Letter: Thank you, 1st Berkshire District!

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To the Editor:

I just wrapped up a campaign for state representative for the 1st Berkshire District.

I did not win. But I am forever grateful for this opportunity and experience. And I'm proud that my opponent and I kept our campaigns clean. Campaigns have the opportunity to be ugly, to tear a community apart, but I think this primary election actually helped bring our community together and that's exactly what I was hoping for.

While I was certainly hoping to win this race, I can say with complete confidence that my team and I worked our tails off and ran a positive, forward-thinking campaign. Together, we built real momentum and came within 159 votes of defeating a long-standing incumbent. That's newsworthy. But more importantly, it's a clear sign. It's a sign that our region is ready to move forward, to rebuild, to come together, to show up, to take action, and to build a bright, successful, and affordable future for all of us.

I am so deeply grateful for your support and encouragement. Whether or not you voted for me, it was one of the biggest honors of my life to chat with you at your doors, brainstorm solutions to challenges at cafes, and celebrate with you at community events. We have an amazing district of 13 municipalities full of world-class educational institutions, cultural attractions, businesses, natural resources, rich history, and a supportive community.


Sure, I'm tired from not getting enough sleep all year. But I'm even more hopeful and eager than ever to keep doing the work of building a stronger community.

I'm not going anywhere. I'll continue working hard on North Adams' City Council, growing Steeple City Social, serving on boards & community organizations, and launching new projects.

We built something together. Let's keep building. And let's have a blast as we're doing this work. I look forward to seeing you around the district!

With love and gratitude,

Andrew J Fitch
North Adams, Mass. 

 

 


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North Adams Man Sentenced to Prison for Rape

Staff Reports
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — On Monday, Nov. 9, Joseph Pini, 49 years old, formerly of North Adams, was sentenced to nine to 12 years in state prison after being found guilty of two counts of rape and one count of furnishing alcohol to a minor. 
 
On Friday, Nov. 6, a jury found Pini guilty of all three charges after deliberating for four hours. 
 
Judge Michael Callan sentenced Pini to nine to 12 years in prison for the two counts of rape and six months in the House of Corrections for furnishing alcohol to a minor, to be served concurrently. 
 
The commonwealth requested a sentence of 12 to 15 years in prison for the combined rape charges with a year in the House of Corrections, a maximum sentence on the alcohol charge, to be served concurrently. Defense requested a "very lengthy" probationary period.  
 
According to the District Attorney's Office, Pini brought a then-16-year-old girl to his home on Fairgrounds Avenue in November 2022. He proceeded to provide the teen with alcohol and then raped her twice. 
 
District Attorney Timothy Shugrue thanked the jury for their services.
 
"I commend the North Adams Police Department and the Child Abuse Unit in my office for their thorough and dedicated work in bringing this case to a successful conclusion," he said. "My thoughts remain with the survivor, whose life has been forever impacted by this horrific assault. While no verdict can undo the harm she endured, I hope that the guilty verdict and sentencing bring a measure of closure and allow her the opportunity to move forward."
 
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