BCC and Partners to Hold Second Chances Job Fair

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. —Berkshire Community College (BCC), in collaboration with Second Street Second Chances, Berkshire County Jail and House of Correction, Berkshire District Attorney's Office, MassHire Berkshire Career Center and Berkshire Innovation Center, will hold the Second Chances Job and Resource Fair on Wednesday, May 22, from 4-6 pm. 
 
The job fair will be held at Berkshire Innovation Center, located at 45 Woodlawn Avenue, Pittsfield.  
 
The job fair is free and open to the public. Formerly incarcerated individuals, including those who may have been justice involved and/or who have a Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) file, are particularly encouraged to attend. Walk-ins are welcome; no registration is required. 
 
For those in need of transportation, roundtrip shuttle service will be provided to the job fair. Pickup at 3:30 pm is available at the following locations: 
  • Joseph Scelsi Intermodal Transportation Center, 1 Columbus Avenue, Pittsfield 
  • Rural Recovery Resources, 67 State Road, Great Barrington 
  • Main Street Bus Stop, 70 Main Street, North Adams 
Area employers who are interested in participating in the fair must register in advance. The registration deadline is May 15, 2024, or until filled. Employers must have open positions they are seeking to fill immediately and must have a second chances/CORI-friendly hiring policy. To register, visit www.berkshirecc.edu/job-fair

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Ex-Miss Hall's Teacher Indicted on Rape Charges

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A former Miss Hall's School teacher accused of sexually assaulting students at the girls' school has been indicted by a Berkshire grand jury.
 
Matthew Rutledge, 63, was indicted on Tuesday on three counts of rape following testimony provided by Melissa Fares and Hilary Simon, former students.
 
Pittsfield Police opened an investigation into Rutledge in 2024. Rutledge was alleged to have sexually assaulted students while serving as a teacher at Miss Hall's School dating back to the 1990s. In October 2024, the Berkshire District Attorney's Office announced that there were no charges able to be brought forward at that time; however, the office kept the investigation open. 
 
In late fall 2024, Berkshire District Attorney Timothy Shugrue took over the investigation, then tasked a team of special prosecutors and the Berkshire State Police Detective Unit, including resources from the Unresolved Cases Unit, to continue investigating the allegations.
 
In 2025, a summary of a report authored by Aleta Law Firm was released to the public. The report, which was commissioned by the Miss Hall's Board of Trustees, consisted of numerous interviews examining the school's culture. The report detailed a pervasive and chronic pattern of inappropriate staff conduct.
 
Using information gathered by both the DA's Office and the Aleta report, the team of special prosecutors say they found Rutledge to have violated state law. 
 
"It took a long time to get to Tuesday's indictment. I commend the prosecutors and detectives who worked tirelessly to bring this case forward," said Shugrue in a statement. "Most of all, I would like to recognize and commend Melissa Fares and Hilary Simon for their bravery and continued cooperation throughout this long, arduous process. 
 
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