Clarksburg Planners Continue Cannabis Dispensary Hearing

CLARKSBURG, Mass. — The Planning Board has approved continued a hearing on a special permit submitted by New England Regional Dispensaries (NERD) to operate a cannabis dispensary on Cross Road. 

The board granted the special permit did not have a quorum at its meeting on Wednesday because one member was absent and another abstained.

The board will meet Wednesday, Dec. 14, at noon at the Community Center.

However, Chad Cellana, the founder of NERD, said if all goes well, he expects to be ready for operation in March. 

"We've already signed the local host community agreement and have been provisionally licensed with the state, pending the special permit and a commission inspection," he said. 

Board Chair Karin Robert said she was concerned about potential parking issues. Robert also asked if NERD got permission to operate on Sunday, which Cellana said was something he would consider and look into in the future.

"The [police] chief addressed [parking concerns] in his letter, saying if traffic becomes an issue, we can make it a right turn only out of that driveway or put up some mirrors and or get a detail," he said. 

Cellana said the state Department of Environmental Protection and the Conservation Commission have already approved site plans for an accompanying cultivation facility. He explained, however, it is unlikely that part of the operation will be ready for next year. 

"So once the funding shows up, we can get that rolling. It's a 2024 project at this point," Cellana said. 

The greenhouse would be on property owned by John Cellana, Chad's business partner and uncle, and board member Erin Scott, who recused herself from the vote to approve the permit. Scott's father, Clebe Scott, is the chair of the Conservation Commission. 

In other business, the board approved a land subdivision submitted by BEK Associates on behalf of Mary and Gus Giron. The board had planned to review the town's subdivision bylaws but waited as board member Ron Boucher could not attend the meeting. 

Update on Dec. 8: the board apparently could not approve the permit on Wednesday and has scheduled another meeting. 

North Adams Unveils Hometown Heroes Banners

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
04:30PM / Friday, May 22, 2026

Carol Ethier-Kipp holds up the first aid kit her father used as an Army medic in World War II. See more photos here. 

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The City of North Adams honored its own on Friday afternoon, unveiling 50 downtown street banners representing local veterans who served — and continue to serve — the community and the country.

 

More than 300 residents packed the front lawn of City Hall as the community took a moment to reflect on its "Hometown Heroes" during the morning unveiling ceremony.

 

"In a city like North Adams, service is personal. The men and women we honor today are not strangers to us. They are our neighbors, our classmates, our parents, our grandparents," Mayor Jennifer Macksey told the crowd. "... These banners are far more than names and pictures hanging along our streets. They are visible reminders of the values that define North Adams: courage, sacrifice, humility, duty, resilience, and the love of country. They remind every person who passes by that this community remembers our veterans."

 

The banner program launched exactly a year ago. Veterans Services Agent Kurtis Durocher opened applications in October and spent the next six months working with families to bring the project to Main Street and over the Hadley Overpass. 

 

"We gather to recognize the brave men and women from our community who have served or who are currently serving in the United States armed forces," Durocher said. "These banners are more than images. They bear a tribute to service, sacrifice, courage, and pride, and they remind us that the freedoms we enjoy every day have been protected by our neighbors, family members, friends, and Hometown Heroes."

 

Each banner features a portrait of a veteran alongside their military branch and dates of service.

 

Durocher noted that the program was something residents clearly wanted, pointing to how fast applications flooded his desk. He praised the volunteers who stepped up to get the banners made and displayed — including city firefighters and Mitchell Meranti of Wire & Alarm Department, who were installing them as late as Thursday night.