Market 32, Price Chopper Donates to Disabled American Veterans

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Market 32 and Price Chopper presented a $53,817 donation to DAV (Disabled American Veterans), reflecting the generosity of customers and teammates who supported the company's November fundraising campaign. 
 
Shoppers across all 129 stores contributed $43,817 by rounding up their totals at checkout. Market 32 and Price Chopper added a $10,000 corporate match.
 
These funds will help DAV to provide no-cost, lifetime assistance to veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors. DAV assists more than one million veterans each year through benefits assistance, employment opportunities, transportation to VA medical appointments, and more.
 
"At Market 32 and Price Chopper, our mission is to help people feed and care for their families, and our broader purpose is to support the well-being of the communities we serve," said Blaine Bringhurst, the company's president. "DAV's commitment to helping veterans live healthy, dignified, and secure lives aligns with that purpose. We're proud to stand with our customers in supporting an organization that offers life-changing assistance to those who have served our country."
 
In 2024, DAV filed over 560,000 Department of Veterans Affairs benefits claims and provided more than 235,000 no-cost rides to VA medical appointments for veterans. In addition to providing direct services, DAV advocates on Capitol Hill, educates the public on veterans' issues, and strengthens communities through its local chapters—ensuring America's heroes receive the benefits they earned.
 
"Thanks to Market 32 and Price Chopper's continued commitment to veterans, DAV can expand its reach and deliver critical support to ill and injured veterans nationwide," said Barry Jesinoski, CEO and national adjutant of DAV. "Funds raised through this campaign directly advance our mission to help veterans access the benefits they have earned, including health care, employment, and education."
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Dalton Fire District Seeks State OK for Permanent Chief

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
DALTON, Mass. — The Fire District is considering interim Fire Chief Christopher Francis Cachat for the permanent chief position, pending required state approval.
 
Cachat has been serving as chief since January 2025, with the duties being split between himself, Administrative Deputy Chief Charlotte Crane, and Capt. Dennis Tinker. 
 
However, one challenge to making his appointment permanent is that Cachat is older than 65, the mandatory retirement age for firefighters in Massachusetts.
 
In 1987, the state eliminated the maximum age and mandatory retirement requirements for most public employees, but firefighters were exempt from this ruling. 
 
The law requires the personnel administrator to study whether a firefighter can serve past the mandatory retirement age, considering job risks, physical demands, and the costs of injuries for older personnel.
 
Towns and cities can seek a home-rule petition from the state Legislature and governor to allow an individual to continue serving in a position past the age of 65, and the Fire District is in the process of doing just that. 
 
State Rep. Leigh Davis filed a home-rule bill last March on the district's behalf to allow Cachat, who has been with the department for four decades, to continue serving until age 70, provided he remains physically and mentally capable of fulfilling the role’s duties. 
 
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