| News and events in Pittsfield, Mass.
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DPU Investigates Energy Affordability for Ratepayers| 12:03PM / Sunday, January 07, 2024 | |
BOSTON — The Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (DPU) issued an order today opening an inquiry to examine measures to address the high cost of energy bills experienced by many Massachusetts residents. This inquiry (DPU docket # 24-15) will allow the DPU to consider improvements to current energy affordability programs to reduce the energy burden that impacts residential ratepayers. The DPU seeks input from residents whose budgets are strained from paying their utility bills while trying to make ends meet. Massachusetts residents struggling with the energy burden are invited to send their comments before March 1, 2024. Learn how to submit a
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Dalton Officials Question Value of Dalton Division Road DesignsBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
07:35AM / Sunday, January 07, 2024 | |
DALTON, Mass. — The Select Board questioned the value the proposed preliminary designs of Dalton Division Road have for residents during its December meeting. Steve Savaria, project manager and senior traffic engineer at Fuss & O'Neil, presented some preliminary concepts for the redesign of the roadway and intersection. The New England engineering firm has been retained as the town's design consultant for this project. The project comes with challenges surrounding wetlands, state Department of Transportation requirements, and easements. To be fully compliant with MassDOT standards, the design has to include sidewalks on both sides of the 0 Comments
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MassDOT Expanded Shared Use Paths in 2023| 04:00PM / Saturday, January 06, 2024 | |
BOSTON – The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) is pleased to announce approximately 20 miles of shared use paths opened in 2023 for the first time, expanding multimodal connectivity and opportunities for recreation across Massachusetts while enhancing pedestrian and cyclist safety. Throughout the course of 2023, MassDOT completed dozens of roadway projects that added new bike lanes, sidewalks, shared use paths, and crosswalks. Additionally, MassDOT continued to support improvements in school zones and the expansion of shared paths and trails through programs like Safe Routes to School, Shared Streets and Spaces, Complete Streets, and MassTrails, which have all
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Governor Announces Forests as Climate Solutions Initiative| 08:07AM / Saturday, January 06, 2024 | |
BOSTON – As part of its "Forests as Climate Solutions" Initiative, the Healey-Driscoll Administration today released the Climate Forestry Committee's report containing recommendations to the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) regarding enhanced climate-oriented forest management practices for Massachusetts based on the latest climate science. The 12-member Committee of scientific experts emphasized the importance of keeping forests intact by enlarging forest reserves, increasing permanent conservation efforts, and reducing the conversion of forests to other uses. Noting the critical role forests play in
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Rice Silk Mill Tenants Report Struggles With Mold InfestationBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
06:58AM / Saturday, January 06, 2024 | |
One tenant had test done on mold in the vent of her unit. PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Residents of the Rice Silk Mill say mold and moisture has caused illnesses and thousands of dollars in damaged items. Over the last two weeks, iBerkshires has received about a dozen reports from tenants of the Spring Street apartment complex. Last week, the Health Department cited that mold was found in the vent system. "We didn't realize how severe the issue really was until everybody started talking about it and everybody started coming forward," said one resident, explaining that the tenants had gone to local media in hoping to get some 0 Comments
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@theMarket: New Year Markets Begin With Profit-TakingBy Bill Schmick,
03:36PM / Friday, January 05, 2024 | |
Investors were greeted with a brutal bout of selling as 2024 unfolded this week. The stocks that had gained the most last year were obvious targets. Is this the end of the rally or is this simply a minor bump in the road? The Santa Rally reversed, and the Grinch stomped on investors' hopes for further gains. The NASDAQ led stocks lower with the Magnificent Seven taking it on the chin. For those who believe in the idea that the first five trading days of January forecast the direction of the market for January and for the year overall, the market’s performance does not fill one with confidence. It is nail-biting time for the bulls. The first three trading days of the 0 Comments
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‘As Schools Match Wits' Returns to NEPM for 63rd season| 03:26PM / Friday, January 05, 2024 | |
 SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — The 63rd season of "As Schools Match Wits" will premiere on Saturday, Jan. 6, at 7 p.m. Lee High School and Lenox Memorial High School will face off on Jan. 27. The program is a collaboration of New England Public Media and Westfield State University. It was nominated last season for a Boston/New England Regional Emmy Award, is produced at the university's studios and broadcast on NEPM TV. The joint production is one of the longest-running academic quiz show competitions of its kind in the country. "ASMW delivers all of the fun of the classic high school quiz show," said host Beth Ward, while it also 0 Comments
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Governor Makes Nominations To Juvenile Court | 11:31AM / Friday, January 05, 2024 | |
BOSTON – Governor Maura Healey nominated Tiffanie Ellis-Niles and Karin Wilinski to the Juvenile Court. The nominees will now be considered by the Governor's Council for confirmation. "I'm excited to nominate these two incredibly smart, qualified and fair attorneys to the Juvenile Court," said Governor Healey. "They both have tremendous experience working with juveniles and their families, and in this role, they will add important perspectives to the Court. We're grateful for the work of the Governor's Council as they consider these three nominations." The mission of the Juvenile Court is to protect children 0 Comments
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BCC Accepting Applications to Community Health Worker Program | 08:00AM / Friday, January 05, 2024 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass — Berkshire Community College (BCC) is accepting applications to its Community Health Worker program, part of the College's Workforce Development curriculum. The next cohort takes place February 15 through May 7, 2024. The Community Health Worker program provides rigorous training for public health workers to serve as liaisons between traditionally underserved populations and health/social service providers. The program benefits anyone interested in exploring educational and career pathways in community health, human services, healthcare or public health. Students enrolled in the Community Health Worker program learn 0 Comments
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Lanesborough 2023 Year in Review: Public Safety Building, Yes or No?By Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:31AM / Friday, January 05, 2024 | |
Gina Dario took over as town administrator after the Berkshire native spent two decades in Australia. LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — The town continued to grapple with its public safety facility needs, held an election, and saw promise for the shuttered Berkshire Mall in 2023. Early in the year, Town Administrator Gina Dario began work in her new position. The Adams native had been assistant commissioner at the Australian Electoral Commission in Canberra, where she had worked for nearly two decades. Dario's return to the area was fueled by a wish to be in closer proximity to family and one of the first things she noticed was that residents are very engaged and have roots in the
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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.)
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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
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