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| News and events in Pittsfield, Mass.
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Dalton Board of Health Talks Permits With Stationery FactoryBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
05:11PM / Thursday, March 09, 2023 | |
DALTON, Mass. — The Board of Health earlier this week discussed some of the issues facing the Stationery Factory in hosting events, including catering permits and kitchen inspections. The board had recently set an annual fee of $50 for establishments with commissary kitchens after the venue expressed interest in having that type of kitchen, although on Monday it changed the language to "lease" kitchen to clarify the type. But owner Steven Sears said he had been unaware that permits from different boards were required to operate, referring to a food establishment permit he had been unaware of. Business owners get notified by the town around 0 Comments
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The Retired Investor: Pet Clothing a Billion-Dollar BusinessBy Bill Schmick,
04:06PM / Thursday, March 09, 2023 | |
 Coats to protect your pets from severe weather, or orange safety vests during hunting season are fairly common but today, the fashion industry has embraced the concept and taken pet clothing to new heights. Canine couture is a big business. The pet clothing business market is growing by 4.5-5 percent per year, and by 2030 should exceed $9.15 billion annually, according to Brainy Insights, a research firm that tracks sales in the pet industry. The U.S. accounts for 30 percent of global sales and hit almost $2 billion in 2022. I divide the pet clothing market into two segments: clothes that are practical, and clothes that are indulgent. Practical items have a surprisingly long 0 Comments
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Black Bears Waking Up in Massachusetts| 03:10PM / Thursday, March 09, 2023 | |
 NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — March is hungry bear season, says the state Department of Fisheries and Wildlife. Wildlife officials are reminding the public that bears are beginning to emerge from their winter dens and seek out food. Residents in northern Middlesex County, Worcester County and Western Massachusetts, or other areas where bears have been spotted, should know it's time to take down bird feeders. Natural foods such as acorns and other nuts are usually available on the ground, but last year's fall hard mast crop was meager. Bears will often ignore seasonally available natural foods including skunk cabbage in favor of an easy meal 7 Comments
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Pittsfield to Host Free Monthly Walk-In Wellness Clinics| 01:24PM / Thursday, March 09, 2023 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The city of Pittsfield's Health Department will be hosting free monthly wellness clinics at designated locations throughout the city. The clinic, which do not require appointments, will be staffed by the city's public health nurse and will include wellness screenings, medication review, check for mobility issues, diabetes and hypertension management, parent-child health and growth/development, COVID-19 guidance and tests, and nutrition counseling. The city's social worker, who is also fluent in Spanish, will be on hand to provide information and assistance in the following areas of need: housing/rent, food, utilities, mental health 0 Comments
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Eversource Rewards Pittsfield $140K for Energy Efficiency Upgrades to Wastewater PlantBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
04:52AM / Thursday, March 09, 2023 | |
Inside the treatment plant. PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The city has been rewarded for its commitment to energy efficiency.
Eversource presented a $140,000 check to city officials on Wednesday for the wastewater treatment plant's energy-saving makeover that began in 2020. This is the first of two check presentations from the incentive program.
With lighting upgrades, heat pumps, variable frequency drives on heating, ventilation, and air conditioning equipment, aeration ammonia controls, new aeration blowers, and a compressed air mixing system, the plant saw an annual reduction of 560,000 kilowatt-hours of energy consumption. In 13 years, the upgrades are expected to save 6.8
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Pittsfield Councilors Vote No on Springside House Grant MatchBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
02:37PM / Wednesday, March 08, 2023 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Two councilors' opposition to using $500,000 in free cash to match a national grant for the preservation of Springside House resulted in a negative recommendation from the Finance subcommittee.
In December, the city received a $500,000 Save America's Treasures matching grant for interior renovations to the mid-1800s Italianate mansion formerly known as Elmhurst.
An equal contribution from the city is a requirement of the award. Free cash was proposed for the allotment, as Pittsfield ended 2022 with a balance of around $17 million.
Councilor at Large Karen Kalinowksy and Ward 2 Councilor Charles Kronick voted to accept the grant but opposed using
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Governor Names Energy Resources Commissioner | 10:07AM / Wednesday, March 08, 2023 | |
BOSTON — Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) Secretary Rebecca L. Tepper announced the appointment of Elizabeth Mahony to serve as Commissioner of the Department of Energy Resources (DOER). DOER develops and implements policies and programs aimed at ensuring the adequacy, security, diversity, and cost-effectiveness of the Commonwealth's energy supply to create a clean, affordable, and resilient energy future for all residents, businesses, communities, and institutions. Mahony starts on Feb. 27. "I've worked with Elizabeth for many years," said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper. "I've seen her in 0 Comments
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Lanesborough Select Board Supports Public Safety Building PlanBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:13AM / Wednesday, March 08, 2023 | |
 LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — The Select Board has endorsed the nearly $6 million public safety building proposal that is subject to a special town meeting on Thursday.
Approval would authorize the town to raise the $5,989,100 to construct a complex for police and ambulance services at 405 South Main St., the driving range of the former Skyline Country Club.
The board's vote on Tuesday was unanimous to support the project after two residents submitted petitions asking for the three members to publicly state their stance.
Board member Timothy Sorrell's decision comes from his perspective as the town's former police chief and as a taxpayer.
"It needs to be done.
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Pittsfield School Policy Panel Considers Student DoorDash BanBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
12:29PM / Tuesday, March 07, 2023 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The district is looking into placing sanctions on food deliveries for students. Last week, the Policy Subcommittee started a discussion on revising policy COM-31 Visitors to Schools to address non-teacher orders placed online or on the phone and delivered through apps such as DoorDash.
Superintendent Joseph Curtis proposed some reorganization of the policy for clarity and the addition of language stating that service delivery drivers are not permitted on school grounds or inside of schools to fulfill students' orders.
"My intention this evening was just to start a dialogue with the subcommittee in response to the discussion about food deliveries for
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Lenox Man Facing Obscene Materials Charges| 04:14PM / Monday, March 06, 2023 | |
BOSTON — A Lenox man was arrested and charged last week with attempting to transfer obscene material to a minor. Paul J. Bruzzi, 35, made an initial appearance in federal court in Springfield on Wednesday. According to the charging documents, starting in September 2022, Bruzzi used social media applications to communicate with an individual he believed to be a 14-year-old girl, but who was actually an undercover federal investigator. During these conversations, it is alleged that Bruzzi sent the purported minor nine photographs and videos of himself displaying his genitalia and attempted to pressure her into sending him photos of herself. The 0 Comments
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Cabin Fever Pub Crawl in Downtown Pittsfield | 03:36PM / Monday, March 06, 2023 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Downtown Pittsfield, Inc. is partnering with Berkshire Mountain Distillers for their first annual Cabin Fever Pub Crawl in downtown Pittsfield on Thursday, March 9, starting at 5 pm. Participants should purchase a $25 "Hunting License" ticket in advance, and this ID will give them a "tasting" of a specific Berkshire Mountain Distillers' product at each Pub Crawl stop over the course of the evening. Plaid/flannel attire are encouraged. Participating Locations: Otto's Kitchen & Comfort, 101 Restaurant & Bar, Patrick's Pub, Thistle and Mirth, Berkshire Palate, and Methuselah Bar & 0 Comments
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Dalton Continues Attempts to Sell the Bardin PropertyBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
02:13PM / Monday, March 06, 2023 | |
The town owns about 148 acres of the non-working farm within Dalton; another four acres is across the border in Windsor. The APR has been in place for 30 years. DALTON, Mass. — Town officials are wading through regulations that complicate their attempts to sell the Bardin property. The 148 acres of land made up of three parcels came into the town's possession in 2016 in a taking for delinquent taxes. The town had first placed a lien against the property in 2009. However, there's a fourth parcel still owned by the Bardin estate in Windsor and an agricultural preservation restriction that covers all four contiguous pieces of the farm that 0 Comments
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