Berkshire Band-Itz Recruiting for Roller Derby League

By Joe DurwinPittsfield Correspondent
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The Band-Itz are trying to bring roller derby back to the Berkshires.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The sport of roller derby is returning to Berkshire County, headed by a small but ambitious group of enthusiasts.  
 
The newly formed Berkshire Band-Itz were approved this week by the Pittsfield Parks Commsion for practice at  Crane Park, and took to the streets during 3rd Thursday actively looking for recruits.
 
Organizer Cheryl Bassett, a seasoned player from the Tampa, Fla., area, says the goal is to create an official league recognized by the Women's Fast Track Derby Association, so that local women have a legitimate opportunity to enjoy the sport in this area.
 
"I moved up here because my husband had work, found out that there was a lot of interest but everything's 40 miles away," Bassett said. "Me, having three kids, I'm not traveling 40 miles to play, and I really wanted to play.  I found a bunch of girls who were really dedicated, so we decided to start our own league here." 
 
A previous attempt at establishing organized bouts, the Berkshire County Roller Derby, took place in 2008, but the effort fizzled early on.  Berkshire Band-Itz has just completed the process of taking over the earlier group's nonprofit incorporation
 
Basset, who derbies under the name "6," said they currently have about half the registered players needed to apply to be a WFTDA apprentice league.
 
"Eventually the goal is to get it indoors somewhere," she said. "But that takes money, and we have to build up numbers first."
 
Interested women, with or without experience, are encouraged to drop in to one of the group's practices, held Mondays and Thursdays from 7:30-9:30 at the outdoor rink at Crane Park at the corner of Springside Avenue and Benedict Road.  The first practice is free to try out, after which Bassett said she envisions some sort of modest dues being agreed upon to be a member of the league.  
 
"It's really something that we feel is a great idea," said Bassett. "We're not profiting from it, but we're really excited about having it in the community."
 
Other players who've signed on are less experienced than the Tampa roller veteran, but say this is an opportunity to get in on the ground floor of the sport in this region.
 
"There's definitely girls on the team that have never played derby before," said recruit Lucia Liebenow. "I had never played before in my life.  You don't have to have any previous experience."

Tags: roller derby,   roller skate,   

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Possible Measles Exposure at Boston, Logan

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Department of Public Health confirmed Wednesday that an out-of-state adult visitor who spent time in Boston and Westborough earlier this month was diagnosed with measles and was present in a number of locations.
 
This could have resulted in other people being exposed to measles virus.
 
The visitor arrived at Logan International Airport on American Airlines flight 2384 from Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, on Dec. 11 at 2:39 p.m. They stayed at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Boston-Westborough in Westborough and departed the state on Dec. 12 via Logan at 9:19 p.m. on JetBlue flight 117 to Las Vegas.
 
DPH is working with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local partners to identify and notify those who may have been exposed to measles from this individual.
 
"Measles is a highly contagious, airborne disease, which has increased significantly in the United States because of the unfortunate decrease in vaccination rates. It is also a preventable disease," said Public Health Commissioner Dr. Robbie Goldstein. "This current situation serves as an important reminder of the critical role vaccination plays in protecting our communities. While Massachusetts has not had a measles case this year, 2025 saw the highest number of nationwide cases in more than a decade — nearly 2,000 in 44 jurisdictions, and sadly, three deaths. 
 
"Fifteen years ago, measles had been considered eliminated in the United States, but that tremendous progress is at risk. Vaccines are one of the most important public health interventions ever — they are safe, effective, and lifesaving."
 
Measles is very contagious. However, the risk to most people in Massachusetts is low because the vaccination rate in the state is high. People who are not immune and visited any of the locations on the following dates and times may be at risk for developing measles.
 
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