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| News and events in Pittsfield, Mass.
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Guest Column: Berkshire United Way's Call to Action During National Volunteer WeekBy Thomas Bernard, Guest Column
04:00PM / Monday, April 22, 2024 | |
 "America's volunteers embody the core values that define our Nation: an optimism that is tested yet resolute; a courage that digs deep when we need it most; and an unshakeable faith in one another, our Nation, and the future we can build together." These words open President Joe Biden's proclamation recognizing National Volunteer Week, which runs from April 21-27. The president's words focus on volunteerism at the national level, and I assure you the spirit of service is alive and well in the Berkshires. At Berkshire United Way, we mark National Volunteer Week as the centerpiece of our own Here For Good Volunteer Month. This past weekend, we partnered with Berkshire
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Retired Senior Volunteers Recognized 36K Hours of ServiceBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
12:20PM / Monday, April 22, 2024 | |
Pittsfield Beautiful is recognized for its efforts in the city's downtown. Right, board member Claudine Chavanne accepts the award. More photos here. PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Hundreds gathered at the Proprietor's Lodge on Friday to celebrate senior volunteerism. In 2023, 288 Retired Senior Volunteer Program members worked a total of 36,674 hours at about 60 stations across the county. Director Lisa Torrey said she was so proud of each volunteer and the difference they make in the local community.
"Their commitment to the betterment of Berkshire County, their generosity and compassion to our citizens, and their unwavering belief in our
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Pittsfield Street Improvement Project: April 22-26| 08:00AM / Monday, April 22, 2024 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. The city's street improvement work continues with the following schedule in place for the week of April 22 through April 26: April 22: Paving the first course on Fairway Avenue, Kirkwood Drive, Livingston Avenue & Cleveland Street April 23: Installing curbing on Montgomery Avenue Extension and Sherrill Avenue April 24: Paving the first course on Saratoga Drive, May Terrace and Ivy Lane April 25 & 26: Installing curbing on Fairway Avenue, Kirkwood Drive, Livingston Avenue and Cleveland Street On-street parking is prohibited during this work between the hours of 6 a.m.- 6 p.m. Use caution when traveling on these roads. This schedule is subject to 0 Comments
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Phase 1 of Pontoosuc Lake Park Improvements Planned for South SideBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:28AM / Monday, April 22, 2024 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — After decades of planning, the city hopes to break ground on Phase 1 of Pontoosuc Lake Park's revitalization this summer.
The Parks Commission last week approved an updated design for the project that has been awarded a $500,000 matching grant from the state Executive Office of Energy Environmental Affairs.
Commissioners spoke fondly of the vision.
"These plans incorporate all the features that the public had the input in, that we had input in," Anthony DeMartino said.
"Both sides incorporate all the features that we hope to have and will have at some point, as far as accessibility and the different variety of activities that we
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Marchetti Proposes 8% Water/Sewer IncreaseBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:12AM / Monday, April 22, 2024 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The City Council agenda on Tuesday includes water and sewer rates as well as a proposed change to the schedule and calculation for predictability and fair pricing. For fiscal year 2025, Mayor Peter Marchetti has proposed water and sewer rate hikes of 8 percent each.
This would raise the average water bill for one toilet by about $24 per year, rising from $295.52 in FY24 to $322.44, and the average sewer bill by about $30, rising from $378.80 in FY24 to $409.12. The annual bill would total around $732.
Additional toilets would rise from about $149 in FY24 to about $161 for water and about $190 in FY24 to about $205 for sewer, totaling about $366
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MassHealth To Expand Eligibility and Lower Insurance Costs| 04:17PM / Sunday, April 21, 2024 | |
BOSTON?— The Healey-Driscoll Administration announced today that it received federal approval for MassHealth, Massachusetts' Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), to amend its Section 1115 Demonstration ("1115 waiver"). The new federal authority will make health care more accessible, equitable, and affordable for hundreds of thousands of Massachusetts residents. The 1115 waiver, approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) through December 2027, supports continued progress toward comprehensive, equitable health care for the agency's more than 2 million members, with a focus on expanding coverage and addressing
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Former District Attorney Marks Year In New Position in St. Louis | 11:47AM / Sunday, April 21, 2024 | |
SAINT LOUIS, Mont.-April 5 marks one year at the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney's Office for Andrea Harrington - former elected prosecutor for Berkshire County as the office's deputy chief of staff. "Deputy Chief of Staff Andrea Harrington shares my vision for a justice system that prioritizes public safety by focusing valuable resources on aggressively prosecuting people who pose a risk to our community while providing paths to treatment for those who are best served by a public health approach to mental illness, substance use disorder, and poverty," St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell said. "As an elected prosecutor in Massachusetts, 0 Comments
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Unemployment and Job Estimates for March 2024| 08:14AM / Sunday, April 21, 2024 | |
BOSTON, Mass. – The state's March total unemployment rate was 2.9 percent, unchanged from the revised February estimate of 2.9 percent, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development announced Friday. The Massachusetts unemployment rate was 0.9 percentage points lower than the national rate of 3.8 percent reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Over-the-year, the state's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was down by 0.6 percentage points. The labor force increased by an estimated 8,300 from the revised estimate of 3,748,700 in February, with 11,300 residents more employed and 3,000 fewer residents unemployed over-the-month. The state's
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Community Members Assist in Trout Stocking Onota LakeBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
08:04AM / Sunday, April 21, 2024 | |
Leanna Fontaine, left, an aquatic biologist at MassWildlife, says the event not only provides opportunities to learn about local wildlife but also environmental careers. PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Fish and buckets flew into Onota Lake on Wednesday afternoon, thanks to MassWildlife's annual spring trout stocking event. This is one of the district's most popular stocking events of the year, with more than 200 people enthusiastically releasing about 550 rainbow trout ranging in size from about 9 to 18-plus inches. A majority of the trout were 14 inches, Leanna Fontaine, an aquatic biologist for Masswildlife's Western District, 0 Comments
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New England States Seek Funding for Transmission, Energy Storage Infrastructure| 04:00PM / Saturday, April 20, 2024 | |
BOSTON — A coalition of New England states jointly submitted two applications to secure federal funding to support investments in large-scale transmission and energy storage infrastructure to enhance grid reliability and resilience across the region. The Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, the Maine Governor's Energy Office, the New Hampshire Department of Energy, the Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources, and the Vermont Department of Public Service submitted applications for the Power Up New England project, and, in collaboration with the State of New York, the Clean Resilience Link 0 Comments
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MassDOT Extends Public Comment Period for Beyond Mobility| 01:07PM / Saturday, April 20, 2024 | |
BOSTON — The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) announced earlier this month the start of the public comment period for Beyond Mobility, the Massachusetts 2050 Transportation Plan. As an update, the public comment period has been extended and will be open through May 31, 2024. Community members are encouraged to offer thoughts on Beyond Mobility by using an online survey tool, which can be found at www.mass.gov/beyond-mobility. "We have extended the public comment period from 30 to 60 days to make sure people have ample opportunity to review this incredibly comprehensive but very important document," said Transportation 0 Comments
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Toy Library Installed at Onota LakeBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:33PM / Friday, April 19, 2024 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Feel free to use or leave a toy at Onota Lake's newest infrastructure meant to foster community and benefit kids.
Burbank Park now has a toy library thanks to Wahconah Regional High School senior Alexandra Bills. Located along the wall at the beach area, the green and blue structure features two shelves with sand toys that can be used to enhance children's visits.
The Parks Commission supported Bills' proposal in February as part of her National Honors Society individual service project and it was installed this month. Measuring about 4 feet wide and 5.8 feet tall, it was built by the student and her father with donated materials from a local
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