BCC to Host Berkshire State of Work Summit on June 18

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Community College (BCC) will host the 2025 Berkshire State of Work Summit, "From Hiring to Thriving: A New Era of Workplace Culture," on Wednesday, June 18 from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. 
 
The event, presented by BCC, MassHire, Berkshire Innovation Center, Berkshire Regional Planning Commission and 1Berkshire, will take place at BCC's main campus, located at 1350 West Street, Pittsfield. 
 
Tickets are $75 and may be purchased at www.berkshirecc.edu/worksummit.
 
The one-day conference will focus on the workforce challenges and opportunities facing Berkshire employers, from attracting the right talent to ensuring their employees flourish in a supportive and dynamic work environment. With three tracks, 15 sessions and more than 40 speakers, the event is expected to draw at least 200 attendees. 
 
Keynote speaker JD Chesloff, president and CEO of Massachusetts Business Roundtable, will provide an overview of the local hiring climate and how employers around the Commonwealth are finding alternative solutions for recruiting, retention and employee work readiness. 
 
Summit Tracks 
 
Recruiting and Retention: Finding it challenging to find qualified job candidates? In this track, discover overlooked sources of workers, how to maximize existing hiring resources and strategies for retaining new hires longer. 
 
Communication and Workplace Culture: Most people leave their jobs because they are unhappy with the workplace culture or a lack of opportunities. In this track, employees discuss what keeps them in their jobs longer. Learn how to minimize distractions from digital communications, make employee communications more effective and create a thriving workplace culture. 
 
Workplace Readiness Skills: While employers might be able to find candidates who have the right "hard skills," some won't thrive in their role due to their lack of "soft skills" or "workplace readiness skills." In this track, learn how to incorporate those skills into your employee training, how to improve employee tech literacy and how to build self-sufficient teams. 
 
To view a full agenda, including speakers and facilitators, visit www.berkshirecc.edu/worksummit
 
About the Keynote Speaker 
As president & CEO of Massachusetts Business Roundtable (MBR), JD Chesloff is responsible for developing and implementing the Roundtable's agenda on public policy matters. He works collaboratively with opinion leaders, policy makers and other stakeholders in pursuit of the Roundtable's mission to make Massachusetts the most desirable place to live, work and do business and ensure access to a robust, diverse and talented workforce that enhances the Commonwealth's competitiveness in a global economy. 
Chesloff's experience includes serving as chief of staff to the House Committee on Commerce and Labor, among several other governmental positions, as well as assistant to the president at the University of Massachusetts. He joined MBR in 2004. Chesloff serves on the boards of Lever, the Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation and Science from Scientists, as well as on the advisory boards of ReadyNation, CEO Action for Racial Equity and Mill Town Capital. 
 
About Berkshire Community College?   
Berkshire Community College (BCC), situated on 180 park-like acres, is located four miles from the center of Pittsfield in the heart of the beautiful Berkshires of Western Massachusetts. Founded in 1960, BCC was the first community college established in the Commonwealth. As a public, fully accredited community college, BCC strives to place higher education within reach of all residents of Berkshire County and beyond, offering associate degree and certificate programs to approximately 2,000 enrolled students per year. The mission of BCC encompasses five core values: integrity and engagement; innovation; diversity and inclusion; service; and sustainability. Visit BCC online at www.berkshirecc.edu

 

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Arrest Warrants Issued for Pittsfield Shooting

Staff reportsiBerkshires

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Police were granted arrest warrants for two people suspected to be responsible for the Aug. 16 shooting on Francis Avenue. 

Jason Wright, 41, and an unnamed juvenile are charged with assault and battery, discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a dwelling, and possession of a gun without an FID card or license to carry. 

On Aug. 16, near 211 Francis Ave., three individuals suffered gunshot wounds and were all transported to Berkshire Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries. This is one of four gun violence incidents on city streets this summer. 

Police say two of the individuals who suffered gunshot wounds are the subjects of the arrest warrants.

"I first want to commend the Pittsfield Police Department on solving this case in just eight days. They, along with members of the Task Force who provided support when needed, worked around the clock to identify those responsible," District Attorney Timothy Shugrue wrote on Monday. 
 
The DA said he understands that Pittsfield remains on edge, and said he is fully committed to providing resources, including funding for overtime and State Police detective resources, to support the Pittsfield Police Department as it continues its active investigations into the June 18, Aug. 4t, and Aug. 16 shootings. 

"No stone will be left unturned. If you bring violence and guns to our county, you will be held responsible to the greatest extent of the law," he wrote. 

The first arrest warrant issued is for a juvenile. The juvenile is charged with:

  • Two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, to wit a firearm
  • Attempted murder
  • Discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a dwelling
  • Possession of a firearm in commission of a felony
  • Possession of a firearm without an FID card/license to carry
  • Possession of ammunition without an FID card/license to carry

The second arrest warrant is for Jason Wright, 41, with a last known address on Woodlawn Avenue. Wright is charged with:

  • Attempted murder
  • Assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, to wit a firearm
  • Two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, to wit a Firearm
  • Discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a dwelling
  • Possession of a firearm in commission of a felony
  • Possession of a firearm without an FID/LTC
  • Possession of ammunition without an FID/LTC

There have been four gun violence incidents in Pittsfield since mid-June, leaving one person dead and a total of seven injured. Additionally, a Lanesborough man is facing multiple charges for allegedly shooting a gun near homes and a road while intoxicated on Sunday. 

On June 18, a person died after being shot in the area of Tyler Street and Pleasure Avenue, and another person was injured. Following an extensive investigation, police on June 23 had an arrest warrant out for Terry Martizna, 35, on a charge of murder.

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