New Book by Richard Davis Now Available on Amazon

by RDavis | Books

The Village is a fictional account of life in a small Vermont town as told by a narrator who is a member of a family that purchased a country store that became the center of their new life after leaving New York City.

The narration paints a picture of Vermont that has all but faded into oblivion. The lives of three local characters and an encounter with tourists shopping at the store give the reader glimpses into the values and ethos of Vermont at a time when most of the inhabitants of the state were born there and stayed close to where they were born, while making a life for themselves and their families.

Construction Update Brattleboro-Hinsdale Bridge – Aug 24

by Not Signed In | Hinsdale

Crews are working hard to prepare the VT 142 corridor for pavement. Frames and grates on drainage structures are being brought up to grade, roadway sand layer has been placed, and the roadway stone layer placement has begun. This placement and fine-grading will continue into next week.

Paving has been scheduled for two days next week beginning on Wednesday, August 30th with approximately 1400 tons of asphalt to be placed in two 2.5″ lifts throughout the roadway.

WSESD – Personnel Committee Meeting Minutes

by Not Signed In | Education

CALL TO ORDER: 5:45 PM – Anne Beekman, Chair

On a motion by Kim Price, the minutes of August 9, 2023 were approved.

On a motion by Anne Beekman the committee accepted the recommendations of administration to have Isaac Freitas-Eagan for the position of Third grade teacher.

Elm Street Water Main Repair

by Not Signed In | Town News

On Thursday, August 24, the Utilities Division will be repairing a water main at the intersection of Elm Street and Lynde Place.  Elm Street between Flat Street and Elliot ST and Lynde Place will be closed during this repair.  The work is scheduled between the hours of 7:00 am and 3:00pm. Motorists should seek alternate routes.

Indie Folk-Rock Duo Sway Wild to Perform at Next Stage Arts

by hahrenholz | Music

Next Stage Arts presents indie folk-rock duo Sway Wild, on Thursday, August 31 at 7:00 pm at Next Stage Arts, 15 Kimball Hill, in Putney, Vermont.

Sway Wild was born on a small island in the Salish Sea.

Following a two-month sailing voyage through the remote anchorages of British Columbia, acclaimed indie-folk duo Dave McGraw & Mandy Fer, returned to their San Juan Island, Washington home still hungry to explore. The result was nothing short of an artistic epiphany; an evolution of sound that called out loudly for a new name. Sway Wild released its self-titled debut album worldwide in 2019.

Chris Smither Returns To Bellows Falls, Bringing The Suitcase Junket With Him – Ray Massucco Concert Series September 23

by hahrenholz | Music

Chris Smither, the towering figure in American acoustic blues, knows what he’s doing. He burst onto the singer/songwriter scene in the late 1960’s with a unique finger-picking style and a ragged world-weary voice. And then he just kept going. Along the way he amassed major fans, folks like the late founder of Little Feat, Lowell George, and Townes Van Zandt, who, amongst other things, always credited Smither with saving his life in a Florida swimming pool one hazy night, and Bonnie Raitt, whose recording of Smither’s “Love You Like A Man” entered the pantheon of stone-cold classics any number of years ago. Now, with eighteen albums under his belt and one of the most stellar reputations a living guitar god could hope to have, Smither returns to Vermont this September for the third Ray Massucco Concert Series show on Saturday, September 23, at the Bellows Falls Opera House.

Opening the show is Windham County’s favorite son, Matt Lorenz, aka The Suitcase Junket. “It is super exciting to see these two on the same bill,” enthuses Ezra Veitch of Ray’s the Roof Productions, organizers of the series. “Both Suitcase and Smither deconstruct the blues, rearrange it, and put it back together in a way that is purely their own.”

Brattleboro Food Co-op General Manager Leaving

by cgrotke | Business

News from the Co-op… General Manager moving on.

“Dear BFC Shareholders,

I have unexpected news to share. Lee Bradford, our General Manager for the last 15 months, will be leaving his position at the Co-op at the end of August. As he stated clearly in his communication to Co-op staff he is “not leaving the Co-op because of any concerns, questions, regrets, or challenges.” He has indicated that an unforeseen opportunity emerged, one that he feels most strongly compelled to accept for “both professional and several deeply personal reasons.”

Vermont Route 142 in Brattleboro Closure Extended

by Not Signed In | Hinsdale

Due to the significant weather impacts affecting the contractor’s schedule, the closure period of Vermont Route 142 has been extended until the end of the day Friday, September 8th, 2023. The active detours for cars and trucks will remain as configured with Uniformed Traffic Officers present as needed to assist with peak periods of traffic through the high school.

The location of the closure is approximately 1000 feet south of the current intersection of VT 142 and VT/NH 119. Access to both Royal Road from the southern approach and to 28 Vernon Street from the north will be maintained.

Tree Removal on Walnut Street

by Not Signed In | Town News

On Wednesday, August 23, Renaud Tree Care will be removing hazardous trees at the east end of Walnut Street.  This work will begin at 7:00 am and is expected to be completed by 5:00 pm.  During this project, Walnut Street will be closed between the 3-way intersection of Terrace, Tyler and Walnut Streets, down to the area of St Michael’s Catholic Church.  Motorists are encouraged to seek alternate routes.  

Nye Ffarrabas on “Here We Are”

by Wendy O'Connell | Arts

An artist, writer and poet, NYE FARRABAS’s experiential art is in many collections including MoMA, The Getty, the Walker Art Center AND at CX Silver Gallery here in W. Brattleboro.

In the early 60’s she and her FLUXUS cohort – including Yoko Ono, Geoffrey Hendricks and John Cage – created a new wave of art way outside the box, and the first “Happenings” in NYC.

Like Israel Only Worse

by RDavis | Op/Ed

My biggest fear is that Trump ends up in the White House again. It would be a disaster for this country and for the world, but it is something that could happen. Remember how improbable it seemed the first time around?

The best way we have to prevent this catastrophe is to vote and to make sure that a majority of the people who vote have functioning brains and a sense of justice and morality based in a world where the truth matters.

It is also possible that even if Trump ends up in prison he could still win the election. If that happens the United States would lose its standing as a world power and it is very likely that our economy could end up in the toilet. The world repercussions would be staggering.

Brattleboro Selectboard Special Meeting

by Not Signed In | Town News

The Brattleboro Selectboard will hold a special meeting on Friday, August 18, 2023 at 5:15pm. They will convene in the Selectboard Meeting Room at the Municipal Center (230 Main Street) and are expected to enter immediately into executive session to discuss contracts. Invited into the executive session are Town Manager John Potter and Assistant Town Manager Patrick Moreland.

Construction Update Brattleboro-Hinsdale Bridge August 17, 2023

by Not Signed In | Hinsdale

The storm water drainage system has been completely installed along the VT 142 corridor. The video inspection of the drainage system is currently in progress with positive results to date. Pending the positive conclusion of the video inspection, the only remaining work on the drainage system will be the full clean out of the system and vertical adjustment of the frames and grates of the structures to meet the final grade of the road.

Work for the traffic signal at the new intersection where Vermont/New Hampshire Route 119 and VT 142 meet has begun with the installation of the conduit and placement of foundations for signal poles and masts. Fiber optic vaults have been set and they will continue to work on installation of ground conduit between the vaults that will run through the Vermont Abutment to New Hampshire. Installation of pedestals for the meters and controller cabinet will take place next week.

WSESD Board Meeting Agenda

by Not Signed In | Education

AGENDA
I. Call To Order – 6:00pm – Kelly Young, Board Chair [6:00-6:05]
II. Student Matters (5-10 minutes) [6:05 – 6:15]
III. Administrative Report [6:15 – 6:25]
Administrators Retreat
Opening Day Schedule

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Summer Public EMS Discussions Wrapping Up

by cgrotke | Town News
selectboard aug 15 2023

The Brattleboro Selectboard held their August public EMS discussion at their regular meeting on Tuesday. The board is happy with their progress though one member said that the public doesn’t understand what decisions are to be made,. They will make their EMS decision in late September. Two more public meetings will be held prior.

The Town Manager said the EMS project web page has had over 1600 page views since May. (This site averaged 7,750 pages viewed per day in August for comparison). The board had questions about the Fire Department’s large overtime budget and the public had questions about downtown cameras and sheltering people without homes this winter.