Between Rounds

by AnneODyne | Politics

In the first televised presidential debate between JFK and Nixon- I’m not old enough to remember- the tide swung in favor of the more telegenic Kennedy, when Nixon’s candidacy went down awash in beads of face sweat and furtive glances.

In certain matters Americans are forgiving. Will Smith is back. Even Nixon was able to rise again. But in other matters we are an obstinate people. And irrational to boot. I don’t understand it, but have often observed the phenomena. Why are the optics of Jan 6th malleable? Why are Nazi’s back? The world can be mad and maddening, that fact goes back to antiquity.

Returning to the present moment. Biden’s debate performance is fixed in the collective mind, nothing can or will erase his frozen expression and underwater responses to softball opportunities. Leaving for now the conundrum of Biden’s opponent being a recidivist and deranged narcissist, the question becomes: are Americans willing to vote for a dead man over a return to Trumpian autocracy.

Windham County Heat Fund Update

by RDavis | Activism

The Windham County Heat Fund is strong and thriving as we move into the 20th year of the non-profit’s life at the beginning of the next heating season. That might seem like good news, but when Daryl Pilsbury and I started the organization we thought it would only be needed for a few years. We had no clue how much people were suffering at the lower end of the economic scale and we were under the delusion that the cost of heating fuel was the most important factor putting pressure on needy people and families.

We have been given a glimpse into the complexity of people’s lives and the pictures are not pretty. The heat fund has been a godsend to many people who might have suffered through a winter living in one room with the thermostat at 50 degrees. Then there are the families who really can’t make ends meet at the end of the month but somehow find a way to pay rent and buy food but they have to put heating fuel at the bottom of the list.

Then there are those people who thought they were doing well until they got a diagnosis of cancer. They often lose their jobs and their health insurance. When the got their diagnosis they thought their lives couldn’t get any worse.. Then they found out they couldn’t pay for treatment and they couldn’t pay their rent. Imagine what it’s like for a person who has an aggressive cancer eating away at them, or a severe chronic illness to have to live on the streets. It happens; and more often than you might think.

Windham Southeast School District (WSESD) Policy and Amendment Committee Meeting Minutes June 26, 2024

by Not Signed In | Education

F1 Student Conduct and Discipline – Review with BUHS Admin Cassie Damkoehler, assistant principal at BUHS, reviewed F1 with the committee. The following changes were made:
● In the Due Process section on page 4:
o The intro and bullet 1: stay the same.
o Bullet 2 becomes: “students’ right to a fair hearing before being suspended for up to ten days.”

Cross Out Plan A, Cross Out Plan B, Now See Plan C: Write-in Candidate Cris Ericson on the Progressive Ballot for U.S. Senator

by CrisEricson2016 | Politics

Plan A was when the Libertarians nominated me back in April to be their U.S. Senate candidate, but then they threatened to sue me for expressing my freedom of speech. They accused me of “spam” when I posted Facebook news about other Libertarian candidates for U.S. Senator in other states. How is that “spam”? I was learning about the Libertarian views and wanted to share what I was reading. Any of them could have told me on Facebook they didn’t enjoy the posts I shared, but they did not. Any of them could have blocked me, but they did not.

At some point I got around to reading all of their Rules, which I had not previously found on their website, because they are not posted in a way you could find them. Reading their Rules shocked me, so I contacted a Libertarian candidate in another state who said there was no way they could have those Rules in his state Libertarian party. I questioned their Rules on line and was then attacked by the Libertarians who threatened to sue me. For what? After they kicked me out, and rescinded my nomination, I watched the Libertarian national party convention online and saw that lots of members question the rules. Hmph!

Brattleboro DRB July 17 Agenda

by bbannon@brattleboro.org | Town News

 2024-62                Stephanie Abrams; Residential Neighborhood 3600 District; request for Waiver of Dimensional Standards Approval to construct 10’ tall fence at 117 Pine Street; Tax Map Parcel #00325467.000

2024-71                David Timmons & Robin Bitters; Residential Neighborhood 5400 District; request for Waiver of Dimensional Standards Approval to construct a 41′ x 42′ 2-story home, located in part in the front yard setback in keeping with the character of the neighborhood and in response to site conditions at 101 Chestnut Hill; Tax Map Parcel #00265205.000

The Next Stage Bandwagon Summer Series Presents Bombay Rickey on Saturday, July 27

by hahrenholz | Music

The Next Stage Bandwagon Summer Series presents five-piece band Bombay Rickey, on Saturday, July 27 at 6:00 pm at New England Center for Circus Arts, 10 Town Crier Drive, in Brattleboro.

“[Bombay Rickey is] easily one of the most adventurous and daring artists we’ve worked with – how many ensembles are fronted by an opera singer and can count cumbia, spaghetti-Western, and Bollywood as influences?” says Keith Marks, Executive Director of Next Stage Arts. “I saw them in New York in January, and they made my jaw drop on the floor. I’m over-the-moon excited to present them to our Vermont community.”

Praised as “a true treat for the adventurous ear” (TimeOut NY), Bombay Rickey is a five-piece band with a unique sound evocative of 1960s movie soundscapes. The group plays both covers and original music that borrow equally from the worlds of surf rock, cumbia, spaghetti-Western, and Bollywood, balanced out with soaring operatic vocals.

Construction Update Brattleboro-Hinsdale Bridge Update June 27, 2024

by Not Signed In | Hinsdale

Work continues to progress toward the Vermont abutment on the remaining overhang formwork, placing shear studs into girders, grouting deck panels, and placing rebar. Grouting of deck panels in Vermont will take place on Monday, July 1st, with the concrete delivered to a pump truck located beneath the bridge in the Barrows & Fisher’s property.

The Next Stage Bandwagon Summer Series Presents Pahua and Meridian Brothers on Saturday, July 20

by hahrenholz | Music

The Next Stage Bandwagon Summer Series presents the rising star of Mexican electronic folk, Pahua, and experimental Latin Tropical band Meridian Brothers, on Saturday, July 20 at 6:00 pm at Cooper Field, 41 Sand Hill Rd, in Putney.

“Electronic beats mix with Mexican soul in Pahua. Cumbia meets psychedelic rock in The Meridien Brothers. This double bill is one for the ages,” says Keith Marks, Executive Director of Next Stage Arts. “Pahua’s artistry bridges many divides and is for anyone interested in how music marches forward with electronics, ethnic flavor, and mastery. The Meridien Brothers are for anyone who seeks out new sonic adventures while still wanting to tear up the dance floor.”

Pahua is the project of Mexican singer, composer, producer and DJ Paulina Sotomayor; a blend of electronica and folklore that represents a very deep part of its creator: femininity, nature, inner strength and self-discovery.

Brattleboro Line Striping Thursday Night

by Not Signed In | Town News

On Thursday, June 27, 2024, a contractor hired by the Town of Brattleboro will be painting road markings on many of the roads throughout town. The contractor will be painting 4” white fog lines and 4” double yellow lines. The work will begin at 9:00pm Thursday night, continuing through the morning hours of Friday June 28, 2024.  Traffic will be restricted and motorists are reminded to use caution as road paint could still be wet.  

Vernon Street Area Closed for Emergency Scene Operations

by Not Signed In | Town News

As of 9:45 p.m. on June 24, the Brattleboro Fire Department is on the scene at 541 Vernon Street (Route #142) responding to an active hazardous material leak involving a railcar. There is no threat to the public at this time, but the area of Vernon Street is closed for emergency scene operations.

The Brattleboro Fire Department asks all community members to avoid the area. Detours have been established via Cotton Mill Hill Road to ensure your safety and the safety of emergency crews.

Brattleboro Area Hospice: New Online Support Group for People Living with Serious Illness Starting in July 2024

by CenterforSolace | Health

Are you going through treatment? Feeling overwhelmed or scared? Talking with others may help.

The Serious Illness Program support groups provide a safe space for people to share personal experiences, feelings, coping strategies, and allow for shared learning. 

Free, facilitated, peer support group for people who live in Windham County and neighboring NH towns who are experiencing a life-altering illness with a focus on cancer, heart and organ diseases. 

Windham Southeast Supervisory Union School Board Meeting Minutes — June 12, 2024

by Not Signed In | Education

The agenda was amended to add discussion on a VSBA business voting member under new business, using the Personnel committee for summer hires, and ideas on how to better insure follow up on board matters.

There being no changes made to the Consent Agenda, the board approved the Consent Agenda (items listed below) as presented on a motion by Tim Maciel.

New Audio for Vermont African American Heritage Trail

by Not Signed In | History

Brattleboro, VT, 22 June 2024: New audio recordings created by multimedia artist Shanta Lee will enhance the visitor experience at selected sites on the Vermont African American Heritage Trail. These recordings resulted from a collaboration between the Brattleboro Words Trail and the Vermont African American Heritage Trail, will be shared on both sites, and can be viewed all together at: https://brattleboro.stqry.app/1/list/26097.

The recordings invite visitors to explore: the back stories of the Turner Family at Journey’s End in Grafton; the 54thRegiment sculpture of Black Civil War Soldiers in Rutland; Abijah and Lucy Terry Prince in Guilford; Black Civil War veterans buried in Woodstock; the Pullman Porters at Hildene, the Lincoln Family Home in Manchester; the archives of Daisy Turner at the Vermont Folklife Center in Middlebury; Alexander Twilight at the Old Stone House Museum in Brownington; and freedom seekers at the Rokeby Museum in Ferrisburgh.

Abe Noe-Hays on “Here We Are”

by Wendy O'Connell | Education

There’s magic in turning human waste into vital nutrients…and Abe Noe-Hays at Rich Earth Institute here in town tells us all about it. Tune in to hear how Abe and his team are changing the wastewater world through pee-cycling, and helping to bring health to our rivers and streams.

Healthcare Community Meetings

by RobertOeser | Health

Healthcare access and affordability affects every single Vermonter—regardless of your insurance. Join local community leaders, hospital leaders, legislators, state officials, and your neighbors at your local Healthcare Community Meeting to discuss the options your community has for supporting the future of healthcare in Vermont.

Hazardous Weather in the Forecast for June 23

by Not Signed In | Town News

The National Weather Service is forecasting strong storms during the afternoon of June 23, 2024, in southern Vermont. The storms may bring heavy rain, strong winds, hail, and atmospheric conditions that could lead to tornadoes. Please be prepared for the possibility of flash flooding, downed power lines, loss of power, and road closures.

Nothing to Sneeze At

by AnneODyne | Activism

Remember when separation of church and state was a thing?  The original ‘build a wall’. Of course none of us were around when the deist founders wisely inserted that anti-persecutional notion into our country’s foundational documents. For two hundred and fifty years, the concept of a secular society in lieu of a religious one has been the official guiding principle of civic order.

But a tug of war, and erosion of this boundary has always been underway. ‘In God We Trust’ printed on money and statehouses…  Prayer and benediction at inaugurations, and openings and closings of Congressional sessions…Tax free churches…And now in Louisiana, an official declaration that the ten commandments must be printed and displayed in every classroom.