PCTV: Healthy Eating Matters

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Pittsfield Community Television (PCTV) has partnered with Berkshire Health System's Operation Better Start and the BHS Berkshire North WIC program to produce a community service television episode of Healthy Eating Matters. 
 
Healthy Eating Matters harnesses the services of Berkshire Health System's Operation Better Start, a pediatric and family nutrition program, with Berkshire North WIC, and Pittsfield Community Television to meet the needs of mothers and infants.  Funded by a grant from Health New England, the Healthy Eating Matters show presents two segments designed to assist WIC families as they shop and prepare meals with WIC-eligible foods. 
 
In the shopping segment, the WIC community coordinator accompanies a current WIC client through the supermarket highlighting healthy foods and how to shop using the Massachusetts WIC app on a smartphone.  In the cooking session, a registered dietitian from Operation Better Start hosts the WIC staff and client as they prepare several quick and healthy breakfast foods using WIC-eligible foods. 
 
PCTV provided their kitchen studio, professional television equipment and expert staff members for pre-production, recording and post-production.  The Healthy Eating Matters show will be broadcast on PCTV and available on demand. Healthy Eating Matters will be posted on the Berkshire Health System's Operation Better Start and WIC websites.

Tags: BHS,   BMC,   PCTV,   

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Pittsfield Schools Consider Enhanced Bus Surveillance

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass.— The Pittsfield Public Schools are considering a couple of companies for enhanced bus safety surveillance after a spring pilot. 

Assistant Superintendent for Business and Finance Bonnie Howland reported that they have met with BusPatrol and Gatekeeper Systems, which offer automated stop-arm enforcement and video surveillance.

It is illegal for drivers to pass a school bus when the red warning lights are flashing, and the stop-sign arm is extended.  This protects children exiting and entering the school bus. 

A stop-arm camera pilot program was conducted in May. 

"We currently have a four-camera system on the interior of the bus, so Gatekeeper is sort of better as far as functionality. It's a little more of an upfront investment," Howland told the School Committee last week. 

"BusPatrol works where you basically have an installation of the cameras, and then as tickets are issued to people, you sort of regain your investment, so it's two different sort of cost profiles."

Gatekeeper would cost about $100,000 to purchase, while BusPatrol has no upfront cost and a monthly charge. 

PPS is interested in putting cameras in all of its buses, about 30.  Howland said that Gatekeeper has a little more robust system that fits into our current system, and Mayor Peter Marchetti reported that the company with no upfront cost helps secure a grant for implementation: $1,200 per camera and $250 a month per bus. 

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