Senate Hopeful Khazei Campaigns in WMass

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Alan Khazei
BOSTON — City Year founder Alan Khazei will tour Western Massachusetts — including a stop in Pittsfield — on Wednesday before announcing his bid for the Senate on Thursday.

He's already picked up a Berkshires endorsement from state Rep. William "Smitty" Pignatelli, D-Lenox.

"While I won't be able to be with Alan on Wednesday because I'll be at work at the State House, I strongly support Alan's candidacy," said Pignatelli in a press release. "He's the best person to represent the needs of Western Mass." 

The Brookline resident will join the race for the Democratic nomination to fill the seat left by the death of the U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy last month. Attorney General Martha Coakley, a former North Adams resident, and U.S. Rep. Michael Capuano of Somerville have already thrown their hats into the ring.

The tour will include stops at organizations that are working to strengthen communities and empower citizens. It starts at 10 a.m. at Soldier On, 360 W. Housatonic St., Pittsfield, an organization that helps homeless veterans.

Then it's on to the Treehouse Foundation in Easthampton, a support group for foster children, at 3 p.m. and meetings with Democratic and progressive activists at the Springfield Sheraton at 6:15. In between, he'll make unscheduled swing through North Adams.


Khazei's planning a "What Works" tour, an effort to identify solutions by talking with community members about the best practices they use to solve tough problems. The tour parallels the approach he has used in his work at City Year and Be the Change Inc., both nonprofits that promote volunteerism and community service.

Former U.S. Sen. Harris Wofford of Pennsylvania will accompany Khazei to the scheduled events in Pittsfield, Northampton and Springfield.

"I look forward to traveling in the western part of the state to identify the best practices from organizations making a real difference in the lives of people," said Khazei. "This tour will give me the opportunity to witness examples of effective solutions being implemented by citizens across Massachusetts every day."

The Citizens for Alan Khazei campaign is circulating nominating papers for Khazei across the state. Khazei's formal campaign announcement is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 24, at the gazebo on Boston Common at noon.

A Democratic primary election will be held Dec. 8; the special election to fill Kennedy's seat is set for Jan. 19. Both houses of the General Court have passed legislation that would authorize the governor to select someone to fill the seat until the special election. Gov. Deval Patrick is expected to choose someone by Thursday.
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ADOPTED! Companion Corner: Cali and Kyzer at Berkshire Humane Society

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

Great news, Kyzer and Cali found a home for Christmas already! Still looking for a new friend for the holidays? There are plenty of dogs and cats and small animals at Berkshire Humane who would love to go home with you.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — There's a bonded dog pair awaiting a new family at the Berkshire Humane Society.

Kyzer and Cali are both poodles. Kyzer is the male and is 7 years old, a quite a bit bigger than his sister Cali, who is a miniature of Kyzer and 8 years old.

Canine adoption counselor Rhonda Cyr introduced us to the two.

"They came from a household that couldn't hold on to them, and it sounds like they may have been abandoned by their previous owner with somebody else, and so they came to us looking for a new home," she said.

The two love to be around you and snuggle. But both are very happy dogs.

"Kyzer is 7 years old, and his personality is that he kind of wants to be in everything. He's very loving, very snuggly, as you can tell. And Callie here, she's 8 years old, and she is kind of like the life of the party," said Cyr. "She wants to tell you everything about her day, and she's a little bit of a little ham."

The two are considered seniors and really like soft treats as Cali just had a few teeth removed and Kyzer has a tooth procedure coming up.

"Currently, they really like soft treats, because they are both on the senior side of things. So they have had some dental work, so they are really in need of something softer. They are not big chewers at this age, really, their main focus right now is just really socializing and cuddling," Cyr said.

The two would love a quiet home with someone who wants to snuggle. They shouldn't go to a home with bigger dogs but if you have a dog, you can bring them in for a visitation with the poodles to see if they will get along. Cats will be fine and the preference is for older and more responsible children so that the pups don't get hurt, as they are senior citizens.

"The perfect home for them would be a quiet home that's not too active. Like I said, they're very social, so they could handle some visitors," she said. "They're very friendly, but I don't think that they would really enjoy any other dogs in the home."

Poodles need to be regularly groomed, and the prospective adopter will have to keep an eye on their health. Kyzer has a heart murmur that needs to be monitored. This doesn't mean he is in bad health, as he could live a perfectly normal life, but he will need to be checked by a veterinary specialist routinely.

"Ideally, he would go to a home that could provide further health care with a specialist in cardiac care. And you know, he could very well live out the rest of his life comfortably and happy," Cyr said. "We just don't have all that information at the moment, but I think that you know the way he's going right now. He's got a good spirit, and he seems to be pretty happy."

The shelter is hoping the to get them a home for the holidays.

"We would love to get them a home in time for the holidays. They've been here since the eighth of November, and they're really, really looking as much as the staff loves them here, we're really looking to get them into a home and somewhere nice and cozy so they can spend the rest of their life together," she said.

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