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| News and events in Pittsfield, Mass.
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State Fire Marshal: Daylight Saving Time Reminder| 03:42PM / Friday, March 07, 2025 | |
STOW, Mass. —With daylight saving time beginning on March 9, Massachusetts fire officials are reminding residents to check their smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms when they change their clocks. "Working smoke and CO alarms are your family's first line of defense against an emergency at home," said State Fire Marshal Jon M. Davine. "As we spring forward this weekend, remember to check your alarms when you change your clocks. Be sure they're present on every level of your home and within their useful lifespan. And unless you have newer alarms with sealed, long-life batteries, this is a great time to replace the alkaline batteries in all your
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Lenox Fire Douses Garage Blaze, Cause Under InvestigationBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
12:10PM / Friday, March 07, 2025 | |
 LENOX, Mass. — Firefighters made swift work of a garage fire that could have turned into a conflagration on Friday morning. The report of smoke in the area of 5 Crystal St. came in at 10:51 a.m. According scanner reports, the owner alerted authorities that the fire was in a garage behind the home and at least 20 gallons of waste oil was on the premises. Fire Chief Chris O'Brien said the fire was brought under control and extinguished within 30 minutes. The windy conditions didn't hamper firefighters' efforts. "We didn’t run into any trouble — we are experiencing oil in the runoff," said O'Brien. 0 Comments
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Pittsfield Awarded Grant to Plant Native Shade Trees| 10:48AM / Friday, March 07, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Healey-Driscoll Administration has awarded the City of Pittsfield $68,500 through the Cooling Corridors program. "Investing in green spaces is vital for the health and well-being of our residents," said Governor Maura Healey. "By planting trees and creating more parks, we ensure that everyone – especially those in environmental justice communities – has access to cleaner air and a better quality of life." This funding will enable the city to plant 40 native shade trees in a middle-income neighborhood that currently lacks sufficient street tree cover, located outside of the designated Greening the Gateway 0 Comments
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Stearns Staff Accused of Using Bathroom to 'De-Escalate' StudentsBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
09:59AM / Friday, March 07, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Several Stearns Elementary School staff were put on leave at the end of February for allegations of using a bathroom to "de-escalate" students.
A report was filed with the state Department of Children and Families and separate investigations are being conducted by DCF and the Pittsfield Public Schools.
On Thursday, Superintendent Joseph Curtis sent a communication to PPS families reporting that on Feb. 26, Stearns Principal Sara Luciani received an allegation that staff members in Room 7 and Room 1 were using a classroom bathroom in Room 7 as a place for students to de-escalate.
"Principal Luciani investigated immediately and then informed
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Art in the Berkshires Juried Arts & Crafts Show| 07:57AM / Friday, March 07, 2025 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Art in the Berkshires (ArtintheBerkshires.com) invites artists from across the region to participate in its annual Juried Arts & Crafts Show. This event celebrates the creativity and craftsmanship of local artists and artisans. The art show will be held at the Eastover Contemporary Art Space from June 4 to July 5, 2025, with an online gallery running through the end of the year. Marie Craig, artist, gallerist, and curator, will be the juror for this inaugural show. The Call for Art is now open through March 14, 2025, offering artists the opportunity to showcase their work in one of four categories: 2-Dimensional Wall-Hung 0 Comments
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BCC to Hold Workforce CompTIA Security Certification Virtual Trainings | 07:40AM / Friday, March 07, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Community College's Workforce and Community Education department will hold a CompTIA Security-plus Certification virtual training beginning on March 31. The 13-week training will occur online on Mondays and Wednesdays from 6 to 8 p.m. and run through June 25. Scholarships are available for eligible students. This training will equip participants with essential cybersecurity skills and prepare them for the CompTIA Security-plus certification exam. This industry-recognized certification validates the ability to secure networks, detect threats, and protect data. This course is ideal for individuals with CompTIA-plus 0 Comments
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Berkshire Pipe & Tobacco Sees License SuspensionBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:41AM / Friday, March 07, 2025 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — After repeat violations, a longtime Tyler Street retailer cannot sell tobacco until the end of the year.
On Wednesday, the Board of Health voted to suspend Berkshire Pipe and Tobacco's license until Dec. 11. The store has paid $4,300 in fines for selling flavored products, missing signage for blunt wraps, failure to request identification, and more.
"It's a tough decision for us," Chair Roberta Elliott said. "Because we don't like to be in a situation like this but we find ourselves here because we have a tobacco-selling store that has not taken things seriously and now is saying that they're going to all of a sudden."
In
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Love of T Showcases Community at GalaBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
05:35PM / Thursday, March 06, 2025 | |
The event featured dining, raffles and an auction. Some $35,000 was raised to aid the peer-mentoring organization. See more photos here. PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The non-profit Love of T celebrated its ever-growing community and raised funds to continue its mission during its "Dance the Blues Away" gala on Saturday. The organization works to help those struggling with suicidal thoughts lead beautiful and fulfilling lives. Over the years, it has established a community of people who understand each other's struggles and support one another, Love of T staff and participants said. This year, it has served more than 245 individuals and 0 Comments
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The Retired Investor: Government Shutdown Looms LargeBy Bill Schmick,
04:19PM / Thursday, March 06, 2025 | |
It is getting to be a regular occurrence. The U.S. Treasury runs out of money and warns Congress that they need more. Politicians on both sides strut and crow but delay until the 11th hour only to pass another "continuing resolution" for a few months. Will it ever end? Exactly what is a continuing resolution (CR)? They are temporary spending bills that allow the federal government operations to continue when final appropriations have not been approved by Congress and the president. CRs are never-ending stories with a shelf-life of 2-3 months. This time, the deadline is March 14. Has anything changed? Well, yes and no. The factions within the Republican party are 0 Comments
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Co-op Bank Promotes Vice President, Commercial Lending| 04:01PM / Thursday, March 06, 2025 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Pittsfield Cooperative Bank (Co-op Bank) announced the promotion of Sierra King Watson to Vice President, Commercial Lending. In her new commercial role, Watson will spearhead efforts to support local businesses, delivering tailored business banking and lending solutions to help foster growth and strengthen the regional economy. Watson, a member of the Co-op Bank team, has built a strong reputation for her personalized approach to commercial lending, working closely with business owners to understand their goals and challenges. With fifteen years of banking and lending experience, Watson has consistently demonstrated exceptional 0 Comments
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Letter: Richmond Has Options to Reduce Building DensityLetter to the Editor,
02:00PM / Thursday, March 06, 2025 | |
 To the Editor:
This year, the governor of Massachusetts signed a new bill into law that overrides every town in the commonwealth's zoning regarding ADUs (Additional/Accessory Dwelling Units). Every house in the commonwealth can now have an additional dwelling unit (house, cottage, guest house, etc.) up to 900 square feet on the same building lot as the primary house. The town you live in cannot do anything to prevent these as they are "by right" per the state government. How would you feel if your neighbor built a 900 square foot secondary house next to you on a lot that was zoned for one house? You may not like or agree with it, but there is nothing you or the town can do
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Greylock Community Enrichment Scholarship Applications Now Available| 10:43AM / Thursday, March 06, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Through its Community Enrichment Scholarship Program, Greylock will be offering scholarships to every public high school in Berkshire County and Columbia County, N.Y.. The scholarships will be awarded to high school senior students to be applied toward tuition at a state or nationally accredited two- or four-year college/university. Greylock will also award two scholarships to high school seniors from Berkshire and Columbia counties who will enroll in a program at an accredited technical, vocational or trade school. Students must be Greylock Federal Credit Union members. "These scholarships recognize students who exemplify 0 Comments
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