Berkshire County Historical Society Celebrates Plant a Tree Day

11:45AM / Wednesday, September 27, 2023Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Join the Berkshire County Historical Society on Thursday, Sept. 28, at 5:30 pm as they celebrate Plant a Tree Day with a ceremonial planting of a young American elm "Jefferson" on Park Square.

The tree will be planted to honor the Berkshires' first known environmentalist Lucretia Williams. Williams threw herself before the woodsman's axe to save a towering elm known as the Pittsfield Elm on Park Square in 1789.

"BCHS is very grateful to the Pittsfield Parks Department and George and Alice Wislocki for helping make this possible, said Executive Director Lesley Herzberg. "It is a fitting and lasting tribute to Lucretia Williams whose story resonates with us today over one hundred years after her efforts to save the Pittsfield Elm."

This free event is open to the public.

Tags: park square, trees,

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Two of 3 Hinsdale Officers Involved in Kauvil Shooting Won't Return

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
05:06AM / Thursday, August 13, 2026

HINSDALE, Mass. — Seven months after being placed on leave only one officer involved in the fatal police shooting of 27-year-old Biagio Kauvil in January has returned to duty.

The Select Board accepted Police Chief Shawn Boyne's letter of intention to retire during Wednesday's board meeting.

"We've got a lot to do. We've got to build a department again, but we'll survive," board member Raymond Huntoon said in a follow-up.

Two of the three Select Board members were present, with Huntoon serving as chair because the chairman was absent.

Huntoon and Margaret Gregory both voted to accept Boyne's letter of intention to retire. The retirement will not be official until the Berkshire County Retirement Board sets an effective date, Huntoon said later.

The board did not read Boyne's retirement letter aloud during Wednesday's meeting and did not discuss the matter further. iBerkshires' request for the letter under public records was rejected with board members saying it contained medical information.

Despite the attention the situation has received online, the meeting was lightly attended, with about a dozen people in attendance.

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