Lucas Willard

A community discussion was held Friday to address the number primary care medical providers available in the Berkshires, and how to attract more to the area.

A recently released report provides a deeper look into the housing needs of one small Berkshire County community.

Williamstown’s Affordable Housing Committee recently commissioned a study on the housing needs of the community by housing and development consultant, John Ryan. 

On Wednesday, public health officials in Massachusetts approved a set of final regulations for the use of medical marijuana, and before the first dispensaries are expected to open, some communities are taking action to accommodate them.

The state’s Public Health Council approved the draft regulations on medical marijuana drawn up by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.

Under the law approved by voters last November, up to 35 dispensaries will open in communities across the state, but not for the next several months.

Officials from the Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game have released their results of the first statewide bald eagle nesting survey, conducted earlier this spring.

The Department of Fish and Game has announced that 30 active bald eagle nets have been verified in Massachusetts, from the Berkshires to Cape Cod. The eagles were spotted as part of the state’s first bald eagle nesting survey, which was coordinated by the department’s Division of Fisheries and Wildlife and involved agency staff and volunteers.

The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection has released its updated Solid Waste Master Plan, which aims to increase recycling and reduce the amount of trash sent to landfills. But some aspects of the plan remain controversial among environmentalists.

The new master plan released this week has a goal of reducing waste in Massachusetts 30 percent by 2020 and 80 percent by 2050. The plan will focus on controlling food waste, increasing recycling, and looking to new technologies to eliminate waste and reducing the toll on the state’s landfills.

May is nationally recognized as Mental Health Awareness Month, and mental health advocates in the Berkshires are becoming involved to educate the public about the resources available for those living with mental illness.

As part of a way to draw attention to mental illness is his local community, North Adams mayor Richard Alcombright recently called together a discussion with mental health professionals and representatives of area mental health service providers.

Organizers of some of the Berkshires’ largest spring and summer events may take extra steps to enhance security.

Special events in the Berkshires this summer are expected to draw thousands of visitors to the region. And in the aftermath of the bombings at the Boston Marathon, event organizers and public safety officials are taking necessary steps to enhance or improve security.

The Massachusetts Attorney General’s office is now encouraging legal organizations across the commonwealth in a food drive that aims to restock the state’s food banks at a time where donations are needed the most.

From now until May 10th, bar associations, district attorney’s offices, and other legal organizations across Massachusetts are collecting food and monetary donations as part of the 2013 Legal Food Frenzy. The statewide food donation drive is now entering its fourth year. The program is spearheaded by Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley.

Planners in Berkshire County are reaching out to organizations in the public and private sectors to request information on their upcoming economic development projects.

The Berkshire Regional Planning Commission is talking to private businesses, municipalities, non-profits, agencies, and others to collect data in order to update its Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy Priority Project List.

A statewide competition in Massachusetts hopes to help up to 20 small cities find ways to solve major problems through collaborations.

The Working Cities Challenge, which will launch on Friday, intends to revitalize small and medium sized post-industrial cities in the commonwealth by bringing together leadership from the public and private sectors to brainstorm and initiate their own solutions. Eligible cities in Western Massachusetts include Pittsfield, Westfield, Springfield, Holyoke, and Chicopee.