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The Future of Democracy: Brattleboro Democracy Forum With Nick Biddle, Tim Kipp and Friends

by Woody Bernhard | Activism

Nick says: A recent study of 75 nations with democratic governments in 1994 found that only 15 remain democratic. The rest (60) have turned into autocracies. Does democracy have a future?

A quadrennial report released last month by the National Intelligence Council, an advisory group to the eighteen intelligence agencies of the federal government (e.g. CIA, DEA, NSA, etc), is not optimistic. Using the report, titled “Global Trends, 2020-2040,” as a springboard, this session of the Democracy Forum will explore a prognosis for democracy’s future. Nick Biddle will open with a short presentation to which Tim Kipp will respond. General discussion will follow.

The meeting will be recorded and aired on BCTV and WVEW 107.7 FM.

Brattleboro VFW Breakfast/Lunches Open to the Public 257-0438

by LisaL | Food

The Brattleboro VFW serves breakfast to the public every Wednesday and Saturday from 6 am – 10 am. Breakfast special’s are offered on Wednesday’s, and the special for May 19th will be a three egg meat lover’s omelette with toast for $7.50. Breakfast is served from 6am-10am. Public welcome, as are to-go’s. We will also be offering breakfast Monday Memorial Day May 31st from 6am-10am.
Per town mandate, masks are still required at this time.

We are also serving $7 lunch specials Thursday’s and Friday’s, open to the public, along with hand made burgers fries, wings, etc.
Dessert for the 20th will be chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting for $2.50 a slab while supplies last.
Thur. May 20th is a steak, baked potato and veg.
Fri. May 21st is garlic parmesan pork, mashed potato & veg.

Close Your Mouth And Take A Deep Breath

by RDavis | Health

Breathing is something most of us don’t think about very much. It just happens and we take breathing for granted because we haven’t been educated enough about how breathing affects the functioning of our body, except when we are not breathing.

I recently read a book titled Breath by James Nestor and it has caused me to make some small changes in my life and to be more thoughtful about how I breath. In the introduction to his book Nestor says, “This book is a scientific adventure into the lost art and science of breathing. It explores the transformation that occurs inside our bodies every 3.3 seconds, the time it takes the average person to inhale and exhale. It explains how the billions and billions of molecules you bring in with each breath have built your bones, sheaths of muscle, blood, brains, and organs, and the emerging science of how these microscopic bits will influence your health and happiness tomorrow, next week, next month, next year, and decades from now.”

When Should I Stop Updating COVID Regional Dashboards?

by cgrotke | Health

Are the daily summaries still useful to you? The numbers are going down in general, but they aren’t at zero and new variants are making their way through the system. When should I stop summarizing the data?

I was thinking that perhaps if we hit zero cases in Vermont for 5 days in a row, that could be a signal to call it quits. But NH still has a pretty high transmission rate (around 3%), and MA isn’t at zero yet, either though their numbers have impressively declined.

What say ye? Let me know what you’d like…

Seeking Recommendation: Jetta with Electrical Problem

by Tego | Questions & Answers

Hi, all. Has anyone else had a VW Jetta with electrical problems? ie, the headlights come on by themselves, or the daytime running lights, or the plate light, or the seat belt warning comes on when you are buckled in. How did you resolve it, where did you take the car for repair? What did you pay? Were you satisfied with the repair work? Thanks.

Brattleboro Taxes and Utilities due May 17, 2021

by Not Signed In | Home & Garden

The fourth installment of the 2020 Real Estate and Personal Property Taxes will be due on May 17, 2021 by 5:00 PM.  Payments made after May 17, 2020 will have an additional 1% interest, as well as an 8% penalty added to the unpaid balance.

The Town of Brattleboro utility bills are also due on May 17, 2021. Payments made after May 17, 2021 will have an additional 1% interest, as well as an 8% penalty, added to the unpaid balance.

Brattleboro Dog & Wolf-Hybrid Licenses Due

by Not Signed In | Pets

Vermont dogs and wolf-hybrids 6 months of age and older must be licensed per Title 20, Section 3581(c) of Vermont State Statutes.  Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all licenses being renewed must be processed through the mail or online at www.brattleboro.org. Alternatively, you may drop your payment and forms in the Town Business drop box in the Municipal Parking lot, attached to the wooden light pole.   

Vaccination against rabies is required by Vermont Statutes before licensing.  A current vaccination means: 

No One Is Protected Until We Are All Protected

by RDavis | Health

Americans and others in the wealthiest countries may only have temporary protection against COVID unless there is more of a worldwide effort to vaccinate people in poorer countries. The science tells us that the longer the virus thrives and is able to mutate in countries with low vaccination rates the more the character of the pandemic changes.

The U.S. and other wealthy countries have hoarded millions of doses of vaccine and that has proven to be a very short-sighted way to deal with a pandemic. There are few places on the globe not affected by COVID and that means that we have to accept the fact that control of the virus depends on global cooperation. The needed level of cooperation has been slow to evolve.

Vermont Barn Restoration Grants

by MarkTwain© | Home & Garden

Vermont grants for barn stabilization and restoration.  Be sure to see the manual before starting your project, because to be eligible the project may not have been started before the application was submitted.

Application:

Elliot Street Cats

by cgrotke | Pets

The Windham County Humane Society had this story in their most recent newsletter. Interesting project regarding the community cats of Elliot Street in downtown Brattleboro.

When we received a call from Brattleboro Animal Control Officer Cathy Barrows about a colony of community cats, we got straight to work. The first request from the property owner was that we come trap all of the cats and move them. Unfortunately, there are not a lot of people clamoring for cats that you can’t touch and who won’t sit in your lap.

VFW Serving Burgers/Fries Etc. 5/1, 5/8, 5/22 and 5/29 Public Welcome

by LisaL | Food

The Brattleboro VFW located at 40 Black Mountain Road will be serving hand made burgers, hot dogs, fries and chicken wings from noon to 6 pm the following Saturdays in May : 1st, 8th, 22nd and 29th. Yes, we are opening earlier for those Saturdays instead of at 2 pm. Open to the public for the food. Masks, social distancing, and contact tracing rules are still in place.

May 15th is our lasagna to go meal for $12. For $12, you will get lasagna, garlic bread, salad and chocolate cream pie. To-go or dine in (Dine in is allowed as of this moment, but keep in mind COVID can change everything at the last minute.) When calling in for reservations, please let us know if you are dining in or getting a to-go, time for your meal, type of salad dressing, and amount of meals needed. (Just tell us everything!)

Saying Good-Bye To Steve

by Lise | Obituaries

We were sorry to hear that our buddy Steve, long time resident and “howdy neighbor” of Upper Forest Street, has passed away. He was 80 years old and died of complications of a stroke.

When we lived on Cedar Street, we used to walk by his house all the time on our way to my mother’s or to Main Street. His place was always interesting. He had a cute little cat for many years that looked a bit like a miniature raccoon. He had a stone wall out front that he decorated with little plastic figurines. Some of them — the little pink teddy bear, for instance — were added by passers-by such as myself. I always got a kick out of his Beware of Falling Acorns sign too.

Brattleboro VFW Breakfast and Lunches Open to the Public

by LisaL | Food

Breakfast at the Brattleboro VFW every Wednesday and Saturday from 6 am – 10 am. Public welcome for our meals!
Lunch is served Thursdays and Fridays from 11:30 am – 1:30 pm.

Wednesday breakfast special for April 28th will be three slices of Texas French Toast with real maple syrup for $5.50

Lunch special for Thursday the 29th will be stuffed chicken breast, baked potato, gravy, cauliflower and a roll
Dessert for that day will be a peach cake with homemade brown sugar frosting for $2.50 a slab while supplies last.

iBrattleboro Contributor and Local AFL-CIO President David Van Deusen In Hot Water For November General Strike Vote

by Lise | Activism, State News

As a sometime reader of Counterpunch, I occasionally run across items of local interest. This time, it’s an article highlighting a voice iBrattleboro readers know well — Vermont-chapter AFL-CIO President David Van Deusen. Van Deusen has been posting articles on iBrattleboro about local labor issues, and I’ve always been surprised by how refreshingly “left” this union rep sounds — why he’s almost a firebrand! Which is why I was unsurprised to learn that not everyone finds his labor radicalism so appealing.

The article, entitled “Why is AFL-CIO So Worried About Its Vermont Affiliate?” details recent friction between Vermont’s local chapter of the AFL-CIO and the national leadership of the parent organization. It all stems from a local resolution to call for a general strike if there was any protracted attempt on the part of the Right to keep Trump in office illegally.