'No Kings 2.0' Will Likely Draw Thousands to Berkshire County

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Rallies are planned across the nation on Oct. 18 to protest actions by the Trump administration. 

In Pittsfield, the No Kings 2.0 rally will be held at The Common from 2:30 to 5 p.m. and in North Adams City Hall from noon to 2. There will also be No Kings rallies on the same day in Dalton, Stockbridge, West Stockbridge, Lee, and Adams, and around the nation. 

The Parks Commission recently gave local organizer Robin O'Herin, of StandUp Berkshires! approval for the event at The Common. She explained that organizers are "totally committed to peaceful, joyful protest, and we won't tolerate anything else." 

"The last one that we did, we had at least 5,000 people, and The Common is the only place big enough," she explained. 

The event will include speakers, chants, and musical performances. O'Herin reported that U.S. Sen. Ed Markey's team said they would check his schedule to see if he can attend the event. 

There will also be a food drive and informational tables. 

"We want to reach people and create unity as opposed to divisiveness," O'Herin explained. 



"I mean, yeah, the theme is 'No Kings,' but at the same time, we want to have some messaging that actually unites people. That's my goal for the rally." 

She said there will be safety marshals at the event, and it was recommended that a couple of portable toilets be rented. 

"My goals are to empower people and energize them to take action, whatever that means, if it's just calling your representatives, writing letters, signing petitions, or coming to rallies or standing out," O'Herin said. 

She cited the "3.5 percent rule," a principle of nonviolent political resistance that suggests no government can withstand a nonviolent challenge involving 3.5 percent of its population.  

"It just depends on how upset people are with the government at that moment in time," she said. 

The No Kings movement is protesting cuts to Medicaid and food assistance, health insurance costs, actions against higher education, science and health research, and the use of masked federal agents to conduct violent raids and deportations.

Rally times and locations: 
  • Adams: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Town Common
  • Bennington, Vt.: 10:30 to noon, Vermont State Office Building
  • Dalton: 1 to 2 p.m., Dalton CRA sidewalk
  • Lee: 9 to 11 a.m. at the library
  • North Adams: noon to 2, City Hall
  • Pittsfield: 2:30 to 5 p.m., the Common
  • Stockbridge: 10 to 11:30 a.m., town offices
  • West Stockbridge: noon to 1:30, Village Congregational Church

 


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Companion Corner: Princess at Berkshire Humane Society

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — There is an energetic girl waiting to find her new home at the Berkshire Humane Society.

iBerkshire's Companion Corner is a weekly series spotlighting an animal in our local shelters that is ready to find a home.  

Princess is a six year old shepherd mix that has been at the shelter for just over a month.

Canine caregiver and adoption counselor Simone Olivieri told us about Princess.

"She's very social, very friendly. When you're out walking her, she just wants to go say hi to every single new person. Loves to make new friends. She's a lot of fun. She's very active. She's very spunky. She's very playful, and she's going to need a very very active family who's going to do a lot with her." 

But Princess is no stranger to the shelter. She was a puppy five years ago and got adopted quickly, but now she needs a new family to take care of her.

"She was adopted out fairly quickly as a young puppy. She's been in the same home for the past five years. Unfortunately, they were moving out of state somewhere," Olivieri said. "They could not take her with them, so she ended up coming as a return to shelter, and she came back to stay with us."

Princess needs to go to a home as the only animal or with other male dogs that are her size or bigger.

"Her perfect home would be kids eight and up. No cats. No small animals. She has quite a prey drive. She could go to a home with another dog around her size or larger, preferably a male dog. She does a little bit better with male dogs, and she's looking for a home where people are home quite a bit, so that she's not left alone for too long. She has some separation anxiety," Olivieri said. 

She also needs a very active home that can let her use her energy every day, as she is very rambunctious. Especially with playing with her favorite toy, the flirt pole.

"She could use a home where people are going to give her a lot of attention and more than just a few walks a day; she's going to need lots of exercise, lots of playtime, lots of mental stimulation," Olivieri said. "She likes to learn, so someone who would be willing to take her to training classes or work on some training with her, as well as hikes, getting out and about, doing new things, different things. She is very athletic. She'd excel at things like agility, some dog sports. Just someone who is really going to want to engage and do a lot of different kinds of activities with her." 

Once you let her get her energy out, she is a cuddler who wouldn't mind being held like a baby from time to time.

"She's very sweet. She's very cuddly. She's very affectionate, but she is not a couch potato. She will stay on that couch with you for a little bit, and then she's ready to go off and do something else. So she's very busy. She's very active," Olivieri said. "Once all of her exercise needs are met during the day, she will settle down nicely, and she will want to be right by your side, cuddle with you at night on the couch, sleep with you."

Princess is very healthy but does experience some anxiety and is not fully potty trained and might have the occasional accident.

"She does have a little bit of anxiety, so she is on some medication for it right now," Olivieri said. "So a lot of structure, a lot of outlets, and familiarity, getting used to a new routine and everything is gonna be really good for her. I mean, she's just lovely. Like I said, she's very social. She likes to play with other dogs. She likes to meet new people."

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