| News and events in Pittsfield, Mass.
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Berkshire Pipe & Tobacco Sees License SuspensionBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:41AM / Friday, March 07, 2025 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — After repeat violations, a longtime Tyler Street retailer cannot sell tobacco until the end of the year.
On Wednesday, the Board of Health voted to suspend Berkshire Pipe and Tobacco's license until Dec. 11. The store has paid $4,300 in fines for selling flavored products, missing signage for blunt wraps, failure to request identification, and more.
"It's a tough decision for us," Chair Roberta Elliott said. "Because we don't like to be in a situation like this but we find ourselves here because we have a tobacco-selling store that has not taken things seriously and now is saying that they're going to all of a sudden."
In
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Love of T Showcases Community at GalaBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
05:35PM / Thursday, March 06, 2025 | |
The event featured dining, raffles and an auction. Some $35,000 was raised to aid the peer-mentoring organization. See more photos here. PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The non-profit Love of T celebrated its ever-growing community and raised funds to continue its mission during its "Dance the Blues Away" gala on Saturday. The organization works to help those struggling with suicidal thoughts lead beautiful and fulfilling lives. Over the years, it has established a community of people who understand each other's struggles and support one another, Love of T staff and participants said. This year, it has served more than 245 individuals and 0 Comments
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The Retired Investor: Government Shutdown Looms LargeBy Bill Schmick,
04:19PM / Thursday, March 06, 2025 | |
It is getting to be a regular occurrence. The U.S. Treasury runs out of money and warns Congress that they need more. Politicians on both sides strut and crow but delay until the 11th hour only to pass another "continuing resolution" for a few months. Will it ever end? Exactly what is a continuing resolution (CR)? They are temporary spending bills that allow the federal government operations to continue when final appropriations have not been approved by Congress and the president. CRs are never-ending stories with a shelf-life of 2-3 months. This time, the deadline is March 14. Has anything changed? Well, yes and no. The factions within the Republican party are 0 Comments
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Co-op Bank Promotes Vice President, Commercial Lending| 04:01PM / Thursday, March 06, 2025 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Pittsfield Cooperative Bank (Co-op Bank) announced the promotion of Sierra King Watson to Vice President, Commercial Lending. In her new commercial role, Watson will spearhead efforts to support local businesses, delivering tailored business banking and lending solutions to help foster growth and strengthen the regional economy. Watson, a member of the Co-op Bank team, has built a strong reputation for her personalized approach to commercial lending, working closely with business owners to understand their goals and challenges. With fifteen years of banking and lending experience, Watson has consistently demonstrated exceptional 0 Comments
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Letter: Richmond Has Options to Reduce Building DensityLetter to the Editor,
02:00PM / Thursday, March 06, 2025 | |
 To the Editor:
This year, the governor of Massachusetts signed a new bill into law that overrides every town in the commonwealth's zoning regarding ADUs (Additional/Accessory Dwelling Units). Every house in the commonwealth can now have an additional dwelling unit (house, cottage, guest house, etc.) up to 900 square feet on the same building lot as the primary house. The town you live in cannot do anything to prevent these as they are "by right" per the state government. How would you feel if your neighbor built a 900 square foot secondary house next to you on a lot that was zoned for one house? You may not like or agree with it, but there is nothing you or the town can do
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Greylock Community Enrichment Scholarship Applications Now Available| 10:43AM / Thursday, March 06, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Through its Community Enrichment Scholarship Program, Greylock will be offering scholarships to every public high school in Berkshire County and Columbia County, N.Y.. The scholarships will be awarded to high school senior students to be applied toward tuition at a state or nationally accredited two- or four-year college/university. Greylock will also award two scholarships to high school seniors from Berkshire and Columbia counties who will enroll in a program at an accredited technical, vocational or trade school. Students must be Greylock Federal Credit Union members. "These scholarships recognize students who exemplify 0 Comments
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Berkshire County Transportation Enhanced by Over $400 K in State Grants| 08:17AM / Thursday, March 06, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. The Healey-Driscoll Administration has awarded funding to the Berkshire Regional Transit Authority and Great Barrington (BRTA) to enhance transportation access within Berkshire County. BRTA and the Town of Great Barrington have received a combined total of over $400,000 through the Community Transit Grant Program (CTGP). "Every investment we make in public transportation is an investment to connect more individuals and households to opportunities and to improve the quality of life in Massachusetts," said Governor Maura Healey. "We commend everyone who competed for funding available through this program and made a strong case for the 0 Comments
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Ollie's Bargain Outlet Taking Over Pittsfield Big LotsStaff Reports, iBerkshires
05:15PM / Wednesday, March 05, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The lease for the Big Lots on Dalton Avenue has been purchased by Ollie's Bargain Outlet. Ollie's, based in Harrisburg, Pa., acquired 40 leases for Big Lots stores and Burlington Stores Inc. another dozen. Big Lots filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last September. It operated nearly 1,400 stores nationwide but began closing more than 300 by August with plans for another 250 by January. It announced back in December it would be closing the Pittsfield store after a purchase agreement with a competitor fall through. The closeout retailer moved into the former Price Rite Marketplace on Dalton Avenue in 2021 from 0 Comments
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Bianchi Barbarotta Foundation to Host 11th Annual Beer Tasting Event| 04:00PM / Wednesday, March 05, 2025 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. The Bianchi Barbarotta Foundation will host its 11th Annual Beer Tasting event on Saturday, March 8 at the Berkshire Hills Country Club. The event will feature a selection of beers from various breweries, including Antimony Brewing, Berkshire Brewing Company, Craft Brewers, Fiddlehead Brewing Company, Hot Plate Brewing Co., Bright Ideas Brewing, Big Elm Brewing, Roaring 20s Brewery, Start Line Brewing Co., Reverie Brewing Company, Barnstable Brewing, and Wandering Star Craft Brewery. Kelly's Package Store will also be participating. Food will be provided by Family Meatballs and KJ Knosh. Music will be performed by DJ Mike Wilk. Doors open at 6 PM, with 0 Comments
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BRTA Mulls Extending Free Rides to Non-ADA CommunitiesBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
03:52PM / Wednesday, March 05, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Berkshire Regional Transit Authority may extend free rides even further for the next few months.
This would expand opportunities for rural residents to use the transit authority's services and could even be a catalyst for route extensions.
On Wednesday, the BRTA Finance Committee recommended the extension of fare-free rides to non-ADA communities for the months of April, May, and June. It will go before the full advisory board at the end of the month.
"It's a way of getting more service out there to communities that maybe don't have it or aren't using it," Administrator Robert Malnati said.
Last year, BRTA was awarded $699,733
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CHP Suspends Mobile Health Unit and Cuts Staff By Breanna Steele, iBerkshires Staff
12:18PM / Wednesday, March 05, 2025 | |
GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — Community Health Programs laid off some of its staff, reduced some staff hours, and suspended its mobile health unit in response to a looming deficit. CHP CEO Bethany Kieley said the nonprofit was forced to cut back because pandemic-related funding was running out. CHP gets most of its revenue from grants, federal support and donations. "Our payments from third parties is the bulk of our revenue. We get about 12 percent of our revenue from the federal government in the form of a grant that is intended to support primarily payroll expenses. And then we do get funding for other types of grants, usually those are very program specific," 0 Comments
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Berkshire Green Drinks Will Discuss Rare Butterfly Species | 08:09AM / Wednesday, March 05, 2025 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Entomologist Jessica Duffy will discuss two rare butterfly species, the Veined White and the West Virginia White, at the Berkshire Green Drinks event on Wednesday, March 12. The hybrid event will be held both online via Zoom and in-person at Hot Plate Brewing Co. (1 School St., Pittsfield). The in-person social gathering begins at 5:15 p.m., with the presentation and Zoom meeting starting at 6:00 p.m. Duffy's presentation will cover the butterflies' natural history, including their host plants, and the impact of introduced parasitoid wasps and invasive garlic mustard on their populations. Following the presentation, the 0 Comments
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