North Adams Police Personnel Commended for Life-Saving Actions

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
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Mayor Richard Alcombright and Police Director Michael Cozzaglio present commendations to Officer Ben Austin, acting Sgt. Jason Wood and dispatcher Arthur J. Filkins.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Three members of the Police Department were publicly commended at Tuesday night's City Council meeting.

Officers Ben Austin and acting Sgt. Jason Wood and dispatcher Arthur J. Filkins were recognized for their actions in saving the life of an 85-year-old woman.

"In a time where we see a lot of negativity surrounding police and surrounding law enforcement, I think this is just a great time to bring testimony to some of our officers that I think have done something quite extraordinary, along with our dispatcher," said Mayor Richard Alcombright.

Guided by Filkins' understanding of the urgency of the situation, the two officers responded to the scene ahead of the ambulance to find the elderly woman choking. They immediately performed the Heimlich maneuver and were continuing to remove the food blockage when ambulance personnel arrived.

According to North Adams Ambulance Service's Amalio Jusino, "the quick actions of dispatcher Filkins, Officer Austin and Sgt. Wood immediately contributed to saving this individual's life. ... although we were responding, this was a prime example of how seconds count when saving a life."


 
Police Director Michael Cozzaglio said their actions showed the "level of commitment to the community."

"Their quick thinking and their training kicked right in and they saved this woman. It was a great job," he said.

The three men were honored earlier this month at the semi-annual Neighborlies Awards, sponsored by the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition, but the mayor has made a habit out of recognizing extraordinary public service, or inducting new public safety personnel, during the televised City Council meetings.

"We have really a fine Police Department in the city of North Adams," Alcombright said. "They're highly trained, highly responsible and very visible and it think they do a great job."


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Clarksburg Sees Race for Select Board Seat

CLARKSBURG, Mass. — The town will see a three-way race for a seat on the Select Board in May. 
 
Colton Andrews, Seth Alexander and Bryana Malloy returned papers by Wednesday's deadline to run for the three-year term vacated by Jeffrey Levanos. 
 
Andrews ran unsuccessfully for School Committee and is former chairman of the North Adams Housing Authority, on which he was a union representative. He is also president of the Pioneer Valley Building Trades Council.
 
Malloy and Alexander are both newcomers to campaigning. Malloy is manager of industrial relations for the Berkshire Workforce Board and Alexander is a resident of Gates Avenue. 
 
Alexander also returned papers for several other offices, including School Committee, moderator, library trustee and the five-year seat on the Planning Board. He took out papers for War Memorial trustee and tree warden but did not return them and withdrew a run for Board of Health. 
 
He will face off in the three-year School Committee seat against incumbent Cynthia Brule, who is running for her third term, and fellow newcomer Bonnie Cunningham for library trustee. 
 
Incumbent Ronald Boucher took out papers for a one-year term as moderator but did not return them. He was appointed by affirmation in 2021 when no won ran and accepted the post again last year as a write-in.
 
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