Press

NORTH ADAMS — The key to a good sandwich: the bread.

That’s according to Berkshire chef Xavier Jones, who will soon be serving up Philly cheesesteaks in the Berkshires once again, and on bread imported from Philadelphia.

In late April, Jones and two other co-owners, Warren Dews Jr. and Dully Saimbert, are opening BiggDaddy’s Philly Steak House on the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art’s campus in a space that was occupied by A-OK Barbecue until it closed last year. 

Greylock Federal Credit Union (Greylock) makes no secret of its commitments to supporting the local community. But it’s not until you see them laid out on the page — or 16 pages, to be more precise — that the full scope of the 88-year-old institution’s contributions become apparent.

In its 2022 Impact Report, published this month, Greylock outlines its many community-centric initiatives from the past year, ranging from monetary donations to special loans, educational programs and research projects. 

Greylock Federal Credit Union (Greylock) makes no secret of its commitments to supporting the local community. But it’s not until you see them laid out on the page — or 16 pages, to be more precise — that the full scope of the 88-year-old institution’s contributions become apparent.

In its 2022 Impact Report, published this month, Greylock outlines its many community-centric initiatives from the past year, ranging from monetary donations to special loans, educational programs and research projects. 

Pittsfield has found itself in a little bit of a boxing renaissance. Steve and Quintin Sumpter have been fighting out of the largest city in the Berkshires, with Steve winning the Massachusetts Light Heavyweight Title in November.

Now a new fighter is taking the Massachusetts stage and he, too, will have a shot at a state title. Pittsfield’s Jamer Jones (2-1, 2 KOs) will be boxing on Saturday at Melrose Memorial Hall in Melrose, Mass. The Taconic graduate will be challenging Massachusetts State Middleweight Champion, Anthony “The Gentle Savage” Andreozzi (4-2, 1 KO) for his belt. 

Congratulations to all the grant recipients! Click the link below to watch the video.

PITTSFIELD — Six local small-business owners received a $4,000 boost from the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston and the Leaders for an Equitable Pittsfield as part of a grant program aimed at supporting economic equality in the commonwealth’s smaller cities.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Berkshire Black Economic Council made its first grant awards to six organizations on Wednesday evening.

The Leaders for Equitable Pittsfield recipients are Maggie Sadoway Immigrant Co-op leader Maria Arias, Gustitos Boricuas/La Cocineras Latinas owner Miriam Orengo, Grice Beauty owner Ranish Grice, Guelce Marketing Collaborative owner Jocelyn Guelce, Cravins Ice Cream owner Ludwig Jean-Louis, and Berkshire International Market owner Goundo Behanzin. 

Now in its third year, The Boston Globe’s Black History Month Film Festival will honor and celebrate the lives, culture, and creativity of Black Americans through film. Both classic and new works will be made available for virtual viewing throughout the month. Each screening will also be followed by a virtual panel event to provide insight and context for these stories of strength, joy, and love. Join Globe writers and editors, filmmakers, and talent for these five installments.

As Pittsfield community leaders spoke to a crowd of protesters on the sidewalk in Park Square, Kamaar Taliaferro took to the streets. When others saw what he was doing, they stood alongside him.

PITTSFIELD — By the time Manny Slaughter gets home each day, he’s just about ready to go to bed.

Between his day job at Alternative Living Centers and running the After School Homework and Mentorship Program, he’s certainly got enough to keep him busy. But the payoff is worth the effort. 

The Taconic and Pittsfield High School boys basketball teams are two of the biggest noisemakers as the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association released its second set of power ratings Tuesday morning.

PITTSFIELD — If these walls could talk, volunteer Laura Harbin-Waters thinks they’d have a lot to say.

Harbin-Waters stood alongside other volunteers at the Habitat for Humanity property at 58 Gordon St., white primer dripping from rollers and brushes as the crew was tasked with coating the second floor. The act, she said, was more than meets the eye. 

PITTSFIELD — The poems are there, inside these young Pittsfield authors. They just need coaxing.

That’s a given for leaders of the Fireside program, which since 2017 has helped elementary students blossom as writers, with support from The Mastheads, the humanities program based at Arrowhead, former home of writer Herman Melville. 

NORTH ADAMS — “Communion with life begins with the earth,” a blue poster declares to those who pass by MCLA’s Design Lab.

GREAT BARRINGTON — The image of a town native who broke ground in medicine, as well as for women and people of color, might end up on a U.S. stamp.

On weekends at Pine Manor College, Taverick “Tank” Roberson practiced in the basketball gym while his teammates and friends were out partying. Roberson, a New England Basketball Hall of Famer and one of the best high school basketball players in Pittsfield history, had a work ethic that separated him from the rest.

PITTSFIELD — On Thursday night, Cashey Young, 16, could hardly contain her nerves leading up to her first Kwanzaa performance.

Young had spent the week reflecting on the African-American holiday in preparation. “It’s great that there’s a holiday that celebrates everybody who’s Black. Uniting with Black people is really important for me, because alone we can’t accomplish what we can do together,” she said. 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — In its inaugural year, the city’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) has opened up the conversation about creating safe and equal spaces for all community members.

“I would say that almost a full year has gone very, very well, exceptionally well,” Chief Diversity Officer Michael Obasohan said about the work that has been done internally within the city departments and externally with other organizations.

PITTSFIELD — Michael J. Wynn is a trade association’s “chief of the year” for 2022.

The Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association announced on social media that Wynn, a nearly 30-year veteran of the Pittsfield Police Department, had been selected unanimously for an award that “recognizes the police chief that genuinely stood out that year.”