District Attorney's Office Elder Fraud Program

08:31AM / Monday, September 30, 2024Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — On Thursday, Oct. 3, the Berkshire District Attorney's Office will host a workshop focused on senior citizen fraud.

The event includes the US Department of Justice; the United States Postal Inspection Service; the Department of the Treasury; the Federal Bureau of Investigations; and the US Attorney's Office.

There is one session in North County from 10-11:30 at All Saints Episcopal Church at 59 Summer Street, North Adams, and a second presentation in Central/South County from 2-3:30 at the Lenox Town Hall, 6 Walker Street, Lenox. The is free and open to all senior citizens and community providers that serve senior citizens. There will be another presentation of this kind in the Spring.

To register, people can call the Berkshire District Attorney's Office, Kathye DeWitt-Allen 413-443-5951 Ext. 251.

Senior fraud crimes are on the rise in Berkshire County. This program will help instruct our senior population on the most common frauds occurring right now as well as proactive measures they can take to stay safe.

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Pittsfield Considers Repairing East Part Cemetery

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
06:57AM / Friday, October 02, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Historical Commission will consider grant opportunities for repairs to East Part Cemetery.

A resident reached out to the city with concerns about degradation in the half-acre burial ground at the top of Williams Street. East Part Cemetery was established in the early 1800s and has about 300 interments.

“It's a nice old cemetery, and basically, (the resident) had had concerns that the stone wall had taken some damage, the gravestones have taken some damage, and was wondering if there's anything that could be done to repair the gravestones and the wall," City Planner Kevin Rayner told the commission on Monday.

In cooperation with cemetery leadership and residents, the Historical Commission will consider applying for Community Preservation Act funds to support repairs. West Part Cemetery, on the other side of Pittsfield, has previously used CPA funds for revitalization work.

The 1080 Williams St. property is owned by the city and managed by the Pittsfield Cemetery Commission. Rayner presented photos of broken and overgrown gravestones, parts of the stone wall collapsing, and knocked-over obelisks.

Some aspects could use general maintenance and restoration, he observed.

According to the Pittsfield Cemetery and Crematory's website, East Part Cemetery was established around 1808 on land owned by Nathan Webb, who permitted and authorized its use as a public burying ground.

In 1842, Nathan Webb's son, also named Nathan Webb, deeded the property to the Methodist Episcopal Society of Pittsfield as a public burying ground, and in 1893 the Trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Society transferred their control of the cemetery to the Proprietors of the Pittsfield Cemetery. Their action was confirmed by the Berkshire Probate Court.