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Police are investigating human remains found by parks workers at Wahconah Park on Tuesday.

Human Remains Found at Wahconah Park

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
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A swampy area of the grounds is taped off at Wahconah Park. 

Update at 3:53 p.m.: Police say the remains were collected by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner and that they were in an advanced state of decomposition. No identification has been made. 

A city employee who was cutting brush in the park made the discovery but that location is not part of the baseball field. 
 
The detective bureau is investigating and police said there is no indication of any threat to the general public. 
 
Anyone who can provide information is asked to call 413-448-9705. Information can also be provided anonymously via 413-448-9706, or by texting PITTIP and your message to TIP411 (847411).
 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Police are investigating human remains found Tuesday on the grounds of Wahconah Park.

A swampy area between the parking lot and the park on Wahconah Street was taped off after a late morning call from the Parks Department reporting the find.
 
"We were called by the Parks Department," Police Cpt. Matthew Kirchner said. "We're investigating. We have a deceased party."
 
He said parks workers were doing routine maintenance when the body was found at approximately 11 a.m.
 
iBerkshires was on the scene at about 1:15 p.m. and police said no further information could be released at that time about the identity, age or gender of the remains. Police were waiting for the medical examiner to arrive.  
 
Police would not confirm or deny a report about the condition of the remains.
 
"We are waiting for the medical examiner's office," Kirchner said. "There will be an investigation done."
 
The taped area around where the body was found is blocked off from the public but the park and the parking lot remain open. The area appears not far from open space and is next to a baseball backdrop, which is also taped off.
 
The patrol division, Crime Scene Services and the detective bureau were on the scene.  


 


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Pittsfield Cleans Downtown Litter, Works on Outreach Program

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — As the city develops a peer support outreach program, workers are clearing the downtown of potentially hazardous litter from the wintertime. 

Over the past three weeks, the Health Department has sent out inspectors to assess sanitary conditions in the downtown, beginning on North Street, moving to First Street, and to the McKay Street parking garage. 

"We've identified a lot of needles, and mostly needle caps and then small drug paraphernalia, and while we're identifying them, we're noting where we're finding them, and we're also picking them up and disposing of them properly," Director of Public Health Andy Cambi said. 

"… We have not found any human waste sanitation issues currently, again, not to say that there isn't any, but I think it also speaks to the fact that we do have a new facility that's open, that's being run, The First, which does offer bathroom facilities, laundry facilities." 

On Monday, he updated the Public Health and Safety subcommittee on the progress of the upcoming peer support outreach program and cleanup efforts in the area it will serve. 

The First housing resource center opened in February in the basement of the Zion Lutheran Church with bathrooms, lounge spaces, lockers, and more. In its early days, it averaged about 50 visitors daily; on Sundays, an average of 70 visitors. 

Cambi said he is in constant communication with ServiceNet, which is operating The First. 

"It has been used heavily, so I think that speaks to the relief of issues that we're seeing in the downtown area in regards to those sanitation issues," he added.

"It's a great resource that's available that is being constantly used, so again, what it was intended for."

When the department comes across human waste, they will connect with Department of Public Works staff to have it cleaned and sanitized.  Workers can make a clear distinction between pet and human waste, Cambi reported. 

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