2024 Regional Transportation Plan Under Development

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Berkshire Regional Planning Commission (BRPC) has begun work on developing the next Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) for Berkshire County. 
 
The RTP has a 20-year planning horizon and is updated every four years. The plan serves as the County's overarching transportation planning document and is required to ensure the region remains eligible to receive federal transportation funding. The RTP employs a systematic approach to evaluate the performance of the transportation system, to identify "needs" or deficiencies in the system, and to develop solutions that best address any existing gaps to meet the region's needs.
 
Berkshire County residents are invited to give their input to help develop the RTP.
 
Three public information sessions have been scheduled to provide an opportunity to learn more about the RTP purpose, process, and products. The first will be held at the Berkshire Athenaeum in Pittsfield on Wednesday Nov. 2, from 5:30-6:30pm. 
 
The second will be held at the North Adams City Hall on Thursday Nov. 10, from 5:30-6:30pm. The third session will be held on Tuesday Nov. 16, at the Great Barrington firehouse from 5:30-6:30pm. All meetings will also be broadcast live as a
Zoom webinar. Spanish interpretation for these webinars is available by request.
 
 

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Former Miss Hall's Teacher Arraigned on Rape Charges

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A former teacher pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to three counts of felony counts rape related to his tenure at Miss Hall's School.
 
Matthew Rutledge, 63, was indicted last month by a Berkshire grand jury following accusations dating back to the 1990s of sexually assaulting students at the girls' school. 
 
Melissa Fares and Hilary Simon, former students, publicly accused Rutledge abuse and called out the school for failing to protect them. 
 
On Wednesday, they provided testimony at his indictment and were in the courtroom to see their alleged abuser arraigned. 
 
Rutledge was working at the day and boarding school until the allegations surfaced nearly three years ago. Pittsfield Police investigated the claims but initially concluded no charges could be brought forward because the students were 16, the age of consent in Massachusetts. 
 
However, the Berkshire District Attorney's Office took up the investigation and, with information from a report commissioned by the school, a team of special prosecutors say they found Rutledge to have violated state law.

"This arraignment has been a long time coming. Thank you, Melissa and Hilary, for your patience. You have been waiting for justice not only over the past two years, but since the abuse first occurred," said Berkshire DA Timothy Shugrue at a press conference following the arraignment. "While today represents just one step in that ongoing process, I hope it has offered at least some sense of long over-due acknowledgment from the criminal justice system recognizing your experiences."

Simon and Fares urged others to release their shame from abuse such as this, as it was never theirs to hold, and continue to push for systemic change to prevent it from happening again.  
 
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