Vermont Jazz Center Presents: Nicholas Payton + Cyrille Aimée Duo

 The Vermont Jazz Center welcomes Grammy-winning trumpeter Nicholas Payton and vocalist Cyrille Aimée to the stage in a duo performance on Saturday, October 12th. Payton will perform on trumpet, acoustic bass, piano and Fender Rhodes; Aimée will sing and, at times, use a looping device to layer her vocals. Individually Payton and Aimée are two of the most creative musicians on the scene today, but as a duo their collaboration synergistically expands the perimeters of improvisational music. They spontaneously interact or push each other, sometimes delving into material from the American Songbook, other times exploring new sonic textures or hypnotic grooves.


Stents, and Bernie

About a dozen years ago, I was having heart problems. I couldn’t walk more than a block without needing to stop and catch my breath.

The docs said I had a blocked coronary artery (just like Bernie) and recommended a stent.

I went over to Keene to get it done.


Why I Endorse the F-35 (Fubar-35) Sort Of..

“The only purpose of war is make the rich richer and the poor poorer.” Major General S. Butler USMC

There is a big NIMBY (Not In My Backyard) brouhaha about the F-35 being stationed in Burlington, Vermont. The plane has certainly lived up to its appellation as Fubar-35 (finagled up beyond all rationality) and the environmental pollution and deafening noise are certainly factors to consider. Lockheed Martin and the Pentagon know the plane is a disaster; nevertheless, it’s a bonanza for the Military Industrial Mafia who profit from it: Pratt Whitney, Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin and hundreds of military suppliers. Contrary to reason and rationality, bring this noisy mechanical economic failure here to our Green Mountain State!


Goldilocks Galaxy

Monday, November 4, 2013 was Islamic New Year. It was also the day the journal “Proceedings of the National Academy of Science” published the results of calculations based on sun-like stars in our galaxy.

The estimate of the number of planets similar in size and temperature to Earth (what astronomers have dubbed the ‘Goldilocks Zone’ – not too hot, not too cold, but just right for life to evolve) was 8.8 Billion!


Got Toxics?

Windham Solid Waste Management District (WSWMD) is hosting two household hazardous waste events on Saturday, October 19, from 8 am until noon. One event is being held at the WSWMD Transfer Station, 327 Old Ferry Road, Brattleboro; the other event is at the Stratton Transfer Station, 9 W. Jamaica Road, Stratton.


The Akwaaba Ensemble and U-Meleni Mhlaba-Adebo at Next Stage on Friday, October 4

Next Stage Arts Project presents The Akwaaba Ensemble, traditional African drumming and dance, at Next Stage on Friday, October 4 at 7:30 pm.  Opening for Akwaaba Ensemble will be award-winning performance artist, singer, musician and author U-Meleni Mhlaba-Adebo. Tickets are $20 advance available online, at the Putney General Store and at Turn It Up! in Brattleboro, and $24 at the door. Next Stage is located at 15 Kimball Hill, Putney, VT, and features a recently-renovated state of the art performance space with a great dance floor, sound system, and beer and wine cash bar.


Brattleboro Representative Town Meeting Human Services Review Committee Accepting Applications

 The Brattleboro Representative Town Meeting Human Services Review Committee is accepting applications for FY21 Human Services Funding. The Application, as well as Instructions and Guidelines, are posted on the Brattleboro Town website – www.brattleboro.org. The deadline to submit applications to the Brattleboro Town Manager’s Office is Monday, November 4, 2019, at 12:00noon. 


A Tale of Two Cities

The southeast corner of Vermont, that includes Brattleboro and Windham County, is a unique place. There is an abundance of people whose sense of fair play compels them to put their money where their mouth is when it comes to commitment to social, political and economic issues.

Although there are what some might consider too many non-profit organizations, local people are generous and give time and money freely when they see a need. Windham County has a reputation of being a very liberal area and that has most people characterizing it as a harbor for activists who consider themselves far to the left on the political spectrum.


Selectboard Meeting Notes – Broadband, A Tale of Five Cities

Brattleboro Selectboard oct 1 2019

The Brattleboro Selectboard learned the tales of five nearby municipal broadband projects and expressed varying levels of support for something local, along with many questions. Some answers will come at their next meeting.

The Work Today program is being delayed until spring 2020, the parking garage will get a new elevator cab, the DPW will get their generator, and the Town hopes to get some volunteers for committees.


New Historic Marker Unveiling to Celebrate Acclaimed Local Author Mary E. Wilkins Freeman Kicks Off the 2019 Brattleboro Literary Festival Events

On Thursday, October 17th, at 11 a.m., the West Brattleboro Association, in conjunction with the Brattleboro Words Project and Brattleboro Literary Festival, are unveiling a Historic Marker commemorating four historic schools that stood near the current site of today’s Academy School, and acclaimed local author Mary E. Wilkins Freeman.

Mary E. Wilkins Freeman was repeatedly voted the most popular female author during the 19th century. Best known for her short stories, she published over 250 in her lifetime. Freeman spent a significant part of her life in Brattleboro, and credited Brattleboro for its influence on her writing and success. During her time here, Mary attended the Glenwood Ladies Seminary, one of the four schools being commemorated with the historic marker.


Breakfast at the Brattleboro VFW Saturday Oct. 5th – Public Welcome

The VFW will be having a breakfast Saturday Oct. 5th from 8 am – 10:30 am. This is not a buffet, but you may choose to purchase eggs made to order, sausage, bacon, tater tots, toast, homemade sausage gravy over biscuits, and pancakes or French toast with real maple syrup. This will be on the canteen side, not the hall side.


BCTV Schedules – Week of 9/30/19

BCTV Channel 8 schedule for the week of 9/30/19

Monday, September 30, 2019

4:00 am Osher Lifelong Learning Institute – White People and Racial Justice
5:00 am Education and Enrichment for Everyone – The US Supreme Court in a Time of Political Chaos
6:05 am New England Cooks – Chef Todd Cassell
7:00 am The Drawing Studio – Color Mixing Part 4


Amazing Animal Balloons

A Japanese artist creates amazing animal sculptures out of balloons.

Masayoshi Matsumoto, 29, has created a wide range of intricate figures from the animal kingdom, including a monkey, an ostrich, a parrot, an octopus, a hermit crab, a deer, an ant and a buffalo.


Autumn Crickets — Singing Their Way Back Home

Mr Cricket In Cup

At first, I thought our cat was bringing them in.  There seemed to be a cricket in every corner — crickets behind the bookcase, crickets in the sink, crickets behind the refrigerator, all chirping away.  As fast as we could catch them and put them back outside, more would arrive.  One cricket even had the temerity to hop back in the moment his feet hit the welcome mat on the other side of the door.  What was up with the crickets?


Two Wrongs and a Right

Do two wrongs ever make a right?

Hunter Biden got a nice job paying $50,000 a month because of his encyclopedic knowledge of the Gas Industry. Nothing wrong with that!

Joe Biden threatened the Ukraine in order to protect his son. Just a father doing his duty. Right?

And Donald Trump threatened the Ukraine if they fail to expose the Bidens. Just a concerned citizen doing his duty. Right?