Cats From Dumping Incident Now Seeking Forever Homes

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Ten of the 11 cats that were brought to the Berkshire Humane Society after being dumped in Richmond and Lanesborough on the eve of a snowstorm are now ready to find their forever homes.

Their story shows the power of cooperative effort, as the cats were captured by Animal Dreams volunteers, Lanesborough Animal Control, and multiple Good Samaritans.

Two Pittsfield individuals, Kelly Hathaway and Arthur W. Raney, are both facing 15 counts of animal cruelty for the alleged dumping of the cats. They had non-guilty pleas entered on their behalf in Pittsfield District Court in March and have a pre-trial hearing scheduled for May 9.

The cats are a range of different breeds, some with long hair, some with short and varying in color.  There is even a male Siamese mix with striking eyes named George Michael.

"All of the females are from Lanesborough and all of the males are from Richmond," Marketing and Communications Manager Catherine Hibbard said.

The females were given names that begin with D: Demi, Dixie, Darla, and Delilah, and the males were named after musicians: Ben King, Chuck Berry, Frank Sinatra, George Michael, and Dan Fogelberg.

One male, Eric Clapton, needs to improve medically before he can be adopted.

Adoption applications can be found on the shelter's website.

 

Pittsfield City Council Weighs in on 'Crisis' in Public Schools

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires Staff
08:59PM / Monday, December 23, 2024

A half-dozen people addressed the City Council from the floor of Monday's meeting, including Valerie Anderson, right.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — After expressing anger and outrage and making numerous calls for accountability and transparency, the 11 members of the City Council on Monday voted to support the School Committee in seeking an independent investigation into allegations of misconduct by staff members at Pittsfield High School that have come to light in recent weeks.

 

At the close of a month that has seen three PHS administrators put on administrative leave, including one who was arrested on drug trafficking charges, the revelation that the district is facing a civil lawsuit over inappropriate conduct by a former teacher and that a staff member who left earlier in the year is also under investigation at his current workplace, the majority of the council felt compelled to speak up about the situation.

 

"While the City Council does not have jurisdiction over the schools … we have a duty to raise our voices and amplify your concerns and ensure this crisis is met with the urgency it demands," Ward 5 Councilor Patrick Kavey said.

 

About two dozen community members attended the special meeting of the council, which had a single agenda item.

 

Four of the councilors precipitated the meeting with a motion that the council join the School Committee in its search for an investigation and that the council, "be included in the delivery of any disclosures, interim reports or findings submitted to the city."

 

Last week, the School Committee decided to launch that investigation. On Monday, City Council President Peter White said the School Committee has a meeting scheduled for Dec. 30 to authorize its chair to enter negotiations with the Springfield law firm of Bulkley, Richardson and Gelinas to conduct that probe.

 

Ward 7 Councilor Rhonda Serre, the principal author of the motion of support, was one of several members who noted that the investigation process will take time, and she, like Kavey, acknowledged that the council has no power over the public schools beyond its approval of the annual district budget.