The first 3rd Thursday of 2019 will celebrate youth, with performances by
the Berkshire Pulse youth drummers led by Aimee Gelinas w/guest dancers,the Breffny Irish Dancers, Youth Alive, the Reid Middle School Orchestra, the Taconic Guitar Ensemble, Kids 4 Harmony, Berkshire Theatre Group and Rock On!
Berkshire Yoga Dance and Fitness will be leading a FREE Zumba class at 6:30 p.m. in Park Square.
And the Jacob's Pillow Dance Zone will feature a 3rd Thursday All Styles Dance Battle. The battle is free to enter and open to participants of all ages, abilities and styles. DJ BFG will spin tracks live and community judges will decide who will be crowned the winner, for a $250 cash prize. 5-8 p.m.
Fabrizio and The Fever will perform as a fundraiser for The Richie duPont Award, which so far has been given to 139 children, allowing them the opportunity to attend BTG PLAYS! summer camps on scholarship. The evening also includes araffle and a chance to purchase VIP tickets that include premium seating, a pre-show reception with refreshments, a Fabrizio and The Fever meet and greet, and an event poster signed by the band.7 p.m. $15/$25/$50.
Everyone is welcome to celebrate the arts at Pittsfield High School's Arts Night. The senior art exhibit opens at 6 p.m., and will be followed by a band, chorus and jazz band concert at 7 p.m. FREE.
Help Berkshire Yoga Dance & Fitness celebrate its 5th birthday with a full day of FREE classes: PiYo Live!, Strength & Cardio, Zumba, Peaceful Flow Yoga, Child & Family Yoga and more! PlusFREE fitness evaluations with Thomas Davis and FREE Thai massage with JoAnna Barzotinni. Don't forget to enter the free raffle for some great prizes.
Create your own summer herb garden at Township Four! Lemon thyme and chocolate mint make delightful ingredients for your summer drink of choice or for fresh cooking. Your creation will also include beautiful edible accent flowers. Leave with ideas on how to use the herbs in drinks! 6 p.m.
The BCC Players present Stephen Schwartz's Tony Award winning Pippin The Musical. Prince Pippin seeks fulfillment in the glories of the battlefield, the temptations of the flesh and the intrigues of political power, in the end finding that happiness lies not in extraordinary endeavors, but in everyday moments. Berkshire Community College's Boland Theatre. $10/$15.
The 2nd Annual Berkshire Nonprofit Awards Breakfast will be held at Berkshire Hills Country Club from 8-10 a.m.The awards recognize people who work tirelessly in the nonprofit sector to serve the Berkshire community. View the full list of nominees here.
Learn basic skills using traditional blacksmith's tools and techniques in a coal-fired forge. Create a three-dimensional wool gnome using fibers from the Village's sheep and other local sources. Learn to make a wool "painting" of an iconic village scene. No experience necessary. Registration required. Hancock Shaker Village.
Werner Herzog and André Singer's riveting documentary, filled with archive materials and based on three long interviews, provides access to one of the world's greatest living politicians. Now 87 and battling illness, Mikhail Gorbachev, former General Secretary of the U.S.S.R, has mellowed and slowed down. Still, gently but resolutely, he is pushing towards his goals. Herzog, as on-screen interviewer, celebrates Gorbachev's three remarkable accomplishments: negotiations with the U.S. to reduce nuclear weapons; cessation of Soviet control of Eastern Europe and the reunification of Germany; and the dissolution of the Soviet Union and Eastern Bloc.
Artscape invites you to apply to a juried art auction to benefit public art in Pittsfield. Up to three pieces will be accepted in all media including fine art, photography, jewelry, ceramics, etc. Artists may choose to submit as a donation or receive 30% of the proceeds. Artists will receive promotion in the Berkshires as well as free entry to the event.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.
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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