Pittsfield's West Street Topic of Forum

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A community forum will take another look into the proposed changes for slowing traffic on West Street.
 
The public meeting will be held in the Crosby Elementary School auditorium, 517 West St., on Monday, July 24, at 6 p.m. It is being hosted by he city's Department of Public Services, the Pittsfield Community Design Center and City Councilor Dina Lampiasi.
 
An overview of the proposed changes for traffic-calming measures for West Street between Valentine Road and Government Drive will be provided. Attendees will also have an opportunity to share their thoughts and provide input on the project.
 
Proposed improvements that were presented earlier this month include narrowing the road, reconfiguring travel lanes into 10- to 11-foot travel lanes, upgraded Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant ramps, rapid flashing beacons at mid-block street crossings, re-aligning crosswalks, shortening pedestrian crossing distances, eliminating dedicated turn lanes and reducing turning radii.
 
The safety of the West Street corridor was fast tracked earlier this year when a mother was killed and her young daughter injured when they were struck while crossing the street. The Pittsfield Community Design Center is a non-city affiliated group advocating for safer streets and has 
 
For additional information on these meetings, please contact Tyler Shedd, city engineer, at 413-499-9417.

Tags: road safety,   

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Berkshire Community College Names Presidential Finalists

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The state's first community college has narrowed down the field to replace retiring President Ellen Kennedy. 
 
Presidential Search Committee has recommended four finalists who will be participating in on-campus interviews and forums in the coming weeks. 
 
The finalists, "identified ... from a strong initial pool of applicants," according to a college statement, are Hara Charlier, president of Central Lakes College in Minnesota; Nicole Esposito, chief executive officer of Manchester Community College in New Hampshire; Karen Hynick, acting provost for Connecticut State Community College; and Albert Lewis Jr., chief of staff / executive vice president at Northwest State Community College in Ohio. 
 
The finalists were screened and evaluated using the "Presidential Profile" that was developed through conversations and listening sessions with members of the campus community and executive search firm Academic Search.
 
"From the outset, this search has reflected the very best of BCC — openness, collaboration, and deep engagement with our community," said Julia Bowen, chair of the BCC Board of Trustees, in a statement. "I have been incredibly impressed by the strength, experience, and passion of the candidate pool. These four finalists are exceptional leaders, and I am genuinely excited for our campus community to meet them and help us welcome the next president who will guide BCC into its next chapter."
 
Biographies: 
 

Albert Lewis Jr. 
Lewis holds a doctorate in education from Gwynedd Mercy University in Pennsylvania, a master's in industrial/organizational psychology from Grand Canyon University in Arizona, and a master's in education administration from the University of Akron in Ohiol. 
 
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