| News and events in Pittsfield, Mass.
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ADOPTED! Companion Corner: Cali and Kyzer at Berkshire Humane SocietyBy Breanna Steele, iBerkshires Staff
02:30PM / Wednesday, December 17, 2025 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — There's a bonded dog pair awaiting a new family at the Berkshire Humane Society. Kyzer and Cali are both poodles. Kyzer is the male and is 7 years old, a quite a bit bigger than his sister Cali, who is a miniature of Kyzer and 8 years old. Canine adoption counselor Rhonda Cyr introduced us to the two. "They came from a household that couldn't hold on to them, and it sounds like they may have been abandoned by their previous owner with somebody else, and so they came to us looking for a new home," she said. The two love to be around you and snuggle. But both are very happy dogs. "Kyzer is 7 years old, and his personality is that he kind of
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Lanesborough Considers Bylaw Against LitterBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
11:30AM / Wednesday, December 17, 2025 | |
LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — The town is considering a bylaw against littering after reports of people dumping trash on the roadside.
Last week, Police Chief Robert Derksen and Department of Public Works Director Nate Fenwick reported the need for a formal regulation to the Select Board. Fenwick said his department has picked up whole truckloads of trash next to roadways, and while sometimes the litterer can be located from their contents, the town's hands are tied when it comes to enforcement.
"With not having any bylaw for this, it just makes it really difficult for us to get a handle on this," he said.
Derksen said Lanesborough would be better off
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Roots Rising Awarded Urban Agriculture Program Grant| 10:38AM / Wednesday, December 17, 2025 | |
BOSTON — The Healey-Driscoll Administration announced $779,458 in funding to improve food access in underserved communities throughout Massachusetts by increasing local food production. The funding will directly support the growth of urban farms, community gardens, and food business operations, targeting areas that struggle with food insecurity. "With President Trump repeatedly attacking the programs that help Massachusetts families afford food, programs like these will increase the supply of locally grown healthy, affordable food," said Governor Maura Healey. "These awards are supporting local jobs, farmers and small food businesses that keep money 0 Comments
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1Berkshire Youth Leadership Program Accepting Applications | 08:17AM / Wednesday, December 17, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The 1Berkshire Youth Leadership Program, open to all current sophomores in the Berkshires, selects a cohort of up to 30 students from all backgrounds for this ten-month experience that will allow them to explore the regional economy and develop their leadership skills. Once selected, students will begin the program with a 3-day, 3-night retreat in June near the end of their sophomore year. At the retreat, students will meet for the first time, begin to build connections, and learn about their individual leadership styles. Over the following ten months, students will reconvene for eight full-day sessions, held at various locations across the Berkshires (or
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Pittsfield Extends Interim School Superintendent ContractBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:31AM / Wednesday, December 17, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Interim Superintendent Latifah Phillips' employment has been extended to 2027.
Last week, the School Committee approved an employment contract that runs through June 30, 2027. Phillips was originally appointed to a one-year position that began on July 1 and runs through the end of the fiscal year in June 2026.
"You didn't ask me simply to endure challenges or struggle to prove myself. Instead, you believe in me, you've given me the space to grow, the encouragement to stretch, and the expectation that I can truly soar," she said earlier in last Wednesday's meeting when addressing outgoing School Committee
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New BRTA Administrator Keen on Getting People Where They Need to GoBy Breanna Steele, iBerkshires Staff
05:11AM / Wednesday, December 17, 2025 | |
Kathleen Lambert has decades of experience in transportation and planning and has some ideas on how improve service at BRTA. PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The new Berkshire Regional Transit Authority administrator has officially started work alongside outing Administrator Robert Malnati. Kathleen Lambert was chosen as the new administrator back in September to replace the retiring Malnati. Lambert was the administrator of Haverhill's $37.5 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds. Previously, she was deputy administrator at the Merrimack Valley Regional Transit Authority, and was in transportation planning and administration in Arkansas and community development in Philadelphia. She has
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Pittsfield's Durant Park Splash Pad Gets $200K BoostBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:49PM / Tuesday, December 16, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Durant Park splash pad project has been boosted by more than $200,000 in state funds.
A 700-square-foot outdoor water attraction is planned for the 2.1-acre park at 30 John St. City officials hope to have it operational by summertime.
On Tuesday, the City Council accepted $215,980 from the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission to install a stormwater treatment system on Francis Avenue and a splash pad at the park. BRPC has agreed with the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs' Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness program to administer the funds.
"This is a really easy thing, I think, for most of us to support, at
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Dalton Finance Makes Reserve Fund TransfersBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
02:24PM / Tuesday, December 16, 2025 | |
DALTON, Mass. — The Finance Committee made two reserve fund transfers last Wednesday night. The reserve fund balance is currently $60,000. This is the first reserve fund transfer the town has made this fiscal year, committee clerk Karen Schmidt said. A transfer to the vocational education tuition account for $16,000 was approved. The original appropriation was $605,020 and the present balance is $4,527. It had been previously demonstrated that setting the budget for this account can be challenging due to the uncertainty about how many students will choose to attend vocational education programs. The vocational education account was reduced 0 Comments
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BCC Welcomes Applicants for Para Educator Training | 11:12AM / Tuesday, December 16, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Community College (BCC) is accepting applications for its Para Educator Training course. Classes are held four days per week from 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. beginning Monday, Jan. 5 and concluding Thursday, Feb. 12. This is an entry-level course with no prerequisites. Registrants must be 18 years or older and have a high school diploma, GED or equivalent. To view more information, including specific course hours and days, and to fill out an interest form, visit www.berkshirecc.edu/paraeducator. Para educators play a vital role in supporting teachers in the classroom. The para educator certificate can also 0 Comments
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Pittsfield Sewer Lining Replacement Projects| 07:07AM / Tuesday, December 16, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The City's sewer lining replacement project work continues this week. The sewer lining will be replaced in several locations as outlined in the schedule below during the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. each weekday. This work includes lining aging sewer pipes to help prevent future breaks within the sewer line. There should be minimal to no impact on residential sewer lines during this work. Dec. 16: Union Street Dec. 17: West Street Dec. 18: Hopewell Drive & Bryant Street Dec. 19: Fort Hill Avenue & Bryant Street This schedule is subject to change based upon weather conditions. For more information about this project, 0 Comments
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Lenco Celebrates $5M in Capital InvestmentsBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:34AM / Tuesday, December 16, 2025 | |
Executive Vice President Lenny Light says it's not the equipment but the staff that gives Lenco its competitive advantage. PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Lenco Armored Vehicles has embarked on a $5 million capital investment project for faster, better manufacturing. A ribbon was cut on Monday in front of the company's new Trumpf TruLaser 3080, a machine designed to cut extra-large sheets of metal. This will increase the efficiency of building armored tactical vehicles, such as the BearCat, by about 40 percent. Executive Vice President Lenny Light recalled the Lenco's beginnings in 1981, when it operated out of 3,000 square feet on Merrill Road 0 Comments
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OLLI at BCC Announces Winter 2026 Semester| 07:15AM / Monday, December 15, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Berkshire Community College (OLLI at BCC) announced its Winter 2026 class catalogue, offering hundreds of courses, lectures, and events — online and in person — for adults seeking enrichment, connection, and community. Online registration is open at berkshireolli.org/winter2026. Each winter, OLLI brings together a learning community from across the Berkshires. In Winter 2026, members may choose from a variety of classes, spanning literature, history, science, arts, current events and even practical topics such as self-defense and hiking. Some highlights of the Winter 2026 0 Comments
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