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| News and events in Pittsfield, Mass.
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Lanesborough Finance Committee Hopes to be More Involved This YearBy Brian Rhodes, iBerkshires Staff
05:17AM / Wednesday, January 04, 2023 | |
LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — The Finance Committee hopes to be more involved earlier in the budget process this year. The committee has already sent out letters to department heads about returning budgets by Feb. 15. Committee Chair Jodi-Lee Szczepaniak-Locke said she hopes to reduce the budget as much as possible. "I really think that this is the year that we need to be more visible in the pre-planning stages of the budget, before they get to the Board of Selectmen, before they get to the town administrator," she said. "... It's really time for some of those harder conversations to be had." The board had issues at last year's
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New Year, Some New Leadership for Berkshire CountyBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
06:04PM / Tuesday, January 03, 2023 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — 2023 will bring some new and familiar leadership to Berkshire County and beyond as a new term begins. The county will see a new district attorney, an incumbent sheriff, returning state representatives, and a new representative in the Senate. This is all under the leadership of a new administration led — beginning Thursday — by Gov. Maura Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll.
Timothy Shugrue will take over the Berkshire County district attorney's office on Wednesday at 3 p.m. after winning the primary election in September against Andrea Harrington. He had no opponent in the general election.
He pledged to make Berkshire County safer by prosecuting
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Charlie Baker Wraps Up Leadership of a 'Very Special Place'By Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
04:33PM / Tuesday, January 03, 2023 | |
Gov. Charlie Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito touring the vaccination site in Pittsfield during the pandemic. The two state leaders made numerous trips to the Berkshires during their eight years in office. BOSTON — Gov. Charlie Baker bid farewell to the people of the commonwealth virtually on Tuesday after eight years in office. He and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito did not seek re-election and will be replaced by Gov.-elect Maura Healey and Lt. Gov.-elect Kim Driscoll, who are being inaugurated on Thursday.
Baker coined Massachusetts as a "very special place."
"Despite a myriad of political fights and distractions that were raging all around us, people here chose to
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BCC to Offer Flu and COVID Vaccines| 12:22PM / Tuesday, January 03, 2023 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass —?Berkshire Community College (BCC)?welcomes Berkshire Health Systems (BHS) and Community Health Programs (CHP) to campus on?Friday, Jan. 6 from 1:30-3 pm?for free vaccination clinics. The Dec. 16 clinic was canceled due to weather conditions. BCC is located at 1350 West Street, Pittsfield. CHP's mobile health unit, the?"Big Orange Bus,"?will administer Pfizer and Moderna bivalent boosters, COVID vaccines for those age six months and older, and flu vaccines. To schedule an appointment, call (413) 528-0457. Walk-ins are also welcome. Vaccines are given free of charge.?Please bring insurance 0 Comments
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Mass RMV to Remove Option for Customers to Opt Out of Automatic Voter Registration| 08:48AM / Tuesday, January 03, 2023 | |
 BOSTON — The Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) is announcing that effective Jan.1, 2023, the RMV is no longer allowed to offer the option for customers to opt out of automatic voter registration. The opportunity for driver's license and ID applicants to decline automatic voter registration is no longer possible in accordance with "The VOTES Act," a new election reform law which was passed by the Massachusetts State Legislature on June 22, 2022. On each business day, the RMV will be required to transmit to the Secretary of the Commonwealth, specific applicant information on all eligible transactions with the RMV meeting the select criteria 3 Comments
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Pittsfield Firefighters Extinguish Chimney Fire| 08:17AM / Tuesday, January 03, 2023 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass.— Firefighters responded to a reported chimney fire on Blythewood Drive at 4:23 am Monday morning. On arrival, firefighters found the large log cabin-style home with smoke around the fireplace. The fire appeared to be contained in the chimney. After using chimney fire strategy tactics, firefighters determined that the fire was actively burning in the wood between the stone facade and the exterior chimney. The only way to access the burn was to remove the entire facade from the roof line down to the fireplace. Firefighters removed the facade and applied water to the fire. After four hours of work, the fire was brought 0 Comments
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Baby Bonds Task Force Provides RecommendationsBy Sabrina Damms,
05:17AM / Tuesday, January 03, 2023 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass —The Baby Bonds Task Force provided its recommendations on possible legislation and subsequent programming during a webinar in late December. "This legislation is designed to build sustainable, generational wealth for the communities who need it most through targeted uses including higher education, purchase of a home, or starting a business," Massachusetts Representative Andy Vargas said. Although the recommendations made by the task force do not establish the terms of the program it can inform the legislation and subsequent programming which would build sustainable and generational wealth for lower-income communities "Many young
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Pittsfield Licensing Board OKs Hot Plate Brewery LicenseBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:15AM / Tuesday, January 03, 2023 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — With state and local license approvals, Hot Plate Brewery is nearing the last hurdles before its debut to the public. On Monday, the Licensing Board granted the taproom a downtown beer and wine liquor license, and last week, it received a pub brewers license from the Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission. Brooklyn, N.Y., transplants Mike Dell'Aquila and Sarah Real are planning a soft opening in early January but right now, they reveling in the relief of getting the official business done. "It feels like a major relief. We are still processing it because there is just so much, I think, stress leading up to it," Dell'Aquila said, as the
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Healey and Driscoll to Appoint Transportation Secretary, Undersecretary| 04:01PM / Monday, January 02, 2023 | |
BOSTON — Governor-elect Maura Healey and Lieutenant Governor-elect Driscoll announced that they will appoint Gina Fiandaca as Secretary of the Department of Transportation and Monica G. Tibbits-Nutt, AICP, LEED AP BD+C as Undersecretary of Transportation. Fiandaca is currently the Assistant City Manager of Austin, Texas and was previously the Commissioner of the Boston Transportation Department. Tibbits-Nutt is the Executive Director of the 128 Business Council. Fiandaca has been the Assistant City Manager of Austin since 2019, where she manages a portfolio of infrastructure and mobility departments, including Austin Transportation, that have a total budget of 0 Comments
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Tickets Available for Healey-Driscoll Inaugural Celebration| 10:40AM / Monday, January 02, 2023 | |
BOSTON — The Healey-Driscoll Inaugural Committee today announced that tickets are now available for the celebration at TD Garden on Thursday, January 5th, 2023 at 5 pm. Tickets can be accessed at healeydriscollinaugural.com/tickets. "Attendees can expect a fun, moving, and once-in-a-lifetime experience at the Healey-Driscoll Inauguration," said Inaugural Committee co-chair and event planner Bryan Rafanelli. "This will be a celebration of these two incredible women leaders, the people of Massachusetts, and how they will deliver in the years ahead." Attendees will be able to take part in the celebration of one of the first all-women state 0 Comments
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Northern Tier Passenger Rail Study Virtual Workshop| 08:00AM / Monday, January 02, 2023 | |
BOSTON — The Massachusetts Department of Transportation will hold a virtual public workshop for the Northern Tier Passenger Rail Study on Wednesday, Jan. 11, at 6 p.m. The study is examining the potential benefits, costs, and investments necessary to implement passenger rail service from North Adams to Greenfield and Boston, with the speed, frequency, and reliability necessary to be a competitive option for travel along this corridor. At this meeting, the study team will present the two initial service plan alternatives and evaluation framework. Feedback received will be used to develop four additional service plan alternatives as part of Phase 2. The 0 Comments
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State Fire Marshall: Space Heaters Need Space | 05:15AM / Monday, January 02, 2023 | |
BRIMFIELD—Brimfield Fire Chief Don Contois, State Fire Marshal Peter Ostroskey, and Hampden County District Attorney Anthony Gulluni said a fatal fire last week in Brimfield started accidentally with a space heater, prompting a reminder to use these appliances safely. "Space heaters need space," said Chief Contois. "If you’re using one at home, keep anything that can burn at least three feet away on all sides and be sure to turn them off when you leave the room or go to sleep." The Dec. 22 fire on 3rd Street claimed the life of an older adult. Its origin and cause were jointly investigated by the Brimfield Fire Department, the State Police Fire &
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