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Mayor Linda Tyer, Stihl Territory Manager Jason Weaver, Carr Hardware co-owner Bart Raser, Pittsfield's Parks and Open Spaces Manager Jim McGrath, Rotary Club President Jeff Hassett, Carr Hardware co-owner Marshall Raser, and Carr Hardware's Director of Marketing Geoffrey Webb.

Carr Hardware Delivers Check For Pittsfield Splash Pad Project

By Andy McKeeveriBerkshires Staff
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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — On Monday, Carr Hardware did what it said it would do -- donate its recent prize winnings toward building a splash pad at Clapp Park.
 
The local company has won the "Indie Award" as small business of the year from the business organization Independent We Stand. The prize includes $5,000 cash, which Carr Hardware opted to go toward a splash pad project in partnership with the Rotary Club of Pittsfield. 
 
"It's got fabulous potential to be as good as the Common," Mayor Linda Tyer said of the splash pad, which "is the most popular thing at the Common."
 
The Rotary Club is looking to spend some $180,000 on the project and the city is looking for a grant from the state to renovate the entire park. The Buddy Pellerin Field Committee is looking to spend another $30,000 on improvements to the park.
 
Further, Carr Hardware won $1,000 to donate to a local business organization. On Monday, co-owner Bart Raser announced that money will go to Downtown Pittsfield Inc. 
 
Overall, Carr Hardware won some $50,000 worth of prizes. Besides the $5,000 cash prize, the company receives $1,000 for a small-business group of its choosing, $1,000 worth of Stihl equipment certificates, marketing services from Snap Retail, branding, advertising, and public relations assistance from the Meridian Group, three days and two nights at a branding retreat in Virginia Beach, and a plaque to display in the store.
 
Carr Hardware next year will be entering its 90th year since it was founded and prides itself on being a community partner. It operates stores in Pittsfield, Lee, Great Barrington, and North Adams in Massachusetts, and stores in Avon and Enfield, Conn.

Tags: business award,   donations,   public parks,   Rotary,   

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Pittsfield Man Pleads Guilty to 2025 Assault, Firearm Charges

Staff ReportsiBerkshires

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A city man is facing up to nine years in prison after pleading guilty to multiple assault and firearm charges from last year. 

The Berkshire District Attorney's Office has reported that on Thursday, Oct. 15, Jarvis L. Chadwell Jr., 20, pleaded guilty to 10 charges and was sentenced to 7 to 9 years in state prison following an incident on Oct. 18, 2025.

Police say that he fired a gun multiple times in a vehicle over an argument, striking the car and nearby home.  

"This incident was not just alarming because there was gun violence, but also because it occurred in such close proximity to a school. I will not waver on my stance towards gun violence in our community — gun violence must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," District Attorney Timothy Shugrue said. 

"While I am committed to supporting those who need our help with recovery options and courts of hope, we must also protect our children and communities from the threat of violence that can claim lives in an instant. I commend the Pittsfield Police for their response and dedication to quickly solving this crime."

This occurred near Morningside Community School, which was retired at the end of the last academic year. 

Charges: 

  • armed assault with intent to murder
  • attempted assault & battery by discharging a firearm
  • witness intimidation
  • malicious destruction of property
  • resisting arrest
  • assault and battery on a police officer
  • illegal possession of a firearm
  • illegal possession of a large capacity feeding device
  • possession of ammunition without a firearm identification card 
  • possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony

Probation conditions include a mental health evaluation and aftercare; sign any releases required by probation; and refrain from abuse of the named victim, including threats of violence.

Pittsfield Police responded to a ShotSpotter activation at 65 Cherry St. just before 1 a.m. on that day in 2025. Upon arrival, police say witnesses confirmed hearing a gunshot and observing a man fleeing the area.

"While outside the 65 Cherry Street residence, officers observed a vehicle parked near the neighboring residence with a bullet hole in the windshield and an additional bullet hole in the side of 67 Cherry Street. Based on witness descriptions at the scene, law enforcement was able to quickly locate the Defendant within 30 minutes of the incident," a press release from the DA reads. 

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