Lenox
GOVERNMENT
Update: Thunderstorms with pea-sized hail in Berkshire County Friday
An updated report from the National Weather Service was issued on Friday at 8:43 p.m. for strong thunderstorms until 9:30 p.m. for Berkshire County. The storms are expected to bring pea-sized hail (0.25 inches) and wind gusts of up to 40 mph. "At 8:42 p.m., Doppler radar tracked a strong...
Thornewood Inn project completed, now open to affordable housing units
Great Barrington — The Community Development Corporation of South Berkshire (CDCSB) has completed its Thornewood Inn affordable housing, and it is now open for tenants. The organization purchased the inn, which is a Dutch Colonial home built in 1919, back in December. In 1983, couple David and Terry Thorne...
Dancing and music at First Fridays at Five event in Pittsfield
Pittsfield — The summer’s First Fridays at Five event returned to downtown on Friday, June 7. The event is organized by the city’s Cultural Development Office and Downtown Pittsfield Inc. and is sponsored by Season the Feigenbaum Foundation, Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, Mill Town Foundation, and MountainOne.
As Ketchen’s exit looms, State Rep. Pignatelli appointed interim Lenox town manager
At the end of June, Christopher Ketchen will end 10 years as Lenox town manager after accepting a new job with the Massachusetts Department of Revenue. At Wednesday night’s select board meeting, Lenox resident and State Representative Smitty Pignatelli was unanimously chosen to temporarily fill Ketchen’s empty seat starting July 1st.
As Pittsfield city council passes Marchetti’s debut $216 million budget, community members bemoan $200,000 cut to school department
After initially being asked to deliver a close to level funded budget, Marchetti’s almost $216 million plan – a roughly 5% increase over the previous year – passed in a 10-1 vote Tuesday night. Only Ward 2 city councilor Brittany Noto – formerly Bandani – was in opposition. The sole cut to the plan was $200,000 from the almost $83 million school department budget, eliminating around 23 education-related positions. Community members and school department employees made their displeasure known to the council during the open mic portion of the meeting.
Monument Valley Road Construction Begins Week of 6/17
Great Barrington — The town will begin reconstructing Monument Valley Road from the Route 7 intersection to Muddy Brook Circle starting Monday, June 17. During the week the road will be limited to local traffic only between 6 a.m. and 5 p.m. This closure will occur again near the end of the project, in about six to eight weeks, when notice will be provided.
Great Barrington District attorney appeals two-year suspension
A defense attorney from Great Barrington has been suspended for two years after misusing client funds. Now she’s appealing that decision. Judith Knight was suspended for neglecting clients’ cases and refusing to refund unearned fees, according to NewsChannel 13’s media partners at the Berkshire Eagle. Now Knight,...
West Stockbridge, officials named in lawsuit filed by owners of mobile-home park
West Stockbridge — The Select Board is under fire from The Residences on Mill Pond LLC following a May 8 decision by the group—sitting as the West Stockbridge Rent Control Board—to increase the monthly rent for tenants of the mobile-home park by $1.44, a far cry from the triple increase petitioned by the property’s owner in November. That uptick would have taken the monthly fee from $241 to $797.51.
Dalton Historical Enters First Phase of Establishing 2nd Historic District
DALTON, Mass. — The Historical Commission has embarked on the first phase of establishing its second historical district. During last week's meeting, co-Chair Louisa Horth brought three maps of the proposed district, which would run from the cemetery on Park Avenue down to Depot Street. She recommended dividing the...
Free Eagles Community Band Concert
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Eagles Community Band will perform a free concert on Tuesday, June 18, 7pm at The First Street Common in Pittsfield. Selections include "Strike Up the Band," "The Olympic Spirit," "Cross of St. Andrew," "Lennon and McCarthy Solid Gold," "Pie in the Face Polka," and more.
THEN & NOW: Brookside Road Bridge
The Brookside Road truss-style bridge over the Housatonic River in Great Barrington was recently shut down. The Massachusetts Department of Transportation deemed it unsafe. Brookside Road is at the south end of town and runs east to Brush Hill Road in Sheffield and also intersects with Boardman Street. Estimates suggest it may take four years to get the bridge replaced, causing major inconvenience and safety concerns for those who reside in the area. The population also increases significantly during the summer months at nearby Eisner Camp.
Pignatelli to take on interim Lenox town manager post as his time on Beacon Hill winds down
Massachusetts state Rep. Smitty Pignatelli, who is serving his final term on Beacon Hill, has signed on to be the interim town manager of his hometown of Lenox. The Select Board in Lenox appointed him to the temporary post. The current town manager, Christopher Ketchen, is leaving to take a position with the state.
Pittsfield: Toters Are a Go
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The city is toter-lly ready for a new trash system. Call it a victory for Mayor Peter Marchetti, who was able push through in six months a new waste pickup model that had eluded his predecessors. The City Council approved draft five-year contracts with Casella Waste...
Pittsfield's Boost North Street Cohort Celebrates Program Launch
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Downtown Pittsfield, Inc. (DPI) and the Pittsfield Economic Revitalization Corporation (PERC) announced the launch of the 2024 Boost! North Street Cohort. This program is supported with funding from TDI Local Funds, provided by MassDevelopment's Transformative Development Initiative (TDI), and matched with additional funding from the Pittsfield...
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