Adams Police Chief Placed on Leave

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K. Scott Kelley
ADAMS, Mass. — The Board of Selectmen voted on Monday to put the police chief on a paid leave of absence.
 
The vote to put K. Scott Kelley on leave was taken at an executive session on Monday afternoon to discuss personal matters of or complaints or charges against an individual in employ of the town and to discuss discipline or dismissal. 
 
This story was first reported by WNYT.com on Monday night. 
 
The board also voted to appoint Sgt. Donna Malloy as acting police chief until further notice, according to board Chair John Duval. 
 
The notice on the town website for the executive session states the "the board will only return to open session to adjourn."
 
Duval, in an email, wrote "the town does not comment on personnel matters" and provided no context for placing Kelley on leave or confirm if there is an investigation in process. 
 
Kelley stepped into chief's post in January 2021, following the retirement of Chief Richard Tarsa, a 36-year member of the Adams force.
 
He came from South Carolina, and has nearly 30 years of experience in law enforcement, including roles ranging from school resource officer to the special weapons and tactics team in Anderson, S.C., and worked in policing at two higher education institutions.
 
Kelley was proffered a second three-year contract in January 2024; this ends on Dec. 31 next year. 

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America's Best Restaurants Visits Adams, Dalton Eateries

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

M&J's Taste of Home's choices for the Roadshow crew to try. 
ADAMS, Mass. — America's Best Restaurants had breakfast in Adams and lunch in Dalton on Tuesday. 
 
The national media and marketing company spotlights independent eateries around the country and was back in the Berkshires to try two more local favorites: M&J's Taste of Home Diner and the Shire Tavern. 
 
M&J's owners Mark and Jeanne Lapier reopened the classic Park Street dining car almost two years ago and said they couldn't have done it without their customers.
 
"I say all the time, we can have the best food, but without customers, it's not going to get us anywhere. So, obviously there's a bunch of different components that make us successful, but customers are a huge part of that. So it's just, I don't know, it's very humbling," Mark Lapier said.
 
The Lapiers turned to America's Best, which features restaurants on its YouTube channel, to boost their promotion. The video crew's been in the Berkshires before, highlighting other restaurants
 
"They reached out to us in like September, we had actually, ironically enough, two separate customers nominate us," Mark Lapier said. "So they reached out and kind of told us what the program was about. And so we decided to start working with them, and this is a portion of what they offer with their promotions."
 
The diner asked customers on Facebook what should be cooked up for the day and got lots of suggestions — from lobster rolls to peanut butter cookies. 
 
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