Pittsfield to Host Ballina Sister City Delegates

01:21PM / Tuesday, March 11, 2014Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Mayor Daniel Bianchi and the city of Pittsfield will celebrate all things Irish when they hosts visitors representing Pittsfield's Sister City, Ballina.

The group is coming to Pittsfield to celebrate the relationship the two cities have under the Sister Cities International Program. Bianchi and his wife, Theresa, will host a welcoming reception for the delegation on Friday, March 14, at noon in the City Council Chambers at City Hall.

City councilors, former mayors and the public are invited to attend.

Among the events planned, guests and the Pittsfield Irish Sister City members will march in the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Albany, N.Y., enjoy an Irish American Club dinner/dance at the Elk's Club and attend a "Forty Shades of Green Art Show" with a wine and cheese reception at the Lichtenstein Center.

There also will be a dinner show at Mazzeo's Ristorante with Liam Geddes, the 2007 "Irish Idol," performing after dinner. The evening ends with Andy Kelly and his band performing at Patrick's Pub.

Here are highlights from last year's reception.

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Possible Measles Exposure at Boston, Logan

12:05PM / Wednesday, December 24, 2025

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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