Governor Nominates New Judges and Clerk Magistrate

10:44AM / Saturday, May 09, 2026Print Story | Email Story

BOSTON — Governor Maura Healey nominated Alison Silber to serve as Associate Justice of the Probate and Family Court, Georgia Petropoulos to serve as an Associate Justice of the District Court and Gregory Bartlett to serve as the Clerk Magistrate for the Southern Berkshire District Court.

The three nominees will now be considered by the Governor's Council for confirmation.

"All three of these attorneys will bring deep legal expertise and sound judgement to the courts, and I am excited to nominate them," said Governor Maura Healey. "I am confident that they will approach these new roles with integrity and a commitment to fairness for all our residents."

The Probate and Family Court Department is responsible for family-related and probate matters such as divorce, paternity, child support, custody, adoption, wills, estates, and guardianships. Its mission is to provide fair, equitable, and timely access to justice while assisting and protecting individuals and families. For more information about the Probate and Family Court Department, please visit its homepage. Governor Healey has previously nominated 21 judges to the Probate and Family Court: Laurel Barraco, Manisha Bhatt, Jennifer Bingham, Bethany Brown, Colleen Carroll, Jessica Dubin, Mary Ferriter, Alexandra Flanders, Timothy Horan, Mikalen Howe, Lyonel Jean-Pierre Jr., Mark Lee, Caryn Mitchell-Munevar, Evelyn Patsos, Alessandra Petruccelli, Brian Salisbury, Carla Salvucci, Bernadette Stark, Toiya Taylor, Elena Tsizer, and Michelle Yee.

The District Court Department hears a wide range of criminal, civil, housing, juvenile, mental health, and other types of cases. District Court criminal jurisdiction extends to all felonies punishable by a sentence up to five years, and many other specific felonies with greater potential penalties, all misdemeanors, and all violations of city and town ordinances and by-laws. In civil matters, the District Court hears cases in which the damages are not likely to be more than $50,000 and small claims cases up to $7,000. The District Court is located in 62 courts across the state. Governor Healey has already nominated 32 attorneys to the District Court: Heath Antonio, Patrick Burke, Tonomey Coleman, Lisa Core, Frances Dallmeyer, Frederick DeCubellis, Brian Doxtader, Mark Fabiano, Leo Fama, Lauren Greene, Stuart Hurowitz, Paul Anthony, Edward Kacasinas, Francis V. Kenneally, Sarah Kennedy, Edward Jr. Krippendorf, Cara Krysil, Courtney C. Linnehan, Hilary McCamic, Suzanne McDonough, Becky Michaels, Craig Mulcahey, Jerry Parisella, Polly Phillips, William Powers, Joanna Rodriguez, Gegory Teran, Marjorie P. Tynes, Amanda Ward, Shelly-Ann Sankar, Liza Williamson,and Hector Zumbado.

Governor Healey has previously nominated?Ann Dawley,?Bill Larkin,? Robert E. Manning, Jr., Robert Palumbo,?John P. Riordan,?Dana Rutherford,?Padraic Rafferty,?Scott Rathbun, John Stocks?and Lori Leavitt Wheeler to serve as Clerk Magistrates. Governor Healey Nominates New Judges and Clerk Magistrate

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Free Vaccinations Available Throughout Berkshire County

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
10:30AM / Saturday, October 10, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Fall season is also the flu season, which means vaccine clinics are now available.

The Berkshire Vaccine Collaborative will provide public vaccination clinics in Berkshire communities this fall, including the influenza and COVID-19 vaccines. There are about 49 clinics.

The collaborative began during COVID-19 to help vaccinate people across Berkshire County. Berkshire Health Systems started the Get Vaccinated Berkshires website and still manages it. The group works with the Pittsfield Public Health Department, Community Health Programs, and the Southern Berkshire Public Health Collaborative.

"The majority of people will always get the flu [vaccine] because, as I said, if you've ever gotten the flu, you will always get a flu vaccine because it's so bad. And just so you know, the flu is already in Berkshire County. It's an early season this year," said Leslie Drager, who is the senior public health nurse at Berkshire Regional Planning Commission.

Drager said last year they issued 2,705 vaccines, with more than 1,100 of them being for COVID-19 and more than 1,500 being flu. In total, they were able to vaccinate 1,669 people in Central and North County, in addition to Pittsfield.

Drager also said she will be carrying three types of COVID vaccines this year, which is in high demand.

"We have a high demand of COVID vaccine, which is awesome," she said. "So we're doing a lot of COVID vaccines. Also, I provide Pfizer, and this year I have Moderna and the Novavax, which I think is real important to get out there because the Novavax, a lot of people want, people with long COVID. So I'm carrying all three vaccines this year, which I normally only carry the Pfizer."

Public health departments also can help people access other vaccines such as for measles or meningitis when they cannot get them through a pediatrician, she added.

Using the website, people are able to get vaccines even if they are homebound by filling out a form.

All public Berkshire Vaccine Collaborative clinics are free of charge, but registrants are asked to provide insurance information, when available, in order to defray costs. The clinics are open to anyone 6 months of age or older, the age group recommended to receive an annual flu vaccine and the latest COVID-19 vaccine.

"I always encourage everybody to wear a short sleeve shirt because it makes it a heck of a lot easier to get at," Drager said. "And children, we do carry the nasal flu, the live virus of nasal flu for kids that are afraid to get needles."

Registration is highly recommended for the clinics. Walk-ins may be accepted depending on the number of vaccine doses available at each clinic, with preference given to those who are registered.

"It's really important. I'm really encouraging vaccinations for the schools, because not only you know if the kids are vaccinated and the teachers are vaccinated, the schools won't have the flu go wild right through it," Drager said. "And of course, the best way to prevent infections: washing your hands. So don't touch your face, and wash your hands."

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