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.

Clarksburg Students Write in Support of Rural School Aid

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
07:25AM / Sunday, March 15, 2026

Mason Langenback calculated that Clarksburg would get almost $1 million if the $60 million was allocated equally.

CLARKSBURG, Mass. — Eighth-graders at Clarksburg School took a lesson in civic advocacy this week, researching school funding and writing letters to Beacon Hill that call for fully funding rural school aid. 

 

The students focused on the hardships for small rural schools and their importance to the community — that they struggle with limited funding and teacher shortages, but offer safe and supportive spaces for learning and are a hub for community connections.

 

"They all address the main issue, the funding for rural schools, and how there's a gap, and there's the $4 million gap this year, and then it's about the $40 million next year, and that rural schools need that equitable funding," said social studies teacher Mark Karhan.

 

A rural schools report in 2022 found smaller school districts cost from nearly 17 percent to 23 percent more to operate, and recommended "at least" $60 million be appropriated annually for rural school aid. 

 

Gov. Maura Healey has filed for more Chapter 70 school aid, but that often is little help to small rural schools with declining or static enrollment. For fiscal 2027, she's budgeted $20 million for rural schools, up from around $13 million this year but still far below the hoped for $60 million. 

 

Karhan said the class was broken into four groups and the students were provided a submission letter from Rural Schools Advocacy. The students used the first paragraph, which laid out the funding facts, and then did research and wrote their own letters. 

 

They will submit those with a school picture to the governor.