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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The state now controls what can and can't be released on the Pittsfield High School investigation.

On Wednesday, the School Committee voted to refer the investigative report to Manza Arthur, supervisor of records with the secretary of state's office, and ask her to return a proper redacted report to release to the public.

The Pittsfield Public Schools have been ordered to release non-exempt parts of Bulkley Richardson & Gelinas' investigation into alleged staff wrongdoing by May 8 after community advocate

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Pittsfield Public Schools have been ordered to release non-exempt parts of the PHS investigation report by May 8 after a community advocate filed a public records request.

"Pittsfield residents deserve transparency when it comes to the actions of public officials within taxpayer-funded institutions," petitioner and Pittsfield resident Ciara Batory said in a press release on Monday.

 "The community has a right to understand how serious issues are investigated and addressed. This decision is a win for every parent, student, and resident who believes in open, honest governance."

Batory has children in the school system, she said,

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Community College (BCC) announces the addition of two new staff members and two promotions. 

Mary Budzn joins BCC as Alumni Relations and Philanthropy Manager. Originally from Cincinnati, OH, she earned her bachelor of fine arts degree in theatre arts from Boston University. A Lenox resident, she has lived in the Berkshires since 2018, when she moved to the area to work for Shakespeare & Company’s training department, which led to her career in development. Most recently, she worked for Bard College at Simon’s Rock in various roles, including Advancement Services Associate, Annual Giving Manager, student advisor and adjunct

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A local mother has petitioned the city for better pedestrian safety measures around schools.

Jacquelyn Sykes, who has two children in the district, asked Commissioner of Public Works and Utilities Ricardo Morales to mull safety improvements before the new school year begins in the fall.  

This includes more vibrant road paintings and flashing signs.

"I have a walker and I park around the corner and I wait for her, and I literally come out of my skin watching how people drive by the schools. It's insane," she said during Tuesday's City Council meeting.

"There's no police presence. A kid already got hit on Holmes Road, that's

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The City Council doesn't want promises of transparency around the Pittsfield High School investigation to be backtracked.

On Tuesday, it urged the School Committee to release a public summary of the findings from the independent investigation into staff misconduct at PHS. Councilors reported that they have been left in the dark along with the general public, so much so that Ward 1 Councilor Kenneth Warren submitted a public records request.

"I want to be clear that we on the council haven't received a secret briefing on what happened. We are being left in the dark, too. It's not acceptable," Ward 6 Councilor Dina Lampiasi

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Community College (BCC) will host graphic novelist, filmmaker, and tattoo artist James Spooner for a free talk on Wednesday, April 30, at 2 p.m.

The event, titled "The Ripple Effect Is Wild: How Small Projects Can Have Huge Unexpected Impacts," will be held in the Connector on BCC's main campus at 1350 West Street.

Spooner's presentation will focus on the value of community engagement over social media metrics.

His debut graphic novel, "The High Desert," was recognized as a top book of 2022 by Publishers Weekly, The Washington Post, and The New York Public Library. He also co-edited "Black Punk Now," an anthology of

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A city councilor is adding pressure to release an executive summary of the Pittsfield High School misconduct investigation.

Councilor at Large Earl Persip III has submitted a petition to Tuesday's City Council meeting urging the School Committee to release a public summary of the findings from the independent investigation into staff misconduct at PHS.

He said public trust needs to be restored in the school district, and transparency is vital to make that happen. The petition asks his colleagues to go on record in agreement.

"The community has been deeply affected by recent events, including the arrest of a school administrator on federal drug charges

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