The Utilities Division will be repairing a sewer line on Church Street on Wednesday, May 21. Church Street will be closed from 8:30am to 2:00pm for this repair. There will be no parking on Church Street during this time and motorists should plan alternative routes.
Next Stage Arts is thrilled to present an unforgettable double bill of transcendent world music featuring Aura Shards and the Compass Trio on Friday, June 13 at 7:30 pm at Next Stage Arts, 15 Kimball Hill, Putney.
Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the door, and $10 for livestream access, available now at nextstagearts.org.
Hailing from Brattleboro, Vermont, Aura Shards is a world fusion duo known for their immersive soundscapes centered on the Hand Pan—a mesmerizing, melodic percussion instrument. Fusing contemporary instrumentation with ancient rhythms, Anders Burrows (Hand Pan, Didgeridoo, Djembe) and Jed Blume (Hand Pan, Tabla, Djembe) deliver original compositions that are both rhythmically dynamic and harmonically serene. Their music invites both introspection and movement, offering listeners a rich, meditative journey through sound.
It would have seemed impossible only a few years ago, but medical researchers have been able to edit a baby’s genes so that he does not suffer from a rare genetic disease. A press release from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia explains, “In a historic medical breakthrough, a child diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder has been successfully treated with a customized CRISPR gene editing therapy by a team at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and Penn Medicine. The infant, KJ, was born with a rare metabolic disease known as severe carbamoyl phosphate synthetase 1 (CPS1) deficiency. After spending the first several months of his life in the hospital, on a very restrictive diet, KJ received the first dose of his bespoke therapy in February 2025 between six and seven months of age. The treatment was administered safely, and he is now growing well and thriving.”
There have also been cases of gene editing for sickle cell disease and beta thalassemia. But in KJ’s case this is the first time gene editing was done for one individual which means the editing only applies to his case. For those other diseases, anyone who has them can use the same editing process.
Old Business
1. Discuss form of annual town meeting.
The report of the RTM Finance Committee for the May 27 Special Representative Town Meeting is posted on the Town’s website.
Go to: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rO3ELZP6e8HewXSf4CmYVbYtCaximdvL/view
The Finance Committee met weekly while the Selectboard was working on the revised budget and then held four meetings in May to prepare the report.
May 19 Turkey Tetrazzini w/Pasta
Brussels Sprouts
Garlic Bread
Honeydew Melon
Twilight Music and Next Stage Arts Project launch the 22nd Twilight On The Tavern Lawn series of bluegrass, Americana, world, swing, and pop music summer concerts on Sunday, June 1 with progressive world music quartet Acoustic Nomads. The seven concert series continues every other Sunday through August 24. All concerts begin at 6:00 pm in downtown Putney on the Putney Tavern lawn (bring a lawn chair or blanket) or at Next Stage at 15 Kimball Hill in case of rain. The series is sponsored by Next Stage, the Town of Putney, and many Putney area businesses and organizations. The concerts are free to the public (donations are accepted) and food will be available. For more information, call 802-387-5772 or visit nextstagearts.org.
At the crossroads of South American Folklore and Northern Americana, Acoustic Nomads blends music from two continents to create soaring original melodies, playful improvisations, and driving grooves, sweeping listeners away on a journey from the Appalachians to the Andes. Since forming at Berklee College of Music in 2019, Acoustic Nomads has been pushing the envelope of progressive acoustic music – drawing inspiration from the likes of Turtle Island String Quartet, David Grisman, Hamilton de Holanda, and many of Bela Fleck’s acoustic projects, all united in that they use acoustic instruments and are universally beyond category. Acoustic Nomads forges a sound interweaving North and South American musical threads as varied as the continents themselves.
The Brattleboro Special Representative Town Meeting Budget Report is ready. Paper copies can be found at the Brooks Memorial Library. You can also find the Report on the RTM page of the Town Website. The link is below.
1. Greetings/Introductions.
2. Summary of the functions of an Advisory Board.
3. Program Goals and Objectives.
4. Review of topics/action items from the last meeting
a. Connection with Young Eagles program in Rutland
The Brattleboro Selectboard will have a regular meeting on Tuesday and will hear lots of updates and reports – on expanding rail service to Connecticut, electric company projects, state legislation, FY25 budget numbers, and the results of a Utility Rate Study to see if Brattleboro customers are paying the right amount.
You can bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation if the Chair anticipates what you are about to say is germane.
Agenda
1. Call meeting to order
2. Approval of Minutes
3. Legislative Updates on Fiscal Matters
Known as the Match Of The Century two years prior to Spassky’s defense of his title against Fischer, the USSR v The Rest of the World match held in Belgrade during the spring of 1970 was a truly unique event featuring four rounds of play on ten boards involving two dozen of the best grandmasters of the time.
The World Championship was firmly in Soviet hands since 1948, so half of the Soviet team held the title: Spassky, Tigran Petrosian, Mikhail Tal, Vasily Smyslov and Mikhail Botvinnik. As reigning champion, Spassky played on the top board facing Bent Larsen whose string of recent successes elevated him to first board over the until recently inactive Fischer.
“When you throw 13 million people off health insurance, when you raise co-payments for poor people, it is a death sentence,” says Senator Bernie Sanders on the Republican plan to cut Medicaid. “Thousands and thousands of low-income and working people will die because they simply will not be able to get into a doctor’s office when they need it.” May 14, 2025
The Republicans and the Democrats don’t want you to know that there could be plenty of money for Medicaid and Medicare if the United States Congress votes to repeal and get rid of the Bayh-Dole Act of 1980 which changed U.S. Patent law.
An open call for thousands of citizens from around the world to march peacefully towards Gaza from Cairo, Egypt in June of 2025.
We are looking for courageous CODEPINKers to join.
I’ve been reading about Genghis Khan and the Mongols recently, for no particular reason, and learning about the years of the Mongol invasions. This was the period during the 13th century when the Mongols were suddenly possessed with something akin to the Messianic spirit, and decided to take over the world. You may think this an exaggeration, but it really was their intention to take over and rule the entire planet, and they believed, according to the author of the book I’m reading, that their god wanted them to do it. Moreover, they were so completely full of themselves that they actually thought they could. Little things like determined opposition, overreach, and tribal infighting never occurred to them.
After debate on H.R. 2243, the House will begin debate on H.Res. 352.
After debate on H.Res. 352, the House is expected to recess.
At approximately 5:00 p.m., the House will take a second series of votes on the Motion to Table H.Res. 353 – Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors, passage of H.R. 2243, and adoption of H.Res. 353 – under suspension of the Rules.
This summer, the Bandwagon Summer Series continues its electrifying run with a performance that promises to defy musical gravity. On Sunday, June 8 at 6:00 pm, Burnt Sugar The Arkestra Chamber lands at West River Park (333 West River Road, Brattleboro) for an unforgettable night of cosmic sound and genre-bending improvisation.
Founded by the late cultural critic and sonic visionary Greg Tate, Burnt Sugar The Arkestra Chamber (BSAC) is a sprawling collective of NYC-based musicians known for pushing boundaries and fusing styles with raw energy and technical brilliance. The ensemble draws deep inspiration from the Conduction method pioneered by Butch Morris, creating orchestrated improvisations that are never played the same way twice.
On Wednesday May 14th, the Brattleboro Highway Division will replace a failed culvert on Pleasant Valley Rd near house number 137. Please be advised there will be a full road closure from 8:00am – 12:00pm. After the full closure, residents should expect alternating traffic for the remainder of the day. Residents should plan accordingly and seek alternate routes. Emergency services are aware of this closure and will implement a plan to continue to provide any services needed beyond this closure.
REMINDER
District 9 forum to discuss the revised Brattleboro budget to be considered at the Special Representative Town Meeting:
Wednesday 14 May, 7 pm, Community Room, Brooks Memorial Library
The Windham Southeast Supervisory Union Board will meet at 5:00 PM on Wednesday, May 14, 2025 in the Windham Regional Career Center, Cusick Conference Room, 80 Atwood St, Brattleboro VT, and remotely via Zoom.
