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| News and events in Pittsfield, Mass.
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Berkshire Green Drinks: Land Stewardship in a Changing Environment| 02:00PM / Monday, January 09, 2023 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. Robin Sears, the executive director of Williamstown Rural Lands, will speak at Berkshire Environmental Action Team's monthly Berkshire Green Drinks gathering on Wednesday, Jan.11, at 6 PM via Zoom. Robin will discuss the mission, activities, and duties of local land trusts, outline how our natural environment and local demographics are changing, and consider management options for land stewards to respond to and anticipate the needs for ecosystem resilience. Pre-registration is required to attend the virtual gathering. Register at tinyurl.com/Jan2023-Berk-Green-Drinks Williamstown Rural Lands (WRL) is a non-profit, member-supported land conservation trust. It
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Pittsfield Expands Online Permitting for Various Licenses| 10:29AM / Monday, January 09, 2023 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The city of Pittsfield's online permitting system has now been expanded to include various licenses, allowing for a more streamlined user experience. The following Licensing Board permit applications include: • One Day Alcohol • One Day Wine & Malt • One Day Entertainment • One Day Special Auctioneer Applications can be accessed here: https://www.cityofpittsfield.org/online_permitting/index.php First-time users of the online permitting system will need to create a username and password to access the portal. Previously, the above permit applications required the applicant to visit City Hall and fill out a paper 0 Comments
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BCC and BRPC Offer Free 'Choke Saver' Training Certification| 08:12AM / Monday, January 09, 2023 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. —Berkshire Community College (BCC) and Berkshire Regional Planning Commission (BRPC) will offer a free Choke Saver Training class offered on various dates in several locations throughout Berkshire County. The 75-minute class provides participants with a two-year certification. Local businesses, such as restaurants, that are required to have Choke Safe certified individuals on site are particularly encouraged to participate. Space is limited; each class can accept up to 30 students. Classes will be held on Mondays from 10:15–11:30 am on the following dates: Jan. 9 at the Great Barrington Fire Station, 67 State Road, 0 Comments
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BRTA's Fare Free Month Well Received by CommunityBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:23AM / Monday, January 09, 2023 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — During a time of inflationary costs of living, the Berkshire Regional Transit Authority boosted its December ridership by 20,000 with a free fare event. Funded by a state grant, bus and paratransit services were of no cost from Nov. 25 to Dec. 31. This led to nearly 54,000 riders throughout the month, compared to last year's December ridership of around 34,000.
This was just below BRTA's goal of 55,000 riders but Administrator Robert Malnati is still happy with the result, as it allowed more people to use the transit authority’s services or discover them for the first time.
"Hopefully it helped the community at a time where it was needed with
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County Retirement Board Votes 5% Staff COLABy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
04:49AM / Monday, January 09, 2023 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire County Retirement Board voted to set the cost-of-living adjustments at a 5 percent increase during its meeting on Wednesday morning. The Berkshire County Retirement System conducted a salary survey that recommended a COLA of 7.1 percent. The COLA policy that the board previously approved was calculated between 2.5 to 5 percent but the board has the discretion to approve above that calculation in certain circumstances, Executive Director Sheila LaBarbera said. Staff looked into comparable positions for retirement coordinator in Western Mass, including Lowell and Lawrence because they are the two most economically depressed 0 Comments
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Dalton Historical Commission Updated on Town Hall Renovation PlansBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
05:12PM / Sunday, January 08, 2023 | |
 DALTON, Mass. — The Historical Commission is in support of the the more than $600,000 in renovations planned for the 1890 Town Hall building but also wants its historic features to be preserved. "I think we definitely all of us want it to be brought up to the most efficient it can be brought up, modernized buildings definitely needs it," co-Chairwoman Louisa Horth said. "But what the Historic Commission would be concerned about is the look of the building." The discussion came on Wednesday when commissioners were asked by Green Dalton Committee member Dr. Thomas Irwin their thoughts on the renovations to make the building energy 0 Comments
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Pittsfield Firefighters Extinguish North St. Fire | 11:23AM / Sunday, January 08, 2023 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. Firefighters extinguished a Sunday morning structure fire caused by the careless disposal of smoking materials. Sunday, Jan. 8, at 7:30 am the Pittsfield Fire Department responded to 1223 North Street, a two-family apartment building, for a possible structure fire. The 911 call was made by a good samaritan who saw smoke emanating from the building's roof line. The samaritan knocked on the doors and alerted the occupants of the blaze. E3, E5, E2, Tower-1, and Car2 responded. On arrival, fire was showing from the second-floor windows. E3 crew attacked the fire, E5 provided water supply, and E2 conducted a primary search of the 0 Comments
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State Announces Nearly $2M in Fire Education Grants| 10:23AM / Sunday, January 08, 2023 | |
STOW — The Baker-Polito Administration today announced that 266 municipal fire departments will receive $1.9 million in grants to fund fire and life safety education for children and older adults, setting a new record for the Student Awareness of Fire Education (S.A.F.E.) and Senior SAFE programs. The previous record of 253 communities was set in FY 2018. "For more than 25 years, the S.A.F.E. grant program has provided hundreds of thousands of Massachusetts students with fire and life safety lessons that last a lifetime," said Governor Charlie Baker. "We are glad that this year's awards will support consistent, statewide, professional safety education in a 0 Comments
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Pittsfield Board of Health OKs Updated Tobacco OrdinanceBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
07:30AM / Sunday, January 08, 2023 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Board of Health has concluded its seven-month process of updating the city's tobacco ordinance. "We should be very happy about that," Chair Bobbie Orsi said.
The document was unanimously approved on Wednesday after receiving some finishing touches in November. No public comment was generated in response to the public hearing. The ordinance had last been amended in 2019 before Gov. Charlie Baker signed an Act Modernizing Tobacco Control, which imposed new restrictions on the sale of nicotine vaping, flavored vaping, and tobacco products.
Changes effective on April 1 include a clarified definition for blunt wraps, a raised minimum price
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@theMarket: Markets Are Stuck in Chop CityBy Bill Schmick,
10:36AM / Saturday, January 07, 2023 | |
 Welcome to a new year of financial markets. But while the dates have changed, stocks continue to disappoint. The S&P 500 Index has been caught in a range with the mid-point around the 3,800 level. Next week, we could see a minor break higher to the 3,920 level, but it probably won't last. That is because Wall Street experts are as confused as the rest of us. Forecasts for 2023 are all over the place with some strategists predicting an up year while others believe the declines of last year will continue. The confusion stems from a variety of unknowns including the path of inflation, interest rates, and the economy overall. Currently, the markets are focused on the labor 0 Comments
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Brazilian Cuisine Comes to Berkshire CountyBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
06:30AM / Saturday, January 07, 2023 | |
Espetinho Carioca's alcatra acebolada from its Facebook page. PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Homemade Brazilian cuisine is now available to Berkshire County patrons thanks to the opening of Espetinho Carioca, located at 48 B North St. This family run restaurant is working to fill that niche, sharing recipes passed down by generations with the community. The Melo family first shared their food with friends when they moved here from Rio De Janeiro. Berkshire County has a large Brazilian community but not many areas have authentic Brazilian cuisine, Mariana Melo said. "It's also an honor to represent the Brazilians in the area and give them a place to 0 Comments
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Standout in Park Square Says 'Never Again' to Jan. 6 AttackBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:20PM / Friday, January 06, 2023 | |
State Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier speaks at the Four Freedoms Coalition standout at Park Square on Friday. Democracy is fragile, she says, and must be preserved. PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Activists gathered in Park Square on Friday to say "never again" on the two-year anniversary of the U.S. Capitol insurrection. On Jan. 6, 2021, supporters of former President Donald Trump breached the House chambers attempting to disrupt the certification of the Electoral College vote and the election of Joseph Biden. Shirley Edgerton, a local community organizer, said she is deeply concerned about the right-wing faction under the leadership of the former president and is 0 Comments
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