#westernmass — Public Fediverse posts

@dogtrax #WesternMass :-)

We have traveled to the wilds of Wendel to see the Henderson's Blues Band at the Deja Brew cafe. #WesternMass

We have traveled to the wilds of Wendel to see the Henderson's Blues Band at the Deja Brew cafe. #WesternMass

We have traveled to the wilds of Wendel to see the Henderson's Blues Band at the Deja Brew cafe. #WesternMass

We have traveled to the wilds of Wendel to see the Henderson's Blues Band at the Deja Brew cafe. #WesternMass

We have traveled to the wilds of Wendel to see the Henderson's Blues Band at the Deja Brew cafe. #WesternMass

New in Freak Scene, Greenfield singer Alyssa Kai has a new solo album after a decade, while new CT folk-pop duo Carlyle make a promising debut:
#music #WesternMass #Connecticut
https://buttondown.com/freakscene/archive/134-alyssa-kai-gatheringdust/

New in Freak Scene, Greenfield singer Alyssa Kai has a new solo album after a decade, while new CT folk-pop duo Carlyle make a promising debut:
#music #WesternMass #Connecticut
https://buttondown.com/freakscene/archive/134-alyssa-kai-gatheringdust/

New in Freak Scene, Greenfield singer Alyssa Kai has a new solo album after a decade, while new CT folk-pop duo Carlyle make a promising debut:
#music #WesternMass #Connecticut
https://buttondown.com/freakscene/archive/134-alyssa-kai-gatheringdust/

New in Freak Scene, Greenfield singer Alyssa Kai has a new solo album after a decade, while new CT folk-pop duo Carlyle make a promising debut:
#music #WesternMass #Connecticut
https://buttondown.com/freakscene/archive/134-alyssa-kai-gatheringdust/

New in Freak Scene, Greenfield singer Alyssa Kai has a new solo album after a decade, while new CT folk-pop duo Carlyle make a promising debut:
#music #WesternMass #Connecticut
https://buttondown.com/freakscene/archive/134-alyssa-kai-gatheringdust/

This week in my Freak Scene newsletter, new singles from Cloudbelly and the New Haven pop-punk quartet Dagwood:
#WesternMass #Connecticut #music
https://buttondown.com/freakscene/archive/133-cloudbelly-oh-antarctica-dagwood-nowhere-now/

Our favorite bartender at 30B said, "Sip on this and I'll bring you a full one after we change the keg."

Hobb's Brewing, Hold My Juice Box, a DIPA from West Ossippe, New Hampshire. #WesternMass

After spending a day at MassMoCA, @philipbrewer and I are having an Undercast IPA at Bright Ideas Brewing. #beer #WesternMass

Getting used to my new lens and my very not new Sony a6000. It's a lot of fun to snap pictures of the wildlife out here in Amherst, MA. #WesternMass

The Henderson's Blues Band at the Amherst Summer Concert series. We're in the front row for this one. #WesternMass

This week in Freak Scene, Glen Fant and his son, Harlan, have immersed themselves in the #WesternMass music scene this summer:
#music
https://buttondown.com/freakscene/archive/129-glen-fant-harlan-fant-sparc-recent-history/

The Amherst Summer Concert this week is "Jazz in July" with participants from the UMass Music Program. #WesternMass

The Favala Jazz Quartet performs as part of the Sunset Thursdays for Summer at the Carle Museum. I know Michael Favala Goldman from the Straw Dog Writers Guild. #WesternMass

This weekend is the Hilltown 6 Pottery Tour, of a group of nationally recognized potters based in Western Massachusetts. A few are opening their studios not too far from me. I've been out of town the past few years I was aware of it, so this year I'm looking forward to exploring a bit and checking it out.

https://www.hilltown6.com

#pottery #ceramics #art #westernmass

Just look at this amazing object.

Still marveling over this magnificent painting at the Smith College Museum of Art after a visit yesterday, by Joseph Wright of Derby, circa 1774: “A Cavern, Evening”. It utilizes grattage, or scraping, of wet paint using what may have been the wrong end of a paintbrush to carve dizzying ripples into the painted water, and perhaps the edge of a palette knife to scrape rough texture into the rocks lining the grotto. This technique is generally attributed to Max Ernst and the Surrealists 150 years later.

#Art #Museum #MastodonArt #MastoArt #Culture #painting #westernmass #surrealism

I saw a boxer dog at the Amherst summer concert, an older distinguished boi. #DogsOfMastodon #WesternMass

This week in my Freak Scene newsletter: Wallace Field and the Suitcase Junket have new singles, and Taj Mahal was a link to the past in concert this week:
#WesternMass #music
https://buttondown.com/freakscene/archive/127-wallace-field-july-suitcase-junket-one-more-mile/

#BostonWeekend Fri-Sun FESTIVAL Amazing lineup at the #GreenRiverFestival - tickets still available - #geese #spoon #lucius #kurtVile #JMascis #TheBeths #TundeAdebimpe #BigFreedia #HurrayForTheRiffRaff and MORE https://greenriverfestival.com #massachusetts #greenfieldMA #WesternMass #GreenRiver #BostonMusic #festival https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGE-JRsJ2uo

When it comes to standing up to #Trump, I laud #Maine Governor #JanetMills. But when it comes to #Wabanaki #Sovereignty, building wind terminals on undeveloped islands (#SearsIsland / #Wahsumkik ), destroying untouched forests to supply #WesternMass with electricity, or building highways through farmland (#MDOT), we definitely DO NOT always see eye-to-eye!

Governor opposed to latest change to #SettlementAct backed by #WabanakiNations

by Emma Davis
Wed, April 9, 2025

"Discussion of legislation to afford the Wabanaki Nations more authority over their land revealed that Gov. Janet Mills does not support the change, presenting a steep path for a plan that otherwise has bipartisan support.

"After not testifying during the public hearing last week, the governor’s counsel, Jerry Reid, told the Judiciary Committee on Wednesday that Mills’ concerns stem from the inability to predict the future needs of state government, an issue also raised in written testimony from the #MaineDepartmentOfTransportation, which was made available after the hearing.

"When pressed by committee members, Reid said he doesn’t have a specific example of an infrastructure project that would warrant seizing tribal land but that, 'We need to write the law mindful of the potential for problems.'

"While Reid and Wabanaki leaders noted that progress has and continues to be made to improve the relationship between the state and Wabanaki Nations, Reid added, 'the fact that we have such a good relationship right now might not always be true.'

"The U.S. government can seize private property for public use, a principle known as eminent domain, however that authority is restricted by the Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which requires just compensation for land taken, as well as some federal laws.

"The 1834 federal Indian Nonintercourse Act prohibited land transactions with tribes unless authorized by Congress. However, the 1980 Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act specified that that federal law was not applicable to the #HoultonBand of #Maliseet Indians, the #PassamaquoddyTribe and the #PenobscotNation.

"This is the act that has overall resulted in the Tribes being treated more akin to #municipalities than #SovereignNations. So far, sweeping changes to the act have failed due to opposition from Mills, but the governor, lawmakers and Wabanaki leaders have successfully made some targeted adjustments, including expanding tribal authority to prosecute crimes last year.

"The legislation being considered this session, #LD958, would amend the Settlement Act to prohibit the state from exercising eminent domain on trust and reservation land, which is protected under federal law, though fee land — or private property for which the owner owns the title — would still be subject to the state taking.

"The bill would also amend the 2023 #MikmaqNationRestorationAct to make this change for the Mi’kmaq Nation, which wasn’t included in the Settlement Act.

"On Tuesday, the Taxation Committee unanimously voted in favor of a bill to ensure equal tax treatment among all of the Wabanaki Nations, which Mills supports. #LD982 would provide the #MikmaqNation the same rights to sales tax revenue on its land that the other three tribes of the Wabanaki Nations were granted in 2022 through an amendment to the Settlement Act.
State hasn’t exercised this authority in decades, but argues it’s necessary

"The state hasn’t exercised eminent domain over #TribalLands since the #SettlementAct. However, testimony from Wabanaki leaders and state government officials underscore that it is a possibility."

Source:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/governor-opposed-latest-change-settlement-185134791.html

#MaineSettlementAct #EminentDomain #LandTheft #FirstNations #WabanakiConfederancy
#MaineFirstNations #Maine #MainePol
#NativeAmericanNews #TribalSovereignty #SaveSmilingHillFarm #SaveTheForests #MainePol #IndigenousPeoplesDay