Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Detected in Mass

04:00PM / Saturday, February 10, 2024Print Story | Email Story

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources' (MDAR) Division of Animal Health is informing the public that Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) has been detected in Essex County.

MDAR and its partner agencies depopulated and disposed of a non-commercial, mixed-species backyard flock (non-poultry) in Essex County due to HPAI. Birds on the affected premises died suddenly without exhibiting any other clinical signs consistent with HPAI and samples tested positive for the disease.

MDAR advises backyard and commercial poultry owners to practice strong biosecurity measures to prevent domestic poultry from having contact with wild birds, their feathers, and droppings. The HPAI virus is continuing to circulate in the wild bird population, particularly in wild waterfowl. Eliminating standing water and preventing domestic birds from having access to ponds, streams, and wetland areas that attract wild waterfowl is of critical importance.

Additionally, over the past few days the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife) has received reports of dead and dying wild Canada geese in Essex County and the surrounding coastal areas. These wild birds showed symptoms consistent with HPAI. Several samples have been collected for HPAI testing and results are pending. While humans are rarely infected with avian influenza viruses, humans that have prolonged close contact with sick or dead birds infected with HPAI are at the most risk of becoming infected. Officials are urging the public not to handle or feed any birds suspected of being infected. Pet owners should also prevent their dogs from making contact with wild birds.

REPORT sick or dead birds

Domestic birds: 617-626-1795 or online Poultry Disease Reporting Form: https://www.mass.gov/forms/poultry-disease-reporting-form

Wild birds: Department of Fish and Game, Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife)

https://www.mass.gov/forms/report-observations-of-dead-wild-birds

For more information regarding the HPAI disease, visit MDAR's Avian Influenza?webpage.

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Pittsfield School Committee Sees Budget Calendar, Chapter 70 Concerns

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
05:28AM / Monday, January 19, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Pittsfield Public Schools kicked off its fiscal year 2027 budget calendar, and are again facing uncertainties with state Chapter 70 funding.

During the first meeting of the new term on Wednesday, the School Committee OK'd an FY27 budget calendar that plans the committee's vote in mid-April. Interim Superintendent Latifah Phillips stressed the importance of equity in this process.

"It's really important for us through these next couple of months to look at our different schools, our different needs, different student demographics, and really understand, are we just assigning resources equally, or are we really assigning them based on what different groups of students need?" she said.

The district could lose up to $5 million in Chapter 70 funding from declining enrollment, specifically of low-income students. This is a similar issue that PPS saw in 2024, when the discovery of 11 students meeting those income guidelines put the district in the higher funding category and added $2.4 million to the school budget.

"We are in a funding category, Group 11, for a district with a large percentage of low-income students, and that number could fluctuate depending on who exited the district," Phillips explained.

"So we're going to do our best to understand that, but ultimately, these numbers will impact the budget that is proposed to us by the governor."

According to the budget calendar, a draft budget will be presented in March, followed by a hearing in early April, and the School Committee is set to vote on the budget in mid-April. The City Charter requires it to be adopted before May 1, and a meeting with the City Council must occur no later than May 31.

Assistant Superintendent for Business and Finance Bonnie Howland provided an overview of the Chapter 70 funding and budget process. The budget calendar, she said, is designed to really support transparency, coordination, and legal compliance.

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