North Adams Seeing Races for Mayor, City Council

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NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — It looks like the city may avoid a preliminary election, based on the number of candidates as of last week. 
 
There are two candidates certified for the November ballot: Jennifer Macksey is running for her third term in the corner office and Scott Berglund, a sales representative, is challenging her. Richard David Greene, who has taken out papers in the past for office, has not returned papers for mayor. 
 
Fourteen people have taken out papers for City Council, including seven incumbents. Of those, Peter Breen, Bryan Sapienza and Ashley Shade have had their signatures certified. Wayne Wilkinson and Deanna Morrow have not taken papers out. 
 
Newcomers  Aprilyn Carsno, Virginia Riehl, Joshua Vallieres, Thomas Wallace and Lillian Zavatsky have not returned papers. 
 
Carsno twice unsuccessfully ran for mayor against Macksey; Riehl has become involved in local housing efforts and was recently appointed to the Planning Board; Zavatsky is also a housing advocate and works at the Brien Center; and Vallieres was briefly city clerk and served on the School Committee. 
 
School Committee incumbents Emily Daunis and David Sookey are running for re-election; Richard Alcombright has not taken out papers. They are being challenged for one of the three seats by Eric Wilson, who ran unsuccessfully in 2023. Wilson has had his signatures certified.
 
Incumbents Gary F. Rivers and Tyler Gibeau have returned papers for the two seats on the McCann School Committee.
 
A preliminary election would be required if at least one of the positions had twice the number of candidates as seats plus one. Should Greene return papers for mayor, an election would be held to narrow the field to two. 
 
The last day to submit nomination papers is July 29; all papers must be certified by Aug. 12. Mayor, City Council and both school committee require 50 signatures of registered voters. Aug. 14 is the last day to withdraw or file objections. 
 

 


Tags: election 2025,   municipal election,   


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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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