Family and friends of Dr. Michael Roth, a veterinarian in Richmond, are concerned that he might be missing.

 The first report of his possible disappearance was posted by Dan Valenti, a regular contributor to The Pittsfield Gazette. In his blog Planet Valenti, he put out a plea asking anyone who knew of Roth's whereabouts to call the state police barracks in Lee or to contact Valenti himself. According to police, Roth's elderly parents, who live in Kinderhook, N.Y., were worried because they had not heard from their son in nearly a week.

As of this Tuesday morning, according to state police in Lee, no one has filed a missing person case on Roth's behalf.

Several calls made to Roth's house this morning went unanswered.

Michael Roth has a mobile medical practice and is affiliated with the Animal ER of the Berkshires as well as the Berkshire Veterinary Hospital.

 Several photos of him can be found at his Meetup page, where he describes himself as a "vegan veterinarian living just over the NY line in Richmond." According to his profile there, he belongs to several vegan groups as well as the Berkshire Enthusiasts through which he signed up last week for a Moonlight Snowshoe Trek this Thursday night, Jan. 20, at the Arcadia Shops.

 If you have any information as to his whereabouts, contact the state police barracks in Lee at 413-243-0600 or e-mail Valenti at danvalenti@verizon.net.

As of Thursday, repeated calls to Roth's home have gone unanswered.

RICHMOND, Mass. — A 28-year-old man was struck and killed by a train in Richmond late Tuesday afternoon. The man's name had not yet been released pending notification of kin.

According to an eyewitness, it appeared that the man jumped in front of the moving train.    

State police detectives assigned to the district attorney's office, in charge of the investigation, say the CSX freight train struck the man about 4 p.m. in the vicinity of Town Beach Road. Dr. Benjamin Glick, a local state medical examiner, pronounced the man dead at the scene.  

State police investigators were assisted at the scene by state troopers from the Lee barracks, members of the Pittsfield Police Department and the Richmond Volunteer Fire Department.  

Update: Police on Wednesday afternoon released the man's name. He was Nicholas Van Alstine of Amesbury. He was strucked and killed by a CSX freight train. According to eyewitnesses, it appeared that Van Alstine jumped in front of the moving train, and investigators are treating his death as a suicide.

RICHMOND, Mass. — With Thursday's high winds, it wasn't a good day to do any outside burning but apparently, one Richmond resident didn't think so — with terrible results.

Police Officer Tom Grizzy said volunteer firefighters from Richmond, Hancock, West Stockbridge and Canaan, N.Y., responded to the 1 p.m. call after sparks from a controlled burn landed on an abandoned cottage on Richmond Shores.

The cottage was totally destroyed by the blaze. After the fire was knocked down, a backhoe was brought in to level the smoldering ruins. Police said action against the neighbor who decided burn yard waste in high winds may be pending.

Eight people, arrested after early morning drug raids Wednesday in Pittsfield, Richmond and Adams were arraigned before Judge Rita Koenigs on Wednesday afternoon in Central Berkshire District Court in Pittsfield.

Berkshire District Attorney David F. Capeless said those arraigned Wednesday were arrested in the culmination of the first phase of a large-scale, ongoing investigation. He said additional warrants and arrests are expected. According to Capeless, investigators have seized more than 150 grams of cocaine,  more than 25 pounds of high-grade marijuana, over 100 oxycontin pills, methadone tablets, one .380 caliber handgun and $50,000 in cash.

Those arraigned were:

• Michael Cargill, 34, of Swamp Road, Richmond: Single counts of trafficking in cocaine, conspiracy to violate drug laws (trafficking in cocaine), possession of oxycodone with intent to distribute, conspiracy to violate drug laws (possession of marijuana with intent to distribute).

• Richard B. Carnevale Jr., 31, Brown Street, Pittsfield: Not-guilty pleas entered on single counts of trafficking in cocaine, conspiracy to violate drug laws (trafficking in cocaine), trafficking in OxyContin, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, conspiracy to violate drug laws (possession of marijuana with intent to distribute)

Both men were ordered held at the Berkshire County House of Correction on $500,00 bail and both will be back in court on March 8 for clarification of counsel.

• Michael King, 52, of Elm Street, Adams: Single counts of trafficking in cocaine and conspiracy to violate drug laws (trafficking in cocaine).

• Shane Whalen, 30, Dalton Avenue, Pittsfield: Not-guilty pleas entered on single counts of trafficking in cocaine and conspiracy to violate drug laws (trafficking in cocaine).

Both King and Whalen were ordered to be held at the Berkshire County House of Correction on $100,000 bail and to return to court on March 8 for clarification of counsel.

• David B. LaPlante, 31, Orchard Street, Pittsfield: Single counts of conspiracy to violate drug laws (trafficking in cocaine), possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and possession of a firearm without a firearm identification card.

Koenigs ordered that he be held at the Berkshire County House of Correction on $100,000 bail. He, too, will be back in court on March 8 for clarification of counsel.

• Tracey Gagne, 48, Elm Street, Adams: Not-guilty pleas entered on single counts of trafficking in cocaine and conspiracy to violate drug laws (trafficking in cocaine),

She was ordered held at the Berkshire County House of Correction on $10,000 bail and will be back in court on March 8 for clarification of counsel.

• Frank LeClair, 49, Goodman Lane, Pittsfield: Single counts of possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and conspiracy to violate drug laws (possession of marijuana with intent to distribute).

Koenigs ordered that he be held at the Berkshire County House of Correction on $10,000 bail. He will be back in court on March 29 for a pretrial hearing.

• Katie Lynne Powers, 24, Swamp Road, Richmond: Not-quilty pleas entered for single counts of trafficking in cocaine, conspiracy to violate drug laws (trafficking in cocaine) and possession of oxycodone with intent to distribute.

Koenigs ordered that she be held at the Berkshire County House of Correction on $1,000 bail. She will be back in court on March 29 for a violation of probation.
 
The investigation is being conducted by the Berkshire County Drug Task Force and state and federal investigators.