| News and events in Pittsfield, Mass.
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Dalton Finance Makes Reserve Fund TransfersBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
02:24PM / Tuesday, December 16, 2025 | |
DALTON, Mass. — The Finance Committee made two reserve fund transfers last Wednesday night. The reserve fund balance is currently $60,000. This is the first reserve fund transfer the town has made this fiscal year, committee clerk Karen Schmidt said. A transfer to the vocational education tuition account for $16,000 was approved. The original appropriation was $605,020 and the present balance is $4,527. It had been previously demonstrated that setting the budget for this account can be challenging due to the uncertainty about how many students will choose to attend vocational education programs. The vocational education account was reduced 0 Comments
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BCC Welcomes Applicants for Para Educator Training | 11:12AM / Tuesday, December 16, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Community College (BCC) is accepting applications for its Para Educator Training course. Classes are held four days per week from 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. beginning Monday, Jan. 5 and concluding Thursday, Feb. 12. This is an entry-level course with no prerequisites. Registrants must be 18 years or older and have a high school diploma, GED or equivalent. To view more information, including specific course hours and days, and to fill out an interest form, visit www.berkshirecc.edu/paraeducator. Para educators play a vital role in supporting teachers in the classroom. The para educator certificate can also 0 Comments
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Pittsfield Sewer Lining Replacement Projects| 07:07AM / Tuesday, December 16, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The City's sewer lining replacement project work continues this week. The sewer lining will be replaced in several locations as outlined in the schedule below during the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. each weekday. This work includes lining aging sewer pipes to help prevent future breaks within the sewer line. There should be minimal to no impact on residential sewer lines during this work. Dec. 16: Union Street Dec. 17: West Street Dec. 18: Hopewell Drive & Bryant Street Dec. 19: Fort Hill Avenue & Bryant Street This schedule is subject to change based upon weather conditions. For more information about this project, 0 Comments
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Lenco Celebrates $5M in Capital InvestmentsBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:34AM / Tuesday, December 16, 2025 | |
Executive Vice President Lenny Light says it's not the equipment but the staff that gives Lenco its competitive advantage. PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Lenco Armored Vehicles has embarked on a $5 million capital investment project for faster, better manufacturing. A ribbon was cut on Monday in front of the company's new Trumpf TruLaser 3080, a machine designed to cut extra-large sheets of metal. This will increase the efficiency of building armored tactical vehicles, such as the BearCat, by about 40 percent. Executive Vice President Lenny Light recalled the Lenco's beginnings in 1981, when it operated out of 3,000 square feet on Merrill Road 0 Comments
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OLLI at BCC Announces Winter 2026 Semester| 07:15AM / Monday, December 15, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Berkshire Community College (OLLI at BCC) announced its Winter 2026 class catalogue, offering hundreds of courses, lectures, and events — online and in person — for adults seeking enrichment, connection, and community. Online registration is open at berkshireolli.org/winter2026. Each winter, OLLI brings together a learning community from across the Berkshires. In Winter 2026, members may choose from a variety of classes, spanning literature, history, science, arts, current events and even practical topics such as self-defense and hiking. Some highlights of the Winter 2026 0 Comments
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Pittsfield ConCom OKs Wahconah Park Demo, Ice RinkBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:26AM / Monday, December 15, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Conservation Commission has OKed the demolition of Wahconah Park and and the installation of a temporary ice rink on the property.
The property at 105 Wahconah St. has drawn attention for several years after the grandstand was deemed unsafe in 2022. Planners have determined that starting from square one is the best option, and the park's front lawn is seen as a great place to site the new pop-up ice skating rink while baseball is paused.
"From a higher level, the project's really two phases, and our goal is that phase one is this demolition phase, and we have a few goals that we want to meet as part of this step, and then the
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Berkshires Marks the Start of Hanukkah, Mourns Shooting VictimsBy Stephen Dravis & Tammy Daniels, iBerkshires Staff
05:04AM / Monday, December 15, 2025 | |
Rabbi Rachel Barenblat and her son, Drew Zuckerman, prepare to light the menorah in North Adams. The brief ceremony can be watched here. LENOX, Mass. — At a community Hanukkah celebration at The Mount, Jewish Federation of the Berkshires President Arlene Schiff opened the festivities with a recognition of the victims of Sunday's mass shooting in Australia and praise for a hero who helped stop the killing. Watch the lighting here. "We stand in solidarity with the Jews of Australia and other Jewish communities around the world who are lighting candles tonight, continuing Jewish life and tradition, standing proud in the face of hate," Schiff said. "And we 0 Comments
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Governor Announces Federal Heating Assistance Funding is Now Available| 04:20PM / Sunday, December 14, 2025 | |
BOSTON – Governor Maura Healey announced that the Trump Administration has released federal funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). After more than a month's delay, the federal funding was released, and all applications can now be processed, stated a press release. "For more than a month, President Trump has forced American families to wait in the cold," said Governor Healey. "As we hit cold winter weather, we are relieved that funds are finally flowing now, and families can apply for help heating their homes. Our team has worked to make this funding available immediately, because our families cannot afford to wait. 0 Comments
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BCC Announces Staff Members, Title Changes | 11:02AM / Sunday, December 14, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Community College (BCC) announced the addition of five new staff members and three title changes. New faculty/staff Meghan Bone joins BCC as Special Programs Coordinator, Bridge to College, bringing over a decade of experience leading college readiness programs for high school and first-year college students. Before joining the BCC team, she worked as the Eureka! Director at Girls Inc. of the Valley and as the STEM Starter Academy Director at Springfield Technical Community College (STCC). Outside of work, she enjoys playing ultimate frisbee, digging in her garden and making joyful drumming music. Andrew Liebenow 0 Comments
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Governor Launches Program to Support Students Returning to College | 07:54AM / Sunday, December 14, 2025 | |
BOSTON — The Healey-Driscoll Administration announced a new pilot program to re-engage students who previously began, but did not complete, degrees and certificates at the state's public colleges and universities. There are more than 766,000 Massachusetts residents in the "Some College, No Credential" (SCNC) population. The effort is designed to bring greater economic opportunities to Massachusetts residents while boosting the state's workforce and competitiveness. The learner re-engagement initiative will include direct student outreach and coaching provided by ReUp Education during a one-year pilot. The six institutions taking part include
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Berkshire Humane Society Welcomes Two New Board Members| 03:57PM / Saturday, December 13, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Lisa Sihvonen-Binder and Susan Tremblay joined the board of directors for Berkshire Humane Society at the nonprofit's annual meeting. Sihvonen-Binder brings management and grant-writing expertise to the board. She's operated a grant consulting practice since 2007, taught Grant Writing for Corporations & Foundations for Bay Path University for 13 years and is a member of the Grant Professionals Association. Her 34 years of professional experience also includes roles in communications and program management in nonprofit and corporate sectors. Sihvonen-Binder has edited several books for CharityChannel Press on nonprofit management and 0 Comments
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Most of Pittsfield School Committee Bids Farewell By Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
12:02PM / Saturday, December 13, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The School Committee will look much different after inauguration day, as Daniel Elias is the only member who will return.
On Wednesday, during the last meeting of the term, departing School Committee members shared their thanks and reflections on the state of education in Pittsfield. Sara Hathaway unsuccessfully ran for councilor at large, and Chair William Cameron, William Garrity, Diana Belair, and Dominick Sacco did not seek re-election.
"I always like to take this opportunity to say goodbye to the other members. Usually it's one or maybe two, never this many," Elias said.
He, Ciara Batory, Sarah Muil, Katherine Yon, Heather
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