Berkshire County Historical Society Celebrates Plant a Tree Day

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Join the Berkshire County Historical Society on Thursday, Sept. 28, at 5:30 pm as they celebrate Plant a Tree Day with a ceremonial planting of a young American elm "Jefferson" on Park Square. 
 
The tree will be planted to honor the Berkshires' first known environmentalist Lucretia Williams. Williams threw herself before the woodsman's axe to save a towering elm known as the Pittsfield Elm on Park Square in 1789. 
 
"BCHS is very grateful to the Pittsfield Parks Department and George and Alice Wislocki for helping make this possible, said Executive Director Lesley Herzberg. "It is a fitting and lasting tribute to Lucretia Williams whose story resonates with us today over one hundred years after her efforts to save the Pittsfield Elm."
 
This free event is open to the public.
 
"BCHS is very grateful to the Pittsfield Parks Department and George and Alice Wislocki for helping make this possible, said Executive Director Lesley Herzberg. "It is a fitting and lasting tribute to Lucretia Williams whose story resonates with us today over one hundred years after her efforts to save the Pittsfield Elm."
 

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DA Shugrue: One Kilo of Heroin, Guns Removed from Pittsfield Streets

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass.— Local law enforcement agencies seized almost a kilo of heroin, along with guns and other substances, during raids in October. 

On Thursday, Berkshire District Attorney Timothy Shugrue said this interrupted a "large-scale" drug trafficking operation. In total, about 542 grams of cocaine and 1,083 grams of heroin, firearms, and other paraphernalia were seized.

Nine people, including a juvenile, were charged with drug trafficking and/or illegal firearms.

"We're catching drugs and not a lot of cash, so it's not sold. That means that we're getting the drugs before it's sold. Here, almost a full kilo. That tells me it's not in the streets. I see a direct correlation with that. During those months, I'll see the overdose deaths go down, and that's significant to me," he said in a press conference at the Berkshire DA's office. 

"But we have to keep fighting it because we have to deal with the addiction issue as well, which we're dealing with in a different light, but we have to get rid of the supply that's coming in, and we see that supply go down. I know that you've got $250,000 worth of heroin that's not on the streets today, and I'm happy with that."

After a lengthy investigation, search warrants were executed on Oct. 15 and Oct. 22. 

During the Oct. 15 operation, 542 grams of cocaine (with a street value of $54,000) and 83 grams of heroin (with a street value of $20,000) were seized. 

Police also confiscated three guns: a 9 mm handgun with nine rounds, a Glock 19, a .45 caliber semi-automatic handgun with six rounds, four loose rounds of ammunition, a 10-round feeding device, two boxes of 9mm ammunition, and a rifle scope. 

Seven individuals were arrested on charges of drug trafficking and possession of illegal firearms. 

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