Pignatelli announces Lee police chief as 4th Berkshire District Unsung Hero Award recipient
Boston — Rep. William “Smitty” Pignatelli, D-Lenox, Thursday announced Chief Jeffrey Roosa of the Lee Police Department as the first recipient of the 4th Berkshire Unsung Hero Award.
Inspired to become a police officer after being struck by a drunk driver over 30 years ago, Roosa began his career in law enforcement with the Sheffield Police Department in 1996. He joined the Lee Police Department in 2001, and was appointed chief of the department in 2013.
The 4th Berkshire District Unsung Hero Award was launched by Pignatelli earlier this month and aims to recognize people, groups and organizations who have positively contributed to the Berkshire community.
“I want to change the conversation about the Berkshires from focusing on the negative to highlighting all of the positive that goes on in our community, and I felt this program was a way to do that,” said Pignatelli. “As soon as we came up with this idea, I knew I wanted to give it to Jeff. There are a lot of people who humbly contribute to the Berkshires for no reason other than kindness, and he is a prime example of that.”
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Mass. Senate takes action to extend unemployment insurance for locked-out National Grid workers
Boston — Sen. Adam G. Hinds, D-Pittsfield, has announced that the Massachusetts Senate Thursday passed legislation, S.2692, “An Act to protect locked out employees,” to extend unemployment benefits for locked-out National Grid workers for up to 26 additional weeks or until National Grid workers are no longer locked out, whichever comes first. The benefits would be part of the existing unemployment insurance system.
This legislation is designed to address the concerns of the approximately 1,250 workers scheduled to stop receiving unemployment benefits Jan 14, 2019, due to the ongoing National Grid lockout. Under this legislation, benefits would be paid through the existing unemployment insurance system, and will impact the experience rating of the employer engaged in the lockout, resulting in higher UI costs for that employer going forward.
The legislation now goes to the House of Representatives for consideration.
