Lenco, Berkshire Veterans Outreach Center, Develop Website

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Lenco Armored Vehicles has announced that it is partnering with Berkshire Veterans Outreach Center to develop a new website that will serve as a way for local veterans to access the services they need, with an emphasis on suicide prevention and PTSD awareness.

Donated by Lenco Armored Vehicles and built by Brick House Web Design, the new site will meet veterans and their families where they are and help ease concerns about taking the first steps to reach out for assistance. The site will encourage local veterans to access the Center’s free services and understand what options are available to them.

"Lenco is committed to protecting the defenders that serve our country, especially here in our community in Western Massachusetts," said Lenny Light, vice president of Lenco Armored Vehicles. "We are so proud to partner with Berkshire Veterans Outreach Center to improve access to the important services they provide veterans and their families."

Berkshire Veterans Outreach Center has been integral in supporting 7,000-8,000 local veterans like Edward Casella and their families with free services from disability claims to homelessness issues.

"The Berkshire Veterans Outreach Center backed me up 100% and were able to navigate the red tape of the VA and helped me get through the process with far less difficulty," Casella said. "I never felt like I was just a number to them. I was denied important benefits and the Center helped me win my appeal with their hard work and guidance."

"As a veteran, I’ve experienced firsthand the important role this center plays and the value it brings to the local community," said Steve Schultze, director of Berkshire Veterans Outreach Center. "Lenco’s generosity and support will help us expand our efforts to serve the veteran community in Berkshire County and help even more veterans tackle the issues they face after they serve our country."

To learn more about Berkshire Veterans Outreach Center, visit: BerkshireVeterans.com


Tags: Lenco,   veterans services,   

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Two Men Found Guilty of Marijuana Trafficking

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — On Monday, May 6, Yebin Mai, 32 of Staten Island, NY and Dem Wu, age 52 of Staten Island, NY, were found guilty by jury of their peers in Berkshire Superior Court.
 
Yebin Mai was found guilty of two charges: Marijuana Trafficking in 100 pounds or more but less than 2,000 pounds and Witness Intimidation. Dem Wu was found guilty of Marijuana Trafficking in 100 pounds or more but less than 2,000 pounds.
 
According to a report, on July 30, 2020, State Police responded to a request for assistance from the Eversource Electric Company. The emergency dispatcher stated that two Eversource linemen were attempting to fix an electrical problem when they had a confrontation with individuals at 72 Jackson Road, Savoy. The residence belonged to Bin Huang after he purchased it in 2017 for $200,000 cash.
 
When state troopers arrived, the linemen stated that they responded to a report from a resident at 72 Jackson Road, Savoy claiming that power was fluctuating. When the linemen arrived at the house, they observed severely damaged wires and insulators leading from the roadside poles to the residence. When the Eversource linemen approached the house a man came out to meet them. The man, later identified as Yebin Mai, spoke limited English; therefore, communication between the Eversource linemen and resident became difficult. The linemen tried to explain that they would need to turn the power off to conduct a safety check of the electric meter and surrounding electrical connections. Mai became agitated. He handed the linemen an envelope filled with money later determined to be $600. The linemen attempted to return the envelope multiple times, but Mai would not take it. The linemen decided to leave the property. They called the police and waited for them to arrive, stated a report.
 
A trooper and Eversource supervisor arrived on the road at the end of 72 Jackson Road's driveway. A short time later, Mai drove down the driveway and attempted to leave in a pick-up truck with New York plates. There were two other passengers in the truck, including Dem Wu.
 
The trooper instructed Mai to stop and turn off the truck which he obeyed. All the individuals returned to the residence so the linemen could complete their inspection.
 
In a police report, the following items were observed at and around the house:
  • 4 separate electrical meters in poorly constructed boxes on the side of the house
  • Some melted wires and metal around the meter boxes (believed to be due to an excessive amount of energy being drawn through the wires)
  • Evidence of a small fire around one of the meter boxes
  • A smell of fresh grown marijuana (which grew once power was cut to the house and fans in the residence stopped running)
  • The sound of multiple fans inside the residence with no visible air ventilation system on the outside of the house
  • Windows with curtains drawn and boarded shut
  • A backyard covered in debris from a renovation, green planning pots, and large florescent light fixtures
  • Ring door cameras
  • A small path in the woods that ended in a pile of used potting soil and roots and stalks of freshly harvested marijuana plants

Additionally, Eversource reported that the monthly electric bill for 72 Jackson Road was approximately $10,000 per month, much higher than the average homeowner's bill.

The individuals on the property were questioned and ultimately allowed to leave. On July 31, 2020, Massachusetts State Police, including the State Police Detective Unit assigned to the District Attorney's Office, and a member of the DEA arrived at 72 Jackson Road to execute a search warrant. 
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