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Humane Society Pups Go Downtown in Forever Home Search

Simone Olivieri, a canine adoption counselor, and Family Dog School instructor Tricia Phillips say the outing is to raise awareness of National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day — and to give Starr and Beethoven a fun outing. 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Adoptable pups Beethoven and Starr took a stroll down North Street on Tuesday with hopes of finding forever homes on National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day.

"Pittie smiles" were all around as the 6-year-old siblings sniffed their way down the sidewalk with Berkshire Humane Society staff members. The brindle-coated beauties are cuddle bugs who would like a home — either separate or together — with a comfy couch to lay on and a few good walks a day.

"There are a lot of animals in the shelter right now but there's a lot of dogs," Director of Development and Marketing Nikki Kellogg said.

"People seem to be gravitating towards the cats, there are more cat adoptions so we'd like to get more exposure to the dogs so that people realize that dogs are available for adoption, stop down and see what we have, give a dog a second chance to come home, and just trying to give them exposure and get them out of the shelter for enrichment."

Beethoven, a male, and Starr, a female, are large-sized American pit bull mixes and have been at Berkshire Humane Society since late March. Beethoven could potentially live in a home with another male dog and Starr would do best as the only animal.  

They have lived with children before and could potentially go to a home with kids older than 10.

"They are also good candidates for coming out and bringing everybody and being in this environment away from the shelter because they are so good with people," canine adoption counselor Simone Olivieri said, adding that they have been great with their routine at the shelter.

With a change in diet, their coats have become soft and shiny, the blonder hues highlighted by the sun.

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.