Community Conversations Series to Foster Understanding and Empathy

01:27PM / Sunday, September 21, 2025Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The public is invited to attend a series of community conversations designed to foster deeper understanding, cultivate empathy and provide an opportunity to ask questions on critical social issues.

These conversations will feature insights from individuals with lived experience and experts in the fields of immigration, domestic violence, criminal justice, substance use disorder, housing insecurity and LGBTQ+ issues.

All sessions will be held on Wednesdays, 4-6 p.m., at Wander, 34 Depot Street, Suite 101, Pittsfield. The schedule is as follows:

September 24: Immigration with Berkshire Immigrant Center
October 8: Domestic Violence with Elizabeth Freeman Center
October 22: Criminal Justice with 2nd Street
November 5: Substance Use Disorder with Berkshire Overdose & Addiction Prevention Collaborative
November 19: Unhoused with Hearthway, ServiceNet and UpSide413
December 3: LGBTQ+ with Berkshire Pride and seeing rainbows

Each conversation is free to attend and all are welcome to learn in this safe and brave space. There will be dedicated time for questions and answers.

Registration is encouraged but not required. For more information and to register, visit berkshireunitedway.org/conversations.

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Lanesborough Seeks State Support for Berkshire Mall Redevelopment

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires.com
05:58PM / Monday, October 12, 2026

LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — The town plans to petition the state to take ownership of the Route 7/Route 8 Connector Road, which officials believe is a "critical component" of the Berkshire Mall’s redevelopment strategy.

On Tuesday, the Select Board approved a letter to state Sen. Paul Mark and state Rep. John Barrett III to request their support for the vacant mall's redevelopment by helping advance transfer of the Route 7/Route 8 connector and considering funding for essential infrastructure.

"We have held discussions with the Baker Hill Road District … which will take the necessary steps to formally petition the commonwealth to take over ownership of the Route 7, Route 8 connector…Your continued support in facilitating this transfer is greatly appreciated," the letter says.

Berkshire Mall owner JMJ RE Holdings has said the potential sale and redevelopment of the mall hinges on dissolving the Baker Hill Road District, a condition of the agreement that, if unmet, would render the contract null and void.

As a result, the mall will continue to deteriorate and the litigation will proceed forward, said Tim Grogan, of JMJ.

Vera Farrell, the liaison to the Baker Hill Road District, said the district board had discussed at one of its most recent meetings that the connector road could be transferred directly to the state, rather than returned to the town; Barrett and Mark were also a part of the discussion.

"The representatives recommended that as an option, that it could transfer the connector road directly to the state, as opposed to deeding it back to the town to dispense it. If we get to that point, that would be a better option to do it that way," Farrell said.

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