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Markey Secures Agreement to Restore WWLP to Cable Lineup

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — U.S. Sen. Edward J. Markey report he has brokered a deal to restore WWLP, Channel 22, to cable viewers in the Berkshires.
 
Charter Communications had removed the NBC affiliate in Springfield nearly three years ago, cutting off Berkshire residents access to television news in Massachusetts. WCVB, Channel 5 Boston, was cut in 2018.
 
Because the Berkshires are technically part of the Albany, N.Y., "Designated Market Area," Western Massachusetts viewers have only had access broadcast stations in the Capital District with their focus on New York news. Berkshire County is, therefore, known as an "orphan county," like other counties in Wisconsin, Colorado, and Nebraska that rely on outside stations for limited local news.
 
Markey has worked with U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren and U.S. Rep. Richard Neal for three years to bring the station back on the air in the region.
 
"The people of Massachusetts rely on local broadcast television every day. It's how we get the news that matters to us. It's how we stay up to date on the information that affects our lives," said Markey. "That's why I have been working for nearly three years to bring WWLP back to the Berkshires, and I am proud to announce that we have reached a solution that will give Berkshire County residents what they want: access to Massachusetts news.
 
"I thank Nexstar, WWLP's owner, and Charter for reaching this deal, and I thank Senator Warren and Congressman Neal for working with me to make this agreement a reality."
 
Under the terms of this agreement, WWLP will be restored to the Charter channel lineup and subscribers will either see live WWLP news programming as it airs, and when the news is not being aired live, the station will loop previous news broadcasts.  In effect, the station will serve as a 24-hour WWLP news station covering Massachusetts. Charter subscribers in the Berkshires will also continue to have access to broadcast stations based in Albany, New York. Charter subscribers should expect the WWLP programming to come on the air in the next 60 days. 
 
"We all strongly believed that Massachusetts residents should be able to view Massachusetts news, weather, emergency alerts and other important programing," said Neal. "With today's announcement, the people of the Berkshires will once again be able to watch the local NBC affiliate WWLP TV-22 rather than Albany news. This is terrific news for Berkshire County."
 
Markey previously introduced legislation with Warren and Neal that would force the cable company Charter to engage in good faith negotiations with WWLP and WCVB to bring those stations back on the air in Berkshire County. Specifically, the bill authorizes a cable operator (Charter) to transmit any station that was retransmitted to viewers on Dec. 1, 2016, including WWLP and WCVB, to subscribers in the Albany Designated Market Area, which includes Berkshire County, and forces Charter and the stations to negotiate carriage. 
 
The bill also preserves Berkshire County residents' access to Albany stations that provide relevant weather updates and important emergency information. Markey pushed for a version of this bill as an amendment to the 2019 satellite reauthorization bill in the Senate Commerce Committee. 
 
"WWLP-TV 22News is extremely pleased that Nexstar's work with Charter, Congressman Neal and Senators Markey and Warren resulted in WWLP-TV's News 22 local newscasts and programming returning to Charter subscribers in Berkshire County and we are looking forward to providing our high-quality, top-rated local news and content to those viewers," said Robert Simone, vice president and general manager of WWLP.
 
Markey has personally met with the chief executive officers of Charter and Nexstar, WWLP's owner, and encouraged the two parties to resolve their dispute and meet Berkshire residents' demand for Massachusetts television programming. Over the past three years, his staff has been in regular contact with both companies and has worked to return carriage of Massachusetts programming to the Berkshires.


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Friday Front Porch Feature: Allendale Pines North

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Are you looking for an inexpensive home to raise your family in? Then this might be the home for you. And if not, there's a couple other options.

Our Friday Front Porch is a weekly feature spotlighting attractive homes for sale in Berkshire County. This week we are showcasing model homes at Allendale Pines North.

Teton Management is opening its new manufactured housing development next Allendale Pines at 395 Cheshire Road, and has three different model homes to choose from.

The Monroe with a full porch and with a half-porch, and The Aspire are available to move into in March. 

All the models have three bedrooms and two baths in 1,280 square feet, and include two parking spaces. The Monroe full-porch is on the market for $194,900, Monroe half-porch $189,900, and The Aspire for $204,900. View a video tour here.

The lot rent is $550 a month and it includes trash removal and recycling, as well as water and sewer. Tenants are responsible for their own utilities and lawn care/snow removal. Dogs and cats are allowed, for up to two pets.

We spoke with Val Whaling from Teton Management about the new homes.

What do you think makes this property stand out in the current market? 

The three models — Monroe Full- Porch, Monroe Half -Porch, and The Aspire — are Titan Home products manufactured by Champion Homes and stand out in the current market because:

  • The purchase price of these homes is well below current market rate single-family homes in Berkshire County.

  • The 5 Star Energy-Efficient rating (featuring energy-efficient windows and high- performance insulation) and one-year warranty on the home, sets these homes apart from older, stick-built homes.

  • These homes are built to strict HUD standards and include structural integrity in order to meet federal standards for durability, safety and wind resistance.

Are there any stand-out design features? 

Stand out features include: open concept floorplan, covered porches, stainless steel appliances, large laundry room /mudrooms, and large glass walk-in showers.

What kind of buyer do you see this home being perfect for? 

First time homebuyers/ professionals preferring home ownership vs. renting, empty nesters wanting to downsize, and cost-conscious individuals preferring the affordability of these homes.

What's the neighborhood like? 

Allendale Pines North will be comprised of 22 brand-new homes, on individual lots, set on beautiful property, neighboring the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail. The property is located at 395 Cheshire Road, Pittsfield, offering proximity to retail shopping and dining. Additionally, Allendale Pines North property is well managed by a reputable owner/operator. (All adult community residents are approved via community application approval process.).

What would you say to a buyer trying to imagine their life in this space? 

"Imagine the cost savings of owning a brand-new, energy-efficient home, easy to maintain and allowing the convenience of modern day and easy living, in a quiet, well-managed community."

What does the home come with? 

Included are: Stainless steel Whirlpool appliances (refrigerator with icemaker, dishwasher, and gas stove/oven), and closets equipped with shelf/hanging rod. Plus an 8-by-10-foot Amish built shed, two wooden entrance stairs with wooden handrails and black wrought iron spindles, two-car driveway, sidewalks and brand-new water/sewer infrastructure.

You can find out more about these homes on its listing here.

*Front Porch Feature brings you an exclusive to some of the houses listed on our real estate page every week. Here we take a bit of a deeper dive into a certain house for sale and ask questions so you don't have to.

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