Berkshire Community College To Celebrate 60th Anniversary Virtually

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — In 2020, Berkshire Community College (BCC) turns 60 years old. 
 
To celebrate its 60th anniversary, the College has partnered again with Pittsfield Community Television (PCTV) to broadcast an hour-long anniversary special on Thursday, Oct. 22 at 6:00 PM.
 
Founded in 1960, BCC is the first community college established by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. 
 
The 60th celebration video is made up of a compilation of interviews with faculty and staff, a compilation of shorts about various academic programs, spotlights on families that met at BCC, a conversation with Robert Boland for whom the theatre at BCC is named, and a look at the student support services.
 
"When COVID upended all of our plans this year, we knew we had to find a way to reimagine how we were going to celebrate our 60th anniversary," Toni Buckley, director of Alumni Relations at the college said. "We are fortunate to again be able to partner with PCTV, as we did for commencement this year, to share the stories of faculty, students, alumni, and more and create a really amazing hour-long celebration that shows how BCC has helped make this area a better place to live, learn and grow."
 
According to as press release, the celebration will include a look back at the history of the College, from its roots in downtown Pittsfield to moving to the 180-acre campus on West Street, where it continues to support the Berkshires with access to higher education for its residents and so much more.
 
Viewers can watch the 60th anniversary special on PCTV channel 1302, if they have Spectrum in Pittsfield, Dalton and Richmond; on the PCTV Select app, which is available on modern Roku and Apple TV devices; or on Facebook Live on the PCTV or BCC Facebook pages. The video will also be available on the homepage of the BCC website the following day.
 
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Possible Measles Exposure at Boston, Logan

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Department of Public Health confirmed Wednesday that an out-of-state adult visitor who spent time in Boston and Westborough earlier this month was diagnosed with measles and was present in a number of locations.
 
This could have resulted in other people being exposed to measles virus.
 
The visitor arrived at Logan International Airport on American Airlines flight 2384 from Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, on Dec. 11 at 2:39 p.m. They stayed at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Boston-Westborough in Westborough and departed the state on Dec. 12 via Logan at 9:19 p.m. on JetBlue flight 117 to Las Vegas.
 
DPH is working with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local partners to identify and notify those who may have been exposed to measles from this individual.
 
"Measles is a highly contagious, airborne disease, which has increased significantly in the United States because of the unfortunate decrease in vaccination rates. It is also a preventable disease," said Public Health Commissioner Dr. Robbie Goldstein. "This current situation serves as an important reminder of the critical role vaccination plays in protecting our communities. While Massachusetts has not had a measles case this year, 2025 saw the highest number of nationwide cases in more than a decade — nearly 2,000 in 44 jurisdictions, and sadly, three deaths. 
 
"Fifteen years ago, measles had been considered eliminated in the United States, but that tremendous progress is at risk. Vaccines are one of the most important public health interventions ever — they are safe, effective, and lifesaving."
 
Measles is very contagious. However, the risk to most people in Massachusetts is low because the vaccination rate in the state is high. People who are not immune and visited any of the locations on the following dates and times may be at risk for developing measles.
 
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