Vaccine Collaborative Schedules Booster Clinic Dec. 18

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. – The Berkshire Vaccine Collaborative has scheduled a community COVID-19 vaccine booster clinic, to be held on Saturday, Dec. 18, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Berkshire Community College Paterson Field House. 
 
The booster clinic is open to anyone 18 and older who wants to receive their third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, which helps to prevent contracting COVID-19 or prevents serious illness in those with breakthrough cases of the virus.
 
Both Pfizer and Moderna third doses will be provided at the community clinic, as well as first and second doses for those 15 and older who have not yet received their initial doses.
 
Registration is required, and can be done by visiting the state registration site here.  
 
"With positive cases of COVID-19 rising dramatically in the Berkshires in recent months, and the expectation that trend will continue through the Holiday Season and into January, it’s important to be vaccinated," said James Lederer, Berkshire Health Systems Chief Medical Officer/Chief Quality Officer. "The rise of the Omicron variant has many unknowns at this point, but it’s expected vaccination may provide protection from the onset of serious illness and hospitalization, and we recommend that anyone eligible for a booster receive it in the coming weeks."
 
The Dec. 18 clinic at BCC may be expanded to include additional hours, depending on the number of people who register for vaccination.
 
The Berkshire Vaccine Collaborative is a partnership of Berkshire Health Systems, the Berkshire County Boards of Health Association and Community Health Programs, and successfully vaccinated tens of thousands of Berkshire residents throughout early to mid-2021.
 
For more information on the BCC clinic, visit www.getvaccinatedberkshires.org.
 
Editor's note: the original post had incorrect information on the ages to register for third doses. 
 

Tags: COVID-19,   vaccinations,   


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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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