| News and events in Pittsfield, Mass.
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April 5 Protests Planned in Berkshire RegionStaff Reports,
12:37PM / Wednesday, April 02, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire County residents will be joining thousands across the country on Saturday in protests against the policies of the Trump administration. A thousand rallies alone are posted on Mobilize.us, an organizing platform. More locally, Hands Off! rallies will be held from noon to 2 at the Adams Town Common; 11 to 1 at Great Barrington Town Hall; at noon in front of First Congregational Church in Williamstown; at 1 p.m. at Park Square in Pittsfield; at 11 at Stockbridge Town Hall; from noon to 1 at the four corners in downtown Bennington, Vt. The events will be rain or shine and rally-goers are asked bring only signs, 0 Comments
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Berkshire DA, Kids' Place Launch Internet Safety ProgrammingBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:45AM / Wednesday, April 02, 2025 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Berkshire District Attorney's Office wants to break the silence about virtual child abuse that predators thrive on.
"Silence is the ally of an abuser," District Attorney Timothy Shugrue said.
On Tuesday, Shugrue and the Berkshire County Kids' Place & Violence Prevention Center detailed their newly created internet safety program that was softly rolled out in December. "When I first took the office, I made a pledge that I wanted to reinstate youth programming, particularly school-based programs offered by the district attorney's office. Today, I'm proud to announce that I fulfilled that pledge," the DA
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Dalton Appoints Town Manager Search CommitteeBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
05:35AM / Wednesday, April 02, 2025 | |
DALTON, Mass. — The Select Board appointed the Town Manager Screening Committee on Monday. The board unanimously approved the appointments of Laurie Martinelli, Malia Carlotto, John Bartels, Deborah Merry, and John Kelly to the committee. Robert Bishop, the chair of the Select Board, abstained from appointing Kelly because Kelly is Bishop's employer. In February, Town Manager Thomas Hutcheson announced his intention to retire, effective July 1. According to the town's bylaws, the Select Board is responsible for appointing a five-member screening committee to assist in screening all applicants for the position of town manager. The 0 Comments
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Berkshire Veterans Mark 50 Years Since Vietnam War EndBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:29PM / Tuesday, April 01, 2025 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — County veterans gathered over the weekend to mark the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War's conclusion, recognizing the horrors that soldiers endured long after returning home.
Master of ceremonies Lenwood "Woody" Vaspra said when most Vietnam veterans returned, there were no tributes, recognition, speeches, parades, or even handshakes.
"For many of them, it was a horrible return home from Vietnam in a very chaotic time," he said to a crowd in Park Square on Saturday, National Vietnam Veterans Day.
The Vietnam War officially ended 50 years ago in May 1975. Fifty-two years ago, the last American troops departed Vietnam. The Vietnam War
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Lanesborough Considers Keeping Keeler IslandBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
02:05PM / Tuesday, April 01, 2025 | |
 LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — The town is considering keeping a Pontoosuc Lake island as its own.
Last week, the Select Board voted to consider selling three tax title properties and maintaining Keeler Island, located on Pontoosuc Lake. New statewide tax title laws that went into effect on Nov. 1, 2024, altered some options available to towns, and officials see this as a way to raise some funds.
Treasurer Jodi Hollingsworth explained that these properties have gone through the land court process, and with the new laws, the town needs to determine if it wants to keep or sell them. This includes lots on South Main Street (Parcel ID: 116-17), Chickatabot Avenue (114-8), C Street (112-140),
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Berkshire Talking Chronicle to Host Bingo Fundraiser| 12:30PM / Tuesday, April 01, 2025 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Talking Chronicle will host its first annual Bingo Bash Community Fun Day and Fundraiser on Saturday, April 5. The event will take place at the community room of Zion Church in Pittsfield. Prizes donated by businesses from Berkshire County will be featured. The event is scheduled to include prizes, refreshments, and an opportunity to meet volunteers from Berkshire Talking Chronicle and staff from UCP of Western Massachusetts. Doors will open at 1:30 p.m., and games will begin at 2:00 p.m. For further information, the contact number provided is 442-1562, extension 122. 0 Comments
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Public Meeting about Disaster Preparedness and Hazard Mitigation in Pittsfield| 10:51AM / Tuesday, April 01, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The City of Pittsfield has scheduled a public meeting to discuss disaster preparedness and solicit input on the city's updated Hazard Mitigation Plan. The meeting, scheduled for Monday, April 7 at 10:00 a.m. at the Ralph J. Froio Senior Center, located at 330 North Street, will address potential natural hazards affecting Pittsfield, including flooding, tornadoes, and earthquakes. The plan also outlines actions to mitigate the impact of these hazards. The Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee (HMPC), consisting of city leaders, will present information on vulnerable areas within the city and discuss strategies to minimize potential damage. The city aims to
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Casella Transfer Station Accepting Pittsfield Yard Waste| 07:38AM / Tuesday, April 01, 2025 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Casella Transfer Station, located at 500 Hubbard Avenue, will begin accepting residential yard waste starting on Wednesday, April 2. Residential yard waste includes grass clippings, leaves, brush, tree branches and limbs (under 4ft in length). If residents have purchased an annual resident pass for the transfer station, there is no additional charge to dispose of yard waste at the facility. Residents without the annual pass can purchase a $20 punch card at Casella's facility which is good for 20 bags of yard waste. Please note, only residential yard waste will be accepted at this location. Casella will not be accepting trailers or 0 Comments
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Dalton Green Committee to Present Climate Action Plan Draft April 12By Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
05:11AM / Tuesday, April 01, 2025 | |
DALTON, Mass. — The Green Committee will present its draft of the Climate Action Plan on April 12 from noon to 2:30 p.m. For the past nine months, the committee has been working with the town's consultant, Blue Strike Environmental, in the development of this document. The goal of the climate action plan is to aid the town in achieving net zero by 2050 by seeking strategies to decrease the town's dependence on fossil fuels for homes, businesses, municipal facilities, and vehicles. Committee members said the CAP presentation will kick off a vital discussion on climate change within town. "This is an ongoing process, with this 0 Comments
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Gender Diverse Community Members Talk Allyship at BCC PanelBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:45PM / Monday, March 31, 2025 | |
Maayan Nuri Héd, left, Luna Celestia Mornelithe, Jackson Rodriguez and Jay Santangelo talked about their experiences and where they had found allyship and community. PITTSFIELD, Mass.— Ahead of Monday's International Transgender Day of Visibility, community members shared their experiences with gender diversity during a panel discussion at Berkshire Community College.
"Really my goal, I think, ultimately in life is to make being trans such a casual thing that it isn't even a question anymore," Jackson Rodriguez, a teaching assistant, told a packed lecture hall on Wednesday.
"It's just a way of being. I wouldn't say I've ever come
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St. Agnes' Academy Plans Information Session| 01:33PM / Monday, March 31, 2025 | |
DALTON, Mass. — St. Agnes Academy will hold a meet-and-greet informational session at St. Charles' Parish Hall in Pittsfield on Sunday, April 6, immediately following the 9:30 a.m. Mass. The informal gathering is an opportunity for parents and guardians to learn more about the pre-Kindergarten through eighth grade Catholic school which is currently enrolling for the 2025-2026 school year. School teachers, the principal, and parents will be available to provide information and answer questions. Refreshments will be available. More information is available at 684-3143, rfleury@saintagnescc.com, or visit www.saintagnesacademy.com. 0 Comments
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Pittsfield Board to Mull School Committee Pay IncreaseBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
01:26PM / Monday, March 31, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Should the School Committee be paid more? This conversation will pick up soon.
On Tuesday, the City Council unanimously voted to send a request from Ward 1 Councilor Kenneth Warren and Ward 4 Councilor James Conant to the Personnel Review Board. In February, the Ordinance & Rules subcommittee recommended not to approve the request and referred it to the Charter Review Committee, which determined it should be addressed through an ordinance.
"The School Committee had never been paid until 2015. This is now 10 years later. We're having a charter review as a result of a petition of mine. Their pay needs to be adjusted before July of this year, or it
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