Berkshire Vaccine Collaborative Launches Website

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Berkshire Vaccine Collaborative has announced the launch of a new website containing comprehensive information on how to access the Berkshire area COVID-19 vaccination clinics.

The new site, www.getvaccinatedberkshires.org, was developed to provide a consolidated resource with information about the COVID-19 vaccines, to provide resources on the state's Vaccination Phases and vaccine availability, and to aid the public in making appointments at the three large mass vaccination clinic sites in the Berkshires.

The Berkshire Vaccine Collaborative has established vaccination sites in Pittsfield at the Berkshire Community College Field House, in Great Barrington at the WEB Du Bois Middle School and in North Adams at St. Elizabeth of Hungary's Parish Center. Vaccine clinics are now scheduled for early February to begin vaccinations for the first part of Phase 2, which includes anyone aged 75 and older.

The Berkshire Vaccine Collaborative estimates that there are approximately 18,000 Berkshire residents who are 75 and older, and based on the current distribution of vaccine by the State of Massachusetts, it is likely to take several weeks before completion of Phase 2-A. Clinics will be held weekly based on availability of the vaccine from the Commonwealth.

The website will be updated regularly as more clinics are scheduled throughout February and the coming months and as the state continues to move through Phase 2 and into Phase 3, which is estimated to run through the remainder of winter and into the spring.

The Berkshire Vaccine Collaborative is a partnership between Berkshire Health Systems, Community Health Programs, the Berkshire County Boards of Health Association and public health nurses.

The website is www.getvaccinatedberkshires.org.

DA's Office Clears Hinsdale Officer in Fatal Kauvil Shooting

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
01:10PM / Tuesday, April 14, 2026

Biagio Kauvil, seen in this Instagram post, was armed and having a mental health crisis when police arrived at the scene. 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The District Attorney's Office has determined that the police officer who fatally shot Biagio Kauvil during a mental health incident in January acted lawfully. 

 

On Tuesday, DA Timothy Shugrue held a press conference to announce the results of the investigation, concluding that Hinsdale Officer Jeffrey Spratt fatal shooting of the 27-year-old was a "lawful use of force and it was necessary to prevent imminent series deadly harm to himself or another." 

 

"While the findings were non-criminal, I find it imperative to state that while there will be no criminal charges, the force investigation team did find considerable, which I agree with, concern regarding policies and the Hinsdale Police Department," Shugrue said. 

 

"I strongly recommend that the town of Hinsdale hire an investigator that is completely independent to the agency in the town to conduct a formal review of their internal policies and their applications to the events of January 7." 

 

A March special town meeting in Hinsdale approved $25,000 for an administrative review of the Police Department. 

 

Just before 10 a.m. on Jan. 7, the Hinsdale Police Department responded to the Off South Street home for a well-being check and requested mutual aid from Dalton. At 10:58 a.m., there was a radio notification for a taser deployment, and about 15 seconds later, officers advised that shots were fired. 

 

Less than one minute later, police requested immediate ambulance response and began rendering aid.  Kauvil died after being shot in the head.