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Cultural Pittsfield This Week: Jan. 12-18

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SUN-MON Celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

On Sunday, the Second Congregational Church will host Delivering the Dream: A Celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. from 3-5 p.m. The keynote speaker will be Dr. David L. Smith, the John W. Chandler Professor of English at Williams College. The theme for this year's celebration, "Delivering the Dream," is focused on moving from poetic peaceful platitudes toward bringing about justice and righteousness through community advocacy, agitation and action.
 
On Monday, at 7:30 p.m., the Berkshire Museum will host WordXWord Celebrates Martin Luther King, Jr. Poets will present work that reflects on, is inspired by, or otherwise connects with the legacy of Dr. King. 

 
MUSIC & NIGHTLIFE

 
 
 
The $5 Comedy Garage at The Colonial Theatre presents stand-up comedian and writer Shane Torres, who's performed on Conan, Last Comic Standing and IFC's Comedy Bang Bang. 7:30 p.m.
Plus... 
FRI Four One Trio at Hotel on North | FRI Tyra Nurmi at Methuselah | FRI Blue Light Trio at Rainbow | FRI Comedy Show & Dancing at The A | SAT Balderdash Wine Tasting at Framework | SAT Rev Tor Solo Show at Berkshire Hills Country Club | MON Jazz Night at Mission | TUE Green Drinks with Mark Stinson at J. Allen's | TUE Libations with Librarians at Hotel on North | TUE Berkshire Hills Chorus at Berkshire Athenaeum | WED Gruppo Mondo at Rainbow

 
FAMILY FRIENDLY

 
 
Kids ages 6 and older (and adults!) are invited to paint a unicorn on a 16x20 canvas at Berkshire Paint & SipAll instruction, materials and a light snack are included in the $25 fee. 1-3 p.m.
Plus... 
FRI WeeMuse: Adventures at Berkshire Museum FRI CFCE Baby & Me at Berkshire Museum SAT Chow Time at Berkshire Museum SAT Sensory Friendly Screening of Pooh's Heffalump Movie at Berkshire Museum SAT FREE David Grover Concert at The Colonial | TUE WeeMuse: Littlest Learners at Berkshire Museum THU Preschool Play & Learn at Berkshire Athenaeum

 
WELLNESS

 
Come to the most popular and exciting Latin Night in the Berkshires. The music format consists of a dynamic mix of Tropical/International Latin music including Salsa, Merengue, Bachata, Kizomba, Cumbia, Reggaeton, and Latin Dance Music. 
Plus...
SAT & SUN Long Run with Berkshire Running Center FRI-THURS Various Classes at Berkshire Yoga Dance and Fitness FRI-THURS Various Classes at Radiance Yoga 

 
COMMUNITY



January's Downtown Pittsfield Farmers Market at Zion Lutheran Church will include a chef demo with The Natural Cook, Anna Gershenson at 11 a.m. Children can build whimseys with Wiki Sticks at the Berkshire Museum table, and Becca and Micheal will hold a Book Drive for Prisons. See the website for a list of acceptable books. 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. 
Plus...
SAT Decluttering Group at Wellness Underground SUN Domingo Brunch w/Cassandra & Jake at Dottie's | MON Morintouch Chair Massage at Framework | THU $10 Night Owl Special at Bousquet

 
LEARN



The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at BCC (OLLI) presents Science Conversations every Friday. Join Anthony Segal, M.D. and Peter Bluhm, J.D. for the latest in science news. 10 a.m.
Plus...
SAT Intro to Using EFT (Tapping) with Kids at Wellness Underground | TUE Meditating with Crystals at New Moon Gifts | WED-THU Build a Terrarium at Township Four | THU A Childhood in the Netherlands & Living through the Holocaust at Knesset Israel | THU Marijuana as Medicine at Moments House

 
FILM

FRI-MON It's Not Yet Dark at The Little Cinema 


Narrated by Colin Farrell, It's Not Yet Dark tells the groundbreaking story of Simon Fitzmaurice, a talented young Irish film maker with ALS, as he embarks on directing his first feature film (My Name is Emily) through the use of his eyes and eye gaze technology.
 
 
 
ONGOING
See What's New at The Beacon

What's Showing at The Licht
Pittsfield's city-owned community arts center, the Lichtenstein Center for the Arts, features nine working artist studios, a ceramics studio, a community room and an art gallery with changing exhibitions, classes, performances and more! 

28 Renne Ave.   Gallery Hours Wed-Sat 11am-4pm
 
Out of the Studio features the artists of the Lichtenstein Center for the Arts: Mario Calouri, Rick Casucci, Peg Dotchin, Julio Granda, Jim Horsford, Sean McCusker and Michael Rousseau. The exhibit will run through Jan. 27.
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EPA Lays Out Draft Plan for PCB Remediation in Pittsfield

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

Ward 4 Councilor James Conant requested the meeting be held at Herberg Middle School as his ward will be most affected. 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — U.S. The Environmental Protection Agency and General Electric have a preliminary plan to remediate polychlorinated biphenyls from the city's Rest of River stretch by 2032.

"We're going to implement the remedy, move on, and in five years we can be done with the majority of the issues in Pittsfield," Project Manager Dean Tagliaferro said during a hearing on Wednesday.

"The goal is to restore the (Housatonic) river, make the river an asset. Right now, it's a liability."

The PCB-polluted "Rest of River" stretches nearly 125 miles from the confluence of the East and West Branches of the river in Pittsfield to the end of Reach 16 just before Long Island Sound in Connecticut.  The city's five-mile reach, 5A, goes from the confluence to the wastewater treatment plant and includes river channels, banks, backwaters, and 325 acres of floodplains.

The event was held at Herberg Middle School, as Ward 4 Councilor James Conant wanted to ensure that the residents who will be most affected by the cleanup didn't have to travel far.

Conant emphasized that "nothing is set in actual stone" and it will not be solidified for many months.

In February 2020, the Rest of River settlement agreement that outlines the continued cleanup was signed by the U.S. EPA, GE, the state, the city of Pittsfield, the towns of Lenox, Lee, Stockbridge, Great Barrington, and Sheffield, and other interested parties.

Remediation has been in progress since the 1970s, including 27 cleanups. The remedy settled in 2020 includes the removal of one million cubic yards of contaminated sediment and floodplain soils, an 89 percent reduction of downstream transport of PCBs, an upland disposal facility located near Woods Pond (which has been contested by Southern Berkshire residents) as well as offsite disposal, and the removal of two dams.

The estimated cost is about $576 million and will take about 13 years to complete once construction begins.

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