Saturday, June 21, 2025

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PREVIEW: Boston Early Music Festival presents Telemann’s ‘Pimpinone’ and ‘Ino’ on June 27 and 28 at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center

"From the canny cast to the crack chamber ensemble backing the action, the double bill offered a feast for eyes, ears, and mind." ~ A.Z. Madonna, Boston Globe

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.

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

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.

Bits & Bytes: OLLI University Day; West Stockbridge Chamber Players concert; Crystal Radio Sessions Upstate; Berkshire South arts & crafts festival

West Stockbridge -- The West Stockbridge Chamber Players will present their annual Harvest Concert Sunday, Nov. 3, at 2 p.m. at the Old Town Hall.

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

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.

Back to the future: Fairgrounds, Suffolk Downs reach agreement to return horse racing to Great Barrington

“This is a very exciting opportunity for us to help preserve and refurbish an iconic property in the heart of the Berkshires, to boost economic development in Great Barrington, continue live racing and preserve the hundreds of jobs, associated agribusinesses and working open spaces associated with the Massachusetts racing industry.” -- Chip Tuttle, CEO of Suffolk Downs

EDGEWISE: StoryCorps, storytelling from the heart

“If we spent more time listening to each other, instead of screaming at each other, we’d be a much stronger, happier country.” -- David Isay, founder of StoryCorps

GB CPA Committee rejects 3 late applications, accepts 13 for review

"We are always working on multiple funding streams: grants from many sources and direct fundraising from individuals and businesses. We're an all-volunteer effort, working as a community to build a community resource. We'll keep working.” -- Great Barrington Fairgrounds Co-founder Janet Elsbach, after GBFG application was rejected for being late

Four projects miss CPA deadline — by minutes. Now what?

Applicants said they were thwarted either by snarled Main Street construction traffic, or technological glitches. This may create a dilemma for the committee, which has now decided to vote on whether to accept the late applications.

GB Fairgrounds draws attention from Waldorf High School senior class

The Senior Class at the Berkshire Waldorf High School in Stockbridge is exploring imaginative ways of representing the history of a particular place, talking with those involved in it, and then translating their impressions into a collaborative "documentary illustration." The first topic the class selected is the ongoing restoration of the Great Barrington Fairgrounds.

Circus is coming! Smirkus is coming!

The Circus Smirkus performances are a benefit for the Great Barrington Fairgrounds Redevelopment Project. The Smirkus theme is: “Anchors Away for Atlantis, a maritime merriment under the briny big top.”

Selectboard gives fairgrounds go-ahead

"It is a general blessing to proceed,” said Janet Elsbach, of the Great Barrington Fair Ground (GBFG). The situation has evolved into “a constructive partnership” between the organization and the town.

Fairgrounds improvements on hold, awaiting required floodplain engineering studies

We are not professional developers. We’re the leading edge of a community movement to get this done and to make this happen at the fairgrounds. -- Janet Elsbach, co-proprietor of the Great Barrington Fair Ground
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