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

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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."

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Dalton Fire District Faces Major Decision on Future of Station

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff

Select Board Chair Robert Bishop brings up the potential of collaborating with the Fire District on a combined public safety building, which would solve both the fire and police station problems.
DALTON, Mass. — For several years, the Dalton Fire District has emphasized the fire station's space limitations, and a recent community and space needs analysis further demonstrated that significant decisions need to be made about the facility's future.
 
The district was established in 1884 after rapid growth strained the town's limited water supply for drinking and fire protection. After a fire destroyed seven paper mills, local leaders began searching for new water sources. Check out our story on the district's charter. 
 
MissionCIT (Critical Immersive Training) LLC was contracted by the district to conduct the needs assessment, with its findings presented during last Tuesday's Board of Water Commissioners meeting. View the full report here
 
Over the last century, the department has evolved alongside advances in firefighting technology and practices, with changes in staffing, training, equipment requirements, and call volume and types ultimately causing it to outgrow its facility, Mark Waters of Mission CIT said. 
 
The most recent change came in 2022, when the district assumed control of the ambulance service following the closure of the Dalton Ambulance and Rescue Association and added Advanced Life Support to its services.
 
The department now provides both Advanced and Basic Life Support services.
 
"The bottom line is that this building is being used for something today that it wasn't built for almost 70 years ago," Waters said. 
 
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