North Berkshire Democrats Host Meet & Greet With State Candidates

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ADAMS, Mass. — Democrats running for state offices will be attending a meet and greet on Wednesday at 6 p.m. at the Bounti-Fare Restaurant.
 
Gubernatorial candidate Sonia Chang-Diaz will be present as will attorney general candidate Quentin Palfrey, secretary of the commonwealth candidate Tanisha Sullivan and state Senate candidates Huff Templeton and Paul Mark.
 
The North Adams Democratic City Committee is co-hosting the event with the Williamstown Democratic Town Committee. This is the second candidate forum the two committees have hosted. 
 
Attendees will have an opportunity to meet, mingle, listen to and ask questions of candidates.  
 
Chang-Diaz represents the 2nd Suffolk district in the state Senate. A former public school teacher, she was a leader in passing the education funding reform bill that saw $1.5 billion for public school districts and the criminal justice reform act. 
 
She will be facing Attorney General Maura Healey in the Democratic primary. 
 
Mark, currently state representative for the 2nd Berkshire District, and Templeton, of Williamstown, is a self-employed consultant involved in a number of civic boards and committees. 
 
They are vying to replace state Sen. Adam Hinds, who is running for lieutenant governor. 
 
Palfrey is acting general counsel for the U.S. Department of Commerce and was executive director of the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab North America at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He ran unsuccessfully on the Democratic ticket for lieutenant governor with Jay Gonzalez in 2018.
 
He will face off against former Boston City Councilor Andrea Campbell and labor attorney Shannon Liss-Riordan in the pimary.
 
Sullivan is president of the Boston NAACP and associate general counsel for Sanofi Genzyme, and was previoulsy chief equity officer for the Boston Pubic Schools. 
 
She will be taking on incumbent William Galvin, who's been secretary of the commonwealth since 1995.
 
The state primary is Tuesday, Sept. 6, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Last day to register to vote is Aug. 17. The winners of the primary will go on to face the Republican or enrolled candidates in the general election on Nov. 8. 
 
Democratic voters from all Northern Berkshire municipalities are encouraged to attend. Complementary light refreshments will once again be offered and beer and wine will be available. 
 
No registration is necessary. However, if you would like to register and learn more about the candidates, visit the North Adams Democratic City Committee's Facebook Page at facebook.com/NADemocrats.
 
The North Adams Democratic City Committee is a political organization affiliated with the Massachusetts State Democratic Party.
 
 

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North Adams Police Charge 7 After Drug Investigation

Staff Reports

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Police charged seven people after executing simultaneous search warrants on Eagle Street and Arnold Place.

On Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026, members of the North Adams Police Department Detective Unit and Berkshire Law Enforcement Task Force executed search warrants at 212 Eagle Street Apartment 3 and 59 Arnold Place.

According to police, the search warrants were the result of a month-long investigation into a group of people from Springfield utilizing both residences as part of their heroin and cocaine distribution operation.

Police reported that during the search warrant execution at 212 Eagle Street Apartment 3, Giovanni Ramirez was taken into custody. Joanne Bentley and Chad Luczynski were also located in the apartment and will be charged as part of this investigation.

During the search warrant execution at 59 Arnold Place, Sandra Bunt, Raven Vanderburg, Jaiden Langford-Andrews and Angel Ortiz were all taken into custody.

Bunt's bail was revoked on a separate open case, and she is held without bail. Vanderburg is being held without bail for a probation violation on a separate case.

Langford-Andrews, Ortiz and Ramirez were all held without bail pending dangerousness hearings scheduled for later this week and early next week.

As a result of the investigation, the following evidence was seized:

  • Approximately 110 grams of cocaine
  • Approximately 2,323 bags of heroin (46 grams)
  • Approximately $6,817 U.S. Currency
  • Multiple functioning digital scales with residue

The following people were arrested and charged with the following:

Jaiden Langford-Andrews of Springfield:

  • Arrest Warrant
  • Trafficking Heroin 36-100 grams
  • Possessing with Intent to Distribute Cocaine
  • Conspiracy

Angel Ortiz, of Springfield:

  • Trafficking Heroin 36-100 grams
  • Possessing with Intent to Distribute Cocaine
  • Conspiracy
  • Giovanni Ramirez, of Springfield, Massachusetts:
  • Trafficking Cocaine 36-100 grams
  • Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin
  • Conspiracy

Sandra Bunt, of North Adams:

  • Trafficking Heroin 36-100 grams
  • Possessing with Intent to Distribute Cocaine
  • Conspiracy

Raven Vanderburg, of North Adams:

  • Trafficking Heroin 36-100 grams
  • Possessing with Intent to Distribute Cocaine
  • Conspiracy

The following people were charged but not taken into custody:

Joanne Bentley of North Adams:

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