Downtown Pittsfield Lit Up for Pittsfield Beautiful

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Lightscapes will honor Pittsfield Beautiful for its commitment to the downtown by lighting up the exteriors of buildings and public spaces with flower colors, Monday, July 22, through Sunday, July 28.
 
"The effect of all the plantings done by our local Pittsfield Beautiful organization makes a wonderful difference to our urban landscape, so we are planning a special lighting show of flower colors (red, yellow, orange and violet) to honor all of the volunteers and reinforce the festive summer season," said Steve Oakes, property owner liaison for Berkshire Lightscapes. 
 
"When I contacted Claudine Chavanne of Pittsfield Beautiful about our plans for a commemorative light show, she said, 'This is an overall team effort to make downtown shine in a welcoming and inviting manner.' I replied, 'When any of the volunteers drive down North Street in the evening, these lights shine for them!’"
 
Berkshire Lightscapes lights up the exteriors of downtown buildings and public spaces to help illuminate and energize downtown Pittsfield. The artistic, energy-efficient LED lighting is coordinated between buildings and allows for exciting light shows. Check out the following buildings after dark:
  • City Hall
  • Dunham Mall
  • Persip Plaza
  • Sottile Plaza
  • The Colonial Theatre
  • Barrington Stage Company's Wolfson Center
  • Crawford Square
  • The Shipton Building
Berkshire Lightscapes will be installing lights on the fronts of the Masonic Hall and United Church of Christ building, formerly called South Congregational Church, this summer. These two additional buildings will provide a bright new entry for the southern gateway to downtown Pittsfield. 
 
After the Pittsfield Beautiful special show, Berkshire Lightscapes will project all red in honor of Barrington Stage Company's 30th anniversary celebration on Monday, July 29.
 
For more information on Berkshire Lightscapes, call 413-443-6501 or visit berkshirelightscapes.com.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Possible Measles Exposure at Boston, Logan

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Department of Public Health confirmed Wednesday that an out-of-state adult visitor who spent time in Boston and Westborough earlier this month was diagnosed with measles and was present in a number of locations.
 
This could have resulted in other people being exposed to measles virus.
 
The visitor arrived at Logan International Airport on American Airlines flight 2384 from Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, on Dec. 11 at 2:39 p.m. They stayed at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Boston-Westborough in Westborough and departed the state on Dec. 12 via Logan at 9:19 p.m. on JetBlue flight 117 to Las Vegas.
 
DPH is working with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local partners to identify and notify those who may have been exposed to measles from this individual.
 
"Measles is a highly contagious, airborne disease, which has increased significantly in the United States because of the unfortunate decrease in vaccination rates. It is also a preventable disease," said Public Health Commissioner Dr. Robbie Goldstein. "This current situation serves as an important reminder of the critical role vaccination plays in protecting our communities. While Massachusetts has not had a measles case this year, 2025 saw the highest number of nationwide cases in more than a decade — nearly 2,000 in 44 jurisdictions, and sadly, three deaths. 
 
"Fifteen years ago, measles had been considered eliminated in the United States, but that tremendous progress is at risk. Vaccines are one of the most important public health interventions ever — they are safe, effective, and lifesaving."
 
Measles is very contagious. However, the risk to most people in Massachusetts is low because the vaccination rate in the state is high. People who are not immune and visited any of the locations on the following dates and times may be at risk for developing measles.
 
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