| News and events in Pittsfield, Mass.
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Mass DOR: November Revenue Collections Total $2.438 Billion| 04:01PM / Sunday, December 15, 2024 | |
BOSTON — Massachusetts Department of Revenue (DOR) Commissioner Geoffrey Snyder announced that preliminary revenue collections for November totaled $2.438 billion, $190 million or 8.4 percent more than actual collections in November 2023, and $56 million or 2.4 percent above benchmark. FY2025 year-to-date collections totaled approximately $14.898 billion, which is $805 million or 5.7 percent more than actual collections in the same period of FY2024, but $124 million or 0.8 percent below the year-to-date benchmark. "November revenue included increases relative to November 2023 collections in withholding, non-withheld income tax, and 'all other tax'," 0 Comments
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J Smegal Donates $10K to BFit ChallengeBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
09:02AM / Sunday, December 15, 2024 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass.— A local business has boosted the Pittsfield Fire Department's BFit Challenge fundraiser by $10,000, doubling last year's total.
When Jason Smegal, owner of J Smegal Roofing and Gutters, became aware of firefighters' increased risk for occupational cancer and the fundraiser for early detection, he knew he wanted to help out.
"I thought it was a great cause," he said. "And I also thought it was great that all the money stayed local and stayed in Mass, so we are directly able to help all the people that help us."
Every February, members of the department travel to Boston to climb the stairs of the TD Garden in support of the New
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MassDOT Grant to Optimize the Use of Drone Technology for Infrastructure Projects| 08:00AM / Sunday, December 15, 2024 | |
BOSTON — The Aeronautics Division of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) has received $1 million in funding from the Federal Highway Administration's Accelerated Innovation Deployment (AID) Demonstration Program, funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and authorized to accelerate innovation in highway transportation. This grant funding goes toward the second stage of a three-phase project, using Unmanned Aircraft Systems ("UAS," also known as drones) to create a "digital software systems infrastructure." Phase one of the project was funded with an AID grant received in 2021 and with additional match funding of $250,000. Implementing
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Teacher of the Month: Yamila BaduiBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
05:12PM / Saturday, December 14, 2024 | |
Her students say her classes are welcoming and engaging and feel like they learn better. PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Taconic High School Spanish and world language teacher Yamila Badui has been selected as the December Teacher of the Month. The Teacher of the Month series, in collaboration with Berkshire Community College, will run for the next five months and will feature distinguished teachers nominated by community members. You can nominate a teacher here. Badui has been a teacher for about 20 years, starting as an elementary school teacher while living in Puerto Rico. When she moved to the United States, she not only adapted to life 0 Comments
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Governor Announces Resurgence of Regional Transit| 12:31PM / Saturday, December 14, 2024 | |
BOSTON — The Healey-Driscoll Administration announced regional transit across the 15 Regional Transit Authorities (RTAs) in Massachusetts surpassed 26.5 million rides in Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24), steadily progressing toward pre-Covid levels. The total rides for FY23 were just over 22.5 million. This figure includes both fixed route and on-demand rides across the 15 RTAs. The increase in total rides is in part attributed to fare free service on fixed routes. For FY25, the Administration secured $30 million to continue funding fare free service, building off of two years of successful pilot, fare free programs. In addition to fare free funding, the RTAs received 0 Comments
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MassWildLife: 'Tis the season to see snowy owls| 11:40AM / Saturday, December 14, 2024 | |
Why snowy owls are in Massachusetts in the winter Snowy owls spend most of the year in the cold Arctic tundra, but some snowy owls will spread out to other areas during the winter months. Many snowy owls travel south throughout Canada and into the northern states of the US. You can look for snowy owls in Massachusetts between November and early April. Snowy owl fluctuations Seeing a snowy owl can be tricky. Their numbers in Massachusetts can greatly fluctuate from year to year because these owls are an "irruptive" species. This means that if conditions change in their typical range, a large number of them wander and become nomadic. It is during these "irruptions" that
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@theMarket: Stocks Shrug Off Rising InflationBy Bill Schmick,
11:40AM / Saturday, December 14, 2024 | |
New highs continue as equities ignore the inflation data and focus instead on the prospects of the next administration. Wall Street consensus is that the upside in stocks should continue at least until the new year. As a contrarian investor, I often disagree with the consensus view but not this time. Last week I explained how global money flows usually support the markets and create the Santa Claus rally. This period of good cheer and higher prices should extend into mid-January. This week, the most recent data on inflation confirmed my fears that we have not seen a bottom in inflation. Back in September, I predicted that inflation would begin to rise again, and it has. The 0 Comments
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1Berkshire Recognizes Butler's Decade of Leadership, Announces MoveBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
06:57AM / Saturday, December 14, 2024 | |
President and CEO Jonathan Butler says 1Berkshire will be moving to new quarters on North Street. PITTSFIELD, Mass.— Jonathan Butler was recognized for a decade of leadership at 1Berkshire's annual meeting on Thursday.
Smiles were all around as Board Chair Lori Gazzillo Kiely and Director of Member Services Christine Hoyt surprised Butler with a plaque in front of a large crowd at the Barrington Stage Company's Boyd-Quinson Theatre.
"For all of our members and our board of directors, it's a privilege for me to serve all of you and work with your organizations," he said.
"I look forward to continuing that and putting just as much energy and
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BCC Wraps Up First Cohort of Paraprofessional Educators Class| 02:13PM / Friday, December 13, 2024 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Community College (BCC) recently celebrated the graduation of its first-ever cohort of Paraprofessional Educators, also known as "para educators." Six participants completed the six-week program in late November, with three already securing employment in local educational institutions and the remaining three awaiting responses to their applications. Three of the graduates successfully passed the ParaPro final exam, earning the industry-recognized ParaPro credential. "It's always exciting when a new program debuts at BCC, but it's even more exciting when that program is such a success right out of the 0 Comments
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Pittsfield Appoints In-House Solicitor, COA DirectorBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
12:00PM / Friday, December 13, 2024 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass.— The City Council appointed two leadership positions on Tuesday, bringing legal services in-house and a new face to the senior center.
Following Stephen Pagnotta's retirement, the city has hired Devon Grierson as the in-house City Solicitor for legal matters. Jennifer Reynolds was also appointed as the director of the Council on Aging/Senior Center. Both will begin work in early January.
"I am proud to say that we are going to have an in-house, full-time city solicitor," Mayor Peter Marchetti said.
For the past several years, the city has been under a contract with Donovan O'Connor & Dodig LLP for city solicitor services. Over
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Hoffmann Bird Club Hosts Annual Christmas Bird Count| 10:33AM / Friday, December 13, 2024 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Hoffmann Bird Club invites residents to participate in the annual Christmas Bird Count (CBC), a long-standing community science effort now in its 125th year. Organized by the National Audubon Society, the CBC documents local bird populations to support critical conservation work. Bird enthusiasts of all experience levels are encouraged to take part in one of three Berkshire County counts: Central Berkshire Count: Dec. 14 (Blizzard date: Dec. 15) North Berkshire Count: Dec. 28 South Berkshire Count: Jan. 1, 2025 Residents are also encouraged to fill their bird feeders ahead of the count to attract more birds for 0 Comments
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McCann Senior Gets Superintendent Award; Committee Hears About Co-op ProgramBy Tammy Daniels, iBerkshires Staff
05:41AM / Friday, December 13, 2024 | |
Thomas Tinney shows the School Committee presentation used for prospective employers in the cooperative work program. NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Senior Camryn Moran was presented with the Superintendent's Award at the Thursday meeting of the McCann School Committee. "When we have these students for the super Attendance Award. They are a standout," said Assistant Principal Keith Daigneault. "And they're a standout because they embody, they embody all of the things that we strive for our students to be." Moran, the daughter of Jason and Olivia Moran, has a grade-point average of 4.41 and has received a grade of A-plus in each of her 0 Comments
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