| News and events in Pittsfield, Mass.
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Believers, Skeptics Hear Tales of Elusive BigfootBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
05:37PM / Friday, March 28, 2025 | |
There was an overflow crowd for the Bigfoot talk, with people coming from Vermont and around Western Mass. DALTON, Mass. — The library's "Bigfoot! In The Northeast" event last week was a success, attracting more than 60 people from all over the county. The Vogel brothers, Eric and Tim, presented and answered questions about their almost 20 years of experience and investigations into bigfoot, or sasquatch, a hairy folklore creature said to inhabit dense forested areas. "The Dalton library is simply located in a great area, the environment, the Appalachian Mountain ecosystems, productive farmland, streams, rivers, and wilderness 0 Comments
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@theMarket: The Tariff War BeginsBy Bill Schmick,
01:50PM / Friday, March 28, 2025 | |
On April 2, Donald Trump has threatened to levy tariffs on several nations. This is in addition to the tariffs he has already imposed on China, Mexico, Canada, and now global auto producers. The question is whether the "if" in tariffs is still possible. No, it isn't. The president is making good on his campaign promises to create an even playing field between the U.S. and our trading partners. Steel, aluminum, and the global auto tariffs he announced Wednesday evening are only the beginning. Unlike his first term, this time around his tariff initiatives will be "extensive, explicit and enforced," as one hedge fund manager told me. That will be bad news 0 Comments
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Pittsfield to Study Speeding on Lenox AvenueBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
12:39PM / Friday, March 28, 2025 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The city wants to ensure that upcoming construction doesn't turn Lenox Avenue into a bypass.
On Thursday, the Traffic Commission tabled Ward 1 Councilor Kenneth Warren and Ward 7 Councilor Rhonda Serre's request to resolve excessive traffic and speeding on Lenox Avenue until after the city gathers speed data.
Serre explained that this is about the upcoming detour from the Bel Air Dam removal and a general increase in speed on the southern end of the street. Because it is split between Wards 1 and 7, she and Warren got together to request a review of the detours, signage, and traffic calming measures that will be enacted when traffic is disrupted for the
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Dalton Considers External Firm for Town Manager SearchBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
10:23AM / Friday, March 28, 2025 | |
DALTON, Mass. — The Select Board is considering hiring a firm to aid in the search for a new town manager. Several board members agreed on having an external recruitment firm to aid in the hiring. Town Manager Thomas Hutcheson, who intends to retire on July 1, will present materials on potential firms during a Select Board meeting on April 14. During Monday night's meeting, he highlighted three potential firms to consider: Community Paradigm Associates, Municipal Resources Inc., and the Collins Center at the University of Massachusetts at Boston. The town would need to go out for quotes when hiring a firm, Hutcheson said, and 0 Comments
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Berkshire Athenaeum Seed Library Open for the SeasonBy Breanna Steele, iBerkshires Staff
05:55PM / Thursday, March 27, 2025 | |
Adult services staff Olivia Bowers and Tom Jorgenson cut the green ribbon on the seed library, opening the program for the season. PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Berkshire Athenaeum hosted a ribbon cutting for the seasonal opening of its seed library on Saturday. The athenaeum has had a seed library since 2018 and last year had 217 program members. "It always gets really great membership," Adult Services and Programming Supervisor Olivia Bowers said, "but we really want to advertise that it's available. It's a resource for free seeds to grow healthy vegetables, grow flower gardens and really enjoy nature in the Berkshires." The seed 0 Comments
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The Retired Investor: The Trump Economy 101By Bill Schmick,
04:06PM / Thursday, March 27, 2025 | |
For those of us in the business world, the myriad economic policy initiatives spewing from the White House are both confusing and at times difficult to understand. Certain policies seem to cancel each other out. Full employment while reducing immigration, drill-baby-drill to force oil prices lower while raising tariffs to increase prices? The point is that if even the professionals are having difficulty, how can those with little financial background hope to understand where the economy is going and why? It appears, for example, that economic growth may be moderating as consumer spending weakens, while inflation remains stubborn. Some are calling for a 0 Comments
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Pittsfield High Investigation Extended One MonthBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
03:29PM / Thursday, March 27, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The school district-initiated investigation into alleged misconduct of Pittsfield High School staffers will conclude by the end of April, one month later than expected.
On Wednesday, the School Committee voted to extend the retainer agreement with Bulkley Richardson & Gelinas for investigations of wrongdoing by "certain Pittsfield Public School Employees."
"The investigation is coming to a close, but it may not be finished, and the documents may not be completed by the 31st of March, which was the date for the original retainer," Chair William Cameron said.
"And so, although I do not believe that we will be waiting until April 30 to
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Garceau's National Title Highlights Winter Season for Local CollegiansiBerkshires.com Sports,
12:14PM / Thursday, March 27, 2025 | |
 Wahconah graduate and UMass-Boston junior Aryianna Garceau was crowned the school's 21st National Champion at the 2025 NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field National Championships in Rochester, N.Y., posting an historic time of 8.35 seconds in the women's 60-meter hurdles. Her championship-winning performance is an NCAA DIII Championship meet record and places her among the top two hurdlers of all time in NCAA DIII, capping off an unforgettable season. Garceau finished with an astonishing, record-breaking 8.35 seconds finish to conclude the season undefeated against NCAA DIII competition. She now holds a new NCAA DIII Championship Meet Record, surpassing Birgen 0 Comments
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Pittsfield Subcommittee Files 'Median Safety' OrdinanceBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:24PM / Wednesday, March 26, 2025 | |
Councilor at Large Alisa Costa speaks out against the ordinance at Monday's meeting, saying there are larger systemic forces that need to be addressed. PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Ordinance & Rules subcommittee has decided now is not the time to impose median safety regulations on community members.
"If you look at this as a public safety issue, which I will grant that this is entirely put forward as a public safety issue, there are other issues that might rate higher that need our attention more with limited resources," said member Rhonda Serre, Ward 7 councilor.
On Monday, committee members voted to recommend the City Council file a proposal
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Pittsfield Police Department Announces Citizen Police Academy| 03:00PM / Wednesday, March 26, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Pittsfield Police Department has announced its spring 2025 Citizen Police Academy session. The academy aims to provide community members with information about department operations and contemporary policing issues. The department is seeking applications from citizens, volunteers, community-policing partners, business leaders, students, and educators. The class size is limited to 20 participants. Classes will be held on Wednesday evenings from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., beginning April 30 and concluding June 18, 2025. Classes will take place at the Pittsfield Police Department and Berkshire Community College. Applicants must be 18 years of age or older and reside
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Greylock Federal hosting homebuying workshop in April| 07:48AM / Wednesday, March 26, 2025 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Greylock federal will be hosting an in-person workshop from 5:30-8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 2, at the Community Empowerment Center, 75 Kellogg St., Pittsfield, for those ready to purchase a home. Attendees will review the process and steps to buy a home, as well as meet with a slate of local professionals with whom they can work with to buy a home. For more information or to register for this session, visit www.greylock.org/CEC. 0 Comments
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Pittsfield Council Backs Age of Consent LegislationBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:20AM / Wednesday, March 26, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The City Council continues to support legislation that targets child sex abuse.
On Tuesday, it unanimously endorsed House Bill 1634, state Rep. Leigh Davis' companion bill to legislation by state Sen. Joan Lovely of Salem. It aims to close the loophole in Massachusetts' statutory rape law by criminalizing sexual conduct between adults in positions of authority or trust and minors under their supervision.
Under current law, adults in these roles cannot be prosecuted for this type of misconduct if the minor is 16 or older, the legal age of consent in Massachusetts.
"Reports of sexual misconduct in education settings have been steadily rising
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