2nd Street Awarded Re-Entry Workforce Development Grant

07:41AM / Friday, January 02, 2026Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Second Street Second Chances (2nd Street) has received an $89,000 Re-Entry Workforce Development Demonstration grant from the Healey-Driscoll Administration.

The grant is part of a total of $2.2 million funded by the Commonwealth's Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development (EOLWD) to train formerly incarcerated individuals. This latest round of funding is administered by Commonwealth Corporation, a quasi-public agency within EOLWD.

"We all benefit when individuals re-entering our communities have the relevant skills and experiences they need to succeed in today’s workforce," Governor Maura Healey said. "These grants will make a positive difference for our employers, economy and public safety."

The grant program aims to improve workforce outcomes for individuals returning to their communities after incarceration. Program participants receive on-the-job training from local organizations in industries such as clean energy, hospitality, and manufacturing.

Eleven organizations, including 2nd Street, received funding to train 389 formerly incarcerated individuals returning to the workforce for job opportunities in culinary, construction, manufacturing, hospitality and healthcare fields.

2nd Street will partner with the Berkshire County Sheriff's Office to offer a training program with a focus on the advanced manufacturing and engineering industry. Successful program graduates will be placed in machinist roles at Onyx Specialty Papers and Unistress Corporation.

"We are deeply honored to be selected as a recipient of the Re-Entry Workforce Development Demonstration Program grant," 2nd Street Executive Director Lindsay Cornwell said. "This funding allows 2nd Street to expand our mission of supporting returning citizens in Berkshire County through meaningful workforce opportunities. With this investment, we will be able to offer Advanced Manufacturing and Welding certification programs that provide participants with industry-recognized skills and a pathway toward sustainable employment. We are grateful to the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development and Commonwealth Corporation for recognizing the importance of this work and for their commitment to creating equitable opportunities statewide."

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Pittsfield School Committee Requests Redacted PHS Report

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
04:30PM / Saturday, January 31, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The School Committee and City Council have requested a redacted report of the Pittsfield High School investigation that concluded last spring.

On Wednesday, the committee approved member Ciara Batory's request to release the PHS investigative report with proper redactions by Feb. 18. The previous day, City Council members made the same request, but left the deadline up to the School Committee.

Five past and present PHS staff members were investigated for alleged misconduct, and allegations were found to be "unsupported," according to executive summaries released by the former committee.

"The fact that the City Council has urged transparency here speaks volumes. When another elected body looks at a situation and says the public deserves answers, we should listen because trust isn't built by asking people to take our word for it," Batory said.

"Trust is built by showing our work. Honesty will always shine, and secrecy will always create doubt."

It was noted that the report will be heavily redacted and might provide less information than the summaries. The School Committee will review the document before it reaches the public.

"In preparation for the meeting, I have been told by legal counsel that what will be released as a redacted version will have less information than what was in the summary report," Mayor Peter Marchetti, chair of the committee, said.

"That's what I can share."

Batory asserted that the district cannot move forward by asking families to trust major changes in the district, such as the middle school restructuring, "while holding information they paid for, information that directly impacts their confidence in the system that serves their children."

"Let me be clear. I'm not asking us to be reckless," she said. "I’m asking for a redacted release, a legal release so we protect students' privacy while giving the community the truth they deserve."

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