Connecticut River Joint Commissions Receives Grant from State of Vermont

by Not Signed In | State News

The Connecticut River Joint Commissions (CRJC) is pleased to announce that it has received a $30,733 grant through the State of Vermont Agency of Natural Resources Department of Environmental Conservation. This one-year grant provides funding to implement CRJC’s July 2021 to June 2022 work program. Additional funding is provided by New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services.

These funds will allow the CRJC to continue its emphasis on the grassroots, locally focused work of its five local river subcommittees and the broader implementation of its river management plan. The CRJC focuses on the key issues facing the Connecticut River watershed of Vermont and New Hampshire and plays the vital bi-state role of convening, catalyzing, and leading dialogue on these regional issues.

Brattleboro Dog and Wolf Hybrid Licenses Available

by Not Signed In | Pets

Brattleboro dog and wolf-hybrid licenses are available for the 2022 licensing period.  Vermont dogs and wolf-hybrids 6 months of age and older must be licensed on or before April 1. 

Renewal licenses may be obtained in person at the Town Clerk’s office, by using the drop box in the Municipal Center parking lot, through the mail or online at www.brattleboro.org.   Dogs being licensed in Brattleboro for the first time may be licensed in person, by using the drop box,  or through the mail by printing the license form from the website listed above. 

Farewell to Peter Elwell & Sabine Rhyne

by Wendy O'Connell | Town News

Two folks who have made huge contributions to our town are stepping down from their jobs : PETER ELWELL as our Town Manager, and SABINE RHYNE as General Manager of the Brattleboro Food Coop are moving on to their next adventures.

Each was a guest on “Here We Are” and we thought it would be nice to re-post their shows as way of saying Farewell and Thank You!

BCTV Schedules – Week of January 3, 2022

by BCTVProg | Media

BCTV Channel 1085 schedule for the week of 1/3/21

Monday, January 3, 2022

6:30 am Landmark College Graduation – Fall 2021 Landmark College Commencement
8:00 am The David Pakman Show – The David Pakman Show – Weekly Broadcast
9:00 am Energy Week with George Harvey – Energy Week #449 – 12/16/2021
10:00 am West River Education District – WRED Bd Mtg 12/20/21

Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – January 4, 2022

by cgrotke | Town News

The first regular meeting of the Brattleboro Selectboard in 2022 is also the start of Yoshi Manale’s tenure as Town Manager. Welcome, Yoshi!

Changes to the Agricultural Land Preservation Fund will be discussed. The board will also consider feeding and providing childcare for Representative Town Meeting, they’ll review goals, and consider some traffic safety items. And, as always, you can bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.

I Want A Snow Day

by cgrotke | Nature

Remember way back when we used to have snow? Wasn’t that a fun time?

I’d really appreciate a good, old-fashioned snow day sometime soon. One of those days when we get a foot or more of (not heavy and wet) snow and everything has to close down. Everyone gets a day off, schools close, and  we hear the sound of plowing, shoveling and snow blowing.

Brattleboro Opioid Settlement – Executive Summary

by cgrotke | State News

Executive Summary

1. Settlement Approval Deadline: January 2, 2022
2. Recommendation: Approve Settlements
3. Total Funds to Vermont: Approximately $65 Million (assuming full participation)
4. Local Government Allocations: 15% of total Vermont share, to be allocated pursuant to Exhibit G to the Settlement Agreements.

BCTV Schedules – Week of December 27, 2021

by BCTVProg | Media

BCTV Channel 1075 schedule for the week of 12/27/21

Monday, December 27, 2021

6:00 am Veterans Events – Wreaths Across America Comes to Brattleboro 12/13/21
7:34 am The News Project – Visiting a 98 Year Old Veteran
7:45 am BUHS-TV – BUHS-TV News 12/21/21
8:00 am Democracy Now! – Democracy Now! Daily Broadcast
9:00 am BCTV Open Studio – Project Feed the Thousands 2021

Postponed : Lecture on Critical Race Theory (CRT)

by Kurt Daims | Activism

We’re having a problem.

The CRT lecture by Etan Nasreddin-Longo must be postponed (date TBA).  Professor Nasreddin is well.  Unfortunately, one BCS staff member is sick with COVID, and other residents at BCS headquarters are sick and in isolation.   Although we would be glad to see everyone, we have plenty of help from the community.  Please do not drop in unannounced. 

Brattleboro Planning Commission Agenda for January 3, 2022

by planning | Town Plan

The Brattleboro Planning Commission will meet at 6:00 pm on Monday, January 3, 2022 in the Hanna Cosman Room at the Brattleboro Municipal Center (230 Main Street) and on Zoom. The physical location for this meeting will be the Hanna Cosman Room at the Municipal Center, 230 Main Street, where everyone will be required to wear a face covering and maintain social distance. The public is strongly encouraged to attend this meeting using Zoom.

Masking Smartly Makes A Difference

by RDavis | Health

Are people who are getting infected and re-infected with COVID using masks? Are they using masks correctly? When we hear about numbers of cases or individual cases there does not seem to be any reporting about mask use. This got me to wondering if people who use masks are using them to maximum benefit.

I have read a number of peer-reviewed medical journal articles and I also looked at data from the CDC and the EPA(Environmental Protection Agency) to determine the most effective masks and how they should be used.

COVID Christmas

by cgrotke | Entertainment

I thought we could retire this one last year, but now it’s a becoming a regular holiday special. Here it is again, the COVID Christmas Anti-Viral Holiday Special…  stay safe everyone!

No USA Christmas Charity for Afghani Venezuelans Cubans Syrians Iranians North Koreans

by jay janson | Op/Ed

This Christmas season, as always, CIA controlled mainstream media is filled with unctuous images of the hungry homeless in America being charitably served food by private citizens and institutions. It has long become an American tradition of kindness during the season celebrating the birth of all loving Jesus along with gift giving Santa Claus, and along with the encouragement and participation of churches, this tradition often receives government support .

The Christmas time Christian tradition of charitable feeding of the hungry homeless in capitalist USA never extends to include those millions of men, women and children made hungry by heartless US sanctions on countries overseas. The hard hearted Deep State investors in war of the Military Industrial Complex would never allow any of its captive US presidents to be gracious to the hungry in sanctioned nations at Christmas time.

Brattleboro Selectboard Special Meeting December 28, 2021- Possible Opioid Litigation Settlement

by Not Signed In | Town News

The Brattleboro Selectboard will hold a special meeting on Tuesday, December 28, 2021 at 6:15pm in the Second Floor Meeting Room at the Central Fire Station (103 Elliot Street) and over Zoom. Everyone will be required to wear a face covering and maintain social distance. The public is encouraged to participate in the meeting over Zoom. The Board will convene at 6:15pm and is expected to enter immediately into executive session. It is expected that the public portions of this meeting (before and after the executive session) will be very brief. However, as noted on the agenda, the Selectboard may take action upon adjourning the executive session and resuming the public session. The attached agenda contains information on how to access the meeting remotely, including the required “passcode.” 

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Peter Elwell’s Final Meeting, Mask Mandate Modified

by cgrotke | Town News
peter elwell

It’s the final regular meeting of the Brattleboro Selectboard for 2021, (if any meeting this year could be called “regular.”)

The board reconsidered the mask mandate, reviewed FY’23 matters, looked at annual audit results, considered financial reports, and bought some trucks and equipment repairs. More interesting to me, though, was that this was the last “regular” meeting for outgoing Town Manager Peter Elwell. That’s kind of where my thoughts are tonight, more than on budgets and such.

And, for that reason, I don’t plan to transcribe everything word for word tonight. Instead some thoughts…and a bit of the meeting.