Letter: Logging Unnecessary in North Adams

To the Editor:

I can't imagine why anyone would agree to log the Bellows Pipe Trailhead at Mount Greylock State Reservation. But alas, Massachusetts Audubon and others have convinced the powers that be in North Adams that this is a good idea. And maybe even a necessity to protect the water supply. This is completely unnecessary, and in my mind pretty destructive of the environment. Plus who is paying for it? Looks like some of it may be a bunch of public money for Mass Audubon and New England Forestry Foundation for their staff to get paid to do this. (Glad I don't donate to either of them.)

We had a situation in Wendell where I live. The state was planning a big logging job in Wendell State Forest. When we caught wind of it, we did everything we could think of to stop it. We had standouts on Route 2 in Erving. We had a petition signed by over a thousand people that we brought to the Governor's Office in Boston. We filed a lawsuit in court.

And while all else was failing, we protested at the site, some people even standing in front of logging trucks, getting arrested, going to jail and going to court on trespass charges.

Gloria Kegeles
Wendell, Mass.

Vermont National Guard Members Depart From North Adams

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
04:20PM / Friday, June 05, 2026

About 50 people waved flags to the see the Guardsmen off on their bus. The members were staying in North Adams because of a lack of hotel rooms in Bennington, Vt.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Residents came together Friday to see some Vermont National Guard members off.

 

The American Legion Riders organized a send off for a group of 75 or so Guard members who were staying at Hotel Downstreet.

 

"We are going to escort them to the Bennington Armory," Riders President Mike Lewis said. "They are going to gear up there, and then I am not sure where they are going. I don’t even know if they are all going to the same place."

 

Fifty or so people met in the Hotel Downstreet parking lot to show their appreciation. They waved flags and held signs. A bagpiper was also present.

 

The Riders contacted the Fire Department who helped organize the send off. North Adams Police cruisers and Northern Berkshire EMS were also on site to help see the bus off.

 

Lewis said there was not enough rooms in Bennington for the National Guard members. He added because of the trend to use vacant hotel rooms as low-income housing, the group had to look toward North Adams.

 

It's not clear where these Guard were off to, but about 500 members of 3-172 Infantry Battalion were expected to go to the Middle East with U.S. Central Command. According to Vermont Digger, this deployment was scheduled prior to the strikes on Iran.