“Life is always simpler with a torch in your hand” says JUSTIN TAYLOR, master craftsman, welder, designer, Airstream customizer and snow board champ. Now co-owner of Iron and Oak on Arch St. with his wife Kaila Cumings, they create beautiful magic with metal, wood and fire.
Please be advised. Property owners are responsible for trimming and maintaining vegetation on their property if it may interfere with the public right of way. Overgrown vegetation creates an unsafe situation for pedestrians who may have to walk in the roadway to get by. It also impacts the sight distance for vehicular traffic. Please inspect and trim your vegetation accordingly. The town ordinance reads as follows:
The Brattleboro Selectboard learned what the Brattleboro Charter Commission has been working on regarding the form of town governance and other possible changes to the Charter. The Commission has put over two years of work into this and the Chair seemed quite interested in being able to edit whatever they present, such as the form of town government, when it comes before the board again in September.
The next big discussion was about the old Hinsdale bridges. Hinsdale sent some semi-unanticipated reps to read Brattleboro the riot act. They seemed to take special glee in pointing out just how terrible Brattleboro’s problems are, and wanted to know if the town would agree that the bridges should be destroyed or sold. A split vote at the end of the discussion means Brattleboro does not surrender in the battle
You may have come across in the news various stories about how Elon Musk is going to start a new political party in the United States of America!
We must counter this immediately as best we can here in Vermont!
For every vote his newly proposed party takes, we must have equal and opposite votes to dilute his!
There were a number of stories in Vermont about Vermonters rallying and/or protesting the arrest and detention of Mahmoud Khalil for being a Pro-Palestinian Activist.
Here is an update on the whole entire huge, enormous situation, which has grown and expanded exponentially because President Trump’s Administration will tolerate foreign students only if they keep their mouths shut.
July 7 BBQ Chicken
Apple Cole Slaw
Black Beans & Corn
Peaches
The passage of the 2025 budget marks the transition from democracy to oligarchy. Once the drastic economic and social changes are in place it will be extremely difficult to make meaningful change. In order to restore democracy, if such a move will even be possible, it may require the American people to overtake the current government by force.
Complacency is no longer an option. You may fall into one of three categories. You may be a MAGA maniac and are happy with the turn of events. You may have you head under a rock and have been able to ignore all of the current news or you are in a constant state of anxiety over the direction that American government is taking.
Here’s the definition of oligarchy according to the Merriam Webster dictionary.
Motion that the legal counsel prepare in writing a summary of all cases involving the WSESD/SU within the past 3 years. The summary should include all cases litigated, settled, considered for litigation, or currently awaiting resolution. The summary should also include the nature of the matter and any financial or policy implications to the extent permissible by law. It is understood that this summary will be discussed only in Executive Session by the WSESD Board and not revealed to the general public.
There are many news reports to read, but I want you all to start thinking about who could be President in 2028. None of the current Democrats were strong enough to lead both sides of the aisle into defeating this Big Beautiful Bill.
There is no one currently in office who qualifies, because no one currently in an elected office stepped up to the plate to lead a bipartisan group to defeat President Donald Trump’s bill.
It’s the July 2025 dashboard summary. We continue semi-regular COVID-19 dashboard numbers from the Vermont Department of Health, and MA counties that surround Brattleboro, as long as they continue providing them. New Hampshire has shut down their reporting. Numbers are low, but not zero. Scroll down the new comments for the latest.
This is the most important Speech today during the debate on the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
The Brattleboro Selectboard starts July with a big meeting on the 8th. They’ll spend almost a half million dollars on DPW vehicles, authorize tax collectors going after local businesses, pay for a new $476k retaining wall, and that’s just in the consent agenda. (They’ll also retroactively consider a parade permit – if it fails, do the participants need to march backwards?)
Once the meeting gets going in full, the board will hear from the Charter Revision Commission, receive an update on the old Hinsdale bridges, set a property tax rate of $1.5835 per $100, hear about increases to water and sewer rates, spend over $500k on space for police and bathrooms downtown, and more.
You can bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.
The Brattleboro Tree Advisory Board will meet on Thursday, July 10, 2025 in the Hanna Cosman Meeting Room in the Municipal Center (230 Main Street, Rm. 211).
Jessica Sticklor (she/her/hers)
Executive Assistant
Town of Brattleboro
In observance of the Independence Day Holiday, crews will be off the road at Noon on Thursday, July 3rd and return to work Monday, July 7th.
TRAFFIC IMPACTS:
Motorists should watch for crews accessing the shoulders on Vermont Route 9, Vermont Route 30, U.S. Route 5, and Vermont Route 142 as well as all approach routes and side streets while they install construction signs.
The Utilities Division will be replacing a sewer line on Church Street beginning on Monday, July 7 through Friday, July 11. Church Street will be closed from 6:00am to 5:00pm for this replacement. There will be no parking on Church Street during this time and motorists should plan alternative routes .
If you have further questions, please contact the Department of Public Works at 802 254-4255 or email Chris Severance cseverance@brattleboro.gov.
It says July 2nd but it is actually July 3rd, so probably whomever might be running the website is fraudulently labelling the date to discourage American voters from watching this right now. After all, people want to see what is going on today, right now! This is fraudulent labelling!
Mark your calendars and lace up your dancing shoes—Next Stage Arts’ Bandwagon Summer Series is turning up the heat this August with Jonathan Powell’s Mambo Jazz Party, a thrilling evening of Latin jazz, mambo, and irresistible rhythm.
You go to live.house.gov and then tap the link to watch the Clerk’s Youtube channel.
https://www.youtube.com/USHouseClerk/live
It has been painful to watch, very boring, repetitive arguments, and each side calls the other side a bunch of liars.
Updates
Gender Freedom in Schools: There is a call being scheduled for Thursday with the specialist lawyer who has reviewed the proposed policy.
DS forwarded two emails from the VSBA regarding legislative updates. Several policy issues are coming our way, as well as changes to Open Meeting law.
Today, July 1, 2025, the United States Senate voted 50 Yes to 50 No to pass President Donald Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill Act, so Vice President J.D. Vance was required to vote to break the tie, and so the Republicans won.
Now, because the version of the Big Beautiful Bill Act in the United States Senate Passed with Amendments, making it different than the previous Bill the U.S. House in the United States Congress passed, now it has to go back to the Congressmen and Congresswomen in the U.S. House to decide if they agree with the Amendments the U.S. Senate made, or they can re-write the Bill again.
