PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The governor has tapped Michael Case to head the Western Regional office of the Department of Conservation and Recreation.
Case took over the job on Feb. 1 and now oversees 39 parks from Mount Holyoke west, including Pittsfield State Forest, Mount Tom, and Mount Greylock.
"I've been a Berkshires guy all my life. I'm an outdoors guy. I couldn't say no," Case said on Friday.
The position is administrative and manages all of the state parks in the region. He oversees a team of district managers. The goal under Commissioner Leo Roy is to encourage usage of the state parks and "open up opportunities", whether it be hunting or hiking or other types of recreation.
"Commissioner Roy is focused on getting people to use the parks," Case said.
Case said one of his goals would be to increase the opportunities for camping by bringing more cabins and yurts to state parks. At October Mountain, there are three yurts that sell out quickly and Case said, "I would like to put some more in some of the other parks."
He added "we're putting a lot of money on the gravel roads" through parks, allowing residents to have better access.
Case spent 38 years in the military, retiring as a command sergeant major, and served four tours of duty. He said the governor's office picked him partially because of the leadership qualities he'd shown in the military. Beyond that, he also was an officer with the Pittsfield Police Department, seats on the Central Berkshire Regional School Committee and is a selectman in the town of Washington.
He also has been active in local veterans affairs and Republican politics, and is on the ballot this March 1 for Republican State Committee member.
The governor also appointed him on Monday as chairman the board of trustees at the Soldiers Home in Holyoke. There his focus will be first on finding a new superintendent after both the superintendent and the deputy resigned last year.
"The rest is to provide oversight and leadership," Case said.
The Soldiers Home is a fully accredited facility providing health care and full-time residential accommodations for veterans. It is state funded.
That unpaid position intrigued him because he wants to help serve veterans when they are at their most vulnerable. And being an avid outdoorsmen, Case said he leaves the DCR offices on South Street everyday with a smile on his face.
"I'm just really excited to fill them both," Case said.
Robert Mellace had been the DCR regional director until July 2015, when he retired. Since then the position has been filled on interim basis until Case's appointment. Case also replaces Steven Como as the chairman of the Soldiers Home.
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Moses Leads Force to Win in World Series Opener
FLORENCE, Ala. – Gianna Moses went 2-for-3 with a double and drove in a run on Friday to lead the Berkshire Force 12-and-under travel softball team to a 7-3 win over Davidson, N.C., at the Babe Ruth World Series.
The Force got just one other hit, a single from Cassidy Flynn, who finished with a pair of RBIs, on a day when it took advantage of five Davidson errors.
Berkshire jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning, when Moses doubled and scored a run.
The Force led, 7-0, going to the bottom of the fifth before Davidson was able to put three runs across. The game ended after five due to the tournament’s time constraints.
Flynn and Olivia Archambault split time in the circle for the Force, combining to strike out seven, walk three and allow two earned runs.
The Force starts pool play with a record of 1-0 and continues on Saturday morning against the squad from Mexico. Berkshire wraps up pool play on Sunday with a double-header.
The Select Board expressed its support in continuing to research the prospect of installing level three electric vehicle fast charging stations in town. click for more
Warren said equitable access to health care also helps economically, as more people can work to support themselves, help their own families, and manage themselves and others.
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The committee will be examining all the options for a new police station or combined public safety facility. The goal is to have a recommendation for the Select Board by a year from December.
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