Pittsfield COVID Cases, Hospitalizations Continue to Rise

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Last week, iBerkshires reported that COVID-19 cases continued to rise after a surge that pushed the city into the "red zone" and hospitalizations had also increased. This week, the report is the same.

On Sunday, the percent positivity rate was 16.6 percent and there were about 132 cases per 100,000 people. The positivity rate was 12.4 percent on the previous Sunday and there were 106 cases per 100,000 people.

This is a stark contrast to the positivity rate of 2.1 in late March when there were only about 13 cases per 100,000 people.

On Monday, there were 20 people hospitalized with the virus at Berkshire Medical Center compared to 17 last week. There were three COVID-19 patients at Fairview Hospital in Great Barrington on Monday as well.

In the last week, there were 30 hospitalizations for patients who tested positive in a PCR test and 52 in the last 14 days. Some 37 patients also have pending tests, according to Berkshire Health System's COVID dashboard.


Pittsfield has about 345 estimated actively contagious cases with 36 new cases just on Sunday.

There are currently about 33 new active cases in the Pittsfield Public Schools. This metric has gone down significantly from the previous week when there were more than 100 reported cases.

Superintendent Joseph Curtis said in a Friday districtwide update that the district continues to do a close analysis of each case in each classroom at each school along with the overall picture of the district. The district is so far not implementing any change in practice but that could change if circumstances do, Curtis also reported.

Early this month Curtis disclosed a possible return of masking in the schools if the cases continued to rise. In his update to students and families dated May 6, he reported 102 cases in the district, about 30 cases higher than his previous communication to families.  

On Monday, Berkshire County had 367 new cases and a 7-day average of 136.


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Show-Cause Hearing for Pittsfield Bar Continued Again

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Bei Tempi will have a show-cause hearing for its liquor license in May after police brought forward pictures that appear to show underage patrons drinking.  

On Monday, the Licensing Board continued a hearing for Zuke's Soups and Variety LLC, doing business as Bei Tempi, to May 18. This is the second month it was continued. In the last year, the bar has been accused of underage service by two different parents.  

Earlier this year, Police Capt. Matthew Hill received a call from an upset parent about her 19-year-old daughter patronizing Iztac Mexican Restaurant at night and being served. 

Those photos resulted in a two-week liquor license suspension for Iztac, and the same mother submitted an almost identical complaint about Bei Tempi with photos, one of them with the owner "clearly visible" in the background, Hill said. 

The owners, Richard and Elizabeth Zucco, did not show up in March, and the hearing was continued again this month. 

"This show-cause hearing was scheduled for March 23 of 2026 and the licensee did not appear at that hearing, although I understand that notice went out by way of email," Chair Thomas Campoli reported after the bar's second no-show, adding that the Zuccos' lawyer communicated they had a "planned prepaid trip" that conflicted with the meeting. 

Last year, a different mother approached the Licensing Board asking for accountability after her underage child was allegedly served at Bei Tempi. After drinking at a graduation party, she said her 18-year-old son became further intoxicated at the establishment before returning home late and becoming combative, resulting in an arrest by police. 

In March, the pictures of alleged underage drinking at Iztac were printed and presented to the Licensing Board with faces blurred; the reporting party wished to remain anonymous along with her daughter and friend, and she was unable to attend the hearing. 

Hill ran the patrons' names through police records to confirm they were not 21. This is the same underage daughter who is said to have drunk at Bei Tempi, and her mother has provided photos. 

The Health Department ordered Iztac to close on March 13 after finding "pests" in the establishment.  On Monday, a notice stating that it was closed to the public to protect public health and safety was no longer on the door but the Health Department confirmed that the closure was still in effect. 

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