Companion Corner: Kash at No Paws Left Behind (Update)

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
03:07PM / Wednesday, February 04, 2026Print Story | Email Story

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — It's hard to believe, but playful pup Kash is still looking for his family.

iBerkshire's Companion Corner is a weekly series spotlighting an animal in our local shelters that is ready to find a home.

Kash is a nearly 2-year-old Labrador mix who has been at No Paws Left Behind since last spring. We first highlighted him in August and he is still at the shelter.

Executive Director Noelle Howland said Kash is a people-dog with a lot of energy.

"He loves people. Sometimes when he meets people at first, he'll bark and jump in the air, he gets very excited. But since the size, that can be a little intimidating at first, but he does great with people, and he's overall a very social, playful dog," she said. "He can just get a little crazy, a little quick. So that's his biggest quirk with his size."

Kash occasionally gets the "zoomies" and would love a home with an area to run around as fast as he can in.

"I would definitely say he should be in a fenced-in yard ... [and] if you're active, too, if you walk a lot," Howland said. "I think he would benefit from a fenced-in yard just because he gets crazy zoomies and he just wants to keep running."

Kash was brought to No Paws Left Behind after his former family had to move. He lived with a smaller animal once before but Howland said it would be better if he went to a home without cats and with older children, since sometimes Kash forgets his size.

"He could possibly go home with other dogs. I would say a female. I would say no cats. He did live with a small animal before, but since he's been here, his prey drive is little ... he gets a little amped over seeing birds and things running past him," she said. "So safety, I would say, no small animals. And then kids, I would say definitely teenagers and up just because of his size."

Kash is neutered and healthy, but he has a sensitive stomach when it comes chicken in his food.

You can request to visit Kash at No Paws Left Behind; read more about him on the shelter's website.

Tags: animal shelter, companion corner, dogs,

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NAHA Board Accepts Director's Resignation, Unlocks Tenants Association Office

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
03:33PM / Friday, October 16, 2026

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The North Adams Housing Authority Board of Commissioners officially accepted the resignation of Executive Director Jennifer Hohn and restored access to the Tenants Association office.

The board held a special meeting Thursday to vote to accept Hohn's resignation and determined that there are currently no plans to replace her.

"We didn't make any final determinations in terms of the executive session so we will schedule another meeting at another time," Chairwoman Leigh Uqdah said after returning from more than an hour session. "Day-to-day operations will continue to be managed as normal by staff."

Per their bylaws, board member Marie Harpin will continue to handle finances, and Uqdah will manage contracts.

Hohn stepped down on Oct. 8 after 24 years leading the agency. Her resignation followed rising tension between her and the NAHA Tenants Association, culminating in the scheduling of a formal grievance hearing between both parties.

The boiling point was the locking of the association's office this summer. Tenants alleged the lockout was retaliation for posting a video on social media depicting improperly functioning door alarms. Hohn claimed the office was locked for tenant safety and to stop the spread of misinformation.

Tenants Association President Corey Fortin asked if Hohn's security access had been removed. Uqdah confirmed her credentials were revoked the day she resigned, meaning she can no longer monitor security cameras remotely.

Jennifer Barbeau, a former city councilor who was liaison to the Housing Authority, asked when the board met to discuss Hohn's severance package. Uqdah stated that Hohn did not have one.

The board also accepted the resignation of Commissioner Richard Lavigne, though they will vote officially on the matter at their next meeting.

The open portion of the meeting was brief, with nearly an hour and a half spent in executive session. Before entering executive session, the board opened the floor to tenants.

"The tenants requested an opportunity to talk to the board," said Uqdah. "It has been quite a while, but we have decided to honor that."

Fortin, who posted the original video to social media, was the first to speak. He was clear in his request: unlock the office door.

"Let's cut straight to the chase tonight. The former resigned Director Jennifer Hohn ordered the office locked," he alleged. "She is gone. The lockout is a direct violation, and the board has a duty to end that tonight."

He cited federal and state laws that mandate the tenants association be provided with office space, including computer and network access.

"We are here with a direct administrative demand. We demand that the board vote tonight to unlock the doors," he said. "Do not let a resigned director's illegal action remain the board's ongoing liability. Open our door tonight, and let us get back to work."

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