Top Story
The city has proposed an increase in the water and sewer rates for the coming fiscal year. The increases have been set by a new formula that city staff believes will help them to "fairly adjust rates."
A second public allegation by a school alumna is made against history teacher Matthew Rutledge. Hilary Simon, class of 2005, says Rutledge groomed and exploited her.
Heather Bellow
Reporter
The Stockbridge Select Board approved 14 one-day alcohol licenses for the series at the 5,100-seat Koussevitzky Music Shed.
In the course of four years, North Street has had two major redesigns and been the subject of countless hours of debate and political drama. A recent study could point the city's main corridor in a different direction altogether.
Meg Britton-Mehlisch
Pittsfield Reporter
Latest News
The town is fine-tuning a Housing Production Plan aimed at creating up to 25 new houses over five years.
A portion of Holmes Road was closed after a car struck a fire hydrant then rolled over a number of times before coming to rest off the busy roadway.
The lots were originally built as campsites in the 1960s in the neighborhood that surrounds Berkshire Trout Pond.
Shell casings are being tested to see whether there is DNA evidence connecting them to Eric C. Cable, who is charged with firing the 9 mm handgun at a fleeing truck.
A chat with Guthrie and Penn about a cult classic involving trash, and an arrest and some trouble with the draft board.
TODAY'S TOP HEADLINES
LOCAL NEWS
A federal judge found that the high-end Wheatleigh hotel withheld tips and overtime from the former employees. The ownership plans to appeal the settlement.
Sylbert was the sixth town manager since 2013. He replaced Kevin Flynn, who quit without explanation.
Jane Kaufman
Community Voices Editor
A trooper pulled over a car that had a light out over the weekend then arrested a passenger who had a handgun but no license to carry, state police said.
Amanda Burke
Cops and Courts Reporter
Out of four residents who took out nominating papers for a vacant Select Board seat, Ari Zorn is the first to return them signed to Town Hall. He says he wants to end division in town and listen to all residents.
Heather Bellow
Reporter
Organizers are attempting to establish a safe haven for children who have survived human trafficking in Berkshire County. The Berkshire Hope House will offer games, classes, support and community to local kids who have been affected.
Matt Martinez
News Reporter
Weeks later, as Pittsfield civic and school leaders and elected officials continue to call on the MIAA for change, PHS coach Jerome Edgerton Jr. is still processing what happened, and advocating for justice for his team.
Greg Sukiennik
News Editor
Michelle Arnot, a Sandisfied resident, avid crossword solver-constructor and one of the few historians of the much loved puzzles, has found herself at the intersection of the puzzle's history. She's helping make sure a milestone for the puzzle gets its due.
Meg Britton-Mehlisch
Pittsfield Reporter
According to data compiled by the Anti-Defamation League, 17 reports were made in 2023 about incidents across the Berkshires — a whopping 466 percent increase over the previous year.
Heather Bellow
Reporter
Two long-serving members, Ed Lane and Neal Maxymillian, are on the ballot, challenged by newcomer Jared Weber.
Featured Businesses
Subscriber Exclusives
“What To Do If Your Balloon Pops,” a narrative work of circus-dance-theater touring across New England, stops in Pittsfield for a performance at The Colonial Theatre, 7:30 p.m. May 3.
Aaron Simon Gross
Arts & Entertainment Reporter
I learned that by applying a “balanced” synthetic fertilizer for the past many springs, one that supplied all three of the major plant nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium), I had poisoned my soil.
Min Khant and Mahnin King spent most of their careers making sushi, but dreamed of opening their own restaurant. Two years ago, they opened Burmese Bowl, in Lee, where they serve up dishes from their native Myanmar.
Aaron Simon Gross
Arts & Entertainment Reporter
Pittsfield High School has announced its honor roll for the second quarter of the 2023-2024 school year.
Herberg Middle School has announced its honor roll for the second quarter of the 2023-24 school year.
The Friends of the New Lebanon Library are accepting donations for the library book sale slated May 17-19 at Church of Our Saviour.
High & Mighty Therapeutic Riding Center Inc. will host a Pony Party and Community Day on Saturday, April 27, at the farm, 71 County Route 21C.
Local History
For nearly 85 years Besse-Clarke had been a popular North Street business from when it opened in 1910. The store closed in 1994 and was the very last of the 42 stores in the Besse System to close.
The construction of the new Union Station in 1914 brought two other changes to the area around it that also remained until the terminal was razed: a steel footbridge over the tracks and a park.
Eagle Archives, April 25, 1960: A census enumerator has to know more than just how to count — she has to be a bit of a diplomat, too.
Eagle Archives, April 24, 1971: The sport of Ping-Pong is no longer a cause for smirks following a visit by the American Ping-Pong team to China.
Eagle Archives, April 23, 1960:
Eagle Archives, April 22, 1939: Frank D. Burke, dean of bricklayers in Pittsfield, worked on the original England Brothers Block in 1891, Pittsfield's first brick pavements, Lanesboro Town Hall and Library, and the Government Mill and Bay State Mill in Dalton.
Eagle Archives, April 20, 1950: About 50 painters will race against time in an effort to paint the entire City Hall Annex building on School Street in less than one hour.
Arts and Culture
“What To Do If Your Balloon Pops,” a narrative work of circus-dance-theater touring across New England, stops in Pittsfield for a performance at The Colonial Theatre, 7:30 p.m. May 3.
I learned that by applying a “balanced” synthetic fertilizer for the past many springs, one that supplied all three of the major plant nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium), I had poisoned my soil.
Min Khant and Mahnin King spent most of their careers making sushi, but dreamed of opening their own restaurant. Two years ago, they opened Burmese Bowl, in Lee, where they serve up dishes from their native Myanmar.
The convection setting basically turns your oven into a large air fryer, although the difference in size means the results can be quite different.
Business
Confidence among Massachusetts employers stumbled in March for the first time in four months, but remained in optimistic territory, according to the latest survey from The Associated Industries of Massachusetts.
Lindsay Maynard was named executive director of Second Street Second Chances April 1, but she’s been in on the planning and development of the nonprofit since before it was named.
Local cannabis merchants promote their products in the lead up to the industry's "420" celebration on April 20.
For their exceptional accomplishments and dedication to the people who work in the nonprofit sector, seven area individuals will be feted on May 21 at the 7th annual Berkshire Nonprofit Awards, held by The Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires in partnership with The Berkshire Eagle. A panel of 21 judges from the business and nonprofit sectors deliberated via Zoom to choose the seven honorees in each of 7 categories from among 62 nominations.
The new offensive coordinator for the Minutemen will make his debut at Saturday's spring game at McGuirk Alumni Stadium.
Monument Mountain, Pittsfield, Taconic and Lenox took to the track in Great Barrington on Wednesday.
Wahconah and McCann Tech baseball and Pittsfield, Lenox and Lee softball all got big wins on Wednesday.
Former Monument Mountain standout Dion Brown has committed, but not yet signed, with Boston College.
Former Boston Symphony CEO Mark Volpe cites changing audience expectations focusing on "total experiences."
After 86 years on earth, I’m entitled to worry, but what does worrying accomplish? My climate worry stems from the possibility that my children, grandchildren, per stirpes, would not be able to enjoy the natural world as I have and in fact might be hard pressed to survive in ways I never had to experience.
The official acrimony in Sandisfield's Town Hall certainly has its uniquely local contours, but by our lights it fits into a concerning countywide trend: As small towns in overlooked regions like ours need responsible and competent local leaders more than ever, it's getting more and more difficult to find — and retain — capable leaders.
Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla., recently told Politico "I would argue it’s a lack of respect for the institution …. This is a 234-year-old institution." Cole was referring to the behavior of his fellow congressional colleagues.
Both the federal government and the state have taken efforts to streamline the process to approve new immigrants to work in the U.S. Here's an inside look at that process.
While negotiators remain at odds over how much they want to draw from state savings and exactly what kind of time limits to place on shelter stays — plus whether restaurants should resume takeout drink sales — funding could run out in less than two weeks, a Healey administration official confirmed Thursday.
Money for the state's emergency family shelter system could run out sometime between Monday and the end of April, according to a top senator, who is part of a six-person group of lawmakers trying to come up with funding solutions.
The steady stream of rain and snowstorms has state and county environmental advocacy groups keeping a wary eye on potential flooding threats. More stormwater infiltration is a major step in the right direction as a step to prevent flooding.