New Sturgeon WTBR Show Shelved Amidst Complaints

By Joe DurwinPittsfield Correspondent
04:40PM / Tuesday, May 29, 2012Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The debut of a recently announced new WTBR talk show featuring popular local radio host William Sturgeon has been postponed indefinitely.

The show, slated to begin Tuesday, May 29, would have from run 8:30 to 10 a.m. to follow established local morning show "Good Morning, Pittsfield" on the Taconic High School station.

The show had been given approval by the program director as well as Superintendent of Schools Howard "Jake" Eberwein, but a last-minute decision to hold off on its launch was announced over the weekend.

"The debut of the Bill Sturgeon show on WTBR has been put on hold. Possibly for good," said station manager Larry Kratka, in a post in WTBR's Facebook group. "There are apparently some officials in Pittsfield government who are terrified of what Bill would do to them."

"Bill and I know what kind of show he was going into," said Kratka. "Even Superintendent "Jake" Eberwein and School Committee Chair Alf Barbarlunga agreed with my vision of the kind of show it would be. No phones ... interviews only. For this, I thank them."

Sturgeon had offered to provide an interview show for WTBR, following his departure from his popular program on WBRK radio, which ended in early May following what the host described as a breakdown in negotiations.

Speaking on WTBR's "Good Morning, Pittsfield" on Tuesday morning, Sturgeon said he was told there had been comments from several parties concerned about the show, including Taconic Principal John Vosburgh. The exact nature of these concerns has not been made known, though Sturgeon suggested that some individuals objected to the idea of the student-run show being overshadowed by adult radio talent.

"Bringing more people into a studio isn't going to decrease the opportunities for kids," said "Good Morning, Pittsfield" host and Ward 6 City Councilor John Krol. "It's going to provide more diversity for them to be able to learn more from people who've had different experience in the past."

Krol was invited to host the early morning news program "Good Morning, Pittsfield" in 2006, when the station nearly lost its FCC license because of a lack of programming and too much dead air time caused by student turnover.

Krol pointed out that the budget at WTBR consists of an approximately ~~$6,000~~ $1,000 stipend paid to Kratka to run the station, and $6,000 for equipment and technical upgrades.

Sturgeon said the decision of whether to proceed with his show will now rest ultimately with the Pittsfield School Committee.

Tags: radio, WTBR,

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State Wins $130M to Advance West-East Rail

03:03PM / Saturday, October 17, 2026

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Some $130 million in federal monies is being invested into passenger rail along the so-called Knowledge Corridor and for laying the groundwork to establish West-East Rail from Albany, N.Y., to Boston.

The funding for the Springfield Hub Modernization Project was announced on Friday by Gov. Maura Healey, U.S. Sen. Ed Markey and U.S. Reps. Richard Neal and James McGovern.

The project is part of the state's Compass Rail vision, centered on Springfield Union Station and building on existing Amtrak Vermonter, Hartford Line and Valley Flyer service.

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation was awarded the funding through the Federal Railroad Administration's Fiscal Years 2025-2026 Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements grant program to support modernization of the rail infrastructure around Springfield Union Station.

"This is a major win for Western Massachusetts and a big step forward for West-East Rail," said Healey in a statement. "This $130 million investment in Springfield will help us improve transportation, reduce congestion and connect more communities to jobs, housing and economic opportunity. I'm grateful to Senators Markey and Warren, Congressmen Neal and McGovern, and all of our partners for helping us secure this critical funding and move us closer to expanded passenger rail service across Massachusetts."

The project will upgrade tracks, signals and other infrastructure to address a major rail bottleneck, reduce conflicts between freight and passenger trains, and allow more efficient operations and expanded rail service. This work is expected to improve on-time performance, reduce delays and provide more schedule flexibility for Amtrak Vermonter and Valley Flyer passengers. The project will also create capacity for future passenger rail service while reducing unnecessary train idling, emissions and operating costs.

"Building West-East rail is a once-in a-lifetime investment to connect Massachusetts' communities and our regional economies like never before. It will mean lower costs, less congestion, and access to opportunity for families across the state," said Markey. "I'm proud to have secured this $130 million in federal funding alongside Governor Healey, Senator Warren, Congressman Neal and Congressman McGovern, bringing our total federal investment to more than $280 million to date, which will build the track to this more affordable, cleaner, better connected future."

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