Selectboard Meeting Notes: Rink Repairs, SeVEDS Second Payment, and a Town Clerk Update

by cgrotke | Town News

The Brattleboro Selectboard had no problems guiding the town at their first regular meeting without an official Town Manager at the helm. They even did it without their Chair, too.

The board navigated concerns about downtown sidewalks, skateboarders, and homeless people in the parks. They heard an update on the SeVEDS program and gave them a second check for $25,000. They received an overview of the Town Clerk’s office, and debated skating rink compressor options once again. 

The board discussed becoming another online news source for Brattleboro, and how best to prepare to hire locally for municipal projects with big budgets.

Invitation to Brattleboro Citizens’ Breakfast – “Networking for Sustainable Energy”

by RobertOeser | Town News

Brattleboro Citizens’ Breakfast – Networking for Sustainable Energy

The next “Brattleboro Citizens’ Breakfast” will take place on Friday,  August 16, 2013 at the Gibson Aiken Center, downstairs, hosted by Senior Meals. Doors open at 7:30am.

Jonathan Morse will hold a conversation on the Sustainable Energy Outreach Network (SEON)  ~ it’s purpose, past programs, and plans for the future. SEON is a “networking organization, passionately committed to the promotion of sustainable energy for the benefit of the public, businesses, educational institutions, and public sector organizations.

Did U.S. or Israel Drop a Nuke on Syria?

by tomaidh | Rumors

“The fact of the matter is, what we are seeing in both these cases is a tactical nuclear strike, probably by cruise missiles launched from aircrafts near the borders of Syria or right off the coast in the Mediterranean.”

– Greg Thielmann, arms control expert

Brattleboro Schools In AYP Hell

by Lise | Education

Brattleboro’s public schools again fell afoul of the federally-mandated standardized testing program, with all schools failing to make Adequate Yearly Progress in at least one and in some cases all categories.  A summary is below, but suffice to say, with regard to their filling in of ovals, our students are not measuring up to federal standards.

It’s hard to pick a winner this time.  Schools that made Adequate Yearly Progress last year in one ore more categories — specifically Brattleboro Area Middle School (BAMS) and Brattleboro Union High School (BUHS) — did not do as well in 2013.  BAMS, in particular, dropped in both Math and Reading this year.  BUHS dropped in Reading.

Supposed Call from Microsoft Windows Trouble Desk?

by Andie | Questions & Answers

I just received a call from California, 408-023-6901, saying they were from regarding microsoft windows having some problem.  I asked for a little more info, and he started asking to verify info about my computer, which I refused to answer, and said if there were a problem I would expect an email regarding this, and, unfortunately, I started to raise my voice, and he hung up.  Has anyone else gotten a call like this, and reported it to anyone?  Any other info?  Thanks.

Harris Hill Ski Jump Wins Jumping/Nordic Combined Club of the Year at USSA Congress

by Not Signed In | Recreation & Sports

Brattleboro, Vt. — The Harris Hill Ski Jump committee, which manages the annual Harris Hill Ski Jumping Competition in Brattleboro, was awarded Jumping/Nordic Combined Club of the Year at the 2013 U.S. Ski & Snowboard Association (USSA) Congress. The annual USSA Congress awards not only clubs but coaches, athletes and resorts who display exemplary service to the sports of skiing and snowboarding.

Peter Graves, former Putney resident, Harris Hill committee member and snowsports announcer, and currently Communications Director for USA Ski Jumping, accepted the award on behalf of the organization at the Congress which was held in Park City, Utah in late May.

National Farmers’ Market Week: Write a Love Letter to Your Farmers at the Wednesday, Saturday Markets

by Not Signed In | Food

Celebrate National Farmers’ Market Appreciation Week!

Show your local farms and farmers’ markets some love with a note of appreciation, and yourself with some fresh sungolds or peaches: Write a note of appreciation to your farmers at the Wednesday Farmers’ Market, downtown by the coop, 10am to 2pm. The market will host more love letter writing at the Saturday Farmers’ Market, outdoors on Rte 9 in West Brattleboro, from 9am to 2pm.

EBT and debit are welcome at both markets. Summer harvest is at it’s peak– come get some vine-ripened tomatoes, blueberries, fresh basil, greens, and salad fixings, peaches ripened on the tree, plums and apples, amazing veggies, flowers, and more. Market vendors offer dazzling globe-spanning cuisine and gorgeous handmade crafts and adornments.

Vermont Jazz Center presents its 38th Annual Faculty and Student Summer Workshop Concerts

by Not Signed In | Music

Vermont Jazz Center’s 38th Summer Jazz Workshop and Concerts

For 38 years, the Vermont Jazz Center has presented its summer jazz workshop, encouraging students from down the street and around the world to hone their improvisational and musicianship skills while enjoying respite in a beautiful, country setting. The VJC’s summer workshop crystallized and attained non-profit status in 1974 when founding director, Attila Zoller officially organized the informal gatherings of guitarists he held at his home in Newfane. To this day, the VJC honors Zoller’s spirit and attention to quality, retaining many of the faculty who played alongside him. There exists a natural, intergenerational balance where participants of all ages learn from each other, gleaning from both the wisdom of jazz’s “old school” and the pedagogical advancements put forth in today’s developed system of jazz education.

Reaching the Heavens – Latchis Closed for Renovations

by Not Signed In | Town News

As promised, the main theatre closed on August 1 and all the seats left the building that day. It was amazing!

Day 2 brought the scaffolding crew and they set to work, so that by Day 5 (today) they have reached the Heavens in some spots! What an achievement.

Many thanks to those of you who already donated to Latchis Arts’ Kickstarter Campaign as we continue to collect pledges toward the goal of $50,000 in 60 days for our seats and ceiling project.

If you haven’t checked it out yet, we urge you to take a look.

Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – August 6, 2013

by cgrotke | Town News

Brattleboro will return to the discussion of skating rink repairs at the next regular Tuesday meeting of the Brattleboro Selectboard. A grant for $100,000 will be accepted and applied to the cost, and a contractor to do the repairs will be chosen.

The board will hear from Town Clerk Annette Cappy about her department, will accept grants and grant permits, and may get to their long-scheduled discussions of local hiring and the town website.

You can bring up anything else not on the agenda during Public Participation. Attend in person at the Municipal Center on Main Street or watch on BCTV, and get the full report here the next day.

BCTV Channel 8 & 10 Schedules for the Week of 8/5/13

by BCTVProg | Media

BCTV Ch.8 Schedule for the week of 8/4/13

                   Monday August 5 

12:00 am      Burlington Civic Symphony Orchestra

2:00 am       FSTV Overnight

4:00 am       The Future of the Robert H. Gibson River Garden : Press Conference

4:35 am       Winston Prouty’s “Taste of the Town”

4:41 am       WVEW’s “Wake Up Call” ft Barb Sondag 7/11/13

5:00 am       The Music COMP Service Presents: The Performance of Opus 26

Cold-hearted Obama! Two Million Koreans Murdered in Own Country “A Victory”?

by jay janson | Op/Ed

DESCRIPTION: 
“Obama calls Korean War a victory” 7/27/2013
He studied through a PhD in law at Harvard. Yet doesn’t know, or pretends not to know US history.
US bombed to death more than two million Koreans, men, women and children in their own beloved country,
many as often as not in their very own homes, many especially gross US atrocities only recently apologized for.
Author promises such upside down history will not wash much longer

Huge Tag Sale Sunday Morning

by Dfk-b | Other

Brattleboro Time Trade is having a huge tag sale tomorrow, Sunday, at 8AM at the Centre Congregational Church on Main St. I can presonally attest to the fact that there is A TON of stuff for sale, especially books, but lots of other things as well. So come on down!

Hunting for Beauty, and Finding It Here

by Rolf | Nature

To those of you fellow citizens who awoke to a grey sky this morning. . .

if you had been up at 5:30, you would have seen the glorious sky known as the “pink – blue sky” to the east, above Wantastiquet.

It only lasts a short time, but it is a good sight for the eyes that have just come out of the dark and from sleep into the day.

It also reminds me of an idea I had for a photo excursion. In the winter, I frequently suffer from the blahs; the dark crowds in on me, and the cold saps me some. I have taken to going out, when I am in a bad mood, and trying to find beauty. Just the activity of trying to find moments and scenes of beauty, is restorative to my feeling of well being.

July 31st – SeVWA’s Fourth River Monitoring Day of the 2013 Season

by sevwa.wqmp | Nature

Southeastern Vermont Watershed Alliance’s(SeVWA’s) water quality monitoring program was begun about 10 years ago. At that time, the organization was known as West River Watershed Alliance (WRWA).The 2013 river and stream monitoring program began on Wednesday, June 19th and this past Wednesday was SeVWA’s fourth 2013 river sampling day.