BENE Group Bringing rCredits Alternative Currency to Vermont

by tomaidh | Business

The Vermont BENE Group (Better Economics for Neighbors Everywhere) has been meeting in Brattleboro since January to discuss and plan for bringing the rCredits alternative currency to Vermont.rCredits is an online exchange of credits that can be spent instead of dollars at participating businesses or for making payments to other participating individuals. It has been operating successfully in the Greenfield Massachusetts area since the Fall of 2013.

The credits can be earned and spent locally, which encourages local circulation thus stimulating the local economy. In addition, both businesses and individuals receive incentive bonuses rewarding use of the system.

Reminder of I-91 Ramp Closings

by Not Signed In | Town Plan

Reminder: To help reduce congestion on I-91 during high traffic periods, VTrans will close both the Exit 3 on-ramps next three Sundays from 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM: August 9, August 16, and August 23. Southbound traffic will be routed to Exit 1, and northbound traffic attempting to use the Exit 3 on ramp will be routed north on Route 5 to Exit 4. Officers will be on hand to control traffic. I-91 will remain open.

Cindy Cook
Principal, Adamant Accord, Inc.
Past Vice President, Association for Conflict Resolution

Sanders Supports Iran Nuclear Deal

by Not Signed In | Politics

WASHINGTON, Aug. 7 – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) today announced that he will support an agreement that the United States and other nations negotiated with Iran to limit its nuclear program.

Sanders issued a statement after a telephone conversation on Friday with President Barack Obama, who addressed some of Sanders’ concerns. The senator first publicly discussed his intention to vote for the agreement in an interview with John Dickerson of CBS News, which will be broadcast Sunday on “Face the Nation.”

“The test of a great nation is not how many wars it can engage in, but how it can resolve international conflicts in a peaceful manner,” Sanders said in the statement.

Weekend Comedy Series: Bo Burnham

by cgrotke | Entertainment

Here is Bo Burnham in his one-person show, called “what.”

I stumbled upon him just today, after reading a positive shout-out from Ten Rose, who proclaimed Burnham a possible 21st century George Carlin. As such, I’ve only seen a few minutes of his performance, but it was enough to give him the spotlight this week.

Bo seems to immerse himself in a mix of theater, music, and humor. Did I mention music?

Thank You From Vermont Workers’ Center

by ESchwartz | Other

The Vermont Workers’ Center  would like to thank the following businesses and individuals for their generous food and resource donations to support the Solidarity School held on July 26th & 27th 2015 in Brattleboro: Against the Grain Gourmet, Mocha Joe’s Roasting Company, Amy’s Bakery Arts Cafe, the Brattleboro Food Co-op, the Vermont Country Deli, The Works Bakery Cafe, Brattleboro Time Trade, Price Chopper, Subway, Top of the Hill Grill, Superfresh! Organic Cafe, The Root Social Justice Center, Ellen Schwartz,​ and Spoon Agave. Special thanks to Kipton Tewksbury for his generous logistical support and and help in keeping  the workshop running seamlessly.

Brattleboro’s Connection To The Gardner Museum Theft

by cgrotke | Arts

Brattleboro has a connection with the famous art heist at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. The guard on duty that night lives here.

:

Mr. Abath, now 49 and living in Brattleboro, Vt., where he works as a teacher’s aide, could not be reached for comment. But he has long denied any role in the heist. Reached by phone on Thursday his wife, Diane, said, “I can’t deal with this right now,” and hung up.

Brattleboro Selectboard Special Meeting – Our Town, Retaining Wall

by Not Signed In | Town News

The Brattleboro Selectboard will hold a special meeting on Tuesday, August 11, 2015 at 5:30pm in the Selectboard meeting room at the Municipal Center. It is anticipated that the Board will enter into executive session immediately following the business meeting to discuss contracts and the negotiating or securing of real estate purchase or lease options.

Jan Anderson
Executive Secretary
Brattleboro Town Manager’s Office
(802) 251-8100

Main Street Sidewalk Update

by Not Signed In | Town Plan

This is the second update for the Main Street Sidewalk Reconstruction Project. This week we continued preparatory work for the major construction by installing advanced warning signage around town and also by sawcutting the roadway and sidewalk. Although this may seem like a noisy and messy operation, it actually allows the contractor to remove the sidewalk in a much neater fashion. This will really help get those big slabs of concrete out smoothly in the tight locations.

Slogan ‘Black Lives Matter!’ Not Intended to Include Black Lives Taken by GI’s Overseas

by jay janson | Op/Ed

DESCRIPTION:
Leaders of the Black Lives Matter movement work in blatant disbelief of Martin Luther Kings moral and entirely logical warning; ‘There will be no progress on social justice issues at home while we go on denying the very right to live of the poor overseas at a such an enormous expenditure of social and financial resources that make such progress at home impossible.’ Read King’s Beyond Vietnam and Why I Am Against the War.

Connecticut River Bikeway Routes Map Released

by Not Signed In | Recreation & Sports

Are you looking for suggestions on bike rides in the Tri-State region this summer? The recently-released map of bikeway routes along the Connecticut River Scenic Byway can help you out. The map covers parts of three states and shows bike routes from Putney, VT and Walpole, NH in the north to Easthampton and South Hadley, MA in the south.

The map was prepared by the Franklin Regional Council of Governments in Greenfield, MA in cooperation with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and the U.S. Department of Transportation. The Windham Regional Commission (WRC) in Brattleboro contributed data for the Vermont portion of the map, which shows easier, intermediate, and advanced bike routes, off-road bike trails, bike shops, picnic areas, ice cream stops, and more.

History of Brattleboro’s Main Street – Presentation

by BHS | History

The Brattleboro Historical Society invites you to learn about the history of downtown Brattleboro.

Joe Rivers & Bill Holiday will present the History of Brattleboro’s Main Street on Friday, August 7 from 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM at the History Center on Main Street, Brattleboro.

All are welcome.

(Pictured: Ford Sales & Service at Main and High St., Brattleboro.)

North American Neighborhood Pea Shooting Championship on Aug 15, at 1 PM at the Neighborhood Schoolhouse

by Not Signed In | Entertainment

The University Of Brattleboro ( www.universityofbrattleboro.com ) is holding the first Annual North American Neighborhood Pea Shooting Championship on Aug 15, at 1 PM at the Neighborhood Schoolhouse, which is located at 231 Western Ave in Brattleboro, up behind Solar Hill.

There is a $100 prize for first place. There will be clay targets, including Cthulhu. Other prizes for best costume. All ages are welcome.

There is a registration fee of $10. Plastic straw pea shooters will be provided for free. Feel free to bring your own pea shooter if you prefer. Brass tubes from Brown and Roberts work great. If you want to practice in advance with one of these, make sure to get one that is the right diameter, one that works well with dried soybeans sized objects.

Brattleboro Our Town Grant Proposals Submissions – Full List

by cgrotke | Arts

I thought it might be handy to have a list that highlights all of the project proposals submitted for the Our Town grant. The Screening Committee is almost done narrowing this list, and the Selectboard will be authorizing 12 or 13 of these to prepare more detailed responses.

Here’s a quick look at the full list of 35 proposal submitted, and . Which ones inspire you the most?

NEA “Our Town” Grant Selection Committee Applications

by Not Signed In | Arts

The Brattleboro Selectboard is accepting applications for interested people to become a part of an ad hoc Selection Committee to review the final proposals submitted by artists in conjunction with funding through the Town’s NEA “Our Town” grant. The Selection Committee will consist of several local residents and other members with expertise in the arts.

Selectboard Meeting Notes: Our Town Finalists On Hold, Library Hours Restored, Businesses Fined

by cgrotke | Town News

Artists wondering if they are finalists in the Our Town selection process will be waiting one more week for the final decision of the board, pending the review of one more legit-but-overlooked proposal. The Brattleboro Selectboard will approve the list of finalists at a meeting next week.

Instead, the board was given an overview of the selection process thus far, and a glimpse of the work of the Screening Committee. They approved the Brooks Memorial Library Trustees request to restore lost library hours on Thursdays and Saturdays, approved of a plan to fine local businesses, and accepted what is likely to be the last in a series of radiologically-related grants funded by Entergy.