Friday, April 19, 2024 08:15am
North Adams, MA now: 46 °   
Send news, tips, press releases and questions to info@iBerkshires.com
The Berkshires online guide to events, news and Berkshire County community information.
LOG IN | REGISTER NOW   

Home About Archives RSS Feed
Return to election home page
Coakley Stresses Commitment to Berkshires
By Tammy Daniels On: 11:47AM / Sunday October 05, 2014

Coakley is greeted by supporters at Freight Yard Pub.

State Rep. Gailanne Cariddi, right, and state Sen. Benjamin Downing, coordinator of the Democratic state campaign, accompanied the candidate.


Gubernatorial candidate Martha Coakley greets supporters at the Freight Yard Pub after a day of campaign stops that started in Dorchester. She also met with voters in Great Barrington and Pittsfield.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Martha Coakley ended a swing through the state on Saturday by toasting a title she hopes to claim on Nov. 4: Governor Coakley.

The Drury High School graduate vowed she hasn't — and wouldn't — forget her home county to the small group gathered in the courtyard of the Freight Yard Pub.

"I promise you, as your governor, if you help me get elected, and I know we can do this, I will have your back," the Democratic candidate said.

Part of that will be ensuring health care access, Coakley said, including mental and behavioral care.

"Let's make sure that every part of the state, including North Adams, has the primary care and health care you need and deserve."

In North County, most residents believe that means ensuring the former North Adams Regional Hospital reopens in some form.

Coakley noted her office is still investigating the actions of the former health-care system's board of trustees in its closure and the efforts by her office and local and state officials in restoring emergency services.

"It needs to be a full, concentrated effort still to see what else do we need and how do we that," she said. "I will be committed to doing that as governor, as well as working with the your new attorney general, and I believe it will be [Democrat] Maura Healey, who oversees not-for-profits, to make sure we get real access for people out here in the Berkshires."

The Democratic candidate hammered on her campaign platform of educational investment and workforce training, health care access, broadband access, transportation infrastructure, clean energy and development of precision technology to continue to rejuvenate the economy in a sustainable manner, and build on previous efforts by current Gov. Deval Patrick.

"Not just bring in a big-box store and bringing in businesses that take up roots when the economy changes," she said. "Let's build a sustainable economy."

Coakley said she also will continue efforts in sustainable and alternative energy developed by the Patrick administration.

"I've been impressed with what Governor Patrick has done," she said. "Of course, Sen. Benjamin Downing has been a leading voice in moving Massachusetts ahead."

She later added, "We want kind of sustainable, regional economic plan for North Adams, the county, it has to include a clean-energy feature."

What she doesn't support is the current proposal to run a natural gas transmission line through parts of the Berkshires and across the state. The Kinder Morgan Energy project has been heavily opposed by small towns along the route.

"That proposal by Kinder Morgan is not the right proposal for the neighborhoods that they plan to go through," said Coakley.

With less than five weeks to the election, Coakley, the current attorney general, is trying to get some daylight between herself and Republican candidate Charlie Baker. The most recent polls show the two in a dead heat, with Coakley marginally ahead.

Not surprisingly, she has stressed her local connections in a region that's long felt ignored by the heavily populated east end of the state. Born in Lee and raised in North Adams, she also was in the first Williams College class to graduate women who had attended all four years.

Accompanied by her husband, Thomas F. O'Connor Jr., and her two sisters, Anne Gentile and Mary Coakley-Welch (whose husbands also hail from North Adams), Coakley was welcomed by supporters and patrons of the pub, stopping to pose for photographs, talk policy or just greet old friends.

She will also march in the annual Fall Foliage Parade on Sunday afternoon.

"It's heartwarming for me to come home," she said. "I started out my campaign here, we kicked this off here a year ago.

"I said we're not going to get in this race unless we pour our heart and soul into it and we put together a team to help us."

Baker, she said, doesn't have the same level of committment to protecting children from abuse, to keep people from losing their homes or investing in mental and behavioral health care.

"My Republican opponent, if he knows how to get to North Adams, isn't going to come here very often."

Coakley said she won't forget her city or the Berkshires.

"I will make sure that we in Massachusetts, in every corner, from Merrimack Valley to the South Coast to North Adams, we will be prosperous and fair."



1 Comments
     
Election Text Ads
www.iberkshires.com
Advertise on iBerkshires.com

Where to vote in Berkshire County

State Election
Tuesday, Nov. 4

Voting is from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Deadline to register or change party affiliation was Oct.15.


Candidates on the ballot in races for state office; all others on the ballot are unopposed. Links will take you to their campaign websites.

U.S. Senator
Edward J. Markey, Democrat
Brian J. Herr, Republican

Governor/Lieutenant Governor
Charlie Baker & Karyn Polito, Republican
Martha Coakley & Stephen Kerrigan, Democrat
Evan Falchuk & Angus Jennings, United Independent Party
Scott Lively & Shelly Saunders, Independent
Jeff McCormick & Tracy Post, Independent 

Attorney General
Maura Healey, Democratic
John B. Miller, Republican

Secretary of State
William Francis Galvin, Democratic
David D'Arcangelo, Republican
Daniel L. Factor, Green-Rainbow

Treasurer
Deborah B. Goldberg, Democratic
Michael James Heffernan, Republican
Ian T. Jackson, Green-Rainbow

Auditor
Suzanne M. Bump, Democratic
Patricia S. Saint Aubin, Republican
MK Merelice, Green-Rainbow

Municipal Elections

The cities of Pittsfield and North Adams will hold municipal elections for mayor, city council and school committee in 2015

You may vote absentee: if you will be absent from your town or city on election day, have a physical disability that prevents you from voting at the polls or cannot vote at the polls because to religious beliefs.

2010 Special Senate Election Results

Election 2009 Stories

Election Day 2008

 

 

 



Categories:
1st Berkshire (42)
2010 (0)
2011 (69)
2012 (59)
2013 (60)
2014 (75)
2nd Berkshire (29)
3rd Berkshire (16)
4th Berkshire (14)
attorney general (6)
auditor (5)
campaign (67)
candidate forums (48)
city council (38)
Congress (25)
election (69)
endorsements (47)
events (29)
fundraising (10)
governor (26)
letters (9)
local (16)
mayor (48)
news (8)
school committee (20)
selectmen (21)
selectmen (16)
sheriff (28)
state (23)
statements (45)
Archives:
Tags:
Candidates Preliminary Bowler Election 2013 Mayor Independent Bissaillon Democratic Party Debate Mark Republican Party Democrat Governor Primary Boucher Bosley Town Election Cariddi Selectmen U.s. Senate Town Elections Williamstown 1st Mass Macdonald Pittsfield Campaign Election 2014 North Adams Berkshire Brigades Szczepaniak Special Election Letters To The Editor Lieutenant Governor City Council Debates
Popular Entries:
Five After Pittsfield's Corner Office
Marchetti Campaign Sets Pasta Dinner Fundraiser
Bouvier, Malumphy Return Papers For State House Bids
Mark Miller Wins UAW Endorsement
Bullett Announces Candidacy for North Adams Council
3rd District Democrats Support Verizon Strikers
Miller Submits Papers for State House Seat
Beaver Mill Group Hosts Candidates Talk
Malumphy Sets Campaign Agenda
1st District Candidates Discuss Jobs, Experience
Recent Entries:
Independent Falchuk Hits Threshold To Start New Party
Baker Wins Governor's Race
AG Candidate Healey Hears Concerns on Hospital
Candidate Kerrigan Stops in Pittsfield For Get Out The Vote Push
Suzanne Bump Seeking Re-election as Auditor
U.S. Senate Candidate Brian Herr Fighting for Name Recognition
Area Democrats Making Final Push For November Election
Coakley Stresses Commitment to Berkshires
Candidates Showing Differences As Governor's Race Heats Up
Gubernatorial Candidates Spar In Springfield Debate


View All
Trout Stocking Event
Almost 200 people gathered at Onota Lake on Wednesday to...
Baseball: Mohawk vs McCann...
The McCann Tech baseball team Wednesday needed just six...
Softball: Drury vs McCann...
Nora Kondel rose to the challenge, lining a shot to the...
12th Annual Teen Invitational
Mass MoCA hosts the 12th Teen Invitational featuring works...
Softball: Lenox vs Hoosac...
The Hurricanes got key contributions from the bottom of...
Tennis: Pittsfield vs Mount...
Mia Patrick dropped just one game Monday at first singles...
Baseball: Taconic vs Drury
Damon Pause went 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles and drove...
G Lacrosse: Lee vs Mount...
The Mount Greylock girls lacrosse team Saturday used a 6-1...
B Lacrosse: Chic Comp vs...
Max Griffin stopped six of the eight shots he faced on...
Berkshire United Way...
Berkshire United Way celebrates 100 years with a gathering...
Softball: Northampton vs...
Elena Iovieno went 3-for-4 with a home run and five runs...
Baseball: Mount Everett vs...
Max Shepardson did it all for the Lenox baseball team in...
G Lacrosse: Hoosac Valley vs...
Jacinta Felix scored five goals Monday to lead the Hoosac...
B Lacrosse: Wahconah vs...
Rylan Padelford scored with 4 minutes, 45 seconds left to...
B Lacrosse: Springfield...
Ray Lynch scored four times, and eight different players...
B Lacrosse: Monson vs Lenox
Shaler Larmon scored four goals Tuesday as the Lenox boys...
Trout Stocking Event
Almost 200 people gathered at Onota Lake on Wednesday to...
Baseball: Mohawk vs McCann...
The McCann Tech baseball team Wednesday needed just six...
Softball: Drury vs McCann...
Nora Kondel rose to the challenge, lining a shot to the...
12th Annual Teen Invitational
Mass MoCA hosts the 12th Teen Invitational featuring works...
Softball: Lenox vs Hoosac...
The Hurricanes got key contributions from the bottom of...
| Home | A & E | Business | Community News | Dining | Real Estate | Schools | Sports & Outdoors | Berkshires Weather | Weddings
Advertise | Recommend This Page | Help Contact Us | Privacy Policy| User Agreement
iBerkshires.com is owned and operated by: Boxcar Media 102 Main Street, North Adams, MA 01247 -- T. 413-663-3384 F.413-664-4251
© 2000 Boxcar Media LLC - All rights reserved