| News and events in Pittsfield, Mass.
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Pittsfield Schools' Investigation Clears One AdministratorBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires.com
06:54PM / Wednesday, February 26, 2025 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass.— Allegations against one Pittsfield High School staff member have been found to be “unsustained” by an investigator hired by the school district. On Wednesday, School Committee Chair William Cameron reported that the first part of the investigation led by Mary-Lou Rup, a retired Superior Court judge, was completed and one of the school’s two deans, Molly West, was cleared by Rup. “What has been received pertains to the allegations made against Pittsfield High School Dean of Students Molly West,” Cameron reported. “The investigator’s detailed report finds the allegations made 0 Comments
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Pittsfield Speller Advances to Regional BeeStaff Reports ,
10:51AM / Wednesday, February 26, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Emily Escalon-Brizuela, winner of the Jonathan Levine Middle School Spelling Bee on Jan. 17, will be one of 17 spellers advancing to the Regional Spelling Bee. The Region 4 Bee will be held virtually on March 8, 2025, at 9 a.m. This competition is the next step toward the Scripps National Spelling Bee, which will take place May 27-29. 0 Comments
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BCC Recognized by Achieving the Dream as a 2025 Leader College| 07:50AM / Wednesday, February 26, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Community College (BCC) has been designated a Leader College by Achieving the Dream (ATD), a national nonprofit dedicated to advancing community colleges as accessible hubs of learning, credentialing, and economic mobility in their communities. "Achieving the Dream has been coaching faculty and staff at the College for years on how to prioritize student success," BCC President Ellen Kennedy said. "To be named as a Leader College and to join the other incredible institutions across the country who are dedicated to improving the lives of our community college students through access and student support is truly humbling. We are 0 Comments
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Pittsfield Council Supports Legislation Targeting Child Sex AbuseBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
04:22AM / Wednesday, February 26, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass.— While awaiting findings from the Pittsfield High School (PHS) staff investigation, the City Council voiced its support for legislation aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse.
They urged people at home and in other communities to follow suit.
"This isn't going to happen by just Pittsfield asking," Ward 6 Councilor Dina Lampiasi said during Tuesday's meeting. "We need to get our surrounding counties doing the same thing."
Councilor At Large Earl Persip III, Ward 1 Councilor Kenneth Warren, and Ward 5 Councilor Patrick Kavey's petitions to support Senate bills 1993, 1441, and 1367 were unanimously approved.
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Pittsfield Board Mulls Short Term Rental OrdinanceBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
04:19AM / Wednesday, February 26, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass.— The Community Development Board needs some more time with its proposed short-term rental ordinance.
Members want to ensure that Airbnb-type rentals don’t burden neighborhoods while allowing property owners, not corporations, to earn extra income. On Tuesday, the board continued a vote on draft language to its March meeting.
"I think it’s worthwhile to take our time with this one," City Planner Kevin Rayner said.
Pittsfield receives a number of complaints about short-term rentals but without a zoning ordinance, enforcement is hard. Rayner explained, "We don't have a short-term rental to find in the zoning ordinance so
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U.S. Sen. Markey To Headline Rally in Pittsfield | 02:06PM / Tuesday, February 25, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — U.S. Senator Ed Markey will headline the "No Kings in America! Rally for Democracy" at 2:30 p.m. on Sun., March 9, at the Colonial Theatre. The event is sponsored by a Four Freedoms Coalition led by Berkshire Democratic Brigades and the Rural Freedom Network in conjunction with Greylock Together (North County), Left Field (South County), Berkshire Indivisible, Progressive Democrats of America, and the NAACP. "Americans take our Constitution and the rule of law for granted," said Berkshire Democratic Brigades chair Jim Mahon. "We rarely think about what life would be like if instead of laws, we had to live according 0 Comments
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Pittsfield's WinterFest Celebrates Community By Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
11:55AM / Tuesday, February 25, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. Community members and Berkshire County visitors braved the cold on Friday morning for the city’s second annual Winter Festival. The event featured various activities, including a fire pit, sledding, s’more-making, a sled design contest and race, and more snowy activities. The festival aims to bring the community together and provide fun activities for kids on winter break. "It's been really great. There's a great turnout, a lot of kids, a lot of families, all smiling and having fun. I think it has a big impact. It's something fun for the kids to do while they're on school break for winter," said 0 Comments
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TIF Proposed for Unistress Expansion By Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:17AM / Tuesday, February 25, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass.— Additional support for a longtime local concrete business is on Tuesday’s City Council Agenda.
Mayor Peter Marchetti has proposed a ten-year tax increment financing agreement for Unistress Corporation's $4 million expansion, which is expected to create 50 new jobs.
With a TIE, the company would pay about $653,000 in property taxes over the next decade, starting at 100 percent forgiveness in the first year (about $24,000) and ending at 10 percent forgiveness (about $2,750) in 2035.
The property's base value in fiscal year 2025 is $1,294,700, and the completed market value is $1,920,100. The $625,400 increment will see ten percent less
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Pittsfield Co-op Welcomes Lisa Trybus as Retail Lending Team Leader| 03:56PM / Monday, February 24, 2025 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Pittsfield Cooperative Bank (Co-op Bank) announced the appointment of Lisa Trybus as Senior Vice President, Retail Lending. In this role, Trybus will oversee the bank's retail lending operations, driving strategic initiatives and ensuring continued excellence in customer service and loan offerings. Trybus brings more than 35 years of experience in the financial services industry, specializing in mortgage lending, consumer loan services, and banking operations. Her expertise in developing innovative lending solutions and fostering strong client relationships makes her a valuable addition to the Pittsfield Cooperative Bank leadership 0 Comments
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Pontoosuc Lake Park Improvements Starting SoonBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
12:36PM / Monday, February 24, 2025 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The first phase of improvements to Pontoosuc Lake Park will begin as soon as the ground defrosts.
Work on the south side bordering Hancock Road will kick off in March and run through the summer. This will enhance the accessibility of the 23-acre parcel and add a boardwalk along the shore.
"We are in an Arctic freeze moment here in the Berkshires. We really can't get in there and do anything with the ground up at the park but it'll be a very active March, April, May, June into July," Park, Open Space, and Natural Resource Program Manager James McGrath told the Parks Commission on Tuesday.
"It will take about four or five months for
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BHS Implementing Temporary Parking Changes at Medical Arts Complex| 07:50AM / Monday, February 24, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — As part of the continuing construction work at the Medical Arts Complex (MAC) in Pittsfield, Berkshire Health Systems (BHS) has announced temporary parking modifications to accommodate work on the MAC's main parking area. These changes will ultimately result in a more convenient and larger lot for patient parking. The number of spaces will increase by nearly 100, and parking will be available at a flat grade, rather than on a hill, as in the previous lot. The parking changes will impact Medical Arts Complex patients and BHS staff and are estimated to last until mid-spring. Effective Monday, March 3, 2025, the main patient parking lot on the eastern side of the
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Reader Leaders at the Berkshire Athenaeum| 07:47AM / Monday, February 24, 2025 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Berkshire Athenaeum announced another session of the Reader Leaders program, a unique reading-aloud event aimed at fostering a love of reading for youth in kindergarten through third grade. The next program will take place on Friday, Feb. 28, 2025, at 3:45 p.m. and offers a special opportunity for young readers to practice their reading skills in a judgment-free, encouraging space. Additional sessions will take place on Friday, March 21, 2025 and Friday, April 11, 2025. The Reader Leaders program pairs young readers with teen volunteers who will guide them through reading aloud, be it reading solo, being read to, or reading together. The 0 Comments
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