| News and events in Pittsfield, Mass.
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Central Berkshire Eyes 4.13% Increase for FY26By Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
05:01AM / Wednesday, January 22, 2025 | |
DALTON, Mass. — The Central Berkshire Regional School District is anticipating a 4.13 percent increase to its gross initial budget for fiscal 2026, translating to an increase of $1,473,826. This year's gross budget was $35,679,791, and next year's is forecast at $37,153,617. Superintendent Leslie Blake-Davis emphasized that these initial projections may change because there are still a lot of unknowns surrounding it, such as Chapter 70 funding and insurance rates. The budget was developed through a collaborative process involving principals, teachers, the union, and the Finance Subcommittee, Superintendent Leslie Blake-Davis 0 Comments
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Pittsfield Firefighters Rescue Ice Fisherman From Onota Lake| 04:47PM / Tuesday, January 21, 2025 | |
A fisherman in an ice hut on Onota Lake on Saturday. PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A fisherman was hauled of the icy waters of Onota Lake on Tuesday morning. The Fire Department responded to the report of a fisherman falling through the ice about 7:45 a.m. At first, it was reported he was able to get out of the water but then fell through again trying to make it shore. The Berkshire County Dive Team was put on standby as firefighters and police arrived at the scene. Two fishermen were spotted about 100 yards off the boat launch at Burbank Park, with one in the water. Firefighters donned cold-water rescue suits and set out to rescue 0 Comments
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Pittsfield Firefighters Contain Structure Fire on Holmes Road| 10:14AM / Tuesday, January 21, 2025 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Firefighters battled a structure fire on Holmes Road, facing challenges when a frozen hydrant temporarily delayed their efforts to extinguish the blaze in an occupied home. The Pittsfield Fire Department responded to a structure fire at 120 Holmes Road on Jan. 20 at 4:57 p.m. after multiple 911 calls reported smoke coming from the eaves of the building. Upon arrival, firefighters encountered moderate smoke coming from the second-floor windows of the two-story residential structure. Due to plywood covering several windows, it was initially unclear whether the building was occupied. Crews entered the home and found heavy smoke and high heat on the 0 Comments
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Burlington Store Coming to PittsfieldBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:11AM / Tuesday, January 21, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A national retail clothing store will move into the recently shuttered Staples this summer.
Last week, the Zoning Board of Appeals approved a sign exemption for Burlington Stores, formerly Burlington Coat Factory. This allows the company to place a sign larger than 100 square feet on the space in Berkshire Crossing at 555 Hubbard Ave.
Burlington plans to install a nearly 147-square-foot sign on the storefront that reads "Burlington" with "Deals. Brands. WOW!" underneath. The sign will be internally illuminated by LED lights.
According to its website, the Pittsfield store will open on Aug. 22. In the fall, signs appeared on Staples' front
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Marchetti Details Housing Efforts in State of City AddressBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:02AM / Tuesday, January 21, 2025 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass.— Upcoming housing projects aim to bring new life into underutilized properties and improve neighborhoods. Mayor Peter Marchetti's first State of the City address emphasized housing, one of the greatest struggles Pittsfield and the nation face. He outlined the administration's efforts to find opportunities for additional units in the city while addressing the growing unhoused population. Running parallel to this is the Mental Health and Substance Abuse Task Force created upon Marchetti's inauguration.
"The COVID-19 pandemic amplified the housing challenges we face, not only in Pittsfield but across the state and nation. There's a
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Volunteers Build Community During MLK Day of ServiceBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
05:21PM / Monday, January 20, 2025 | |
Rachel Melendez Mabee, speaker at BCC's opening breakfast, says her great-grandmother's journey through racism and injustice sets the tone for the work still ahead. PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Despite a snowstorm that filled the Berkshires with nearly 8 inches of snow, community members turned out for a "day of service" in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. — and a reminder that the work against injustice is ongoing. The holiday kicked off in Pittsfield with an opening breakfast featuring keynote speaker Greylock Federal Credit Union's Rachel Melendez Mabee, who oversees its diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, culture and 0 Comments
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Helping Hands in Pittsfield on MLK DayBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:20PM / Monday, January 20, 2025 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — There were four volunteer initiatives for the Berkshire Community College Day of Service: crafting Valentine's Day cards for Hillcrest residents, office organization with Western Mass Labor Action, cleaning the Harvest Table (a local food pantry and meal site), and sorting clothing and toy donations with the Gladys Allen Brigham Community Center, in partnership with Berkshire United Way. The Harvest Table is run by First United Methodist Church, located at 55 Fenn St., where the day's opening breakfast was held. It serves approximately 300 people every week. The pantry offers a hot breakfast every Tuesday from 8 to 9:30 and dinner from 3:30 to 0 Comments
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Letter: Dalton Must Be Allowed to VoteLetter to the Editor,
05:00PM / Monday, January 20, 2025 | |
 To the Editor:
On Jan. 18, a Friday evening, the Select Board was advised of a date error on the instructions only for the mail-in ballots for the Feb. 3 election. On Saturday, Jan. 19 (after being advised by the town manager on Friday evening), Dalton Town Clerk Heather Hunt with the assistance of Patti Mele-Nichols — and at their own expense, including personally supplying USPS stamps — spent the day notifying in writing the 28 eligible Dalton residents (of which I am one) who had received the incorrect instruction sheet. On Tuesday, Jan. 21, she will follow up with phone calls to fulfill any commonwealth voting requirements.
Our Dalton town clerk is to be commended for her
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Dalton Candidates Talk Fire District, Green Initiatives By Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
04:17PM / Monday, January 20, 2025 | |
DALTON, Mass. — Dalton voters will choose from four candidates at the Feb. 3 special election to decide who will fill the vacant Select Board seat. The four candidates on the ballot, Robert Collins, Rich Haley, Levi Renderer, and Patrick Carsell appeared at a forum Wednesday night to highlight their perspectives on issues including transparency and collaboration, the condition of the police station, and roads and sidewalks. The previous article covered the discussion on the police station and the town's infrastructure, including roads and sidewalks. Here's a quick summary of the other topics covered during the 0 Comments
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Berkshire Athenaeum Launches Reader Leaders Program for Teens and Kids| 03:30PM / Monday, January 20, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Berkshire Athenaeum has announced its new "Reader Leaders" program, inviting teens aged 14-18 to volunteer as reading mentors for children aged 5-8. This initiative pairs youth to read together, fostering literacy and leadership skills. A mandatory training session for teen mentors will take place on Friday, Jan. 24, 2025, at 3:30 p.m. Following the training, monthly reading sessions are scheduled for Feb. 28, March 21, and April 11, from 3:45 to 4:30 p.m. Participants will read together, enjoy crafts, and share snacks during these sessions. Interested teens can register by picking up a form at the library's Young Adult or Children's
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Downtown Pittsfield Cigarette Butt Containers Help Beautify CorridorBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
12:17PM / Monday, January 20, 2025 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Cigarette waste recycling boxes have contributed to the beautification of North Street.
In the fall, TerraCycle containers were installed between the intersection of Maplewood Avenue and the Berkshire Family YMCA. This was done by Downtown Pittsfield Inc. with funding from Downtown Blooms and support from Pittsfield Beautiful and Mill Town Foundation.
It is working, as the corridor has fewer cigarette butts on the sidewalks and in its landscaping.
Managing Director Rebecca Brien explained that the pilot program was brought forward by Pittsfield Beautiful, whose volunteers realized there was a need when finding cigarette butts in planter boxes.
"As they
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Berkshire Bach Society Hosts Exploration of Bach's Spirituality| 11:56AM / Monday, January 20, 2025 | |
 GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — The Berkshire Bach Society (BBS) will present the third event in its quarterly BBS Portals series, Bach and God: Troubling Voices, featuring musicologist Michael Marissen. The program will take place at 7 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 24, at the Kellogg Music Center on the campus of Bard College at Simon's Rock in Great Barrington, and at 4 p.m. on Saturday, January 25, at The Koussevitsky Arts Center at Berkshire Community College in Pittsfield. Marissen, an expert on the music and religious beliefs of Johann Sebastian Bach, will explore the foundations of the composer's spirituality and the social norms of Lutheran Germany. Drawing on his books "Bach
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