Taconic High Station to Broadcast Colonials Games

By Larry KratkaBerkshire News Network
Print Story | Email Story

Taconic senior Billy Madewell, WBTR's program director, will be a color commentator for the Colonials this summer.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Pittsfield Colonials will be on the air as they return for a second season at historic Wahconah Park with the help of some Taconic High broadcasters.

The Pittsfield School Committee on Wednesday approved an educational partnership between the Pittsfield School System and the Canadian-American League team that will enable the team's home games to be broadcast on Taconic High School's FM radio station, 89.7 WTBR. 

Buddy Lewis, co-owner of the Pittsfield Colonials, told the School Committee that WTBR will broadcast 51 of the 54 home games from Wahconah Park and possibly some away games as well. Lewis also said two WTBR students would be hired by the Colonials as student interns — one to do the PA announcing and another to work with Colonials play-by-play announcer, Chad Cooper, as color commentator. 

WTBR student adviser Larry Kratka, morning news host for Vox Communications stations in the Berkshires, said he was most happy about the two students landing summer jobs. 


Related News


Pittsfield's Rock 'n' Roll High School Is Back

"Billy Madewell is the current student program director and he hopes to pursue sports communications at MCLA in the fall," said Kratka, adding Madewell considers this a dream job.

The student-run radio station offers more than 80 hours of programming a week and has some three dozen students and more than a dozen adults working to keep the signal going. The 89.7 WTBR-FM 400-watt signal is quite powerful and can be heard all the way to Cheshire to the north, New Lebanon, N.Y., to the west and Lee to the south. WTBR also streams live on the Internet. 

Lewis said a press conference will be held next week to release more details of the partnership.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Ollie's Bargain Outlet Taking Over Pittsfield Big Lots

Staff ReportsiBerkshires
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The lease for the Big Lots on Dalton Avenue has been purchased by Ollie's Bargain Outlet
 
Ollie's, based in Harrisburg, Pa., acquired 40 leases for Big Lots stores and Burlington Stores Inc. another dozen. 
 
Big Lots filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last September. It operated nearly 1,400 stores nationwide but began closing more than 300 by August with plans for another 250 by January. 
 
It announced back in December it would be closing the Pittsfield store after a purchase agreement with a competitor fall through. 
 
The closeout retailer moved into the former Price Rite Marketplace on Dalton Avenue in 2021 from Allendale Shopping Center. 
 
Gordon Brothers bought out Big Lots in early January with Variety Wholesalers of Henderson, N.C., acquiring some 200 of the stores to operate them under the Big Lots banner. 
 
Ollie's will now operate 63 former Big Lots, including the one in Pittsfield and another in Rutland, Vt. It operates about 568 stores in 31 states.
 
View Full Story

More Pittsfield Stories