and an abutting residential property, had opposed the outdoor seating out of concern for her grandmother on Lombard Street, explaining, "If you stand in my grandmother's parlor, it's not even my wingspan from the
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Pittsfield Firefighters Douse Blaze in Wealthy Avenue HomeBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
05:52PM / Tuesday, July 01, 2025 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Firefighters quickly doused blaze in a single-family home on Wealthy Avenue late Tuesday afternoon. Scanner reports said it was called in as a lightning strike but the cause is still under investigation. The fire occurred during a line of severe thunderstorms rolling over the region. Capt. Robert Stevens said the fire was called in at 4:24 p.m. and that there was heavy smoke coming from the second floor when they arrived on scene. "We did make it a double alarm fire," he said. "Engine 2 crew took a line in, made an interior attack, we were able to get the fire under control relatively quickly." He 0 Comments
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Pittsfield's Infield Offers Youth Sports CampsCommunity submission,
11:18AM / Tuesday, July 01, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. -- The Infield is offering a series of youth sports camps for children aged 4 to 12 starting next week at its Lyman Street facility. The first two sessions are a baseball camp for children 7 to 12. The camp runs from 9 a.m. to noon, July 7-9. From 9 to noon, July 21-23, The Infield will hold a softball camp for children 7 to 12. The cost for each three-day camp is $150. The Infield is holding an all-sports camp for kids 4 to 6 on Aug. 18 and 19 from 9 to 11 a.m. The camp will allow youngsters to explore baseball, soccer, basketball and more. The cost for the all-sports camp is $100. To register, visit The Infield's 0 Comments
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Holiday Hours: Independence Day| 10:55AM / Tuesday, July 01, 2025 | |
Above, the famous John Trumbull painting depicting the presentation of the Declaration to John Hancock. John Adams is standing on the right of the Committee of Five. Right, the Bill of Rights currently on display at Williams College. Independence Day will be celebrated Friday, July 4. It is a federal holiday marking the ratification of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. Representatives from 13 original colonies, of which Massachusetts was a leader, actually voted on July 2 at the Second Continental Congress to declare their independence from Great Britain. The Declaration formalizing the decision — and giving the reasons for doing so — was written by
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Senator Mark Announces July Staff Hours | 10:05AM / Tuesday, July 01, 2025 | |
BOSTON — State Senator Paul W. Mark announced that his staff will host office hours at six locations in Berkshire County in July. Residents of any of the 57 municipalities in the Senator's Berkshire, Hampden, Franklin, and Hampshire District are encouraged to share ideas on current or potential state legislation, or to ask for assistance with issues involving any state agency. Appointments are not required. Adams: Tuesday, July 15 , from 9 a.m. to noon. Town Hall, 8 Park St., Adams. Dalton: Monday, July 7 from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.. Senior Center, 40 Field St., Dalton. Great Barrington: Monday, July 7 and Monday, July 21, from 9 a.m. to noon. 0 Comments
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Pittsfield Subcommittee Says Camping Ban Needs More WorkBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:19AM / Tuesday, July 01, 2025 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Ordinances and Rules subcommittee wasn't ready Monday night to make recommendations on a controversial ordinance proposal to ban public camping, seen as a way to target unhoused people. On Monday, it tabled the ordinance proposal after adopting amendments to remove criminalization language and the three-day ban limit for camping on private property. A revised version will come back on July 28. Subcommittee members would also like to see the fine structure re-evaluated.
Member Rhonda Serre rhetorically asked, "Why are you imposing civil penalties on people that have no resources?"
"Let's find what we
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Force 12U Finishes Pool Play at National TournamentiBerkshires.com Sports,
06:20PM / Monday, June 30, 2025 | |
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. -- The Montgomery Devils' 12-and-under team Monday handed the Berkshire Force a 12-2 loss in the Force's pool play finale at the Youth Softball Nationals. The Devils, of Pine Bush, N.Y., scored five runs in the bottom of the first to take a 5-0 lead and never looked back. Layla Soules and Daisy Charon each had a hit for the Force. Josie Schilling drove in a run. Charon and Olivia Archambault split time in the circle for the Force. Berkshire finishes pool play with a record of 1-4; bracket play is scheduled to begin on Wednesday. 0 Comments
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Letter: Dalton Finance Committee — Thank youLetter to the Editor,
12:00PM / Monday, June 30, 2025 | |
 To the Editor:
This fiscal budget season has been a very difficult one for the Finance Committee and chairs. These professional individuals put their time and talent into doing what is best for the town and its people. This year they have been harassed not once but twice by requests from individuals through the Request for Information. People who are trying to prove Open Meeting violations which have not occurred. They have been belittled and chastised on social media and in public for doing their job in which they are elected. People who took the words "surplus," "excess," "money not used" and made it into a defunding rampage. At no time was defunding ever
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Fire Officials Urge Residents: Leave Fireworks to the Professionals| 08:00AM / Monday, June 30, 2025 | |
STOW, Mass.—Fires, explosions, and serious injuries related to illegal fireworks spike each summer in Massachusetts, and fire service leaders are asking residents and visitors to leave those dangerous devices to the professionals. "Here in Massachusetts, fireworks have caused over 500 fires and explosions, more than 200 emergency department visits, and nearly $1 million in damages over the past five years," said State Fire Marshal Jon M. Davine. "They are illegal without licensing and certification because they are so dangerous. Please don’t risk a fire, an injury, or a day in court – leave fireworks to the professionals." "The weeks around July
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Pittsfield Plans Unkamet Brook Restoration With MVP GrantBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:44AM / Monday, June 30, 2025 | |
Fuss & O'Neill engineers Margaret Allen and Christian Boisvert speak at last week's City Council meeting about the culvert project. PITTSFIELD, Mass. — With help from the state, the city plans to restore Unkamet Brook between Crane and Dalton Avenue.
This includes replacing the undersized culvert near the Jaeschke Fruit & Flowers Center.
Pittsfield received a $275,000 Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness grant in fiscal 2025 for the effort, which is expected to be done in the next five years. The aim is to correct "major" flooding into nearby properties during storm events and restore wetlands damaged by the
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BRTA Working on Comprehensive Regional Transit PlanBy Breanna Steele,
05:17AM / Monday, June 30, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Berkshire Regional Transit Authority is discussing its five-year comprehensive regional transit plan (CRTP). "The goal of the CRTP is to review BRTA's goals and mission as a regional transit provider, to assess transit service from the past five years and then expand on enhancements that have worked well, and then make changes in areas where there's opportunities for improvement." said Diane Broderick, with consultant HDR Engineering, at a recent meeting of the BRTA board. The transit authority's last five-year plan in 2020 had three big takeaways from the outreach efforts: that BRTA brings value to the region, a desire for more bus
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