| News and events in Pittsfield, Mass.
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Berkshire Planning Expects to Hire New Director in MarchBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
02:22PM / Tuesday, February 10, 2026 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Berkshire Regional Planning Commission received 10 interested applicants for the executive director position.
Thomas Matuszko plans to retire in March after decades of working with the organization. A search committee was established late last year to find his successor.
Lee delegate Buck Donovan reported on Thursday that the committee is working on time to get Matuszko enjoying his retirement and to be replaced by a "very qualified replacement."
"I think we're doing very well," he said.
BRPC received nine qualified applications so far for the position, which requires at least a decade of relevant planning
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BCArc Pilot Employment Program Receives State GrantBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
12:15PM / Tuesday, February 10, 2026 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A state grant will provide hands-on training in health care for a dozen Berkshire County Arc clients. The pilot employment program, the Health Care Initiative, is getting $80,000 through the state's Employment Program for Young Adults with Disabilities. The nonprofit is one of six organizations across the state to receive some $900,000 to help young adults with disabilities prepare for employment. The disability services and support organization has partnered with Sugar Hill and Craneville Place in Dalton to guide the trainees through a structured pathway to employment in the healthcare sector that is transferable to other healthcare 0 Comments
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Pittsfield Health Board Advises Outreach ProgramBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
10:20AM / Tuesday, February 10, 2026 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Board of Health is advising against a public camping ordinance. Instead, it recommends an alternative community response program that connects unhoused individuals with resources.
On Wednesday, the board approved its recommendations for addressing housing insecurity in the city, which will go to the City Council on Tuesday. The controversial camping ordinance was sent to the health officials in September 2025, and they have determined it is not the best approach for Pittsfield.
After months of consideration and a visit to the Northampton Division of Community Care, they recommend piloting an alternative community response program with two
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Habitat for Humanity Selling Pittsfield Condos for $1,700/MonthBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:21PM / Monday, February 09, 2026 | |
The homes are being offered as condominiums with a homeowners association fee. PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity is selling two homes to income-eligible families who can afford about $1,700 per month.
On Friday, an open house was held for the newly built condominiums at 21 and 23 Murphy Place, and another will be held on Saturday, Feb. 14, from 10 to noon. The each of the homes offers three bedrooms and one bathroom over 1,200 square feet.
Homebuyers services representative Chris LaPatin reported that there have been "quite a few" applications that are being reviewed.
The condos will be sold to families earning between 50 percent
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Local Production Workers Sought for Crewdson PhotoshootBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
01:05PM / Monday, February 09, 2026 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Local talent is being sought for a production by world-renowned photographer Gregory Crewdson this spring.
On Friday, the Berkshire Film and Media Collaborative of Western Massachusetts announced that Crewdson's team is seeking production assistants and production coordinators for a project in Pittsfield and North Adams in March and April.
The photographer is well known for his cinematic, staged photographs in post-industrial settings such as Berkshire County. Crewdson last shot in Pittsfield and Adams in 2021.
A posting from the film and media collaborative describes the project as a "large-scale, professional photography
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Berkshire Athenaeum Hires Social WorkerBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
12:22PM / Monday, February 09, 2026 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Berkshire Athenaeum now has a full-time social worker to meet community members' needs that go beyond books.
A few months ago, Gabriela Leon was hired as the first library social worker in Berkshire County. The position was created to address service gaps for unhoused people who frequent the library, located centrally on Wendell Avenue.
"I'm here to really just connect people with resources, be available," Leon told the Homelessness Advisory Committee on Wednesday.
"My door is open to not just the unhoused population, to anyone in this library that may have a need, or a concern, or just need a space to talk and
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Pittsfield Plans School Transition Activities Ahead of RestructuringBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:23AM / Monday, February 09, 2026 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — As the district prepares to restructure its middle schools in the fall, administrators are considering transition activities that will best meet the needs of Pittsfield students.
Last week, the School Committee saw an update on the Pittsfield Public Schools' move 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.
Initial negotiation meetings were held with the Pittsfield Educational Administrators Association and the United Educators of Pittsfield, and the strategic scheduling process is underway. A scheduling consultant is
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Sponsors of Mass Save Open New Round of Applications| 04:08PM / Sunday, February 08, 2026 | |
BOSTON — The Sponsors of Mass Save launched the next round of applications for the Mass Save Community Education Grant, an initiative designed to increase engagement with local communities through energy efficiency education and literacy. Since the initiative launched in 2022, the Sponsors have awarded more than $1 million in funding to 48 organizations across Massachusetts to raise awareness and advance equitable access to energy efficiency solutions that help customers reduce energy usage and bills. This year, for the first time, the Sponsors are accepting rolling admissions for the program, allowing eligible organizations to apply throughout the year. 0 Comments
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Lanesborough to Discuss Short-Term Rental BylawBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
03:00PM / Sunday, February 08, 2026 | |
LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — Short-term rentals have been a hot topic in town recently following inconsistency surrounding whether they are permitted; the Planning Board is working to fix that. At the June 2024 town meeting, voters approved new taxes and fees on short-term rentals, which are stays of less than 30 days. These include: • A local excise tax of up to 6 percent on total rent for each stay at bed and breakfasts, hotel lodging houses, short-term rentals, or motels • A 3 percent impact fee on "professionally managed" short-term rentals • A 3 percent impact fee on short-term rentals in two- or three-family dwellings Although the 0 Comments
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Dalton Second Historical District Needs Grant Funding for Consultant By Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
02:32PM / Sunday, February 08, 2026 | |
DALTON, Mass. — Efforts to establish historic districts in the town have spanned several decades, creating confusion about what voters originally approved. "We have to bring them up to speed with the history of the situation with the districts," co-Chair Deborah Kovacs said during the commission's meeting on Wednesday. In the late 1990s, voters approved the work to create all three historic districts, although at the time they were considered a single, known as the Main Street corridor historic district, she said. When the town hired a consultant, Norene Roberts, to help with the district's establishment, she informed the commission that it had 0 Comments
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Allegrone Company Restores Base of Statue of LibertyBy Breanna Steele, iBerkshires Staff
07:34AM / Sunday, February 08, 2026 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Allegrone Companies has ensured that the foundation around one of the nation's most significant monuments to freedom lasts for ages. The nearly $30 million project restored the masonry stone walls and the terreplein deck of Fort Wood — 11-pointed star-shaped fort that forms the pedestal base of the Statue of Liberty. Michael Mucci, director of masonry at Allegrone Companies, said the construction company has been working with the National Park Service for years. "We have been working on National Park Service jobs, NPS projects, for about 10 years now, and we've been doing restoration work throughout New England," 0 Comments
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Teacher of the Month: Matthew PegorariBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
05:19PM / Saturday, February 07, 2026 | |
 DALTON, Mass. — When Wahconah Regional High School science teacher Matthew Pegorari works with his students, faces ignite with enthusiasm — almost as much as a gummy bear dropped in molten potassium chlorate. Which is a lot. Getting his students excited to learn and come to class every day has earned Pegorari the iBerkshires Teacher of the Month designation. The Teacher of the Month series, in collaboration with Berkshire Community College, will feature distinguished teachers nominated by community members. You can nominate a teacher here. Chemistry can be difficult and often frustrating, said students, but their teacher said if they 0 Comments
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