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Criticism Worth Reviewing

by tomaidh | Op/Ed

I was  and I came across a comment that deserves repetition in light of our current and yet unsolved budgetary crisis. Though this post is about a “Y”, much of its criticism is worth reviewing:

Why does Brattleboro instead nickel and dime our tourists and shoppers at the parking meters, fix $65,000 ice machines to make a skate rink when we live in VERMONT, New England, and could have an outdoor rink that would also attract winter visitors, why does this town build gyms for 14 MILLION dollar police and fire stations with a few dozen employees rather than invest in a “Y” for ALL the (taxpaying) residents?

Twilight on the Tavern Lawn presents The Chris Kleeman Band Sunday, June 29

by Not Signed In | Music

Twilight Music continues its 12th annual Twilight On The Tavern Lawn series of folk, world beat, rock, jazz, zydeco, Celtic, swing, blues and bluegrass summer concerts on Sunday, June 29 with an evening of hard driving, house rocking, in your face blues by The Chris Kleeman Band. 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 the Town of Putney, Soundview Paper Company, Next Stage Arts Project, The Stockwell Brothers and many other Putney businesses and organizations. The concerts are free to the public (donations are accepted) and food will be available.

Koch Brothers

by tomaidh | Op/Ed

If you haven’t heard of the Koch Brothers by now, you mustn’t be breathing.

It’s not their wealth that is bad, it’s the way they are using it.

The Skatepark and The Return of the “Waiting Sharks” on Elm Street

by Rolf | Op/Ed

My friend, Josh Werner, who passed away several years ago, used to go to Turning Point, when it was on Elm Street, before it moved out to Putney Road. 

I shared with him that I had seen people, wating across the street from Turning Point, calling out to clients and members of Turning Point such quaint  lines as, “Hey Jimmy, wanna party ? Come on over to my place”. 

Weekend Concert Series: Neil Diamond 1971

by cgrotke | Entertainment

Here is Neil Diamond performing live at the BBC in 1971, not long after he reached the top of the charts with songs such as Sweet Caroline, Cracklin’ Rosie, and Song Sung Blue.

Some interesting things you may or may not know about Mr. Diamond. It’s his real name. He’s from Brooklyn. Sweet Caroline is about Caroline Kennedy. He once opened for the Who. Rick Rubin produced a 2005 album. He just signed (2014) a new deal with Capitol Music Group.

Brattleboro Union High School Board Meeting Agenda

by Not Signed In | Education

BRATTLEBORO UNION HIGH SCHOOL BOARD
53 Green Street
Brattleboro, VT 05301
www.wssu.k12.vt.us

NOTICE OF COMMITTEE MEETINGS

The BUHS District #6 Finance Committee will meet at 7:00 a.m. on Monday, June 30 in the WSESU James E. Kane Conference Room, 53 Green Street.

NOTICE OF MEETING

The BUHS #6 Board of Directors will meet at 7:00 p.m. on Monday, July 7 in the WRCC Cusick Conference Room.

Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – July 1, 2014

by cgrotke | Town News

The long-awaited results and recommendations of the Skatepark Site Selection Committee will be presented at Tuesday’s regular meeting of the Brattleboro Selectboard. The Elm Street parking lot leads a list of four top-rated locations.

The board will set the FY15 tax rate, hear about improvements to the intersection at Union Hill and Western Avenue, review staffing levels in the Town Clerk and Recreation & Parks departments, and learn about changes to Vermont’s Open Meeting law. And more!

You can participate by attending in person at the Municipal Center, and can bring up items not on the agenda during Public Participation. Watch on BCTV, and read full coverage here the next day.

Winston Prouty Center Welcomes Shawna Parker To Its Board

by cohnpr | Business

The Winston Prouty Center recently welcomed Shawna Parker to its Board of Trustees.

Parker is a longtime Brattleboro area resident. She is currently the Director of Marketing at World Learning in Brattleboro and Washington D.C., where she has been for the past five years. Shawna brings more than 15 years of experience in marketing and public relations, including local outreach for a variety of causes, events and organizations.

SeVWA’s First 2014 River Sampling Day Was June 18 – See Accompanying E .coli Results Charts

by sevwa.wqmp | Nature

Summer is officially here and Southeastern Vermont Watershed Alliance (SeVWA) had their first river sampling day on Wednesday, June 18, 2014. This year there are 26 river and stream sites being monitored by SeVWA. These sites are along the West, Williams, and Saxtons Rivers, as well as North Branch Brook, Rock River and the Whetstone Brook.

This year SeVWA has over 25 volunteers who graciously give their time by waking up early and heading into the rivers to collect water samples for testing. Volunteer involvement ensures that this program continues and we are incredibly thankful for all of their efforts. This first sampling day went smoothly with collection from all 26 sites and samples sent to the lab in a timely fashion. Testing for E. coli bacteria is time sensitive and requires the coordination of many people to be able to test all the different sites in Windham County, with an additional few sites in the village of Chester in Windsor County.

Senators Call for Emergency Action to Stop Price Spikes Caused by Oil Speculators

by Not Signed In | Politics

WASHINGTON, June 26 – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) today introduced legislation to make federal regulators invoke emergency powers to stop speculators from taking advantage of turmoil in Iraq to drive up oil prices and make motorists pay more for gasoline.

“I am getting tired of big oil companies and Wall Street speculators using Iraq as an excuse to pump up oil and gas prices,” said Sanders, a member of the Senate energy committee. “The fact is that high gasoline prices have less to do with supply and demand and more to do with Wall Street speculators driving prices up in the energy futures market.”

I-91 Brattleboro Bridge Replacement Project Update: Week of June 29

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.

Route 30

The speed limit on Route 30 near the work zone has been reduced to 40 mph. This reduction will remain in effect through the Spring of 2016. Project-related truck activity on Route 30 will continue. Route 30 will be reduced to a single lane intermittently both day and night, with flaggers regulating traffic within the work zone.

Night work on the new bridge columns will continue Monday night, June 30 through Wednesday night, July 2.

Suggested Saturday Itineray

by Not Signed In | Travel

Dear Friends,

Here is a suggested Saturday Itinerary to enjoy the best of the tri-village area:

Morning: Attend Westminster Cares Garden Tour 10am at Hayward Gardens in Westminster West, a benefit for Westminster Cares, contact Westminster Cares for more information 722-3607 or wecares2@sover.net

Lunch: Leisurely lunch at one of many fine local eateries

Afternoon: Attend Putney Cares and NeighborWorks HEAT Squad Home Energy Audit Open House, 2-5pm Putney Cares Activities Barn, 54 Kimball Hill Rd. Putney. Contact Bruce Whitney for more information 802-246-2111 or bwhitney.wwht@gmail.com

Six UFOs over Brattleboro Vermont Airspace

by Rolf | Media

Shortly after taking off from Brattleboro-West International Airport ( BWI) these ufos ripped by our window. Faster than you could say, “Soyuz Spacelab!”, they were gone.

Experts at the University who have examined the photograph have assured us that this photo was taken while our aircraft was still in Vermont airspace. The same experts have authenticated the photo as genuine.

Brattleboro’s Wildest Arts and Music Organization, The Future Collective, Launches Online Fundraiser

by wildgoose | Arts

The Future Collective launched their online fundraiser on June 25, 2014 through the website INDIEGOGO.

The Future Collective is a non-profit, volunteer-run group of Brattleboro young people founded in January 2012. They have hosted many events ranging from all-ages music shows, community art openings, a weekly radio show, dance parties, ice cream giveaways, outdoor cabarets, child art and music making, outdoor adventures, peer-supported mental health workshops, community art nights, collaboration with other local organizations, and our annual 3-day music and arts festival, Future Fest.

150 Years Ago (1864 6/26)

by BusyMom | History

Sunday June 26th. I had to pick up in a hurry yesterday, as the enemy were reported advancing in heavy force on our left and we went out and were posted on the extreme left, and here I am this morning. There have no rebels made their appearance yet. I guess there were a few down on the rail road, though, there was quite a piece torn up yesterday by the cavalry by the sound. The enemy have enough to do on the right. The firing last night was very heavy. Our picket post is near a small house with a fine well of water. The women folks are at home. It is a real snug place, with a large apple orchard, the apples just about large enough to stew and they have to take it.

Movie Monday at Brattleboro Senior Center

by KathrynT | Entertainment

Brattleboro Senior Center offers Free Monday Morning Movies.  The June 30th movie will be “Guess Who Is Coming to Dinner”.  The movie starts at 10 am.  Come and enjoy a movie with snacks and please stay after the movie for lunch at Brattleboro Senior Meals all are welcome.  For information please contact Jessy at 802-257-7570.

Fireworks Safety From The Brattleboro Fire Department

by BrattFireDept | Police & Fire

The Brattleboro fire department urges all residents to be safe this Fourth of July.

In Vermont All Fireworks (not including sparklers and other novelty smoke devices) are illegal except for permitted, supervised public fireworks displays. Fireworks all too often result in serious burns, hearing loss and other injuries due to miss-use. Even sparklers, which are considered by many to be harmless, can reach, 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit, which is hot enough to cause 3rd degree burns.

150 Years Ago (1864 6/25)

by BusyMom | History

On the left flank of the army of the Potomac.

June 25, 1864.

Dear wife,

My last letter was dated near the railroad; while I was writing there were some skirmishers thrown out on the road, and the pioneers were tearing up the rails. Among them were companies F, L, K, and one other of the 11th Vt. and the 4th Vt. 4 Companies of the 11th and a part of the 4th were taken prisoners. There are a few left from each company. I saw what is left of Company F, Willard Morse, Elbridge Varnum, Charlie Brooks have gone to Richmond. I found but two left that I knew, David Morse and Henry Dawson. Saw Charles Dolloff. He was drawing rations at the time; they were taken pretty slick. We were but a little ways from them. Them that got away talk about firing several vollies, but they did not make much noise. I do not believe they fired a shot. I heard a few scattering shots, but no more than I had been hearing all the time.

Progress Trumps Fear

by AHubbard | Op/Ed

It’s really too bad that the skate park in Crowell Lot was shot down. Elm Street simply won’t have the same character, if it ever happens. We should learn to have faith in our youth. Otherwise fear trumps progress.