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| News and events in Pittsfield, Mass.
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Berkshire United Way Seeks Volunteer Grant Reviewers| 10:33AM / Wednesday, February 19, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire United Way (BUW) is seeking volunteers to assist in its two-year funding cycle grant review process. Volunteers will participate in up to 25 hours of training, individual evaluations, and group meetings to make funding recommendations. These recommendations will be presented to the BUW Community Impact Committee and Board for final approval, with funding disbursed starting in mid-July. BUW will host three training sessions for volunteer reviewers in March. Interested individuals can register and find more information at www.berkshireunitedway.org/funding-application. Concurrently, BUW is accepting applications 0 Comments
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BCC Offers Virtual Advanced Beginner Computer Training Course | 08:07AM / Tuesday, February 18, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Community College (BCC)'s Workforce Department is offering a virtual advanced beginner computer training course starting Monday, Feb. 24 and concluding Wednesday, April 2, 2025. Classes will be held every Monday and Wednesday from 5:30 p.m.- 8:30 p.m. The course will be taught in English, with Spanish language support. Ten grant-funded scholarships are available for eligible students. To register, email workforce@berkshirecc.edu or call (413) 236-2115. Designed for those looking to expand upon basic computer skills, the course provides an in-depth exploration of core Microsoft Office applications, enabling 0 Comments
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Lanesborough Select Board Votes to Expand Tow ListBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:16AM / Tuesday, February 18, 2025 | |
LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — Select Board members want to even the playing field for towing.
In a 2-1 vote with Chair Michael Murphy in opposition, the board last week voted to allow businesses outside of Lanesborough to be on the towing list. Current towers will work with the town on a formal policy, as there is currently not one.
"Frankly, I think it's premature," Murphy said about the motion made by Select Board member Deborah Maynard.
Two years ago, Police Chief Robert Derksen was contacted by a local tow agency that wanted to be put on the rotation. He brought a sample policy to the board in March 2023 and returned with the same one at Monday's meeting.
"I
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Berkshire Residents Snowed In For Long WeekendBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:58PM / Monday, February 17, 2025 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Many Berkshire County residents were snowed in for Presidents Day. Instead of buying large appliances, the long weekend was spent shoveling.
Pittsfield's second annual Winter Festival at Clapp Park fell victim to the storm, which dumped up to 6 inches of snow or more on higher-elevation communities. On Monday, the area was under a wind advisory until 7 p.m. for winds of 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 65 mph.
The winter fest was postponed to Friday, Feb. 21, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The outdoor family event includes hot cocoa and s’mores, cardboard sled races, a snow sculpture contest, snowshoeing, and more.
Trash and recycling collection was also
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Art Exhibit Kicks Off Pittsfield 10x10 Upstreet Arts FestivalBy Breanna Steele, iBerkshires Staff
03:05PM / Monday, February 17, 2025 | |
Shelsy Rodriguez's works feature endangered animals from Colombia. PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The 14th annual 10x10 Upstreet Arts Festival officially kicked off Thursday night with an "Off The Streets" art exhibition. The show features work from 10 artists who have murals in Pittsfield. The 10 artists are Hope Aguilera, Mike Carty, Huck Elling, Diane Firtell, Frances Chloe Jones-Whitman, Pops Peterson, Cara Petricca, Stef Quetti, Shelsy Rodriguez and Jesse Tobin McCauley. Each artist has a couple of their works on the wall throughout the Lichtenstein Center for the Arts from now until Feb. 28. Jen Glockner, the city's director of 0 Comments
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Pittsfield Councilors Hope ADUs Alleviate Housing ShortageBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
09:13AM / Sunday, February 16, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — With a new accessory dwelling unit ordinance and the state allowing them by-right, Pittsfield officials hope for alleviation from the housing crisis.
Last week, the City Council established an ordinance for the creation of ADUs that allows one by right on any property with a one- or two-family residential home. This includes changes to Sections 23-2 and 23-9 of the City Code.
"This is going to be good for us," Ward 6 Councilor Dina Lampiasi said.
Lampiasi said that anyone recently searching for a home in the city knows "It's very difficult." Thirty years down the road, she envisions these units sparking interest for prospective
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Teacher of the Month: Carole SomervilleBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
05:04PM / Saturday, February 15, 2025 | |
Carole Somerville's pupils say she makes them feel ready to take on the day. PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Morningside Community School second-grade teacher Carole Somerville has been selected as the February 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. Somerville has been in the education sector for 15 years, transitioning from running her own daycare to becoming a paraprofessional and now a teacher. "I was always passionate about it. I 0 Comments
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DCR's Free Family Programming in Western Massachusetts for February School Vacation Week| 04:00PM / Saturday, February 15, 2025 | |
HOLYOKE, Mass. — The Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) is excited to announce its lineup of free, family-friendly programs in Western Massachusetts for the upcoming February school vacation week. Running from Saturday, Feb. 15, through Sunday, Feb. 25, families can enjoy 79 engaging programs at 20 state parks and watersheds in the western region. Activities include guided hikes, bird watching, animal tracking, crafting, and maple sugaring, all designed to encourage kids to get outdoors and experience the natural beauty of the state’s parks. In addition to the special programs, DCR is waiving parking fees at participating parks throughout the region. Public skating
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Five People Displaced by Pittsfield Fire| 02:20PM / Saturday, February 15, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Five people were displaced and one taken to the hospital from a fire on Alcove Street on Friday. A report by Deputy Chief Ron Clement said three engines, Truck 2 and Car 2 responded to the report a structure fire at 18 Alcove, and found smoke coming from a second-story window. Crews from Engine 5 entering the residence found heavy fire on the second floor that was brought under control within 30 minutes. All companies participated in search, ventilation and overhaul efforts. One man was home at the time and taken to Berkshire Medical Center for possible smoke inhalation. No firefighter injuries were reported. The 0 Comments
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Dalton Cultural Council Quits After Chair FiredBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
09:27AM / Saturday, February 15, 2025 | |
DALTON, Mass. — The Select Board's decision to terminate the town manager's executive assistant, Alyssa Maschino, has had a ripple effect. Maschino's colleague in the town manager's office, Kira Smith, said Thursday she was submitting her resignation. And the Dalton Cultural Council has resigned en masse. Maschino has been the chair of the council, which is charged with promoting the arts, humanities and interpretive sciences as a way to improve residents' quality of life. One of its tasks in planning Dalton Day. Dalton Day would not be what it is if it weren't for Maschino, council clerk and recording secretary 0 Comments
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Letter: Together, Cool heads will prevail Letter to the Editor,
06:00PM / Friday, February 14, 2025 | |
 To the Editor:
Rather tragically at Thursday night's Select Board meeting, we lost one of our own. The lesson made apparent by this tragedy is that our current system is broken. We need better and more timely communication; we need openness; we need the needs of the town of be first; we need more professionalism; and we need an environment free of fear.
So what remains for us to do is understand this problem did not develop overnight and that it will take some time and hard work to make the needed changes. We must make our concerns heard through our votes on Town Election Day on May 5 and at the annual town meeting on May 12 to create the first big step toward making needed repairs
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Congressman Neal Talks 'Chaotic' Trump EdictsBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:40PM / Friday, February 14, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — At call-in town hall on Thursday, constituents in the First Mass District shared their fears and concerns over actions being taken at the federal level. U.S. Rep. Richard Neal detailed the "chaotic nature" of President Donald Trump's recent executive actions during a telephone town hall that drew more than 8,000 participants. "Congress does not serve under a president of the United States," Neal said from his Washington, D.C., office, the Capital dome in the background. "I need and you need to have our colleagues on the other side of the aisle begin to challenge some of these edicts that are coming from the 0 Comments
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