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Pittsfield Suspends Table Service, Reins in Activities as COVID Cases Surge

Staff ReportsiBerkshires
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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The city has suspended all indoor dining and shifting back the Step 1 of Phase 3 in the state reopening process after a surge in COVID-19 cases. 

Since Oct. 22, there have been 169 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the city. These cases have been directly attributed to large get-togethers in restaurants and large private gatherings held in residences and attended by individuals from multiple households.

"We have reached a point of crisis in our city that impacts our entire community. The number of COVID-19 cases have grown exponentially over a very short period of time," said Mayor Linda Tyer said in a statement. "Based on our current case rates and using the state's new calculations to determine risk, Pittsfield has moved into the red category, making us a high-risk community. We need to take aggressive action now to get us back on the right course and reverse this alarming trend."

On Thursday, the Pittsfield's COVID-19 Task Force identified several immediate actions to slow the spread of the virus in the city because of the number of new positive COVID-19 cases continuing to rise in Pittsfield. There are also growing levels of concern for the potential of further community spread. 

Beginning Friday, Nov. 13, the following actions will take effect:

Today, Thursday Nov. 12, Pittsfield Board of Health issued an emergency order suspending table service at city restaurants until further notice.

• Local eateries will still be allowed to provide take-out and delivery service. Patrons should feel free to utilize the city's temporary "grab-and-go" zones for food pickup, which were installed this past spring throughout the downtown. These designated areas offer free and time limited space to allow for quick customer turnover and social distancing.

• Pittsfield Public Schools will transition to all-remote learning through Friday, Dec. 4.  Current elementary, middle, and high school schedules will be followed.

• Meals will be available tomorrow for children 18 and under. They can be picked up


between 11:45 a.m. -12:15 p.m. at the following sites:

Conte Community School, 200 W. Union St.
Morningside Community School, 100 Burbank St.
Allendale Elementary School, 180 Connecticut Ave.
Egremont Elementary School, 84 Egremont Ave.

For more information, visit pittsfield.net.

The Board of Health is issuing an emergency order to shift to Step 1 of Phase 3, which means reduced indoor capacity for all venues and closing of fitting rooms. 

  • Indoor gatherings at private residences is 10.
  • Outdoor gathering limit for private residences is 25 people.
  • Indoor gatherings at event venues and other public spaces is 25.
  • Now that Pittsfield is high-risk, outdoor gatherings are now reduced to 50.

For more information on sector specific guidance, visit www.mass.gov/reopening.

Municipal buildings will be closed to the general public. Community members can visit the city‘s website, www.cityofpittsfield.org, to manage their business needs.


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Companion Corner: Cali and Kyzer at The Berkshire Humane Society

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — There's a bonded dog pair awaiting a new family at the Berkshire Humane Society.

Kyzer and Cali are both poodles. Kyzer is the male and is 7 years old, a quite a bit bigger than his sister Cali, who is a miniature of Kyzer and 8 years old.

Canine adoption counselor Rhonda Cyr introduced us to the two.

"They came from a household that couldn't hold on to them, and it sounds like they may have been abandoned by their previous owner with somebody else, and so they came to us looking for a new home," she said.

The two love to be around you and snuggle. But both are very happy dogs.

"Kyzer is 7 years old, and his personality is that he kind of wants to be in everything. He's very loving, very snuggly, as you can tell. And Callie here, she's 8 years old, and she is kind of like the life of the party," said Cyr. "She wants to tell you everything about her day, and she's a little bit of a little ham."

The two are considered seniors and really like soft treats as Cali just had a few teeth removed and Kyzer has a tooth procedure coming up.

"Currently, they really like soft treats, because they are both on the senior side of things. So they have had some dental work, so they are really in need of something softer. They are not big chewers at this age, really, their main focus right now is just really socializing and cuddling," Cyr said.

The two would love a quiet home with someone who wants to snuggle. They shouldn't go to a home with bigger dogs but if you have a dog, you can bring them in for a visitation with the poodles to see if they will get along. Cats will be fine and the preference is for older and more responsible children so that the pups don't get hurt, as they are senior citizens.

"The perfect home for them would be a quiet home that's not too active. Like I said, they're very social, so they could handle some visitors," she said. "They're very friendly, but I don't think that they would really enjoy any other dogs in the home."

Poodles need to be regularly groomed, and the prospective adopter will have to keep an eye on their health. Kyzer has a heart murmur that needs to be monitored. This doesn't mean he is in bad health, as he could live a perfectly normal life, but he will need to be checked by a veterinary specialist routinely.

"Ideally, he would go to a home that could provide further health care with a specialist in cardiac care. And you know, he could very well live out the rest of his life comfortably and happy," Cyr said. "We just don't have all that information at the moment, but I think that you know the way he's going right now. He's got a good spirit, and he seems to be pretty happy."

The shelter is hoping the to get them a home for the holidays.

"We would love to get them a home in time for the holidays. They've been here since the eighth of November, and they're really, really looking as much as the staff loves them here, we're really looking to get them into a home and somewhere nice and cozy so they can spend the rest of their life together," she said.

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