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When asked how he will balance running the business in Adams and running for U.S. Senate, Kerry Raheb said the store is his primary focus.

Vt. Senate Candidate Says He's All in For Adams Pot Dispensary

By Brian RhodesiBerkshires Staff
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ADAM, Mass. — Only 15 residents attended Tuesday's community outreach meeting for a proposed dispensary on Columbia Street. 

 

Kerry Raheb, the owner of Indica LLC and a former investment banker, presented for the Board of Selectmen in December, when he highlighted his plans to support local artists and donate to various town institutions. The location of the proposed dispensary will be at the former site of Woodstock South at 127 Columbia St.

 

Several residents asked Raheb about his candidacy for the U.S. Senate in Vermont and his background as a stockbroker. Raheb is running as an independent in Vermont, hoping to take the seat of the retiring Patrick Leahy, who announced last year that he would not be seeking re-election. 

 

Since beginning his Senate campaign, Raheb has retweeted commenters critical of pandemic precautions, including a tweet in which he claimed the vaccine is spreading the virus. 

 

Raheb said his venture in Adams is entirely separate and unrelated to his campaign in Vermont. He disputed what he argued were false claims from multiple publications about himself, his previous dealings (including numerous complaints and judgements) and his Senate campaign. 

 

"I wouldn't be opening up a marijuana business and also running for U.S. Senate in the state of Vermont if I had anything to hide," he said. "I have nothing to hide; everything that they put is false about me."

 

When asked how he will balance running the business in Adams and running for office, Raheb said the store is his primary focus. He said he does not see himself having any problems getting distracted by doing both things at once. 

 

"As far as running for Senate, the store is my business; you're tying two things in. My focus is the store. My future is the store," he said. "I'm already registered in the state of Maine. I'm going to have three stores in Maine, three in Massachusetts, and I'm going to do another three in Vermont. So this is my business. The Senate just happened. I moved to Vermont and [Patrick] Leahy retired. So I put my name and my hat in the ring, and I plan on winning." 

 

Selectmen Christine Hoyt and Howard Rosenberg were in attendance for the meeting. Hoyt said the questions from residents about Raheb's Senate campaign and background are understandable. 

 

"We're a small community, and we tend to know our neighbors; we tend to know our business owners," she said. "We just like to know who we're dealing business with. And I think that's where a lot of the questions are coming from this evening, is just trying to get to know you." 

 

Residents also questioned Raheb about his lack of experience running a business in the cannabis industry. Raheb said he knows the business well and pointed to his background in finance as a reason he will be able to succeed. 

 

"I know every bit of the product. All the product is from the state of Massachusetts, it's all regulated," he said. "All the product comes in from the state, it's all put into my inventory from the state. Literally, it's like selling socks and pens and pencils. It doesn't matter what the product is." 

 

When asked why he chose Adams to open his business in, Raheb said he felt a strong connection to Adams and the community. He also highlighted its proximity to his residence in Vermont (reportedly in Shelburne, more than three hours away) and cultural similarities between the two areas. 

 

"In the two meetings I've had, I felt embraced, I felt welcome and I really, truly, honestly feel blessed to be here," he said. "So I love this town. I mean, I've been to some others and you know, it just wasn't the same feeling." 

 

Community Development Director Eammon Coughlin told residents in attendance that there are still several steps before Indica LLC has official permit approval to run in Adams. Additionally, Raheb will have to obtain a license from the state Cannabis Control Commission. 

 

"The next step is formal permitting," he said. "So site plan approval through the Planning Board, special permits through the Planning Board, and as well as the host community agreement that needs to be signed by the select board. So those three things would form the basis for permitting the business through the town."


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Hoosac Valley High School is Moving and Shaking

There have been some major shifts within the Hoosac Valley Regional School District recently, all of which have focused on enhancing the student experience to make it a place where ALL students can find their path.
 
In 2023, Hoosac Valley High School was designated an Innovation Pathway School by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and has since restructured the Program of Studies, utilized creative scheduling, and expanded internship opportunities. Part of this transformation includes participating in a "Portrait of a Graduate" cohort alongside four other Berkshire County schools to determine a collective vision for student success, in partnership with the BARR Foundation.
 
The Innovation Pathways at HVHS are designed to give students coursework and experience in a specific high-demand industry, such as technology, engineering, healthcare, or life sciences. Currently, Biomedical Science & Healthcare and Environmental Studies have received official state IP designation. In addition to the IP designated pathways, HVHS offers programs in Engineering & Technology, Business & Entrepreneurship, Arts & Entertainment, Education, and Sports Medicine. The result is that students have an opportunity for a transformative experience – enabling them to build essential skills, gain awareness of future career opportunities, and make informed choices about post-secondary education in promising fields.
 
Principal Colleen Byrd notes, "What makes our program special is that entry into the Pathway of your choice allows a student to access Advanced Placement and dual enrollment college courses, as well as internships in the community to set them up for success after high school."
 
The Portrait of a Graduate initiative consists of a team of Hoosac educators and students who exemplify the essential skills, practices, and beliefs that define learning experiences across the district. They work to outline the competencies, values, skills, and knowledge that define our vision for student success – keeping in mind that not every student's pathway will look the same. The District's goal is to ensure that all students graduate as responsible people, prepared individuals, lifelong learners, global citizens, critical thinkers, and thoughtful communicators.
 
Another recent change district-wide in grades K-12 is the "Crew" culture. Teachers and students now have time each day to create positive connections and build authentic relationships with one another. Through Responsive Classroom at the elementary school and Crew at the middle and high schools, students and staff gather for 30 minutes each day to engage in meaningful experiences rooted in mutual and shared interests. 
The Crew block is a prioritized structure that allows staff to support all students socially, emotionally, and academically – anchoring them and promoting the Portrait of a Graduate competencies. Crew takes many forms at the high school, such as gardening, bird watching, yoga, and sports talk with visits to college games.
 
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