| News and events in Pittsfield, Mass.
|
Springside Park Conservancy Hosts Community Day| 12:19PM / Monday, September 18, 2023 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Springside Park Conservancy will present a day of "family fun and outdoor stewardship" on Sept. 23, 2023, in celebration of the organization's 10th anniversary. In the morning, Conservancy partners will join the annual fall park clean up held by the Friends of Springside Park. Volunteers will check in at the North Playground beginning at 9. Gloves, bags, and instructions for litter clean up will be provided. In the afternoon, more than a dozen organizations will present an outdoor fair of guided hiking, bike rides, kids crafts, outdoor activities, demonstrations, face-painting and more on the Springside House 0 Comments
Read More >> |
Pittsfield Firefighters Save Dogs From W. Housatonic St. BlazeStaff Reports ,
11:31AM / Monday, September 18, 2023 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — On Monday Sept. 18 at 8:22 a.m. the Pittsfield Fire Department responded to 565 West Housatonic St for multiple callers reporting a building fire. Upon arrival Engine 1 observed heavy smoke pushing out of eves around the entire single story bungalow style residence. An initial report received from a caller was the occupants were not home, but two dogs were inside the building. E-1 stretched a hose line to the front door and made entry into the building. E-3 supplied E-1 with a water supply, shutting down both east and westbound lanes of Rt. 20. The Police Department was called upon initial dispatch anticipating this so traffic 0 Comments
Read More >> |
Central, South County Paving and Road Work| 07:08AM / Monday, September 18, 2023 | |
 LEE, Mass. — The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) announced that crews will be conducting daytime and overnight hour pavement milling, slope stabilization, bridge and drainage repair operations on I-90 eastbound and westbound in Becket, Otis, Lee, West Stockbridge, Stockbridge, and Blandford. The work will be conducted at various times and locations from Monday, Sept. 18, through Friday, Sept 22. Lane closures will be in place during the construction operations and traffic will be able to travel through the work zones. The schedule for the work and lane closures will be as follows: Becket/Otis Slope 0 Comments
Read More >> |
Online Souvenir Store Combines Love of Berkshires and DogsBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
05:45AM / Monday, September 18, 2023 | |
 DALTON, Mass. — Local business owners Reuben and Amber Lara combined their love for the Berkshires and dogs to create the lifestyle brand "Barkshires Dog Trading Co." This online shop celebrates dogs and the Berkshires using a vintage aesthetic. The brand sells sustainable clothing and prints including T-shirts, hats, dog bandanas, and stickers. The couple moved to the Berkshires in 2015. Amber hails from Sunderland and Reuban is from Burbank, Calif., and they have a rescue dog, Millie. Following a friend's visit to the Berkshires in November, the couple realized that there are not many souvenir stores and thus "Barkshires" 0 Comments
Read More >> |
Pittsfield 'Shines' With 8 New Murals Through MassDevelopment PartnershipBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:41PM / Sunday, September 17, 2023 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The city has been painted with an assortment of murals that are meant to bring joy and inspiration and provoke thought.
A block party was held last weekend in Palace Park to celebrate the eight new works placed throughout the downtown and West Side as part of the "Let It Shine!" public art partnership.
"The partnership itself is with local artists, Downtown Pittsfield Inc, MassDevelopment and the (Transformative Development Initiative) program that is in our downtown," DPI’s Managing Director Rebecca Brien said.
"We applied for what is called a Creative Catalyst Grant and they actually provided the funding through
0 Comments
Read More >> |
Mass Unemployment and Job Estimates for August| 04:37PM / Sunday, September 17, 2023 | |
BOSTON — The state's August total unemployment rate was 2.6 percent, up 0.1 percentage point from the revised July estimate of 2.5 percent, reports the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) preliminary job estimates indicate Massachusetts gained 15,400 jobs in August. This follows July's revised gain of 4,600 jobs. The largest over-the-month private sector job gains were in Education and Health Services, Leisure and Hospitality, and Other Services. Employment now stands at 3,788,700. From August 2022 to August 2023, BLS estimates Massachusetts gained 90,500 jobs. The largest over-the-year gains occurred in 0 Comments
Read More >> |
2nd Street Presents Original Theatrical Performances| 02:01PM / Sunday, September 17, 2023 | |
Performance times have been changed to Monday Sept. 25, at 7 p.m. and Tuesday Sept. 26, at 2 and 7 p.m. _______________________________________________________________________________________________ PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Second Street, Second Chances (2nd Street) presents three performances of "RELEASE," original theater inspired by the stories of formerly incarcerated women from Berkshire County, on Wednesday, Sept. 20 at 7 pm, Saturday, Sept. 23 at 7 pm and Tuesday, Sept. 26 at 2 pm. All performances will be held at the Robert Boland Theatre, located on BCC's campus at 1350 West Street in Pittsfield. Admission is free, and no reservations are 0 Comments
Read More >> |
Pittsfield Holds First POW/MIA CeremonyBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
11:40AM / Sunday, September 17, 2023 | |
A table setting to symbolize the missing in action. PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Local veterans held the city's first Prisoner of War (POW) or Missing in Action (MIA) remembrance service on Friday at the South Street Memorial Park.
The inaugural ceremony was held by the Charles Persip American Legion Post 68 on National POW/MIA Recognition Day to honor soldiers who are unaccounted for and as a pledge not to cease efforts to bring them home.
Army veteran Henry "Hank" Morris attended a fellow Vietnam veteran's funeral in Albuquerque, N.M., last year and was inspired to start the tradition.
"I am embarrassed to say that I did not know that the third Friday in
0 Comments
Read More >> |
Governor Makes Appointments to the POST Commission | 08:00AM / Sunday, September 17, 2023 | |
BOSTON — Governor Maura T. Healey and Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell appointed Reverend Clyde Talley and Deborah Hall to serve on the Massachusetts Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Commission. Reverend Talley is a joint appointee by the Governor and Attorney General. Hall is a joint appointee who was nominated by the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination. The POST Commission was established in 2020 to help improve policing and enhance public confidence in law enforcement. "The members of the POST Commission have a critical role to play in building public trust in law enforcement," said Governor Healey. "Over the last 0 Comments
Read More >> |
Biodiversity Research Institute Attempts to Revitalize Loon PopulationBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
07:37AM / Sunday, September 17, 2023 | |
 DALTON, Mass. — The Biodiversity Research Institute is attempting to revitalize the loon population in Massachusetts. Earlier this season, the institute deployed rearing pens at Windsor Reservoir with the goal to translocate a total of nine to 15 male chicks this season. The institute, based in Portland, Maine, works internationally to assess threats to wildlife and ecosystems and conducts research to inform policy decisions. It collaborates with a range of public agencies and nonprofit organizations. Its loon research program began in 2013 with the goal of strengthening and restoring the birds' population and developing protocols that can be 0 Comments
Read More >> |
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.)
 |
>> Read More |
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
|
>> Read More |
|
|
