Kent Cannabis Committee holds initial meeting

KENT — The first meeting of the Cannabis Regulation Subcommittee within the Planning and Zoning Commission met the evening of Wednesday, Oct. 3 to elect a chair and lay the groundwork for future Subcommittee efforts.

P&Z member Sarah Chase was promptly elected to head the group, after which she gave a detailed report on the legality of cannabis in the state as well as a brief overview of the current science surrounding its psychoactive effects.

In the presentation, she outlined the complexities of regulating the plant, given that though it is legal for recreational and medicinal use, it remains an illicit drug at the federal level.

She mentioned, however, that the state’s decision to legalize recreational use is motivated by its potential to bring in a “significant amount of tax dollars,” as well as its capacity for catalyzing improvements in criminal justice reform and funding social equity programs.

The subcommittee discussed a proposed survey to be sent out to Kent residents to get a sense of locals’ attitudes toward and knowledge of the plant. The idea for a town survey will be formally suggested at the Oct. 10 P&Z meeting.

Latest News

Joseph Robert Meehan

SALISBURY — Joseph Robert Meehan the 2nd,photographer, college professor and nearly 50 year resident of Salisbury, passed away peacefully at Noble Horizon on June 17, 2025. He was 83.

He was the son of Joseph Meehan the 1st and his mother, Anna Burawa of Levittown, New York, and sister Joanne, of Montgomery, New York.

Keep ReadingShow less
Florence Olive Zutter Murphy

STANFORDVILLE, New York — It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Florence Olive Zutter Murphy, who went home to be with the Lord on June 16, 2025, at the age of 99.

She was born in Sharon, Connecticut on Nov. 20, 1925, and was a long time resident of the Dutchess County area.

Keep ReadingShow less
Chore Service hosts annual garden party fundraiser

Chore Service hosted 250 supporters at it’s annual Garden Party fundraiser.

Bob Ellwood

On Saturday, June 21, Mort Klaus, longtime Sharon resident, hosted 250 enthusiastic supporters of Northwest Corner’s beloved nonprofit, Chore Service at his stunning 175-acre property. Chore Service provides essential non-medical support to help older adults and those with disabilities maintain their independence and quality of life in their own homes.

Jane MacLaren, Executive Director, and Dolores Perotti, Board President, personally welcomed arriving attendees. The well-stocked bar and enticing hors d’oeuvres table were popular destinations as the crowd waited for the afternoon’s presentations.

Keep ReadingShow less
Bach and beyond
The Berkshire Bach Society (BBS) of Stockbridge will present a concert by cellist Dane Johansen on June 28 at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church.
Provided

The mission statement of the Berkshire Bach Society (BBS) reads: “Our mission is to preserve the cultural legacy of Baroque music for current and future audiences — local, national, and international — by presenting the music of J.S. Bach, his Baroque predecessors, contemporaries, and followers performed by world-class musicians.”

Its mission will once again be fulfilled by presenting a concert featuring Dane Johansen on June 28 at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church at 29 Main Street, in Stockbridge, Massachusetts.

Keep ReadingShow less