PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Former City Solicitor Michael McCarthy was nominated by the governor Friday as an associate justice of Southern Berkshire District Court.

McCarthy is an associate with the city firm of George, DeGregorio, Massimiano & McCarthy since 1989. Prior to that, he was the city's solicitor for two years, assistant district attorney for five years and an assistant district attorney in Portland, Maine, for one year. He is a graduate of Assumption College and the University of Maine Law School.

McCarthy will fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge James B. McElroy. He was previously nominated for the post in August 2012.

Secretary of

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GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — At least one person was injured after a small plane crashed on takeoff from Great Barrington Airport on Tuesday evening. The victim was taken to the hospital with nonlife-threatening injuries, according to YNN.

There were reportedly two people in the Piper Cub.

The crash was reported shortly after the plane took at 6 p.m. by FireGround360. It apparently came down across the line in Egremont near Route 71.

Egremont firefighters were called to the station; scanner reports stated the plane was 400 to 600 feet from the runway and "in trees" near Pumpkin Hollow Road.

No further information was immediately available.

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Red Crow News reports that artist David Pixley, 62, was arraigned Thursday morning in Southern Berkshire District Court on on two of counts of arson, five of attempting to burn buildings, and three of attempting to burn vehicles.

Pixley is being held on $50,000 bail after being caught by police in the early morning hours allegedly trying to set a fire at TD Banknorth. Pixley allgedy fled the scene, according to Red Crow News, and police gave chase, taking him into custody at his 20 Hollenbeck Ave. apartment.

Police have arrested a suspect in connection with at least two of Wednesday's arson fires in Great Barrington. The unidentified man was arrested at about 2 a.m. on Thursday morning

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GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — Police are investigating two serious motor vehicle crashes on Wednesday afternoon that left two dead.

According to police, the first accident occurred at 12:50 p.m. Janet E. Chase, 62, of Sheffield died on the scene when her BMW sedan veered into the northbound lane of Route 7, just north of the Sheffield/Great Barrington line, and crashed head-on with a Honda minivan in the northbound lane. The van was driven by Maureen L Boisvert, 50, of Needham. Boisvert was taken to Berkshire Medical Center with severe injuries.

While state and local police were investigating that accident, a vehicle backing out of Timberlyn Heights nursing home on Maple Avenue

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GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — Bones discovered on Monday evening across from the Kmart department store are being handed over to a forensic anthropologist.

Berkshire District Attorney David F. Capeless said a young boy playing along the bank of the Housatonic River discovered the bones sticking out of the sand and dug them out. The boy and his mother brought the bones to the Great Barrington Police Department, which notified the State Police Detective Unit assigned to the district attorney's office.  

The bones were transported Tuesday morning to the Holyoke office of the chief medical examiner. Associate Chief Medical Examiner Andrew Sexton made a preliminary

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