Blues & BBQ with Danny Brooks and Li’l Miss Debi plus Sunny Lowdown at Next Stage on Saturday, September 21

by stobro | Music

Next Stage Arts Project presents Blues & BBQ with Texassippi Soul Man Danny Brooks and Li’l Miss Debi and Blues Blast Music Award nominee Sunny Lowdown at the Next Stage Café, on Saturday, September 21. BBQ by Top of the Hill Grill will be for sale starting at 6 pm, with music starting at 7 pm. Admission is $10 in advance available online at nextstagearts.org or at the door. Next Stage offers a beer and wine cash bar, and there will be a dance floor.  Next Stage is located at 15 Kimball Hill, Putney, VT. For more information, visitinfo@nextstagearts.org.

Sept. 29: The Classical Guitar’s the Star!

by fomag | Music

West Brattleboro, Vt. — As a musical treat for local residents and foliage visitors alike, Friends of Music at Guilford (FOMAG) is presenting “A Celebration of the Classical Guitar” at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 29, at All Souls UU Church in West Brattleboro. Featured performers include David William Ross and the Procter/Hale duo of Steve Procter, guitar, and Alison Hale, flute.

Vocalist Jessica Gelter introduced FOMAG to Keene-based guitarist Ross in February 2018, when he was a member of the instrumental trio for her performance of David Lang’s “Death Speaks,” the centerpiece of FOMAG’s musicale “The Last Dance.” Soon afterward, Ross queried whether FOMAG would host a solo guitar concert connected with his next recording project. This expanded celebration of the guitar evolved from that proposal.

Fix Or Tear Down The Parking Garage

by scrispe | Op/Ed, Opinion

Hopefully more and more people will join the growing movement to have Brattleboro either step up or tear down the parking garage. A huge number of people no longer park there because The Town of Brattleboro has abdicated its basic duty to taxpayers and citizens to upkeep the garage. Let’s go through some basic undisputed facts about the current state of the garage:

Trash and stains punctuate the parking garage. Parking Enforcement told me there used to be a full time caretaker of the garage and now that person was cut to only 4 hours. Everyone feels this is unacceptable; there needs to be a full-time caretaker.

Brattleboro Committee Meeting Warnings

by Not Signed In | Town News

The Brattleboro Representative Town Meeting Human Services Review Committee will meet on Monday, September 23, 2019, at 1:00pm, in the Selectboard Meeting Room at the Municipal Center.

The Brattleboro Representative Town Meeting Finance Committee will meet on Monday, September 23, 2019, at 5:00pm, in the Mezzanine Meeting Room at the Brooks Memorial Library.

The Brattleboro Citizens Police Communications Committee (CPCC) will meet on Monday, September 23, 2019, at 5:30pm, in the Community Meeting Room at the Brooks Memorial Library.

Some Thoughts On Climate Strike Day

by cgrotke | Nature

Today there is a world Climate Strike. It is amazing, and amazing that it took this long.

As kids almost 50 years ago, we were already concerned about the environment. Earth Day got started, we read Ranger Rick and National Geographic World, and we knew that littering made an old Native American by the side of the road cry. We knew about animals going extinct from hunting and pollution. We used to plant trees on Arbor Day each June. We read the Lorax.

Disability Justice Advocate Lydia X.Z. Brown Speaks at Landmark College, October 1

by landmarkcollege | Activism

The Fall 2019 Landmark College Academic Speaker Series opens with disability justice advocate Lydia X.Z. Brown on Tuesday, October 1 at 7 p.m. in the Brooks M. O’Brien Auditorium, located in the East Academic Building.

The talk, entitled “Cripping Intersectionality: Neurodiversity and Disability Justice” will focus on how disabled people’s cultural work, community building, and leadership offer necessary interventions for liberation work everywhere, from the streets to the ivory tower, grounded in intersectional theory and practice.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Climate Still Not An Emergency

by cgrotke | Town News
Brattleboro Selectboard meeting

The Brattleboro Selectboard decided once again that there is no climate emergency worth declaring. The proposed declaration was “a mess” and existing efforts were deemed ample.

The board had their expectations managed about possibilities of self governing anytime soon, budget season is lurking, and the possibility of a bike lane on Western Ave will be further investigated.

Brattleboro Water Main Flushing Schedule Fall 2019

by Not Signed In | Town Plan

Utilities Division crews will start Fall Flushing of the Town water mains on Thursday, September 26, 2019 at 10:00 p.m. and continue through Saturday, October 12, 2019

NOTE: Some daytime flushing will continue throughout the weeks of October 15th and 21st

Customers are asked to check the flushing schedule closely as flushing causes water discoloration, low water pressure and in some areas, intervals of no water.

Brattleboro Paving Schedule

by Not Signed In | Town Plan

Starting Tuesday, September 17, Northeast Paving (a contractor of the Town) will begin the paving portion of our annual capital paving project. Weather permitting, the following schedule is anticipated:

Tuesday, September 17
Old Guilford Road – One-way alternating traffic. Expect traffic disturbances.

VT AFL-CIO Turns Left: Van Deusen Elected President, Adie Vice President

by Not Signed In | Activism

South Burlington, VT— This weekend, in its largest convention in two decades, the Vermont AFL-CIO elected a progressive reform leadership for its approximately 10,000 members statewide. The fourteen newly elected members of the slate aim to revitalize Vermont’s labor movement through organizing new unions, promoting activism among rank-and-file workers, and championing a Green New Deal to combat environmental crisis and economic inequality.

Said Liz Medina of UAW Local 2322 and new District Vice President for Washington/Orange Counties, “I am excited to be part of a rank-and-file slate that has a bold vision for the future of the labor movement.”
Asserting that they are not afraid of strikes, the newly elected members to the AFL-CIO state leadership pledge not to support political candidates in Montpelier who do not fight for union and social-justice interests.

Brattleboro Conservation Commission hosts Source to Sea Cleanup in the West River Park on September 24

by Not Signed In | Nature

Join the Brattleboro Conservation Commission on Tuesday, September 24 from 4:30 – 6:00 p.m. to clean up trash along the West River as part of the annual Source to Sea Cleanup of the Connecticut River system. Volunteers of all ages are welcome and should meet in the West River Park at the entrance of the trail to down to the West River.

What’s Popping Up in Downtown Brattleboro?

by Not Signed In | Town Plan

Brattleboro’s Better Block Challenge will be held this weekend (September 20-22). Debuting on Friday night and running through Sunday, residents and visitors to downtown can check out temporary installations that are designed to transform spaces in downtown into active, vibrant and safer public spaces.

Better Block activities will take place on Friday from 5 to 8, Saturday 9 to 3, and Sunday, 10 to 2. Stop by the orientation booth in the Latchis Gallery at 50 Main Street as you visit the three pop-up Better Block projects installed around downtown.

Putney’s New Jetport for the Elite

by cgrotke | Putney
putney planes ad

Don’t you just love ‘personalized’ ads? I came across this one today and it made me laugh. It’s for reduced-price private personal planes in [location] and that location is Putney, VT.

Just look at the gorgeous plane parked in [Putney]. It certainly looks like [Putney] to all of us who live around here, right?

VFW $6.50 Lunch Specials Open to the Public 9-16 to 9-20

by Not Signed In | Food

The Brattleboro VFW located at 40 Black Mountain Road is open to the public for lunch. Lunch is served Mon-Fri from 11:30 – 1:30. Specials listed below are only $6.50 a plate. Hand made burger, fries, sweet potato fries, wings, onion rings, soups and sandwiches are also available. Take outs available by calling 257-0438

Mon – liver & onions, mashed potato, gravy & veg

Vermont Jazz Septet On Stage at Main Street Arts

by Not Signed In | Entertainment

SAXTONS RIVER, Vt. – The Vermont Jazz Center Sextet makes a return visit to Main Street Arts in a performance Friday, Sept. 27 at 7:30 p.m. featuring the music of some of the greats of jazz.

Works by Duke Ellington, Miles Davis and Art Blakey, mixed in with some original music and arrangements written by members of the ensemble, promise an up tempo experience for lovers of jazz.

Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – September 17, 2019

by cgrotke | Town News

The postponed Declaration of Climate Emergency will once again be on the agenda for the Brattleboro Selectboard, but the bigger focus for the board will be town finances. There will be a review of the Long Term Financial Plan, scheduling of FY20 budget meetings, yearly and monthly financial reports, and more.

Municipal self-governance, third class liquor licenses, renewable energy projects,  grants, and committee appointments will round things out. You can bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.

Naomi Shelton & The Gospel Queens at Next Stage on Saturday, September 14

by stobro | Music

Next Stage Arts Project is thrilled to present Naomi Shelton & The Gospel Queens on Saturday, September 14 at 7:30 pm, returning to Next Stage after rocking the house for sold out crowds at their two previous appearances.

Naomi Shelton & the Gospel Queens are an American gospel and soul music group led by front woman Naomi Shelton. The group was formed in 1999. They have released two albums with Daptone Records, What Have You Done, My Brother? (2009) and Cold World (2014).