Pittsfield to Pay Tribute to Fallen Airman Galliher

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Air Force Staff. Sgt. Jacob Galliher
Please note that the times have been updated; the procession is not likely to arrive in Pittsfield before 5:45 p.m.
 
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Pittsfield will be turning out to pay tribute to Air Force Staff. Sgt. Jacob Galliher as his remains are returned home on Friday. 
 
Galliher, 24, was killed when the Osprey aircraft he was on crashed off the coast of Japan along with seven other crew members. The Taconic High School graduate left behind his wife and 2-year-old and 6-week-old sons. 
 
Members of the Pittsfield Police and Fire departments, the Berkshire County Sheriff’s Office, State Police and the Dalton American Legion Riders will be escorting Galliher home from Westover Air Force Base along a route that will take them through Lee, Lenox and Pittsfield. 
 
Only invited guests and authorized personnel will be allowed to drive in the procession. Members of the public are welcome to pay their respects along the route beginning at 5:15 p.m. in Lee and 5:45 p.m. in Pittsfield. 
 
The procession will come from Lee down Walker Street and up Main Street with an arrival window in Lenox of 5:20-5:40 p.m. Flags will be given out at the Lenox Library and folks can line the street to pay their respects.
 
Galliher will arrive at Westover at approximately 3:15 p.m. on Friday and the procession, as requested by the family, will travel west on the Massachusetts Turnpike:
  • through downtown Lee
  • over Walker Street and through downtown Lenox
  • Route 7 to Park Square
  • West Street to Valentine Street to Taconic High
  • back to North Street to Bradford Street and Dery Funeral Home. 
The family will have some private time at Dery's. 
 
City officials have been working closely with the family, the Air Force and with Dery Funeral Home. Arrival times are subject to change and updates will be shared on the City of Pittsfield's Facebook page.
 
Flags are available to the public and can be picked up, after noon Thursday, at the following locations:
 
• City Hall, 70 Allen St.
• Department of Veteran’s Services, Senior Center, 330 North St.
• Pittsfield Fire Department Headquarters, 74 Columbus Ave.
• Colonial Theatre, 111 South St.

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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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