U.S. Sen. Markey To Headline Rally in Pittsfield

02:06PM / Tuesday, February 25, 2025Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — U.S. Senator Ed Markey will headline the "No Kings in America! Rally for Democracy" at 2:30 p.m. on Sun., March 9, at the Colonial Theatre.

The event is sponsored by a Four Freedoms Coalition led by Berkshire Democratic Brigades and the Rural Freedom Network in conjunction with Greylock Together (North County), Left Field (South County), Berkshire Indivisible, Progressive Democrats of America, and the NAACP.

"Americans take our Constitution and the rule of law for granted," said Berkshire Democratic Brigades chair Jim Mahon. "We rarely think about what life would be like if instead of laws, we had to live according to the will of one man, but here we are. All Americans need to pay attention and defend the Constitution before it is too late."

The event is free and open to the public, but there are no more seats available.

Sherwood Guernsey, co-founder of Berkshire Democratic Brigades and President of the Rural Freedom Network added:

"Our country was founded to get rid of a king," said Guernsey. "Millions of Americans have died to protect our democracy. Now, it is our turn to stand up against the man-who-would-be-king: We will not back down."

Shirley Edgerton, a member of the Executive Committee of the Berkshire County Branch of the NAACP, noted that in 1967 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. asked:"Where do we go from here?"

"Today, I repeat Dr. King's question," said Edgerton, "Where DO we go from here, as the leader in the White House attempts to return us to legalized inequities and injustices?" The answer, she said, is simple: "We unite, organize, educate, and demand those representing the people unleash their voices, stand for right, and use all means necessary to save our democracy."

Tags: Colonial Theatre, rally,

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Second Streets Second Chances Awarded $85K for Workforce Re-Entry Program

By Brittany Polito03:00PM / Monday, September 28, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A local program for formerly incarcerated citizens seeking a technical career received $85,000 from the state.

On Thursday, the Healey-Driscoll administration announced $2.25 million in Re-entry Workforce Development Demonstration Program grants to 12 organizations that will provide job training, career support, and employment opportunities to 445 formerly incarcerated individuals returning to their communities.

Second Street Second Chances was allocated $84,712 to partner with the Berkshire County Sheriff's Office to offer a training program to 12 returning citizens with a focus on the advanced manufacturing and engineering industry.

The funds will be used to put 12 returning citizens through a training program with a focus on the advanced manufacturing and engineering industry. Successful program graduates will be placed in manufacturing and welding roles at Onyx Specialty Papers and Hi-Tech Mold and Tool.

The program was one of 12 awardees, a majority on the eastern side of the state; Greenfield also saw funding.

"When people return to their communities, they should have a real opportunity to get a good job, support their families and build a stable future," said Gov. Maura Healey in a press release.

"These grants connect people with the training and experience they need to succeed and with employers that are ready to hire."

Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll said successful reentry means making sure people have the tools and opportunities to move forward, and these programs bring together community organizations, public safety partners, and employers to connect people directly with training and jobs.

Launched in 2022, Second Street Second Chances' mission is to provide a central point of access for medical and mental health, housing, job training, legal services, and more for a successful reentry into the community.

Early this year, the nonprofit saw an $89,000 grant from the program. Executive Director Lindsay Cornwell at the time said this funding allowed 2nd Street to expand its mission of supporting returning citizens in Berkshire County through meaningful workforce opportunities and a pathway toward sustainable employment.

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