Economic Development Pitch Night with Lt. Governor Phil Scott

by SeVEDS | State News

On behalf of both the Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation and Lt. Governor Phil Scott, we wish to invite you to attend the Southern Vermont Regional Economic Pitch Night.  The event will be held at Vernon Elementary School in Vernon from 4pm-6pm on Monday, March 9th.

Southeastern Vermont has done extensive analyzing of and strategic planning for growing the Windham Regional economy through development of our Federally approved Comprehensive Economic Development Strategies.  Now you are also invited to present ideas to legislators on how to move the Vermont State economy forward. Presentations will be limited to 5 minutes per person.  This is an opportunity to provide positive ideas for improving Vermont’s economy, and hopefully encourage new legislation.

1% Local Option Tax

by Judy3d | Op/Ed

Brattleboro residents can vote on March 3 ( or by early voting now at the Town Clerk’s Office) about whether we should add a 1% optional sales tax here in Brattleboro.

This is a difficult issue because many fear it will hurt our downtown businesses and Brattleboro residents will also pay this extra 1% tax.( It won’t just be people who live out – of -town or out -of -state. ) On the other hand, it has been estimated that it could raise around $600,000 in extra revenue for the town.

I haven’t heard much public comment about this issue and I ‘d be interested to know what I-Brattleboro readers think.

If the White House Doesn’t Like Your Petition, You Get Repeated “ERROR” Messages So People Can’t Sign It!

by CrisEricson2016 | Op/Ed

At the top of the column it says “An error has” and then it states “Sorry there is a technical problem and this petition cannot be signed right now.  Please try again n a few minutes.   If you receive this error repeatedly, you may contact We The People to report the problem.  

Well, this is the 2nd time the “MAKE MARIJUANA LEGAL!” petition at the White House – We The People section of the official Presidential website, has occurred.  This really slows down collecting petition signatures!   Funny, I don’t see this “Error” message on other petitions.

iBrattleboro Interview: David Gartenstein

by cgrotke | Politics

David Gartenstein is running for a one-year seat on the Brattleboro Selectboard. We asked him some questions, and his answers follow. Election day is Tuesday, March 3rd.

…..

– What lessons would you say you have you learned since joining the board? 

Serving as a member of the Selectboard, and as Chair, have reinforced for me the vital importance of ensuring that everyone is heard with respect.  We face many competing priorities in Brattleboro, and our goal should be to achieve what is best for the town and its residents given our limited resources.

Brattleboro Town Clerk Election Hours

by Not Signed In | Town News

The Brattleboro Town Clerk’s office will be open Saturday, Feb. 28 from 9 a.m. to noon for early voting in Brattleboro’s Annual local elections. The Town Clerk’s office will be closed Tuesday, March 3 as staff will be conducting elections in the Municipal Center, room 212. Polling hours are 7:00 am to 7:00 pm.

Area Hospitals Launch Community Health Needs Assessment

by BMH | Health

Brattleboro Memorial Hospital, the , and are launching a new community health needs assessment (CHNA) to engage the communities they serve and learn more about the most pressing health care concerns and needs. Based on the data that the hospitals gather, each hospital will develop an implementation strategy to address prioritized health care needs. This CHNA is also an opportunity for hospitals to maintain compliance with federal regulations.

The three health care organizations are working collaboratively to gather information by conducting focus groups, developing and disseminating a short survey to the general public, and collecting and analyzing quantitative data. The Vermont Department of Health is providing population based indicators as part of the process.

BCTV Channel 8 & 10 Schedules for the Week of 2/23/15

by BCTVProg | Media

BCTV Ch.8 schedule for the week of 2/23/15

Monday, February 23, 2015

12:00 am Energy Week Extra: Aquaponics

1:00 am A Crazy Cat Lady: Kitty Kisses

2:00 am Green Mountain Vets for Peace: Police Militarization

3:00 am VT Religious Leaders’ Call for Reevaluation of F-35 Base in Burlington

1849 Opening of the Vermont and Massachusetts Railroad

by cgrotke | History

The Vermont Phoenix account of the first train arriving in Brattleboro, from Boston, on February 20, 1849.

Celebration of the Opening of the Vermont and Massachusetts Railroad

This celebration took place on Tuesday last, the 20th inst., and will be long remembered by those who were present at it. By the arrangements made, the cars from Boston were to arrive about 1 o’clock P.M., but owning to the large train of passengers, they did not arrive until 3 P.M. Our citizens, and guests from the adjacent country, in the mean time were assembled “en masse” – and notwithstanding the long delay, had not the least difficulty in keeping cool.

Powerful Tools for Caregivers

by SeniorSolutions | Other

Powerful Tools for Caregivers is a free educational series designed for caregivers of elders. This six-week program will be offered for the first time in our region starting March 31 and meeting every Tuesday through May 5. Led by staff from Senior Solutions, the meetings will be 2:00-3:30 P.M. at Hayes Court in West Brattleboro.

Family and friends who help elders will learn how to reduce stress, improve communication, find helpful resources, navigate difficult decisions, and balance their lives.

RSVP by March 18 to the Senior Helpline: 1-800-642-5119.

Guilford Pre-Town Meeting Thursday

by DonInGuilford | Guilford

Broad Brook Grange will hold its annual Pre-Town Meeting on Thursday, February 26, 7:00 pm at the Grange hall. 

This is the only opportunity for voters to hear details of the articles which will be presented at the Town and School District Meetings, and to meet and discuss issues with the selectboard and school board all in one evening, in advance of Town Meeting.  

In addition, candidates for town and school board offices are urged to attend to introduce themselves to the voters.  State law prevents any “campaigning” by candidates at Town Meeting, when an Australian ballot is used, as in this instance.  So this is the only time before the vote for the public to meet and hear the candidates all at once.  

Elliot Street, Brattleboro, Feb 22, 2015

by Rolf | Police & Fire

Elliot Street, Brattleboro, Feb 22, 2015

 

I just watched you get arrested.

The waitress noticed it first.

Oh, wow, she said, someone is getting arrested

And I saw two policemen talking to you while

one of them pointed something in your face.

6th Annual Brattleboro Rotary Club “International Film & Food Festival” Set for March 1st

by cohnpr | Entertainment

The Brattleboro Rotary Club is raising money to help upgrade the radio station KILI, a non-profit radio station broadcasting to the Lakota people on the  Pine Ridge, Cheyenne River, and  Rosebud Indian Reservations, part of the Great Sioux Nation in South Dakota.

On Sunday, March 1, 2015, from 4-8PM at the New England Youth Theatre, the Brattleboro Rotary Club will be sponsoring the sixth annual “International Film & Food Festival,” with proceeds benefiting KILI which serves 30,000 people on the three reservations and seeks to preserve Native American culture and instill pride in the peoples’ unique heritage.

Puppies and Pigs

by cgrotke | History

From the Vermont Phoenix, Feb. 21, 1896, comes a story of puppies and pigs.

“Michael L. is a son of Erin’s Isle. His facial expression and his linguistic accomplishments would be convulsive proof before a jury.

Michael is not afraid of trichinosis, and recently bought two infantile porkers in Brattleboro, to be raised on his Vernon farm.

Michael started for home with his pigs, but he stopped at a wayside in in Guilford, presumably to get refreshments. While he was there some fun-loving person released his pigs from the bag and put two small puppies in their place.

Weekend Comedy Series: Mitch Hedberg

by cgrotke | Entertainment

This is a follow up to our Steven Wright show of last week. If you liked that one, you should enjoy this one as well. Mitch Hedberg is similar in style, doing a surreal series of nervous, one-liner, observational jokes.

I love his delivery and perspective. It’s too bad he checked out at an early age (37) so we don’t have more of his humor to look forward to, but he also seems to be one of the sorts of people that didn’t quite fit in on planet earth. His making sense of his time here was his craft.

Heavy Traffic on I-91 at Exit 2 & 3 This Weekend

by Not Signed In | Town Plan

Please expect heavy traffic and resulting delays between Exits 2 and 3 on I-91 this weekend. Traffic is likely to be heaviest northbound on Friday afternoon and evening, and southbound on Sunday afternoon and evening. Those with flexible travel planes should consider alternate travel times and/or routes. Please also consider using Vt Rt 5 as an alternate route.

Proposed Town Charter Amendments

by tomaidh | Op/Ed

I just received an email from the selectboard about town meeting.

“Town Meeting Representatives:  —  As you may know, the March 3 ballot contains three proposed Charter amendments.  Attached for your information is the “Proposed Brattleboro Charter Amendment Information Sheet” that was prepared and endorsed by the Selectboard.”

Well, it was not “Information”, it was “Propaganda”. It was telling us to vote the way the Selectboard wanted us to.

I guess they have a right to do that, but we have an equal right to ignore it.

For the record, here are the 3 proposed amendments:

Happy 12th Birthday, iBrattleboro

by cgrotke | iBrattleboro

Twelve years ago, Lise and I flipped the proverbial switch and turned on iBrattleboro.com, a new type of web site. It used the world wide web to communicate hyper-locally, and gave everyone in town who cared to register a platform for sharing news, events, stories, and opinions of all things Brattleboro.

Since then, we’ve worked to keep things up and running 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, year-round, even on holidays. That’s 4015 days without much of a break, something I’m not sure I would have agreed to up front had I known what was involved, but now I can’t really imagine things without it. That will come someday, but not now. Now we are twelve.

That’s 12 years of non-professional, un-edited, real-community local information. You’ve done a spectacular job.

Write Action Radio Hour: Mary Wilkins Freeman’s The Revolt of Mother, on WVEW 107.7 FM

by Rolf | Arts

Mary Wilkins Freeman is one of Brattleboro’s “lost treasures” and on the third and fourth Sundays of each month,

Write Action will be featuring some of her best stories, as well as biographical and historical information.

This Sunday, February 22,  at from 5 -6 PM, the Write Action Radio Hour will offer a reading of “The Revolt of Mother”, one of her most anthologized and critically acclaimed stories. Freeman’s story, The Revolt of Mother, is one told with both humor, anger, compassion and detail. It’s a small masterpiece.