2014 Way To Go Commuter Challenge

When the eighth annual Way to Go! Commuter Challenge kicks off on May 12th, the Brattleboro Smart Commute team will be ready. Members of the Brattleboro Transportation Roundtable will participate with businesses, communities, and schools across the state to reduce commuting costs, pollution, and traffic. Roundtable members include Windham Southeast Supervisory Union, Brattleboro Retreat, Brattleboro Memorial Hospital, Vermont Department of Health, Grace Cottage Hospital, Landmark College, Omega Optical Co., World Learning, Brattleboro Food Co-op, and Marlboro College Graduate Center.


Strolling of the Heifers Welcomes Merchants Bank as 2014 Presenting Sponsor

Strolling of the Heifers has announced thatMerchants Bank will continue as Presenting Sponsor of the upcoming Strolling of the Heifers Weekend, Slow Living Summit and Tour de Heifer.

Stroll Weekend takes place June 6-8, with the world-famous Strolling of the Heifers Parade as its centerpiece on Saturday, June 7, followed by the all-day, 11-acre Slow Living Expo, all taking place in downtown Brattleboro.

The Slow Living Summit, a conference on mindful, artful living and connected, resilient communities, takes place just before the weekend on June 4-6, while the Tour de Heifer, a set of 15, 30 and 60-mile farm-to-farm cycling tours, happens on Sunday, June 8.


Items to Cost More if 1% Local Option Tax Passes

From the for the 1% local option tax. 

Clothing

  • Belt buckles sold separately
  • Costume masks sold separately
  • Patches and emblems sold separately
  • Sewing equipment and supplies including knitting needles, patterns, pins, scissors, sewing machines, sewing needles, tape measures and thimbles.
  • Sewing materials such as buttons, fabric, lace, thread, yarn, and zippers
  • Briefcases

Brattleboro Farmers’ Market New Member Meeting this Wednesday!

The Brattleboro Area Farmers’ Market is now accepting applications for new members to vend their products at the Saturday and/or Wednesday Markets. The Farmers’ Market is the region’s largest and oldest open-air Market and supports local agriculture, prepared foods and crafts. The Market features over 50 diverse vendors from the local area and attracts thousands of visitors annually.

The Brattleboro Area Farmers’ Market is a not-for-profit, membership organization and welcomes applications from those who grow and/or create their own high-quality products, especially those working with local ingredients/materials to bring variety to the Market’s offerings.


SeVEDS Funding Requests on Town Meeting Warnings in Windham Region

Southeastern Vermont Economic Development Strategies (SeVEDS) support requests will be on the Town Meeting warning in ten Southeastern Vermont towns this Tuesday March 4th. For the third year in a row SeVEDS is asking towns to support the regional effort at a $3 per person calculation.

The aging and declining population in the Windham Region has impacted the size and quality of the overall workforce, regional employers’ ability to grow, and the ability to maintain funding for quality of life priorities for residents. SeVEDS considers reversing this trend to be beyond the capacity of individual towns, and credits its regional board and regional funding with demonstrating that all towns in southeastern Vermont have a stake in growing the regional economy and workforce.


Brattleboro Farmers Market Seeks New Members

The Brattleboro Area Farmers’ Market is now accepting applications for new members to vend their products at the Saturday and/or Wednesday Markets. The Farmers’ Market is the region’s largest and oldest open-air Market and supports local agriculture, prepared foods and crafts. The Market features over 50 diverse vendors from the local area and attracts thousands of visitors annually.

The Brattleboro Area Farmers’ Market is a not-for-profit, membership organization and welcomes applications from those who grow and/or create their own high-quality products, especially those working with local ingredients/materials to bring variety to the Market’s offerings.


Deconstruction Works Growing; Tag Sale This Saturday 9-12

Deconstruction Works, a local deconstruction services provider, has been performing partial- and whole-house deconstruction for several months now.  In an exciting development, 4 founding member-owners have agreed to formally incorporate the firm as a member-owned cooperative. 

The team includes Tom Shea (formerly with ReSource, a Burlington based non-profit deconstruction services provider), Randy Bright (of ForNora Energy Solutions, which will continue to exist and grow), Erich Kruger (formerly with  ReNew Salvage & Ithaca-based  Finger Lakes ReUse) and Michael Weitzner (of Thistle Stone Works). Projects are currently underway in Dummerston, Newfane, and Brattleboro.  In the spring they will be dismantling a 4000 sq ft house in Tinmouth, Vermont.


Salon Jacque Welcomes Madison Britt

SALON JACQUE Welcomes Madison Britt. Madison joins us from the Keene, NH area and we are excited to have her join our artistic team. Madison is available for appointments Tues.1-7 Fri.9-7 and Sat.9-5

Please call SALON JACQUE at 802 258-4411 to book with her.


First Run Video Closing

The Reformer has a headline today about First Run Video, our quite-local video rental store, making plans to close their doors.  The move to the new location was costly and not all customers knew they had moved across the street, said the article. A silent partner taking a large share of profits was also cited as a reason for the store not doing well.

RedBox, Netflix, and streaming media have helped to eliminate the idea of going to a store and browsing through aisles of titles.

They’ll be closing February 6.


AT&T To Open New Store in Brattleboro VT!

We are pleased to announce the upcoming opening of our new AT&T Authorized Retailer location at 725 Putney Rd, Brattleboro, VT. AT&T continues to lead the communications and entertainment industries, from revolutionary smartphones and tablets to next-generation Home Phone and Internet Services. Prime Communications proudly serves as one of the largest Authorized Retailers of AT&T products and services nationwide.


Interesting Article About C&S

“The modern supermarket, with its promise of a limitless variety of food and household goods available for low prices, is the crown jewel of consumer capitalism.

The cornerstone of all retail, the supermarket holds a seemingly permanent place in the canon of American life, yet barely appears in the broader discourse, even in discussions about our food habits.

It’s not unusual to debate the ethics involved with farming and food production, or to ponder the pros and cons of nonlocal food distribution, but the fact that the products will be on the shelves tomorrow and the next day is taken for granted.


Latchis Theatre Announces Accessibility Upgrades with New Renovation

For Immediate Release– In the ongoing celebration of the newly renovated Latchis Theatre, the Latchis is very pleased to highlight accessibility improvements made to serve people with disabilities. “The Latchis and Latchis Arts are committed to doing the best we can with our historic structure” says Managing Director Gail Nunziata. “The recent campaign gave us the opportunity to make advances.”

Specific wheelchair accessible seating locations with companion seats are now available in clearly marked locations around the hall. One location is permanent, and seven offer flexible wheelchair accessible seating, all with companion seats. While “flexible” means that either theatre seats or wheelchairs may inhabit a space, in most cases the everyday set-up will accommodate wheelchairs.


Robinson Hired by BDCC as SeVEDS Director of Workforce Development

Moulton Powden assumes Executive Director role at BDCC

Andrew Robinson will be joining the Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation (BDCC) staff as the Southeastern Vermont Economic Development Strategies (SeVEDS) Director of Workforce Development.

The SeVEDS Director of Workforce position was created in 2012 to add capacity for tackling the region’s workforce development challenges and filling the position was one of three major goals the SeVEDS board identified for fiscal year 2013. The position has been funded by SeVEDS in partnership with regional municipalities and BDCC and was vacated at the end of 2013 by Patricia Moulton Powden who has replaced retiring Jeffrey Lewis as the Executive Director of BDCC. With the impending loss of over 600 regional jobs at Vermont Yankee, Powden is pleased to have found such a highly qualified and connected replacement.


Statement on the Settlement Agreement Reached Between Entergy and the State of Vermont

from:
Jenna Pugliese, Chair of Southeastern Vermont Economic Development Strategies (SeVEDS)
Stephan Morse, Chair of SeVEDS Post Vermont Yankee Task Force
Dan Normandeau, Chair of Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation

We are encouraged by today’s announcement and believe this is a positive step forward in the effort to not-only revitalize the regional economy, but to l help with the loss of over 650 highly paid jobs and the impacts those job losses have on the lives of the VY employee families. While we remain concerned about the overall impact the closure of Vermont Yankee will have on the regional economy, today’s announcement is a very positive step which accelerates the path forward.


Thank You to Retailers and Restaurants Who Participated in the Responsible Beverage Service Trainings

To the Brattleboro Business Community,

Brattleboro Area Prevention Coalition (BAPC) would like to thank the following businesses who participated in the Reponsible Beverage Service Trainings held in December:

The Backside Cafe, Brattleboro American Legion, Brattleboro Bowl, Brattleboro Country Club, Brattleboro Elks Lodge #1499, Brattleboro Food Coop, Brattleboro Neighbors-Exit 1, Chelsea Royal Diner, Cumberland Farms, The Hermitage Inn, Jezebels, North End Market, Okemo Mountain, Putney Road Market & Deli, Riverbend Market, Sandri Sunoco, 7-Eleven, Silo Restaurant, and Stratton Mountain Resort. 


Open Letter to Obama and Congress – Restrict the Surveillance

It appears that spying on citizens is impacting bottom lines. Today, major tech companies released the following letter.

….

Dear Mr. President and Members of Congress,

We understand that governments have a duty to protect their citizens. But this summer’s revelations highlighted the urgent need to reform government surveillance practices worldwide. The balance in many countries has tipped too far in favor of the state and away from the rights of the individual — rights that are enshrined in our Constitution. This undermines the freedoms we all cherish. It’s time for a change.


Christmas Tree Tips from Brattleboro Rotary

Vermont-grown Christmas trees of all shapes and sizes are currently for sale by the Brattleboro Rotary Club in front of Brattleboro Bowl on Putney Road. Sale hours are Monday-Thursday 11-7; Friday 11-6 and Saturday-Sunday 10-6.

All trees are $40 with proceeds supporting the club’s annual local student scholarship awards.

The Brattleboro Rotary Club offers the following tips to keep your Christmas tree fresh.

• Once you and your Christmas tree have safely returned home, make a fresh cut across the bottom of the trunk, to open up the pores in the wood, allowing it to absorb water readily


Brattleboro Rotary Club’s 48th Annual Christmas Tree Fundraiser Begins on Saturday, November 30

BRATTLEBORO, VT – The Christmas trees are coming! The Christmas trees are coming!

On Saturday, November 30, the 484th annual Brattleboro Rotary Club Christmas Tree Fundraiser officially begins.

Since 1965, the Brattleboro Rotary Club has sold Christmas trees as a fundraiser for local student scholarships, and this year is no different!

Vermont-grown trees of all shapes and sizes will be sold daily in front of Brattleboro Bowl on Putney Road from 11am to 6pm. Sales will begin the Saturday after Thanksgiving and continue until the trees are gone.

The Brattleboro Rotary Club, founded in 1950, is an active community service club of 80+ members who engage in community and human service projects both locally and internationally.


Strolling of the Heifers Acquires River Garden, Announces Plans for Farm/Food Education Center

In a real estate transaction completed on Thursday, Nov. 14, Strolling of the Heifers has acquired the Robert H. Gibson River Garden property on Main Street in downtown Brattleboro.

The building was sold by Building a Better Brattleboro, the organization that built it in 2001 and has operated it since then.

Orly Munzing, founder and executive director of Strolling of the Heifers, announced that Strolling of the Heifers would launch a Farm/Food Education Center at the River Garden, with year-round programming, exhibits and events related to farming, local food and food systems.