Officer Curtis Crane

ADAMS, Mass. — The town of Adams added another reserve officer to the police force last week with the appointment of Curtis Crane.

"Curtis Crane has been employed with force the last two years as a dispatcher and special police officer," said Police Chief Donald Poirot at the Selectmen's meeting on April 21. "He just passed the Civil Service exam with flying colors."

Crane replaces Officer Matthew C. Wright, who was hired as a full-time officer in March.

"That will bring us up to two reserve officers. With vacations coming and Park Street events, we need these kind of officers," said Poirot.

ADAMS, Mass. — A Hoosac Valley High School student was killed in a one-vehicle accident early Thursday morning on Bucklin Road.

Police said 18-year-old Dana R. Labbee of 6 Burns Lane was pronounced dead at the scene. He was the only occupant in the vehicle.

Labbee, a senior, played sports at the high school, including on the football and track teams. Labbee did not play baseball but the Hoosac team cancelled its game today because of the senior's many friends on the team.

The accident was reported about 5:27 a.m. Scanner reports indicate the vehicle Labbee was driving rolled over on the back road.

Officers Gregory Charon and Nicholas Dabrowski and members of the Adams Fire Department and Adams Ambulance Service responded to the scene. The accident is under investigation by police and State Police Accident Reconstruction Team.

Two new police officers, Christopher Gelinas and Gregory Onorato, were sworn in at Tuesday's City Council meeting.

The two men have been working with the force as reserves for some time. They will bring the full-time force up to 24 officers, not including Police Director Michael Cozzaglio.

With most recent session of the Police Academy training already under way, the two men have received waivers to work until the next session begins. The force currently has two men at the academy and two in military service overseas, including Officer Brandon Lane, who was sworn in in February.

Mayor Richard Alcombright has revived the tradition of welcoming and swearing-in new officers and firefighters at City Council meetings. Lane and firefighter Matthew Davis were the first to introduced under the new administration.

GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — One of our readers in Great Barrington reports that the Fire Department responded to a brush fire along the railroad tracks on Taconic Avenue on Monday afternoon.

The call came in around 3:30 p.m. that a train passing south along the Housatonic Railroad tracks sparked a fire in the dry vegetation that spread. The train reportedly continued to Canaan, Conn., where it was contacted. Luckily, it did not spark more blazes as it moved south. 

It took firefighters only about 10 minutes to bring the blaze under control and they returned to headquarters around 4:15. Egremont Fire Department was put on standby for Great Barrington.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. —  This Thursday, the Morningside Initiative's Crime Prevention and Public Safety subcommittee will hold a neighborhood watch meeting. People who live, work or own property in the Morningside Initiative area are invited to attend the meeting, which will be held at the Morningside Community School cafeteria, 100 Burbank St., from 6 to 8 p.m.

The Morningside Initiative area includes East Street from Park Square up North Street to Springside Avenue to Benedict Road, to Tyler Street ext. to Woodlawn Avenue, Kellogg Street to Fourth Street around Silver Lake Boulevard, back on East Street returning to Park Square. (If that sounds confusing, here's a map).

For more information, contact Ashley James at 413-448-9678.