"This is a community place, and that’s why we bought it, because we believe in community and we believe in providing that," said new co-owner of The Barn Heather Thompson. "We’re really, really excited.”
In their joint statement, the current and former prosecutors, law enforcement, Department of Justice and judicial leaders corrected the factual inaccuracies in Barr’s remarks and cautioned against a return to past failed approaches.
Dobson has two greenhouses already up and is building a third. That way, he can continue to grow over the winter. But the bottom line is there won't be as much outdoor product as there would be in a normal growing season.
At Monday's selectboard meeting, member Kate Burke noted that the money cannot be spent yet because it was not budgeted for. The disposition of the funds will be discussed during budget deliberations this fall.
"It's exciting. It's interesting and we'll see where it goes, but I don't see any problems other than maybe traffic for awhile, but I don't really see any downside."
-- Lee Selectwoman Patricia Carlino
New zoning bylaws would prevent some cannabis retailers from opening merely by restricting the number of available locations. On the other hand, a policy from the selectboard placing a numerical limit would clearly prevent more retailers from opening.
If all goes according to plan, one of the the tenants will be Area 413 LLC, a newly formed company that aims to sell cannabis-related products in Paul Joffe's renovated church.
Nova Farms in Sheffield says it will use sustainable methods to minimize its carbon footprint and will also be home to livestock such as Scottish Highland cattle and an apple orchard.
Fulcrum has signed a purchase-and-sales agreement to buy 5.78 undeveloped acres from the Nolan family at 22 Van Deusenville Road to construct and operate a cannabis cultivation and manufacturing facility.
Theory Wellness, the first medical cannabis dispensary to launch in the Berkshires and one of the first recreational retailers to open in the state, has stepped forward to fund and operate a social equity program designed to support "economic empowerment" entrepreneurs in opening cannabis dispensaries.
Theory Wellness, which opened its doors in 2017 in Great Barrington as Berkshire County’s first medical pot dispensary and earlier this year began selling the recreational variety, is partnering with organic farmer Ted Dobson to open an outdoor grow facility at Dobson's Equinox Farm on Bow Wow Road.
Four years ago, 70 percent of South Berkshire 12th-graders reported having used marijuana at least once, and 41 percent reported use within the past month. In 2019, those numbers are 52 percent and 36 percent respectively.
"Ultimately, it costs so much money for people to start these businesses, that it's just another way for rich people to make more money. That's not a great thing for a town that touts itself as progressive."
-- Great Barrington Selectboard member Kate Burke
In the push for medical cannabis approval in 2012 in Massachusetts, and then to the passage of recreational in 2016, the ACLU, Drug Policy Alliance and others stressed the racial and class disparities of the war on drugs. It is a fair guess that many of the more than 60 percent of Berkshire County voters who checked “yes” on the 2016 ballot question did so at least in part to help right these wrongs.
The Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission explicitly has forbidden retail marijuana stores from describing what they sell. You can’t understand what’s in front of you if the laws make it play hide and seek.
Selectboard Chairman Steve Bannon said he could not support enforcement of the bylaw until there is an implementation and funding plan for the series of water stations that are planned to help consumers refill the reusable bottles.
Outside the front door, there were a few heaters and a line of customers that snaked around the edge of the parking lot all the way to Route 7, where a table by the Marketplace Cafe was set up offering free hot coffee to shivering patrons.
