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Selectboard Meeting Notes – A Bitter $800,000 Pill To Swallow

by cgrotke | Town News

Ouch. The Brattleboro Selectboard settled a lawsuit with Kingsbury Construction Co. at their meeting on Thursday night. Brattleboro won’t owe the $1.5 million, but the settlement payouts will add over $800,000 to the cost of work done at Black Mountain Road for the gravity fed sewer line to be complete.

Assistant Fire Chief Peter Lynch is taking a new job, tax rates were set, good news on Police and Fire project bond financing was reported, committee appointments were made, and Brattleboro’s new Comprehensive Review of Town Operations is officially debuted and open for public comment.

I-91 Brattleboro Bridge Replacement Project Update: Week of August 8th

by Not Signed In | Town Plan

I-91

Northbound I-91 traffic has been relocated onto the southbound bridge. Traffic will remain reduced to one lane in each direction on I-91 until completion of the new bridge. The new bridge will be 104’ wide and is designed to carry all four lanes of traffic –two northbound and two southbound.

To reduce congestion on I-91, both Exit 3 on ramps will be closed on Sunday, August 7th, from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm. I-91 will remain open.

Whipple Street Closure

by Not Signed In | Town Plan

Please see the following road closure information effective MONDAY, AUGUST 8, 2016:

Whipple Street will be closed to through traffic for road repairs from approximately 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday, August 8th through Friday, August 12th.

If you have any questions, please contact Hannah O’Connell, Highway / Utilities Superintendent, at the Brattleboro Department of Public Works at (802)254 – 4255.

WRC Secures Funds for Green River Ecosystem Restoration

by Not Signed In | Guilford

The Windham Regional Commission (WRC) is pleased to announce that it has secured funding from the State of Vermont, Agency of Natural Resources, Department of Environmental Conservation, Ecosystem Restoration Program, for a floodplain attenuation project along the Green River in Guilford. The project consists of three elements: berm removal, buffer planting, and securing a conservation easement on a field in the floodplain.

Following Tropical Storm Irene, a berm of approximately 300 feet in length and 3-4 feet tall was created from material windrowed onto the left bank of the river. The berm exacerbates a pinch point that is created by road encroachments from Green River Road and a higher historical berm on the opposite bank. The project looks to remove this newer berm which obstructs the river’s flow into the floodplain field, a valuable space for floodwater, sediment, and debris attenuation, during storm events.

Patriotic Muslim Dad Hails Dead Son’s Participation in US Crime Against Humanity in Muslim Iraq

by jay janson | Op/Ed

DESCRIPTION:
Sen. Clinton voted for an obvious International Crime Against Humanity in Iraq. Prez Candidate Clinton features at her nominating convention a Muslin father, whose son died participating in US crime against Muslim people ranting about what a bad guy her opponent Donald Trump is, though Trump had spoken out against the illegal and criminal invasion of Iraq. Trump also faulted for non-participation in earlier genocidal crime in Vietnam.

Brattleboro’s Comprehensive Review of Town Operations – Draft

by cgrotke | Town Plan

One of the major tasks Peter Elwell announced when he took the job as Town Manager was a Comprehensive Review of Town Operations. It’s a top to bottom look at everything Brattleboro does coupled with an attempt to organize a new to-do list for the town. Added to this is some analysis of where we are doing well and where we might be coming up short. It has been a project that has had the involvement of town staff of every department.

The draft version of the document is completed and will be presented to the Selectboard Thursday night for their review and comments. In fact, the document is to be considered a “living document” so that it can be changed an updated as need be as times change. What you see here is the starting point, subject to change. That also means that you can have a role in shaping Brattleboro’s future by reading it and letting the Selectboard or Town Manager’s office know what you think.

Below you’ll find the full draft version (minus the table of contents, unnecessary here). The introduction is a letter from Mr. Elwell explaining the project and the process. He also points out some of the major lessons learned thus far in the course of creating the document.

Brattleboro Primary Election Office Hours

by Not Signed In | Town News

The Brattleboro Town Clerk’s office will be open Saturday, August 6, from 9 a.m. to noon for early voting in the State Primary elections. The Town Clerk’s office will be closed Tuesday, August 9, as staff will be conducting elections in the Municipal Center, room 212. Polling hours are 7:00 am to 7:00 pm.

Annette L. Cappy
Brattleboro Town Clerk
230 Main Street, Suite 108
Brattleboro. VT 05301

acappy@brattleboro.org
ph 802-251-8129
fax 802-257-2312

Ten Strings And A Goat Skin and Hayley Reardon at Next Stage on Friday, August 5

by Not Signed In | Music

Next Stage Arts Project and Twilight Music present Prince Edward Island-based, acoustic, folk/fusion trio Ten Strings And A Goat Skin, plus Boston-based singer/songwriter Hayley Reardon, at Next Stage on Friday, August 5 at 7:30 pm.

Ten Strings And A Goat Skin transform tradition with vigor, curiosity and sparks of goofy humor, weaving old-school Franco-Canadian, Breton, Irish and Scottish tunes with wickedly current grooves and clever quirks. The young, bilingual trio expands on the Scottish and Acadian roots of PEI’s traditional music, infusing sometimes moody, sometimes high-energy, original and traditional songs with pop and world rhythms. Their brand new CD “Auprès du Poêle” (“Around the Woodstove”) highlights this cross pollination. Working with producer Leonard Podolak of Grammy- and Juno-winning eclectic roots favorites The Duhks, they push their music into new, dynamic and engaging territory.

Hate Motivated Assault in Brattleboro

by cgrotke | Police & Fire

Police report and details sent to us this morning:

“HATE MOTIVATED ASSAULT
August 2, 2016

Mariam J. Belarj, 20, of Medford, New York
OFFICER VINTON

On 7/31/16 at approximately 2107hrs, Brattleboro Officers responded to Elliot St. for a report of an assault. Upon arrival they discovered two victims. A male was attacked randomly and struck repeatedly with a beer bottle, and a female passerby was attacked because she was black. The suspects, a male and female, shouted racial slurs as they assaulted the female.

The suspects fled down Elliot St. after the assault. The victims were treated for non life-threatening injuries. Vermont State Police and the Windham County Sheriff’s Department assisted Brattleboro PD in searching for the suspects. VSP deployed their K9 Unit.

Vermont GMO Labeling Law Mooted as President Signs DARK Act Into Law

by Lise | Food

People generally decry Congress for the glacial rate at which it addresses the pressing issues of our time, but if so, we should be proud at the haste with which they acted to counter Vermont’s GMO-labeling law.  Vermont’s law only went into effect on July 1, requiring all purveyers of food products to disclose on their label if they contain genetically modified ingredients.  A mere 30 days later, a federal replacement was signed, sealed, and delivered:  Obama signed into law the so-called DARK Act, passed by both houses of Congress just this month, that supercedes and negates Vermont’s law, and according to critics, significantly waters down GMO labeling nationwide.  

Orchard Hill Pizza Night Benefits

by Brattleboro Time Trade | Food

Orchard Hill Breadworks is the region’s premier organic, wood-fired bakery.  As part of their social mission Orchard Hill hosts benefit make-your-own pizza events for non-profit organizations on Tuesday evenings during the summer at their outdoor bakery, often with live music and games. On August 23rd all proceeds will benefit Brattleboro Time Trade and music will be provided by the Jazz Kids. Admission is free. A pizza crust with sauce, and cheese will be available for purchase for $8 (or $10 for gluten-free crusts). 

 

Rigged System

by MarkTwain© | Creative

What was a homeless guy doing in Donald’s dressing room? Actually it was a suite, including a wet bar and jacuzzi: A place of comfort, off-stage. 

“How the hell did you get past Security!” demanded the Donald. 

“No one stopped me,” replied the homeless guy.  

Donald’s face turned red as a beet. “Someone’s going to pay for this,” he muttered. Spittle appeared at the corner of his mouth.

“Who the hell are you, and what do you want?” 

Brattleboro Transportation Center – Temporary Closing of Elliot Street Entrance

by Not Signed In | Town Plan

The Elliot Street entrance to the Brattleboro Transportation Center will be closed temporarily from Thursday, August 4th to Friday, August 5th to allow for regular maintenance of the expansion joint on the bridge from Elliot Street to the garage. The work will be performed by Nicom Coatings Corporation of Barre, Vermont.

The closing is expected to commence on August 4, 2016 at 8:00am. The work will continue until complete, with an anticipated completion date of August 5, 2016. While the Elliot Street entrance is closed, the public is asked to use the Flat Street entrance. The parking of vehicles in the Brattleboro Transportation Center will not be affected by the closure of the Elliot Street entrance.

BCTV Schedules For The Week Of 8/1/2016

by BCTVProg | Media

BCTV channel 8 schedule for the week of 8/1/16

Monday, August 1, 2016

12:30 am Rock Voices – 1/8/16 Concert

2:00 am Authors at the Aldrich: Stephen P. Kiernan

3:00 am Milton Historical Society – Fine Furniture Makers

4:12 am Living In Town

4:30 am Community Solar Program by Integrated Solar Applications

Free Cell Phone and Minutes Provider

by babalu | Other

I heard earlier today that someone in Brattleboro had signed up for, and received a free cell phone with free monthly minutes included.  The person who was asked to help activate this phone today, asked me if I knew about any such program.

The only thing that came to mind was a monthly credit (that came directly from the service provider)  called “Lifeline”.  The application for Lifeline credits at one time was included in the state income tax booklets but I haven’t seen hide nor hair of any such application for several years now.  

US Marijuana Party on Nov. 8, 2016 Ballot If Cris Ericson Loses Democratic Primary

by CrisEricson2016 | State News

My name is Cris Ericson and I will appear on the November 8, 2016 general election ballot for the United States Marijuana Party if I lose the Democratic Primary election on Aug. 9, 2016.I am deeply disappointed in the Vermont Democratic Party because I have been excluded from the majority of candidate debates and forums for gubernatorial candidates, and U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy has refused to debate me for the U.S. Senate seat in this primary election Aug. 9, 2016.

Government should not be of the rich, by the rich, and for the rich, but that is what is going on in Vermont because candidates for governor and U.S. Senate without large campaign budgets are excluded from the majority of debates and forums, or denied any participation in democracy at all, as in the case of U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy refusing to debate me.

Weekend Creativity Series – Building The Wall

by cgrotke | Creative

It is essential that all good citizens being to learn wall-making skills. Wall-making will be a growth industry in the coming years, from the wall to keep Americans out of Mexico, to the walls we will certainly need to keep us out of Canada and New Hampshire as well.

Who better to teach us these essential American skills than a foreigner! And let’s learn the Traditional Irish Dry Stone Wall method of putting the stones together.

This Bald Eagle Almost Put Me In The Drink

by reginaldwam3 | Recreation & Sports

I was kayaking just off the western shore of the Connecticut River, about half way between the Hinsdale bridge and the West River confluence, when I glanced up and saw this dude looking down at me. More than a little startled, I nearly fell in the drink.

He just sat there, maybe 15 feet up, sitting on the limb. He noticed, then quickly dismissed me as an object of interest. I, havening never before seen a Bald Eagle in the wild, was genuinly shocked. In the video you hear me mention the shakey video (I later used some software to stablize the image), which was a direct result of me being startled and excited to see this fellow.

Where’s The Rain? Moderate Drought in Southern Vermont

by cgrotke | Nature

I’ve been wondering where the rain is, and did a bit of research.

According to the United States Drought Monitor, Brattleboro and Windham County are officially considered to be in Moderate Drought, with about 85% of Vermont being categorized as Abnormally Dry.

The trend started in late June and has remained steady through July. The last time we were this dry in Vermont was June of 2015.