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| News and events in Pittsfield, Mass.
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Central Berkshire Regional Paraprofessionals Push for Better PayBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
05:23PM / Tuesday, January 17, 2023 | |
DALTON, Mass. — Paraprofessionals in the Central Berkshire Regional School District are asking for better wages. The school budget has given deserved pay increases to other staff members and although those increases represent their values paraprofessionals are not getting what they deserve, Central Berkshire Education Association Vice President Liz Jackson told the School Committee on Thursday. "You may be asking yourself, why do I do this, make myself feel uncomfortable to stand in front of you all. But I do this because I truly believe in the group of paraprofessionals we have. I truly believe they need to be valued," she said. This is not the first 0 Comments
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Fenn Street Homeless Shelter Expected to Open in SpringBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
04:49PM / Tuesday, January 17, 2023 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — After several years of anticipation, the First United Methodist Church's homeless shelter is set to open in the spring. Director of Community Development Justine Dodds last Wednesday reported that demolition has been completed and construction is underway. From the road, not much can be seen as the changes are occurring inside.
"The construction work will be completed by March 31. Then there will be painting, flooring, and furniture to be set up," she wrote in an email.
"ServiceNet anticipates to be in the site by the end of April."
The Fenn Street Emergency Shelter located in the church has been in the planning process since 2020
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Jewish Federation of the Berkshires to Show 'True Colors'| 04:33PM / Tuesday, January 17, 2023 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. On Monday, Jan. 23 at 6:45 p.m., The Braid, a theater company offering a diverse array of stories about Jewish identity, will present “True Colors: Stories from Jews of Color Exploring Identity and Community.” A moderated Q&A by DEI consultant and actor/writer, Joshua Silverstein, will follow. This free Jewish Federation of the Berkshires program will be presented via Zoom. Visit the calendar of events at jewishberkshires.org for links to our programs. According to a press release: "True Colors," is a salon theatre show in which Jews of Color share true stories about their yearning for belonging and the rich and 0 Comments
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EforAll Celebrates Accelerator Program GradsBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
04:44AM / Tuesday, January 17, 2023 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. Entrepreneurship for All celebrated the 2022 Fall Accelerator Program graduates with its first in-person gala and $13,000 in awards. Around 100 people gathered at the Berkshire Innovation Center on Thursday to recognize the 19 individuals representing 13 businesses that completed the intensive program. EforAll's free, year-long business accelerator helps a business or non-profit make its vision a reality. The first quarter of the year is intensive, and the participants check in quarterly for the remainder of the year. "We have a lot to give. We came to EforAll to receive mentorship, professional guidance, 0 Comments
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BCC Hosts Martin Luther King National Day of Service By Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
08:15PM / Monday, January 16, 2023 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Pittsfield community united Monday at Berkshire Community College (BCC) to reflect on the life and message of Martin Luther King Jr. Monday marked the first in-person Martin Luther King National Day of Service BCC has had since the pandemic, marking a return of an event that allowed residents to give back and feel connected to the community. Although a day of service is great, NAACP President Dennis Powell said the best way to make an impact is to volunteer all year long. "I encourage all of us present to commit to a year of service. That's what community is all about. We shouldn't just come together for one day," Powell
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Veteran Spotlight: John Harding Jr. By Wayne Soares, Special to iBerkshires
05:06PM / Sunday, January 15, 2023 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — John Harding Jr. served his country with bravery and distinction as a corporal in the Marine Corps from 1963 to 1966 and in the Vietnam War. Harding said he enjoyed his basic training at Camp Geiger, Marine Corps Base Lejeune. "Boot camp was probably one of the best times for me ... had no idea what it was like to be a Marine and most people in my platoon were out of shape, I was in good shape," he said. "My commander was tough but a good guy. I excelled and made PFC [private first class]. I was proud as hell." Harding's first assignment was with the grunts at Camp Pendleton in California. "I was 1 Comment
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National Grid Approved for Phase III Electric Vehicle Proposal| 04:25PM / Sunday, January 15, 2023 | |
WALTHAM, Mass. —The Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities recently approved National Grid's Phase III Electric Vehicle (EV) proposal, the largest and most comprehensive EV program ever filed by the company, supporting the Commonwealth's goals of achieving net zero emissions, accelerating transportation electrification throughout Massachusetts, and providing customers with more charging options. This approval is among the first of its kind in the Northeast and will provide extensive EV infrastructure (Make Ready) through incentives and programs for residential, fleet, public, and workplace customers. "With this approval, we aim to enable up to 17 Comments
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Governor Appoints Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development | 10:40AM / Sunday, January 15, 2023 | |
BOSTON — Governor Maura T. Healey and Lieutenant Governor Kimberley Driscoll announced that they will appoint Lauren Jones to be Secretary of the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development. Jones is currently the Executive Vice President of the Massachusetts Business Roundtable, and previously held roles with the City of Boston under Mayor Marty Walsh and in the Labor and Workforce Development Office under Governor Deval Patrick. "Massachusetts is facing a serious workforce shortage, and it's negatively impacting our workers, employers and economic competitiveness," said Governor Healey. "Lauren Jones has a proven track record of 0 Comments
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FEMA Awards $4M to MassDOT for Winter Storm Costs| 08:03AM / Sunday, January 15, 2023 | |
BOSTON — The Federal Emergency Management Agency will be sending more than $4 million to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to reimburse the Massachusetts Department of Transportation for some of the costs of plowing and sanding roads after Winter Storm Kenan in January 2022. MassDOT will receive a total of $4,041,370 in federal funding through FEMA's Public Assistance grant program to reimburse it for the costs of snow plowing and sanding roads after the January 28-29 "bomb cyclone" produced blizzard conditions in some parts of New England. Kenan caused record or near record snowfall in four counties in Massachusetts. This created an immediate threat to the 7 Comments
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Pittsfield Disability Commission Supports PCTV’s Accessibility EffortsBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:50PM / Saturday, January 14, 2023 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Disability Commission is aiding Pittsfield Community Television's effort to make its programming more accessible with closed captions on city meetings. On Thursday, the panel voted to use $1,850 of its parking violation funds to support 500 hours of closed captioning on PCTV. This will cover roughly a year of boards, commissions, and committees. The CityLink channel is currently captioned through a pilot program and, in the future, the local broadcasters would like to expand it to all PCTV channels. "This has been discussed multiple times in the past but the cost was exorbitant," Chair Cathy Carchedi 0 Comments
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BCC to Offer Suicide Prevention Training | 04:20PM / Saturday, January 14, 2023 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — In recognition of the growing rate of suicide among college students, Berkshire Community College (BCC) will offer students, faculty and staff the opportunity to enroll in a free online course to learn how to recognize the signs of suicidal ideation and how to take action. As an incentive, students who successfully complete the course by June 1, 2023 will receive a $100 stipend through a statewide mental health grant. According to the American College Health Association (ACHA), the suicide rate among young adults ages 15–24 has tripled since the 1950s. Suicide is currently the second most common cause of death among college 0 Comments
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Small Business Administration Offers Veteran Certification Program| 11:40AM / Saturday, January 14, 2023 | |
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Small Business Administration began accepting applications through the Veteran Small Business Certification (VetCert) program as part of the Biden-Harris administration's commitment to expanding access to resources for Veterans and other underserved populations. The improvements in the customer experience for Veteran entrepreneurs and business owners made by VetCert will build upon the $25 billion in government contract spending with service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses in fiscal 2021. "The SBA's new Veteran small business certification program is designed with our commitment to
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