Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – March 18, 2014

by cgrotke | Town News

Will Brattleboro recognize Martin Luther King Day as a holiday by 2015? The Brattleboro Selectboard will debate the issue at their next regular Tuesday meeting at the Municipal Center. You are welcome and encouraged to attend.

There will also be discussions of farm tax stabilization, a loan for the new Duo restauarnt, a public hearing on Utility rate changes (speak now or forever pay your increases), sidewalk plowing for some of Cedar Street, and more. You can also bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.

Watch on BCTV, and read about it hear the day after.

Thank You to Retailers and Restaurants who participated in the Responsible Beverage Service Trainings

by BAPC | Op/Ed

To the Brattleboro Business Community,

The Brattleboro Area Prevention Coalition (BAPC) would like
to thank the businesses that participated in the Responsible Beverage Service Trainings held in March co-sponsored by the Department of Liquor Control.

BAPC recognizes the important role that local retailers and restaurants play in preventing underage drinking. Thank you to the following businesses for participating in the training:

Free Parenting Class: Guiding Good Choices

by BAPC | Family

Come learn the skills to keep your child safe! Guiding Good Choices is a free five-session workshop that aids parents and/ or caregivers of 4th through 8th graders. The course covers how to set clear guidelines with both positive and negative consequences, how to control and express anger constructively, promote family bonds, and prepare kids with “refusal” skills for that time down the road when trouble may tempt them.

For parents/ and or caregivers of 4th through 8th graders. Free five-session workshop.

Brattleboro I-91 Bridge Replacement Project: Week of March 16

by Not Signed In | Town Plan

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 in the Fall of 2015.

Weather permitting, night work will be conducted Sunday night, March 16th through Friday night, March 21st.

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 MEETING

The BUHS #6 Board of Directors will meet at 7:00 p.m. on Monday, March 17 in the WRCC Cusick Conference Room.

AGENDA

It is important that newly elected Board members have completed the taking of the oath of office prior to participation in this meting.

Cameroon Has A Shot In The World Cup

by Rolf | Recreation & Sports

My personal interest in Cameroon goes all the way back to 7th grade, when I had to write a report on this west African country. Ever since then, I have kept up on the news on Cameroon, and that includes their world cup team, the Indomitable Lions. , this year they are combining the famous German defensive love of precision, with the fast run and attack strategic style more commonly adopted by African teams. The combination is proving powerful.

Pikes Falls Chamber Music Festival Returns

by Not Signed In | Arts

Chamber Music in the Foothills of the Green Mountains

Events are during the days of July 31- August 9, with the opening concert on the night of July 31st, at 7 PM. Events include concerts, family/ community events, and appearances from many talented guest artists and composers, all taking place in the Jamaica Town Hall on Main Street. Admission is free of charge, but donations are welcome. A portion of the donations will be contributed to the Stratton Foundation to benefit Hurricane Irene relief efforts.

Train Your Brain!

by northeastpni | Health

In case you’ve already forgotten!

The Psycho-Neuro-Immunology Institute (NEPNI) is once again presenting its fun and informative brain health course, “Train Your Brain to Retain.”  This 7-week class is being offered at two convenient times: Tuesday mornings from 10 to noon or Tuesday evenings from 6:30 to 8:30.  Both sections begin on April 1st. (Yes, the easier to remember it by!)

Classes will be held at 31 Frog Hill in Brattleboro.  There is a limit of 12 students per class. You must register by Friday, March 28.

Commentary: “Knowledge Is Power”

by Norsehorse | Op/Ed

Several years ago I advocated that courses in the humanities be offered and taught to those within Vermont who might have otherwise gone without the opportunities and benefits of these. For example: people living in poverty; people living homeless; persons incarcerated in jails, prisons or other institutions; people living in the throes of drug or alcohol addiction.

What I had been urging be established was for programs along the lines of the Clemente Course in the Humanities model (clementecourse.org).

Muslim Journey: Literary Reflections on Islam

by Brooks Memorial Library | Books

Please join Marlboro scholar and Professor of Religious Studies, Amer Latif, in a journey through the literature of Islam. The evening reading and discussion series will focus on five books.

The Arabian Nights (anonymous), edited by Muhsin Mahdi, translated by Husain Haddawy; The Conference of the Birds by Farid al-Din Attar, translated by Dick Davis and Afkham Darbandi; Snow by Orhan Pamuk, translated by Maureen Freely;  Dreams of Trespass by Fatima Mernissi; and Minaret by Leila Aboulela. Islam has long provided a source of inspiration through which Muslims experience, understand, and guide their everyday lives.

Brattleboro Memorial Hospital Named One of Constant Contact’s 2013 All Stars

by BMH | Health

Brattleboro Memorial Hospital recognized for achieving exemplary marketing results

Brattleboro Memorial Hospital has received the 2013 All Star Award from, the trusted marketing advisor to more than half a million small organizations worldwide.Each year, Constant Contact bestows the All Star Award to a select group of businesses and nonprofits that are successfully leveraging online marketing tools to engage their customer base, and drive success for their organization. Brattleboro Memorial Hospital’s results ranked among the top 10% of Constant Contact’s international customer base.

Representative Town Meeting in Brattleboro – Part 2: The Reaction and Repeal

by cgrotke | History

This is Part II of the story of Representative Town Meeting in Brattleboro. You can read Part I: Origins and Adoption here. Representative Town Meeting passed, but not everyone approved of the outcome. One of its critics was Edgar Lawton. Although we don’t hear much about Edgar Lawton today, his name is ever-present in the minutes and agendas of Selectboard and Town Meeting reports throughout the 1950s and 1960s.

A Breakfast Meeting the Day Before Representative Town Meeting

by RobertOeser | Town News

A number of folks viewing this are likely Town Meeting Members ~ maybe a few more will be after tomorrow’s caucus  (Wed., Mar. 12 – Town Meeting Informational Meeting & Caucus preceding meeting to fill vacant Town Meeting Representative seats – Academy School, 5:00pm)

Do you want another opportunity to discuss the issues?  What about the Local Option Sales Tax?  

Healing Retreat March 28-30 in Putney

by Not Signed In | Putney

During this three-day retreat, allow yourself to experience simple and profound ways to awaken your body’s innate healing ability. Learn general principles in health and vitality (how we nourish it and how it gets blocked.) Engage in simple, active exercises to help transform and revitalize your energy. Experience relaxing guided meditations to open your heart and deepen your capacity for more peace.

Thomas Garbarino, M.Ac., Dipl.Ac. (NCCAOM) is a certified practitioner of Classical Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture, Chinese Herbal Medicine, Chinese Dietary Therapy, and Medical Qigong (energetic healing). He also teaches Daoist and Buddhist Qigong meditation and classical Yang Family Taiji Quan (Tai Chi Chuan).

March Music Madness

by Pam Lierle | Music

BRATTLEBORO MUSIC CENTER

Who else but the BMC would pack so much wonderful music in to one month?  

We have you covered from Brattleboro to Chester to Wilmington!  With a lunchtime concert, featured local composers, world class musicians, a special children’s performance, and two concerts to support the hungry in our community  —  there is something for everyone.  Come join us and enjoy!

Statement of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee, On CIA Interference with Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Investigation

by Not Signed In | Politics

I commend Chairman Feinstein for speaking so forcefully in defense of the indispensable role that Congress plays under our Constitution in overseeing the executive branch, and in particular the intelligence community. Chairman Feinstein described a troubling pattern of interference and intimidation by the CIA that raises serious questions about possible violations of the Constitution and our criminal laws. This only compounds the grave concerns I have had for years about the underlying conduct that the Senate Intelligence Committee has been investigating: the torture of detainees during the previous administration. I fully support Chairman Feinstein’s efforts to seek declassification of her committee’s report on the CIA detention and interrogation program.

Sanders: What the U.S. Health Care System Can Learn from Other Countries

by Not Signed In | Politics

WASHINGTON, March 11 – A Senate panel chaired by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) heard today that other major countries offer better health care at less cost than the United States.

“What this hearing is really about is two fundamental issues. First, the U.S., the wealthiest country on the planet, is the only major industrialized country in the world that does not guarantee health care as a right to its citizens. Should we consider joining the rest of the world? I’d argue we should,” Sanders said. “Second, the U.S. spends twice as much as other countries that have much better health outcomes. What can we learn from these countries?” asked Sanders, chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Primary Health and Aging.

Representative Town Meeting in Brattleboro – Part 1: Its Origins and Adoption

by cgrotke | History

Why does Brattleboro have Representative Town Meeting? Why not a regular, open Town Meeting like the rest of Vermont? These questions led me on a search through old newspapers and town records to look at Brattleboro’s town meetings in the 1950’s to see if there was some obvious answer. It turns out, there was no single reason that led to the “representative form of government” in Brattleboro. There were many factors, personalities, and coincidences unique to Brattleboro that contributed to its adoption.

Arguments made in favor of representative town meeting were sometimes specific to Brattleboro, such as outgrowing the public meeting hall. Other times they were more lofty, arguing that representative government would be more fair and better able to deal with complex issues, while giving voters a greater say in how the town operates.

Sanders Statement on Climate Change All-Nighter

by Not Signed In | Politics

WASHINGTON, March 10 – As part of an all-night Senate discussion on climate change, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) issued the following statement from remarks prepared for delivery later tonight:

“The scientific community has been extremely clear. Climate change is real. Climate change is man-made. And climate change is already causing severe damage in terms of draught, floods, forest fires, rising sea levels and extreme weather disturbances.

“Given that reality, I find it extremely disturbing that virtually all of my Republican colleagues continue to ignore the scientific evidence and refuse to support legislation which will address this planetary crisis.