Berkshire Veterans Photo Project Features Local Vets

Print Story | Email Story

Photo by Bill Wright
World War II veteran Margaret Haggerty
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Lichtenstein Center for the Arts is about to open an exhibition of the Berkshire Veterans Photography Project, which features more than two dozen Berkshire County residents who have served in the military.

The photos were taken by professional commercial and portrait photographer Bill Wright, himself a military veteran of the Gulf War. Wright's subjects range from a 22-year-old who has already served two tours of duty in Afghanistan and one in Iraq, to a 99-year-old woman who served in World War II. Other subjects include local writer Kevin O’Hara, who served in the Vietnam War, and retired Judge Rudolph Sacco, a World War II veteran.

On Friday, March 12, from 5 to 7 p.m., the center, located at 28 Renne Ave., will host a free opening reception for the show. The show will run through April 10.

The Berkshire Veterans Photography Project is part of the upcoming Big Read community book project, the third to be held in Pittsfield in recent years. This year’s Big Read focuses on the Vietnam War novel "The Things They Carried," by Tim O’Brien, and spans the month of April 2010, the 35th anniversary of the Fall of Saigon.

For more information on participating in The Big Read: "The Things They Carried," contact Ryan Weightman at the Office of Cultural Development, at rweightman@pittsfieldch.com or 413-499-9348. Free readers guides to "The Things They Carried" are available at the Lichtenstein Center for the Arts, the Berkshire Athenaeum, and Chapters Bookstore.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Ex-Miss Hall's Teacher Indicted on Rape Charges

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A former Miss Hall's School teacher accused of sexually assaulting students at the girls' school has been indicted by a Berkshire grand jury.
 
Matthew Rutledge, 63, was indicted on Tuesday on three counts of rape following testimony provided by Melissa Fares and Hilary Simon, former students.
 
Pittsfield Police opened an investigation into Rutledge in 2024. Rutledge was alleged to have sexually assaulted students while serving as a teacher at Miss Hall's School dating back to the 1990s. In October 2024, the Berkshire District Attorney's Office announced that there were no charges able to be brought forward at that time; however, the office kept the investigation open. 
 
In late fall 2024, Berkshire District Attorney Timothy Shugrue took over the investigation, then tasked a team of special prosecutors and the Berkshire State Police Detective Unit, including resources from the Unresolved Cases Unit, to continue investigating the allegations.
 
In 2025, a summary of a report authored by Aleta Law Firm was released to the public. The report, which was commissioned by the Miss Hall's Board of Trustees, consisted of numerous interviews examining the school's culture. The report detailed a pervasive and chronic pattern of inappropriate staff conduct.
 
Using information gathered by both the DA's Office and the Aleta report, the team of special prosecutors say they found Rutledge to have violated state law. 
 
"It took a long time to get to Tuesday's indictment. I commend the prosecutors and detectives who worked tirelessly to bring this case forward," said Shugrue in a statement. "Most of all, I would like to recognize and commend Melissa Fares and Hilary Simon for their bravery and continued cooperation throughout this long, arduous process. 
 
View Full Story

More Pittsfield Stories