Remy Tumin
The new pews are still empty, and the fresh pine they are built from won’t begin to creak until parishioners arrive later this month, adding their imprint to the long history of the Union Chapel in Oak Bluffs.
As the plan to build a resort-style casino in Southeastern Massachusetts continues to run into roadblocks, the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) is quietly moving to complete construction work on the tribal community center in Aquinnah where it wants to open a high-stakes bingo hall.
Emotions ran high at a West Tisbury special town meeting Tuesday night where voters continued the ongoing debate over town rules relating to dog ownership. First, voters rejected a proposal to strengthen the town leash law, and then split on the question of whether to pay for enforcement of a new rule that will restrict dogs at Lambert’s Cove Beach in the summer months.
A total of 184 voters turned out for the special session that lasted just over two hours. Moderator F. Patrick Gregory presided over the meeting.
No casino in Lakeville — that was the overwhelming opinion from voters in a special election held in this southeastern Massachusetts town on Saturday. Turning out in strong numbers for the single-question, nonbinding referendum, Lakeville voters joined their neighbors in Freetown by coming out against the casino planned by the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah). The Vineyard Wampanoags want to build a $167 million casino and resort on 515 acres spanning the two towns.
The Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) hit another roadblock in its effort to build a casino this week after Freetown voters overwhelmingly opposed a tribal gambling facility in their town.
The nonbinding special election vote was 954 to 308 on the question of whether to allow a Class III casino. A total of 1,262 voters turned out to the polls, about 22 per cent of those registered. Freetown assistant town clerk Diane Souza said the annual town election in April saw a 13 per cent turnout.
Extra money to cover the cost of building a parking lot at the new town library and more fine tuning in the controversial rules for dogs on Lambert’s Cove Beach are the issues that top a special town meeting warrant in West Tisbury on Tuesday.
A new parking lot connecting the library and Howes House will cost $145,000 more than originally planned for the new $6 million library, and voters will be asked to pay $46,000, or one third of the bill.