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| News and events in Pittsfield, Mass.
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Pittsfield Raises Overdose Awareness FlagBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
12:03PM / Friday, August 30, 2024 | |
A box of naloxone treatment outside St. Stephen's parish office. PITTSFIELD, Mass. — An overdose awareness flag was raised in front of City Hall for the first time on Thursday.
Hosted by Berkshire Harm Reduction and the Berkshire Overdose Addiction Prevention Collaborative, around 50 community members marched from Allen Street to Park Square holding signs with phrases such as "Smash the stigma," and "Cool kids carry naloxone."
The county lost 48 people to overdose in 2023 — half from Pittsfield.
Julie MacDonald, program director of Living In Recovery, was teary-eyed when the purple flag rose because it meant that the agencies'
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Suicide Prevention Conference Scheduled for September | 10:26AM / Friday, August 30, 2024 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Several key Berkshire County mental health and community organizations across the region are partnering on a suicide prevention conference to be held in Pittsfield in September. New Perspectives on Populations at Risk in Berkshire County will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 10 from 8 am to 4:30 pm at Bousquet Mountain Ski Area in Pittsfield. The event is aimed at social workers, licensed mental health counselors, licensed alcohol and drug counselors, nurses and psychologists. The program is sponsored by Berkshire Health Systems, the Berkshire Coalition for Suicide Prevention, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health Suicide Prevention 0 Comments
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Dalton Police Station Panel Asks for StudyBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
05:46AM / Friday, August 30, 2024 | |
DALTON, Mass. — The Public Safety Facility Advisory Committee agrees that the current police facility, located in the basement of the Town Hall, is inadequate. The station is in poor condition, has safety issues, and lacks the space to serve the community properly. The committee's charge is to examine all the options for a new police station or combined public safety facility and recommend the best to the Select Board. It is crucial that the committee explores all these options so that when it comes time to go to town meetings, their recommendations can be justified and they can answer any questions voters may have, Town Manager Thomas 0 Comments
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AT&T Seeks Permanent Cell Tower at Transfer StationBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:30AM / Friday, August 30, 2024 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — AT&T plans to replace a temporary cell tower with a permanent one on the Casella property. The Zoning Board of Appeals supported variances and a special permit to facilitate a permanent wireless monopole facility at 500 Hubbard Ave., where Casella Waste Systems operates a transfer station.
Blueprints show the permanent, 111-foot tower next to the temporary tower's current location. The wireless company leases the space.
"It is pretty much buried behind the Casella property. It's hardly visible from the street except for the height of the pole, which I think people are used to at this point in time," board member Thomas Goggins said at the
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The Retired Investor: How the U.S. Can Manage Its Increasing Debt LoadBy Bill Schmick,
04:12PM / Thursday, August 29, 2024 | |
U.S. deficits at $35.225 trillion are going through the roof and interest payments on our debt load account for an increasing share of gross domestic product. We are not alone in facing this trend. The question is what monetary and fiscal policymakers will do about it. The time-honored, go-to strategy that has worked well for decades among nations in times like these is to devalue one's currency. How does that work? Readers need to understand that the level of interest rates plays an important role in currency devaluation. For example, the U.S. dollar and U.S. interest rates work hand in hand. When traders buy dollars, they don't just keep their money in the currency 0 Comments
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Pittsfield Announces Public Flu, COVID-19 Vaccination Clinics| 10:30AM / Thursday, August 29, 2024 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The City of Pittsfield Health Department announces vaccination appointment schedule for Pittsfield individuals. As the season for flu and COVID-19 is underway, it is time for residents to get vaccinated. Vaccinations help prevent illness or reduce serious illness and the risk of hospitalization. Public flu and COVID-19 clinics have been scheduled for: Sept. 3, 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at O.U.R. Resurge Community Center, 117-133 Fenn Street (Informational Session Only) Sept. 17, 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the Ralph J. Froio Senior Center, 330 North Street Sept. 30, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Greylock Federal Credit Union, 75 Kellogg St. 0 Comments
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Berkshire Organizations Awarded Tourism Grants| 08:16AM / Thursday, August 29, 2024 | |
BOSTON—The Healey-Driscoll Administration announced $5.9 million in grants to 61 cultural and tourism projects through the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism's Destination Development Capital (DDC) grant program, which supports projects that expand, construct, restore, or renovate Massachusetts tourism destinations and attractions. "Massachusetts is a world-class destination thanks to our rich culture and iconic landmarks," said Governor Maura Healey. "With these grants, we are supporting small businesses, driving job creation, and investing in local and regional economies across the state. Many of the destinations we are supporting with these grants 0 Comments
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Former NFL Player Shares Message on Overcoming AdversityBy Stephen Dravis, iBerkshires.com Sports
06:20AM / Thursday, August 29, 2024 | |
 DALTON, Mass. – By any reasonable measure, Keith Willis has been a success in sports and in life. And the former NFL tight end probably inspired a little awe among the Wahconah High School student-athletes who filled the Nessacus Middle School auditorium on Wednesday evening. But he did not come to show off. He came to show those students how to be winners themselves. “How many think it’s cool that I played for five different NFL teams?” Willis said, asking for a show of hands from the youngsters. “It’s pretty cool, right? “You know what people don’t think about? That means I was cut five different 0 Comments
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Overtime, Wages Caused $165K Deficit in Dalton Fire DistrictBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
05:33AM / Thursday, August 29, 2024 | |
The Board of Water Commissioners say the deficit was caused by failing to budget for overtime and higher wages when the ambulance service began hiring paramedics. DALTON, Mass. — An audit of the Fire District's expenses has found a $165,000 deficit caused mainly by overtime for firefighters and emergency medical technicians. When the Board of Water Commissioners suspended Fire Chief Christian Tobin earlier this month following allegations of sexual harassment, grant overspending, and "employee concerns," Tobin shot back with claims of "unlawful departmental practices" that included misuse of credit cards and illegal wage and hour 0 Comments
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Pittsfield Housing Trust Has End of Year ARPA DeadlineBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:17AM / Thursday, August 29, 2024 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Affordable Housing Trust has four months to commit a half-million dollars in American Rescue Plan Act funds. Community Development Director Justine Dodds delivered this "somewhat surprising" news to the panel last week. It was previously believed that they had a couple more years to decide which housing projects would receive support.
"As compressed as it may seem, I feel like we are really in kind of a good spot," Dodds said, explaining that the panel has letters of interest, an overview of interested applicants, and a full application that will allow them to make an informed decision.
What this means, she said, is that the board
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CBRSD Says Improved Reporting System Explains Increase in Student OffensesBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
01:30PM / Wednesday, August 28, 2024 | |
 DALTON, Mass. — Bullying allegations reported have increased, but that is likely due to Central Berkshire Regional School District's improved reporting system, the administration says. There was a presentation on the district's discipline and bullying data during the School Committee meeting last week. According to the presentation, the total number of student offenses in the 2023-2024 school year was 280, whereas in the 2022-2023 school year, there were only 212 student offenses. "I would have anticipated [the increase], to be perfectly honest with you, because I think our systems are better. I think our systems are more sensitive, 0 Comments
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Pittsfield City Hall Parking Unavailable Due to Construction| 10:12AM / Wednesday, August 28, 2024 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Due to repairs underway at the rear entrance of City Hall, the parking lot behind the building is currently not available for use and will remain unavailable through Friday, Aug. 30. Residents and visitors are asked to park on Fenn Street, Federal Street or in the First Street parking lot from now through Friday if they need to visit City Hall. City Hall asks that residents utilize the accessible ramp entrance located on the Allen Street side of the building. For voters that are returning their absentee or early voting ballots, you can either place them in the ballot box, located near the exit of the back parking lot, Fenn Street side of 0 Comments
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