Thursday, October 13, 2005

Two Vacant Buildings On State Road Demolished

Now that the former Pizza Hut and T-and-T Electronics buildings on State Road in North Adams have been knocked down, what’s next?

Demolition of the two buildings was always part of the plan and Legacy Banks spokesperson Angela Motler says the land needs to be effectively cleaned up, both for aesthetics and for safety.

Legacy Banks bought the two properties in April for 410 thousand dollars combined. At the time, company officials said it appeared to be an ideal site for a drive-thru branch, especially since the Main Street branch doesn’t have that.

However, Motler says there are no definite plans in place, saying strategic planning for the property will begin next year.

Berkshire Gas Seeks 29 Percent Increase

Berkshire Gas spokesman Chris Farrell says the company is requesting a 29 percent increase in the commodity charge, but says no additional profit would be taken if approved by the state.

The commodity charge changes along with the market price of natural gas, and as a state-regulated utility, Berkshire Gas is forbidden by law from any markups in that area.

The company does make a profit on the DELIVERY charge, Farrell says THAT portion of the bill is only going up 1.37 percent over last year, and will remain fixed until at least August 2006.

If the state department of telecommunications and energy approves, the new commodity charges would take effect November 1st and Berkshire Gas customers would see them on their December bill.

NA Council Approves Proposed Purchase Of West Shaft Road Sewer Line

North Adams City Council gives the Mayor approval to proceed with the proposed purchase of a sewer line along West Shaft Road.

Mayor John Barrett says any dispute over who owned the line has been resolved, saying the purchase would be made from a realty trust called North Adams Apartments, Limited Partnership.

Should the Farmer’s Home Administration sign off, Barrett says purchasing the sewer line will help dozens of residents on West Shaft Road in dire need of an affordable sewer connection.

North Adams City Council Candidates Appear On Opinion Show

North Adams city councilor Marie Harpin pledging to work with whomever gets voted into office over the next two years, should she win a 5th straight term in November.

Harpin says one of her priorities moving forward relates to housing, saying redevelopment of the Clark Biscuit building into middle-income housing units could enliven the downtown economy. Harpin says the city has enough subsidized units and housing for the elderly, but says there’s a need for assisted living.

Meanwhile, city council candidate Dr Peter May says the city needs housing units for people of all different backgrounds and income levels. May’s focus is on improvements downtown and says the ideas stem from a survey he’s conducting that shows public support for various proposals, which he stresses are not new ideas.

City Council Candidates Bloom And Rudd Speak On Opinion Show

Maintaining an attractive downtown in North Adams is key in order to generate business development.

That message from incumbent city councilor Mike Bloom, who's running for what would be a 9th straight 2-year term in November. In recent years, Bloom says improvements to lighting and sidewalks as well as adding in flowers have created an environment that's appealing to the private investor seeking to do business downtown.

Meanwhile, city council candidate Nikolai Rudd says bringing in more nightlife and entertainment will lead the revitalization of downtown, saying substantial benefits can come from attracting more high school and college students to spend their money. Candidates Week on the Opinion Show continues Wednesday morning at 8:30 here on WNAW.

Barrett Credits Flood Control Chutes For Minimizing Week-End Flooding

If the floods that hit North Adams over the weekend had come about 70 or 80 years ago, the damage would have been devastating.

That according to Mayor John Barrett, who credits the flood control chutes with minimizing the impact of the 8-inch rainstorm and resulting floods on Saturday and Sunday.

The water level reportedly peaked within 3 or 4 feet from the top of flood control chutes along River Street...Barrett says that's the highest level he's ever seen in his 22 years as Mayor.

Other trouble areas were along Curran Highway - which tends to flood in the spring - also Beaver Street, where residents were evacuated after water got through a nearby retaining wall.

Barrett also credited city police and firefighters with a well-coordinated effort in the evacuation of Beaver Street, and in helping numerous residents pump water out of basements.

NAFD Stresses Safe Usage Of Candles

The North Adams Fire Department stressing safe usage of candles during this Fire Prevention Week.

N-A-F-D fire safety educator Dave Simon says the basic rule of thumb for candle-users is -- “when you go out, blow out.” In other words, when you leave the room where there is a lighted candle, bow it out.

Simon added that matches and lighters used to light candles need to be kept away from children.

North Adams firefighters are now making appointments with senior citizens to go into their homes, go through a fire safety checklist and make sure smoke detectors are installed properly and have fresh batteries.

For more information the fire education for older citizens program, call the fire department at 664-4923.

AAA Says Average Down 6 Cents In Past Week

For the sixth week in a row, gasoline prices have dropped in Massachusetts.

That's according to the latest weekly survey by Triple A of southern New England, which found self-serve regular selling for an average of two dollars, 80 cents a gallon in the Bay State.

That's down six cents from last week and 43 cents since the average price hit an all-time high in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

One year ago at this time, gas was selling for an average of one dollar, 98 cents a gallon.

Hearings Held Around The State To Discuss Auto Insurance Reform

A series of meetings and news conferences were scheduled Tuesday to discuss proposed changes to the state's auto insurance rates.

The House Committee on Financial Services holds legislative hearings on automobile insurance reform in Southwick, Springfield and Barnstable.

In Worcester, Attorney General Tom Reilly holds a news conference to discuss the need for lower auto insurance rates.

Massachusetts is the only state where auto insurance rates are set by state regulators.

Reilly has proposed an 18 percent rate reduction this year, far higher than the slight decrease proposed by the insurance companies.

Governor Romney has proposed opening up the system to allow for more competition, which he says will result in lower rates for good drivers. Monday, September 26, 2005

President And C-E-O Of NB Healthcare To Leave

The president and C-E-O of Northern Berkshire Healthcare has announced that he will leave his position at the end of 2005.

John Cronin told employees and volunteers that he's enjoyed his nine years with N-B-H, noting the support he received from the Board of Trustees, management teams and hospital employees.

Board of Trustees President Stephen Crowe has appointed a six-member search committee, and the Board has hired an executive search firm to help find Cronin's successor. Crowe says they hope to have a new C-E-O in place by this winter. Cronin, who has been with N-B-H since 1996, did not comment on his future plans, nor did he give a reason for his leaving.

Northern Berkshire Healthcare has not posted a profit since fiscal year 2000...but Cronin has played a key role in the CARE Campaign, which has raised over 10 million dollars in the last two years to support the expansion of North Adams Regional Hospital.

Barrett Wants To Extend Urban Renewal Governing Plan 5 Years

The urban renewal plan governing the heart of downtown North Adams is set to expire in 2007 after 40 years...now Mayor John Barrett is asking city council to extend the plan five more years.

The Main Street Urban Renewal Plan gives the North Adams Redevelopment Authority jurisdiction over any changes made within the zone, which includes the former K-Mart, the L-shaped mall and other buildings on American Legion Drive.

In a letter to city councilors, Barrett says it would be in the city's best interest to extend the plan, thereby allowing for continued oversight of any proposed development.

The owners of the old K-Mart building asked to subdivide the property in May. Approving the Form A would freeze the zoning of the property through May 2008...one year beyond the current expiration of the urban renewal plan. The city planning board denied the Form A request -- that decision is on appeal in Massachusetts Land Court.

After Two Trials, Man Found Innocent Of Selling Marijuana

After two trials, the first that resulted in a hung jury, a huge letter writing campaign and a general outcry from supporters, 18 year old Kyle Sawin was found not guilty Friday in Berkshire Superior Court.

The jury deliberated for about 9 hours over a two-day period before returning the verdict. It was alleged that Sawin sold marijuana to an undercover police officer in Great Barrington on three occasions last year .

Berkshire County D.A. David Capeless was very upset by the verdict. Capeless went on to say it would be inappropriate to comment on whether the other defendants charged in the case would stand trial.

Massachusetts Electric customers Could See Big Jump In Electric Bill

Massachusetts Electric customers could see monthly rate increases of more than 27 percent under plans filed with the state Friday.

Mass- Electric blames its proposed rate hike on higher wholesale electricity prices.

The increases would affect about one million residential customers and would be effective November First to April 30th.

The utility says the proposed increase would add 17 dollars, 52 cents to an average residential customer's monthly electricity bill. The proposed increase is subject to the approval of the state Department of Telecommunications and Energy.

Attorney General Tom Reilly's office says companies should be doing a better job of protecting consumers from short-term spikes in fuel prices.

His office is urging D-T-E to implement better ways to create stable and equitable prices for electricity.

O'Malley Released From Hospital

Archbishop Sean O'Malley was released from a local hospital yesterday after receiving treatment for an acute inner ear infection.

O'Malley was admitted Wednesday to Caritas St. Elizabeth's Medical Center in Boston.

He was discharged Friday afternoon and returned to his living quarters at the Holy Cross rectory in the city's South End.

A spokesman said O'Malley is "resting comfortably" and is "in great spirits."

Teen Severs Foot In Train Accident

A 15-year-old Springfield boy severs part of his foot trying to hop a train.

The boy and a friend were hopping a freight train when the boy slipped off the side of the car. His right foot went under the wheel, severing it.

Some Good Samaritans helped carry the teen to a nearby school, where local firefighters treated him.

He was taken to Baystate Medical Center.

Officials did not identify the boy.

Personnel on the train, owned by Springfield Terminal Railway, had no idea about the accident until police notified them.

Seniors To Face Array Of Drug Plans In Region

Senior citizens in New England face a broad and potentially confusing array of choices among prescription drug plans that were announced yesterday.

The Bush administration named ten insurers to provide a prescription drug program to an estimated 30 million senior citizens nationwide as part of the largest expansion in Medicare ever.

However, insurers also submitted bids for regional contracts, driving up the number of companies approved by the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

Senior citizens in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Vermont can choose from 17 stand-alone prescription drug plans. In Maine and New Hampshire, seniors have 16 choices.

Enrollment begins November 15th for the prescription drug plan.

Liberty Mutual Sues Chiropractors Accused Of Fraud

Liberty Mutual Insurance is suing more than a dozen chiropractors accused of engaging in an auto insurance fraud scheme in Lawrence.

The lawsuit claims Doctor Alan Cohen submitted phony medical bills for patients who were involved in staged car accidents.

Cohen's brother, Doctor Marc Cohen, and a dozen other chiropractors who worked for Alan Cohen in Lawrence, Lynn and Boston also are named as defendants in the suit.

The Eagle Tribune of Lawrence reports that Liberty Mutual is seeking to recoup more than four million of the six million dollars that Cohen has billed the company since 1997.

In court papers, Cohen denies he knowingly treated any patients who were involved in staged or phantom accidents.

Cohen is one of 16 professionals who have been indicted by a special grand jury in Essex County for their alleged involvement in auto insurance fraud in Lawrence.

Electrocution Is Cause Of Death Following MBTA Fight

Police have determined that the man who died during a fight at an M-B-T-A station on Thursday was electrocuted by the third rail.

Boston police also identified the victim as 23-year-old Theodore Faulk Junior of Boston's Dorchester neighborhood.

Faulk and another man began arguing aboard a subway car at the Andrew Square station.

Four stops later, at Fields Corner, the fight turned physical and spilled onto the platform.

Moments later, Faulk was on the tracks.

There have been no arrests. Police say they are looking for witnesses who saw the men arguing.

State Opens Three Satellite Offices To Assist Katrina Victims

The state is opening three Disaster Recovery Centers next week for hundreds of Hurricane Katrina evacuees who have relocated to Massachusetts.

The centers will be one-stop locations for the evacuees to obtain federal, state and charitable services.

They will be open from 9 a-m to 7 p-m at Hynes Convention Center in Boston, the Worcester Senior Center and the Urban League Center in Springfield.

The centers will be operated by the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency. They're designed to provide relief to hurricane evacuees who are not living at Camp Edwards on Cape Cod.

Massachusetts Electric Asks For Rate Increase

Massachusetts Electric customers could see monthly rate increases of more than 27 percent under plans filed with the state yesterday.

Mass- Electric blames its proposed rate hike on higher wholesale electricity prices.

The increases would affect about one (m) million residential customers and would be effective from November First to April 30th.

The utility says the proposed increase was expected to add seventeen dollars and 52 cents to an average residential customer's monthly electricity bill.

The proposed increase is subject to the approval of the state Department of Telecommunications and Energy.

Attorney General Tom Reilly's office says companies should be doing a better job of protecting consumers from short-term spikes in fuel prices.

His office is urging D-T-E to implement better ways to create stable and equitable prices for electricity.

Lawmakers Eye Plan To Defray Hikes In Winter Heating Expenses Tuesday, September 13, 2005

Clarksburg Restaurant Owner Seeks Nude Entertainment License

A restaurant owner in Clarksburg asking permission to have nude entertainment...

The owner of the Mountain View Restaurant in Clarksburg already has an entertainment license, which allows him to have live music and dancing performances and to charge admission.

But now, Mike Milazzo is asking town officials to approve entertainment that includes nudity. The application filed at Clarksburg Town Hall Monday does not specify exactly what the entertainment would consist of...except that there would be full front and back nudity.

Currently, Clarksburg has no local regulations governing entertainment on the books.

The board of selectmen serve as the town's licensing authority...Milazzo's application will be on Wednesday night's agenda.

By law, a public hearing must be held within 60 days of the application being filed, or 60 days from this past Monday.

Slight Relief At The Pump

After gas prices skyrocketed to record levels in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, there's finally some slight relief at the pumps.

Triple-A of Southern New England says the average price of self-serve regular unleaded gasoline is now three-dollars-and-17-cents a gallon. That's down an average of two cents from last Friday and six cents from the record high a week ago.

Prices began to retreat after the gasoline supply and distribution system shut down in the Gulf of Mexico began to recover.

As always, Triple-A suggests that motorists shop around. Their survey found a range of 34-cents from the lowest price found to the highest.

NA Planning Board Opposes Wal-Mart Water Tank

The North Adams Planning Board was adamant about one thing Monday night -- there would not be a 32 foot water tank sitting next to the Curran Highway Wal-Mart, no matter what.

Wal-Mart wanted to put the tank there to satisfy the state fire marshal, who declared their water sprinker system did not have sufficient flow to extinguish a fire.

One alternative floated was to put the tank underground... another suggestion was perhaps to put up a fence around the tank. William Conn, a fire protection engineer with T-V-A Fire and Life Safety told the Berkshire News Network that either of these ideas would work, but they would need to redesign the whole project.

Board members also said this was not going to be fixed with a couple of trees. The public hearing will be continued next month.

Manpower Survey Looks Good For Berkshire County

The Manpower Employment outlook survey is out for the 4th quarter of 2005 and it says that Berkshire County employers expect to hire at a steady pace. Manpower spokesman, Brian Marotta says that from October to December, 30% of the companies interviewed plan to hire more employees, while 13% expect to reduce their payrolls,

Another 57% expect to maintain their current staff levels.

Marotta says that these numbers are the same as in the third quarter, while last year at this time 20% of companies surveyed thought employment increases were likely and 3% intended to cut back

. For the coming quarter, job prospects appear best in Durable Goods Manufacturing, Wholesale/Retail Trade and Services.

Employers in Non-Durable Goods Manufacturing and Education plan to reduce staffing levels, while hiring in Construction, Public Administration, Transportation/Public Utilities and Finance/Insurance/Real Estate is expected to remain unchanged. (It is important to note that the figures were collected before Hurricane Katrina.)

Lt. Governor Healey Talks Up Drunk Driving Bill

Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey is looking to build support for a bill that would increase penalties for drunk drivers.

The legislation is called Melanie's Bill and is named for 13-year-old Melanie Powell, who was killed by a repeat drunk driver in 2003.

A hearing on the measure is set for today on Beacon Hill

Healey held four press conferences across eastern and central Massachusetts yesterday, meeting with lawmakers and families who have been affected by drunk drivers.

She says the state's lax laws against drunk driving pose a "dangerous and significant problem" in the state.

The legislation would automatically suspend the licenses of drivers who refuse to take field sobriety tests.

It would also impose mandatory jail time for drivers cited for driving with a license suspended because of drunken driving.

Western Mass. Electric Repair Crews To Return From Gulf Coast

The Western Mass. Electric repair crews sent to the Gulf Coast will be home Tuesday.WMECO Spokesman Dean Nash says the workers and their yellow service trucks have wrapped up a week of helping restore electricty to Mississippi, where workers found 70 percent of their service wiped out by Katrina.

WMECO had anticipated having repair crews in Mississippi for at least a month, but the state's leading power supplier says help from around the country has made repairs nothing short of miraculous.

Pot Found Growing In Great Barrington

Great Barrington Police have another major drug case on their hands. Chief William Walsh says an Air National Guard flyover last Friday looking for marijuana plants found two sets of them in the north end of town.

Walsh says no arrests have been made, and the plants were ready to be picked and processed...which could have netted the drug dealers 50-thousand dollars on the street.

Project Childsafe In Massachusetts This Week

Project Childsafe, an organization created and managed by the National Shooting Sports Foundation, and funded through grants from the US Department of Justice, is in Massachusetts this week to conduct several community safety day events throughout the state with the support of law enforcement agencies.

This Thursday they will be at the Wal-Mart store in Pittsfield to distribute free gun locks and educational materials.

The goal of the program, which reaches out to everyone, gun owners and non owners alike, is to prevent needless accidents from occurring in the home.

North Adams Woman Arraigned On Vehicular Homicide Charge

A North Adams woman was arraigned in Northern Berkshire District Court on Monday on a charge of vehicular homicide by negligent driving.

At first the court declined to prosecute 17 year old Heather Randall in the death of her friend and class mate, 17 year old Heather Torrez, of Stamford,Vermont, after the Chevy Blazer that Randall was driving, with Torrez as a passenger, flipped over on Walker street in the city last February.

But North Adams Public safety commissioner, John Morocco asked the court to review the case. Randall was released on personal recognizance and is due back in court on October 17th.

North Adams Police Investigate Vandalism Spree

North Adams police are investigating nearly a dozen reports of vandalism, including nine incidents involving smashed vehicle windows. Car owners reported the incidents from midnight through 8 a-m on Saturday morning.

Three cars at American Cab Company on Curran Highway and two vehicles at Haddad Auto Sales on State Road were damaged.

Anyone with information is asked to call North Adams Police at 664-4944.

Adams Man Arrested While Asleep In A Rolling Car

An Adams man is being charged with operating under the influence after he allegedly fell asleep at the wheel early Monday morning in Williamstown.

Village Ambulance and Williamstown Police responded to North Hoosac Road around 2:30 a.m. Monday and found a car running, facing the opposite direction with the music blaring. According to the police report, the car was rolling when police arrived and awoke the driver, 34-year-old John Farnam.

Farnam's car slid into the ambulance, but police say no damage or injuries resulted. Farnam was booked on charges of O-U-I and failure to stay in the right lane. He'll be arraigned in district court on Friday.

MCLA President Expecting Great Things This Academic Year

New students moved in, hiked up Mount Greylock, listened to a presentation from a Pulitzer Prize-winning author over the Labor Day weekend...Monday afternoon they'll attend the convocation at the Church Street Center to officially kick off the school year.

M-C-L-A President Dr. Mary Grant says she's proud to welcome new faculty and what she calls a strong incoming class.

Grant says it may be a small thing, but those returning to campus will also notice all the buildings on the main quad have been power-washed, making them appear brighter. Renovation work on M-C-L-A's signature building, Murdock Hall, is ongoing -- Grant reports it's on track for a soft opening in spring 2006 and it'll be fully operational in fall 2006.

Charlemont Man Charged With Second Degree Murder

A Charlemont man stands accused of second degree murder for allegedly shooting and killing a Vermont man while out bear hunting.

Vermont State Police have identified the victim as 50-year-old Douglas Bartlett of Jacksonville, Vermont. Family members called police Saturday afternoon when Bartlett failed to return from berry-picking. His vehicle was located off Lone Pine Road in Whitingham, Vermont then troopers found the victim's body nearby.

On Sunday, State Police in Massachusetts were notified by a relative of 26-year-old Brian Gilbert of Charlemont that he'd shot and killed a man while hunting in Vermont. According to the report Gilbert told investigators he believed the victim was a bear at the time of the shooting. Troopers say the victim suffered a gunshot wound to the shoulder...an autopsy is scheduled for Monday.

Gilbert is being held on a second degree murder charge at the Springfield (VT) Correctional Facility. He'll be arraigned in Windham District Court on Tuesday.

Mass. Lawmakers Call For Increase In Minimum Wage

Massachusetts lawmakers calling on the state to honor working families on Labor Day by raising the state's minimum wage.

A bill pending on Beacon Hill would raise the minimum wage from its current $6.75 an hour to $7.50 per hour in January 2006, then up to $ 8.25 an hour by the year 2007. The bill would also guarantee regular increases in the minimum wage to keep up with the cost of living.

State Senator Mark Pacheco of Taunton says raising the minimum wage is an issue of economic justice.

Minimum wage in Massachusetts has not been increased since 2001. The Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center estimates the bill would hike the pay of about 261 thousand Bay State workers.

Local Police out In Force For The Holiday

Local police say they want everyone to enjoy their Labor Day holiday with friends and family, but they urge anyone [of age] who chooses to drink to do so responsibly.

Those who don't run the risk of being stopped, as police in North Adams, Williamstown and Adams all have extra patrols out y as part of the "You Drink and Drive, You Lose" campaign. The extra patrols are being paid for through a Governor's Highway Safety Bureau grant.

Adams Police Chief Don Poirot says officers are stepping up enforcement against not just drunk driving, but also underage drinking, speeding and aggressive driving.

Williamstown Police Chief Kyle Johnson says the goal is to keep people from making bad decisions by drinking and driving, saying "if we can save one life, then it's all worth it."

End Of An Era: Neville's Donuts Closed

Sunday marked the end of an era for a North Adams bakery, which closed its doors after over a half century in business.

Neville's Donuts was opened on Eagle Street in 1951 by the parents of John Neville. John is now retiring, while his wife Linda will teach at Conte Middle School this year.

Nancy, now of Williamstown, says she has been coming to Neville's for over 40 years. She says it was a community gathering place, especially Sunday mornings, and says when new people moved to town they quickly learned about Neville's Donuts.

Nancy says the closing is bittersweet, but she's glad to know the Nevilles will still be a part of the community.

John and Linda's daughter, Peggy Neville wrote a poem for the occasion titled "The Best Is Yet To Come."

North Adams Police Look For Hit And Run Driver

North Adams police are asking for your help in finding the driver of a car who reportedly hit two juveniles near the Friendly's Restaurant on Route 2 Friday night.

Witnesses report that the car was traveling westbound at about 30 miles an hour, when it struck the two and kept going.

The names of the two victims, who police say were cousins, one from North Adams and the other from Pittsfield, and were not released because of their age, suffered minor injuries and were transported to North Adams Regional Hospital.

Police Investigate Porter Street Motorcycle Accident

North Adams Police are investigating an early Friday morning crash involving a motorcycle hitting a garage on Porter Street.

Mass College of Liberal Arts security officers notified city police of the accident just after 2:00 this morning. The caller stated that a motorcycle was seen going the wrong way up Porter Street, it crashed into a garage, and the driver fled the scene on foot toward a wooded area nearby.

The registered owner of the motorcycle, 26-year-old Marc Beauchamp of Meadow Street, North Adams -- was found about an hour after the crash. He was taken to North Adams Regional Hospital, where he was treated and released this morning.

No word yet on whether Beauchamp will face any criminal charges or traffic violations in connection with the accident.

Two Killed In Motorcycle/Car Crash

Two people are dead and another sustained injuries as the result of a collision between a car and a motorcycle which took place on the Mohawk Trail in Florida Mass., Friday shortly before noon.

According to state Police, 32 year old Timothy Lowell of Eden Mills, Vermont was traveling eastbound on route 2 in a 1993 Subaru Legacy when he reportedly crossed over the center line and struck a 2005 Harley Davidson Motorcycle that was traveling westbound.

The operator of the motorcycle, 41 year old David Estabrook,of Hubbardston, MA. was transported to BMC where he was pronounced dead.

Estabrook's wife, 53 year old Joan Estabrook was transported to North Adams Regional Hospital where she also was pronounced dead.

Lowell received minor injuries.

Both cyclists were wearing helmets. No charges have been filed, but the investigation is continuing.

Route 2 just west of the eastern summit was closed for about 4 hours yesterday because of the accident.

Drug Task Force Arrests North Adams Man

North Adams Police and the Berkshire County Drug Task Force combine on an arrest Thursday night...and a North Adams man now faces charges of possessing narcotics with intent to distribute.

A Task Force officer called city police around 4:15 Thursday afternoon for assistance in detaining 23-year-old Charles Crisp of Beaver Street. Crisp was arrested and charged with class B and class C drug possession with intent to distribute...the class B charge is for allegedly possessing cocaine, the class C charge for allegedly possessing a prescription drug kingpin.

Crisp is scheduled for arraignment in Northern Berkshire District Court, where he will also answer charges of disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.

Third Person Arrested In Connection With Labonte Murder

A third person is accused of being an accessory to the murder of 21-year-old Brandon Labonte of Pittsfield in February...

Thursday, 18-year-old Kendra Keith of Pittsfield was released on her own recognizance after being arraigned in Superior Court on an accessory charge.

Police allege that she, along with Steven Fish and David Davies the third, both of Pittsfield, helped dispose of the victim's body after the murder. Police have charged Damien Lamb of Iowa with killing Labonte -- Lamb remains in jail without bail after pleading innocent to a count of murder.

Prosecutors say Labonte was lured to a residence in Becket on February 16th, where he was murdered after being strangled with a rope, struck with a shovel and stomped.

Authorities believe the body was taken to a remote location in the town of Peru, but the body has yet to be located.

Berkshire Bank Foundation Sets Up Matching Hurricane Fund

The Berkshire Bank Foundation is matching up to 50 thousand dollars in donations made by the community to help Hurricane Katrina victims...and the city of North Adams is helping them raise money.

The North Adams Relief Fund is now set up in the treasurer's office...those interested in donating can make tax-deductible contributions. All funds collected by Berkshire Bank go to help the American Red Cross.

Mayor John Barrett says the city chose to help the Red Cross because while people certainly want to help out, they're also rightfully worried about fundraising scams these days.

For more information on donating through the North Adams Relief Fund, call the city treasurer's office at 662-3044.

Savoy To Hold Special November Election

A special election will be held this November in the town of Savoy to fill two selectmen's seats being vacated.

Peter Kelleher's resignation took effect Wednesday, August 31st and Savoy Town Clerk Jane Phinney says Rita Pierce will be resigning as of November 1st for health reasons. Pierce actually finished second in the voting this past May, but accepted the position after the top vote-getter declined.

Pierce's term expires in May 2008, while Kelleher's term expires in May 2007.

Savoy residents interested in running for selectman can pick up nomination papers at the town clerk's office between now and September 16th...petitions must be returned with at least 20 signatures of registered voters by September 20th.

The special election in Savoy will be held November 8th.

MEMA Warns Of Hurricane Katrina Scams

The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency has joined the chorus of voices warning you to use care in making donations to help victims of Hurricaine Katrina.

In a release entitled "Donate And Volunteer Wisely", MEMA says that donated goods and volunteers that are not specifically needed in a disaster area can hurt more than they help.

They suggest a monetary donation to a recognized agency like the Red Cross or Salvation Army is the best way, and they caution well-meaning people not to just "show up" in the area unless they are part of an organized relief effort.

More information is available at the MEMA website at www.mass.gov/mema

The proposed budget for fiscal year 2006 is in the hands of the Mount Greylock School Committee, which met late into Tuesday night to discuss parts of the budget