VT Gas Pipeline and Other Extreme Energy Projects

by Ezie | Activism

Vermonters are building a resistance to extreme energy projects, and exploring how local struggles against extreme energy can support each other. On Tuesday June 25th, 7pm in the Parlor of the Centre Congregational Church, (193 Main Street, Brattleboro) Sara Mehalik of Rising Tide will make a brief presentation about pipeline projects and the Stop the Vermont Gas Pipeline campaign.

Vermont Gas Systems plans to expand a fracked gas pipeline through VT and under Lake Champlain. Landholders and community members are organizing to stop this dirty and dangerous fossil fuel infrastructure, to protect the water, the climate and to build community power and resilience.

CRVBL Weekend Roundup

by CRVBL | Recreation & Sports

PUTNEY, SUNAPEE AND WALPOLE WIN LATEST CRVBL GAMES

By Kevin McElhinney, CRVBL

The Putney Fossils, Sunapee Old Lakers and the Walpole Wild Blue all collected wins as the 2013 Connecticut River Valley Baseball League season moved into its second half. All eight CRVBL teams will be in action over the next week.

Putney handed the defending CRVBL champion Clearment Cardinals its second defeat of the season by a 7-2 score at Dummerston field. The Fossils took control of the game with a four run second inning. Richard Bissell picked up the complete game victory, while Steve Kapril had 3 hits and knocked in five runs. Right fielder Josh Coursen of Putney preserved the lead with a spectacular diving catch with a runner in scoring position.

Senate Panel Puts Spotlight on Older Americans

by Not Signed In | Politics

WASHINGTON, June 19 – The Senate Subcommittee on Primary Health and Aging held a hearing today on how Older Americans Act programs like Meals on Wheels reduce hunger and poverty among seniors and save money on more expensive nursing home and hospital care.

“These programs not only work to ease isolation, hunger and suffering, they also save taxpayers substantial sums of money,” said Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), the subcommittee chairman. “The simple truth is that we can feed a senior for an entire year for the cost of one day in a hospital.”

Sanders is the chief sponsor of legislation to reauthorize and strengthen the 1965 landmark law that he called “one of the most effective programs ever devised” to address the needs of vulnerable seniors.

Youth Services Drops Golf Balls from Helicopter to Raise Funds for Youth

by Not Signed In | Entertainment

Brattleboro, VT—Youth Services announced today its newest fundraiser, a helicopter golf ball drop raffle in which one lucky individual is guaranteed to win $3000 with a once-in-a-lifetime ride in a helicopter thrown in for good measure.

The Golf Ball Drop will take place on Wednesday, July 31 at the Brattleboro Country Club’s 9th Fairway between 5:30 and 6 p.m., at the conclusion of Youth Services’ 28th Annual Youth Services Golf Tournament, though winners need not be present to win the money, according to organizers.

Old-Fashioned Strawberry Supper on Saturday, June 22

by Not Signed In | Food

Guilford, VT– A summer tradition for the whole family, the Strawberry Supper at Guilford Community Church will be held on Saturday, June 22. There will be two seatings to choose from, at 5 and 6:30 p.m. The price is $10 adults, $5 children 11 and under, and $3 preschoolers. For reservations, call (802) 254-9019 or email guilfordchurchsupper@gmail.com.

The menu features ham, baked beans, deviled eggs, potato salad, coleslaw, fresh baked rolls, strawberries, shortcake and whipped cream, coffee, iced tea, and milk. All proceeds benefit the church, which supports over 20 local programs and organizations that serve the community.

Brattleboro Selectboard Special Meeting Executive Sessions

by Not Signed In | Town News

It is anticipated that the Brattleboro Selectboard will enter into executive session at one or both of the special meetings scheduled on Thursday, June 20, 2013, at 5:00pm and 6:30pm, to discuss contractual and personnel matters.

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

4th Annual Go Skateboarding Day At Crowell Lot

by scrispe | Recreation & Sports

The 4th Annual Go Skateboarding Day is this Friday from 2-5 at the Crowell Lot Skate Park Site. We will have ramps, tons of refreshments, barbecue, contests and prizes as well as music. Should be a great afternoon. Bring your skateboard and tell everyone you can to come support the Brattleboro Skate Park efforts. 

As always, donations are welcome. 

Take care,
Spencer.

Selectboard Meeting Notes: Town Manager Resigns, 8,000 Solar Panel Farm Planned Near I-91

by cgrotke | Town News

The Brattleboro Selectboard bid farewell to Ken Schneck, whose resignation is effective this week, but in a surprise announcement it was learned that Town Manager Barb Sondag will be resigning as well.  Sondag said that she’ll be taking a position in Missouri to be closer to family, and so the board must find a replacement. 

The Brooks House’s complex funding may be in place by next week, with construction beginning in late July. Skating rink repairs have been put on ice until the board’s next meeting. And the public is invited to comment on a proposal to put 8,000 solar panels near the Holiday Inn, viewable from I-91.

And much, much more. Read on for the details.

Estey Organ Museum Announces Special Open Days

by Not Signed In | Entertainment

Estey Organ Museum will be open for special extended hours the weekends of June 22 – 23 and June 22-23 to welcome members of the Organ Historical Society who will be traveling to and from the OHS 2013 Annual Convention being held in Burlington June 24-29.

The museum is located in the former Estey factory complex on Birge Street in Brattleboro, and features displays of various styles of reed organs as well as a playable, walk-through, 1915 Estey pipe organ. Many of the other instruments on display are also playable, and visitors of all ages are encouraged to take a turn at playing them.

Brattleboro Safe from Dangerous Grannies – For Now

by Maus Anon E | Police & Fire

Brattleboro police nabbed eight senior citizens last week, including one nonagenarian, charging each with a single count of disorderly conduct.

According to police, Ellen Graves, 72, of West Springfield, MA; Priscilla Lynch, 61, of Conway, MA; Linda Owen, 73, of Brattleboro; Patricia Wieland, 69, of Northampton, MA; Anneke Corbett, 70, of Florence, MA; Frances Crowe, 94, of Northampton, MA; Marcia Gagliardi, 65, of Athol, MA, and Susan Lantz, 72, of Northampton, MA, were arrested at about 7:35 am on Wednesday, June 12.

Kay Curtis Retrospective Exhibit Opens Saturday at All Souls Church

by fomag | Arts

West Brattleboro, Vt. — An exhibit by Brattleboro artist Kay Curtis now graces gallery spaces at All Souls Church through the end of July. One of Kay’s larger paintings, “Diversity,” from a series she based on themes in the All Souls Covenant spoken from time to time at worship services, hangs permanently in the church parlor.

“Say Something New!” is a collection of twenty-one other works of Kay’s art created over the past thirty years. “I had great fun placing new marks on earlier work, and revisiting who I used to be,” Kay shares. “I took photography in college but have never shown the photos I love to make. In the spirit of this, showing new things seemed possible.”

Wednesday Farmers Market Open in Brattleboro

by Not Signed In | Food

The Wednesday Farmers’ Market is back in business for the season and is better than ever!

Open every week 10 to 2 by the Brattleboro Food Coop, there are new farms, Loaves and Stitches gluten-free bakery, medicines and bodywork from Brattleboro Naturopathic, candles and crafts from Wicks and Stones, and for lunch visit Anon’s Thai Cuisine and Newfane Gelato.

The Loose-Knit of Worldkins in a Virtual Fishbowl

by Vidda | Philosophy

Being a Five- Light town, Brattleboro , has long been kept in a fishbowl where its local activities are open to public view in the tri-state area.

iBrattleboro, on the other hand, is in a virtual fishbowl where all manner of lively extranet conversations take place.

As a species of the genus microcosmos, we worldkins here are not far removed from a city of 8 million. The superficial differences are obvious but this corner piece of real-estate, proportionately speaking, has a knit of a tighter weave that is a daily, simulated reality of character interaction.

The Melting Pot Revisited

by paulgardner | Opinion

I remember hearing the term, “melting pot” used to describe America. That was back in the ’60s. 

The idea was that America takes all sorts of disparate human parts from  Europe, Africa, and Asia, and melts them down into an ingot called an American.  All traces of your old self were to disappear as you took on the new identity.

That was the theory. Of course, America was “whiter” back then.

Now, depending on who you listen to  America either soon will, or already has passed the point where European Americans are the majority.

Rep Alan Grayson (D – FL) on US Surveillance

by cgrotke | Politics

I got to watch a fair amount of CSPAN last week as I recovered from a flu. One of the more interesting moments came late in the week, after most of the work for the week was through and members could use their time to talk about anything they wanted.

Rep. Grayson, a lawyer and a former phone company president, decided to spend about a half an hour talking about PRISM, phone records, metadata, and government spying on US citizens. It’s a pretty good overview of the known programs, and he offers up some good points of further inquiry.

BCTV Channel 8 & 10 Schedules for the Week of 6/17/13

by BCTVProg | Media

BCTV Channel 8 Schedule for the week of 6/17/13

                   Monday June 17

1:00 am       Artists ala Mode: March 2013- Electric Fence

2:00 am       FSTV Overnight

4:00 am       Danger Men Cooking: #008 – Guest, Chef Michael

5:00 am       Dummerston Conservation Commission: Got Bats?

6:30 am       True North Reports: Conservative Environmentalism

Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – June 18, 2013

by cgrotke | Town News

Overpriced ice rink compressors will be a topic of conversation at the next regular Tuesday meeting of the Brattleboro Selectboard. The single bid received for fixing the ice rink came in more than $100,000 over what was anticipated to be a $364,000 project, and the Town can’t afford a $471,000 price tag, says the Finance Director.

The Town also plans to purchase a new dump truck and brush chipper, BaBB will give the board a status update, Brooks House owners Mesabi, Inc. will return to ask for an additional $50,000 in loans from the Town of Brattleboro, and much more. Tune in to watch on BCTV, attend in person at the Municipal Center, and read full coverage here the day after.

Brattleboro Selectboard Special Meetings – Interviews and Appointment

by Not Signed In | Town News

The Brattleboro Selectboard will hold two special meetings on Thursday, June 20, 2013 in the Selectboard meeting room at the Municipal Center.  The first meeting will commence at 5:00pm.  The second meeting will commence at 6:30pm.  Agendas for both meetings are attached.

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