| News and events in Pittsfield, Mass.
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Governor Announces Fire Department Grants| 03:44PM / Saturday, February 07, 2026 | |
BOSTON — The Healey-Driscoll administration announced that applications are being accepted for two competitive grant programs that will deliver nearly $7 million to fund safety equipment for Massachusetts firefighters and life safety education for children and older adults. "These grant programs go directly to the safety of our firefighters and the most vulnerable residents of the communities they protect," said Gov.nMaura Healey. "From turnout gear and rescue tools to age-appropriate education for young students and senior citizens, we're helping to keep Massachusetts one of the most fire-safe states in the nation." The FY26 Firefighter Safety Equipment Grant
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Dalton Fire District to Discuss ADU Water Hook-Up RegulationsBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
01:08PM / Saturday, February 07, 2026 | |
DALTON, Mass. — The process of amending the Accessory Dwelling Units bylaw to include mobile tiny homes is moving forward, with the Water Department currently drafting related regulations. For nearly two years, Amy Turnbull has been trying to amend the current ADU bylaws to allow tiny homes. A movable tiny home is defined as a unit under 400 square feet that meets all of someone's daily needs, including sanitation, cooking, and other facilities, and which is also mobile. Most homes considered "tiny" are built on a trailer so they can be towed. However, her efforts have been delayed, on the Planning Board front, because of too many 0 Comments
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Pittsfield Ice Rink Now Open By Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
12:00PM / Saturday, February 07, 2026 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The long-awaited ice skating rink is finally open for free public skating. Although late in the season, the rink will be open with posted hours from dawn to dusk, but may be closed at times for maintenance of the ice. Since the rink is equipped with lighting, the city has no objections to night skating; however, skaters are urged to remain mindful of safety, said James McGrath, park, open space and natural resource program manager. It was previously reported that the city received a grant to offer skate rentals. However, because of the shortened season, this initiative has been postponed to future years. The outdoor 0 Comments
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MassVentures Opens START Grant Applications| 07:56AM / Saturday, February 07, 2026 | |
BOSTON — The Healey-Driscoll Administration and MassVentures announced that applications are now open for the next round of its SBIR Targeted Technologies (START) Grant Program, which provides non-dilutive funding to Massachusetts companies that have received federal SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) or STTR (Small Business Technology Transfer) Phase II awards. The program helps startups translate advanced research into commercial products, new businesses, and high-quality jobs across Massachusetts. START grants provide $100,000 to $500,000 to eligible companies to support critical commercialization activities, including market
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Residents, Officials Say 'No' to Proposed Berkshire Gas Rate HikeBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
07:12AM / Saturday, February 07, 2026 | |
The hearing included representatives from state's rate division, the hearing officer and Department of Public Utilities Commissioners, at right, Chair Jeremy McDiarmid and Liz Anderson PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Local officials and residents argued against Berkshire Gas's proposed 22 percent increase on the average customer's bill during a public hearing on Wednesday evening at Berkshire Community College. State Sen. Paul Mark and state Reps. Tricia Farley-Bouvier, John Barrett III and Leigh Davis stood before members of the state Department of Public Utilities in "strong opposition" to the rate hike. The Berkshire delegation 0 Comments
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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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