image description — Ecu-Health Care's Melissa Montoya, left, Karen Baumbach and Jessica Horn pose with the Health Connector's Executive Director Audrey Morse Gasteier, third from let, on the Grand Staircase at the State House.

North Adams Navigators Honored for Enrolling Residents In Affordable Health Plans

03:27PM / Wednesday, January 22, 2025Print Story | Email Story

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Health Connector joined lawmakers at the State House to recognize representatives from community Navigator organizations, including Ecu-Health Care of North Adams, for their work to enroll residents into affordable Health Connector plans in advance of the upcoming deadline for Open Enrollment, which is Jan. 23.

Free, local help is available in-person and in multiple languages for residents applying for a plan with Ecu-Health Care, which serves Northern Berkshire, and other Navigator organizations across the commonwealth.

"Massachusetts requires everyone to have health insurance, so if you don’t have coverage, now is the time to enroll," said Audrey Morse Gasteier, the executive director of the Massachusetts Health Connector. "The Health Connector provides help paying for coverage for many people, which means residents can get a plan that gives them access to the care and services they need. We are here to help enroll anyone without health insurance so they can kick off the new year with the peace of mind that comes with affordable, high-quality health coverage."

Most people who apply for coverage through the Health Connector qualify for ConnectorCare, which makes coverage more affordable through lower premiums and co-pays, and the elimination of deductibles.

ConnectorCare plans are only available through the Health Connector and provide no-cost prescriptions for chronic diseases like diabetes and hypertension. A two-year pilot program started in 2024 expands the income eligibility to the program, with income limits for 2025 plans at $75,300 for an individual and $156,000 for a family of four.

People can apply for ConnectorCare or other Health Connector coverage at MAhealthconnector.org, which also includes information on community Navigator locations. Ecu-Health Care is located on the North Adams Regional Hospital campus and can be reached at 413-663-8711.

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North Adams Airport Commissioners Discuss Next Steps for Restaurant

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
08:05AM / Thursday, February 19, 2026

The vacant restaurant space in the administration building has been waiting for an occupant for six years.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — With the donation of kitchen equipment for the proposed airport restaurant, the Airport Commission met Tuesday to discuss how to manage the incoming equipment and how to best advertise the space.

"I like putting the equipment in there but letting whoever is going to go in there figure out where they are going to put it," Chairman James Haskins said during the commission meeting. "Because it does cost a lot of money to do that."

The commission has envisioned a restaurant in the renovated administrative building for years; however, with multiple Requests for Proposals (RFPs) going unanswered, the space has remained a shell. It was previously believed that the primary obstacle was the lack of kitchen equipment.

Earlier this year, Williams College offered to donate used kitchen equipment that is no longer needed because of an upcoming renovation. That equipment is scheduled for delivery in May.

Haskins asked whether the city should pursue a new RFP within the next few months or begin building out the kitchen before advertising the space. He suggested that while installing the equipment could make the space more attractive, it might also dissuade potential restaurateurs who have a different vision for the layout.

"We have pretty much a full kitchen," he said. "But I just don't know where any of it goes. Where does the grill go? Where does the fryolator go?"

There were also concerns that installing the equipment prematurely could impact the property's insurance and increase liability.

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