Police Fire Petition & Questions of the Legality of the Town Representative Vote

The citizens of Brattleboro had rejected the Police Fire Station proposal at least three times, as I best remember, over a ten year peiod. I was aghast again to find not only was the town and Slectboard was pushing this, the town and Selectboard knew that if they gave it the voters it would be rejected. This was the opinion of the Selectboard.

They then had the town representatives vote on it.  When I spoke to representives in my district, he  said, “I’ll vote the way I want, regardless of what you would like.”  This is the most egregious example of the town representatives. He was absolutely in favor of the Police Fire station regardless of what the people in his district wanted. I aksed him if he would reconsider and put this before a town wide vote, and he said, “No, I have made up my mind. And the citizens don’t have the information they need to make an informed decision.” 


Paralyzed Like Lumps Of Coal On A Fire

Does not the first generation who must endure the changes to a new world have the hardest time living through it? Will there be any free space left to sit on the ground “and tell sad stories of the death of kings?”

Have you not heard the lament of our resident philosopher, Spinoza? The call to action from our resident documentarian, Chris Pratt? Is this site created by Chris Grotke and Lise LePage as much for the future as it is for the past and present?

What is it about the future we seem to fear so much? Will we all end by “dining on ashes” paralyzed like lumps of coal on a fire?

We have to start somewhere.


BSD Spring Dance Tickets Go On Sale May 9

Tickets go on sale Thursday, May 9 for the Brattleboro School of Dance annual spring recital. Performances take place the weekends of May 17-19 and May 24-26 at the New England Youth Theatre, located at 100 Flat Street in downtown Brattleboro.

Current dance students and alumni will perform in 14 pieces choreographed by faculty and guests of the school, demonstrating a breadth of styles that include ballet, modern, jazz, tap, hip-hop and belly dancing.

The recital’s 2013 theme, “Evolution,” reflects the progression of several pieces in the program over the course of different shows, says BSD director Jennifer Moyse, as well as the generational transition within the school’s community since it was founded by Kathleen Keller in 1976.


Home Energy Challenge Tour Features Local Brattleboro Homes

Homeowners and landlords interested in saving money on their heating bills are invited to a group tour of four Brattleboro homes on Saturday, May 11, from 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Diverse in size, style and age, the homes have all been retrofitted to save energy. The contractors and homeowners will be on hand to talk about the energy-saving features of each home.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for folks to see a wide variety of energy-efficient homes in their community, and to learn from contractors and homeowners about how to cut energy bills”, said Paul Cameron, Director of Brattleboro Climate Protection, one of the organizers of the tour. “The typical Vermonter can reduce their energy bills by 20-30% through a home efficiency project, an average annual savings of $1,000.”


West Brattleboro Association Monthly Meeting

On Thursday, May 9, 6:00-7:30 pm, the West Brattleboro Association (WBA) will hold its monthly meeting at The New England House, 254 Marlboro Road. The Association will review the treasury, the status of the town’s traffic safety study as it regards the stretch of Route 9 from Academy School to Greenleaf Street, and review its participation in Green Up Day. The group will also discuss the ‘Neighborhoods Project’ and any news regarding Glen Park and Mountain Home Park.


Earth, Roots, Petals, & Paths Garden Tour, June 15 & 16

Earth, Roots, Petals, & Paths, a tour of perennial and vegetable gardens in Putney, Vermont and “The Garden on Rice Mountain” in Walpole, New Hampshire. This first annual garden tour will be held the weekend of June 15th & June 16th. The tour will be 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sunday.

Earth, Roots, Petals & Paths includes private perennial and vegetable gardens in Putney, The Putney School gardens & farm, the Putney Central School garden & orchard and the renowned four-acre garden created by Theodora and Peter Berg on Rice Mountain in Walpole, NH with the assistance of Gordon Hayward, garden designer, and Dan Snow, dry stone craftsman.


Frost and Wordsworth: Romantic Poetry in the Light of Common Day

Frost and Wordsworth: Romantic Poetry in the Light of Common Day
Wednesday May 1, 2013
7:00 PM until 9:00 PM 

The poetry of Robert Frost and William Wordsworth depends heavily on the natural world and the “language really used by men.” Vermont Poet Laureate Sydney Lea explores the poets’ similarities, differences, and influence on other poets.

The lecture is a First Wednesday program sponsored by the Vermont Humanities Council. Supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services through the Vermont Department of Libraries.


5:45 Live- 4/30/13

With a webcast from the high school to gear up for the NRC hearing, the breakdown on the state’s FY14 Budget cuts, and footage from Brattleboro Area Prevention Coalition, CoreArts, VA, and SIT, every second of this midweek edition is made to count.

Which link is right for you? Find out by . 

Higher than 3 mbps (3000 kbps)- High Def Link

Lower than 3 mbps (3000 kbps)- Standard Def Link


CRVBL Weekend Roundup

CHESTER/SAXTONS, CLAREMONT, NEWPORT AND SUNAPEE WINNERS IN CRVBL WEEK 2

There’s now a three-way tie atop the Connecticut River Valley Baseball League after the Chester/Saxtons River Crush, the Claremont Cardinals, Newport Polar Bears and Sunapee Old Lakers were winners in the season’s second week of town team action.

Chester/Saxtons River started off the weekend with a 5 – 1 victory over the Walpole Wild Blue at the baseball complex in Walpole. Nick Wirkkala of the Crush went six innings on the mound, giving up just three hits and striking out seven. He was also 1 for three at the plate, scoring two runs and stealing a base. Scott Renfro went 3 for 4 with an RBI double, Toby Miller also went 3 for 4 scoring two runs and Jamie Spence had two hits and drove in a pair of runs.


Building a Better Business Culture

I just had the quintessential bad experience trying to return a rug to Macy’s; hard to reach customer service, no call backs, endless e-mails, and then being told the rug was not returnable because the 30 day period had expired (due to Macy’s own unavailability and failure to respond).

Because our struggling little hamlet is not without her own public relations and customer service issues, I am with the hope that it will hit a mark and make a difference for the better.


First Tuesday

I know I said I would provide updates for those who are interested called First Tuesday. They were supposed to take place on the First Tuesday ofevery month. Sorry… I really have no excuse, but rest assured I have not been idle. I have updated the deceptions website so everything is now is in one place (movie, magazine, You Tube Channel and PegMeda write up for “Pants on Fire.” Additionally I am now setup to do an ongoing blog from this site.


Tony Trischka Band w/ Bruce Stockwell at Next Stage on Saturday. May 4

Twilight Music presents International Bluegrass Music Association Banjo Player of the Year Tony Trischka and his band, plus Putney-based banjoist Bruce Stockwell at Next Stage on Saturday, May 4 at 7:30 pm.

Tony Trischka is perhaps the most influential banjo player in the roots music world. For more than 35 years, his stylings have inspired a whole generation of bluegrass and acoustic musicians, including Bela Fleck – one of his early students. Trischka has been a key figure in opening the banjo and acoustic music in general to wider influences, having shared the stage and studio with the likes of Steve Martin, David Grisman, John Denver, The Boston Pops, Jorma Kaukonen, Sam Bush, Chris Thile, Peter Rowan, Earl Scruggs and countless others. He has appeared on “Late Night with David Letterman,” Garrison Keillor’s “A Prairie Home Companion” and “Mountain Stage,” and is featured on the soundtrack of the film “Driving Miss Daisy’ and the theme song of the NPR show “Books on the Air.”


We’re All Downstream

This past weekend, I went up to the White River Indie Film Festival, to see the screening of Chasing Ice. Missed it when it was here.

For those who don’t know, this film is a record of the retreat and melting of the glaciers. Twenty something cameras were set up to automatically take a picture an hour, for three years. A composite video was made to show the change to ice forms and landscapes.

The film is breathtaking, sobering, depressing…actually beyond description. The vanishing glaciers, and unprecedented melt astounded the expectations of all participants.


Beginners Tai Chi Series in Putney

Interested in learning Tai Chi? Medicine for the People is offering a new Beginners Tai Chi Series starting May 17th in Putney. This 14 week series covers the basic building blocks of Tai Chi movement — increase stregnth, flexibilyt and vitality. Tai Chi Chuan is often described as a moving meditation; after practice, one feels invigorated, clear-minded, and peaceful.