Great Barrington Announces Personnel Changes

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Great Barrington, Mass. — Josh Risen has been promoted to the position of Great Barrington town clerk, one of several new appointments in Town Hall. 
 
Risen joined the town in September 2023 as office administrator for the town manager and selectboard, after working in administrative roles in the town of Sheffield. He earned a law degree from Western New England University Law School and was admitted to the Massachusetts Bar in 2011. As Town Clerk, Risen will serve as the town's chief election officer and maintain and preserve the town's archives and vital records, among other roles.
 
"I'm very much looking forward to working with Josh in his capacity as Town Clerk, as he has proven himself as a hard worker and he is well respected among staff and the residents we serve," said Town Manager Mark Pruhenski. "I'm confident he has the skills and abilities to succeed in this role",
 
Natalie Amendola, who joined the town manager and selectboard office in January as administrative assistant, has been promoted to the office administrator role. She is a graduate of the State University of New York at Albany and has previously worked as associate for student development at Columbia–Greene Community College.
 
In the Board of Health department, James Massey has been appointed as health inspector, bringing his extensive background as an executive chef in the hospitality and healthcare industries. He has worked for Canyon Ranch in Lenox and Tucson, Essex (VT) Resort and Spa, Trinity Health Services and other settings. He has also operated his own food and beverage consulting business in the Berkshire area.
 
"Natalie's promotion to the role of office administrator is well-deserved too," said Pruhenski. "Although she's only been here for a short period of time, she is clearly a self-starter and incredibly capable of managing our busy administration office with ease. I'm also looking forward to working with James and welcoming him to our team here in GB".
 
Risen succeeds Jennifer Messina, who departed the Great Barrington position for a new opportunity.

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Connecticut Man Killed in Otis Tractor-Trailer Crash

OTIS, Mass. — Thursday's collision between two tractor-trailers on Route 8 killed one of the drivers. 
 
Antonio Luis Marcucci, 32 of Waterbury, Conn., was northbound at about 9 a.m. Thursday when he apparently lost control of the truck and veered into the southbound lanes, colliding head-on with a southbound tractor trailer, according to police. 
 
According to the Berkshire District Attorney's Office, police dispatched to 1322 South Main Road found the truck with Connecticut plates in the northbound lane and a truck bearing Oklahoma plates lodged in a snowback on south side. 
 
The officer began rendering aid to the northbound driver, identified as Marcucci. He was pinned inside the cab of his truck. He was extracated and transported to Baystate Medical Center in Springfield by Otis EMS, where he was pronounced dead.
 
The driver of the Oklahoma tractor trailer in the southbound lane did not receive serious injuries.
 
Early investigation, including dash camera footage captured by one of the tractor trailers, shows the Oklahoma tractor trailer was traveling in the southbound lane and the Connecticut tractor trailer was traveling in the northbound lane, according to the DA's Office. The Connecticut tractor trailer lost control veering off the other side of the road ultimately ending on the southbound lane. Shortly after the two tractor trailers collided in a head on collision.
 
The investigation remains ongoing.
 
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