UNICO of Pittsfield to Hold Mother's Day Community Drive

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PITTSFIELD, Mass.— UNICO of Pittsfield will conduct a Mother's Day Community Drive for Families in Need on Saturday, May 17. 
 
The drive will collect new pillows, new twin sheet sets, diapers (size 6 and Pull-Ups), diaper wipes or hand wipes, and personal care items such as body wash, shampoo, conditioner, and deodorant. They will also be collecting blank calendar planners, adult coloring books, and color pencils. All collected items will be donated to the Elizabeth Freeman Center's families.
 
Donations will be accepted from 9 a.m. to noon at the Elizabeth Freeman Center, located at 66 Allen Street, Pittsfield, and from noon until 6 p.m. at Balderdash Cellars, situated at 81 State Road, Richmond.
 
Prior to Saturday, donations can be dropped off until Thursday, May 15, at Ready Set Learn, 133 Dalton Ave and 41 Wendell Ave., and Berkshire Fitness and Wellness, 137 North Street, all in Pittsfield.
 
 
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Dalton Police Facility Report Complete; Station Future Still Uncertain

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
DALTON, Mass. — The Public Safety Facility Advisory Committee's final report is complete but the future of the station remains uncertain. 
 
Several members of the committee attended the Select Board meeting last week, as co-Chair Craig Wilbur presented four options delineated in the presentation — build on town-owned land, build on private land, renovate or repurpose the existing buildings, and do nothing. The full report can be found here
 
According to the report, addressing the station's needs coincides with the town facing significant financial challenges, with rising fixed costs and declining state aid straining its budget. 
 
These financial pressures restrict the town's ability to fund major capital projects and a new police station has to compete with a backlog of deferred infrastructure needs like water, sewer, roads, and Americans with Disabilities Act compliance.
 
In June 2024, Police Chief Deanna Strout informed the board of the station's dire condition — including issues with plumbing, mold, ventilation, mice, water damage, heating, and damaged cells — prompting the board to take action on two fronts. 
 
The board set aside American Rescue Plan Act funds to address the immediately dire issues, including the ventilation, and established the Public Safety Facility Advisory Committee to navigate long-term options
 
Very early on it was determined that the current facility is not adequate enough to meet the needs of a 21st-century Police Facility. This determination was backed up following a space needs assessment by Jacunski Humes Architects LLC
 
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