| News and events in Pittsfield, Mass.
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@theMarket: Fed Chief Reveres Rare Week of Decline in the MarketsBy Bill Schmick,
01:21PM / Friday, August 22, 2025 | |
Fed Chairman Jerome Powell kicked off his speech at the annual Jackson Hole Economic Policy Symposium by admitting that the economic outlook may warrant a change in the Fed's tight money policy. That was Fed speak for it is time to cut interest rates. Markets soared on the news. Economists will debate endlessly whether Powell's sudden turnaround reflects the mounting pressure by the administration on the Fed to cut interest rates or worries that unemployment may be rising. In the meantime, all the main averages were up more than 1.5 percent as I write this. The assumption (more than a 90 percent chance) is that this first-interest rate cut will occur on Sept. 17, the 0 Comments
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Burlington Store Cuts Ribbon in PittsfieldBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
12:01PM / Friday, August 22, 2025 | |
Craneville Principal Rebecca Sawyer, left, accepts a 'big check' of $5,000 from store manager Ryan Traficante. PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Dozens of people stood outside the new Burlington store on Friday to get a $10 coupon toward their shopping spree.
Shoppers weren't the only beneficiaries at the ribbon cutting, as Craneville Elementary in Dalton received a $5,000 donation for back-to-school supplies.
"The whole team here, we're all excited to be moving into Pittsfield. We've got a great team of people here working," store manager Ryan Traficante said before presenting a giant check to Craneville Principal Rebecca
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Pittsfield Will See a New Internet ProviderBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
06:06AM / Friday, August 22, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — AccessPlus Fiber plans to expand into the city, providing residents, businesses, and schools with another option for internet service.
Last week, the City Council supported AccessPlus' plan to build an underground fiber broadband network in Pittsfield. The company offers plans that start at $65 per month for 1 Gbps and has a "soft three-year plan" for full expansion into the city.
"We are a local voice and data provider proudly serving over 7,000 customers throughout the Northeast, many of which are within a couple of miles of City Hall. From lnterprint to Lulu's Kitchen, Pittsfield school district to MCLA, we're not
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Adams Community Bank Announces Partnership with Financial Safety PlatformBy Breanna Steele, iBerkshires Staff
05:32AM / Friday, August 22, 2025 | |
Carefull Director of Customer Success Laura Mohan explains how the platform works and goes over some facts. PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Adams Community Bank is partnering with financial safety platform Carefull to provide extra security for customers. The announcement was made to stakeholders on Tuesday at the Berkshire Innovation Center. "As all of you know, fraud becomes an increasing issue for everyone, not just for older people, but for everyone," said bank President and CEO Julie Fallon Hughes. "The schemes become more complex, and anyone can be a victim. "So as a community bank, we really take not just 0 Comments
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The Retired Investor: Additional 401(k) Investment Choices May Be Coming Your WayBy Bill Schmick,
03:47PM / Thursday, August 21, 2025 | |
If President Trump has his way, investments in private equity, real estate, and even digital assets will soon be allowed in your 401(k). As in everything, there are risks and rewards in this proposition. Last week, Donald Trump ordered the Labor Department to examine his proposal. The new investments, aside from your 401(k), would also apply to other defined benefit plans. These are America's primary vehicles for retirement savings. How much money are we talking about? As of the first quarter of 2025, 90 million Americans held $12.2 trillion in 401(k) plans alone. That is not counting the $8.9 trillion in federal, state, and local government plans. Today, most of 0 Comments
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BCC Announces the Return of the Chorale | 09:17AM / Thursday, August 21, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass — Berkshire Community College (BCC) announced the return of the BCC Chorale, led by Professor of Music Ellen Shanahan. The Chorale had been discontinued a few years ago when the College consolidated its for-credit jazz and choral ensembles into a single group. Now, thanks to renewed interest from students and community members, Professor Shanahan is bringing the Chorale back in a new form — as a non-credit, volunteer group open to BCC students, alumni, staff, and members of the broader community. "I am resurrecting the BCC Chorale, which was a staple on campus for decades," said Shanahan. "I have since heard 0 Comments
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Berkshire United Way Board Welcomes Three New Members | 08:18AM / Thursday, August 21, 2025 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. – Berkshire United Way (BUW) welcomes three community leaders – Stephanie Ham, Jennifer Kerwood and Bethany Kieley – to its board of directors. At a time when our neighbors are facing growing challenges and uncertainty, the mission of Berkshire United Way is more important than ever," offered BUW Interim President and CEO Katherine von Haefen. "The leadership, experience and commitment that Stephanie, Jennifer and Bethany each bring to the table will be invaluable in ensuring that everyone in our community has an opportunity to thrive." Ham is an assistant branch manager and digital banking guru for Adams 0 Comments
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Pittsfield Looks to Improve Access at Pontoosuc Lake ShorelineBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:35AM / Thursday, August 21, 2025 | |
A public site visit in July raised concerns about the limited access to the water because of foliage and bank erosion controls. PITTSFIELD, Mass.— The city plans to create water access points on the south shore of Pontoosuc Lake Park.
This comes after community members asserted that bank plantings limited access for swimming and fishing. Because the area is shared with boats, the north side of the park is staged for a formal swimming area with a beach.
"I think people just need to allow us a little bit of time and afford us a little bit of patience, and we'll get this right," Parks, Open Space, and Natural Resources Manager James McGrath told
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Shop 'n' Shred Event Coming to Pittsfield Skate ParkBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
06:10PM / Wednesday, August 20, 2025 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass.— On Sunday, the Pittsfield Skate Plaza will be filled with vendors and, of course, skateboarding.
This comes months after the closure of Pittsfield's longtime skate shop, The Garden.
The Parks Commission on Tuesday approved a skate jam and flea market event scheduled for Aug. 24 at the Appleton Avenue park. It is a collaboration between Downtown Pittsfield Inc. and Bomb Shack Vintage, owned by professional BMX bike rider Jake Seeley.
DPI's Managing Director Rebecca Brien described it as a "shop and shred skateboard jam."
"It's actually going to combine both the activity obviously meant at the skate park,
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Berkshire Communities Awarded Funds for Ecological Restoration Projects | 07:55AM / Wednesday, August 20, 2025 | |
BOSTON—The Healey-Driscoll Administration announced more than $2.9 million in grants to support ecological restoration projects across Massachusetts. This funding, provided by the Department of Fish and Game’s (DFG) Division of Ecological Restoration (DER), will strengthen resilience against extreme weather events, improve water quality, reduce flood risks, and restore crucial wildlife habitat. "Massachusetts has over 25,000 culverts, most of which are undersized. By replacing these outdated culverts with larger, safer structures, we can better prepare our communities for severe weather," said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary 0 Comments
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Report: Miss Hall's Failed to Act on Abuse ReportsBy Staff Reports, iBerkshires
04:12PM / Tuesday, August 19, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A report commissioned by Miss Hall's School found school officials failed for years to follow up on accusations of sexual misconduct by its instructors. The full report, summary from the Board of Trustees and a letter to the school community from Head of School Julia Heaton and board President Nancy Ault can be found here. "The Report makes clear that, over the decades, there were multiple instances in which students were harmed and that MHS failed to investigate adequately or hold perpetrators accountable for their actions," reads a summary of the report released by the board of trustees on Tuesday. "We 0 Comments
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Pittsfield Senior Center Staffers Save Life on Hot June DayBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
12:17PM / Tuesday, August 19, 2025 | |
Fire Chief Thomas Sammons presents the department's new Deputy Chief Matthew Packard, left, Fire Capt. Kevin Brady and Fire Lt. Jesse Underwood-Miller. PITTSFIELD, Mass.— Two Senior Center staff members saved a woman's life while she was having a medical emergency on an extremely hot June day.
During last Tuesday's City Council meeting, Cora Scarborough and Pat Rosse were recognized for their actions on June 17, when they helped stabilize a senior citizen having a seizure in a hot car near the Ralph Froio Senior Center before emergency responders arrived.
The woman had reportedly been in a medical emergency for over half an
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