Pets Welcome on Entire Vermonter Route

by Not Signed In | Pets

Amtrak announced the expansion of its pets program on the Vermonter, allowing more options for customers to travel with their pets. Small dogs and cats can now join their owners on the entire Vermonter route from Washington D.C. to St. Albans, VT, as long as the trip duration is no more than seven hours (see requirements). Previously, pets were not able to travel on the Connecticut portions of the route.

More than 15,000 pets and their human companions have traveled around the country since the program launched on the Northeast Corridor in October 2015. Record ridership was achieved for the month of July with more than 2,000 pets and owners traveling onboard. The program has also generated more than $1 million in revenue since its inception.

Tractor Trailer Crash Closes I-91 South for 1.5 Hours

by cgrotke | Police & Fire

From the VT State Police report:

“SUMMARY OF CRASH: 

On 02/09/2017 at approximately 12:39 pm, members of the Vermont State Police (Westminster Station), VT DMV and the Brattleboro Fire Department responded to Interstate 91 (I91) in the Town of Brattleboro for a reported TT-Unit which had jackknifed and was blocking the southbound lane.  

Brattleboro Committee Meetings Cancelled

by Not Signed In | Town News

The meeting of the Brattleboro ADA Advisory Committee previously scheduled on February 10 has been CANCELLED due to weather.

The meeting of the Brattleboro Traffic Safety Committee previously scheduled on February 16 has been CANCELLED.

Jan Anderson
Executive Secretary
Brattleboro Town Manager’s Office
(802) 251-8100

Brooks Library Trustees Planning Meeting Cancelled

by Not Signed In | Books

“The Brooks Memorial Library Board of Trustees Building and Strategic Planning meeting scheduled for Feb. 9, 2017, has been cancelled due to the weather and will be re-scheduled for a future date.”

Starr LaTronica, Library Director
Brooks Memorial Library
224 Main St.
Brattleboro,VT 05301
802-251-8195 ext. 101

I-91 Brattleboro Bridge Replacement Project Update: Week of February 13th

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. The new bridge will be 104’ wide and is designed to carry all four lanes of traffic –two northbound and two southbound.

To reduce congestion on I-91, both Exit 3 on ramps will be closed on Sunday, February 12th from 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM (I-91 will remain open). Traffic conditions on both I-91 and through the town will be monitored closely throughout the day. Should traffic congestion become an issue, the ramps may be re-opened until traffic conditions improve. This will be managed actively throughout the day until peak traffic volumes have passed.

Vermont Jazz Center Presents: Christian Sands Trio

by Not Signed In | Music

Christian Sands to Perform an Overview of Jazz-trio Piano History at the Vermont Jazz Center on Saturday, February 11th.

The Vermont Jazz Center welcomes the Christian Sands Trio to the stage on February 11, 2017 at 8:00 PM in eager anticipation of a guided tour through the colorful and exciting history of jazz piano. Sands is one of the top, young pianists of our time. Mentored personally by Dr. Billy Taylor, influenced by Barry Harris, Hank Jones and Oscar Peterson and apprenticed in the hot seat of Christian McBride’s trio, Christian Sands’ playing is steeped in the tradition–but not limited to–its constraints. He is comfortable playing old-school stride piano like Fats Waller, stretching out in a post-bop setting like McCoy Tyner or re-arranging a hip-hop anthem by Drake. Sands notes that “My music is about teaching the way of jazz and keeping it alive.” He will be performing with long-time associates Russell Hall on acoustic bass and Jerome Jennings on drums.

Snow Day 2017

by cgrotke | Nature

This morning Brattleboro is being treated to a very nice snow storm. It’s a heavy, constant snow, covering up all the dirt and grime of the previous storm. For a moment, it looks like a calendar, or snow globe.

We’ve had four or five inches so far, and more is falling. Is the snow falling to the ground, or the ground rushing up to meet it?

When I first looked out this morning, I saw flakes that were hovering in mid-air over the street, just bouncing along at a height of about 8 feet with no intention of dropping. Others were choosing to drop, but a certain class of flakes would have nothing of it.

Your Old Car Can’t Pass the New Inspection Law? Turn it into a Gardening Green House!

by CrisEricson2016 | Op/Ed

While the Vermont state legislature might come up with another new proposed marijuana legalization bill, Vermonters who are low income are struggling with the new vehicle inspection law.

I would suggest that all old cars and vans which will not meet inspection requirements can be used to create a new product line: old vans and cars can be re-created into green houses, and meet requirements, if marijuana is legalized, for secure locked growing facilities.

Brattleboro Selectboard Candidate Interview: Davey Cadran

by cgrotke | Politics

We hope you enjoy this interview with Davey Cadran, candidate for the Brattleboro Selectboard.

Which seat are you running for, and why do you want to be on the Selectboard?

I am currently running for one of the two open one-year seats on the Selectboard. I previously ran for the Selectboard and I believe that some of the issues facing the town then are still facing us now. Particularly around economic development and a pro-business atmosphere. I have had several conversations with business owners in the community who feel that the town is either outwardly against their business or suffering a form of complacency. They actually want the government to do more. You don’t often hear that from business owners.

Give us your stump speech/qualifications…

Brattleboro is an incredible town that suffers from a lack of good middle-class jobs. Go out and find someone in their late 20’s in this town and ask them what they do for work. They will often tell you that they have to string along multiple jobs just to get by.

Brattleboro Taxes & Utilities Due

by Not Signed In | Town News

The third installment of the 2016 Real Estate and Personal Property Taxes will be due on February 15th, 2017. Payments made after February 15th, 2017 will have an additional 1% interest added to the unpaid balance.

The utility billing is also due on February 15th, 2017. Payments made after February 15th, 2017 will have an additional 1% interest, as well as an 8% penalty added to the unpaid balance.

Storm Damage

by Tad M | Nature

Last night between 3 and 4:30 AM or so I counted 13 breaking branches or falling trees.  There were other sounds, too, that I couldn’t identify but might well have been other trees.  Does anyone have photos of the damage?  I was a bit surprised to wake at 7 and find the grid still up.

Silly Acid – The Ubiquitous Medical Mineral

by Vidda | Health

Fluoride therapy as a medical necessity is a valuable tool in dispensing dental care. The question of whether or not it should be added to drinking tap water was resolved in 1995 when a majority of Brattleboro citizens decided against it being added to the municipal water supply. It was largely agreed that fluoridation of the water supply amounted to mass medication.

There is also the issue that most of any added fluoride would end up as runoff straight to waste treatment. Moreover, there is no room to site the equipment feeder to add fluoride to the water supply at the water works plant.In fact, Brattleboro’s Pleasant Valley Water Plant is a ground water supply where dissolved mineral residue does provide natural fluoride of about 0.10 milligrams per liter of water, well below any state regulations.

Brattleboro Selectboard Meeting Cancelled

by Not Signed In | Town News

The Brattleboro Selectboard meeting previously scheduled for today (February 7) has been CANCELLED due to weather, and is RESCHEDULED to Monday, February 13, 2017 in the Selectboard Meeting Room at the Municipal Center. It is anticipated that the Board will enter into executive session at 5:15pm to discuss contracts, real estate leases, and labor relations agreements with employees, and reconvene the business meeting at 6:15pm.

Jan Anderson
Executive Secretary
Brattleboro Town Manager’s Office
(802) 251-8100

The Gaslight Tinkers and The Bluebird Orchestra at Next Stage on Friday, February 10

by Not Signed In | Music

Next Stage Arts Project and Twilight Music present a midwinter dance party/concert featuring The Gaslight Tinkers and The Bluebird Orchestra at Next Stage on Friday, February 10 at 7:30 pm.

The Gaslight Tinkers’ blend of African, Caribbean, funk, reggae and Latin rhythms creates a joyously danceable sound around a core of traditional roots, New England old time and Celtic fiddle music, merging boundless positive energy with melody and song. Audrey Knuth (fiddle), Jopey Fitzpatrick (drums), Garrett Sawyer (bass) and Peter Siegel (guitar) create the genre-bending future of the music of the past.

Select-All Delete: Why We Sometimes Delete Comments

by Lise | iBrattleboro

Sometimes on iBrattleboro, we find ourselves forced to delete comments that violate our community standards.  We hate having to do that, but there are times when comments cross the line — for instance, when a commenter personally attacks a business owner for promoting a product, service, or event that the commenter thinks is wrong.  Deleting comments, no matter how harsh the comments may be, inevitably leads to accusations that we’re denying the commenter their free speech.

Brattleboro Selectboard Candidate Interview: Tim Wessel

by cgrotke | Politics

We hope you enjoy this interview with Tim Wessel, candidate for the Brattleboro Selectboard.

Which seat are you running for, and why do you want to be on the Selectboard?

I’m running for a one-year seat. I feel that this is a good time for me to contribute to the town by serving the community that I have grown to love over the past 17 years of living in this area, and I think I can bring a good listening ear and solid judgment to the board.

Give us your stump speech/qualifications…

I offer voters a good balance between relative youth and a good amount of experience with town politics and board positions. I served for 11 years on the board of BCTV, and served as President for my final year. I was a town meeting representative for 6 years, and I also served on the BACC board for 5 years. I’m a local fiscal conservative, with the taxpayers’ concerns at the forefront of my mind, but I also recognize the need for some creative thinking and smart expenditures when it comes to new revenue sources and making Brattleboro affordable to all.

BCTV Schedules For Week of 2/6/17

by BCTVProg | Media

BCTV channel 8 schedule for the week of 2/6/17

Monday, February 6, 2017

12:20 am Chandler Center for the Arts Presents: Amy Goodman & Bill McKibben

2:00 am 10th Annual Dr Martin Luther King Jr Celebration

3:00 am Suds and Science: Citizen Science Project

4:20 am Bernie Sanders Speech at the Women’s March on Montpelier

4:30 am 2016 Tiny House Fest #9: Taking the Plunge