New Take on Police/Fire Project?

by MichaelB | Op/Ed

On March 22nd Brattleboro’s Representative Town Meeting defeated the 1% optional sales tax and approved the FY15 budget, which includes the first interest payment on the second police/fire facilities bond.  So, what happens next?

First let’s state the obvious:  Brattleboro is in a bind.  It took many of us to get it there, myself
included.  We initially approved the police/fire facilities project and then rejected cutting the overall budget
enough to scale it back.  Meanwhile, we defeated the 1% sales tax multiple times.

Is Gov. Shumlin’s Rumored Single Payer Health Care Funding Plan Merely Fool’s Gold or Real Thing?

by Norsehorse | Politics

(cross-posted from Green Mountain Daily, ; originally posted to Vermont Watch, here)

Although one is left to wonder about whether or not it is merely fool’s gold or the real thing, there have been recent rumors about how, on condition of anonymity, a top administration official is reported to have disclosed that Governor Peter Shumlin‘s plan to fund his single payer health care initiative could potentially include instituting taxes on what currently is non-taxable food and clothing purchases.

Deadline for Government Sending Out Some Basic Information About The Affordable Care Act Was Today

by cgrotke | Health

The Healthcare deadline is today! So I hear on the radio.

As both a taxpayer and small business owner, I’ve received no written information about the Affordable Care Act. I get mail from the IRS and from the State of Vermont about all sorts of things, but not once has any information about any changes to laws regarding healthcare come my way. Not even a postcard with a website address.

Friday: BMC Presents Musicians From Marlboro

by Pam Lierle | Music

On Friday, April 4, the Brattleboro Music Center presents Musicians From Marlboro at Centre Congregational Church in Brattleboro, VT,  in the final concert of its 2013-14 Chamber Music Series.

Musicians From Marlboro, the touring extension of the Marlboro Music Festival in Vermont, offers exceptional young professional musicians together with seasoned artists in varied chamber music programs. The resulting ensembles offer audiences the chance to both discover seldom-heard masterworks and enjoy fresh interpretations of chamber music favorites.

Petition On The Brattleboro Town Budget

by JohnWilmerding | Politics

If you’re not a Town Representative, you might not know that there is an initiative happening right now to gather enough signatures to put the 2014-15 Town budget up for a referendum.

I support this initiative because the Town Representatives (elected representatives to Town Meeting) are not the be-all and end-all of Town politics … the people of Brattleboro ourselves are. The possibility of a referendum exists for this precise purpose; for a process to be invoked where the Town’s voters can over-rule the Town Representatives.

U.N. Issues Climate Change Warning

by Not Signed In | Politics

WASHINGTON, March 31 – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said today that the latest report from the United Nation’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is another jolting wake-up call for nations around the world.

The report by the U.N. panel said the effects of global warming already are occurring on every continent and across the world’s oceans. The scientists warned that the problem was likely to grow much worse unless greenhouse gas emissions are brought under control.

BCTV Channel 8 & 10 Schedules for the Week of 3/31/14

by BCTVProg | Media

BCTV Ch.8 Schedule for the week of 3-31-14

                   Monday March 31              

12:00 am      Pres. Coolidge Site Panel Discussion

1:28 am       Book Talk – Ep.1: Amy Howlett – VT Dept of Libraries

2:00 am       FSTV Overnight

4:00 am       VT Workers Center – Informational Mtg 3/16/14

Heavy Rains Delay Closing Rt. 30 for Bridge Repair Work

by Not Signed In | Town Plan

Good Morning:

The heavy rains we’re getting have resulted in a slow down on the project. We now anticipate that we won’t be ready to do the work that necessitates the closing of VT RT 30 until April 9 or later. I will let everyone know as soon as we’ve set the new dates.

When it rains, it pours,

Brattleboro Union High School Board Meeting Agenda

by Not Signed In | Education

BRATTLEBORO UNION HIGH SCHOOL BOARD
53 Green Street
Brattleboro, VT 05301
www.wssu.k12.vt.us

NOTICE OF COMMITTEE MEETING

The BUHS Teacher Curriculum Committee will meet at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, April 7 in the Cusick Conference Room.

The BUHS District #6 Finance Committee will meet at 7:00 a.m. on Wednesday, April 9 in the WSESU Central Office Conference Room, 53 Green Street.

150 Years Ago (1864 3/30)

by BusyMom | History

Brattleboro, Mar. 30th, 1864.

Dearest Abiah, –

I received a letter from you this evening. It came in last night. You were wondering why I did not write, and before you get this you will wonder more, I am afraid. The fact is, last Thursday I was ordered to go out with a detachment of recruits to the Army of the Potomac. Had to hurry to get ready There was no time to spare. I got back last night. I am well, but pretty well tired out. Have not been paid off yet. Expected to have been paid while I was gone. Left an order with Lieutenant Fisher. I will give you an account of the trip.

Bowl for Kids’ Sake Seeks Teams

by Not Signed In | Recreation & Sports

Brattleboro, VT–Families, friends and teams from work are invited to celebrate the 33rd Annual Bowl for Kids’ Sake to benefit Youth Services’ Big Brothers Big Sisters program on Saturday, April 5. 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.

The 4-5 p.m. time is reserved for teams of teens and “Bigs and Littles” and will have a special “Cosmic Bowling” atmosphere. The financial goal of the event is to raise $65,000 in pledge money and business sponsorship to help cover the cost of running the Big Brothers Big Sisters program.

Brattleboro Time Trade — Week of March 29th

by Brattleboro Time Trade | Activism

This week’s listings, arranged from Lion to Lamb:

RECENT REQUESTS:
Need Help Flyering
Typewriter  
Piano Lessons
Help Us Plans our Garden/Landscape
Prep Work for Driveway
Landscaping Help
Assistance with Transportation
Gallery Greeter at BMAC
Hebrew Tutor for Bar Mitzvah

Weekend Concert Series: Kraftwerk

by cgrotke | Entertainment

To contrast with our outer space visionary of last week, Sun Ra, I thought we might tilt ourselves in the other direction, toward our future robot overlords. (Did I say overlords? I meant protectors.)

Here is Kraftwerk in San Paolo, from March 2009. The German electronic music group formed in 1970, but I first heard them in the 1980’s, on dance floors and urban radio stations with crossover hits like ‘Tour de France,’ ‘Trans World Express,’ and ‘Numbers.’ They brought a futuristic, computery vocoded sound to music, and the rap and R&B world ate it up for a while, with much imitation as a form of compliment. Afrika Bambaataa’s ‘Planet Rock” is an homage, as are songs by Warp 9, and the Jonzun Crew.

Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – April 1, 2014

by cgrotke | Town News

The “new” Brattleboro Selectboard will have their first regular Tuesday meeting of the year on April 1.

There are some atypical items on the agenda awaiting them, too. There will be a Representative Town Meeting follow-up discussion, and an issuance of a Health Order against Susan Rockwell, owner of 19 Elm Street.

Also on the agenda, a new cell tower for Meadowbrook Road, an update from the Skatepark Site Selection Committee, a request for additional solar energy use, and more.

You can watch on BCTV or attend in person. If you go, you may bring up additional items not on the agenda during Public Participation.