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Pittsfield and Stockbridge firefighters search Silver Lake in boats for a person who went missing and was last reported going into the lake. Searchers have been at the Pittsfield lake most of the day.
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A helicopter circles the lake, located off East Street.
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Personnel from a number of city departments and surrounding communities were working the search. Silver Lake Boulevard was closed off.

First-Responders Search for Missing Person at Silver Lake

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
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Mayor Linda Tyer is updated on the search Tuesday afternoon. 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Police and multiple other first-responder units have been searching Silver Lake for a missing person for the majority of the day.

The police got a report around noon on Tuesday that there may be a person in the lake and set up a command center on location within the hour.  

Cpt. Gary Traversa said police have evidence to support that this may have been the person's last location.

"We're still looking. Obviously, this is a combination of missing persons, response to a family concern, so, no, we don't have anything concrete," he said late Tuesday afternoon.

"We are doing this by the numbers, utilizing the additional resources that we have at our disposal, and they've been kind of building off once we exhaust one avenue or we've gotten to a certain point be bring in another resource."

Search and rescue boats could be seen in the water as well as a helicopter circling the area.

Silver Lake Boulevard is blocked off for the search, which is being conducted by personnel from the Police and Fire Departments, the Berkshire Dive Team, Berkshire County Sheriff's Office, the Hinsdale Rehab Unit, and Stockbridge Fire Department, with an ambulance on standby.


Traversa said the first responders will be there until the agencies say that there is nothing else they can do. The person reportedly went missing within the last 24 hours.

Mayor Linda Tyer was at the scene later in the afternoon. The police said she wanted to come down and provide any support she could for the agencies there.

Earlier in the afternoon, a despondent individual was atop the bridge that goes over Fourth Street threatening to jump off. Responders, including a clinician, were able to talk the person off the bridge and transport them to the crisis department.

The incident was resolved by around 2:15 p.m.

During this time, that area of Fourth street was blocked off.

 


Tags: missing persons,   search,   

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Pittsfield Signs Negotiating Rights Agreement With Suns Baseball Team

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Suns will call Wahconah Park home again. 

On Tuesday, the Parks Commission accepted a negotiating rights agreement between the city and longtime summer collegiate baseball team, the Pittsfield Suns. It solidifies that the two will work together when the historic ballpark is renovated. 

It remains in effect until the end of 2027, or when a license or lease agreement is signed. Terms will be automatically extended to the end of 2028 if it appears the facility won't be complete by then. 

"It certainly looks like it lays out kind of both what the Suns and Pittsfield would like to see over the next year or so during this construction plan, to be able to work together and work exclusively with each other in this time," Commissioner Anthony DeMartino said. 

Owner Jeff Goldklang, joining virtually, said he shared those thoughts, and the team looks forward to starting negotiations. After this approval, it will need a signature from Mayor Peter Marchetti and the baseball team. 

The negotiating rights agreement recognizes the long-standing relationship between Pittsfield and the team dating back to 2012, and the Suns' ownership group's historical ties to Wahconah Park and the city dating to the 1980s. The team skipped the 2024 and 2025 seasons after the historic grandstand was deemed unsafe in 2022.  

The Suns were granted the exclusive right to negotiate in good faith with the city for a license or lease agreement where the Suns will be the primary tenant. During the terms of the agreement, the city can't negotiate or enter into an agreement with another party for leniency, licensing, or operation of Wahconah Park for professional or collegiate summer baseball. 

"The Parties acknowledge the historic and cultural importance of Wahconah park to the residents of Berkshire County and share a mutual goal of providing community access, engagement, and programming on a broad and inclusive scale," it reads. 

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