President Postpones Visit; Olver, Brown in Berkshires
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| The president in Hudson last year. |
Update: Sunday, Jan. 9, 2011: The president has postponed his trip to New York after
The president on Sunday called on the nation to honor the memory of those killed and injured:
"Tomorrow at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time, I call on Americans to observe a moment of silence to honor the innocent victims of the senseless tragedy in Tucson, Arizona, including those still fighting for their lives. It will be a time for us to come together as a nation in prayer or reflection, keeping the victims and their families closely at heart."
Original Post, Jan. 7, 2011, 7:26 p.m.
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The coming week will be politically active for the area, with visits from three elected officials.
The VIP of the week is President Obama, who's scheduled to land at Albany International Airport on Tuesday for a tour of General Electric in Schenectady, N.Y.
According to the White House, the president will tour the site with GE CEO Jeffrey Immelt and he will make remarks on the importance of growing the economy and making America more competitive by investing in jobs, innovation and clean energy.
The Schenectady plant is the home of GE's largest energy divisions and the future home of its advanced battery manufacturing facility. The city is considered the birthplace of GE, which was established there by Thomas Edison in 1892, shortly after William Stanley founded his own electrical manufacturing plant in Pittsfield. GE would eventually buy out Stanley and Pittsfield would become the company's headquarters for many years.
The Schenectady plant is a direct beneficiary of GE's power-turbine deal with India announced during the president's trip last November. He'd visited the Capital Region just a two months earlier, giving a speech at Hudson Vally Community College.
Air Force One will arrive in Albany at about 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday; the president will depart at about 1:20 p.m.
More locally, the Berkshires representative and the state's newest senator will appear at venues in the county.
On Monday night, U.S. Rep. John W. Olver will speak to the Williamstown Democratic Committee at Town Hall.
The Amherst Democrat will speak on the topic "The House of Representatives, Prospects for Democrats in 2011" in the third-floor meeting room at 6 p.m. The talk is open to the public.
On Thursday, U.S. Sen. Scott Brown will make his first trip to the county since winning last year's special election to replace the late U.S. Sen. Ted Kennedy.
Brown, a Republican and former state senator from Wrentham, was invited to speak to the Rotary Club of Pittsfield. The senator will attend the Rotary luncheon at the Crowne Plaza on Thursday.
