Lucas Willard

The Pittsfield Public School’s Curriculum Subcommittee has been meeting with district and community partners to address the city’s troubling teen pregnancy rate by expanding and strengthening programs both in and out of school.

The recently released 2013 Clean Tech Leadership Index published by Clean Edge Incorporated, has ranked Massachusetts second behind only California in an overall ranking that scores states on measures to promote energy efficiency, industry policy, technology development and capital investment.

New York also made the top 10 and was ranked 4th.

The Massachusetts legislature has formed a subcommittee to gather data and hear from students and educators across the commonwealth on the real impact of student loan debt.

Democratic State Representative Paul Mark, of the Second Berkshire district, a member of the Joint Committee on Higher Education, is serving as co-chair of the five member subcommittee that is tasked with investigating the rapid rise of student loan debt among current students and recent graduates.

Officials are warning that the recent wet weather in the Northeast could have an effect on the amount of mosquitoes, and precautions are being taken to control the risk of disease that could be passed on to people and animals. 

The selectboard of Williamstown recently voted to allow the town to pursue a Cultural District Designation from the state of Massachusetts designed to promote economic development through the arts.

On Wednesday evening, the Williamstown selectboard gave the go-ahead for town residents to seek out a Cultural District Designation from the Massachusetts Cultural Council. The designation is not a monetary award but includes signage and serves as a badge of honor in recognition of community efforts to promote the arts and humanities.

State environmental officials in Massachusetts are warning residents about the discovery of an aquatic nuisance recently found in the Berkshires for the first time.

Earlier this month, the Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game’s Division of Fisheries and Wildlife confirmed the presence of didymo in the Green River in the Berkshire County communities of Alford and Egremont.

Six public school districts in Columbia County, New York are receiving awards totaling $300,000 from a local foundation to strengthen arts and humanities programs.

The Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation recently announced that the Ellsworth Kelly Foundation is donating the money to the Arts and Humanities Funds for the Hudson, Chatham, Germantown, New Lebanon, Ichabod Crane and Taconic Hills Central School Districts.

The money is being awarded to celebrate Columbia County-based artist Ellsworth Kelly’s 90th birthday.

Several school districts in Massachusetts are receiving funding to improve vocational and technical training programs as part of a state sponsored grant program to prepare students for the modern workforce.

Since approving a $300 million transportation funding bill last week, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick recently filed a terms bill, which if approved by the legislature, would provide funding to roads and bridge projects before the end of the summer work season.

A recently released audit reports that welfare benefits were paid out to more than 1,000 people who were deceased in Massachusetts. The report comes at a time when the state Department of Transitional Assistance is conducting a top to bottom review of its practices in light of a report showing the potential for fraud released by the state Inspector General earlier this year.