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| News and events in Pittsfield, Mass.
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Pittsfield Sees Significant Spending of ARPA Funds in First Quarter of 2023By Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:04AM / Tuesday, May 30, 2023 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — American Rescue Plan Act expenditures have significantly increased in the first quarter of 2023, with more than $4.4 million expended from January to March.
Fifty percent ($2.1 million) funded negative economic impacts, 32 percent ($1.4 million) public health, and 15 percent (about $682,000) infrastructure.
Two percent was spent on revenue replacement and one percent on administration.
Last week, Special Projects Managers Deanna Ruffer and Gina Armstrong presented the City Council with the expenditures, which include more than $1 million to 37 nonprofits that were awarded last year.
"We now have 34 of our 37 under contract, 33 of which have submitted
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Berkshire County Remembers Veterans on Memorial Day Staff Reports ,
03:17PM / Monday, May 29, 2023 | |
Williamstown units march down Main Street toward the veterans memorial. See more photos here. WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — After honoring all the long-standing traditions of the town's Memorial Day ceremonies, American Legion Post 152 Commander Joseph Bushika made some news. The post's membership has decided to honor the memory of longtime member and veterans advocate John M. "Mike" Kennedy by naming the post in his honor. "It was an easy decision to make," Bushika told the crowd gathered at Field Park. "The list of what he did for veterans in this area goes on and on," Bushika said after the ceremony concluded. 0 Comments
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BCC to Hold Celebration for Honors Scholars| 08:09AM / Monday, May 29, 2023 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Community College (BCC) will hold a celebration of students, faculty and staff involved in the Berkshire Honors Scholar Program, with special recognition of students who are graduating, on Thursday, June 1 from 2-3 pm on the main campus and on Zoom. Following opening remarks delivered by Vice President for Academic Affairs Laurie Gordy, Honors Scholar Program alum Keira Codey will be the featured speaker. After graduating from BCC in fall 2020, Codey attended Southern New Hampshire University. She graduated summa cum laude in August 2022 with a bachelor's degree in history. She now works as the Youth Liberal Arts Coordinator at the 0 Comments
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Veteran Spotlight: Marine Sgt. Joe HeneburyBy Wayne Soares, Special to iBerkshires
04:23PM / Sunday, May 28, 2023 | |
 BELMONT, Mass. — Joe Henebury served his country in the Marine Corps from 1964 to 1968 in the Vietnam War, achieving the rank of sergeant. He grew up in Belmont and graduated from Belmont High School. He was 20 years old when he did his basic training at Parris Island, S.C. "The drill sergeant had a nickname for me — 'College Punk.' It was a real challenge," he remembered. After his infantry training regiment, at Camp LeJeune, his first assignment was at Camp Pendleton. "I showed up with about 300 other Marines in formation. The gunnery sergeant came up to me and said, 'Henebury, we're going to make you 0 Comments
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Governor to Compete for Federal Grants for Clean Energy Infrastructure | 08:28AM / Sunday, May 28, 2023 | |
BOSTON — The Healey-Driscoll Administration announced a project application for federal transmission funding that would deliver clean, affordable offshore wind and solar for the Commonwealth. To jumpstart state and regional collaboration on necessary transmission infrastructure, the Department of Energy Resources submitted an application to the U.S. Department of Energy's Grid Innovation Program (GIP) for the innovative Cleaner Grid New England Project (CGNE Project) in partnership with Eversource and National Grid. The GIP award is a matching grant of up to $250 million. These funds were made possible by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs 0 Comments
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Pittsfield Kiwanis Gifts Newborn Safety Kits to BMC's Birth CenterBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
04:40PM / Saturday, May 27, 2023 | |
Kiwanis President Curtis Janey says the new-mom kits are the first club project at BMC. The next will be a distribution of teddy bears. PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Kiwanis Club of Pittsfield provided Berkshire Medical Center's family birthplace with around 100 newborn safety kits on Tuesday as its first service project of the year.
These kits include outlet covers, a rubber duck that checks if bath water is at the right temperature, and pamphlets with tips for new mothers after being discharged from the hospital.
"The family birthplace does prepare them for so much already but this is just something to help them out along the way," Kiwanis President Curtis
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Governor Establishes Governor's Advisory Council on Veterans' Services | 04:00PM / Saturday, May 27, 2023 | |
BOSTON — Ahead of Memorial Day weekend, Governor Maura Healey, joined by Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll and Secretary Jon Santiago, signed Executive Order #613, creating the Governor's Advisory Council on Veterans' Services to inform the Governor about veterans' issues in Massachusetts. The Council will complement the work that Secretary Santiago and the recently elevated Executive Office of Veterans Services are doing to assess current programs, services, and regulations for veterans and make recommendations to the Governor. "Today's announcement signifies a major step in amplifying the voices and influence of Massachusetts' 0 Comments
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Aspiring Teachers Get Recognition at Wahconah High School By Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
07:11AM / Saturday, May 27, 2023 | |
 DALTON, Mass. — The importance of educators echoed during a Teacher Signing on Friday in the Wahconah Regional High School auditorium. This type of ceremony has been held to celebrate student-athletes signing to play a particular sport in college but the State Department of Education realized students committing themselves to become educators deserve just as much if not more "fanfare," Wahconah Principal Aaron Robb said. Amber Brown, Emma Blazick, Abigail Cobb, Holden Kotelnicki and Emily O'Neill signed letters of intent to pursue the field of education at their respective colleges. Several state officials attended the event, 0 Comments
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Memorial Day Fire Safety Tips | 04:19PM / Friday, May 26, 2023 | |
STOW—As Massachusetts heads into the Memorial Day Weekend, State Fire Marshal Peter J. Ostroskey reminds residents to practice fire safety this summer. "Memorial Day is the unofficial start of summer, and we want to remind everyone to play it safe as they enjoy the warm weather," said State Fire Marshal Ostroskey. "Don't let a fire or serious burn ruin your summer. Practice fire safety with friends and family safely this season, and you won't have your local firefighters showing up as uninvited guests." Grilling Safety More than 75 percent of grilling fires in Massachusetts occur between May and September. In the past five years, there have been more than
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@theMarket: Debt Deadline Hangs Over MarketsBy Bill Schmick,
04:09PM / Friday, May 26, 2023 | |
One week before the debt ceiling deadline, members of Congress have adjourned, while a handful of negotiators continue to search for a compromise solution to the impasse. Investors are holding their breath. As many expected, myself included, the politicians are drawing out the drama and will continue to do so until the 11th hour. Both sides have stressed that there will be no default and the market has taken them at their word. Investors have bid up stocks this week in anticipation of a positive announcement. This week, Fitch, one of the big three American credit agencies, has put the nation's debt on a negative credit watch. The agency warned that it may downgrade the 0 Comments
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Pittsfield Residents Can Be Rude During Public Comment, Laws SayBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
03:27PM / Friday, May 26, 2023 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Members of the public are allowed to be rude during open microphone and even use hate speech, the city solicitor has confirmed. On Monday, the Ordinances and Rules subcommittee discussed the Supreme Judicial Court's recent decision that regulating the substance of public commenters is "unconstitutional" and what that means for Pittsfield. City Solicitor Stephen Pagnotta said the City Council rules largely conform with the SJC ruling with the exception of a sentence that states a speaker shall refrain from any personal attacks. He revised the sentence to state that the public comment period should be conducted in an orderly and peaceful 0 Comments
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Pittsfield 2024 Budget Day Two: 14 Budgets Reviewed By Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:43AM / Friday, May 26, 2023 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — In the second session of fiscal 2024 budget hearings, the City Council preliminarily approved 14 departmental spending plans on Wednesday. Budget Day 1
A $50,000 reduction was made to the Worker's Compensation budget for medical payments, which supports independent medical review for employees who have led worker compensation or injured on duty claims.
Ward 1 Councilor Kenneth Warren made the motion in an attempt to bring down the budget's burden on taxpayers.
"I think it's reasonable for the City Council to reduce this budget by $50,000," Mayor Linda Tyer said.
"We will manage as long as we understand that if we need to come 0 Comments
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