| News and events in Pittsfield, Mass.
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1Berkshire Awarded FY25 Regional Economic Development Organization Grant| 10:25AM / Tuesday, March 25, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — 1Berkshire announced that it is the recipient of a $210,000 Regional Economic Development Organization (REDO) grant from the Massachusetts Office of Business Development through the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Executive Office of Economic Development. This grant will directly support the ongoing capacity of 1Berkshire, allowing it to provide a breadth of free resources, opportunities, and support for businesses "from the spark of an idea, to passing the torch." The annual REDO grant is a competitive program that the 11 legislatively-designated REDO agencies across the Commonwealth are eligible to apply for. The $210,000 awarded to 0 Comments
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BCC Offers Info Session on Free Community College | 08:18AM / Tuesday, March 25, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Community College (BCC) will hold an information session on how you could attend community college for free on Wednesday, April 2 from 6-7 p.m. The session will be held at North Adams Public Library, located at 74 Church Street, North Adams. To register by April 2, visit www.berkshirecc.edu/freecollege. The free college information session provides an overview of how the Commonwealth's financial assistance programs allow all Massachusetts residents who have not yet earned a bachelor's degree to attend BCC for free — no tuition and no fees. The programs also include an allowance for books and supplies for
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Terrace 592 Brings Affordable Housing to Former BlightBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:10AM / Tuesday, March 25, 2025 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass.— After being charred by more than one fire, the White Terrace apartments are seeing new light as affordable housing.
Regan Development Corp. has transformed the buildings into 41 units: 25 one-bedrooms, 16 two-bedrooms, and three fully accessible units. Between 400 and 700 applications have already been received.
The complex is now named Terrace 592.
"We have eight units that have Massachusetts rental voucher program funding, which allows for housing for people who are considered to be homeless, special needs populations who also have developmental disabilities," development coordinator Jeremy Regan told the Affordable Housing Trust last
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Pittsfield Works to Update Open Space & Recreation PlanBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:44PM / Monday, March 24, 2025 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass.— The city's Open Space and Recreation Plan is due for an update to guide the next five years.
Parks, Open Space, and Natural Resources Manager James McGrath and Seth Jenkins, senior planner at the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission, have worked on the effort over the past year so that the city remains eligible for state grant funding. The last approved plan ran from 2019 to 2024.
"We want to make certain that our strategies are attainable and that we have a clear path of funding to get them implemented," McGrath told the Parks Commission on last week.
"Because there's nothing worse than sort of creating this excitement over something
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Bomb Threat Evacuates Fundraiser at Pittsfield's WanderBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:02PM / Monday, March 24, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — An inclusive, sober cafe downtown had to be evacuated Saturday because of a bomb threat.
This interrupted a drag story hour fundraiser but organizers say they are standing strong against hate.
"To those who would attempt to sow fear — know this: you've only strengthened our resolve. Our joy is our resistance. Our love is our power. Our community will continue to rise louder, prouder, and more united," the owners of Wander (the venue), Berkshire Pride, and Drag Story Hour Berkshires wrote in a joint statement.
"We are here. And our revolution is unstoppable. Now more than ever, we call on our community and allies to take action: show up,
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Letter: Pittsfield's Potholes Are a Joke — But the Punchline Is UsLetter to the Editor,
02:00PM / Monday, March 24, 2025 | |
 To the Editor:
Try driving down West Street without spilling your coffee or losing a tire. Our roads look like they've been shelled — and every spring, we pretend it's just part of "living in the Berkshires."
It's not. It's failure. Year after year, the same lazy patch jobs fall apart, using the same materials and the same contractors who benefit from doing it wrong. The city shrugs, blames the weather, and cuts another check. Rinse, repeat.
This isn't just a pothole problem. It's a leadership problem — and a collective amnesia. We keep pretending someone else will fix it, while handing control to the same officials and backroom deals that
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Disability Advocates Hope Lawmakers See the 'Light'By Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
05:19AM / Monday, March 24, 2025 | |
State Reps. Tricia Farley-Bouvier, left, and Leigh Davis, Joann Shugrue from Congressman Neal's office and Pittsfield Mayor Peter Marchetti attend the annual advocacy breakfast at the Country Club of Pittsfield on Friday. PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Despite the "chaos" of the current political and budgetary environment, advocates for the disabled reminded local lawmakers where the light is. During the 20th annual Berkshire Legislative Breakfast for disability advocacy, Mayor Peter Marchetti, state Reps. Tricia Farley-Bouvier and Leigh Davis, and state Sen. Paul Mark, attending remotely, listened to speakers who shared their stories and expertise on the 0 Comments
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Veteran Spotlight: Air Force Capt. Ralph Herbst By Wayne Soares, Special to iBerkshires
04:50PM / Sunday, March 23, 2025 | |
 FALMOUTH, Mass. — Ralph Herbst served his country in the Air Force from 1961 to 1968, separating as a captain. He would fly more than 200 missions during his military career. He grew up in Highland Park, Ill., and graduated from the University of Colorado, where he also played football, before joining the service Herbst did his basic training and attended Officer Training School at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. "They called us the 90-day wonders," he said. "We studied a great deal of military history, learned how to march, stuff like that." He was sent to Wright-Patterson AFB in Ohio and then to 0 Comments
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MassWildLife: Drivers Watch for amphibians| 04:00PM / Sunday, March 23, 2025 | |
For many Massachusetts residents, spring rain is a reminder of the changing seasons. For smaller Massachusetts natives, like amphibians, spring rains signal it’s time to emerge from winter retreats and migrate to breeding sites or disperse to new areas. Unfortunately, many of those animals will face the daunting task of having to cross roads to reach their destinations. Spotted salamanders, wood frogs, blue-spotted salamanders, Jefferson salamanders, American toads, spring peepers, four-toed salamanders, northern leopard frogs, and eastern red-backed salamanders are frequently encountered on roads during early spring rains. With little to no snow cover
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Girls Basketball Hall of Fame Welcomes 2025 ClassBy Stephen Dravis, iBerkshires.com Sports
03:32PM / Sunday, March 23, 2025 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. – When seven former players were enshrined in the Berkshire County High School Girls Basketball Hall of Fame on Saturday, their numerous accomplishments were chronicled. Not surprisingly, some of their crowning achievements – 1,000th career points, Berkshire County MVPs and all-Western Massachusetts recognitions – came in their junior and senior years of high school. Then, there was Pittsfield High graduate Dasen Woitkowski. “Desan played varsity her freshman and sophomore years, missing all of her junior year and half of her senior year with an ACL injury” Hall of Fame Board member John Vosburgh related. “Going 0 Comments
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MassRMV: REAL ID Compliance Becomes Effective on May 7 | 11:40AM / Sunday, March 23, 2025 | |
BOSTON — The Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) is reminding residents that, beginning May 7, anyone traveling by plane domestically or entering certain federal facilities will need a Registry-issued REAL ID-compliant driver's license or ID, or a valid passport. The Registry is strongly encouraging everyone seeking a REAL ID-compliant license or identification card to go online now at Mass.Gov/REALID to learn what documents are needed for a required in-person appointment. With two months to go until May 7, Massachusetts is at 56 percent REAL ID adoption, with over 3 million credentials being REAL ID-compliant. To receive their credential in the mail, which can
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Market 32/Price Chopper Raises Funds For Red Cross Wildfire Relief| 08:01AM / Sunday, March 23, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Market 32/Price Chopper customers donated $63,338.77 to the American Red Cross California Wildfire Fund. Market 32/Price Chopper contributed an additional $10,000, bringing the total donation to $73,338.77. According to CAL FIRE, wildfires in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties in January burned 58 square miles and destroyed over 16,000 structures. The wildfires resulted in the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people and 29 deaths. The American Red Cross is providing disaster recovery centers, emergency shelter, meals, emotional support, and financial assistance. Customers were invited to round up their change to support these efforts from 0 Comments
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