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| News and events in Pittsfield, Mass.
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The Retired Investor: Entrepreneurs Undeterred by Inflation or Recession FearsBy Bill Schmick,
05:04PM / Thursday, February 09, 2023 | |
 One of the silver linings of the pandemic was an explosion of startups throughout the nation. After a 40-year decline, entrepreneurship rose from the ashes, and contrary to expectations continues to thrive today. What is behind this trend? In 2020, the early days of COVID-19, as unemployment skyrocketed and businesses shut down by the thousands, 4.3 million new business applications were filed, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That was one million more than in 2019. The following year (2021), 1.8 million companies were formed, which was a record. Last year, the numbers dropped a little to 1.7 million applications, but still up 28 percent from the pre-pandemic days. Funny 0 Comments
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Pittsfield Firefighters Raise Thousands for Occupational CancerBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
04:45PM / Thursday, February 09, 2023 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — City firefighters set a personal fundraising record over the weekend while competing in the BFit challenge in Boston. Eleven crew members raised more than $4,500 for the New England Fire Cancer Fund while climbing the stairs of TD Garden in full gear. Now in its seventh year, the challenge allows first responders, military members, and other community members to participate for the benefit of first-responder charities. It is sponsored by National Grid.
"I'm just really proud of these guys," Chief Thomas Sammons said on Wednesday, adding that his first time doing the challenge was hard but when it was over, he felt amazing.
"It was a lot
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Dalton Starts Review of Fiscal 2024 BudgetBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
02:30PM / Thursday, February 09, 2023 | |
DALTON, Mass. — The Select Board began its review of the fiscal 2024 budget during its meeting on Monday night, going over about a handful of department spending plans. The assessors' budget is projected to increase by 8.58 percent, bringing the amount from $111,958 to $121,564. The town recently hired Lee Nunez as an assessor clerk, who has been "extremely enthusiastic and capable," Town Manager Tom Hutcheson said. The Board of Assessors is recommending he be promoted to part time benefited position. When previous full-time Assessor Laura Maffuccio retired, the Assessors went from having 70 hours of manpower a week to 0 Comments
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2nd Street Offers Walk-in Hours for Legal Aid Assistance| 10:32AM / Thursday, February 09, 2023 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — 2nd Street announced new office hours designated for Community Legal Aid (CLA) assistance. Beginning Feb. 16, 2nd Street will welcome walk-ins every Thursday from 1-3 pm. During the free sessions, formerly incarcerated persons can receive advice on: How to appropriately interact with law enforcement to avoid escalation What information about a criminal record must be shared with prospective employers What information about a person's criminal history is required to be disclosed to a landlord Whether a criminal record may be sealed or expunged The impact of criminal records on securing affordable housing and/or employment, and 0 Comments
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Herberg Middle Schoolers Thank Firefighters With Gift BasketsBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:12PM / Wednesday, February 08, 2023 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Firefighters were all smiles on Wednesday as they received tokens of appreciation from four Herberg Middle schoolers. Emirhan Ozdemir, Aidan Underdown, Markus Carpenter and Stevie Kazimierczak gifted each of the city's five stations with a basket of coffee, hot cocoa, tea, and snacks after raising $425 as part of a civics project. Crews gathered at the department headquarters on Columbus Avenue for the exchange.
"That was a great thing you guys did. You came up with this idea, you got the whole school revved up and that's awesome. Everybody got together and that's great," Chief Thomas Sammons told the students, adding that it was
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BCC Names Local Fall Dean's List Students | 03:29PM / Wednesday, February 08, 2023 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Community College (BCC) is pleased to announce it has named 106 students to the fall 2022 dean's list. To be eligible for the dean's list, full-time students must achieve a GPA of 3.750 to 4.000 to earn high honors, while students with a GPA of 3.250 to 3.749 earn an honors designation. All dean's list students must have declared a major and must have completed at least 12 traditionally graded credit hours during a fall or spring semester of one academic year. The following Berkshire County students qualified for high honors: Adams: Ryan Bednarz, Corrisa 0 Comments
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Dalton Board of Health Votes to Postpone Demolition By Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
02:06PM / Wednesday, February 08, 2023 | |
 DALTON, Mass. — The Board of Health voted to postpone a demolition permit for 77 High St. during its meeting Monday evening. The 1950s single-family home was condemned last fall after the building department determined it was unsafe because of collapsed flooring in certain areas. It is considered a public health and safety hazard. The house is currently vacant but a lot items are still inside. An asbestos surveyor has gone into the building to attempt to complete an inspection but could not unless it was cleaned out so they can see all the walls and floors. Officials have been attempting to limit the amount of time people are in the house unless it is 0 Comments
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Pittsfield Glow Up! Business Improvement Applications Available | 10:53AM / Wednesday, February 08, 2023 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Downtown Pittsfield, Inc. (DPI) and the Pittsfield Economic Revitalization Corporation (PERC) are co-facilitating The Pittsfield Glow Up! Business Improvement Grant Program made possible by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). The program's purpose is to provide grants of up to $10,000 to eligible businesses affected by COVID-19 within ARPA's disproportionately impacted district of Pittsfield. The grant funds are to be used for physical improvements that will enhance the experience of foot traffic and create a visual vibrancy in the district. Applicants must be a for-profit business in operation since January 2021, be in good standing 21 Comments
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BCC Offers 'Save a Life' Class| 08:08AM / Wednesday, February 08, 2023 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Community College (BCC) will hold a Save a Life class on Saturday, Feb. 11 from 10 am-2 pm. The class will cover Narcan training, basic first aid; adult and child automated external defibrillator (AED) use; adult, child and infant cardiac pulmonary resuscitation (CPR); and bleeding management. The class will be held in Room 205 of the Hawthorne building on BCC's main campus, located at 1350 West St, Pittsfield. The cost of the class is $90. To register, visit www.berkshirecc.edu/savealife. Aiding in a person's survival during an emergency depends on a basic set of skills, which can be maintained for life. 0 Comments
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Pittsfield Panel Looks to Remove Chicken Permitting from ZBABy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
04:58AM / Wednesday, February 08, 2023 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — City councilors have spoken: chicken keeping needs to be simpler and more affordable. On Monday, the Ordinances and Rules subcommittee supported removing chicken permitting from the Zoning Board of Appeals and requiring a license similar to that of a dog.
The request was tabled and referred to City Solicitor Stephen Pagnotta, who will draft an ordinance with guidelines and come back to the panel next month for a final vote.
"I was looking at, similar to how we do dogs is there'll be a license, a very simple license fee that people would have to come in, fill out an application so we know where they are, who the people are, where the chickens are,
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BRPC Receives Nearly $200K For Safety Plan| 03:51PM / Tuesday, February 07, 2023 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Regional Planning Commission received a $198,593 grant through the U.S. Department of Transportation's (USDOT) Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Grant Program. The grant will be used to develop a comprehensive safety action plan. The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) announced approximately $30.6 million in awards to 17 municipalities and Regional Planning Agencies through the first round of the U.S. Department of Transportation's (USDOT) Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Grant Program. The Program was established through the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and includes approximately $5 0 Comments
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Pittsfield Gets $500K Matching Grant to Resurrect Springside House InteriorBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
03:09PM / Tuesday, February 07, 2023 | |
Parks manager James McGrath and Mayor Linda Tyer, right, speak on the federal grant that the city is receiving for Springside House. Tyer says she will ask the City Council for $500,000 in matching funds. PITTSFIELD, Mass. — If the walls of the Springside House could talk, they would tell tales of prominent local families, city business, and plenty of recreational activities. Officials want to ensure that future generations are a part of this story. Pittsfield has received a $500,000 Save America's Treasures grant for interior renovations to the property that was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2008. Mayor Linda Tyer said she will be 6 Comments
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