Woodlands Partnership Hosts Survey, Listening Sessions on Emergency Response

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WINDSOR, Mass. — The Woodlands Partnership of Northwest Massachusetts is embarking on a public safety services study of the 21-town region with the Edward J. Collins, Jr. Center for Public Management at the University of Massachusetts Boston.

The Collins Center will focus on municipal services in the Woodlands Partnership region as they relate to increasing tourism, use and accessibility of public forests, diminished tax base, and the ability of first responders to provide emergency services.

Funded by a grant from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, the study is intended to provide towns with direction and support in receiving additional funds and identifying strategies for municipal financial sustainability, as well as inform state policy and procedure related to Payment-In-Lieu-of-Taxes (PILOT) on state-owned land and other programs.
 
Three listening sessions will be held for community members and emergency responders to provide feedback about experiences and suggestions for improvement. The sessions will be held:
  • Thursday, January 30, 2025, 6-7 pm by Zoom (online)
  • Wednesday, February 12, 2025, 6-7 pm by Zoom or at Windsor Town Hall (hybrid)
  • Thursday, February 27, 2025, 6-7 pm by Zoom or at Shelburne Fire Dept (hybrid)
For more information and to learn how to attend, please visit woodlandspartnership.org/events. Can’t make it? Take the surveys here. First Responders: https://tinyurl.com/3vp3eat7; Community Members: https://tinyurl.com/bddvv52x. Email kconlin@newenglandforestry.org for a paper copy.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Pittsfield Man Pleads Guilty to 2025 Assault, Firearm Charges

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A city man is facing up to nine years in prison after pleading guilty to multiple assault and firearm charges from last year. 

The Berkshire District Attorney's Office has reported that on Thursday, Oct. 15, Jarvis L. Chadwell Jr., 20, pleaded guilty to 10 charges and was sentenced to 7 to 9 years in state prison following an incident on Oct. 18, 2025.

Police say that he fired a gun multiple times in a vehicle over an argument, striking the car and nearby home.  

"This incident was not just alarming because there was gun violence, but also because it occurred in such close proximity to a school. I will not waver on my stance towards gun violence in our community — gun violence must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," District Attorney Timothy Shugrue said. 

"While I am committed to supporting those who need our help with recovery options and courts of hope, we must also protect our children and communities from the threat of violence that can claim lives in an instant. I commend the Pittsfield Police for their response and dedication to quickly solving this crime."

This occurred near Morningside Community School, which was retired at the end of the last academic year. 

Charges: 

  • armed assault with intent to murder
  • attempted assault & battery by discharging a firearm
  • witness intimidation
  • malicious destruction of property
  • resisting arrest
  • assault and battery on a police officer
  • illegal possession of a firearm
  • illegal possession of a large capacity feeding device
  • possession of ammunition without a firearm identification card 
  • possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony

Probation conditions include a mental health evaluation and aftercare; sign any releases required by probation; and refrain from abuse of the named victim, including threats of violence.

Pittsfield Police responded to a ShotSpotter activation at 65 Cherry St. just before 1 a.m. on that day in 2025. Upon arrival, police say witnesses confirmed hearing a gunshot and observing a man fleeing the area.

"While outside the 65 Cherry Street residence, officers observed a vehicle parked near the neighboring residence with a bullet hole in the windshield and an additional bullet hole in the side of 67 Cherry Street. Based on witness descriptions at the scene, law enforcement was able to quickly locate the Defendant within 30 minutes of the incident," a press release from the DA reads. 

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