Alfred Nobel (1833-1896), the inventor of dynamite, was a chemist, engineer, businessman and, most memorably, philanthropist; he was also a scholar, fluent in Russian, French, English and German. Above all, he loved poetry.
I know that many feel sympathy for Mr. Magadini. So do I, but he is homeless by choice; he has a trust fund to pay his expenses and he owns a vacant house in Great Barrington.
On the evening of July 6, Magadini, who was known to walk the streets pushing a cart containing his belongings, was reportedly struck by a minivan on South Main Street (Route 7) in the area of Ward's Nursery.
According to the selectmen, the committee's charge will be to "oversee several town-sponsored events and programs honoring Du Bois," including: the Du Bois Day Celebration; the annual Du Bois Festival (from Martin Luther King Day through Feb. 23); banner installations; collaboration with UMass Amherst and local educational institutions and arts, historical and community organizations; and more.
At 33, Kate Feuer Burke represents a much-desired but disappearing demographic in town: a young professional with children who brings new vision and energy to the board.
The six candidates for Great Barrington Selectboard range from two men and one woman who have been on the scene for a long time to younger office seekers looking for generational change on the board.
The battle royale involved the planning and select boards. For weeks, the two panels had been at odds over which should be the special-permit-granting authority in regards to the marijuana production and sales facilities, and whether most, if not all, of the facilities should require a special permit.
Although the pivotal role of a Congregational minister in Massachusetts’s civic life has been greatly diminished, a minister like Pastor Van can still play a consequential role in a community. And for thirty years, Pastor Van was seemingly determined to do so.
The cascading effects of homelessness continue to trip Magadini up. In January he applied for a post office box using the address “334 Main Street, Gazebo,” and was refused for lack of “proper physical address” along with lack of “proper identification.”
The Open Town Meeting does not exist for the Town government, but rather for the governed, the people, the citizens, the registered voters of the their town, to act on all matters and subjects presented, to approve, to reject, or to amend in accord with established rules of parliamentary procedure, so that the will of the people present and voting may be accomplished.
Magadini, 69, has adopted a homeless condition of living. He was convicted on September 29 for seven violations over the previous year in Great Barrington that occurred during the cold months, and for which he received a 30-day jail sentence that was set to begin on January 5.
When asked what he would do tonight, when temperatures are expected to dip into the negative and school opening tomorrow has been delayed because of dangerously cold temperatures, Magadini said, “I’m going to endeavor to not trespass, and avoid going where I’m not welcome.”
The whole community was responsible to feed the hungry, house the homeless, pay damages on behalf of the law-breaker, and answer for the behavior of the sinner.
"He slept there at night, scared people, forced his way onto third floor, which is locked, waited for someone to open it, and walked in behind him."
-- Alan Kalish, manager of apartment building at 4 Castle St. in Great Barrington
