| News and events in Pittsfield, Mass.
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Commissioner of Higher Ed Speaking at BCC Commencement| 12:40PM / Sunday, May 04, 2025 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — State Commissioner of Higher Education Noe Ortega will be the keynote speaker for Berkshire Community College's 65th commencement at Tanglewood in Lenox on Friday, May 30, at 4:30 p.m. Ortega was sworn in as commissioner in 2022. He has led the Department of Higher Education through a time of historic investment by the state Legislature and Healey-Driscoll administration in affordability and access for all learners in the commonwealth. "We are truly excited to have Commissioner Ortega speak to our graduates this year," said BCC President Ellen Kennedy. "We know he has spent a lot of his career focused on access, especially for 0 Comments
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Market 32, Price Chopper Customers Donate Food Bags to Local Pantries| 11:54AM / Sunday, May 04, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Customers of Market 32 and Price Chopper purchased 18,590 pre-packed $10 food bags between March 30 and April 20, 2025, for donation to local food banks and pantries. The bags contained PICS brand items such as elbow macaroni, peanut butter, chicken noodle soup, canned tuna, kidney beans, and chunk chicken. Each of the 129 Market 32 and Price Chopper stores selected a local organization focused on addressing nutrition security to receive the donations. In total, 111,540 items will be distributed to individuals and families in need. Pam Cerrone, Market 32 and Price Chopper director of community relations, stated that the in-store food drive provides customers with
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Pittsfield Joins PowerSchool Data Breach LawsuitBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
11:53AM / Sunday, May 04, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass.— The school district could receive compensation for a PowerSchool breach in December that accessed students and teachers' personal information.
On Wednesday, the School Committee unanimously voted to join a mass action litigation against PowerSchool for the cybersecurity incident that affected thousands of school districts across the United States, including the Pittsfield Public Schools. Mount Greylock Regional School District and Northern Berkshire School Union also reported that some data was accessed. The software company notified Pittsfield of the Dec. 19 breach in the first week of January and notified the district of remedial efforts, which
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Eversource Urges Customers to Prepare for Summer Energy Usage| 08:39AM / Sunday, May 04, 2025 | |
BOSTON — Following a winter increase in natural gas bills attributed to cold weather and high energy consumption, Eversource is advising customers to take measures to manage energy use before the summer. The company notes that increased use of cooling appliances during summer typically leads to higher electricity bills, even if the Basic Service rate decreases on August 1. Eversource offers several energy efficiency solutions and financial assistance programs to help customers manage their payments and reduce energy consumption. Recommended actions for customers to manage summer energy use include: Conducting a Home Energy Assessment and weatherizing their homes. Setting air 0 Comments
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Letter: Dalton,Vote for Fiscal Responsibility & Board Accountability Letter to the Editor,
05:00PM / Saturday, May 03, 2025 | |
 To the Editor:
During the March 26 Finance Committee meeting, I was appalled by Chief Deanna Strout's snide remarks directed at the Committee after the Police Budget failed to pass. The Finance Committee, comprised of elected officials who volunteer their time and oversee "all municipal financial issues," should not be subjected to unprofessional behavior from a department head. I commend the committee for scrutinizing the police budget, which has risen by 59 percent, or $600,000, since Chief Strout's appointment ($1.049M FY21 vs $1.665M 2026 projection). Salaries are the primary factor behind the increases. The town manager, in a deplorably poor effort, recently
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Budget, Election Recall, High School Site on Dalton Meeting WarrantBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
03:31PM / Saturday, May 03, 2025 | |
DALTON, Mass. — Voters at the annual town meeting on Monday, May 5, will decide on 31 articles, a few of which have sparked debate within the town. The meeting will take place at 7 p.m. at Wahconah Regional High School. Town meeting documents can be found here. Voters will decide on several articles that make up the town's anticipated total budget of $23,731,317 for fiscal year 2026. Of that, the town is requesting $11,048,759 for its operating budget, an increase of 9.18 percent or $934,436. The increases stem from increases in costs for health insurance and vocational schools. Additionally, it includes pay rises for town employees based on 0 Comments
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Cyclist Struck by Car in Pittsfield in Serious Condition| 02:50PM / Saturday, May 03, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A bicyclist was seriously injured Friday night after being struck by a car in the northbound lane of Cheshire Road. Sgt. Davis Hallas said the cyclist, age 33, was traveling north when he was hit from behind by a 2008 Subaru Impreza driving by an 18-year-old. The collision occurred in front of Berkshire Gas Co. The cyclist was taken to Berkshire Medical Center for "potentially life-threatening injuries to his head" and was admitted, according to Hallas. Cheshire Road was closed for four hours between Wiliamsburg Terrace and Greenwich Street. Traffic was detoured over those roads until the Cheshire Road was reopened 0 Comments
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UMass Study Shows Impact by Mill Town Capital in Berkshire County| 11:42AM / Saturday, May 03, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — An analysis by the UMass Donahue Institute (UMDI) indicates that Mill Town Capital generated a total economic impact of $132 million across Berkshire County, Massachusetts, between 2017 and 2023. The independent study examined the effects of Mill Town's investments in local businesses, real estate, and infrastructure, as well as its philanthropic activities. According to the UMDI, the investments resulted in a 1.42x economic multiplier, meaning that every $100 generated by Mill Town Capital led to an additional $42 in local economic activity. The study also found that the number of workers connected to Mill Town Capital's activities 0 Comments
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Pittsfield Firefighters Douse Pile of Burning OvensBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
10:49PM / Friday, May 02, 2025 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A fire in the parking lot of B&G Restaurant Supply on Friday night is being investigated as arson. Three trucks responded to Eagle Street building around 10:15 p.m., said Deputy Chief Neil Myers. "B&G Restaurant Supply came in as a possible structure fire," he said. "The first units on the scene found a large, basically a pile of brand-new ovens on fire in the parking lot." Seven ovens were damaged, with an estimated value of $50,000. The fire was extinguished in about five minutes, and there were no injuries. Myers said the cause of the fire is unknown, but it is considered suspicious as 0 Comments
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Neal to Host 2025 Military Service Academy Day| 05:31PM / Friday, May 02, 2025 | |
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal will host his 2025 Academy Day information session this Sunday, May 4. The event will take place at noon in the Davis Auditorium at the Springfield D'Amour Museum of Fine Arts, 21 Edwards St. This session will allow interested students to learn more about each of the service academies and determine whether a military service academy or a similar education path is a suitable choice for their future. Nominations by members of Congress or the vice president are required to attend the Military Academy at West Point and the Naval, Air Force and Merchant Marine academies. Candidates must also meet specific 0 Comments
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Pittsfield Street Improvement Schedule and Utility Work for May 5-9| 03:43PM / Friday, May 02, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The City of Pittsfield has announced a schedule of street improvements for the week of May 5 to May 9, 2025. According to the announcement, the first course of paving is scheduled for Newell Street on May 5, May 7, and May 8. Loam and seeding work is planned for Orlando Avenue on May 6. Meadow Lane is scheduled for its first course of paving on May 8. Curbing installation is set to take place on Newell Street on May 9. The city advises that on-street parking will be prohibited on these streets between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. while work is underway. In addition, Berkshire Gas will continue underground utility work at two locations. On East Street, 0 Comments
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@theMarket: Economy's Mixed Messages Support Market GainsBy Bill Schmick,
02:54PM / Friday, May 02, 2025 | |
Wednesday's release of the nation's first-quarter Gross Domestic Product stunned investors since it was the first quarterly decline in the economy since 2022. Looking beyond the headline number, however, the results told a different story. At first blush, the minus-0.3 percent decline in GDP sent stocks lower, with the NASDAQ down 3 percent on the day at one point. The culprit behind the numbers was a 41.3 percent rise in imported goods and services. If we import more than we export, as we did substantially in the quarter, the economy's growth decreases. The surge in imports began after the November 2024 elections and continues today. These higher imports result 0 Comments
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