Sheriff Candidates Discuss Incarcerated Women, Operations in Debate

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The two candidates for Berkshire County sheriff, incumbent Thomas Bowler and challenger Alf Barbalunga, questioned each other on incarcerated women, operations and more in a debate on Monday. 

Moderator Daniel Valenti, who sponsored the debate, asked the candidates questions and allowed them to ask each other questions without a time limit on answers in the candidates' second forum. Bowler and Barbalunga both took part in July in a forum held by the Berkshire County NAACP, the League of Women Voters, and the ACLU of Massachusetts.

Bowler, who has held the position since 2010, said his experience in public safety sets him apart. 

"There's nobody in this room was more about public safety than I," he said. "I've spent 37 years in public safety. And we've forged, when it comes to public safety, a tremendous amount of partnerships and community partnerships throughout the county." 

Barbalunga said those looking for focus on fiscal stewardship, public safety and diversity should vote for him. He explained that being a sheriff has always been his dream career.

"I don't want to be a senator. I don't want to be the chief of police. I don't want to be president of the U.S.; I wanted to be sheriff," he said. "So every step of this way. Doing my good work is setting me up for this run. ... I've done the work. I worked for three different sheriffs in five facilities across the state."

Bowler asked Barbalunga about the incarcerated women of Berkshire County who are currently sent to the Western Massachusetts Regional Women's Correctional Center in Chicopee. Barbalunga criticized the decision to move the inmates and said the process of moving them back would begin his first day in office. 

"[There was] no thought process to families traveling down there whatsoever; three hours round-trip for sure, no thought process to different types of on-boarding and getting through to visit," he said. 

Bowler responded, saying the inmates in Chicopee are getting a level of treatment that they cannot get in the Berkshire County. He cited long-term residential care as an example.

"The services that they provide down there and the opportunity those individuals have is much greater than it would be back here," he said. 

Barbalunga also criticized Bowler's management during his tenure and the lack of diversity on his executive staff. He said he disagreed with Bowler's COVID-19 response and his decision to shut down several operations during the pandemic.

"You don't shut down operations. You don't shut down GEDs. You don't shut down therapy. You don't shut down volunteers coming in; that's your lifeblood of the community, and say, 'Hey, you can't come in anymore,'" he said. 

Bowler said he made the decision to shut down operations to protect inmates and staff from getting sick. 

"We shut down the visitations, we shut down people coming in to protect people from getting COVID. We had to protect our staff, our inmates, and each and all their family," he said.

When asked by Valenti who he supported in the district attorney election, Bowler said he supports Timothy Shugrue but would still support incumbent Andrea Harrington if re-elected. Barbalunga declined to say who he planned to vote for but said he has connections to both candidates and would support either in office.

Humane Society Pups Go Downtown in Forever Home Search

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
12:09PM / Wednesday, May 01, 2024

Simone Olivieri, a canine adoption counselor, and Family Dog School instructor Tricia Phillips say the outing is to raise awareness of National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day — and to give Starr and Beethoven a fun outing. 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Adoptable pups Beethoven and Starr took a stroll down North Street on Tuesday with hopes of finding forever homes on National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day.

"Pittie smiles" were all around as the 6-year-old siblings sniffed their way down the sidewalk with Berkshire Humane Society staff members. The brindle-coated beauties are cuddle bugs who would like a home — either separate or together — with a comfy couch to lay on and a few good walks a day.

"There are a lot of animals in the shelter right now but there's a lot of dogs," Director of Development and Marketing Nikki Kellogg said.

"People seem to be gravitating towards the cats, there are more cat adoptions so we'd like to get more exposure to the dogs so that people realize that dogs are available for adoption, stop down and see what we have, give a dog a second chance to come home, and just trying to give them exposure and get them out of the shelter for enrichment."

Beethoven, a male, and Starr, a female, are large-sized American pit bull mixes and have been at Berkshire Humane Society since late March. Beethoven could potentially live in a home with another male dog and Starr would do best as the only animal.  

They have lived with children before and could potentially go to a home with kids older than 10.

"They are also good candidates for coming out and bringing everybody and being in this environment away from the shelter because they are so good with people," canine adoption counselor Simone Olivieri said, adding that they have been great with their routine at the shelter.

With a change in diet, their coats have become soft and shiny, the blonder hues highlighted by the sun.

Every day, the lights are dimmed at the facility for an hour and 15 minutes for a nap time when all of the pups are given chew toys and a break from visitors. This has been beneficial for the brother and sister duo.

"The reason is to give them a break so they can rest and nap the same way that toddlers need to nap," Olivieri said.