Setting The Record Straight Re: Amendments

by Kurt Daims | Op/Ed

Because the media are not perfect, there are three misconceptions that persist about the amendments and I would like to clear them up in these last days before the election.

First, the charter clearly shows how the representative town meeting (RTM) restricted the rights to call for votes.  Anyone can check this our on the town web site:  See brattleboro.org, click “Charter, ordinances” > “charter”. 

The RTM did uselessly lower a signature requirement but at the same time authorized
themselves to vote first and block the petitioned article from the ballot.  Their revision (charter article III 2 B)
says: 

Living Whist

by cgrotke | History

Those who follow This Day In History on a regular basis might recall a couple of mentions of members of the community rehearsing to perform as cards for an upcoming entertaining exhibition of “Living Whist.” Well, you will be pleased to know that the event was a success.

Below you’ll find the almost complete account of the event as told in the Phoenix on March 3, 1895. (The scanned newspaper was torn in one place, so I copied as much as was available.)

If we have any whist players, perhaps the game could be explained a bit?

“What You Been Smoking?”

by Vidda | Opinion

Speaking rhetorically about legalizing marijuana, I hear the repeating theme that VT needs to do it right, especially every time CO and WA is brought up.

But I have wondered of late, how it is that we can do it wrong?

The unbiased reports from CO especially, and WA all report the upshot results of marijuana legalization are very favorable by every indicator. Yet, except for the deranged Patrick ‘Druggy’ Kennedy’s so-called Smart group it’s not clear exactly what can go wrong.

5:45: 2/27/15

by BrattleboroTV | Media

The Fairpoint workers strike is finally resolved on a Friday edition of 5:45 Live that includes more from the NRC with Thursday’s NDCAP meeting, lots of town meeting prep and much more. .

Weekend Comedy Series: Sinbad – Afros and Bellbottoms

by cgrotke | Entertainment

A member of marching band and the math club. A basketball player. A member of the Air Force. Sinbad has been all of these things, but he is best known for comedy.

His style is very clean. I can almost avoid giving the warning for bad language with his show, in which he often comes across as a big kid, or maybe a nutty uncle. He seems like he would be fun to invite to a party.

Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – March 3, 2015

by cgrotke | Town News

A new dog park for Brattleboro? It will be up for discussion at the next regular Tuesday meeting of the Brattleboro Selectboard, to be held in the BCTV studios to make room for Election Day activities on the second floor of the Municipal Center.

The board will hear legal opinions on bonds and bids, hear about the new zoning ordinances being planned, continue with decisons relating to Pay As You Throw, and will discuss assessing penalties and/or suing Brattleboro businesses to collect the business license fees.

You can participate by attending in person, or you can watch on BCTV. We’ll have the full account here the day after.

Teams Sought for Bowl for Kids’ Sake Benefit April 4

by Not Signed In | Recreation & Sports

Brattleboro, VT–Families, friends and teams from work are invited to celebrate the 34th Annual Bowl for Kids’ Sake to benefit Youth Services’ Big Brothers Big Sisters program on Saturday, April 4. The fundraising event will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with teams signing up for a one-hour time slot at Brattleboro Bowl on Putney Road.

Local Soapmaker Launches Kickstarter Project

by Carolyn | Business

Love to shop local?  Love all-natural products? Want skin and eco-friendly soaps, cleansers, and cleaners? Want to help a Brattleboro small business succeed?

Scrub Your Soul has been making and selling hand crafted soap and home products for over 10 years. I’d love to expand further (and even approach the co-op about carrying my products) but I need to make sure I can meet demand before I do that.

Dr. Craig Rinder Joins BMH Physician Group

by BMH | Health

Brattleboro Memorial Hospital announced that Craig Rinder, MD, will join , effective March 2, 2015.

When the transition is complete, Dr. Rinder’s current practice, known as Craig Rinder, MD, LLC, will be called BMH Urology. Its offices will still be located at 375 Canal Street in Brattleboro, Vermont. The new phone number for making appointments will be 802-251-8720.

Dr. Rinder has been practicing urology in Vermont and New Hampshire for over 17 years. His practice provides medical and surgical care for illnesses involving the male and female urinary tract (kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra), the adrenal glands and the male reproductive tract.

FCC Vote Opens Opportunities

by cgrotke | Sci-Tech

The Federal Communications Commission voted today to regulate broadband under Title II of the Communications Act. In ordinary speak, this is Net Neutrality. It eliminates threats of a multi-tiered system, where certain bandwidth costs more than other bandwidth depending on what you want to access.

The actual rules will be published in the near future, but the impact is a good one for anyone who has, or is wanting to start, a site on the internet. Your site will remain as accessible as all others.

I-91 Brattleboro Bridge Replacement Project Update: Week of March 1

by Not Signed In | Town Plan

Route 30: One-Way Traffic and Night Work: Night work on the new bridge Route 30 will be conducted Monday night, March 2nd through Friday night, March 6th. Traffic on Vermont Route 30 within the work zone will be reduced to one-way starting later this week, so that the team can work on a very slight realignment of Route 30. Work will be conducted during daylight hours only, and flaggers will be present to control traffic. The work will be completed by the end of next week.

I-91 Northbound I-91 traffic has been relocated onto the southbound bridge. Traffic will remain reduced to one lane in each direction on I-91 until completion of the new bridge. The new bridge will be 104’ wide and is designed to carry all four lanes of traffic –two northbound and two southbound.

Brattleboro Time Trade – week of February 22

by Brattleboro Time Trade | Other

Brattleboro Time Trade:

Exchanging services, creating connections, strengthening communities, one hour at a time.

BTT’s First Annual Spring Forward Extravaganza:

Friday, March 6 from 4:30-8:30 pm at the River Garden (during Gallery Walk):
• Spring Gardening Show • Music
• Silent Auction & Raffle • Dessert Bar & Cafe!

See below for more exciting Upcoming Events and learn what Time Trade is all about!

Brown Bag Lunch at the River Garden: Technology That You Can Borrow From Brooks Library

by Brooks Memorial Library | Education

Bring your lunch and learn about tech toys you can borrow from Brooks Library! As part of the Strolling of the Heifers Brown Bag Lunch Series, Reference Librarian Jeanne Walsh and Library Director Jerry Carbone will talk about the technology that you can borrow from Brooks Memorial Library.

The library has pre-loaded Kindles, Nooks, and iPads and more. The library also has a LCD projector, Canon Digital camera, and portable screen, which were received as part of a Vermont Economic Development Project from the Vermont Department of Libraries. The policy and procedures needed to borrow these items will be reviewed at that time. 

At Brooks Library: Revenge – A Reading and Discussion Series

by Brooks Memorial Library | Books

Revenge– A Reading and Discussion Series on Wednesdays 7 pm – 8:30 pm. What are the causes of revenge? What are the consequences? Is taking revenge ever justified? Explore this most passionate and provocative of human desires through drama, short stories, and novels. Join Vermont Humanities Scholar and long-time Brooks facilitator Richard Wizansky for an evening of engaged discussion on this universal topic. First in the four-part series: Agamemnon. Books are available for checkout at the circulation desk.

The books, which will be available for checkout, are the following:
February 25, 7 PM: Aeschylus, Agamemnon
March 18, 7 PM: E.L. Doctorow, Welcome to Hard Times
April 15, 7 PM: Andre Dubus, Selected Stories
May 27, 7 PM: Russell Banks, The Sweet Hereafter

Brattleboro Area Farmers’ Market Seeks New Members

by brattleborofarmersmarket | Town News

The Brattleboro Area Farmers’ Market is now accepting applications for new members to vend their products at the Saturday and/or midweek markets. The Brattleboro Area Farmers’ Market is the region’s largest and oldest open-air market and supports local agriculture, prepared foods and crafts. The market features over 50 diverse vendors from the local area and attracts thousands of visitors annually.

The Brattleboro Area Farmers’ Market is a not-for-profit membership organization and welcomes applications from those who grow and/or create their own high-quality products, especially those working with local ingredients/materials to bring variety to the market’s offerings.

3rd White House Error Message – You Have To Keep Your Eye on President Obama All The Time!

by CrisEricson2016 | Op/Ed

3rd White House Error message at “We the People” petition section of President Obama’s official government White House website.  This has occurred at 1091 signatures on the Make Marijuana Legal petition, and it previously occurred at 1064 signatures on the Make Marijuana Legal petition, and before that it occurred when the petition had not reached the first 150 requirement.