My Prediction (West River Interstate Bridge)

by scrispe | Opinion

You heard it here from me first: my prediction as a citizen observer is that the West River interstate bridge will not be completed until August/September 2020.

That’s with every single last thing done: boths side, lines on the pavement, all construction equipment removed, landscaping done, everything. My prediction is that Labor Day weekend 2020 will be the grand opening completion celebration.

This isn’t a diss to the project, it’s just stating my prediction based on how long it has taken thus far and how far they realistically still have to go, that it won’t be done until Labor Day weekend 2020.

Does This Get the Selectmen’s Juices Flowing?

by DWard | Town Plan

How about the Townspeople of Bratt? 

Written by Michael Knight who advocates living in a Sharing Economy rather than a selfish economy. His facebook page can be found hither: https://www.facebook.com/michaelevknight?fref=nf

“By working TOGETHER and SHARING we can use a lot less vehicles which helps starve the money beast/system more/faster. We could have just 1 fifteen passenger van for every 45-60 people in a town. Members can take turns driving other members around town in the vans as part of their 10 – 20 hours a week for the community.

BCTV Schedules For The Week Of 5/23/2016

by BCTVProg | Media

BCTV channel 8 schedule for the week of 5/23/16

Monday, May 23, 2016

12:00 am Wabenaki Confederacy Conference

1:00 am Valley Homegrown: Rambling Kind

2:00 am First Wednesdays: Who Stole the American Dream

3:45 am Lit Fest 2015: Ann Beattie

4:30 am FOLA Follies: A Comedy Tonight

Look For The Little Non-GMO Label

by Lise | Food

I probably wouldn’t have noticed if there hadn’t been two of them, but there I was fixing dinner, two cans of food (Tuttorosso tomatoes and Pearls black olives) before me on the counter.  Both sported a little green label that I couldn’t read without my glasses but on which were printed the following words: “Non-GMO Project Verfied.”  What’s this?  A GMO label?  I thought we weren’t allowed to have those.  But no, it’s apparently fine to label your food products as long as it’s not mandatory to do so.

Pride Goeth Before the Fall

by Vidda | Op/Ed

The issue of inclusion has long been a concern of lesbian and gays. Following the gay riots in 1969 it was gay pride that was the focus of the movement. The Gay Liberation Front was the militant group of activist who helped to establish gay rights.In those days many gay people did not believe in bisexuals and oftentimes, like straight people, they denied there was such a thing. Gay pride was born of and lives in a dichotomous, black and white world where gays and straights are the axis of powers.

The struggle for gay rights extended through the Seventies and Eighties. Subsequently, it was gay people who took it upon themselves to add bisexuals to the initialism to create LGBT, in good part because it helped to buff up their numbers. The success of social movements regularly depend on how many thousands or millions they can put into the streets or add to their mailing lists to demonstrate widespread support.

Weekend Creativity Series – Cake Decorating

by cgrotke | Creative

Want to turn an ordinary cake into something a bit more fancy? You must learn to use a piping bag and cake decorating tips! It’s scary and weird the first few times, but you’ll get more comfortable with practice and soon you’ll be able to make any cake look a bit more finished.

Wilton is the company that makes and sells most cake decorating supplies, and they supplied this introductory video. To do some decorating, you’ll need something to hold the frosting (a bag), a variety of tips, a coupler to attach your tips to your bag, and then some practice.

Brattleboro Committee Vacancies

by Not Signed In | Town News

The Town of Brattleboro is looking for citizens to serve on the following committees and boards:

Agricultural Advisory Board
ADA Committee
Arts Committee
Brattleboro Housing Partnerships
Cemetery Committee
Citizen Police Communications Committee (CPCC)

The Brattleboro Historical Society Presents: This Week in Brattleboro History Podcast – Fats Waller & Estey Organs

by reginaldwam3 | History

Fats Waller slams it down with Attila Zoller and other jazz luminaries on his Estey organ, from Brattleboro!

In 1927 famous jazz musician and composer Fats Waller recorded the first organ jazz records using a modified Estey Pipe Organ from Brattleboro. This is the story of Fats Waller, the Estey Organ and Brattleboro…

New Work by Donald Saaf at Mitchell – Giddings Fine Arts

by Mitchell • Giddings FIne Arts | Arts

Mitchell • Giddings Fine Arts is pleased to introduce recent paintings by Donald Saaf with an artist reception and exhibition opening Thursday, June 2, 5-7 pm. The exhibit continues through July 10, with an Artist Talk scheduled for Saturday, June 18 at 7 pm.

 

Donald Saaf’s unique oil paintings provide a personal glimpse into regional landscape and community. His peopled rustic scenes are crafted with attention to overall surface pattern and texture; he utilizes collaged fabric, distorted perspective and highly stylized figures to create  rich, quilt-like surfaces alive with activity. Saaf suggests trying to “…see the pictures simultaneously both for their ‘story’ and as pure abstraction… hinting perhaps at the passage of time or suggestion that reality is more pliable than we usually think.”

Lisa McCormick to Host Easy Acoustic Music Ensemble Class for Women

by Not Signed In | Music

Singer/songwriter and guitar instructor Lisa McCormick is offering a brand new Women’s Easy Acoustic Music Ensemble Class, beginning June 7, in Brattleboro.

The class invites women to experience playing acoustic Folk and Boomer classic songs together, in a fun easygoing group ensemble.

A world-renowned guitar instructor, McCormick specializes in teaching adult beginners through intermediate level students.

Women with basic functional skills on an acoustic instrument are encouraged to join. Instruments may include guitar, ukulele, banjo, mandolin, fiddle, bass, keyboards, and others. Singing is optional, and encouraged.

Overheard On The BBC

by tomaidh | Media

While discussing some recent unrest in Eastern Europe, the commentator on BBC’s “Newshour” (VT Public Radio) stated: ”we must bring peace even if we do it by force”

Huh?

Savings Bank of Walpole Concerts on the Green

by Not Signed In | Music

Keene, NH — Savings Bank of Walpole (SBW) is pleased to announce the dates and bands scheduled to perform at the annual “Concerts on the Green” summer concert series held on the town green in Walpole, New Hampshire.

The nine-concert series will kick off on Sunday, June 26 with a performance by The Springfield, VT Community Band and conclude with two concerts on August 14th featuring the Hope Haitian Choir (who are being sponsored by the First Congregational Church of Walpole) and The Jazz Express. All of the performances will take place on Sunday nights from 6:30-8:00 PM except for August 14th when the first show starts at 4:00 and runs until 5:30 PM followed by the second show which will begin at 6:30 PM. The concerts will be held rain or shine.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Put $7.8 Million On The Card, Please

by cgrotke | Town News

At their regular meeting on Tuesday, the Brattleboro Selectboard approved of new plans for the West Brattleboro fire station as well as $7.8 million in financing from a bond bank for completing all three facility projects.

Enterprise budgets and selectboard goals were approved, the board held a discussion of public and private roads, the contract with Rescue Inc. has been renewed, new liquor fees were adopted, and Whetstone Brook is getting a close look to inspire discussions of redevelopment and flood protection.

Antje Duvekot and The Stockwell Brothers Band at Main Street Arts on Saturday, May 21

by Not Signed In | Music

Main Street Arts presents a contemporary folk and bluegrass twin bill featuring Antje Duvekot and The Stockwell Brothers Band at Main Street Arts on Saturday, May 21 at 7:30 pm..

Antje Duvekot is a German-born, American-raised singer/songwriter whose songs have been critically praised for their hard-won wisdom, dark-eyed realism and street-smart romanticism. Her bicultural upbringing and relative newness to English have helped shape her unique way with a song, giving her a startlingly original poetic palette. They are the keys to the powerful, even revolutionary, empathy that informs everything she writes. She has won some of the top songwriting awards including the Grand Prize in the John Lennon Songwriting Competition, the Kerrville Folk Festival Best New Folk Award and the Boston Music Award for Outstanding Folk Act.

Advance Tickets Now Available for Guilford Plays

by DonInGuilford | Arts

General Admission tickets are now available for the Guilford Center Stage premiere of two one-act plays by Guilford author Michael Nethercott.  Nocturne Titanica is a unique take on the sinking of the Titanic. The Lace Jury is based on the first American all-women jury of the 20th century.  Interestingly, the historic events on which the plays are based happened within 6 months of each other in 1911 and 1912.

There will be three performances: Friday and Saturday, June 3 and 4 at 7:30 pm, and a matinee on Sunday, June 5 at 2 pm.