|
| News and events in Pittsfield, Mass.
|
General Dynamics Union Pickets For Fair WagesBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
06:08AM / Tuesday, June 27, 2023 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Unionized workers at General Dynamics are demanding an end to a pay system that they don't see as equitable.
On Saturday, the IUE-CWA Local 255, which represents employees at General Dynamics Mission Systems, held an informational picket in the rain at Park Square to get community support for its upcoming contract negotiation.
The park was filled with employees from both of the company's tiered pay systems advocating for a fair contract.
"We're ready to make changes," Union President Andrew Burdick said. "And we did it rain or shine because we're willing to do whatever it takes to make the difference in the contract."
The
0 Comments
Read More >> |
Pittsfield School Committee Asks for Input on Cell Phone PolicyBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:39PM / Monday, June 26, 2023 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The School Department is inviting members of the school community to weigh in on student cell-phone usage as it mulls a new policy regulating their use in schools. In a communication to the school community, Superintendent Joseph Curtis asked for students, parents, and teachers' thoughts to inform the committee's decision-making.
Concerns about phone usage were brought forward by educators earlier this month along with a push for stricter regulations. Chair William Cameron called for an accelerated policy review with possible recommendations made at Wednesday's meeting.
"As you are aware, cell phones have become an integral part of our
0 Comments
Read More >> |
Patrick's Pub Reopening for Monday Dinner After Small Fire By Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
04:00PM / Monday, June 26, 2023 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Patrick's Pub is having a late opening on Monday after a spontaneous combustion that occurred in the kitchen on Sunday. On Sunday around 9:15 a.m., one alarm was called to the restaurant after some oil-soaked rags ignited and produced a small fire. It was deemed accidental and the damage is minimal.
"It was 90 percent contained by a single sprinkler head. [Pittsfield Fire Department] made sure it was out completely and turned off the water to minimize damage," Deputy Chief Daniel Garner reported.
"Tower 1 ventilated the restaurant and used squeegees to remove excess water from the kitchen floor."
The restaurant alerted customers of the
0 Comments
Read More >> |
Pittsfield Notice of Discharge of Untreated Wastewater| 02:41PM / Monday, June 26, 2023 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The City Public Utilities department discovered a discharge of untreated wastewater near the Wastewater Treatment Plant located at 901 Holmes Rd. It was determined that this discharge was caused by a power failure due to a thunderstorm in the region causing the hypo disinfection process to shut down. The discharge began at approximately 11:20 PM on June 24 and ended at 7:20 AM on June 25. The estimated discharge duration at the time of this notification (12:53 pm) is 8 hours. The estimated discharge volume at the time of this notification is 3 mg, and the Housatonic River was the impacted body of water. This overflow 0 Comments
Read More >> |
Dalton Select Board Turns Down Citizens' Energy Credit OfferBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
02:35PM / Monday, June 26, 2023 | |
DALTON, Mass. — The Select Board voted last week to decline a proposal from Citizens Enterprises Corp. for a solar alternative on-bill credit agreement under the Solar Massachusetts Renewable Target program. Citizens Energy, a non-profit energy company, is planning a 13-acre solar farm off Bridle Road. The town already has sufficient net metering credits for its current electricity supply through Rockwood and would not be able to absorb the credits offered by Citizens, Town Manager Thomas Hutcheson’s preliminary report said. The net metering and on-bill crediting are largely the same in that they allow for excess energy generation from one account 0 Comments
Read More >> |
Striking Out Cancer Event Moved to July 1| 09:41AM / Monday, June 26, 2023 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. -- After Saturday's rain forced a postponement, the Striking Out in the Berkshires Jimmy Fund fund-raiser will try again on Saturday, July 1 at Clapp Park. Players of any ability are welcome to participate in a charity baseball and softball games. So are players with no ability at all. "I've had some people call and text me and ask, 'Do you have to be a baseball player?' No, you don't," organizer Joe DiCicco said last year of the Striking Out Cancer in the Berkshires event. "It's about fun and about raising money for a good cause." DiCicco started Striking Out Cancer in 2021 in honor of his wife, who 0 Comments
Read More >> |
State Fire Marshal: Leave Fireworks to the Professionals| 08:33AM / Monday, June 26, 2023 | |
STOW, Mass. — After a record-setting number of fireworks-related fires in 2020 and a sharp decline in 2021, fireworks incidents in Massachusetts rebounded last year. Massachusetts State Fire Marshal Peter J. Ostroskey and State Police Colonel John E. Mawn, Jr. are reminding residents to leave fireworks to the professionals this summer. Fireworks-related fires and explosions in Massachusetts skyrocketed at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, jumping from 57 in 2019 to 189 in 2020. These numbers declined significantly in 2021, when 80 incidents were reported statewide. In 2022, however, Massachusetts fire departments reported 106 fires and explosions 0 Comments
Read More >> |
Ink Asylum Creates Tattoos of Any Style or DesignBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
05:26AM / Monday, June 26, 2023 | |
 DALTON, Mass. — In a small building on the busy Main Street sits a shop opened by two local tattoo artists who strive to create a comfortable, fun, and friendly experience whether it's your first tattoo or a returning customer. Brendan Klein and Arthur Errichetto opened the parlor, Ink Asylum located at 601 Main St,, in August after working together for many years. While on the search for a space they looked at several locations but the parking, traffic and visibility of the Main street location outshined the other spaces. They believe the visibility encourages curious customers to stop in and explore tattoo options. The duo say they 0 Comments
Read More >> |
Pittsfield School Restructuring Study Survey Opening to CommunityBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:19AM / Monday, June 26, 2023 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — School officials want to make certain that the entire community has a voice in the Pittsfield Public Schools restructuring process.
With a series of public hearings and an online survey completed, the School Building Needs Commission requested input from people who are not students, parents, or teachers.
Drummey, Rosane, and Anderson (DRA) Architects, the firm conducting the study, will be reformatting the survey to include the general public and will be reopening it for the summer. Once released, there will be outreach to generate as many responses as possible.
School Committee Chair William Cameron said not receiving feedback from a lot of people who may be
0 Comments
Read More >> |
Lightning Strike Burns Pittsfield Church Steeple| 11:08PM / Sunday, June 25, 2023 | |
The lightning strike started a fire in the Linden Street church's steeple. PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A lightning strike started a fire in the steeple at Price Memorial AME Zion Church on Sunday. Firefighters responded to the report of a chimney fire at the church about 7:49 p.m. and saw fire coming from the steeple. The Engine 3 crew searched for interior access to the steeple and checked for fire extension. Engine 5 supplied water and used the "deck gun monitor." Also responding was Engine 1 and Engine 6, as the rapid intervention team. The fire was extinguished within 45 minutes. The church steeple was 0 Comments
Read More >> |
Exorbitant Housing Prices, Limited Options for Pittsfield ResidentsBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:55PM / Sunday, June 25, 2023 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Local leaders highlighted housing needs at a public input meeting with the Affordable Housing Trust on Wednesday. During the public hearing, trustees also heard of residents' struggles with housing that ranged from homelessness to being locked into long-term renting because they cannot afford a home. This was the body's first event of this kind at Conte Elementary School. The city allocated an initial $500,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds for the trust and was allocated $150,000 in Community Preservation Act funds for the fiscal 2024. "I think affordable housing at this point, in the country honestly, too, is an 0 Comments
Read More >> |
BCC Announces New and Returning Staff | 03:52PM / Sunday, June 25, 2023 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Community College (BCC) announced the addition of four new staff members and one employee returning to BCC. New hires Prior to joining BCC, she had human resources leadership roles in health care, financial services and higher education. Previously, she was Chief Human Resources Officer for Queens University in Charlotte, North Carolina and, more recently, she spent 16 years with Granite State College in New Hampshire. There, she was the Chief Human Resources Officer and also served as Vice President of Student & Administrative Services. Raised in the Berkshires, Dolan earned a bachelor of arts degree from Mount 0 Comments
Read More >> |
|
|
MEMBER SIGN IN
