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fapjack
Title



Registered: 07/26/07
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Loc: Central New Jersey
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Accidental death at NY Harvest Fest
#18964173 - 10/11/13 02:01 PM (10 years, 3 months ago) |
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http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20131011%2FNEWS%2F131019945
Woman falls from Kutsher's roof before start of festival aimed to legalize pot
By Victor Whitman Times Herald-Record Published: 2:19 PM - 10/11/13 Last updated: 2:23 PM - 10/11/13 MONTICELLO - A woman fell to her death from a roof at Kutsher's hotel Thursday night prior to a planned three-day festival supporting marijuana legalization.
State police say Megan Dunleavy, 21, of Redding, Conn. woman slipped and fell around midnight while partying before the official start of the NY Harvest Festival and Freedom Fair. The woman's death is considered accidental.
Town of Thompson officials assisted by sheriff's deputies on Friday morning closed the hotel and ordered all guests to leave, turning away others as they trickled in to claim their tickets.
Thompson Planning Board Attorney Paula Kay said the hotel operator had permission to allow vendors and the band to set up on Thursday but everyone was required to leave overnight. The town was scheduled to inspect the building on Friday and had posted no occupancy signs on the windows. The festival wasn't supposed to begin until noon.
“If they had only complied, no one would have died last night,” Kay said. “That is the tragedy. We shut the hotel down. We didn't shut the people down. We shut the hotel down because it was not safe.”
Festival organizer claims group was 'targeted' The festival's organizer, Robert Robinson, later emerged from the hotel telling reporters his group was “targeted” by the town. He was expecting 1,500 to 2,000 people to attend his 17th annual event.
“A young lady, a friend of mine, got a little too drunk and fell off the roof,” Robinson said. “It is an accident. The targeting started before my friend died.”
Robinson said he is the founder of the New York Cannabis Alliance, supporting the legalization of marijuana and medical marijuana, sustainable living and “a change to our crazed society.”
A sign was later tacked up on the window, announcing the festival was moved to the Hudson Valley Resort and Spa in Kerhonkson. Robinson said he was considering filing a lawsuit against the town.
Brian Kuprian, of Little Falls, said he and his bride-to-be, whom he said he met at a state Department of Health meeting four years ago on medical marijuana, planned to get married at the festival.
“We have been planning this for months and months and months,” he said, while packing up his car to leave.
“We want to send our prayer's out to the girl's family.”
'Not safe to occupy' Kay said the town and state Health Department required the hotel's current operator to address fire code issues, a rodent infestation, falling ceiling tiles and other building issues prior to allowing the festival to go forward. The hotel, now branded as The New Kutsher's Resort, was leased for this event to Yossi Zablocki.
Kay said the building's owner, the Kutsher family, would be responsible for addressing violations.
“It is not safe to occupy,” town Code Enforcement Officer Logan Ottino said. “This was posted several days ago.”
Groups held events in the summer and fall at Kutsher's. Ottino said the town posted the building after receiving numerous complaints.
“It has obviously deteriorated,” she said.
vwhitman@th-record.com
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chutney
slappin' the whiners
Registered: 07/26/13
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Last seen: 11 months, 8 days
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Re: Accidental death at NY Harvest Fest [Re: fapjack]
#18964255 - 10/11/13 02:21 PM (10 years, 3 months ago) |
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Goddamn!
I know Rob personally, I have met him and burned with him at several NY Harvest Festivals over the years... This is very unfortunate, and what a shame because that venue was fucking awesome. The media will certainly use this to trash the event and the cause (cannabis legalization/reform movements and legislation), which is unfortunate because had that woman NOT been drinking and had simply stuck to cannabis, we all know this would have never happened. The media should use this as a platform to address the dangers of alcohol consumption, but we all know that will never happen... instead this will be tied to drugs and cannabis. What a fucking shame.
I was literally getting packed to go last night, but somebody bailed on me so I decided that just me and my girlfriend would go but then I came across this on twitter this morning and decided against it since its a solid 5 hour drive for me and according to DamnSam's Facebook page they still haven't been able to find a new venue to relocate the festival and the attendees who have stuck it out through all this BS have apparently been instructed to wait in a nearby WalMart parking lot until they decide if they can find a new place willing to host the event and secure the necessary permits and everything to do so. No way 'm driving 5 hours only to find out they haven't been able to relocate the fest and it was cancelled... Even if they do find a new venue, by now I'm sure attendance will be maybe 25% of the original expected turn out.
Really unfortunate. I have a feeling this is going to put a damper on future festivals for this already financially struggling event I would not be surprised if lawsuits are brought down upon Rob Robinson and crew for this
Sending love & good vibes.
Anybody else got any more news on this?
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Edited by chutney (10/11/13 02:39 PM)
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fapjack
Title



Registered: 07/26/07
Posts: 16,574
Loc: Central New Jersey
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Re: Accidental death at NY Harvest Fest [Re: chutney]
#18964317 - 10/11/13 02:39 PM (10 years, 3 months ago) |
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They canceled Harvest Fest just now, they were trying to move it and that didn't happen...
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chutney
slappin' the whiners
Registered: 07/26/13
Posts: 402
Last seen: 11 months, 8 days
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Re: Accidental death at NY Harvest Fest [Re: fapjack]
#18964640 - 10/11/13 03:54 PM (10 years, 3 months ago) |
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Goddamn.
So unfortunate. It happened before the fest even started too 
NY Harvest Fest was on hiatus a couple years ago, and its been a huge challenge for Rob and crew to pull this event off in terms of both resources and finances... I really hate to say it and bring the bad vibes, but I worry this will be the final nail in the coffin for NY Harvest Fest (by damnsam anyways).
Any link to an official announcement of its cancellation? Can't seem to find any official announcement from Rob, damnsam or any of the organizers...
What a fiasco
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Edited by chutney (10/11/13 04:00 PM)
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fapjack
Title



Registered: 07/26/07
Posts: 16,574
Loc: Central New Jersey
Last seen: 3 years, 10 months
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Re: Accidental death at NY Harvest Fest [Re: chutney]
#18964953 - 10/11/13 05:23 PM (10 years, 3 months ago) |
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Kung Fu had an announcement on their facebook, it really blows for all the people that came out as well as the people throwing it. It sucks, hopefully they can get it together to have it again but I'm sure they are going to lose a lot of money over this. Its sad for evreyone
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DeadPhan



Registered: 05/05/04
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Re: Accidental death at NY Harvest Fest [Re: fapjack]
#18965030 - 10/11/13 05:44 PM (10 years, 3 months ago) |
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very sad. i know Rob myself as well. Kim as well. its a damn shame. i havent been to a harvest fest in a good 6 or 7 years and was last minute earlier today gonna figure out making it happen, when i got the news. been following up on posts about the possibility of moving venues, but just got the word from Kim that its cancelled.
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Big Gulps! Alright! Well, See ya later! And if i claim to be a wise man, well, it surely means that i dont know!
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Sulfurshelfsean
Defender of Cubes



Registered: 07/29/10
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Re: Accidental death at NY Harvest Fest [Re: fapjack]
#18965041 - 10/11/13 05:46 PM (10 years, 3 months ago) |
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We were in WalMart parking lot for a good while. Had to leave because the cold I had was starting to get really bad. Condolences to all involved. Last I heard everyone was trying to take it to Bethelle. Anyone in the know what happened in the end exactly?
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   Everything is better when it is done ON TOP OF A MOUNTAIN!
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chutney
slappin' the whiners
Registered: 07/26/13
Posts: 402
Last seen: 11 months, 8 days
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Wow how shitty.
Was reallyyyy looking forward to catching Immortal Technique on Saturday.
I doubt we'll ever see another NY Harvest Fest, at least by the damnsam folks... How unfortunate. I love these folks and I'm sure they're dealing with a ton of shit regarding this accidental death and trying to relocate the venue and keep the artists, vendors and volunteers up to date, but what about the public? You know, the several thousand people who were likely to show up to make this thing happen? Like I said I'm not trying to hate or be disrespectful, because I know the fest organizers and staff have a lot on their plate right now, but the communication has been horrible! As of right now there is STILL no notice of cancellation, or any mention about the incident on their website at all! People will be showing up all weekend, driving hours on end to get there only to find out its cancelled.
They need to put a huge notice on the Harvest Fest website, and bombard the Damnsam FB and Twitter pages with messages to spare patrons any more aggravation and frustration!
Like I said, love these folks and I've been a proud supporter of many of these Harvest Fests (and other events), but I do have to admit that organization has always been an issue for these guys.
Hopefully they can make it through this without getting sued for every last penny they own, do some internal restructuring, hire a more professional crew (or get more professional volunteers), locate a new venue, generate some cash flow and come out on top next year!
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Edited by chutney (10/11/13 06:21 PM)
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