Licensing Board Approves Tito's New Liquor License

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — With a new liquor license, Tito's Mexican Bar and Grill is staged to re-open under new management.

The Licensing Board on Monday approved a license transfer from Eleventh Pin Restaurant, which operated in the former Ken's Bowl, to the eatery located at 34 Depot Street.

At the previous meeting, the board rescinded Tito's former license after it was abandoned by the previous owner.  The restaurant closed its doors about six months ago and principal Felipe Perez had been unable to be reached by either the city or the new owner Miguel Gomez, who is also the owner of La Fogata on Tyler Street.

"I'm glad that you kept coming back and that everything worked out," Board member Kathy Amuso said, adding that she is happy the restaurant will be back in the community.

Chairman Thomas Campoli pointed out that Gomez's business has a good reputation in the city.

Son Daniel Gomez will be Tito's manager.  Aside from growing up in the restaurant industry, he has helped manage a dispensary in Sheffield and worked at a number of local eateries including No. Six Depot Roastery & Cafe in West Stockbridge, The Olde Heritage Tavern in Lenox, and Mazzeo's.

They plan to be open six days a week --closed on Tuesday-- from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m and eventually plan to be open later on weekend nights.  The board approved the license for service from 11 a.m. to midnight.

• The board approved an extension of East Street pizzeria Crust's seasonal wine and malt restaurant license and a transfer of al all alcohol license from the former Enso Asian Bistro, which was located on South Street across from Guido's.  An attorney speaking on behalf of the owner reported that they are having difficulty extracting a certificate from the Department of Revenue for the transfer and believes it is because the license holder's corporation has been dissolved.  
   
• The board approved a new general on premise seasonal wine and malt license for Pizza Works, located on Tyler Street.  The eatery has been in business for 15 years without selling beer and wine and wanted to see how well it would be received.  It has expanded its footprint into an abutting storefront, providing more room for on-premise consumption.
   
• An application for a new annual wine and malt license from Hot Plate Brewing Co. was tabled because the applicants are still working on getting state approval.  The brewery, owned by Brooklyn, N.Y., transplants Mike Dell'Aquila and Sarah Real and expects to open this winter.

Shoes at Pittsfield City Hall Give Shocking Visual of Countywide Child Abuse

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
07:31AM / Sunday, May 12, 2024

Amy Hall, president and CEO of Child Care of the Berkshires, speaks at Friday's annual Step Up event at Pittsfield City Hall.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — One case of child abuse is too many, Berkshire leaders say.

The steps of City Hall were lined with 56 pairs of children's shoes on Friday, representing the average number of children with confirmed abuse and neglect cases each month in the county. The Children's Trust and Child Care of the Berkshires coordinate this shocking visual yearly.

"Let's just take a minute and realize how many kids that is. That's probably about the number right here that are all together," Jennifer Valenzuela, executive director of the Children's Trust said.

"Fifty-six is  too many children that are being entered into our system and that something is happening in their home. The last time we were all here it was 2019 and there were 58 pairs of shoes so we're doing better. We've gone down by two a month."

She said the goal is for more children to have access to great child care and strong adult support. How does this become a reality? Strong programming and a strong workforce.

"Our home visitors and our family support staff wake up every day and they give unselfishly to the families across Massachusetts. They're supporting our families day in and day out. They're helping them learn about parenting and child development and helping them get set up in the systems that are available and signing up for programming. They're listening to the highs of what it is to be a parent and the lows and for those of us who are parents here, we know that there are many highs and lows," Valenzuela said.

"Their stories of why they do this are heartfelt and I've been going around the state over the last year and a half since I started. What I hear over and over again is, 'I love what I do. I wake up every day and I'm so grateful for the engagement I have with these families and the partnerships that we create. I want to do this for as long as I possibly can.'

"The problem is, they can't afford to stay. We're not paying our workforce enough for them to be able to live and to sustain in this type of work."