Friday, July 30, 2010
Sheriff Candidate Bosley Accusing DA Office Employee Of Ethics Violations.
Berkshire County Sheriff candidate, Dan Bosley, is accusing an employee in
the District Attorney’s office, of violating ethics laws. The Berkshire Eagle is
reporting that Bosley’s complaint stems from a Facebook conversation on July 8th
and 9th. between Assistant District Attorney Dana Parsons and a campaign worker
for Thomas Bowler, Jennifer Breen Kirsch. The story goes that Parsons asked
Krisch for some Bowler campaign signs….which were eventually dropped at the
front desk of the DA’s office on North Street. The State Ethics Commission has
ruled that it is illegal for governmental employees to campaign for a candidate
on state property…which includes receiving and distributing campaign
material…such as lawn signs. District Attorney David Capeless told the Eagle
yesterday that while Parsons apparently did receive those signs at the office,
he also stressed that this was an individual promoting a candidate without his
knowledge or direction, and not an organized effort by the District Attorney’s
office. Donna Mattoon of the Bowler campaign said that this was an innocent
mistake. Bosley said he has not decided whether or not he will pursue the matter
with the state Ethics Commission.
State Rep. Candidate Warns Of Lost Revenue.
1st Berkshire District State Representative candidate, Gailanne Cariddi, is
warning that passage of two statewide ballot questions…..coupled with the loss
of federal stimulus funds and a vastly depleted rainy day account….could force
massive cuts to local aid and other state programs. In a press release sent to
the Berkshire News Network, Carridi said that according to projections by the
Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, cutting the sales tax from 6.25 to 3
percent, will result in an annual loss of $2.4 billion. And if voters repeal the
sales tax on alcoholic beverages, we are looking at another $100 million per
year in lost revenue. According to Cariddi, two areas in need of budgetary
belt-tightening are the Legislature and the Probation Department.
Sunday At Six Begins At 4pm Sunday In Williamstown.
The final “Sundays at Six” festival, will take place in Williamstown…on
Sunday, and organizers say it’ll be the best yet. The Sunday festival, which
actually begins at 4pm, will again feature plenty of food, entertainment and
family fun on Main, Latham, Water, Spring and Walden Streets. Musical
entertainment will feature a variety of performers, including local and
long-time favorites, The Flat Bed Jazz Band. Activities get going at 4pm and
extend through Images Cinema’s Family Flicks Under the Stars. This week’s
feature is the family favorite, Annie.
Station 100 In Florida Hosting A 60 Mile Run.
The Florida Volunteer Fire Department wants to raise money for Shriners
Hospitals for Children and has decided that a 60 mile ride through the
Berkshires is just what the doctor ordered. So, Iron Station 100 is hosting a
60-mile poker run tomorrow with registration beginning at 11am behind the Adams
Fire Department. Cory Adelt, President of Iron Station 100, said kickstands are
up at 1pm and hopes that many bikers will take part. For the ones that do, it’ll
cost $20 dollars per bike. But the ride is worth it and all the money will go
towards the Shriners Hospitals for Children.
Pittsfield Firefighters Called To Fairfield Street Fire.
Details are sketchy but Pittsfield firefighters were called to Fairfield
Street after a report of a structure fire came in to headquarters. Broadcast
reports said that a caller reported flames coming from the structure. No house
number was given and police closed off Fairfield Street at the South Street
entrance. Fairfield Street is a dead-end road with single family homes on it.
Firefighters were called to Fairfield Street at 4:35am. Additional details were
unavailable.
Tuesday’s Richmond Train Track Victim Identified.
State Police have released the name of the man who was truck and killed by a
CSX freight train on Tuesday afternoon in Richmond. Police identified the victim
as 28-year-old Nicholas Van Alstine of Amesbury Massachusetts. Alstine was
killed by the northbound freight in the vicinity of Town Beach Road in Richmond,
around 4pm on Tuesday. According to eyewitnesses, it appeared that Van Alstine
jumped in front of the moving train, and investigators are treating his death as
a suicide. The investigation continues by Massachusetts State Police detectives
assigned to the District Attorney’s Office.
Conservation Land Celebration In Sheffield Today
Officials from the Department of Fish and Game are joining with other
conservation organizations to celebrate the conservation of more than 485 acres
of conservation land in the towns of Egremont, Mount Washington and Sheffield at
an event this afternoon in Sheffield. Department of Fish and Game Commissioner
Mary Griffith will be joined by representatives of The Nature Conservancy, The
Berkshire Natural Resources Council – and the land trusts of both Sheffield and
Egremont. The event, which is open to the public, will take place at noon today
at 257 Jug End Road in Sheffield.
Becket Taps Interim Administrator
Becket selectmen have voted unanimously to appoint Richard Furlong as interim
town administrator until a full-time administrator is hired. He replaces Tony
Blair, who the select board chose not to rehire after a six-month probationary
period. Ironically Blair replaced Furlong a little more than a year ago. Furlong
previously served as town administrator from 1995 to 2009. Selectmen also voted
to put together a committee to conduct a search for a new permanent town
administrator.