| News and events in Pittsfield, Mass.
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Berkshire Humane Society Overwhelmed With Cats| 01:41PM / Sunday, July 02, 2023 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Humane Society is in need of supplies, food, donations and, especially, adoptees for more than 150 cats. The nonprofit organization is asking animals lovers to help with an escalating situation by donating cash or goods, adopting a homeless animal or sponsoring an animal’s adoption, providing a specialized foster home or volunteering. The shelter is taking $100 off dog and cat adoption fees through July 15 in an effort to move animals out of the crowded shelter. In addition, adoption fees of all small animals except rabbits will be waived. "I've never seen it like this," said John Perreault, executive 0 Comments
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Governor Appoints New Members of the Department of Transportation Board of Directors | 11:01AM / Sunday, July 02, 2023 | |
BOSTON — Governor Maura Healey announced new appointments to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation's Board of Directors. For the first time, the board will have representation from a member of the disability community, Dr. Lisa Iezzoni. Governor Healey also appointed to the board Thomas M. McGee, who served as the Mayor of the City of Lynn from 2018-2022; Rick Dimino, current President Emeritus of A Better City after serving as the President and CEO from 1995 to April 2023; and Ilyas Bhatti, Associate Professor holding the Douglas C. Elder Endowed Professorship in the Department of
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FEMA Awards Over $50 M to State for COVID Monoclonal Antibody Therapy| 07:51AM / Sunday, July 02, 2023 | |
The Federal Emergency Management Agency will be sending more than $50 million to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to reimburse it for the cost of providing monoclonal antibody treatments to the public during the COVID-19 pandemic. The $50,532,919 Public Assistance grant will reimburse the Massachusetts Department of Public Health for providing monoclonal antibody (mAb) infusion treatments to high-risk COVID-19 patients. Between November 2021 and June 2022, the department contracted with seven hospitals and emergency service providers to operate internal and external infusion sites for the administration of mAb therapy to COVID-19 patients with the greatest need. Each 0 Comments
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Pittsfield's Popcorn Wagon Hours ExpandedBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
04:27PM / Saturday, July 01, 2023 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Bank's popcorn wagon has become a city icon over the past century. In its latest incarnation, it's become an integral part of Goodwill's spring and summer Retail Training Program. The antique wagon was built in 1906 and brought to Pittsfield from South Dakota in 1909 by Berkshire County resident Daniel "Stuffy" McGinnis. Over the years, the wagon has gone through several owners and changes including being converted from a steam-powered popcorn popper to an electric one in the 1970s. More on the wagon's history here. The bank, then Berkshire County Savings, had arranged with the last owner 0 Comments
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RMV Low Number Plate Lottery 2023| 03:50PM / Saturday, July 01, 2023 | |
BOSTON —The Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) applications for the 2023 Low Number Plate Lottery are available online at myRMV Online Service Center. To be eligible, applicants must apply for this year's lottery by 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, August 31, 2023. Winners will be notified by mail if selected for a low number plate. This year, there are 191 plates available through the low plate lottery. Some of the available low plates include 13F, 17V, 28E, Z64, 301, 1999, 4004, 4400, and 8511. Applicants should note that there is no fee to apply for the lottery. However, should the applicant be selected as a winner, there is a special plate fee that will be
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@theMarket: Economy Still Growing Strong While Inflation SlowingBy Bill Schmick,
01:04PM / Saturday, July 01, 2023 | |
U.S. first quarter Gross Domestic Product for 2023 was revised upward this week indicating that consumers are spending like drunken sailors. That's good for America as was the latest inflation data for May. Between January and March of this year, the economy grew at a 2 percent annual pace. That caused the Commerce Department to sharply upgrade its previous yearly estimate of 1.3 percent. Although strong, it has continued to decelerate from a 3.2 percent growth rate in the third quarter of 2022 and a 2.6 percent increase in the last quarter of 2022. Despite rising borrowing costs, the consumer continued to defy expectations. Consumer spending rose at a 4.2 percent annual 0 Comments
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Governor Appoints New Members to the Convention Center Authority Board of Directors | 11:00AM / Saturday, July 01, 2023 | |
BOSTON — Governor Maura T. Healey appointed Emme Handy, Aisha Miller, Carlos Aramayo, Meg Mainzer-Cohen, Sheena Collier, Gwill York, and Xiomara DeLobato to the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority (MCCA) Board of Directors. The new appointees bring a range of experiences and are majority women and People of Color. Emme Handy, a senior leader at the Broad Institute and the former Chief of Administration and Finance for the City of Boston under Mayor Marty Walsh, will serve as Chair. The new appointees will serve along with current members Paul Sacco and Cindy Brown. "Massachusetts is home to world-class convention centers and event spaces that bring 0 Comments
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Cheshire Junior Firefighters Asset to the Department By Jack Guerino, iBerkshires Staff
06:02AM / Saturday, July 01, 2023 | |
 CHESHIRE, Mass. — Cheshire junior firefighters do more than just learn about firefighting — they're active, needed participants in emergency situations. "We are in these emergency situations and it is real. In the real world when there is an emergency most people freak out," junior firefighter Christy Rech said. "But we know how to get involved and help the best we can." Bill Rech, Christy's father and coordinator for the Volunteer Fire Department's Junior Program, said the program was started up last year to address the department's dwindling membership. "Every department is struggling, and we wanted to get some 0 Comments
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Making the Loop | We had some free time this week to walk the 2-mile loop through the downtown. Here's a few of things that caught our eye. (In between taking photos, we were heel-toeing and arm-pumping as prescribed.)
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Let's Go Paperless | This is from Ward 6 Councilor John Krol's eblast today. His switch to digital immediately caught our attention. With the associated costs - nearly $4,000 a year for paper alone! - zipping councilors "the packet" (as we in the know like to call it) over the ether makes loads of sense.
Digital also means the average citizen gets far better access to these public documents than ever before. The city clerk's office has been diligent about posting meeting agendas and, where possible, relevant documents. So in terms of saving money and time and getting information out efficiently, digital is the way to go.
I would like to thank City Clerk Linda Tyer for agreeing to print out one less city council packet, as I have officially gone paperless for council meetings - which I hope will be a trend that can be extended throughout city government.
 The bulky (and often, very bulky) city council packet that councilors use for a reference costs an average of $170 per meeting for paper alone. Add the additional costs of ink/toner, wear and tear on city hall copiers, and the time and energy of staff who put it all together - and a simple transition away from paper benefits everyone.
With the packet now fully digital in pdf form, all councilors, and everyone with an internet
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Berkshire Music School Kicks Off 2012 Classes With Open House | The open house featured a sample class, access to musical instruments, information for parents, refreshments ...and more than a few delighted squeals.
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January 29, 2011
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Dozens of youths, many of them under the age of 5, attended an open house at the Berkshire Music School Saturday, as the educational nonprofit enters its 70th year at its 30 Wendell Avenue home.
The open house featured a sample class, access to musical instruments, information for parents, refreshments... and more than a few delighted squeals, proving once again the inherent interest in making a joyful noise is not generational, and will never go out of style.
 The open house featured a Music for Preschoolers class, designed to "children’s awareness of rhythm, ability to sing and move creatively to music," which |
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