Equipoise Nevermore – All the King’s Horses and All the Kings Men

by Vidda | Op/Ed

On the first birthday of Earth Day, April 22, 1970, more than a million people marched up Fifth Avenue to Sheep’s Meadow in Central Park to celebrate the day’s events on an unprecedented scale.Beginning September 21, 2014, just days before the United Nations Climate Summit convenes in New York City, nearly 3,000 climate events are taking place around the globe. The two mile procession of the crowds assembled in Manhattan held a moment of silence “to honor the victims” of climate change.

Unfortunately, the UN summit assuredly will result in “treaties” of the participating nations, not the concerns of the people. It is the 2015 Climate Change Conference in Paris, France where “leaders are hoping to stamp out a binding agreement.”

SeVWA’s Source-to-Sea Clean-up Event Along the West River – Sat., Sep. 27th

by sevwa.wqmp | Nature

It’s Source-to-Sea Clean-up season!

The Southeastern Vermont Watershed Alliance (SeVWA) will partner with the Connecticut River Watershed Council (CRWC) in the annual Source-to-Sea Clean-up along our local waterways that feed the Connecticut River – and we hope that you will join us!

On Saturday, September 27th at 9 AM we will meet as a group at the Dummerston covered bridge parking lot on Route 30. Clean-up efforts will begin at the covered bridge and then participants will organize into teams to clean-up at the several sites along the West River between Brattleboro and Newfane. We will be cleaning-up on land, not on the water – so boats will not be needed. The clean-up session will end by noon.

Opening Reception, New Exhibition: Gordon Jones’ Landscapes at CX Silver Gallery Sunday Afternoon

by CXSilverGallery | Arts

CX Silver Gallery presents Gordon Jones’ landscapes in a show entitled ‘Souvenirs’ (http://cxsilvergallery.com/gordon-jones) opening Sunday September 21 and running until next March together with a catalog available at the Gallery and online (, gray preview button located just under book cover image).

All welcome to the exhibition opening reception, Sunday September 21, 1-4pm at 814 Western Avenue. Gallery hours, otherwise, are by appointment, (802) 257-7898 ext. 2 or (802) 579-9088.

Weekend Concert Series: Talking Heads, Austin TX, 1979

by cgrotke | Entertainment

We’ve featured them before, but why not take another look at the Talking Heads? Here they are performing at Armadillo World Headquarters in Austin Texas on September 15, 1979.

Fear of Music was the 1979 album from the band, their second with Brain Eno and third overall. It was released in August, just prior to this show.

Brattleboro Arts Committee Meeting Agenda

by Not Signed In | Town News

The Brattleboro Arts Committee will meet on Tuesday, September 23, 2014 at 4:00pm in the Selectboard meeting room at the Municipal Center.

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

Talk Like a Pirate

by tomaidh | Other

Arrh! Today is officially “International Talk Like A Pirate Day”.

To help you get started:

Ahoy, me Hearties!

Avast ye

Blow me down!

Dead men tell no tales

Hang ‘im from the yardarm

Vermont AARP Selects BMH as Host of the Year

by BMH | Health

Brattleboro Memorial Hospital has been selected by the Vermont AARP Driver Safety Program as the 2014 Host of the Year.

According to David Peters, the Vermont State program coordinator, BMH “has hosted our classes for 20 years and the staff has always provided a level of support and cooperation that is exceptional. I hope that, working together, we have been able to have an impact upon highway safety in Vermont.”

The award will be presented at AARP’s Annual State Meeting on October 29, 2014, at Vermont Technical College in Randolph.

150 Years Ago (1864 9/19)

by BusyMom | History

The Battle of Winchester (aka The Battle of Opequan Creek) 9/19/1864

Blake, Charles, credited to, Charleston, VT, age 43, substitute – enlisted 8/27/63, mustered in 8/27/63, Private, Co. D, 6th Vermont Volunteer infantry, killed in action, Winchester, 9/19/64

http://www.ranger95.com/civil_war_us/vermont/infantry/rosters/6th_inf_rgt_rost_d.htm

Mansur, Zophar Mack, credited to, Charleston, VT, age 19, enlisted 8/11/62, mustered in 9/1/62, Corporal, Co. K, 10th Vermont Volunteer infantry, wounded, Winchester, 9/19/64, discharged because of wounds 8/31/65

Sanders to Vote No on U.S. Military Role in Syria

by Not Signed In | Politics

WASHINGTON, Sept. 18 – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said today he will vote against the United States training and arming Syrian rebels.

Sanders said the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria “is a brutal and dangerous extremist organization which must be defeated, but this war cannot be won by the United States alone. There needs to be a real international coalition led by the countries most threatened – Muslim countries such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Turkey and Iran.

“The worst thing that we can do now is allow ISIS to portray this struggle as East vs. West, as Muslim vs. Christian, as the Middle East vs. America. That is exactly what they want and that is exactly what we should not be giving them,” Sanders added.

150 Years Ago (1864 9/18)

by BusyMom | History

Clifton Farm, Va.

Sept. 18th, 1864.

Dearest Wife,

The mail has come in rather unexpectedly, and will soon go out again. The mail that has arrived has not been distributed, so I know not whether there are any letters from you or not. I got one Thursday. I have nothing new to write.

Community Input on Future Use of Melrose Terrace

by JeanetteWhite | Town Plan

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions for the future life of Melrose Terrace. They came via email, mail, phone, in person, and here on ibrattleboro. Some are practical, some fanciful, some a bit tongue-in-cheek, but we asked for all ideas. There were a few that have not been included because they clearly were sarcastic comments on the process and those involved.

The ideas seemed to run on a continuum – leave it as for housing or another use to modified to active open space to natural open space to complete redevelopment. Many of the ideas blend between the categories. Many ideas are similar but all have been included because they have a slightly different approach.

Guilford to Celebrate Dylan Thomas Centenary

by DonInGuilford | Arts

October 2014 marks the centenary of Welsh author Dylan Thomas, known to an unusually wide audience for a poet, this despite his early death at age 39.  

The town of Guilford  will host three commemorative Dylan Thomas events, each sponsored by a different non-profit organization, in October and December.  Guilford is known for its unique celebrations, such as our year-long 250th Town anniversary in 2011, so a few of us got the idea that if anyone was going to present this commemoration it would probably be our town.

Kilburn Joins Youth Services Board

by Not Signed In | Town News

New Board Member Join Youth Services Brattleboro— Bobbi Kilburn of Westminster, recently joined 15 other community members in serving on Youth Services’ board of directors. Through 10 programs ranging from Court Diversion to Big Brothers Big Sisters, the nonprofit agency helps Windham County children, youth, and families thrive.

The board and staff are looking forward to tapping Kilburn’s background in financial management and business consulting services, as well as her willingness to help with the many fundraising activities of the organization.

Paul Winter Consort To Perform “In Celebration of the Earth” at Latchis Theatre

by Not Signed In | Entertainment

A benefit concert by the Paul Winter Consort will be held at the Latchis Theatre in Brattleboro, Vermont, on October 25 at 7:30 p.m.

The performance, a fundraiser for the Guilford Community Church’s green-up efforts, will highlight soloists Paul Winter, Eugene Friesen, and Theresa Thomason, three Grammy Award-winning and internationally recognized performers, in addition to Todd Roach on percussion and Jeff Holmes on piano. The Greater Brattleboro Choir of the Community, under the direction of Peter Amidon, will join the Consort on stage to perform several songs, including ones made famous by folksinger Pete Seeger.

The Commons Will Be Late This Week

by barry | Media

Due to an unfortunate  and unavoidable production glitch, The Commons will be printed and distributed one day late this week.  Look for it tomorrow at the usual locations around Brattleboro and throughout the county.

 We apologize for any inconvenience,  and thank you for your patience.

Barry