Hello

Stories

Featured

Brattleboro and VT COVID-19 Regional Dashboard Summary – May 2024

by cgrotke | Health

Here’s the April 2024 dashboard summary. We continue semi-regular COVID-19 dashboard numbers from the Vermont Department of Health, and MA and NH counties that surround Brattleboro, as long as they continue providing them. Scroll down the new comments for the latest.

VT, NH and MA do weekly updates, near the end of the week, so we update on Fridays usually. All three have changed their dashboards since the start, so it is now tough to easily compare how things have changed. Variant updates are every two weeks.

Prospect Street Closure To Replace Water Valve

by Not Signed In | Town News

On Tuesday, May 14 the Utilities Division will be replacing a water valve in front of 136 Prospect Street.  The road will be closed between Washington Street and Central Street during this work.  Crews will begin at 7:00am and the project is anticipated to be completed by 3:00pm. Accommodations for access by residents of Prospect Street will be made available.

Some More Funky Music

by cgrotke | Music

I invested some free time in a new musical project that resulted in a new EP of funky tunes, so I thought I’d share. If you like dancing around, or driving around to a funky soundtrack, this might be something that interests you.

As some of you know, my first project had lyrics. Of course I didn’t like my voice, so the second EP, “Kitten In My Funk,” was all instrumentals.

For this EP, the decision was to slowly work back into lyrics – one word at a time. Each song here has a single word lyric, hence the name of the project: ONE.

The “Orange Turd”

by SK-B | Other

Trump had to sit there while his lawyer and the witness discussed at length what she meant in a post she had sent out about “the orange turd.” Trump’s lawyer brought it up and his own lawyer kept repeating “orange turd.” Trump’s team bringing attention to “orange turd” was a huge blunder. Watch how Daniels totally outclassed the lawyer.

Brattleboro Selectboard Special Meeting Agenda

by Not Signed In | Town News

The Brattleboro Selectboard will meet for a special meeting on Friday, May 17, 2024 at 2:00pm at Holton Hall at the Winston Prouty Center (4th floor, 204 Austine Drive). The board is expected to recess around 6:00pm until Saturday, May 18 at 9:00am. This meeting will be carried on BCTV after the conclusion of the meeting.

Brattleboro Committee Meeting Warnings & Agendas

by Not Signed In | Town News

The Brattleboro Traffic Safety Committee will meet on Thursday, May 16, 2024 at 8:00am in the Selectboard Meeting Room (230 Main Street, Room 212) and over Zoom.

The Brattleboro Charter Review Commission will meet on Thursday, May 16, 2024 at 6:15pm in the Selectboard Meeting Room (230 Main Street, Room 212) and over Zoom.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – I See Those Rates and Raise Them , Too

by cgrotke | Town News
selectboard may 7 2024

The Brattleboro Selectboard is contemplating just how much to raise Utility rates, specifically the cost of water. Rather than a 1% increase in FY25, they are thinking of raising it 5%, and 5% every year until 2030. But, it might go up even more because of the new expert study of utility rates they will commission for $75,000.

In good news, all the major roads of Brattleboro that the state has a hand in will be repaved in 2025-2026. And the Charter Commission is taking a deep dive into all sorts of issues related to Town Meeting and asking for your input.

Vermont Values

by SK-B | Spiritual

When my wife and I relocated to this area from New York City 40 years ago, we found that we did not always “fit in.” People whose values we shared and with whom we had hoped to be friends were often cliquish and unwelcoming. Contrary to stereotypes, it was more often native-born Vermonters who seemed not to judge us by where we came from or how we talked, but would size you up and accept you if you had a good heart and a good character.

The Next Stage Bandwagon Summer Series Presents an Odyssey of American Music with Bristol Lightning on June 8

by hahrenholz | Music

The Next Stage Bandwagon Summer Series presents an odyssey of American music with Bristol Lightning, on Saturday, June 8 at 6:00 pm at Cooper Field, 41 Sand Hill Road, in Putney.

“Bluegrass from Tennessee from Grammy-award winning musicians – what’s not to love?” says Keith Marks, Executive Director of Next Stage Arts. “Dave Eggar has been on stages around the world in pop, classical, jazz, and so many more settings. He’s an award-winning cellist who infuses a sense of virtuosity and freshness into the Bluegrass genre. We’re excited to host Bristol Lightning.”

In 1927, the first country music records were cut in Bristol, TN/VA, by ordinary people with ordinary stories and the courage to create. Now, almost 100 years later, Bristol Lighting is born in the same town, celebrating the American stories of today. From Aaron Copland to American roots music, blues, bluegrass, and beyond, Bristol Lightning’s live shows take the audience on a high-energy adventure of bluegrass cello and mandolin, blues guitars, tap dance, and storytelling, weaving a powerful and poignant tapestry of the true creativity and resilience of the American spirit.

Dosa Kitchen’s 10th Season Starts May 10!

by Dosa Kitchen | Food

Dosa Kitchen food truck has been offering the Authentic Dosa Experience since 2014. Fans travel from Boston and beyond to Brattleboro for what they call “the best dosas in the USA.” The dosa, South India’s version of the crepe, has a seductively sour, tangy flavor, and airy, crisp texture. It’s gluten-free, vegan, and one of HuffPost’s “10 Foods to Try Before You Die.” Dosa Kitchen’s original Dosa Batter, a premade, ready-to-pour sourdough-style batter is produced on the premises and is available at the factory store behind the food truck and stores throughout New England. We hope to see you this season!

WSESD Meeting Agendas

by Not Signed In | Education

The Windham Southeast School District Policy & Amendment Committee will meet Wednesday, May 8 2024 at 0:00 p.m. in the WSESU Central Office Conference Room, 53 Green Street, and remotely via Zoom.

The Cannabis Story

by RDavis | Health

I still have trouble believing that I will not be arrested if I carry marijuana in my pocket or in my car. I came of age at a time when the drug was considered to be on par with heroin and other deadly substances. Some people were even making reference to the 1936 movie Reefer Madness when they tried to show how bad they thought marijuana was.

If you smoked it in your college dorm room you had to make sure you put a towel at the bottom of the door so no one would know what was happening inside. You risked expulsion from school and possible arrest.

No one could have predicted that this psychoactive substance that really is in a class all it’s own, would someday become legal for recreational use in 24 states and in D.C. Society has changed a lot and the federal government is moving to reclassify cannabis so it is not in the same class as heroin. Federal legalization is still not on the radar.

April Precipitation Report

by local | Nature

Monthly precipitation of 5.04” compared to a NOAA normal of 3.85”. A couple larger storms in the first half brought most of the moisture with a much dryer second half of April. For the calendar year the total is 21.00” compared to the NOAA average of 14.3” or 148% of normal. All numbers are from my location in the S.E. corner of Brattleboro and can vary from one location to another. My snow total for the season is 40.4” compared to my yearly average of 62.8”.

Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – May 7, 2024

by cgrotke | Town News

The Brattleboro Selectboard will hear an update from the Charter Review Commission at their next regular meeting. They’ll also hear from BDCC, and the DPW, and the ATM about the UFB. (“Matt Busby. Dig it, dig it, dig it….”)

You can bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.

Windham Southeast School District Board Meeting Minutes – April 30, 2024

by Not Signed In | Education

Summary
● Board revisited Meeting Norms and Code of Ethics, Code of Ethics signed by all board members.
● To determine what the best way is to express appreciation to the staff, the LC Board liaisons will work with the principals to determine what would be best for their school.
● The Board voted to move the June 11th Board meeting to June 4th due to scheduling conflicts
● The Board voted to incur the cost of Doodle Pro.
● The Board tabled a vote on dependent care stipend to an upcoming meeting TBD
● The Board voted against recommending administration hold all retreats, meetings and other events be held within the local district.
● Admin presented comprehensive physical plan/capital plans
● Numerous policies approved for adoptions