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| News and events in Pittsfield, Mass.
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Panchos Gets Liquor License Suspended, Hours ReducedBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
12:38PM / Tuesday, December 12, 2023 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A consistent string of incidents at Panchos Mexican Restaurant has led to a seven-day liquor license suspension and reduced hours.
On Monday, the Licensing Board heard of more than 10 disturbances at the North Street eatery since August that included projectile vomiting and talk of a gun. The events began to occur only months after Panchos reduced hours because of a "large-scale disturbance" earlier in the year were lifted.
Most of the reports were of intoxicated fighting outside of the establishment after midnight.
"I feel sad because I try to do the best I can do," manager Gabriel Columna said.
After more than an hour of testimony, the
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MassDOT Secures Funds for Enhanced Boston-Albany Passenger Rail| 10:52AM / Tuesday, December 12, 2023 | |
BOSTON — The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) has announced that up to $500,000 has been awarded to the Rail and Transit Division through the Federal Railroad Administration's (FRA) Corridor Identification and Development Program (Corridor ID) to support planning for additional train service connecting Boston and Albany, New York through Springfield. This corridor would provide up to eight daily round-trip passenger trains on an existing alignment owned by CSX Transportation. Currently, the only passenger service on this corridor is Amtrak's once-daily long-distance Lake Shore Limited. Development of this corridor is part of the Healey-Driscoll 0 Comments
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Lanesborough, Pittsfield Awarded IT Grants | 08:01AM / Tuesday, December 12, 2023 | |
BOSTON — The Healey-Driscoll administration announced that $5 million in grants have been awarded to municipalities to upgrade and improve their information and technology systems through the Community Compact program. Lanesborough was awarded $70,000 for the implementation of a records management system, and Pittsfield was awarded $50,000 for website enhancements. This funding comes from one of four Community Compact grant programs being run this fiscal year and will benefit 68 municipalities and school districts, including 13 first-time recipients. The 52 grants being awarded total more than $4.95 million and will go toward improving cybersecurity and 0 Comments
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PEDA Discusses Possible Innovation DistrictBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:24AM / Tuesday, December 12, 2023 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — An innovation district could be a solution to marketing the William Stanley Business Park, planners say.
This would ideally transform the site into an "amenity-rich enclave" that fosters open innovation through formal and informal interactions.
On Thursday, consultant Adina Astor gave the Pittsfield Economic Development Authority what the area could look like as an innovation district and how it could further economic growth.
"We had a meeting in here about a year ago with MassDevelopment and they were talking about how can we help the (Berkshire Innovation Center) market this property and help out with economic development in the
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State Fire Marshal: Dec. 11 is Candle Safety Day| 05:04PM / Monday, December 11, 2023 | |
STOW, Mass. — As Massachusetts enters the time of year when candle fires are most common, Governor Maura T. Healey has proclaimed Dec. 11, 2023, to be Candle Safety Day and State Fire Marshal Jon M. Davine is reminding residents to follow safety guidelines. "There have been more than 1,000 candle fires in Massachusetts over the past 10 years," State Fire Marshal Davine said. "These fires caused 11 deaths, 191 injuries, and over $35 million in losses. More of these fires started in December than in any other month, and especially on the days leading up to Christmas. If candles are part of your celebration or decoration, please use them 0 Comments
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Pittsfield Council to Tackle Tax Rate, Zoning Amendment ProposalsBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:03PM / Monday, December 11, 2023 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The City Council on Tuesday will take up the fiscal 2024 tax classification and a proposed battery energy storage overlay district.
On the agenda are public hearings for both items, with the tax rate continuing from last month.
The administration has requested a commercial shift of 1.75 that would result in a residential rate of $18.45 per $1,000 of valuation and a commercial rate of $39.61 per $1,000. After several councilors expressed concern about raising taxes, it was tabled.
"You are driving people out of Pittsfield," Councilor at Large Karen Kalinowsky said at the late November meeting.
The residential rate for FY23 was $18.32 per
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Dalton Voters to Decide Funding for Police Details AccountBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
03:26PM / Monday, December 11, 2023 | |
DALTON, Mass. — The town will be having a special town meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 13, at 7 p.m. at Wahconah Regional High School to vote on adding additional funds to the police detail fund. The controversial article has been making waves within the community government this past month. The police detail fund is a revolving account that is currently paid up to $25,000 but is drained when a large number of details happen. It stays drained until it is replenished by payments from the private entities that hire the details. When the fund is substantially drained, the payment schedule for officers who work details is unpredictable, Police Chief Deanna 0 Comments
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BCC to Benefit from New MassGrant Financial Aid Program | 08:17AM / Monday, December 11, 2023 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Community College (BCC) is one of 15 community colleges across the Commonwealth, plus state universities and the University of Massachusetts, that will benefit from a historic financial aid expansion recently approved by Governor Maura Healey's administration. With close to $62 million in new program funding supporting approximately 25,000 students, the MASSGrant Plus Expansion program will cover tuition, fees, books, and supply costs for Pell Grant-eligible students and reduce out-of-pocket expenses for middle-income students by up to half. "For so many Massachusetts residents, higher education can be the ticket 0 Comments
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Radiant Nights at Hancock Shaker Village| 08:02AM / Monday, December 11, 2023 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Hancock Shaker Village is back with its multisensory holiday experience with the opening of Radiant Nights on Dec. 15. "We are thrilled to partner again with artist Joe Wheaton to create Radiant Nights with his stunning video projections which will illuminate the Village and several historic buildings, including the iconic Round Stone Barn. We've added some unexpected elements of surprise along the path as our guests stroll through the Village and enhanced the core experience with several new programming components. This has become a unique winter holiday tradition and we look forward to welcoming the community to experience the spectacle that is 0 Comments
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BRTA Offers Free Bus and ADA Paratransit ServicesBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
05:16AM / Monday, December 11, 2023 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass.—The sleigh bells are ringing, and so are the coins in Berkshire Regional Transit Authority (BRTA) Riders' pockets thanks to the Try Transit initiative. Berkshire Regional Transit Authority (BRTA) has again wheeled out the Try Transit initiative, offering free bus and complementary Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) paratransit services until Dec. 31. "So it's a way to really see if this is something that will work during this program, and then again afterward," BRTA Administrator Robert Malnati said. BRTA was granted $179,000 from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation to fund this state initiative 0 Comments
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Legislative Hearing in Pittsfield Tackles Inflated Utility RatesBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
04:50AM / Monday, December 11, 2023 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A legislative hearing was held at the Berkshire Innovation Center last week to address rate increases in electricity, gas, and oil with representatives from the Healey-Driscoll administration and utility companies. In the last two years, electricity rates have increased by an average of 12 percent and natural gas prices by 1 percent and Western Mass. communities feel that they are experiencing the brunt of it. The session began with a panel discussion between legislators and the Secretary of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs Rebecca Tepper, Commissioner of the Department of Energy Resources Elizabeth Mahoney, and Chair of the 0 Comments
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BCC Announces New Staff | 04:09PM / Sunday, December 10, 2023 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass — Berkshire Community College (BCC) announces the addition of four staff members. Erica Barreto joins BCC as Coordinator of Student Diversity Programs and Belonging. Born to first-generation immigrant parents from Brazil and Portugal, Barreto grew up in the Hudson Valley, New York, before moving to the Berkshires. In 2019, she returned to her alma mater, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, to coordinate the MCLA Institute for the Arts and Humanities (IAH). In 2022, Barreto was awarded the BCC 40 Under 40 Award to commemorate her work with IAH. She is the vice president of the board of directors for WAM Theatre. In her free time, she likes 0 Comments
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