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| News and events in Pittsfield, Mass.
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Heart & Soil Collective Connects Farmers, Food and FamiliesBy Kim McMann, iBerkshires correspondent
08:09AM / Sunday, February 18, 2024 | |
Fresh produce is purchased from local farms. LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — The pandemic brought food security to the attention of many people across the globe — including in the Berkshires. It was a surprise to many to realize how significant the need was despite the many farms, grocers and local restaurants in the region. Once that need became apparent, people like Kristen Tool and Chris Wheeler stepped in to remedy things. Heart and Soil Collective is one of the Berkshire nonprofits formed during that time with the goal to connect people to the farmers and land and increase food security from every angle. The Community Supported Agriculture project also 0 Comments
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Governor Makes Four Nominations to District Court | 08:05AM / Sunday, February 18, 2024 | |
BOSTON — Governor Maura T. Healey nominated Leo Fama, Francis V. Kenneally, Courtney C. Linnehan and Marjorie P. Tynes to the Massachusetts District Court. The nominees will now be considered by the Governor's Council for confirmation. "I'm proud to nominate these four hard-working and passionate attorneys to the Court," said Governor Maura Healey. "They have decades of experience practicing law and serving the people of Massachusetts. We thank the Governor's Council for their consideration." The District Court Department hears a range of criminal, civil, housing, juvenile, mental health, and other types of 0 Comments
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Pittsfield Council OKs Battery Energy Storage RegulationsBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
04:38PM / Saturday, February 17, 2024 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The city planner says battery energy storage guidelines will protect the land and residents and councilors agree.
The City Council approved Tuesday a proposal to add a battery energy storage system overlay, or BESS, district. City Planner Jacinta Williams said the district "seeks to protect the health, safety, and well-being of Pittsfield while allowing for responsible growth and development. ...
"Essentially, battery energy storage systems are just that. Storage systems that use batteries to store and distribute energy in the form of electricity for later use."
This provides regulatory procedures for BESS and BESS facilities, outlines the
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Governor Executive Order Establishing Artificial Intelligence Strategic Task Force | 11:06AM / Saturday, February 17, 2024 | |
BOSTON — Governor Maura Healey signed an Executive Order establishing the Artificial Intelligence Strategic Task Force to study AI and Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) technology and its impact on the state, private businesses, higher education institutions, and constituents. The Task Force will conduct outreach and collect input from stakeholders and experts, advise the Governor and executive branch on the state's role in AI implementation, and find ways to encourage leading industries to adopt this technology to ensure continued success. The mission of the Task Force is to create specific recommendations for how the state can best support the 0 Comments
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Dalton Board of Health Navigates Infectious Disease Protocols for Green Burial By Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
05:22PM / Friday, February 16, 2024 | |
DALTON, Mass. — The Board of Health continued to chip away on how it wants to word the "Green Burials" guidelines during its meeting on Wednesday. One of the things that complicates green burials is diseases. The Board of Health is working with the cemetery trustees to clarify measures to prevent their spread. The cemetery trustees are still very early on in the process of establishing green burials. This excludes someone who wants to be buried in their yard, which would be a separate process. Town counsel informed the trustees during a previous meeting that establishing green burials will be a dual effort between them and the Board of 0 Comments
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Pittsfield School Committee Sees Breakdown of FY23 ExpendituresBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
11:56AM / Friday, February 16, 2024 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Pittsfield Public Schools spent a total of $135.8 million on education in fiscal year 2023. While the majority is attributed to the budget approved by the School Committee, this also includes a healthy amount of state aid and funds from other city departments.
On Wednesday, the committee received a presentation on education spending outside of the district budget and an update on the governor's proposed budget for fiscal 2025. Assistant Superintendent for Business and Finance Kristen Behnke said the administration wants to make sure that the committee and public are aware that there is a lot of education spending that is not confined to the
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BCC Continues Community Workshops | 10:53AM / Friday, February 16, 2024 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Workforce Development and Community Education department at Berkshire Community College (BCC) announces two upcoming workshops open to the public. Preregistration is required; to register for a workshop, visit www.berkshirecc.edu/workshops. All classes will be held on BCC's main campus, located at 1350 West Street, Pittsfield. Real Estate Licensing for the Salesperson Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, March 7-April 6 Times vary (visitwww.berkshirecc.edu/workshops for more details) $420 includes textbook Note: After completing the class, students must apply for and 0 Comments
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Pittsfield Annual Action Plan Public Input Session| 08:01AM / Friday, February 16, 2024 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The City of Pittsfield's Department of Community Development is sponsoring a public hearing and input session on Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024 at 6:30 p.m. as part of the preparation of its Fiscal Year 2025 (PY24) Annual Action Plan. The input session will seek public comment regarding Access to Fair Housing and discrimination experienced by Pittsfield residents based upon race, income, disability, gender or any other protected class. The purpose of the public hearing is to obtain public comments and suggestions on how the city's federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds should be used to improve the quality of life in the 0 Comments
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Wahconah Regional High School Urges Change Through Togetherness By Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
05:26AM / Friday, February 16, 2024 | |
Principal Aaron Robb says the annual event was started in 1998 to address the frequency of fighting between students. See more photos here. DALTON, Mass. — The message of togetherness echoed in the Wahconah Regional High School auditorium during a civility assembly on Thursday afternoon. "Overall, our hope for today is that we could shift our perspective and pause just for a moment to think about the impact of our words and actions on others," Principal Aaron M Robb said. The importance of togetherness and reflection was demonstrated through a presentation, performances, and speakers, including Secretary of Education Patrick 0 Comments
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Lenox Mountain Remains Identified as Susan Lockwood| 10:04PM / Thursday, February 15, 2024 | |
LENOX, Mass. — Human remains recovered on Monday on Lenox Mountain have been positively identified as Susan Lockwood of Richmond. Lockwood, 66, had been missing since Oct. 30, 2023. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has positively identified the human remains found on Lenox Mountain as Susan Lockwood. The search for Lockwood along the mountain trails had continued intermittently over the months after the first intensive surveys of the area shortly after her disappearance. Her car had been found on Reservoir Road near trails she was known to use. Recovery efforts began again over the weekend after a hiker found a hiking boot 0 Comments
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Pittsfield Suns Pause Season at Wahconah Park, Promise New Summer ProgrammingBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:29PM / Thursday, February 15, 2024 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Pittsfield Suns have decided to pause this year's baseball season at Wahconah Park and the administration says it is committed to offering "new opportunities" at the facility over the summer.
"My administration will be actively working with the Pittsfield Suns on a lineup of new programming for the 2024 summer season as we continue to plan the future of Wahconah Park," Mayor Peter Marchetti said.
On Thursday, Marchetti and the baseball team shared a joint statement that included promises of collaboration and Fourth of July fireworks. The historic park's 1950s grandstand was deemed unsafe for capacity in 2022 and a restoration
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The Retired Investor: Auto Insurance Premiums Keep RisingBy Bill Schmick,
04:36PM / Thursday, February 15, 2024 | |
Forget fuel and food, auto insurance leads the way in areas where inflation is ramping higher. The rise in premiums has far outpaced the overall inflation rate and we could see further gains in 2024. Auto premiums are up 43 percent in the past three years and there is no sign the rate increases are over. In 2023 alone, auto insurance prices rose 19.2 percent, as registered by the Consumer Price Index (CPI). The January 2024 CPI data just released this week shows a 20.6 percent increase from last year. It is one of the greatest contributors to the inflation rate and exceeded the price gains in almost every other spending category. Industry analysts' best guess is that 0 Comments
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