Letter: Support Lynette Bond for the Future of North Adams

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To the Editor:

I moved to North Adams in 2014. I fell in love with its community spirit, its welcoming attitude, and its impressive collection of cultural venues, from Mass MoCA to small local music shows. I have stayed for those reasons and many more — I owe a lot to North Adams and the Berkshires. I have a beautiful community of friends and colleagues here. My daughter, born in May, will get to grow up surrounded by and supported by that beautiful community. She'll go to North Adams schools, run around with her friends at North Adams summer camps, learn about art and science and history at North Adams and Berkshire cultural outposts.

In 2014, the city looked a little different — Colegrove's renovation was underway, the downtown was a little quieter. As a professional adult in my late 20s, I got to enjoy the opening of Bright Ideas, the Mohawk bar renovation, eating at new restaurants like Grazie and A-OK. In my early 30s, I had the opportunity to watch projects like Greylock Works and the UNO Center and the skate park develop, then fill with people excited to have new things to do and new community spaces to enjoy. What an exciting time for our community, no matter who we are or where we come from!


All this to say: I moved here knowing that North Adams was already a wonderful place — and that it had incredible potential, room to grow, and an awesome community ready to facilitate that growth. I didn't move here because it was an awesome place once, before I was born. The world is very different than it was back then — for better and for worse.

That's why I'm supporting Lynette Bond for mayor. North Adams deserves leadership that keeps looking forward. We need leaders dedicated to finding solutions, investments, and innovations that will endure for the decades ahead. I think Lynette embodies that spirit, and she has the experience with grants and city planning that will keep us moving ahead, ready to face the challenges and opportunities today, next year, and for years to come.
 

Francesca Olsen
North Adams, Mass. 

 

 


Tags: city election,   election 2021,   letters to the editor,   


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North Adams Man Arrested Following String of Vehicle Break-ins

Staff Reports

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — A local man, Brian Dillard Sr., was arrested on Sept. 20 following a string of vehicle break-ins throughout the city.

According to a report published by the North Adams Police Department, officers have investigated numerous motor vehicle break-ins across the city over the past two weeks. During the course of the investigation, Dillard was identified as a suspect.

On Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, Dillard was charged with two counts of Breaking and Entering into a Motor Vehicle in the Nighttime with Intent to Commit a Felony, and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

On Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026, police received reports regarding additional overnight motor vehicle break-ins, as well as a garage break-in where items were stolen.

Later that day, officers and a member of the Detective Unit went to 212 Eagle Street to locate Dillard.

Police reported that after they knocked on the door, Dillard opened a curtain, looked at officers, and ran back into the apartment. Officers forced entry after no one answered further knocks.

According to police, Dillard was found on the living room couch smoking heroin. He was taken into custody without further incident on his outstanding arrest warrant.

On Monday, Sept. 21, 2026, Dillard was arraigned in Northern Berkshire District Court on eight counts of breaking and entering into a motor vehicle in the nighttime with intent to commit a felony, and one count of breaking and entering a building in the nighttime with intent to commit a felony. He was held on $5,000 cash bail.

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