Eliminate The 1-10 Pain Scale

by RDavis | Health

Anyone experiencing pain who has had contact with the health care system has had one of the most meaningless and offensive questions posed to them. “On a scale of one to ten, ten being the worst pain you have ever had, what is your pain now?” Nurses are often the ones asking the question. Asking that question makes life simple for nurses, but it is not fair to patients to ask them to characterize their pain that way.

In the 1990’s health care professionals started to pay more attention to pain. I was working as a nurse then and accepted the 1-10 scale as gospel, as did most nurses. But I was never entirely comfortable with this rating system and I always tried to ask more questions of people experiencing pain.

Be Prepared to Vote!

by RobertOeser | Politics

*Elections*

Town Meeting Day and Windham Southeast School District elections are coming up on
Tuesday, March 2, 2021.

Your vote is your voice! Use it!

Brattleboro Design Review Committee Meeting: February 2, 2021 at 1:00 p.m.

by planning | Town Plan

1. Call to Order

2. Review and Approve Minutes of previous meeting.

3. Review of Development Proposals

a. 47 Flat Street LLC; Urban Center District, Downtown Historic District; Request for exterior modifications which include an addition to the north side of the building along with a fifth story and new entrance on the east side of a contributing building at 47 Flat Street; Tax Map Parcel #275462.000

Selectboard Candidate Questions Have Been Sent

by cgrotke | Politics

Questions for this year’s slate of Brattleboro selectboard candidates have been sent. We’ll publish the answers as we get ’em.

Reminder to those running for other offices – feel free to publish your own candidate statements and opinion pieces anytime. Voters are interested and looking for information.

Vermont Governor Scott Budget Address 2021

by cgrotke | State News

Vermont Governor Scott gave his budget address today. Here’s the full text of his remarks, following a bit of PR from his office

….:

“Montpelier, Vt. – Governor Phil Scott today delivered his fifth budget address to the General Assembly, presenting a balanced budget that, with the help of federal stimulus, includes $210 million in bold new investments to strengthen the economy, create more and better paying jobs, and address big priorities, like downtown revitalization, infrastructure, broadband and climate change. All without raising taxes or existing fees or cutting essential services.

The $6.83 billion budget lays the foundation for a strong economic recovery in all of Vermont’s 14 counties as we build back from the pandemic. This includes $123 million over two years in state capital construction, $680 million in roads, bridges, and other transportation projects, $1.99 billion in general fund spending and $1.89 billion for preK-12 education.

Democrats and Democracy After Trump

by Woody Bernhard | Politics

Nick Biddle PhD. will offer brief comments assessing the nature of the Trump presidency and its consequences. In light of those consequences, how might Democrats repair democracy’s damage as they face pandemic, economic turmoil, un-civil cultural war and raging climate crisis? Democratic leaders compare this moment to World War II. What bold steps will work to repair ourselves and our world? General discussion will follow.
Please join the conversation.
Nick has lived in Brattleboro since 2013. He is a retired professor of Latin American History.

Brattleboro 75 and Up – Get Your Vaccinations

by cgrotke | Health

Vermont’s vaccination enrollment program is open for people 75 and older. It is a statewide, centralized registry system. No need to call your hospital or doctor’s office. 

They would prefer you to register online, but there is a phone number: 855-722-7878

Hours for the phone center are: Monday-Friday, 8:15 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

A few things to know:

BCTV Schedules – Week of January 25, 2021

by BCTVProg | Media

BCTV Channel 8 / 1075 schedule for the week of 1/25/21

Monday, January 25, 2021

5:00 am At BMAC – What is Mail Art?
5:15 am Hooker Dunham Presents – SOLOs Episode 3
6:00 am Get Thee to the Funnery – Qualities of “Mercy?”
7:10 am Middlebury College Faculty at Home Series – Sleuthing From Home 10/19/20
8:00 am Democracy Now! – Democracy Now! Daily Broadcast

Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – January 26, 2021

by cgrotke | Town News

At their next meeting, the Brattleboro Selectboard will wrap up their budget season by approving the final FY22 budget and sending it with warned articles to Representative Town Meeting representatives. They’ll also accept a COVID grant and make committee appointments. It could be their shortest meeting in quite some time. You can extend it by  bringing up other items not on the agenda during public participation.

Brattleboro – Notice of Availability of Auditor’s Report 

by Not Signed In | Town News

NOTICE is hereby given that the Brattleboro Town Auditor’s Report for fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, is available and posted on the Town’s website (www.brattleboro.org). It is available upon request by contacting the Brattleboro Town Clerk’s Office, 230 Main Street, Brattleboro, VT 05301, or calling (802) 251-8157. It is also available by utilizing the curbside service at the Brooks Memorial Library. Please call (802) 254-5290 for information on this service. 

The National Nightmare Is Over – Trump’s Fascist Coup Defeated

by David Van Deusen | Politics

*Trump Vacates Whitehouse;
*Democratic Joe Biden Assumes Presidency;
*Threat of Fascist Violence Remains;
*The Left Must Now Advance a Progressive Agenda;
*Labor Must Continue To Defend Democracy!

Today, as the American voters directed, Democratic Joe Biden took the oath of office for United States President. Joe Biden was endorsed in the November election by the National AFL-CIO, received seven million more votes than Trump, won in key battleground States, and claimed an overwhelming victory in the Electoral College. Despite Trumps treasonous claims to the contrary, there were ZERO examples of significant voter fraud (or evidence of such) concerning the November election.

Kaaba

by tomaidh | Other

The Kaaba is an ancient structure In Mecca, Saudi Arabia, that is sacred to Moslems. On pilgrimage, people circumambulate it (walk around it) endlessly.

I am struck by the resemblance of the VT Yankee building to the Kaaba.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Safety Report Accepted, $12.5 Million for Water Treatment, Home Rule

by cgrotke | Town News
Brattleboro Selectboard jan 19 2021

The Brattleboro Selectboard accepted the report of the Community Safety Review Committee with a unanimous 5-0 vote and sent the document to Town staff. Staff will annotate and organize the recommendations for the board, evaluating the legality and logistics for each recommendation.

The board also heard about plans for a new water treatment plant at a new estimated cost of $12.5 million. They approved of a charter change amendment to be put to voters on March 2. And they recommend to Town meeting representatives that the police training budget remain at $27,000 rather than be increased to $40,000.

The Rosefire Writing Circle Offers Community and Support with Deborah Lee Luskin

by DLL | Creative
Deborah Lee Luskin

Beginning in January 2021, the Rosefire Writing Circle will meet virtually on Tuesdays from 5:30-7:30 in addition to Fridays from 1-3. Writers of any ability are welcome to join us. The writing circle allows writers to overcome the fear and loneliness of facing a blank page by providing the support of writing to the same prompt with others. This proven format creates a kind of writing magic from which everyone benefits. We write, we read, we have fun.