Pittsfield to Pay Tribute to Fallen Airman Galliher

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Air Force Staff. Sgt. Jacob Galliher
Please note that the times have been updated; the procession is not likely to arrive in Pittsfield before 5:45 p.m.
 
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Pittsfield will be turning out to pay tribute to Air Force Staff. Sgt. Jacob Galliher as his remains are returned home on Friday. 
 
Galliher, 24, was killed when the Osprey aircraft he was on crashed off the coast of Japan along with seven other crew members. The Taconic High School graduate left behind his wife and 2-year-old and 6-week-old sons. 
 
Members of the Pittsfield Police and Fire departments, the Berkshire County Sheriff’s Office, State Police and the Dalton American Legion Riders will be escorting Galliher home from Westover Air Force Base along a route that will take them through Lee, Lenox and Pittsfield. 
 
Only invited guests and authorized personnel will be allowed to drive in the procession. Members of the public are welcome to pay their respects along the route beginning at 5:15 p.m. in Lee and 5:45 p.m. in Pittsfield. 
 
The procession will come from Lee down Walker Street and up Main Street with an arrival window in Lenox of 5:20-5:40 p.m. Flags will be given out at the Lenox Library and folks can line the street to pay their respects.
 
Galliher will arrive at Westover at approximately 3:15 p.m. on Friday and the procession, as requested by the family, will travel west on the Massachusetts Turnpike:
  • through downtown Lee
  • over Walker Street and through downtown Lenox
  • Route 7 to Park Square
  • West Street to Valentine Street to Taconic High
  • back to North Street to Bradford Street and Dery Funeral Home. 
The family will have some private time at Dery's. 
 
City officials have been working closely with the family, the Air Force and with Dery Funeral Home. Arrival times are subject to change and updates will be shared on the City of Pittsfield's Facebook page.
 
Flags are available to the public and can be picked up, after noon Thursday, at the following locations:
 
• City Hall, 70 Allen St.
• Department of Veteran’s Services, Senior Center, 330 North St.
• Pittsfield Fire Department Headquarters, 74 Columbus Ave.
• Colonial Theatre, 111 South St.

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Berkshire Carousel Offer Withdrawn, Volunteers Plan Reopening

By Brittany Polito

PITTSFIELD, Mass.— The Berkshire Carousel offer has been withdrawn, and a volunteer group plans to reopen it.

Tuesday’s City Council agenda includes withdrawing an order to accept a conveyance and donation of land at 50 Center St. (the Berkshire Carousel.) While the carousel, owned by James Shulman, opened to enthusiastic fans in 2016, it has not operated since 2018 after leadership and funding fell apart.

“On January 17, 2025, I received an email from Mr. Shulman notifying me of his withdrawal of the gift of the carousel and conveyance and donation of land at 50 Center Street,” Marchetti wrote.

“Given this set of circumstances, I no longer intend to create a committee to study the carousel project.”

The mayor’s office said it understands that Shulman is working with friends of the carousel group on other operations plans.

On Friday, iBerkshires.com received a press release from a volunteer group affiliated with the Berkshire Carousel, Inc., announcing the course's reopening in the spring.  It explains that when the volunteers learned that the ride could be revived, they began working with the Berkshire Carousel, Inc. to offer an opportunity for it to be run “By the people who love it most.”

The group reports that an opening date will be announced soon.

“We are excited to reintroduce the Berkshire Carousel to our community,” said Janet Crawford, volunteer group coordinator.

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