Letter: Leigh Davis Is the Right Candidate

To the Editor:

There is not wrong choice in the upcoming election. Absolutely no one steps into a local or state election who does not genuinely want to make a difference. I firmly believe that all candidates running have our best interests at heart, regardless of party or platform.

That being said, there is a RIGHT choice, and that choice can only be Leigh Davis.

Leigh understands small towns and small business alike. Leigh Davis was on the other end of the very first phone call I received after the announcement of the closure of the Division Street bridge, pledging her support and resources to help keep Taft Farms from closing. From the moment of that phone call and throughout the next several years, all the way through the COVID epidemic, Leigh was a constant voice of support to help our small business survive, and I know I am not alone.

I am a lifelong member of Great Barrington and Housatonic. I consider everyone a neighbor and always have. I remember growing up when our well would run dry in the summer, running a hose from the neighbor’s house next door to get us by until the next rain. Which is why when my neighbors in Housatonic needed some water, we stepped in to offer our well.

Leigh has been, and continues to be, the only candidate running who has tried to make this situation better, even touring our farm and artesian well (which has been labeled as a possible future town water source). She is eager to take up that fight at the state level to help bring safe clean water to our neighborhood.

Over the years and her time on the Select Board, Leigh has sought out the opinions of community members and community leaders to address issues like housing, addiction and recovery, and employment levels. Rather than simply stating her opinions, she seeks out voices to be heard and genuinely listens to them before making a decision.

Now, when people disagree, and a decision has to be made, someone will always be left unhappy and the unhappy are always the loudest. But making a decision and taking a stand are what I want in a candidate, in a leader. And those qualities in Leigh are why Leigh is the right choice in this election.

Paul Kenneth Tawczynski
Great Barrington, Mass. 

Great Barrington Pulls Away Late for 12-Year-Old Little League Tourney Win

By Ben McDonoughFor iBerkshires.com Sports
08:33PM / Friday, July 03, 2026

DALTON, Mass. – Great Barrington’s 12U All-Stars broke open a tightly contested game with a dominant fourth inning, scoring eight runs to pull away for a mercy-rule victory over Lanesborough in District 1 tournament action.

 

For three innings, both teams leaned on outstanding pitching as runs were difficult to come by.

 

Great Barrington’s Tyler Warren set the tone immediately on the mound, striking out Noah Higgins and Alton Kryskow before inducing a groundout from Allan Salguero to retire the side in order during the opening inning. Lanesborough answered with a strong first inning of its own as Rowan Higgins worked around the top of Great Barrington’s lineup with a groundout and a pair of strikeouts.

 

Warren continued to dominate in the second, striking out Shaurya Patel and Liam Flaherty while escaping a two-out baserunner after William Truskowski reached on a dropped third strike. Axiel Colon was retired on another strikeout to end the frame.

 

Great Barrington broke through first in the bottom of the second. Harlan Kohler reached on an infield single before aggressively stealing both second and third base. After a pop out, Ezekiel McLaughlin followed with an infield RBI single to give Great Barrington a 1-0 lead.

 

The pitchers remained in command through the third inning. Warren struck out Jackson Inman and Ema Salguero around a groundout, while Lanesborough brought Allan Salguero to the mound, where he recorded strikeouts of Julian Winters and Owen Saunders. Weston Tremont reached after being hit by a pitch, but the inning ended on a groundout.

 

 

Lanesborough grabbed the lead in the top of the fourth. Noah Higgins opened with a single before Great Barrington turned an impressive 4-6-3 double play. After Allan Salguero was hit by a pitch, Shaurya Patel delivered the game’s biggest swing to that point, launching a two-run home run to put Lanesborough ahead 2-1. Warren bounced back by recording another strikeout to end the inning.