MassWildlife: Black bears are active and searching for food

MassWildlife officials are reminding the public that March and April is when hungry bears emerge from their winter dens and seek out food.?If you live in northern Middlesex County, Worcester County, western Massachusetts, or other areas where bears have been spotted, take these steps to prevent conflicts with black bears:

1. Take down your bird feeders. Bears will often ignore seasonally available natural foods, like skunk cabbage, acorns, and nuts, in favor of an easy meal at a backyard bird feeder.?Other species, including wild turkeys and coyotes, may also frequent bird feeders which can lead to more human-wildlife conflict.?If you?enjoy watching birds in your yard, MassWildlife suggests adding a water feature or?growing native plants, shrubs, and trees to attract birds.?
2. Protect backyard chickens, hives, and other small livestock. Coops and chicken wire provide inadequate protection from black bears. Individuals should secure?bee hives, chickens, and?livestock with properly installed and maintained?electric fencing.
3. Secure other human-associated food sources on your property. Store garbage in closed containers in a garage or outbuilding and put it by the roadside the morning of pick up. Compost responsibly by not putting meat scraps, greasy, oily or sweet materials in your compost pile. Clean grills after each use and do not leave food scraps, grease containers, or spilled grease in your yard.   
4. Supervise your pets outdoors. The presence of a dog could trigger a bear to be aggressive. Check your yard for bears before letting your dog outside. Keep dogs leashed when they’re outside and never let dogs chase or interact with bears. 

There are at least 4,500 black bears in Massachusetts and their range is expanding eastward. Take action by educating yourself and your neighbors about proactive measures to avoid conflicts with bears.?For more information about black bears in Massachusetts,?visit?mass.gov/bears. 

Pittsfield Council Says 'Yes' to Soccer at Crane Park

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
06:35AM / Saturday, June 13, 2026

The pitch will have the logos of the city and the US. and Massachusetts soccer associations. 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The city is gladly accepting a "mini-pitch" from the U.S. Soccer Foundation to bring games back to Crane Park. 

Fueling excitement around the World Cup, U.S. Soccer has been working with the Massachusetts Youth Soccer League to make these facilities available to 20 communities — one of which will be at the park at the intersection of Benedict Road and Springside Avenue. 

The City Council accepted the gift on Tuesday during its regular meeting. 

A mini pitch is a compact, modular field typically used for soccer, and it can also accommodate inline skates. It has a galvanized steel border with built-in goals and a rubber plastic surface that is clicked together; installed on the existing inline hockey court. 

Ward 2 Councilor Cameron Cunningham said he has gone door to door speaking with nearby residents, and they are "really excited" about the upgrade. He also sees it as a great addition. 

"They say that nobody really uses the court a ton now, and they are excited to see kids back on there playing," he said. 

Decades ago, the Crane Park facility was a wading pool. It closed in 1980, and before the turn of the century, it was filled in and marked for hockey. 

Parks, Open Space, and Natural Resources Manager James McGrath explained that the wooden border around the rink is showing its age, has been vandalized and tagged, and the facility is seeing a "real decline" in use. 

"This would seem to be an appropriate spot for us to remove the board system that's in place and install the mini pitch system through this grant," he said.