Friday Front Porch Feature: A Cozy House on the Lake

HINSDALE, Mass. — Are you looking for a peaceful house on the lake? Then this might be the perfect home for you.

Our Friday Front Porch is a weekly feature spotlighting attractive homes for sale in Berkshire County. This week, we are showcasing 30 Cove Lane

The 1950 ranch is 1,001 square feet on 0.12 acres, with two bedrooms and one bathroom. It comes with major kitchen and laundry appliances.

A sunroom on one end offers floor-to-ceiling windows looking out over Ashmere Lake and access to a back deck. It also has a large private dock perfect for a boat or entertaining by the lake, and a firepit.  

The house is listed for $699,000.

We spoke to Lisa Kelley with MacCarro Real Estate, which has the listing.

What do you think makes this property stand out in the current market?

Kelley: What makes this property stand out in the current market is the ideal location on Ashmere Lake, combined with a bright, open layout and move-in ready condition. Floor-to-ceiling sliders and windows frame breathtaking water and sunset views, while the deck overlooking the lake and your own private dock, make it a true waterfront retreat.

Do you  know any unique stories about the home or its history?

According to local legend, the name Ashmere was chosen by William Cullen Bryant, one of the most well-known and influential American poets and editors of the 19th century. During his travels from the Hinsdale train station to his summer home in nearby Cummington, Bryant was said to have chosen the name Ashmere, inspired by the lake's quiet, poetic beauty.

What kind of buyer would this home be ideal for?

This home is ideal for buyers who want a turnkey, move-in ready property who value the lifestyle and serenity of lake living. It's perfect for those who love a constant connection to nature. Lake life helps people slow down, relax and gather with family and friends.

What do the current owners love most about the home?

Every window frames a lake view and every room invites you to relax. What they love the most is the sense of calm this home provides, a feeling that comes from living right on the lake and being so connected to nature. Nothing compares to the peacefulness of mornings on the deck, sunsets over the water, and the quiet, restorative beauty of lakeside living.

What was your first impression when you walked into the home?

The pristine condition and beautifully open layout, all framed by the stunning lake backdrop, created a powerful first impression.

Have there been any recent renovations or standout design features?

Yes! This 1950s lake house has been beautifully transformed, blending original character with modern touches. The living room features a gas fireplace and a wall of glass offering amazing water views, while the open layout connects the kitchen, dining and lounge areas. This thoughtful renovation preserves the warmth and personality that make a lake house so special.

What would you say to a buyer trying to imagine their life in this space?

Imagine enjoying easy, one-level living in this beautifully renovated lake house. The open layout with amazing water views, perfect for your morning coffee on the deck, afternoons entertaining on the dock, and evenings star gazing while sitting around the fire pit. It's a home that balances lakeside serenity with space for family, friends and memories that last a lifetime!

You can find out more about this house on its listing here.

*Front Porch Feature brings you an exclusive to some of the houses listed on our real estate page every week. Here we take a bit of a deeper dive into a certain house for sale and ask questions so you don't have to.

Berkshire DA Releases Victim's Name in Fatal Police Shooting

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
02:02PM / Friday, January 09, 2026

An image Biagio Kauvil posted to his Instagram page in happier days. 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Biagio Kauvil's family had attempted to secure mental health resources for him before a well-being check on Wednesday that turned deadly. 

On Friday, District Attorney Timothy Shugrue identified Kauvil, 27, as the man who was killed by police in a shooting incident at 53 Off South St. on Jan. 7. The New York resident, he said, was expressing "paranoid delusional" thoughts on social media, and in calls to the FBI's National Threat Operation Center and local 911 leading up to the incident. 

"This is a horrific scene, and there is a deceased person, and it's a very sad situation. It was a mental health situation," Shugrue said during a press conference at his office around noon, right after he had spoken to Kauvil's family. 

The DA elaborated on details provided the prior day, though there are still many questions unanswered, and the investigation remains active. He declined to respond to queries about the officers' decision to breach the bedroom door the man was sequestered behind, details about the approximately 46-second struggle that resulted in Kauvil being shot in the head, or if an officer would be charged for the fatality. 

Police say Hinsdale Sgt. Dominick Crupi was shot in the hand by Kauvil, the bullet going through and striking Police Chief Shawn Boyne in his bulletproof vest. Crupi was also shot in the elbow by another officer. He was released from Albany, N.Y., Medical Center on Friday. 

Shugrue said his office will not be releasing the names of the officers involved, although he acknowledged that they have been named on social media and elsewhere. He is "not even near" ready to say if an officer will be charged. 

"I'm only here today because there's a lot of rumors going around the community. I wanted to straighten that out," he said, clarifying that Kauvil was not wanted by the FBI. 

"… I'm sorry I can't give you more information than that, but I really want to be clear about what we know at this stage. But again, this may change once we — I haven't seen the ballistics, I haven't seen the autopsy report. There's a lot of stuff I don't have yet, but I just felt the public deserved to know as quickly as possible what transpired, especially in light of what's happening nationally." 

This is the third police shooting in Berkshire County in nearly four years that involved someone in mental distress. Miguel Estrella, 22, was shot and killed on March 25, 2022, at the intersection of Woodbine Avenue and Onota Street in Pittsfield; Phillip Henault, 64, was shot and killed at his Hancock home on Sept. 9, 2023.

In both cases, investigators cleared the officers as both men had advanced on police armed with knives and threatening them.

Based on the investigation so far, there were no mental health co-responders on site. Shugrue doesn't believe the officers knew Kauvil was armed, and cited the lack of mental health resources in the community. 

"I hope one thing that comes out of this is that we can talk more about legislative work that needs to be done. We can talk about resources that need to be given to mandate that we have mental health professionals working with police officers and working with individuals that are on the street that haven't been able to get the services that they need," he said. 

"And this is unfortunate. I know, speaking to the family, they tried to get services for him. Unfortunately, there's not a lot available, and there's not a lot available in the Berkshires."