| News and events in Pittsfield, Mass.
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Pittsfield Board of Health to Regularly Discuss Mosquito ControlBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:31AM / Friday, October 06, 2023 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — After the City Council said 'No' to mosquito spraying, the Board of Health will discuss the city's mosquito plan on a monthly basis. On Wednesday, the panel mapped out its path forward after unsuccessfully recommending that the city resume mosquito spraying, which was discontinued in 2021.
This summer, six mosquitos tested positive for West Nile virus but there were no reported human cases.
Director of Public Health Andy Cambi said it is a good idea to keep mosquito control in the BOH's monthly agenda and to bring in experts in the field to have a community discussion on the topic in the spring.
Dr. Jeffrey Leppo felt that a lot of
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Dalton Board Approves Draft of Emergency Evacuation PlanBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
08:32PM / Thursday, October 05, 2023 | |
DALTON, Mass. — The Select Board approved the draft of an Emergency Evacuation Plan last week. The amended plan is designed to relieve road congestion and improve public safety in the event of a natural disaster that would require evacuation. The plan shifts the evacuation from west to east. It directs residents toward the three outlying roads, High Street, Main Street and East Housatonic Street and Windsor and Hinsdale, Emergency Management Director Glenn Lagerwall said. This change is based on previous town incidents and training sessions for the area's emergency departments. During the Craneville Elementary School fire in May, 0 Comments
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Pittsfield Fire Guts Home, Sends Occupant to HospitalBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
04:45PM / Thursday, October 05, 2023 | |
The building is considered a total loss. PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A fire on Thursday afternoon severely damaged a home at 89 Cromwell Ave. and sent its owner to the hospital. "We got here, there was already heavy fire. The whole back of the building was involved and it was pushing out the front porch. So the whole first floor was involved," said Fire Chief Thomas Sammons. "Both stories were just blown." The balloon-frame structure allowed the fire to get into the attic of the two-story home before firefighters could cut it off, he said, which compounded the problem. Linda Boyd was the only one home at the time and had been 0 Comments
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Berkshire Interfaith Organizing Appoints Director | 04:07PM / Thursday, October 05, 2023 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Sean Manion has been appointed as the Director/Lead organizer for Berkshire Interfaith Organizer (BIO). Manion is a passionate and dedicated community organizer with a grassroots activism and interfaith engagement background. Before joining the team, he spent over two years organizing in Brockton, with Brockton Interfaith Community. Before delving into interfaith organizing, Manion worked in electoral organizing at various levels, from canvassing for city commission candidates to spearheading a regional campaign across Iowa, Oklahoma, Missouri, and Kansas during the 2020 presidential primary. His efforts reached thousands of voters, 0 Comments
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BCC to Host Fall Open House on Oct. 21 | 10:30AM / Thursday, October 05, 2023 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Community College (BCC) will hold an open house on Saturday, Oct. 21 at 9 a.m. The open house will be followed by a financial aid workshop at 11 a.m. The event takes place in the SBA Lounge on BCC's main campus, located at 1350 West Street, Pittsfield. Prospective students and their guests are invited to meet one-on-one with BCC representatives from various offices. Participants can speak with faculty about the programs that interest them, take a campus tour and learn about paying for college, transferring to a four-year school, internships and career opportunities. A light breakfast will be served, and all attendees 0 Comments
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Berkshire Humane Society Expands Veterinary Services | 06:00AM / Thursday, October 05, 2023 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Humane Society's Wellness Clinic on Dalton Avenue in Pittsfield is expanding services to underserved dog and cat owners in Berkshire County by hiring veterinarians, Melissa Brady and Dinah Russell and securing a $20,000 grant from the John T. and Jane A. Weiderhold Foundation. The grant will help develop a business model for the clinic through the Open Door Veterinary Collective to expand affordable veterinary care in the Berkshires. Increasing affordable medical services is one of three major goals of Berkshire Humane Society's strategic plan for the next five years. "When we sat down last year to 0 Comments
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Pittsfield Councilors Discuss Ban on Median StandingBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:38AM / Thursday, October 05, 2023 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — City councilors feel that people standing in roadway medians — from panhandlers to protesters — is a public safety hazard and want to find a solution. On Tuesday, the Ordinances and Rules subcommittee mulled a petition from Council President Peter Marchetti requesting to create an ordinance to ban people from standing on median strips unless crossing the street. It was tabled to gather input from interim Police Chief Thomas Dawley, City Solicitor Stephen Pagnotta, Commissioner of Public Services and Utilities Ricardo Morales and City Engineer Tyler Shedd.
Marchetti cited the city of Framingham's ordinance enacted about a year
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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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