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Cruisers are currently staged in the Rusty Anchor parking lot.
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Authorities are asking people to avoid the boat ramp so as not to interfere with searchers.

UPDATE: Pittsfield Firefighters Recover Body From Pontoosuc Lake

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The search began on Tuesday.
The district attorney's office confirmed at 7 p.m. that the body recovered from Pontoosuc Lake on Thursday was that of a missing New York man.
 
The individual's name is being withheld until next of kin can be notified.
 
Pittsfield firefighters recovered the body after three days of intensive searching by local and state authorities.
 
Pittsfield Police are still investigating what is being described as an "apparent drowning." The State Police Detective Unit assigned to the Berkshire District Attorney's Office and Colonie (N.Y.) Police are assisting in the investigation.
 
Authorities have not found any evidence to suggest anyone else was involved or evidence of foul play.
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Update: Pittsfield Police are currently recovering a body from Pontoosuc Lake.
 
According to Lt. Gary Traversa, Police were "in the midst of the recovery process" around 1:00 p.m.
 
According to scanner reports in the late morning, police found a male under the water near the docks at the Rusty Anchor.
 
It has not been confirmed to be the body of the New York man they have been searching the southern portion of the lake for since Tuesday. 
 
Cruisers are currently staged in the Rusty Anchor parking lot.
 
Traversa said any further media inquiries will be coordinated through the District Attorney’s Office.
 
Story developing... 
 
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Original Post, Wednesday, May 12, 2021, 2:05 p.m.
 
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Pittsfield Police Department is coordinating a search operation for a missing New York man on and around the southern portion of Pontoosuc Lake.
 
The man's identity and where in New York he was from has not been released.
 
A State Police truck and boat trailer was parked at the boat ramp. Several officers were in a yellow boat with equipment slowly moving through the south part of the lake on Wednesday. Several other boats were also being used.
 
The search commenced Tuesday morning with assistance from the Berkshire County Sheriff's Office, Environmental Police, and State Police. After searching the water for seven hours, it was determined that additional resources and equipment would be required to continue. The search resumed on Wednesday.
 
The police first received a report of a suspicious vehicle in Blue Anchor Park off Pontoosuc at about 2:23 p.m. on Monday.
 
Initial responding officers determined that the vehicle may have been abandoned, as it was revealed that the registered owner of the vehicle was reported missing out of New York State on May 5. Further investigation lead police to believe he had not left the area and searchers turned to the lake.
 
Police said the search of Pontoosuc Lake will be active until a recovery is made, those involved have reached their daily limitation, or the suspected missing party is located by other means.
 
The PPD asks that the public avoid the area of Blue Anchor Park and the Pontoosuc Lake boat ramp in order to allow public safety partners to maneuver freely.

 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Pittsfield Police Department is coordinating a search operation for a missing New York man on and around the southern portion of Pontoosuc Lake.

 
The man's identity and where in New York he was from has not been released.
 
A State Police truck and boat trailer was parked at the boat ramp. Several officers were in a yellow boat with equipment slowly moving through the south part of the lake on Wednesday. Several other boats were also being used.
 
The search commenced Tuesday morning with assistance from the Berkshire County Sheriff's Office, Environmental Police, and State Police. After searching the water for seven hours, it was determined that additional resources and equipment would be required to continue. The search resumed on Wednesday.
 
The police first received a report of a suspicious vehicle in Blue Anchor Park off Pontoosuc at about 2:23 p.m. on Monday.
 
Initial responding officers determined that the vehicle may have been abandoned, as it was revealed that the registered owner of the vehicle was reported missing out of New York State on May 5. Further investigation lead police to believe he had not left the area and searchers turned to the lake.
 
Police said the search of Pontoosuc Lake will be active until a recovery is made, those involved have reached their daily limitation, or the suspected missing party is located by other means.
 
The PPD asks that the public avoid the area of Blue Anchor Park and the Pontoosuc Lake boat ramp in order to allow public safety partners to maneuver freely.

Tags: drowning,   Pontoosuc,   search,   

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Central Berkshire School Officials OK $35M Budget

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
DALTON, Mass. — The Central Berkshire Regional School Committee approved a $35 million budget for fiscal 2025 during its meeting on Thursday.
 
Much of the proposed spending plan is similar to what was predicted in the initial and tentative budget presentations, however, the district did work with the Finance subcommittee to further offset the assessments to the towns, Superintendent Leslie Blake-Davis said. 
 
"What you're going see in this budget is a lower average assessment to the towns than what you saw in the other in the tentative budget that was approved," she said. 
 
The fiscal 2025 budget is $35,428,892, a 5.56 percent or $1,867,649, over this year's $33,561,243.
 
"This is using our operating funds, revolving revenue or grant revenue. So what made up the budget for the tentative budget is pretty much the same," Director of Finance and Operations Gregory Boino said.
 
"We're just moving around funds … so, we're using more of the FY25 rural aid funds instead of operating funds next year."
 
Increases the district has in the FY25 operating budget are from active employee health insurance, retiree health insurance, special education out-of-district tuition, temporary bond principal and interest payment, pupil transportation, Berkshire County Retirement contributions, and the federal payroll tax. 
 
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