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Town of Brattleboro COVID-19 Response Status, March 25, 2020, 1:30pm

by Not Signed In | Town News

WHAT IS NEW TODAY

In compliance with the “Stay Home – Stay Safe” order issued by Governor Scott yesterday, most of Town government’s non-emergency services and administrative support functions have been suspended. Here are the details:

• Emergency services are still being provided by the Police and Fire Departments, but both departments have instituted policies that adjust their normal procedures to reflect COVID-19 best practices advice from public health experts.

Reflections In The Time of Pandemic

by RDavis | Health

We are focusing our efforts on self-preservation and prevention during this time of pandemic. But we will all have more time on our hands for reflection and I urge people to stand back a little and try to take the bigger view whenever possible. It will help with the state of your mental health and it may provide some comfort, even if fleeting.

Most of us have had little experience with the process of death and dying and that inexperience tends to create fear. In past generations death was a part of life that everyone watched play out in their family. They had a chance to understand what lay ahead and they learned acceptance of that inevitability.

Bubblewrap Live on WVEW 107.7fm Tonight

by cgrotke | Media

This Wednesday evening (tonight), Lise and I will be hosting our radio show, Bubblewrap, live on WVEW-LP 107.7 FM. You can listen in over the air, or stream the signal from www.wvew.org.

We won’t be violating any stay at home orders, either! We will be attempting to host our show from our home, send a stream of that signal to the station, and then have the station pick it up and broadcast it to you.

Governor Issues Stay At Home Order

by Not Signed In | State News

Montpelier, Vt. – Governor Phil Scott today issued a “Stay Home, Stay Safe” order and directed the closure of in-person operations for all non-essential businesses.

These restrictive measures are in place to minimize all unnecessary activities outside the home to slow the spread of this virus and protect the public. These actions were implemented in consultation with the Commissioner of the Vermont Department of Health and his evaluation of the latest data.

“I want to be very clear about this: We need everyone to limit activities outside of the home and to practice social distancing at all times to slow the spread of this highly contagious and potentially deadly virus,” said Governor Phil Scott. “We all must do our part to slow the spread of COVID-19 to minimize infections – particularly for those who are elderly or have underlying chronic health conditions – and prevent it from overwhelming our healthcare facilities. The more Vermonters who take this seriously and stay home, the faster we can return to normal.”

Town of Brattleboro COVID-19 Response Status – March 24, 2020 

by Not Signed In | Town News

WHAT IS NEW TODAY 

• In furtherance of the Governor’s announcement yesterday that all businesses should implement work-from-home practices “to the maximum extent possible” and his suggestion that additional restrictions on people’s movement will be announced tomorrow, the Town has increased the number of employees who are telecommuting and is finalizing plans for full closure of certain non-emergency services and administrative functions. 
• The status of each separate area of Town government will be announced in detail if it does become necessary to fully close any functions or services. 

BCTV Schedules – Week of March 23, 2020

by BCTVProg | Media

BCTV Channel 8 / 1075 schedule for the week of 3/23/20

Monday, March 23, 2020

4:15 am 1st Wednesdays – Adventures In Looking At Art with Mara Williams
5:00 am Current Topics in Science Series – Leslie Kanat, Ph.D.
6:15 am Current Topics in Science Series – Anthony D’Amato, Ph.D.
7:30 am Call to Action COVID-19 – Panic buying – will our food chain hold up?
8:00 am Democracy Now! – Daily Episode

Town of Brattleboro COVID-19 Response Status, March 23, 2020, 2:15pm 

by Not Signed In | Town News

WHAT IS NEW TODAY 

• Town staff continues to be available for remote communications with the public during normal business hours. However, in keeping with increasingly restrictive social distancing requirements and advice from State Government and public health experts, fewer Town employees are reporting to their usual workplaces. It may become necessary for the Town to reduce the number of hours that non-emergency Town functions are “open” for communication with the public. If that does become necessary, we will explicitly identify the operating hours that will remain in effect. 

Noticed Around Brattleboro – Spring 2020

by cgrotke | Town News

I almost forgot that we needed a new “Noticed” for the new season. This should be an interesting one. I expect some of these observations to change as time goes on.

…

I noticed some people at St Michaels’ today loading up a truck. Looked like volunteers working to make some deliveries.

Information About Alternative Disinfectants and Hand Santizers

by Not Signed In | Health

Because rubbing alcohol, disinfectant spray, and hand sanitizer are still difficult or impossible to find, here are two ideas:

1. Grain alcohol –  BE CAREFUL,   IT IS VERY FLAMMABLE!  and it’s not cheap ($19- $21), but these are unusual circumstances!

Everclear Vodka is 151 proof (75.5% alcohol) available at NH Liquor Stores. Here is link to the current supply on hand at each store, and what’s on order:    https://www.liquorandwineoutlets.com/products/detail/1692/everclear_151

Town of Brattleboro COVID-19 Response Status March 22, 2020 1:50pm

by Not Signed In | Town News

• Some residents have asked the Town to suspend the pay-as-you-throw program so that no onewould have to buy the yellow and purple bags until further notice. Our pay-as-you-throw systemis required for the Town to comply with a State-mandate to have “variable rate pricing” for garbagecollection and disposal (i.e. the more one throws away the more one pays). The Town has askedthe State if we can temporarily suspend the pay-as-you-throw system. We have not yet receivedthe State’s permission to do that.

Town of Brattleboro COVID-19 Response Status March 21, 2020 12:45pm

by Not Signed In | Town News

WHAT IS NEW TODAY

• REMINDER: A special Selectboard meeting will be held on Monday, March 23, at 5:30pm in theSelectboard Meeting Room at the Municipal Center. The Selectboard will appoint Ian Goodnow tothe seat that became vacant upon Dave Schoales’ resignation and will elect Selectboard officers.Please note that the Municipal Building will be open to the public on March 23 from 5:15pm until 15minutes after the special Selectboard meeting is adjourned.

The Return of Paper Towel Emergencies

by Lise | Home & Garden

Back in my childhood, paper towels were regarded as an expensive commodity, to be used rarely, if at all, and only on the most spectacular of spills. For a spill to be worthy of a paper towel, a Paper Towel Emergency had to be declared unanimously  by all present. Otherwise, we were supposed to use the kitchen sponge or a dish cloth to wipe up the offending area.  

Rabbi Weiss Was Not Billy Graham

by MarkTwain© | Philosophy

Rabbi Weiss Was Not Billy Graham

The Rabbi was our synagogue’s spiritual leader for a decade or more. Since it was my childhood, it seemed like forever. Then he got fired. My parents were not happy. The governing board soon replaced Rabbi Weiss with a younger guy, who wore a United States Air Force uniform at his very first public appearance at the Jewish Community Center of Bayside Hills.

VT AFL-CIO On Combating the Coronacrisis: Where We Stand – Where We Need To Be

by Not Signed In | Health

Montpelier, Vermont – In the seven days since the Vermont AFL-CIO put forth a list of demands to State government on behalf of ALL working class Vermonters, we have seen meaningful progress. The following steps have either already been taken, or are in the process of being implemented:

· Our Labor and Health: An overwhelming number of Unionized employees of Towns & Cities continue to receive full pay and benefits even if ordered home (and in many communities older or health compromised workers have been afforded the right to go home with said pay, even when their job responsibilities are important to base line operations);

Holy Coincidence, Batman – Scientists Modeled Hypothetical Pandemic

by tomaidh | Sci-Tech

“Scientists at… Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security modeled a hypothetical pandemic on a computer as part of research last October- three months before the deadly outbreak in China. The exercise was not intended as a prediction – but rather served to highlight how governments and industry would respond in the case of a very severe pandemic.”

Brattleboro COVID-19 Response Status – March 20, 2020 – 12:20 pm

by Not Signed In | Town News

WHAT IS NEW TODAY

A special Selectboard meeting will be held on Monday, March 23, at 5:30pm in the Selectboard Meeting Room at the Municipal Center.  The Selectboard will appoint Ian Goodnow to the seat that became vacant upon Dave Schoales’ resignation and will elect Selectboard officers.  Please note that the Municipal Building will be open to the public on March 23 from 5:15pm until 15 minutes after the special Selectboard meeting is adjourned.