| News and events in Pittsfield, Mass.
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Community Hero: Berkshire County ArcBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
05:46PM / Saturday, October 25, 2025 | |
 DALTON, Mass. — For over 70 years, Berkshire County Arc has been a cornerstone of support and empowerment for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Its impact on its members and the community has earned the non-profit our Community Hero of the Month designation. The Community Hero of the Month is a 12-month series that honors individuals and organizations that have made a significant impact on their community. This year's sponsor is Window World of Western Massachusetts. Nominate a hero here. What began as a small, family-founded agency has grown into one of the region's largest employers, serving more than 1,000 0 Comments
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OLLI Hosts Book Talk, Signing with Barbara Viniar| 03:37PM / Saturday, October 25, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at Berkshire Community College (BCC) invites the public to join a special Book Talk with Barbara Viniar on Tuesday, Oct. 28 at 2:00 p.m., offered both in person at BCC and online via Zoom. The event is free and open to all. Viniar will discuss her debut novel, "Little Bird," a historical narrative set in early 20th-century New York City. The story follows a young Russian girl who is betrothed to a wealthy American cousin as a means for her family's escape from anti-Jewish violence. As she navigates immigration, love, loss, and the pressures of tradition, she ultimately battles for 0 Comments
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Democratic Senate Candidate Rikleen Visits LenoxBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
12:26PM / Saturday, October 25, 2025 | |
Alex Rikleen speaks at the Lenox Town Democratic Committee on Wednesday. LENOX, Mass. — Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate Alex Rikleen says the country is in an "existential" crisis under the leadership of President Donald Trump. "If I were in the Senate right now, I'd be delaying Trump's agenda in every way possible. I'd deny unanimous consent. I'd force quorum calls, I'd place holds on every nomination, and I'd pressure fellow Democrats to do the same on their committees," he told the Lenox Democratic Town Committee on Wednesday. "We have tools, and even when those tools only slow things down, those delays
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Beacon Cinema Seeing Improvements Amid Growth in CustomersBy Breanna Steele, iBerkshires Staff
06:26AM / Saturday, October 25, 2025 | |
The new recliners are being installed overnight so as not to disrupt the screenings. PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Just seven years ago, the Beacon Cinema was on the brink of bankruptcy. Enter Michigan-based Phoenix Theatres, which purchased the property in 2018 and saved the downtown anchor from closure. The years haven't be kind to moviehouses — an estimated 2,000 screens were lost from the pandemic (including Regal Cinemas in Lanesborough), the challenge of streaming services and rent on demand, and the 2023 writers' strike that delayed film production. But owner Cory Jacobson said the Beacon has been ramping up business and is only seeing 0 Comments
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@themarket: Shutdown Lingers, But Nobody CaresBy Bill Schmick,
02:58PM / Friday, October 24, 2025 | |
As of Friday, the government's closure is the second longest on record. The country has managed thus far, since much of the government's economic machinery keeps chugging along. As such, there is no reason why it can't continue. By Nov. 5, if no compromise takes place, Donald Trump will make history once again — this time by beating his own shutdown record of 34 days during his first term. The partisan stand-off is so severe that the House no longer even meets, while the Senate continues its own version of Groundhog Day by voting and failing to pass any legislation. There is no real urgency either, since Social Security benefits and Medicare payments still go 0 Comments
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MountainOne Insurance Promotes Personal Lines Manager| 11:52AM / Friday, October 24, 2025 | |
 NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — MountainOne Insurance Agency announced the promotion of Shannon Dozier of Pittsfield to Personal Lines Manager – Berkshires. Dozier has established herself as a leader within the MountainOne team, combining industry knowledge with enthusiasm. She began her career with MountainOne Insurance as the Front Desk Coordinator, quickly rising through the ranks to Account Manager, and now stepping into the leadership post. "Shannon's promotion demonstrates her dedication, growth, and the positive impact she has on our team and clients alike," said Jonathan Denmark, Executive Vice President of MountainOne Bank and President and Chief 0 Comments
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Dalton Consultant Says Dust Mitigation Plan InsufficientBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
05:55AM / Friday, October 24, 2025 | |
DALTON, Mass. — An assessment by the town's consultant determined that Berkshire Concrete's dust mitigation plan is insufficient. The topographic survey and completion letter that Berkshire Concrete submitted as its dust mitigation plan, in response to the Board of Health's order to implement one, lacks several key components, the consultant said. "The final topographic survey prepared for Berkshire Concrete is not so much a dust mitigation plan, but a map of the physical alterations made on a portion of the parcel Map 105, Lot 16 to address the generation and offsite transport of dust. The survey was accompanied by a very short written 0 Comments
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Berkshire County Head Start Fundraiser Emphasizes Impact of Child CareBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
05:26PM / Thursday, October 23, 2025 | |
Head Start Executive Director Brett Random says the organization is facing challenging funding times and thanks the guests at the fundraiser for their advocacy. See more photos here. PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire County Head Start held its inaugural fundraiser on Oct. 11 to mark the organization's 60th anniversary. The national Head Start program has been supporting children and families throughout the country for 60 years; Berkshire County Head Start has been making this impact in the county for nearly 50 years. The room at Rare 297 Steakhouse, located in Hotel on North, sparkled with diamonds, symbolizing the program's 0 Comments
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The Retired Investor: Americans Are Getting StingierBy Bill Schmick,
04:18PM / Thursday, October 23, 2025 | |
Nonprofit giving has declined by $65 billion since 2021. However, institutions are not the only ones pulling back. Consumers are also less enthusiastic about gift-giving. Are we becoming a nation of Scrooges? Americans gave a record $592.5 billion to charity in 2024. That sounds like a lot, but surveys find that over the last 20 years, the number of Americans donating to charity dropped from about two-thirds to under half in recent years. As a result, wealthy individuals, corporations, and foundations are making up the difference; however, even they are slowing down in their gift-giving. The reasons are many. The tax laws changed back in 2017, and the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act 0 Comments
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State House Passed Child Welfare Legislation| 03:36PM / Thursday, October 23, 2025 | |
BOSTON — The state House of Representatives on Wednesday passed legislation to strengthen oversight, transparency, and accountability within the commonwealth's child welfare system. An Act Enhancing Child Welfare Protections modernizes the Department of Children and Families' (DCF) statutory reporting, clarifies the independence of the Office of the Child Advocate (OCA), improves educational stability for children in care, and updates the state's child fatality review process. "Every child in every corner of the state deserves to be safe and happy. Children in the state's care are incredibly vulnerable and it is our impetus as lawmakers to do 0 Comments
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Nonprofits Invited to Combined Resource Fair | 10:37AM / Thursday, October 23, 2025 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires (NPC) is hosting a Nonprofit Resource Fair at the Berkshire Innovation Center on Monday, Oct. 27 from noon to 4pm. Sponsored by Berkshire Funding Focus, CORE 401(k) Program, and Lamar Advertising, this free networking event features a broad range of vendors and two "Meet the Donors" panels. Over thirty vendors will table on the ground floor of the BIC including: 1Berkshire Berkshire Leadership Program, Acrisure, Adirondack Payroll Services , Berkshire Funding Focus, Cartlann Digital, Community Television of the Southern Berkshires, Convivo LLC, CORE 401K, Impact Hacker, Jillian J Events, Little 0 Comments
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Pittsfield Ward 6, At-Large Candidates Weigh in on HomelessnessBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
06:23PM / Wednesday, October 22, 2025 | |
Dina Lampiasi, running for re-election in Ward 6, answers questions in this screenshot. Her challenger, Walter Powell, was unable to attend. PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Candidates for Ward 6 and councilors-at-large weighed in during last week's debates on the city's struggle with homelessness and how to move forward with effective solutions.
Dina Lampiasi, incumbent candidate for Ward 6, feels that the median and camping ordinances are not a proper way forward and that they fail to address the actual problem. She said it is a matter of starting with "compassionate, practical things" such as downtown sanitation and social work.
"The behaviors that are
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