The National Weather Service reported that debris was carried more than 45 miles to the northeast in Belchertown, where a fairgrounds racing ticket was found along with white corrugated plastic roofing material.
Tag: Great Barrington Fairgrounds
Horse racing should not return to Great Barrington
In a letter to the editor, Wendy Hollis writes, “Issues of concern include traffic increases and environmental concerns as well as animal welfare neglect and abuse.”
Alan Chartock: I Publius
You can hardly find a parking space now. More pot dispensaries will make an already bad problem even worse.
Supporters for home rule on Great Barrington horse racing take their fight to Boston
Rep. William “Smitty” Pignatelli, D-Lenox, said he is “personally very optimistic” about the chances of the petition passing in one form or another.
Hearing on Great Barrington home-rule petition on horseracing set for Jan. 27 in Boston
It is not clear precisely when the home-rule petition hearing will begin. There are 10 hearings starting at 1 p.m. and the Great Barrington hearing is seventh on the list for that afternoon.
Leigh Davis appointed to represent town at horseracing hearing in Boston
At a special town meeting Dec. 11 almost 300 residents overwhelmingly passed a warrant item on a home-rule petition.
GB, South County Year in Review: Of mergers, bridges, cannabis and ‘blood money’
In the spirit of reflection and self-examination, herein lies The Edge’s second annual Great Barrington year in review. It includes some select stories from other South County towns as well, along with embedded links to Edge stories for more information.
Praise for Rep. ‘Smitty’ Pignatelli’s response to Great Barrington vote on horse racing
I want to recognize Smitty for his exemplary response to the concerns of the voters in Great Barrington.
Home rule petition on horse racing officially filed as legislation in Boston
“I do not not anticipate any issues whatsoever to get the home-rule bill through. We’re a home-rule state. Whatever the town wants, I am for.” -Rep. William “Smitty Pignatelli, D-Lenox
Barrington residents overwhelmingly approve home-rule petition on horse racing
“Whatever revenues come from it … will be blood money. It’s disrespectful to our town and it has to be stopped.”
— Matt Rubiner
Don’t allow horse racing to return to Fairgrounds
Please help oppose horse racing returning to Great Barrington, Massachusetts. There is going to be a town meeting held on Wednesday, December 11 on this issue.
Economic development through horse racing is imaginary
Presently, the real revenues from commercial horse racing would be from off-track-betting run out of a simulcast location across the State.
VIEWPOINT: Citizens should decide whether horse racing returns to Great Barrington
Do Great Barrington residents want an old expired and abandoned license granted by a state agency 20 years ago to dictate whether commercial horse racing comes to their town?
NEWS ANALYSIS: Internal policies debate exposes rift on Great Barrington Selectboard
Leigh Davis openly questioned why her fellow board members wanted to revise certain policies and whether they were a response to actions she has taken since her election to the board in May.
Town Hall Briefs: Ailing bridges, traffic nightmares and other tales of woe
Whether one lane of the Brown Bridge is closed during construction or whether it is shut down altogether, the construction will be a major disruption to traffic, especially considering the fact that the town-owned Division Street bridge was closed by the state in the second week of September.
Activists file home-rule petition on horse racing, as questions are raised about selectboard policy changes
But there is a workaround for local control. The project would require as many as three special permits from the town.
Horse racing should not be allowed to return to Great Barrington
The main reason I would hate to see horse racing come back is the lousy way the industry generally treats its horses.
Alan Chartock: I Publius
Now we have a better understanding about what racing does to horses. It’s a bad idea.
Horse racing would undermine Great Barrington’s character
This is a great place and horse racing and simulcasting/OTB would seriously detract from what GB and Southern Berkshire County represent.
Horse racing is cruel to animals
In her letter Marnie Meyers writes: “A return of horseracing to Great Barrington would bring gambling elements, snarled traffic, environmental damage, and the cruel use of horses back to that wonderful town.”
Horse racing raises ethical and environmental issues
In a letter to the editor, Beryl Birch writes, “… the list of horse racing woes keeps growing and public interest in horse racing is waning, primarily due to the list of more and more horse deaths in tracks around the country..
Horse racing could have severe environmental impact
In a letter to the editor, Bob Meyers writes, “According to the EPA, the types of animal waste pollutants discharged by Sterling Suffolk Racecourse threaten human health and the environment.”
Animal cruelty, local control doomed Hinds’ sponsorship of horse racing bill
“Over the past few weeks I have met, spoken with, and received testimony from many in my District who are concerned with this proposal: either because they do not support horse racing as an industry, or because they are concerned with the legislation as it is currently drafted.” –Sen. Adam Hinds, D-Pittsfield
Sen. Hinds reconsiders support for bill to restore horse racing at fairgrounds
“Senator Hinds’ willingness to stand with his constituents is highly commendable and his removal of his name from S101 is significant.”
— Great Barrington Selectboard member Leigh Davis
IT’S NOT SO SIMPLE: Economic development — Is your dream my nightmare?*
What type of economic development does not bring with it some aspect that some of us find unpalatable? How much are we willing to put up with in order to improve economic opportunities for ourselves and others.
Lawmakers assure Great Barrington officials: Local permits required to reintroduce horse racing at Fairgrounds
Town officials have said Sterling Suffolk Racecourse would need at least two special permits: One for commercial amusement and another for floodplain protection, and possibly a third for work in the town’s water quality protection overlay district.
POEM: Ode to Horses
We remember
racing across plains of sagebrush, bluegrass, Utah juniper and mountain mahogany.
Tearing up foothill slopes, across plateaus blissfully empty of imperious humans…
Concerns aired about Suffolk Downs’ plans for horse racing at fairgrounds
Suffolk needs a change in state law to permit it to hold races in Great Barrington while at the same time allowing it to maintain its simulcasting and betting operations back in East Boston. Racing at the fairgrounds would also require permits from the town.
It’s Not That Simple: Where should solar power installations be sited?
This column is a companion to the WSBS radio call-in show, “It’s Not That Simple.” Every other Friday at 9:05 we will discuss and dissect issues that the citizens of Great Barrington are talking about. Click here to listen to a podcast of last week’s show. * * * Have you ever
Downtown Great Barrington construction ‘moving along pretty swiftly’
The town expects to have the north side of Railroad Street “buttoned up,” including the installation of bases for decorative light poles, by the end of this week.
Selectmen put the kibosh on plans for ‘mini Woodstock’ hot-air balloon festival at airport
In the end, it was simply too much to ask of the board, especially after receiving several emails from neighbors who complained loudly that allowing the event would be a “slippery slope” and that the neighborhood near the airport was too densely populated.
Kenneth Robert Heath Jr., 56, of Pittsfield
Kenneth was a member of the Tolland and Monterey fire departments, was in 4-H and Boy Scouts, and enjoyed fishing.