Rewind: July 4 thru 11

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
12:21PM / Sunday, July 13, 2025Print Story | Email Story

A lot has happened in the Berkshires this week. Here are some of the things you may have missed.

Pittsfield 4th of July Parade

Community members across the county celebrated Independence Day with parades, fireworks, and more.

Check out our video of Pittsfield’s parade here.

Pittsfield Photos here. Williamstown photos here.

Jacob's Pillow Celebrates Rebuilt Theater With Pop-up Dance

Jacob's Pillow celebrated the opening of its Doris Duke Theatre with a community pop-up dance, an open house, and a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The theater was rebuilt after a fire burned it down in 2020.

Photos are here. More information on the community dance here.

Community Members Audit Walkability of Morningside Corridor

A group of concerned community members walked a portion of Dalton Avenue on Sunday to see how it could be made safer for pedestrians.

More information here.

No Paws Left Behind Shelter Marking First Anniversary

The first animal shelter in North Berkshire, No Paws Left Behind, has marked its one-year anniversary.

More information here.

Pittsfield Health Board Delays Nicotine Ban

The Pittsfield Board of Health delayed adopting a tobacco ban for customers born after a certain date.

More information here.

Central Berkshire Habitat Breaks Ground on Affordable Housing Project

Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity broke ground on its new affordable housing project, Prosperity Way, located at 385 North Plain Road in Housatonic.

More information here.

Cape Coast Sister City Committee Announces Ghana Trip

Cape Coast (Ghana) Sister City Committee members will celebrate their new Sister City designation with a trip to West Africa to meet their fellow sisters across the Atlantic.

More information here.

Cheshire Hoedown and Park Rededication Set Saturday

The town will celebrate community and history on Saturday, July 12, during its inaugural Cheshire Hoedown event at the Community House, starting at 4 p.m.

Prior to the event, at 3 p.m. there will be a rededication Ceremony for Leland Park.

More information here.

Bernard Resigns From Berkshire United Way

Thomas Bernard has stepped down from leading Berkshire United Way and says he is excited to explore the next chapter of his professional journey.

More information here.

Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall Installed in Lenox

The Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall is back in the Berkshires this weekend. The three-fifths scale replica of the national monument in Washington, D.C., will be on view through a 3 p.m. closing ceremony on Sunday.

More information here.

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Pittsfield Council Revisiting DEI Office Restructure

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
04:11PM / Tuesday, October 13, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The conversation about the DEI office renaming that was halted by a charter objection will resume on Tuesday.

The City Council will discuss a request from Mayor Peter Marchetti to restructure the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

It proposes to rename the DEI office to the Office of Equity, Access, and Opportunity and merge the Human Rights Commission and Affirmative Action Committee into an Equity, Access and Opportunity Commission.

The Ordinance and Rules Subcommittee supported the changes in August, and in September, Ward 2 Councilor Cameron Cunningham delayed the vote with a charter objection.

Pittsfield's City Code prohibits charter states that "if a single member present objects to the taking of the vote, the vote shall be postponed until the next meeting of the city council." It also stipulates that at least four members must object if it is an emergency measure.

Cunningham also submitted a petition, which was referred to O&R under Rule 27, to replace the DEI Office and the Human Rights Commission with an equity, access, and opportunity coordinator in the Department of Community Development, with formal complaints and Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action functions assigned to Human Resources.

At the last meeting, he spent more than an hour querying the mayor and chief diversity officer about functions and effectiveness of the department, wanting more quantitative data. Cunningham proposed an ordinance that he says keeps Pittsfield's commitment to equity, access, and opportunity, "refocuses it on measurable results for our residents, and delivers it at a fraction of the current cost."

Under this petition, the equity, access, and opportunity coordinator would be a $60,000 to $80,000 per year position.

The DEI Office's fiscal year 2027 budget was about $200,000 after cuts during budget season; $106,700 for the chief diversity officer and $58,000 for the administrative assistant. The coordinator would be appointed by the director of community development and the mayor.

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