Pittsfield to Host Second Annual Winter Festival at Clapp Park

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The City of Pittsfield's Department of Community Development Recreation Program has announced the second annual Winter Festival, set to take place on Monday, Feb. 17, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Clapp Park.
 
The event, designed to kick off the winter break, will feature a variety of activities for children, families, and community members of all ages.
 
Among the scheduled activities are group-led outdoor experiences, including a Winter Senses Safari with the Berkshire Natural Resources Council and snowshoeing with Mass Audubon.
 
The festival will also feature a Snow Sculpture Contest, open to participants ranging from novices to professional artists. Contestants are encouraged to bring their own tools to shape their creations, with judging taking place by the end of the event.
 
Additionally, a Cardboard Sled Design Contest invites children and families to construct sleds using only glue, tape, paint, and decorations. Plastic or store-bought sleds are not permitted. Awards will be given in three categories: Best Use of Materials, Most Creative Sled, and Largest Sled Design. Participants must register at the Clapp Park sledding hill by 11 a.m., with open sledding available throughout the event and awards announced at 12:30 p.m.
 
Other festival highlights include a campfire with s'mores and hot chocolate, sponsored by Indulgence Salon, as well as a Touch-A-Truck exhibit, where children can explore city vehicles such as a firetruck, police car, and plow truck, pending city emergencies.
 
All activities are free to the public. Attendees are encouraged to donate plastic or purchased sleds to the Clapp Park Little Sled Library, which provides free sleds for children throughout the winter season.
 
The Winter Festival is part of Pittsfield's annual 10x10 Upstreet Arts Festival, which runs from February 13-23 and is hosted by the city's Cultural Development Office. 
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Hinsdale OKs Police Department Audit After Fatal Shooting

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

HINSDALE, Mass. — The town has approved $25,000 for an administrative review of the police department, more than two months after police fatally shot 27-year-old Biagio Kauvil during a mental health crisis. 

Town Administrator Robert Graves said the shooting on Jan. 7 is not the only focus of the audit, and it will be several months before the Select Board receives a final report. 

During a special town meeting on March 11, an article appropriating $25,000 from free cash for an independent consultant to conduct a professional evaluation and audit of the Town's Police Department was approved. The audit includes a review of the department's policies, protocols, operations, and procedures, and concludes with a written report. 

"The Berkshire County District Attorney's Office and Massachusetts State Police are investigating the shooting, and we await their conclusions.  As we look to move forward, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, our insurance company (MIIA/Cabot Risk), and our legal counsel have recommended that the town hire an independent law enforcement consultant or firm to conduct a comprehensive administrative review of our police operation," Graves wrote in an email to iBerkshires on Friday. 

"This event is not their focus; they will assess the overall operation. We want a written assessment of our police operation's strengths and weaknesses to help Hinsdale make future changes and improvements." 

He said after completing the procurement process and signing a contract with a reputable consultant or business, it will most likely be several months before the Select Board receives the final report. 

"Still, it will help the town and police department move forward," Graves wrote. 

Last weekend, family and friends of Kauvil stood in Park Square asking for justice. A flier for the standout reads "Biagio was killed by police while experiencing a mental health crisis. Now, over seven weeks later, authorities have not yet provided any updates.

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