| News and events in Pittsfield, Mass.
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The Retired Investor: America Is Living Beyond Its MeansBy Bill Schmick,
04:31PM / Thursday, November 02, 2023 | |
The U.S. government has been borrowing from Peter to pay Paul for decades. That should come as no surprise to most, but the speed by which we are piling up debt to support our spending has become alarming. The federal budget deficit is the difference between how much Washington spends and how much it receives in taxes. That concept should be familiar to all of us who count on our income to support our family's spending. Imagine if the amount you owed (your deficit) doubled from last year. That is what happened to the nation's budget deficit over the last year, to the tune of $1.7 trillion. If you look at the big picture, the U.S. total federal debt topped $33 0 Comments
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Weekend Outlook: Day of the Dead Celebrations and MoreBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
03:30PM / Thursday, November 02, 2023 | |
Berkshire County is hosting a variety of events this weekend including First Friday events, Day of the Dead celebrations, and more. Find all the craft fairs and harvest festivals here. Editor's Pick Day of the Dead Celebration Mass MoCA, North Adams Time: Thursday at 5 p.m. Start your weekend early at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art to celebrate Día De Los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead. Remember and celebrate the memories of friends, pets, and family members who have passed. This free event features hot chocolate from Casita, music by Yo Soy Arte, and more. Participants have the option to 0 Comments
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Pittsfield Candidates in Wards 6 & 7 Debate the IssuesBy Brittany Polito & Tammy Daniels, iBerkshires Staff
11:28AM / Thursday, November 02, 2023 | |
iBerkshires Pittsfield Bureau Chief Brittany Polito moderates the ward debates. PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The candidates for Ward 6 and 7 .... on Wednesday night at Berkshire Community College. The debates were a partnership of Pittsfield Community Television and iBerkshires and moderated by Brittany Polito, iBerkshires' Pittsfield bureau chief. The candidates were allowed opening and closing statements, and given one minute to answer a question with a 30 second rebuttal during the 30-minute debates. In Ward 6, Craig Gaetani is challenging incumbent Dina Lampiasi. Gaetani is a veteran and an engineer, and one of the inventors of the processes 0 Comments
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BRTA's Browse, Borrow, Board| 11:00AM / Thursday, November 02, 2023 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Berkshire Regional Transit Authority (BRTA), in conjunction with the Boston Public Library, Massachusetts Library System, and Massachusetts Department of Transportation, has launched the "Browse, Borrow, Board" campaign. This partnership strives to promote literacy, local libraries, and public transportation. On the BRTA buses and at the Pittsfield Intermodal Center, signs will be placed that include a QR code to access the Boston Public Library, so customers can read while they ride. Riders sign up using an email address and password. This provides access to the children's section, audiobooks, newspapers, and 0 Comments
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NBSA Fall Basketball League Title Games SetiBerkshires.com Sports,
09:37AM / Thursday, November 02, 2023 | |
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. -- The Championship matchups are set for the Northern Berkshire Sports Academy's fall basketball season. The title games are set for Sunday morning at Drury High School. In the A Division, the NBSA will play Giardina and Bresett PC at 9 a.m. Then, the Saboteurs will take on Adelson and Company in the B Division final. All four teams advanced with semi-final wins on Oct. 29 at the Armory. B Division Adelson and Company 66, NBSA 48 Jon Gregory scored 31 points to lead Adelson and Company. Colin Rousseau and Nick Lewis added 11 and 10 points, respectively in the win. NBSA got 24 points from Brian Dowling. Ben Moulton scored 18 points, 0 Comments
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Nonprofits Invited to Meet Berkshire Funders| 08:00AM / Thursday, November 02, 2023 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires (NPC) is hosting a "Meet the Donors" event on Thursday, Nov. 9 from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m. at Barrington Stage's Wolfson Center at 122 North Street in Pittsfield. Nonprofits are invited to attend this free gathering to learn more about local funders and their grant-making programs. Participating funders include Adams Community Bank, Berkshire Bank Foundation, Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation, Canna Provisions, Greylock Federal Credit Union, Lee Bank, Milltown Foundation and Williamstown Community Chest. "The NPC is a connector organization," said NPC Executive Director 0 Comments
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Pittsfield Homeless Committee Gets Look at Hub ProgramBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:39AM / Thursday, November 02, 2023 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Pittsfield Hub is said to be effective for both the people it treats and service providers.
Established last year, it is a pooling of social services and police that meet virtually every other week to review cases of mental illness, substance abuse, poverty, and other issues that plague the area.
Sgt. Lindsey Maynard of the Berkshire County Sheriff's Office has been running the program for about a year and said that when used correctly it is an effective tool. She gave a presentation of the program to the Homelessness Advisory Committee at its Wednesday morning meeting.
"The individuals that we discuss at the Hub table are people who we
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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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