iBerkshires.com - The Berkshires online guide to events, news and Berkshire County community information.

Bennington Museum Opens its Doors

July 03, 2020 | 06:23PM

The Main Street museum, which shut down in March because of the COVID-19 pandemic, was making final preparations for its 1 p.m. opening.

Massachusetts Moves Into Phase 3; Gyms, Museums Can Open

July 02, 2020 | 01:33PM

Fitness centers, movie theaters, museums and other enclosed venues will be able to reopen on Monday with restrictions and the number of people allowed in an indoor gathering is now raised to 25.

Massachusetts Lifting 14-Day Isolation for Certain Travelers

June 30, 2020 | 02:49PM

The state is welcoming travelers from surrounding states that have controlled the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Williams College Announces Plan for Return of Classes

June 29, 2020 | 10:21AM

Students will be allowed to choose to take the year off with no penalty, and the college has lowered the number of courses required in the 2020-21 fall and spring semesters with no impact on a student's progress toward graduation.

Pittsfield Receives CARES Act Funding

June 28, 2020 | 04:36PM

The City Council last week accepted $900,000.00 from the state through the CARES Act to be used for COVID-19 pandemic related expenses.

Doctors Back Up State's Guidance for School Reopening

June 25, 2020 | 03:30PM

The commonwealth came very close to requiring daily temperature checks for students returning to school in the fall, but ultimately decided against the move because those checks would not yield any useful information, he said.

State Issues Guidance for Return of School in the Fall

June 25, 2020 | 12:12PM

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education on Thursday released its first round of reopening guidance for the commonwealth's primary and secondary schools.

Report Finds 'Utterly Shameful' Conditions at Holyoke Soldiers' Home

June 24, 2020 | 02:08PM

An independent report on the outbreak COVID-19 at the Soldiers' Home in Holyoke that cost the lives of 76 veterans is "gut wrenching" to read and "utterly shameful," said Gov. Charlie Baker on Wednesday.

Your Mental Health During COVID-19: When Should You Seek Help?

June 23, 2020 | 10:33AM

For many, mental health during COVID-19 can be hard to maintain. Especially if you are hard hit economically by the punch of the COVID-19 pandemic, you may be experiencing financial and emotional struggles you never before have encountered.

Baker Administration Pushes Testing, Rescinds COVID 'Standards of Care'

June 19, 2020 | 04:15PM

State officials Friday continued to praise Massachusetts for taking the steps that have lowered the rate of positive tests for COVID-19 and introduced new vehicles to advance the commonwealth�s testing program.

Limited Indoor Dining, Nail Salons Can Resume on Monday

June 19, 2020 | 01:41PM

Gov. Charlie Baker on Friday morning said the second step in Phase 2 of Reopening Massachusetts would commence on June 22, allowing for some inside dining, close contact person services, fitting rooms by appointment and increasing the occupancy percentage of offices.

COVID-19 Testing Available for Anyone Who Was at Large Gathering

June 16, 2020 | 04:38PM

The governor's office made the announcement on Monday that 50 pop-up sites would be offering the free confidential tests on Wednesday and Thursday, July 17 and 18.

MassDOT Offering Municipal Grants to Outdoor Dining, Mobility

June 11, 2020 | 02:16PM

Towns and cities trying to aid businesses in reopening will have access to some $5 million in grants through the state Department of Transportation.

Berkshire Health Systems Initiates COVID-19 Antibody Testing

June 11, 2020 | 10:44AM

The testing is available through a blood test and only with a physician order. Interested residents can ask their primary care physician to submit an order to the BHS Laboratory for a test to be drawn at a BHS blood draw station. The result will then be provided to the physician, who will relay the result to the patient.

Adams Preparing For Outside Dining

June 09, 2020 | 01:01PM

Restaurants have been limited to take out and delivery since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March. The reopening plan is great news for an industry that, according to the National Restaurant Association, lost a total of $80 billion in sales and over 5 million jobs in March and April alone because of the global pandemic.

Tourism Destinations to Rely on Visitors' Compliance for Successful Reopening

June 08, 2020 | 06:46PM

Museum-goers are used to signs reminding them not to touch the exhibits. This summer, they may see reminders not to touch their own faces.

Small Classes, Plenty of PPE Advised School Reopenings

June 08, 2020 | 04:02PM

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education issued guidelines Friday on required sanitation supplies and safety for reopening schools this fall.

Massachusetts to Begin Phase 2 Reopenings on Monday

June 06, 2020 | 02:32PM

Gov. Charlie Baker gave the all-clear on Saturday to begin Phase 2 of reopening the Massachusetts economy on Monday as COVID-19 numbers continue to decline.

Tyer: City Preparing for Phase 2 Openings

June 05, 2020 | 04:45PM

Tyer said the city is doing its part to prepare businesses that will be allowed to open in this next phase with limitations and specifications. She said hotels, retail stores, various schools, some personnel services, funeral homes, child care, and restaurants among others will be able to open to different degrees.