| News and events in Pittsfield, Mass.
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Dalton to Decide Police Budget, Fund TransfersBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
05:58AM / Wednesday, June 25, 2025 | |
DALTON, Mass. — After a contentious two-day town meeting, lengthy discussions between community members and town officials, and the postponement of the initial special town meeting date, voters will reconvene on Thursday at 7 p.m. at Wahconah Regional High School. Voters will be deciding on six warrant articles during the town meeting, including the police budget that was singled out from the rest of the operating budget during the town meeting with an eye to making more cuts. During the annual town meeting, the Police Department proposed a budget of $1,664,924, an increase of $129,668 over the previous fiscal year. However, it failed to pass by a secret ballot 0 Comments
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Pittsfield School Committee to Vote on Middle School RestructuringBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:33PM / Tuesday, June 24, 2025 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The School Committee will take a historic vote on the structure of Pittsfield Public Schools on Wednesday.
On the agenda is a "vote on the middle school grade plan" restructuring, which would create an upper elementary school for grades 5-6 and a junior high school for Grades 7-8 by the 2026-2027 academic year. This would modify current school attendance zones away from assigning students to a middle school based on their home address.
"The reconfiguration aims to provide more targeted academic programming, age-appropriate social-emotional supports, and expanded elective options," the district wrote in a notice for a public
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BCC and PHS Awarded Early College Designation| 01:15PM / Tuesday, June 24, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Community College (BCC) and Pittsfield High School (PHS) have been officially designated an Early College program by the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education and Board of Elementary & Secondary Education, part of the statewide initiative to create high-quality early college partnerships. Early College programs empower high school students—particularly first-generation and underrepresented learners—to begin college-level coursework, earn academic credit, and accelerate toward degree completion at no cost to families. As a designated Early College partnership, eligible PHS students can enroll in BCC 0 Comments
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Pittsfield Creates Separate Authority for Dangerous DogsBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:28AM / Tuesday, June 24, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Animal Control Commission will no longer have to make tough decisions on dangerous dogs, as a hearing authority will now handle that.
This is a part of several changes made to the commission over the past couple of months, including fewer members and no requirement for veterinarian representation on the panel.
"So this commission is supposed to meet four times a year to discuss happy things," Chair Renee Dodds told members in early June.
After a lengthy discussion, the panel voted to have a Bradford Street dog euthanized, Dodds explaining, "We don't do this a lot, but just multiple bites and child bites is just
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Post 68 Downs WilbrahamiBerkshires.com Sports,
10:46PM / Monday, June 23, 2025 | |
WILBRAHAM, Mass. – Roshan Warriar went 2-for-3 with an RBI Monday to lead the Pittsfield Post 68-1 American Legion Baseball team to an 8-5 win over Wilbraham. Ben Jacob and Connor Devine each doubled in a four-hit attack for Post 68, which drew nine walks and took advantage of seven Wilbraham errors. Matthew Burega earned the win on the mound with four innings of work. Cam Harrington and Chase Wendling each pitched in relief. Post 68 is home on Wednesday against Northampton. 0 Comments
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Stay Safe In the Heat Wave: Cooling Centers and ResourcesBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
05:42PM / Monday, June 23, 2025 | |
Temperatures rose during the day, hitting 92 degrees on Main Street in North Adams. List of South County cooling centers here. PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Summer is here, and people are feeling it with the heat wave that has hit central and eastern U.S., including Berkshire County. On Wednesday, the U.S. Bureau of Climate and Environmental Health issued an extreme heat alert, advising people to remember that the first heatwave of the season is when risk is the highest. "Data show that heat-related illnesses and hospital visits spike during the first stretch of [85-degree] F days, before people have acclimated to the heat," it 0 Comments
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Pittsfield Co-op Promotes Assistant at Williams Street Branch| 03:58PM / Monday, June 23, 2025 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Pittsfield Cooperative Bank (Co-op Bank) to announced the appointment of Alexarey Overbaugh to assistant branch manager of its Williams Street, Pittsfield location. According to a press release: Since joining the team in November 2021, Overbaugh has consistently brought dedication and excellence to every role. Starting as a teller at the Bank’s South Street branch, she quickly became known for exceptional customer service and a strong work ethic. In March 2024, Overbaugh was promoted to head teller at the newly opened Williams Street branch, where she helped establish smooth operations from day one. Now, Overbaugh continues to grow 0 Comments
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Blue-green Algae Bloom Reported in Pontoosuc Lake| 02:54PM / Monday, June 23, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Recent observations results have confirmed the presence of a blue-green algae bloom at Pontoosuc Lake that may present harmful health effects for users of the lake. Accordingly, and as recommended by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, a public health advisory is being issued. Waterbody poses risk for people and pets. Do not swim. Do not swallow water. Keep animals away. Rinse off after contact with water. Warning signs are being posted around the lake. Blue-green algae, also known as Cyanobacteria, occur naturally in lakes and ponds throughout Massachusetts. These microscopic organisms are components of the aquatic food 0 Comments
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BRTA Administrator Robert Malnati Retiring Next YearBy Breanna Steele, iBerkshires Staff
12:32PM / Monday, June 23, 2025 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Robert Malnati's been getting people on the bus for more than two decades — and he's hoping to see ridership on the Berkshire Regional Transit Authority hit a record before he retires next year. "We might be over 600,000 riders this year. That's huge. That is huge," said the BRTA administrator. "We probably haven't seen that number since probably the '70s." Malnati became the transportation agency's sixth director in its 50-year history in 2014, succeeding Gary Shepard. He started as deputy administrator in 2002; his contract will be expiring next year after 23 years. "It's 0 Comments
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Pittsfield Subcommittee Supports Crosby/Conte Feasibility StudyBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
04:03AM / Monday, June 23, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass.— The finance subcommittee unanimously supported borrowing up to $2 million for the Crosby feasibility study. It will go to the full council for final approval, and is expected to take up to a year. This would gauge the possibility of rebuilding Silvio O. Conte Community School and John C. Crosby Elementary on the West Street site with shared facilities. "It's a very involved process. We went to several meetings. The City Council went to several meetings, including we toured the facilities. This is the next step in the process. If I recall we haven't built a new elementary school since 1970-something," Ward 1 Councilor Kenneth Warren
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Eversource Ready for An Active 2025 Atlantic Hurricane Season | 06:31PM / Sunday, June 22, 2025 | |
BOSTON, Mass. — As the ocean waters churn along the east coast and another hurricane season begins, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is predicting above-normal activity for the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season. Between June 1 and November 30, NOAA is forecasting a 60 percent chance of an above-normal season with 6-10 hurricanes having winds of 74 mph or higher and 3-5 major hurricanes with winds 111 mph or higher. With the changing climate increasing the frequency and severity of extreme weather around the globe, including here in New England, Eversource is reminding customers to plan and always be prepared for severe weather. The energy company
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Berkshire Force 12Us Claim Tourney Title at HomeBy Stephen Dravis, iBerkshires.com Sports
05:44PM / Sunday, June 22, 2025 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. – A tournament that featured a number of dramatic finishes saw all the drama taken out of the 12-and-under finale in the top of the first inning. The Berkshire Force scored six times in its first at-bat en route to a 14-0 win over the Greylock Thunder in the title game of the Battle of the Berkshires on Sunday afternoon. Kaylana Altman went 3-for-3 with a triple, a pair of doubles and two RBIs, and Olivia Archambault struck out seven in a complete-game, five-inning shutout in the circle to claim the 12U crown. In the tournament’s 14U division, the Dutchess Divas of New York’s Hudson Valley beat the South Shore Chaos of Bridgewater, 0 Comments
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