PCTV and iBerkshires to Host Pittsfield Debates

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Pittsfield Community Television, in partnership with iBerkshires.com, will present televised debates featuring candidates for the Pittsfield municipal election, in all contested races over two nights next week. 
 
The debates will begin on Monday, Oct. 30 at Berkshire Community College in the K-111 auditorium beginning at 5:00 p.m.  The first debate will feature Ward 2 candidates Brittany Bandani and Alexander Blumin.  The Ward 3 debate will begin at 6:15 p.m. with candidates Matthew Wrinn and Bill Tyer.  At 7:00 p.m., the seven at-large city council candidates will face off in a 90-minute debate. The candidates for the at-large race are incumbents Pete White and Earl Persip as well as challengers Craig Benoit, Kathy Amuso, Daniel Miraglia, Alisa Costa, and Lucas Marion.   
 
On Wednesday, Nov. 1, another series of debates will happen at Berkshire Community College in the Boland Theater beginning at 5:00 p.m. The first debate will feature Ward 6 candidates Craig Gaetani and incumbent Dina Lampiasi.  The Ward 7 debate will begin at 6:15 p.m. with candidates Rhonda Serre and incumbent Anthony Maffuccio.  At 7:00 p.m. the mayoral debate will feature John Krol and Peter Marchetti.
 
The series of debates will be moderated by representatives of iBerkshires and Pittsfield Community Television.  The events are open to the public and will be broadcast live on PCTV CityLink Channel 1303 in Pittsfield, on the PCTV Select App available on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire, iOS, and Google Play, and on the Pittsfield Community Television Facebook page.
 
PCTV and iBerkshires are also soliciting questions from the public.  You can submit your question for the candidates to election@pittsfieldtv.org, and the panelists may choose to use the questions in the debates. 
 
Pittsfield's municipal election will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 7.  Polls open at 8:00 a.m. and close at 8:00 p.m. 

Tags: #PittsfieldElection,   debate,   PCTV,   


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ServiceNet Cuts Ribbon on Vocational Farm to 'Sow Seeds of Hope'

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

Lori Carnute plants flowers at the farm and enjoys seeing her friends. 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Smiles were all around as farmers, human service workers, and officials cut the ribbon Friday on ServiceNet's new vocational farm on Crane Avenue.

Whether it is planting flowers or growing fresh produce, the program is for "sowing seeds of hope" for those with developmental disabilities.

"What Prospect Meadow Farm is about is changing lives," Vice President of Vocational Services Shawn Robinson said.

"Giving people something meaningful to do, a community to belong to, a place to go every day and to make a paycheck, and again, I am seeing that every day from our first 17 farmhands the smiles on their faces. They're glad to be here. They're glad to be making money."

Prospect Meadow Farm Berkshires held a launch event on Friday with tours, music, snacks, and a ribbon cutting in front of its tomato greenhouse. The nonprofit human service agency closed on the former Jodi's Seasonal on Crane Avenue earlier this year.  

It is an expansion of ServiceNet's first farm in Hatfield that has provided meaningful agricultural work, fair wages, and personal and professional growth to hundreds of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities since opening in 2011.

Eventually, the farm will employ 50 individuals with developmental disabilities year-round and another 20 to 25 local folks supporting their work.

The pay is a great aspect for Billy Baker, who is learning valuable skills for future employment doing various tasks around the farm. He has known some of the ServiceNet community for over a decade.

"I just go wherever they need me to help," he said. "I'm more of a hands-on person."

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