Taconic High Closed Wednesday for Cleanup

07:16PM / Tuesday, February 10, 2026Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A sewer backup forced the closure of Taconic High School on Tuesday afternoon and canceled all afternoon activities and classes on Wednesday.

According to a message sent to the school community by Principal Matthew Bishop, plumbers working at the school removed a drain cap at about 1:50 p.m., which allowed sewage to spill into the Career Technical Education hallway.

Students were taken to the gym and auditorium, and then released from the building at about 2:25 p.m., a few minutes earlier than normal. The girls basketball team did meet at the school to take the bus to the game at Putnam Vocational in Springfield.

Bishop had messaged that crews were being coordinated to clean the building and reopen it on Wednesday but by early evening that was found to not be possible.

Classes were canceled Wednesday, he wrote, "to allow for the sewer drain issue in the building to be fully resolved.

"Professional sanitation and cleaning teams are on site in cooperation with city maintenance officials, to ensure our building is thoroughly cleaned before students and staff return."

The school community will be updated if there are any changes.

This article was updated and reposted at 7:16 p.m., Feb. 10.

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Lanesborough Seeks State Support for Berkshire Mall Redevelopment

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires.com
05:58PM / Monday, October 12, 2026

LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — The town plans to petition the state to take ownership of the Route 7/Route 8 Connector Road, which officials believe is a "critical component" of the Berkshire Mall’s redevelopment strategy.

On Tuesday, the Select Board approved a letter to state Sen. Paul Mark and state Rep. John Barrett III to request their support for the vacant mall's redevelopment by helping advance transfer of the Route 7/Route 8 connector and considering funding for essential infrastructure.

"We have held discussions with the Baker Hill Road District … which will take the necessary steps to formally petition the commonwealth to take over ownership of the Route 7, Route 8 connector…Your continued support in facilitating this transfer is greatly appreciated," the letter says.

Berkshire Mall owner JMJ RE Holdings has said the potential sale and redevelopment of the mall hinges on dissolving the Baker Hill Road District, a condition of the agreement that, if unmet, would render the contract null and void.

As a result, the mall will continue to deteriorate and the litigation will proceed forward, said Tim Grogan, of JMJ.

Vera Farrell, the liaison to the Baker Hill Road District, said the district board had discussed at one of its most recent meetings that the connector road could be transferred directly to the state, rather than returned to the town; Barrett and Mark were also a part of the discussion.

"The representatives recommended that as an option, that it could transfer the connector road directly to the state, as opposed to deeding it back to the town to dispense it. If we get to that point, that would be a better option to do it that way," Farrell said.

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