News & Notes: Morning Fire in Pittsfield; Pignatelli Pushes Dental Health
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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A structure fire at a single-family home at 238 Francis Ave. in Pittsfield on Tuesday morning forced two residents out into the cold and heavyily damaged the interior of their home.
Pittsfield Deputy Fire Chief Robert Czerwinski said there was heavy smoke coming out of the second-floor windows when they arrived at 7:45 a.m. and that both occupants of the house escaped without injury.
He said the fire was knocked down quickly but with the small house, it took a while for firefighters to chase the fire inside the walls. Czerwinski didn't speculate about the cause of the fire but did say he did not suspect foul play. He said the interior of the home received heavy damage and that the occupants of the home would be displaced for some time.
Pignatelli Spearheads Dental Hygienist Bill
LENOX, Mass. — Massachusetts is on the verge of joining 30 other states that allow registered dental hygienists to see patients in public health settings and its because in part of state Rep. William "Smitty" Pignatelli.
As one of the final acts in the 2006-2008 legislative sessions, the Lenox Democrat, along with the rest of the state Legislature, sent Gov. Deval Patrick a bill that would bring more oral dental care to those on the MassHealth insurance program. The bill, which was co-authored by Pignatelli, now awaits the governor's signature.
The legislation was filed in response to the lack of access to oral health care, which has reached crisis proportions, especially here in the Berkshires.
Worth The Money To Catch A Thief
LENOX, Mass. — Lenox Police say a new security camera and recording system installed at the Lenox Community Center on Friday helped catch a thief in the act of breaking in Sunday evening.
Police Chief Steven O'Brien said the camera took several photos of a man as he broke into the building and that led to the arrest of 19-year-old Joshua Tagge, who later confessed to breaking in that night and three previous times.
He was charged with two counts of larceny and three counts of breaking and entering and will be arraigned in Central Berkshire District Court. Police said the camera system was worth every penny.
Governor Outlines Goals of Any Gas Tax Hike
BOSTON — Gov. Deval Patrick appears to be inching closer to supporting a hike in the state's gas tax as an
alternative to dramatic toll hikes on the Massachusetts Turnpike.
In comments made online and to reporters Tuesday, Patrick outlined conditions under which a gas tax hike would be acceptable to him.
First, he said the increase would have to be high enough not just to avoid the latest round of Turnpike toll hikes, but to remove the toll booths altogether or avoid other dramatic toll increases in the future.
The governor also said additional revenues from the gas tax should be dedicated solely for transportation needs, and that it should be part of a larger transportation reform package.
House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi says he prefers the gas tax to toll increases and hopes Patrick is now coming around to that view as well.
