Be Informed with BCTV’s “Meet the Candidates 2020”

by cohnpr | Politics

Vermont citizens can stay informed about the upcoming local and statewide races in Vermont with Brattleboro Community TV’s half-hour interview program “Meet the Candidates 2020”. So far, host Marty Cohn has interviewed Rep. Peter Welch, Christopher Helali, Peter Becker, Lt. Governor David Zuckerman, Emily Peyton, Erynn Hazlett Whitney, Molly Gray, Ralph Corbo, Pamala Smith, Sen. Jeanette White, Rep. Emilie Kornheiser, Richard Morton, and Michelle Bos-Lun. Scheduled for the next two weeks: Auditor Doug Hoffer, Sen. Becca Balint, Marcus Parish, John Lyddy, Rep. Laura Sibilia, Rep. Mollie Burke, and Rep. Mike Mrowicki.

The Other Pandemic

by RDavis | Activism

When people in power continually lie and rule with bluster and bullying instead of with intelligence and compassion we all suffer. If these kinds of bad apples are in our neighborhood or in the sphere of our daily life we can try to keep away from such a toxic individuals. We know that keeping away from them is the best thing we can do to preserve our mental health.

But when that person is the President of the United States it is nearly impossible not to be affected by the toxic atmosphere that is constantly being created. It seems that when such high level power brokers do so many bad things they create a juggernaut of a unique kind of disease that feeds on itself and that grows in intensity. Their behavior feeds a beast of never-ending chaos.

A new kind of political epidemic is poisoning the entire world. The coronavirus is a physical threat and this new political virus is quickly harming the mental health of people all around the world. Trump is not the only bad player who is spreading this virus, but he has given greater legitimacy to other world leaders who are trying to solidify their power bases by building a world of lies with their own version of bluster and bullying.

What Does The US Flag Stand For?

by spoon | Philosophy

What does the US flag stand for? As far as all of the values of democracy and rights values are concerned we could more be flying a Swedish or French or any number of sovereign flags that would be better representative. Values these days seem to be changing every day and becoming more and more difficult to name and provide evidence. At this point, with our very uncertain future unfolding before us, the US flag may only be representing a certain defined physical territory that our government believes it is legitimately allowed to control and defend. Our fifty states and our several colonies. (The mere fact that we still have colonies, Puerto Rico being the major, immediately throws our supposed values into question). I believe that our real values are reflected in the way we live. We may have a good selection of moral values on paper but they only apply to those who have the money or other means to access them. It was set up this way from the very beginning (using our constitutional convention in 1788 as the beginning) when access to rights, security, comfort was tied to citizenship and private property of which wealth alone is a major part. From day one money and power swamped democracy.

Landlords Need to Share the Risk That Tenants Bear

by b.willis | Politics

Over the past few weeks, we have seen many landlords taking a stance against the Tenants Union of Brattleboro’s (TUB) recent proposal to limit tenant move-in costs to a maximum of two month’s rent (first month plus security deposit). In a housing shortage that’s only getting worse and an environment where over half of Vermonters are rent burdened, this is an important and simple step toward making housing accessible and affordable for all people in Brattleboro. 

Yet, we continually hear confusion from landlords about why we can’t just get along and why they are perceived as “mustache twirling villains”.

Donald Trump’s October Surprise

by Lise | Politics, Spiritual

Donald Trump, the President of the United States, has Covid-19. That this happened on a full moon was weird, almost spooky and very Octoberish.

I noticed no other omens however.  Last night, we watched Stella Dallas on tv and then checked news wherein we saw that Trump was on a short list to have Covid-19.  In one of those “this changes everything” ways, that news instantly blew up all conventional thinking about everything.  Not that it was unexpectable — but definitely unexpected.  We were expecting him to try to keep the White House by force, not catch Covid and potentially die.  Like I said, Octoberish.

Brattleboro Selecboard Meeting Agenda and Notes – October 6, 2020

by cgrotke | Town News

Brattleboro’s budget season kicks off with the board reviewing the Town’s Long Term Financial Plan, and scheduling meetings about the FY22 budget.

The Tenant’s Union proposal will be revisited. Other items include a new fire truck, the taking of some land for the Hinsdale Bridge project, waterproofing at the parking garage, an interim finance director decision, a reduction of rent for The Reformer, finances, and more. You can bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.

Helpful Information for the November 3 General Election and Absentee Voting in Brattleboro

by Not Signed In | Politics

Good morning,

Below is information that might be helpful to know for the November 3rd General Election.

Due to the pandemic, there is no in-person early voting in Brattleboro. However, all active registered voters were automatically mailed a ballot. Please make sure to follow the instructions included with your ballot, including SIGNING THE CERTIFICATE ENVELOPE and making sure your ballot is INSIDE that envelope. Please use a BLACK PEN OR PENCIL to mark your ballot. DO NOT USE A MARKER as it can bleed through to the back of your ballot and require you to need a replaced ballot. If you have not received your ballot, or if you have any questions about your ballot, please call the Town Clerk’s office at 251-8157.

October 21, 2020 Brattleboro Development Review Board Agenda

by bbannon@brattleboro.org | Town Plan

AGENDA

Call to Order
Review and Approve Minutes of previous meeting.
Review of Cases/Public.
2020-70                 Pass Trading, LLC; Mixed Use Neighborhood District; request for Sign Approval to replace wall signs with conforming externally lit sign with new business name adopted by new property/business owner and a Variance to replace a  price panel on a freestanding sign that is non-conforming for area, height, and lighting in contradiction to Section 319.L of the Regulations at 228 Canal Street; Tax Map Parcel 325401.000

Brattleboro Fall Leaf Collection Schedule 2020

by Not Signed In | Home & Garden

FALL  LEAF  COLLECTION  SCHEDULE

The following dates have been scheduled for Brattleboro’s curbside Fall Leaf Collection. All locations will be picked up each Friday:

Leaf Pick Up Date

ALL RESIDENTSFriday, October 23, 2020

ALL RESIDENTSFriday, November 6, 2020

Brattleboro Fall Paving Update

by Not Signed In | Town Plan

NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC

Starting Monday, October 5th, All States Asphalt (a contractor of the town) will begin the Contract #1 portion of our annual capital paving project. Weather permitting, the following schedule is anticipated:

Monday, October 5

New England Dr. – Access may be limited during paving operations. Paving operations may take several hours.

Brattleboro and Vermont COVID-19 Dashboard Numbers – October 2020

by cgrotke | Health

It’s October now. Here is the continuation of daily COVID-19 dashboard numbers from the Vermont Department of Health, Brattleboro Memorial Hospital, and MA and NH counties that surround Brattleboro.

You can find the September numbers here, August numbers here,  July numbers here, the June numbers here, the May dashboard reporting here, and the April numbers here.

A Trump Coup?

by David Van Deusen | Politics

Two nights ago, at the first 2020 U.S. Presidential debate, Americans of all political leanings should be alarmed and sickened by the spectacle that was Donald Trump. Trump, when asked point blank if he condemns white supremacists, refused; instead he told an armed neo-fascist organization to “stand-by.” He further verbalized a series of lies seeking to undermine confidence in the U.S. election system. Together these assertions give strong inclination that Trump expects to lose the popular vote & the electoral college, to be defeated by Joe Biden, and yet to position himself in a way that will allow him a public argument as to why he must remain in power. Never in modern U.S. history has such an extreme rightwing Presidential candidate come so close as to telegraph a coup.

Democratic candidate Joe Biden, for his part called for massive re-investment in America’s infrastructure, building out our renewable energy production, for the creation of millions of new prevailing wage jobs, and for a collective effort to find redress to systemic racism. Biden, who is endorsed by the National AFL-CIO, presently leads Trump in national polls by 6.4%.

Landlords & the Vermont Housing Crisis: A Response from TUB to Brandie Starr’s “Be Part of the Movement Towards a Sustainable Brattleboro”

by efrancese | Op/Ed

Brandie Starr of the Brattleboro selectboard recently wrote an article titled, “Be part of the movement towards a sustainable Brattleboro” in which she directly addresses community members and, more specifically, landlords. The article is in reaction to and support of a, now notorious, proposal written by the Tenants’ Union of Brattleboro (TUB) which limits security deposits to an amount of one month’s rent or less.

Since the proposal was added to the last selectboard meeting agenda and since Starr has voiced her support, there have been rumblings of discontent from the landlord community. From voices of opposition at the selectboard meetings, to local landlord Deedee Jones’s rebuttal piece, to emails sent directly to the tenant’s union.

I am a member of TUB and a tenant who has rented four apartments in Brattleboro. On behalf of myself and the tenant’s union, I would like to elaborate on Starr’s points and examine the conditions that make a proposal like this reasonable, necessary and, quite honestly, not very radical. I would also like to address some of the voiced and rumored concerns from our local landlords.

BCTV Schedules – Week of September 28, 2020

by BCTVProg | Media

BCTV Channel 8 / 1075 schedule for the week of 9/28/20

Monday, September 28, 2020

4:00 am Keeping Up with Senior Solutions – Episode 10 – Pati Kimball
4:33 am Spotlight – Okemo Resort’s Upcoming Season
5:00 am Meet the Candidates – Cris Ericson, Candidate for State Auditor (PROG) 9/2/20
5:20 am Meet the Candidates – Cris Ericson, Candidate for Attorney General (PROG) 8/23/20
5:51 am Poems to Live By – OnLiving by Nazim Hikmet
6:00 am Meet the Candidates – Emily Peyton, Candidate for Governor (Truth Matters)
6:30 am Meet the Candidates – Pamala Smith, Candidate for Secretary of State (I)

England’s Trump

by tomaidh | Other

The English have their own Trump

His name is Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (AKA Boris or BOJO).

He’s a former journalist who has served as Prime Minister of the UK and Leader of the Conservative Party since 2019.