Berkshire County Commission on the Status of Women Host Public Hearing

PITTSFIELD, Mass.  — The Berkshire County Commission on the Status of Women (BCCSW) will host a public hearing on Saturday, March 28 from 2:00–4:00 PM at the Pittsfield Public Library at the Berkshire Athenaeum (1 Wendell Ave) to hear directly from women and girls across Berkshire County.

The Commission invites women and girls of all ages and backgrounds to share their concerns, experiences, and policy priorities. Participants may offer oral testimony or submit written statements for the record. Testimony gathered at the hearing will be compiled into an official report and shared with the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women (MCSW) and Massachusetts state legislators to help inform state policy.

This public hearing provides a structured opportunity for residents to speak directly into the policymaking process — ensuring that the lived experiences of women and girls in Berkshire County are reflected in local and statewide decisions.

To support broad participation, a Spanish-language interpreter will be present and first aid–certified childcare will be provided on site.

"This is about listening," said Marissa Meehan, Secretary of the Commission. "We want to hear directly from the women and girls in our community to understand what's working and what needs to change. Even from our corner of the Commonwealth, Berkshire voices deserve to meaningfully inform Massachusetts policy."

Taking place at the start of spring — a season of renewal and new beginnings — the hearing is an opportunity to come together and build something better for our community. Gathering in the heart of our county's largest city, in a space provided at no cost by our public library, also reflects what thoughtful public policy can make possible: free, welcoming places where neighbors can exchange ideas and be heard. This event offers not only a chance to share concerns, but an opportunity to help shape the kinds of policies that create more spaces and support like this for all.

The hearing is open to the public. Community members are welcome to attend in support.

Striking Out Cancer in Berkshires Holds Sunday Party Before June 27 Games

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires.com Sports
10:53AM / Monday, June 15, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. – Striking out Cancer in the Berkshires has been bringing smiles for half a decade.

 

This year, it also is bringing Smiley.

 

A day of community baseball and softball games that act as a fund-raiser for the Jimmy Fund is the brainchild of Joe DiCicco, who has expanded the event’s footprint over the years and seen a steady growth in money raised as a result.

 

This year’s games are scheduled for 9:30 a.m. on June 27 on Buddy Pellerin Field at Clapp Park.

 

But the festivities begin this Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Sideline Saloon on Fenn Street, where DiCicco invites families to come down, free of charge, to take photos with a Boston Red Sox World Series Trophy and meet Boston mascot Wally the Green Monster and Smiley, the mascot of the Triple-A Worcester Red Sox.

 

“It’s just a little way to give back to the community to start the week,” DiCicco said. “Last year, we had the trophy for the first time, and they want to bring it back, so that’s a good thing. Wally is different, and so is Smiley.”

 

What has not changed is DiCicco’s dedication to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute’s Jimmy Fund, inspired by Einar Gustafson, a child who beat cancer with the help of Dr. Sidney Farber in 1948 and shared his story with the world under the name Jimmy to protect his anonymity.