| News and events in Pittsfield, Mass.
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Fire Damages First Street Multifamily Home in Pittsfield| 10:47AM / Thursday, February 13, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A fire early Tuesday morning caused extensive damage to a multifamily home on First Street, displacing residents and prompting an investigation by local and state authorities. The blaze, which broke out around 1 a.m. at 233 First Street, is being investigated by the Pittsfield Fire Department, Pittsfield Police, and the State Fire Marshal's Office. Firefighters arrived to find heavy flames on the back exterior of the 2 ½-story home. Crews quickly worked to contain the fire, extinguishing it outside before moving to the second floor, where the fire had spread. Additional teams searched the building and ventilated smoke from the 0 Comments
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Pittsfield to Host Second Annual Winter Festival at Clapp Park| 08:14AM / Thursday, February 13, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The City of Pittsfield's Department of Community Development Recreation Program has announced the second annual Winter Festival, set to take place on Monday, Feb. 17, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Clapp Park. The event, designed to kick off the winter break, will feature a variety of activities for children, families, and community members of all ages. Among the scheduled activities are group-led outdoor experiences, including a Winter Senses Safari with the Berkshire Natural Resources Council and snowshoeing with Mass Audubon. The festival will also feature a Snow Sculpture Contest, open to participants ranging from novices to professional 0 Comments
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Dalton Residents Demand Action on Concrete Company's DustBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
05:36AM / Thursday, February 13, 2025 | |
A bagged sample of dust taken from a back porch. DALTON, Mass. — Nearly 100 residents turned up at the Board of Health meeting on Wednesday night to complain of dust and particulates coating their neighborhood from Berkshire Concrete and allegedly causing health issues. The meeting was initially scheduled to be held in the Callahan Meeting Room at Town Hall, but it was relocated to the Senior Center because to the crowd overflow that extended down the hall. Several demanded that the Board of Health impose an injunction to stop operations at the worksite. Co-Chair Robert Kinzer emphasized the importance of ensuring that any abatement orders issued 0 Comments
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Pittsfield Superintendent Announces ResignationBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
10:24PM / Wednesday, February 12, 2025 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — After 30 years with the district, Superintendent Joseph Curtis has decided to step down in June.
"Serving as your superintendent has been the honor of a lifetime," he said.
"Pittsfield Public Schools and the City of Pittsfield will forever hold a special place in my heart. Thank you for allowing me to be part of this remarkable journey. I will carry this time in my life very close to my heart." Curtis announced Wednesday he will step down from his position effective June 30. His comments came at the tail end of a three-hour School Committee meeting during the superintendent's report. He read an emotional message that explained his
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1Berkshire Introduces Newly Elected Board Members and Officers| 03:57PM / Wednesday, February 12, 2025 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — 1Berkshire announced its 2025 slate of newly reelected board members and officers, as well as the addition of new board members. These individuals will each help support the work of 1Berkshire as the marketing and economic development organization for the region. All these officers and board members were voted in and welcomed at 1Berkshire's Annual Meeting on Dec. 12, 2024. "I am delighted to welcome such a strong group of new and returning board members, and I'm also very pleased that Lori Gazzillo Kiely will continue to lead the board as our board chair for 2025," said Jonathan Butler, President and CEO of 1Berkshire. "The 0 Comments
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BCAC Offers Free Tax Preparation Services for Eligible Residents| 03:29PM / Wednesday, February 12, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Berkshire Community Action Council (BCAC) is offering free tax preparation services through its Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program for individuals living or working in Massachusetts with a gross income of $67,000 or less. The program prioritizes seniors, people with disabilities, and those with limited English proficiency. The VITA program will operate from Feb. 1, 2025, to April 15, 2025, with in-person tax preparation available by appointment only at multiple locations, including BCAC offices in Pittsfield and North Adams. Participants must bring essential documents such as photo identification, Social Security cards, 0 Comments
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Harvey Joins Pittsfield Co-op's Retail Mortgage Team| 03:07PM / Wednesday, February 12, 2025 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Pittsfield Cooperative Bank (Co-op Bank) announced the appointment of LouAnn A. Harvey as a VP, Mortgage Originator for South County within its Retail Mortgage Department. With more than three decades of experience in the mortgage industry, Harvey brings a wealth of knowledge and a proven track record of excellence to the role. Prior to joining Pittsfield Cooperative Bank, Harvey served as Assistant Vice President and Mortgage Officer at Berkshire Bank, where she was recognized as one of the most successful mortgage loan originators in Berkshire County. Her dedication to client service and deep understanding of the local real estate 0 Comments
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Nomination Papers Ready for Dalton Town Election| 01:38PM / Wednesday, February 12, 2025 | |
DALTON, Mass. — Nomination papers for the annual town election on May 12 are now available in the town clerk's office. The offices up for election are two members of the Select Board each for three-year terms; two members of the Planning Board, also for three-year terms; one cemetery trustee for three years; four library trustees for three years; and five members of the Finance Committee for three years. A one-year term for moderator is also on the ballot. Interested candidates must stop by the town clerk's office to pick up nomination papers before March 24 and returned to the clerk for certification no later than April 1. Twenty signatures of registered 0 Comments
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Dalton Police Officer Receives CommendationBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
12:30PM / Wednesday, February 12, 2025 | |
 DALTON, Mass. — Police Officer Chelsea Eichstedt received a commendation and a life-saving award during the Select Board meeting on Monday for her professionalism and empathy demonstrated during a call on Feb. 4. Eichstedt was dispatched to the home of a 39-year-old man with Down syndrome who was choking. She successfully cleared his airway using the Heimlich maneuver, and his mother expressed appreciation for how Eichstedt handled the frightening situation with empathy. According to the mother, "You spoke with him on his level and informed him about everything you were going to do," Police Chief Deanna Strout said in reading the 0 Comments
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BCC Names Fall Dean's List Students | 10:48AM / Wednesday, February 12, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Community College (BCC) announced it has named 522 students to the fall 2024 dean's list. To be eligible for the dean's list, students must achieve a GPA of 3.750 to 4.000 to earn high honors, while students with a GPA of 3.250 to 3.749 earn an honors designation. All dean's list students must be matriculated in a certificate or degree program; complete a minimum of six traditionally graded credit hours, and achieve grades of C or higher in all classes during a semester of one academic year. The following 297 students qualified for high honors: California Walnut Creek: Aimee 0 Comments
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BCC's '40 Under Forty' Winners to be Honored | 08:14AM / Wednesday, February 12, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Community College (BCC), together with partners 1Berkshire and Mill Town Foundation, will honor the winners of its annual 40 Under Forty Awards on Thursday, March 27 at 5 pm in the Robert Boland Theater, located on the main campus at 1350 West Street, Pittsfield. Tickets are $75 per person (free for award winners and one guest per winner) and may be purchased online at www.berkshirecc.edu/40-tix. Proceeds benefit support Workforce programs at BCC, addressing immediate needs and helping to build a lasting endowment. According to a press release, 40 Under Forty celebrates talented people in the Berkshires, under the age of
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Petricca Industries Plans Expansion, Seeks FundingBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:43AM / Wednesday, February 12, 2025 | |
Petricca anticipates adding 50 jobs along with the building addition. PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Petricca Industries is planning a 15,500-square-foot expansion that will add 50 more employees.
On Tuesday the City Council acted as a decades-defunct financing authority to OK MassDevelopment assistance for the company at 550 Cheshire Road. Approval from the Pittsfield Industrial Development Financing Authority, formed in the 1970s, is needed to move the process forward yet the body is far in the past.
"We don’t even know when it went defunct," Mayor Peter Marchetti said.
He explained that Petricca approached the city through MassDevelopment. The project's financing
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