image description — A large crowd dressed in blue attended the afternoon proclamation.

Pittsfield Raising Autism Awareness In April

By Andy McKeeveriBerkshires Staff
02:32AM / Friday, April 03, 2015Print Story | Email Story

Cory Carlotto was an honored special guest of Mayor Daniel Bianchi during Thursday's reading of a proclamation to raise awareness of the disease.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Park Square will be lit up with blue lights throughout the month of April to help raise awareness of autism.

Hillcrest Educational Centers, Limelight Productions, and the city have teamed up to install blue lights in both Park Square and at City Hall to remind people when they drive by about the impacts and prevalence of autism.

On Thursday, Mayor Daniel Bianchi dedicated a proclamation honoring the money to Cory Carlotto, a city resident with the condition.

"Cory is just a wonderful young man. His mom works here in City Hall and he is just a delightful gentleman. He works in the community and is such a pleasure to have around. But he has been impacted by autism as well. It is really important for us as a community to put a face on autism because it really brings it home," Bianchi said.

Meanwhile the mayor's office is selling magnets at $5 a piece to help raise money for local organizations that help those with autism.

"It is becoming a tremendous challenge for all communities who are facing these issues. I don't think there is enough research and knowledge about autism but it affects our community. It affects our educational system. And it affects to many families," Bianchi said. "One in 86 children show up on the autism spectrum, which is incredible. As a society we have to get a handle on this. We have to help the families who are struggling with it."

In the last decade, prevalence rose from 1 in 166 to 1 in 88. It is still unknown what causes the neurological disorder and there is no cure. The mayor encouraged residents to call federal and state legislators to allocate additional resources for research.

Meanwhile, Hillcrest Educational Director of Business Development Michael Supranowicz is hoping to keep the disease in people's minds all month. The organization teamed up with Lenox-based Limelight Productions for the blue lights in Park Square and at City Hall.

"Strategic places all over the world have been lit up on April 2 and through the whole month — the Space Needle in Seattle, Wash., the Empire State Building — so we thought we could make an impact in Berkshire County as well," Supranowicz said. "It is really to bring awareness."

At dusk on Thursday, the city will turn on the blue lights and leave them on all month.

Tags: autism, proclamation,

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Possible Measles Exposure at Boston, Logan

12:05PM / Wednesday, December 24, 2025

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Department of Public Health confirmed Wednesday that an out-of-state adult visitor who spent time in Boston and Westborough earlier this month was diagnosed with measles and was present in a number of locations.

This could have resulted in other people being exposed to measles virus.

The visitor arrived at Logan International Airport on American Airlines flight 2384 from Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, on Dec. 11 at 2:39 p.m. They stayed at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Boston-Westborough in Westborough and departed the state on Dec. 12 via Logan at 9:19 p.m. on JetBlue flight 117 to Las Vegas.

DPH is working with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local partners to identify and notify those who may have been exposed to measles from this individual.

"Measles is a highly contagious, airborne disease, which has increased significantly in the United States because of the unfortunate decrease in vaccination rates. It is also a preventable disease," said Public Health Commissioner Dr. Robbie Goldstein. "This current situation serves as an important reminder of the critical role vaccination plays in protecting our communities. While Massachusetts has not had a measles case this year, 2025 saw the highest number of nationwide cases in more than a decade — nearly 2,000 in 44 jurisdictions, and sadly, three deaths.

"Fifteen years ago, measles had been considered eliminated in the United States, but that tremendous progress is at risk. Vaccines are one of the most important public health interventions ever — they are safe, effective, and lifesaving."

Measles is very contagious. However, the risk to most people in Massachusetts is low because the vaccination rate in the state is high. People who are not immune and visited any of the locations on the following dates and times may be at risk for developing measles.

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