| News and events in Pittsfield, Mass.
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The Hidden Toll: When Poverty Undermines Mental HealthBy Deborah Leonczyk, Guest Column
04:07PM / Wednesday, August 13, 2025 | |
When we talk about mental health, we often think of therapy, medication, or access to counselors. But just as important, especially in communities like ours, are the everyday stressors that slowly chip away at a person's ability to cope: constant worry over heating bills, empty cupboards, children without winter clothing, and the shame of having to ask for help again. These challenges create more than financial strain, they take a serious toll on emotional well-being. For thousands of Berkshire County residents, programs like the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) provide a fragile line of defense against 0 Comments
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Half-Million Unpaid Mall Bills Could Fall on Lanesborough TaxpayersBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
01:10PM / Wednesday, August 13, 2025 | |
Town officials and road district representatives are working on how the town will plug the $500,000 hole in the fiscal 2026 budget. PITTSFIELD, Mass.— The Berkshire Mall's unpaid bills to the Baker Hill Road District could fall on taxpayers.
The Select Board has agreed to an executive session with the road district and Finance Committee, if possible, to discuss how they will account for more than $500,000 missing from the approved fiscal 2026 budget.
The road district will sue the mall owners for more than $1 million in unpaid taxes for the Routes 7-8 Connector road and, regarding this year's balance, attorney Mark Siegars advised the town to "treat
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BHS Holding Community Health Stakeholders Meeting| 08:09AM / Wednesday, August 13, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — As Berkshire Health Systems works to update its Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA), the organization has scheduled a public meeting to seek input from the community on key health issues. The Community Health Stakeholder Meeting will be held on Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025, from noon to 1:30 pm at the Berkshire Innovation Center, 45 Woodlawn Ave., Pittsfield. The Community Health Needs Assessment is updated every few years and highlights the numerous significant areas of focus for Berkshire Health Systems as an important part of its continual planning to provide care services across the region. The Stakeholder meeting will gather comments from 0 Comments
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Lt. Governor Tours Innovation Center, Talks State InvestmentBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:29AM / Wednesday, August 13, 2025 | |
BIC Executive Director Benjamin Sonse discusses the center with the lieutenant governor and local leaders. PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll toured the Berkshire Innovation Center on Tuesday for a look at Pittsfield's technology sector and the future of William Stanley Business Park.
She then sat down with local leaders to discuss possible avenues for state investment. Late last year, Gov. Maura Healey signed off on a billion dollars in climate tech and life sciences initiatives over the next 10 years.
"We have a lot of innovation happening as part of our economic development bill, the Mass Leads Act, and that bill was adopted with a strong
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Dalton Select Board Back at Senior CenterBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
07:25PM / Tuesday, August 12, 2025 | |
DALTON, Mass. — The Select Board meetings are back at the Senior Center. Residents raised concerns regarding the accessibility of Town Hall following the board's July decision to move its meetings back to the Callahan Room on a trial basis. "Not a surprise," Select Board member Anthony Pagliarulo said. "I'm not surprised either, because it is a challenge," Chair Robert Bishop said. During the meeting in July, several of the board members were hesitant to move back to Town Hall because of its lack of accessibility but agreed to hold its meetings in the Callahan Room for August and September to see how it 0 Comments
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Millers, Tunnel City Freight Claim BABL TitlesiBerkshires.com Sports,
03:48PM / Tuesday, August 12, 2025 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. -- Brian Rodriguez Sunday struck out eight hitters in four innings to lead the G.B. Millers to a 3-1 win and a 2-0 championship series sweep over the Berkshire Thunder in the 20-and-over division of the Berkshire Adult Baseball League. The Millers opened the series on Saturday with a 4-1 win over the Thunder at Memorial Field in Great Barrington. In the league's 33-and-over division, Tunnel City Freight swept the Dalton Moneymakers over the weekend by scores of 15-5 and 14-2. In the deciding game on Sunday at Joe Wolfe Field, Nolan Brassard went 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles and three RBIs to lead a 10-hit attack for Tunnel City. Jonathan 0 Comments
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Pittsfield Health Board Supports Community EMS ProgramBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
02:31PM / Tuesday, August 12, 2025 | |
County Ambulance is seeking to implement a Community Emergency Medical Services program that will provide preventive and non-emergency care. PITTSFIELD, Mass.— The Board of Health supports a Community Emergency Medical Services program in the city.
Last Wednesday, board members motioned to support County Ambulance's application for a CEMS program administered by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Health officials hope this will increase the accessibility of non-emergency health care for Pittsfielders.
"I can't imagine what community wouldn't benefit from something like this," Chair Roberta Elliott said.
The program aims to
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Greek Fest Returns in August | 12:31PM / Tuesday, August 12, 2025 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Greek Fest returns August Saturday, Aug. 16, noon to 7 pm and Sunday, Aug., 17 Noon to 6 pm. Greek Fest is back in last year's location, Hillcrest Academy, 400 Columbus Ave. Ext in Pittsfield. There will be food, pastries, music, dancing and free parking. 0 Comments
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Pittsfield Camping Ordinance Sparks OML ComplaintBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
12:10PM / Tuesday, August 12, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass.— Several City Councilors are alleged to have violated the Open Meeting Law by speaking about the controversial camping ban proposal during a community event.
Tuesday's City Council meeting includes the review of two OML complaints filed by a former councilor and a podcaster. Karen Kalinowsky and Michael Daly allege that six councilors discussed the proposed "Camping on Public Property" ordinance during a "Homes not Handcuffs" meeting on July 31.
The Open Meeting Law prohibits serial communication between members of a public body that reaches a quorum of members outside of a meeting that has been noticed. Kalinowsky was at
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BRTA Board Sees Open Meeting Law ComplaintBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:45AM / Tuesday, August 12, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The BRTA Advisory Board is reforming its search for a new administrator after an Open Meeting Law complaint.
This includes a re-evaluation of all submitted resumes and amending the Berkshire Regional Transit Authority's governing bylaws. On Thursday, the board held a special meeting to address the complaint from a member.
Rene Wood alleged that the search for a new authority administrator "was not properly noticed for the average person to understand."
She said there was no agenda posted for a search committee meeting in July when potential candidates were moved forward, and insufficient information was provided for
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Aggie Commissioner Stresses Food Access During Berkshires TourBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
05:38AM / Tuesday, August 12, 2025 | |
Sarah and James Schultz of Red Shirt Farm. They have continued their community-supported agriculture program in addition to the new farm store. LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — Like the land it maintains, the farming community has an ecosystem of its own centered on collaboration in an effort to improve access to locally grown food. This was evident on Friday, during state Agricultural Commissioner Ashley Randle's tour of four of the county's agricultural enterprises: Second Drop Farm and Red Shirt Farm Store in Lanesborough, Multicultural Bridge's Solidarity Farm in Great Barrington, and Sheffield Farmers Market. "The theme has been 0 Comments
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Jack Downing, Longtime Head of Soldier On, Dies at 82Staff Reports ,
10:19PM / Monday, August 11, 2025 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — John "Jack" Downing Jr., the driving force behind Soldier On, died Saturday at home at the age of 82. "There is no Soldier On without Jack's passion, vision, wisdom and most importantly caring and loving the men and women that Soldier On has served, and those that work here," wrote President and CEO Bruce Buckley on the organization's website. "The void left will never be filled but more importantly the impact on so many lives will last forever." Downing spent more than 30 years working in social services in Pittsfield, building up a local anti-poverty program, developing a new format for drug abuse 0 Comments
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