I Want A Snow Day

Remember way back when we used to have snow? Wasn’t that a fun time?

I’d really appreciate a good, old-fashioned snow day sometime soon. One of those days when we get a foot or more of (not heavy and wet) snow and everything has to close down. Everyone gets a day off, schools close, and  we hear the sound of plowing, shoveling and snow blowing.


Brattleboro Opioid Settlement – Executive Summary

Executive Summary

1. Settlement Approval Deadline: January 2, 2022
2. Recommendation: Approve Settlements
3. Total Funds to Vermont: Approximately $65 Million (assuming full participation)
4. Local Government Allocations: 15% of total Vermont share, to be allocated pursuant to Exhibit G to the Settlement Agreements.


BCTV Schedules – Week of December 27, 2021

BCTV Channel 1075 schedule for the week of 12/27/21

Monday, December 27, 2021

6:00 am Veterans Events – Wreaths Across America Comes to Brattleboro 12/13/21
7:34 am The News Project – Visiting a 98 Year Old Veteran
7:45 am BUHS-TV – BUHS-TV News 12/21/21
8:00 am Democracy Now! – Democracy Now! Daily Broadcast
9:00 am BCTV Open Studio – Project Feed the Thousands 2021


Postponed : Lecture on Critical Race Theory (CRT)

We’re having a problem.

The CRT lecture by Etan Nasreddin-Longo must be postponed (date TBA).  Professor Nasreddin is well.  Unfortunately, one BCS staff member is sick with COVID, and other residents at BCS headquarters are sick and in isolation.   Although we would be glad to see everyone, we have plenty of help from the community.  Please do not drop in unannounced. 


Brattleboro Planning Commission Agenda for January 3, 2022

The Brattleboro Planning Commission will meet at 6:00 pm on Monday, January 3, 2022 in the Hanna Cosman Room at the Brattleboro Municipal Center (230 Main Street) and on Zoom. The physical location for this meeting will be the Hanna Cosman Room at the Municipal Center, 230 Main Street, where everyone will be required to wear a face covering and maintain social distance. The public is strongly encouraged to attend this meeting using Zoom.


Masking Smartly Makes A Difference

Are people who are getting infected and re-infected with COVID using masks? Are they using masks correctly? When we hear about numbers of cases or individual cases there does not seem to be any reporting about mask use. This got me to wondering if people who use masks are using them to maximum benefit.

I have read a number of peer-reviewed medical journal articles and I also looked at data from the CDC and the EPA(Environmental Protection Agency) to determine the most effective masks and how they should be used.


COVID Christmas

I thought we could retire this one last year, but now it’s a becoming a regular holiday special. Here it is again, the COVID Christmas Anti-Viral Holiday Special…  stay safe everyone!


No USA Christmas Charity for Afghani Venezuelans Cubans Syrians Iranians North Koreans

This Christmas season, as always, CIA controlled mainstream media is filled with unctuous images of the hungry homeless in America being charitably served food by private citizens and institutions. It has long become an American tradition of kindness during the season celebrating the birth of all loving Jesus along with gift giving Santa Claus, and along with the encouragement and participation of churches, this tradition often receives government support .

The Christmas time Christian tradition of charitable feeding of the hungry homeless in capitalist USA never extends to include those millions of men, women and children made hungry by heartless US sanctions on countries overseas. The hard hearted Deep State investors in war of the Military Industrial Complex would never allow any of its captive US presidents to be gracious to the hungry in sanctioned nations at Christmas time.


Brattleboro Selectboard Special Meeting December 28, 2021- Possible Opioid Litigation Settlement

The Brattleboro Selectboard will hold a special meeting on Tuesday, December 28, 2021 at 6:15pm in the Second Floor Meeting Room at the Central Fire Station (103 Elliot Street) and over Zoom. Everyone will be required to wear a face covering and maintain social distance. The public is encouraged to participate in the meeting over Zoom. The Board will convene at 6:15pm and is expected to enter immediately into executive session. It is expected that the public portions of this meeting (before and after the executive session) will be very brief. However, as noted on the agenda, the Selectboard may take action upon adjourning the executive session and resuming the public session. The attached agenda contains information on how to access the meeting remotely, including the required “passcode.” 


Selectboard Meeting Notes – Peter Elwell’s Final Meeting, Mask Mandate Modified

peter elwell

It’s the final regular meeting of the Brattleboro Selectboard for 2021, (if any meeting this year could be called “regular.”)

The board reconsidered the mask mandate, reviewed FY’23 matters, looked at annual audit results, considered financial reports, and bought some trucks and equipment repairs. More interesting to me, though, was that this was the last “regular” meeting for outgoing Town Manager Peter Elwell. That’s kind of where my thoughts are tonight, more than on budgets and such.

And, for that reason, I don’t plan to transcribe everything word for word tonight. Instead some thoughts…and a bit of the meeting.


Harris Hill Lights, Fireworks, Night Jumping Planned

On Friday, February 18, an evening of FREE festivities will be held to kick off the weekend and honor the fans as Harris Hill Ski Jump and The Brattleboro Outing Club celebrate their 100th anniversaries. The evening, which will run from 6-8 pm under the new lights, will include ski jumping competition, local food and beverages and a fireworks display. The Harris Hill Ski Jump and Brattleboro Outing Club were founded by Fred Harris in 1922.


Royal Road Sidewalk Public Meeting

The Brattleboro Department of Public Works will hold a Public Meeting on January 5, 2022 at 5:30pm in the Selectboard Meeting Room and on Zoom to discuss a project that will connect the sidewalk between Royal Road and downtown.


BCTV Schedules – Week of December 20, 2021

BCTV Channel 1075 schedule for the week of 12/20/21

Monday, December 20, 2021

5:00 am North Branch Nature Center – Drawing on Birds – Comics, Science, and Sharing Nature
6:10 am Northgate TV – Guided Meditation – A Grateful Heart 12/1/21
6:25 am Stories by Tego – Catania, Sicily – Scenes from the Feast of St. Agatha
6:30 am Vermont Youth Orchestra – A Fantastique Return 2021
7:52 am BUHS-TV – BUHS-TV News 12/14/21
8:00 am Democracy Now! – Democracy Now! Daily Broadcast


The Campaign Season Has Begun

When Senator Patrick Leahy announced his retirement recently he set off a political chain of events that marked the start of the campaign season. Leahy served almost 50 years in the Senate and he proved to be one of Vermont’s best political assets.

Rep. Peter Welch has served Vermont in Washington since 2007. He is the heir apparent to Leahy’s seat. There will be contenders for the office but it is clear that Welch will be the frontrunner and the person most prepared to represent Vermont in the Senate.


National Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day Vigil

Dec. 21, the Winter Solstice, is National Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day. The Vermont Workers’ Center, in solidarity with the National Union of the Homeless, will be holding a vigil on the Brattleboro Common starting at 4 PM. This is one of a series of vigils being held across the country remembering those we’ve lost in the streets and in the struggle. There will be an opportunity to lift up individuals who participants wish to remember, and also for people to share experiences with homelessness or other ways the housing crisis has affected them and people they care about. We also welcome people to join in support of our community members who are struggling with homelessness and housing precarity.


Brattleboro Representative Town Meeting Steering Committee Meeting Agenda

• Proposals and possible motions
o Clarification with passed motion for funding lunch, with regard to committee position on BUHS fundraiser lunch. Request for clarity from the BUHS principal, from this committee.
o … to endorse continued support for BUHS in providing RTM lunch.
o …to amend this committee’s original 2021 proposal to include and welcome ex-officio members.
o …to end committee meetings for this RTM year and for members to use the time to execute the work that has been agreed.