image description — Attorney Timothy Shugrue takes out papers on Wednesday for Berkshire district attorney with his wife, Joann.

Two Challengers Emerge for Berkshire District Attorney

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
12:37PM / Thursday, March 10, 2022Print Story | Email Story

Robert Sullivan launched his campaign late last year.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Well-known Pittsfield attorney Timothy J. Shugrue has entered the race for district attorney.

Shugrue is the second candidate to announce a run against first-term incumbent Andrea Harrington; Robert Sullivan, of Lee, a former assistant DA, launched his campaign last year.

Harrington hasn't formally announced but has been actively fundraising and has nearly $19,000 on hand.

Shugrue took to social media to make his initial statement.

"Many of you know me as an attorney, husband, father and friend. I'm a trial lawyer with over 36 years of litigation courtroom experience in all of Western Massachusetts," he wrote.

Shugrue also is a former assistant district attorney, in Springfield, but has been in practice as a private attorney for 28 years.

He is a founder of the Berkshire County Children's Advocacy and Domestic Violence Center.

"I enter this race to make Berkshire County a safe place for all the residents of our county. I'm committed to providing experience, integrity and justice for all," he wrote.

Shugrue unsuccessfully ran against then District Attorney David Capeless in 2004.

Sullivan announced his campaign late last year.

Originally from Boston, he graduated from New England Law in Boston. He moved to Berkshire County and was assistant district attorney under Capeless.

He now has his own practice in Central Berkshire.

Sullivan has been critical of Harrington in the past. According to his campaign website:

"Now my county needs a change. It needs a chief prosecutor that doesn't follow the trends of politics that reach far beyond our county, but rather focuses on the needs of the residents of Berkshire County. It needs a chief law enforcement officer who puts community safety and accountability over the false rhetoric of a certain political caucus or movement."

Harrington defeated Capeless' first assistant, Paul Caccaviello, who held the position in the interim when Capeless stepped down in 2018.

The election is in November.

Tags: district attorney, election 2022,

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Pittsfield Housing Project Adds 37 Supportive Units and Collective Hope

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
05:01PM / Monday, December 29, 2025

PITTSFIELD, Mass.— A new chapter in local efforts to combat housing insecurity officially began as community leaders and residents gathered at The First on to celebrate a major expansion of supportive housing in the city.

The ribbon was cut on Thursday Dec. 19, on nearly 40 supportive permanent housing units; nine at The First, located within the Zion Lutheran Church, and 28 on West Housatonic Street. The Housing Resource Center, funded by Pittsfield's American Rescue Plan Act dollars, hosted a celebration for a project that is named for its rarity: The First.

"What got us here today is the power of community working in partnership and with a shared purpose," Hearthway CEO Eileen Peltier said.

In addition to the 28 studio units at 111 West Housatonic Street and nine units in the rear of the church building, the Housing Resource Center will be open seven days a week with two lounges, a classroom, a laundry room, a bathroom, and lockers.

Erin Forbush, ServiceNet's director of shelter and housing, challenged attendees to transform the space in the basement of Zion Lutheran Church into a community center. It is planned to operate from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. year-round.

"I get calls from folks that want to help out, and our shelters just aren't the right spaces to be able to do that. The First will be that space that we can all come together and work for the betterment of our community," Forbush said.

"…I am a true believer that things evolve, and things here will evolve with the people that are utilizing it."

Earlier that day, Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities Secretary Ed Augustus joined Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll and her team in Housatonic to announce $33.5 million in federal Community Development Block Grant funding, $5.45 million to Berkshire County.

He said it was ambitious to take on these two projects at once, but it will move the needle. The EOHLC contributed more than $7.8 million in subsidies and $3.4 million in low-income housing tax credit equity for the West Housatonic Street build, and $1.6 million in ARPA funds for the First Street apartments.

"We're trying to get people out of shelter and off the streets, but we know there are a lot of people who are couch surfing, who are living in their cars, who are one paycheck away from being homeless themselves," Augustus said.

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