Josh Landes

With tonight’s celebration of the first night of Passover, Jews around the world are experiencing a unique version of the ancient tradition: the Skype Seder. WAMC spoke with rabbis from across Berkshire County to hear how they’re approaching this pandemic Passover.

For the first time since 1890, the Boston Pops are canceling their spring season. 

Broadway will be dark until at least June 7th, and the COVID-19 outbreak is leading to a spate of cancellations among Berkshire County’s cultural institutions, too. Jacob’s Pillow called off its summer season for the first time in its 88-year history, the Chester Theatre Company cancelled three of its four scheduled shows, and Barrington Stage Company is moving to a “wait and see” model. Whatever happens, the county’s tourist-based economy is in for yet another shock.

On Tuesday, the Williamstown Theatre Festival joined that list with an announcement that it won’t put on its summer season – at least, not on stage. WAMC spoke with the festival’s artistic director, Mandy Greenfield, to find out what happens next.

Pittsfield, Massachusetts has extended the payment deadline for city taxes.

Since the Williamstown Commons nursing home in Williamstown, Massachusetts reported its first case of COVID-19 on March 24, 10 residents have died and 35 more have tested positive for coronavirus. On Monday, the remaining 75 of the center’s roughly 130 residents were tested for the virus. Now, the company that manages the facility says there are five positive cases at another of its centers, Fairview Commons in Great Barrington, 45 miles south of Williamstown. WAMC spoke with Berkshire Healthcare Systems Vice President of Communications Lisa Gaudet Monday about the company’s response to the outbreak.

The company that manages a Williamstown, Massachusetts nursing home says 10 residents have now died after testing positive for COVID-19. Five residents at another facility it manages in Great Barrington are positive for coronavirus too.

Berkshire County’s largest community is responding to the ever-changing demands of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Guidance from officials was brief and firm: school and most work has to be done from home during the pandemic. But some of Berkshire County’s smallest communities are feeling the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak through their ongoing struggles with internet access.

Williams College has canceled June’s commencement and reunion events due to the COVID-19 outbreak. 

The 4th Annual Berkshire Pride LGBTQ+ Festival has been postponed due to the pandemic.

The COVID-19 crisis is affecting services across Berkshire County. For Michelle Lopez, executive director of the Berkshire Immigrant Center, the pandemic and the resulting shutdown are making it even harder to provide aid to one of the county’s most vulnerable populations. Lopez spoke with WAMC about supporting the immigrant community during the pandemic.

Pittsfield, Massachusetts has closed its basketball and tennis courts and its skate park in hopes of stemming the spread of coronavirus.

With Massachusetts schools closed into May due to the COVID-19 outbreak, educators are working to find new ways to continue teaching students. The Southern Berkshire Regional School District anticipates rolling out its new remote learning plan on Friday. WAMC spoke with Superintendent of Schools Beth Regulbuto about how her district intends to serve more than 600 students while its three campuses remain shuttered.

WAMC News has obtained an internal memo from Berkshire Health Systems that indicates the company will no longer require staffers to be furloughed after exposure to patients with COVID-19.

Massachusetts Congressman Richard Neal held a telephone town hall Tuesday to answer constituents’ questions about COVID-19.

Becket, Massachusetts dance center Jacob’s Pillow has canceled its annual summer festival for the first time in its 88-year history due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s just the latest arts world casualty of the disease in an area that relies on summer cultural tourism. WAMC spoke with Director Pamela Tatge about the cancellation and its impacts on the center’s staff and budget.

Becket, Massachusetts dance center Jacob’s Pillow has canceled its summer festival for the first time in its 88-year history.

A Berkshire County state representative says he doesn’t expect schools to reopen this school year because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases is up to 20 at a nursing home in Williamstown, Massachusetts.

Nurses at Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield, Massachusetts are demanding that all frontline staff at the hospital be outfitted with N95 facemasks.

A resident of the Williamstown Commons nursing and rehabilitation facility in Williamstown, Massachusetts has died after testing positive for COVID-19. WAMC spoke with her daughter.

Pittsfield, Massachusetts is changing its meal schedule for city students with public schools closed until at least May 4th.

As positive cases of COVID-19 mount at a Williamstown, Massachusetts nursing home, family members of the residents are reacting.

Even if they can’t gather for services, spiritual leaders across Berkshire County are tending to their congregants in the anxious era of the COVID-19 outbreak.

A nursing and rehabilitation center in Williamstown, Massachusetts has seen cases of COVID-19 among residents skyrocket from one on Tuesday to 14 by Friday.

A Berkshire County resident is one of the thousands of Americans stranded overseas as the world grinds to a halt amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

The town of Great Barrington, Massachusetts is calling on its landlords to seek relief from mortgage lenders and pass it on to their tenants. 

A company in Berkshire County is working on manufacturing new drugs to treat COVID-19.

A nursing and rehabilitation center in Williamstown, Massachusetts says one of its residents has tested positive for COVID-19.