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

Print 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,   

If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Pittsfield ConCom OKs Stairs at Pontoosuc Lake

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass.— Shoreline access stairs are coming to the south side of Pontoosuc Lake. 

Last week, the Conservation Commission approved an amendment to the Order of Conditions for work at Pontoosuc Lake Park.  There will be two stair sets on the south shoreline, and additional bank stabilization. 

In 2025, the park's south side saw new stairs from the parking lot, a boardwalk, and other improvements.  Later phases of the project will enhance the north side of the park for swimming, and remedy a concrete barrier wall that is partially underwater. 

"Generally, what we're looking to do at Pontoosuc Lake Park is install some stair sets in two locations to help folks access from up above the bank, over the bank, and into the water," Parks, Open Space, and Natural Resources Manager James McGrath explained during the July 23 meeting. 

"We're sensitive to some of the issues that are currently existing on the bank, and we're also sensitive to some of the needs for lake recreation out there."

Stairs for water access will be placed on the shoreline at the beginning of the boardwalk, where it is highly eroded, and the second staircase will be at the extreme western end of the project area, which has around 100 feet of highly eroded bank. 

Additional brush layering will also stabilize the bank. 

An area near the boat ramp where live stakes were vandalized will see them replanted after the ConCom found some of the bank erosion was worse than believed on a site visit last year. 

The city originally proposed not replanting the area where live stakes were removed. 

View Full Story

More Pittsfield Stories