September is Library Card Sign-up Month in Pittsfield

Print Story | Email Story
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — During the month of September, residents can show  their Berkshire Athenaeum library card at participating local businesses for discounts and freebies.
 
Those in need of a library card can sign up or renew at the Berkshire Athenaeum. When doing this, patrons will also receive a raffle ticket for a $50 Downtown Pittsfield Gift Card or a free Friends of the Berkshire Athenaeum membership.
 
Participating businesses include:
  • 413 Shirts
  • Ayelada
  • Berkshire Art Center
  • Berkshire Fitness & Wellness Center
  • Berkshire Music School
  • Berkshire Thistle 'n Thorn Floral
  • Garden Blossoms Florist
  • Hot Harry's Burritos
  • Hot Plate Brewing Co.
  • Mana Crypt Gaming Center
  • Marie's North Street Eatery & Gallery
  • Nene's Deco
  • On Pointe Barre & Fitness
  • Sally Tiska Rice Art Studio
  • Solarium Plant Shop (Opening this September!)
  • WANDER Berkshires
 
This promotion is a collaboration with Downtown Pittsfield, Inc. and is made possible through the contributions of the Friends of the Berkshire Athenaeum. 
 
A brochure listing the discounts offered is available at Athenaeum service desks and online at www.downtownpittsfield.com and www.pittsfieldlibrary.org
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
 
View Full Story

More Pittsfield Stories