Learn to Play the Ukulele! New Beginners Class Forming

by Ruthie | Music

Learn to play the ukulele from scratch, with instructor Lisa McCormick.

In this beginner-friendly class in Brattleboro, you’ll learn all about tuning, playing basic chords, basic strumming techniques, and how to play several fun classic Folk and Boomer songs, in an easy-going small group setting.

Class will run for 6 weeks, at the Marlboro Graduate Center, 28 Vernon St., Brattleboro, featuring off-street parking and wheelchair accessibility. Tuition is a sliding scale between $140-$160. 

A Cappella à la Carte & 50th Season Party

by fomag | Music

Guilford, Vt. – Now in its 50th concert season, Friends of Music at Guilford is staging its series finale at a hilltop property in Guilford, not far from the junction of Hinesburg Rd. and Carpenter Hill Rd. The main house and yard overlook an impressive view of neighboring and distant hills, and the recently constructed barn offers shelter in case of inclement weather. The festivities are set for 5:00 to 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 25.

As usual, the annual A Cappella à la Carte menu offers three distinct elements: a membership meeting, a community potluck, and a vocal concert. The brief and entertaining Annual Membership Meeting sums up the year’s events, introduces plans for the following season, and offers a slate of trustees for a vote, among other agenda items. The gathering is open to all interested folks, but only members can participate in any voting; one can join the organization on the spot to participate fully in the meeting.

July 1 Opening Of From The River, To The River

by Not Signed In | Arts

The Town of Brattleboro and the artist team of Elizabeth Billings, Evie Lovett and Andrea Wasserman invite the Brattleboro community to bring a picnic and enjoy ice cream floats by the river during Friday July 1 Gallery Walk to celebrate the opening of From the River, To the River, a public art project funded by the National Endowment for the Arts “Our Town” grant awarded to the Town of Brattleboro.

Town officials and the artists will welcome the community at 6 pm at the Brattleboro Transportation Center against the backdrop of River Wall, a kinetic sculpture of 38,000 sequins imagining water patterns on the the Transportation Center. Projected Water, a video of images of over 300 people in the Brattleboro community and water imagery, will play at the site throughout Gallery Walk.

Absentee Voting Starts Friday June 24th? Yikes! I’m On The Ballot, And Who Knows Who I Am?

by CrisEricson2016 | Politics

Absentee voting starts Friday June 24th? Yikes! I’m on the ballot, and who knows who I am?

The majority of media have blasted across Vermont that there are only 3 Democratic Party candidates for governor – NOT true! There are 5! If you want to see all five Democratic Party candidates for governor of Vermont for the very first time together, then please attend the Democratic Party debate tomorrow, Thursday, June 23rd being held at the Congregational Church, 77 Main Street, Springfield, Vermont starting at 6 PM for socializing with everyone, with the debating starting at 7 PM.

This is the first time you will see me with the other candidates, and as of today, June 22nd, I have NEVER met any of them. I was certified by the Secretary of State Election Division on May 3rd, and now over 6 weeks later, ONE DAY before absentee voting starts, I’m finally included in one candidate forum with all of the other Democratic Party candidates.

Cool Summer Comedy Comes To Main Street Arts

by Not Signed In | Entertainment

SAXTONS RIVER, Vt. – A cool summer comedy comes to Saxtons River when Main Street Arts presents The Foreigner, beginning a two-week run Friday, July 1.

Called “one of the funniest shows in American theater,” Larry Shue’s award-winning comedy has grown into an audience favorite and a comic staple of regional theater companies across North America since its premier in the 1980s.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Successful Union Negotiations and General Goodness For Solstice

by cgrotke | Town News

The Brattleboro Selectboard approved of contracts for most of the town’s union and non-union employees, with a range of raises, salary adjustments, and benefits packaged at minimal additional cost to taxpayers over the next three years. The negotiating process went smoothly, with cooperation on all sides, pleasing those involved.

Brattleboro’s 4th of July parade permit was approved, finances are looking good, tax bills will be delayed, Bradley House got lots of money, paving will be done under budget, grants were accepted, the town is suing over a breached contract, citizens were appointed to committees, a property will be demolished, Brattleboro businesses will face fines, and more.

Pre-Convention Politics

by cgrotke | Politics

The latest twist in the presidential campaign season comes primarily on the GOP side, with regular, traditional GOP members freaking out about Trump as their nominee. So much so that delegates to the Republican convention are being given a nod and wink to, if they want, maybe, perhaps, just change their support come convention time. (But not you Democrats! Stay in line!)

Others are reporting push polls testing Paul Ryan and Kasich against Clinton. President Ryan?

Clinton, meanwhile, has called for those under FBI investigation to not be allowed to purchase handguns. This comes while she is under investigation by the FBI.

IRS Scam

by tomaidh | Rumors

There’s a very scary scam going around purporting to be from the IRS.

A very threatening robocall promises that very bad things will happen to you if you don’t call their number immediately.

It’s all BS. The IRS doesn’t work this way.

They can be every bit as nasty and scary, but they will contact you directly, not via a robocall.

BCTV Schedules For The Week Of 6/20/2016

by BCTVProg | Media

BCTV channel 8 schedule for the week of 6/20/16

Monday, June 20, 2016

12:00 am Voices Live! Homelessness Forum 6/8/16

1:30 am Reinventing Harmony Place: Unveiling the Vision 5/31/16

3:05 am GGE: Ep 4 – Global Social Entrepreneurs Lab

3:50 am Celebrating Burlington Poets

6:00 am 2016 Strolling of the Heifers Parade 6/4/16

Remembering the U.S.S. Liberty

by tomaidh | History

The story of the Liberty is not well known. On the surface, it doesn’t make sense at all.

Yet it happened, and Lyndon Johnson covered it up.

Read what Phil Giraldi says about it:

“Last Wednesday at noon at Arlington National Cemetery I attended the annual commemorative gathering of the survivors and friends of the U.S.S. Liberty. The moving service included the ringing of a ship’s bell for each one of the thirty-four American sailors, Marines and civilians that were killed in the deliberate Israeli attack that sought to sink the intelligence gathering ship and kill all its crew.

Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – June 21, 2016

by cgrotke | Town News

Raises and benefits for town employees will be among the various items the Brattleboro Selectboard plans to discuss at their next regular Tuesday meeting at the Municipal Center.

Attend in person or watch on BCTV, and you’ll learn more about grants, paving, finances, parade permits, Business Property Tax Fines, and more! You can bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.

Weekend Creativity Series: Topiary

by cgrotke | Creative

I’m a sucker for good topiary. It’s unreal and unusual, unnatural and often results in something quite amazing and lovely.

My first memories of topiary are, of course, the gardens at Walt Disney World. Disney has long employed master gardeners and encourages creative topiary work that shows off their characters and other fanciful creatures. There was a sea serpent made of multiple shrubs, for example, that seemed to be swimming near the entry to the Magic Kingdom. EPCOT, by the way, hosts an annual garden festival.

(Another not-as-fond memory is the topiary in the remake of The Shining.)

Nimby-Pimby

by tomaidh | Op/Ed

It’s very easy to fear that which you don’t know (or highly misunderstand). And the average person knows very little about drugs and addiction. Part of this is by design. The very lucrative “war on drugs” would have never happened if people were better informed. TPTB filled us full of fear about drugs and druggies, and Presto! Unlimited funding!

This has left a deep scar upon society which destroyed lives and persists today.

One consequence is the morbid fear felt by most of the populace about drug treatment and the people undergoing it.

Brattleboro Energy Committee Meeting Agenda

by Not Signed In | Town News

The Brattleboro Energy Committee will meet on Tuesday, June 21, 2016 at 5:00pm in the Planning Services Department at the Municipal Center. NOTE: This meeting replaces the meeting that was previously scheduled on July 4.

Jan Anderson
Executive Secretary
Brattleboro Town Manager’s Office
(802) 251-8100

Dim Sum Buffet with Leonard Ragouzeos Paintings on Paper – and More – Sunday June 19

by CXSilverGallery | Arts

This Sunday, June 19th, welcome to Chef Cai’s Dim Sum Buffet, the Dim Sum Teahouse, at C.X. Silver Gallery, 814 Western Avenue, Brattleboro, VT:

* seatings from 11am to 7pm. Fixed price, all you can eat, with gluten free and vegan options, a selection from the menu

* Call ahead for a visit or reservation: (802) 257-7898.

* other days, throughout the month, dining in, orders to go, or other catering can be arranged from the menu at dimsumvt.com and dimsumvt.com/party-menus.

Bernie and the Revolution

by Lise | Politics

All along, Bernie Sanders has been telling us that he is seeking
nothing less than “a political revolution” — a complete change in the
way America operates with regard to its people and the world.  As it
turns out, he’s not the only one. Over 25 million people cast a vote for
change in the recent primaries on both sides of the political spectrum,
or about 65% of voters.  How individuals define “change” differs from
right to left, but in the end, both sides are united in their
disenchantment with the current state of government and the continued
unravelling of their hopes and dreams.

Host a Spanish Teen This Summer

by Not Signed In | Family

Expand your family’s horizons this summer by welcoming a student from Spain into your home through the STEP-to-U.S.A. program. The boys and girls, who range in age from 14 to 17, will arrive on June 25 and spend 3 1/2 weeks in New England, departing on July 20.

The students are all from the Basque region of Spain and are at an intermediate English level. Host families provide a warm and safe home environment for the student, as well as meals and transportation to a meeting spot on the days there are field trips ( Boston and Six Flags–host families are invited to come along).

Gang of Motorcycling Investors Seeks Businesses Looking to Grow

by MartinLangeveld | Business


Strolling of the Heifers and Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation invite you to apply to participate in the 2016 FreshTracks Road Pitch.

The Road Pitch, a gang of motorcycling business investors and advisors, is stopping in Brattleboro on the afternoon of August 2 to hear up to six funding pitches from local businesses that are ready to scale up.