Westside Super Soap Box Derby

10:59AM / Wednesday, August 16, 2023Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Westside Legends is hosting our 2nd Annual Westside Super Soap Box Derby on Saturday, Aug. 19 from noon to 4 pm.

There will be a rain date on Sunday, Aug. 20.

Check-in starts at 11 am and the first race starts, which features the city's mayoral candidates, at noon. The event will be held at the corner of Columbus and Robbins Ave.

There will be three divisions: young kids, teens, and adults (ages 18+). Trophies will be presented for first place and Best in Show for each division. The racers will "zoom" down Robbins Ave and the finish line

will be at Southern Ave.

Partners include Berkshire Regional Planning Commission, Blue Q, Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity, Greylock Federal Credit Union, Interprint, Mill Town Foundation, PCTV, Premium Water, Inc. and TDI Mass Development. Please come have fun and meet the neighborhood. While you are there, please enjoy food provided by Grampie's Hot Dogs, Smokey Divas and Cravins Ice Cream. Hot dogs and ice cream will be free for the first 100 kids eighteen and under.

Westside Legends, Inc. is a 501(c)3 non-profit entity that looks to improve the quality of life of others on a Community/City/County level, through such items as education, local events, and fundraisers.

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Dalton Board Signs Off on Land Sale Over Residents' Objections

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
05:50AM / Tuesday, December 23, 2025

Residents demanded the right to speak but the agenda did not include public comment. Amy Musante holds a sign saying the town now as '$20,000 less for a police station.'

DALTON, Mass. — The Select Board signed the sale on the last of what had been known as the Bardin property Monday even as a handful of residents demanded the right to speak against the action.

The quitclaim deed transfers the nine acres to Thomas and Esther Balardini, who purchased the two other parcels in Dalton. They were the third-highest bidders at $31,500. Despite this, the board awarded them the land in an effort to keep the property intact.

"It's going to be an ongoing battle but one I think that has to be fought [because of] the disregard for the taxpayers," said Dicken Crane, the high bidder at $51,510.

"If it was personal I would let it go, but this affects everyone and backing down is not in my nature."

Crane had appealed to the board to accept his bid during two previous meetings. He and others opposed to accepting the lower bid say it cost the town $20,000. After the meeting, Crane said he will be filing a lawsuit and has a citizen's petition for the next town meeting with over 100 signatures.

Three members of the board — Chair Robert Bishop Jr., John Boyle, and Marc Strout — attended the 10-minute meeting. Members Anthony Pagliarulo and Daniel Esko previously expressed their disapproval of the sale to the Balardinis.

Pagliarulo voted against the sale but did sign the purchase-and-sale agreement earlier this month. His reasoning was the explanation by the town attorney during an executive session that, unlike procurement, where the board is required to accept the lowest bid for services, it does have some discretion when it comes to accepting bids in this instance.

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