South Mountain Concerts presents the Juilliard String Quartet for an evening of classics and a world premiere by Lembit Beecher - "One Hundred Years Grows Shorter Over Time" - written for the Quartet in honor of the 100th anniversary of South Mountain Concerts. 3 p.m. $40.
This FREE family event at the Berkshire Athenaeum will feature a guest T-Rex and fun STEAM activities, including: designing a dinosaur, exploring an architectural dig, interacting with live reptiles, creating a shape Stegosaurus and more! Every child will receive a free book. No registration required. 10:30 a.m. - Noon.
Join Roger Thompson at Berkshire Yoga Dance & Fitness for a FREE Chi Running/Chi Walking Workshopfrom 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Learn the correct form and technique to help you stay injury-free. This class is perfect for beginners.
Berkshire Paint & Sip will host a fundraiser for Bear Care Preschool & Child Care Center, where you'll learn to paint "Autumn on Cheshire Lake." Two hours of instruction, all materials, a light snack and a donation are included in the $35 fee. Cash bar. 6:30 p.m.
Town Players of Pittsfield announces two encore performances of Just Say Cheese at the Pittsfield High School Theatre. Written and directed by Beverly Krol, it tells the story of a multi-generational family reminiscing over old photo albums. The show features the talents of many other show alums, coming together to help Town Players of Pittsfield and Proteus, the PHS Theatre Program. Tickets are $12 in advance and $15 at the door. 7:30 p.m.
Spend an evening on the patio at Mazzeo's enjoying hors d'oeuvres, a selection of wine and beer presented by Kelly's Package Store, a silent auction, and interesting raffle baskets.Party on the Patio is a benefit for the programs of the Gladys Allen Brigham Community Center.$50. 5-7 p.m.
The Berkshire Eagle's first Conversation Series will featureR. Gustav Niebuhr - director of programs in religion and media at Syracuse University; Rev. Jerome Day - assistant professor of English at St. Anselm College; and Alan Cooperman - director of religion research at the Pew Research Center.Proceeds benefit The Daniel Pearl Berkshire Scholarship. Barrington Stage Company, 7 p.m. Tickets: $18, $15 for subscribers, $10 with valid student ID.
In her own words, comedian Gilda Radner looks back and reflects on her life and career. Weaving together recently discovered audiotapes, interviews with her friends, rare home movies and diaries read by modern-day comedian (including Amy Poehler), the film offers a unique window into the honest and whimsical world of the beloved actress who became an icon on Saturday Night Live.
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!
The Lichtenstein Center for the Arts will feature Art and Sole, an exhibit of IS183 Art School faculty and student designed, altered and artfully enhanced shoes held in conjunction with the Elizabeth Freeman Center's Walk a Mile event. All proceeds from the show will benefit the Elizabeth Freeman Center and IS183 Art School's Learning Through Arts Program to help support women and families.
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State Fire Marshal: New Tracking Tool Identifies 50 Lithium-Ion Battery Fires
STOW, Mass. — The Massachusetts Department of Fire Services' new tool for tracking lithium-ion battery fires has helped to identify 50 such incidents in the past six months, more than double the annual average detected by a national fire data reporting system, said State Fire Marshal Jon M. Davine.
The Department of Fire Services launched its Lithium-Ion Battery Fire Investigative Checklist on Oct. 13, 2023. It immediately went into use by the State Police Fire & Explosion Investigation Unit assigned to the State Fire Marshal's office, and local fire departments were urged to adopt it as well.
Developed by the DFS Fire Safety Division, the checklist can be used by fire investigators to gather basic information about fires in which lithium-ion batteries played a part. That information is then entered into a database to identify patterns and trends.
"We knew anecdotally that lithium-ion batteries were involved in more fires than the existing data suggested," said State Fire Marshal Davine. "In just the past six months, investigators using this simple checklist have revealed many more incidents than we've seen in prior years."
Prior to the checklist, the state's fire service relied on battery fire data reported to the Massachusetts Fire Incident Reporting System (MFIRS), a state-level tool that mirrors and feeds into the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS). NFIRS tracks battery fires but does not specifically gather data on the types of batteries involved. Some fields do not require the detailed information that Massachusetts officials were seeking, and some fires may be coded according to the type of device involved rather than the type of battery. Moreover, MFIRS reports sometimes take weeks or months to be completed and uploaded.
"Investigators using the Lithium-Ion Battery Fire Checklist are getting us better data faster," said State Fire Marshal Davine. "The tool is helpful, but the people using it are the key to its success."
From 2019 to 2023, an average of 19.4 lithium-ion battery fires per year were reported to MFIRS – less than half the number identified by investigators using the checklist over the past six months. The increase since last fall could be due to the growing number of consumer devices powered by these batteries, increased attention by local fire investigators, or other factors, State Fire Marshal Davine said. For example, fires that started with another item but impinged upon a battery-powered device, causing it to go into thermal runaway, might not be categorized as a battery fire in MFIRS or NFIRS.
Albert Ingegni III was applauded for four decades of service on the Zoning Board of Appeals during City Council. Mayor Peter Marchetti presented him with a certificate of thanks for his commitment to the community.
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Between disagreements about site design and a formal funding process not yet established, more time is needed before a decision can be made.
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The Ordinances and Rules subcommittee on Monday unanimously supported a pay raise for election workers, free downtown parking for veterans, and safeguards to better protect wetlands.
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A parking study of North Street will be presented at Tuesday's City Council meeting. The design maintains parallel parking while expanding pedestrian zones and adding protected bike lanes. click for more