Hinsdale Select Board Member James Sullivan Dies of COVID-19

HINSDALE, Mass. — The community is mourning the loss of Select Board member James Sullivan, who died Dec. 31 from complications from COVID-19.

Town Administrator Bob Graves said he was a '"dedicated member of our community who attended everything and got involved in the town."

Sullivan served his town in many capacities, including as a Planning Board member since 2016, town moderator from 2017 through 2020, a representative to the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission's Transportation Advisory Committee since 2019, and on the Select Board since 2021.

In addition, he served on search committees on an ad hoc basis and was the owner and operator of Sullivan Sanitation Services. He was also a musician.

Sullivan leaves his wife, Kristine, and their three adult children. An online fundraiser has been started to help his family and has so far raised almost $3,000 of its $10,000 goal.

Graves enjoyed the work they did together through the Select Board and praised his contributions to the panel.

'"When [Sullivan] got involved as a Select Board member, I was really enjoying getting to know him a little bit better, and he was very helpful, very insightful," he added. '"But also somebody who went out of his way to do what he could to assist whenever there was something happening."

The town administrator shared a recent story that highlighted Sullivan's dedication to public service.

Before Christmas, the town had Highway Department shortages and Sullivan was out on his street helping to locate a water leak, which was found and remedied.

Truck Crashes Into Pittsfield's Samel's Deli

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
10:55AM / Wednesday, April 30, 2025

Elm Street will be partially closed as cleanup continues. 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Wednesday morning was busy for Pittsfield first responders, as a pickup truck crashed into Samel's Deli & Catering and a fire broke out on First Street.

Around 9:45 a.m., the police reported that the street in front of Samel's Deli & Catering would be closed or down to one lane as a result of a two-car collision that sent the truck careening into the deli.

The department posted two photos on Facebook, one depicting the silver truck with New York license plates crashed through the glass of the front entrance and another of a white Honda CR-V with significant damage to the front end.

"A vehicle was coming out of one of the alleyways here and struck this truck, which continued into the building," Police Officer Craig Jones explained when iBerkshires arrived on the scene.

Jones reported that there was one injury but whether it was someone in the vehicles or in the deli. A crossing signal near Samel's front entrance was also taken out by the truck.

Around this time, crews worked to clear debris in front of the restaurant as the truck was towed away. That section of the road reopened around 11 a.m.

The police, firefighters and an ambulance responded to the accident and police intend to release a statement on the incident.

Around 6:15 a.m., the Fire Department reported that it had responded to a possible structure fire at 233-235 First St. Windows on all three floors of the multi-family building are now broken or boarded up and the cause is under investigation by the Fire Investigation Unit and investigators from the State Fire Marshal's Office.