Selectboard Meeting Notes – Boston By Bus, $30k For Pedestrians, and Bittersweet Reconsideration

by cgrotke | Town News

Perhaps the biggest news revealed at the regular meeting of the Brattleboro Selectboard had almost nothing to do with any board decision. A bus company has decided to start a daily route from downtown Brattleboro to and from Boston starting October 1.

The board did handle some meaty topics themselves, of course. They had healthy discussion of  accessibility features of the new police station, a lesson on business development activities, a decision to spend $30,000 on pedestrian safety and work safety into future budgets, another decision to reconsider their decision regarding Bittersweet Lane, a scolding for the public for not paying attention, and more. 

West Brattleboro Association Chicken BBQ Is Saturday, October 8, 11 Am Till Gone

by WBA | Town News

The annual Columbus Day weekend Chicken BBQ will be sponsored by the West Brattleboro Association (WBA) on Saturday, October 8th, starting at 11 a.m. and lasting until gone. The event will be held in front of the First Congregational Church on Western Avenue in West Brattleboro. There will also be a bake sale (and maybe more) sponsored by the Church.

The half barbecued chicken, which uses a barbecue sauce recipe from the Guilford Fair Fireman’s BBQ, will be available with a pickle for $7. Watch for an updated announcement soon, and meanwhile get October 8th on your calendar!

Proceeds from the BBQ help the West Brattleboro Association with its many activities for the community!  

Act 46 Meeting Agenda and Minutes

by Not Signed In | Education

ACT 46 STUDY COMMITTEE

Representing the Brattleboro Town School District, Dummerston Town School District,
Guilford Town School District, Putney Town School District and the Vernon Town School District
http://www.wssu.k12.vt.us

REVISED NOTICE OF MEETING

The Act 46 Study Committee will meet at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 22, 2016 at the Putney Central School.

AGENDA

I. CALL TO ORDER – 6:00 p.m. – Alice Laughlin, Committee Chair

II. REVIEW, PRIORITIZE AND ESTABLISH DESIRED OUTCOMES FOR MEETING BY CHAIRPERSON.

III. REVIEW COMMITTEE MEMBER ROLES AND PUBLIC COMMENTS BY CHAIRPERSON

An Enigma-Like Puzzle

by cgrotke | Creative

I’ve taken up Rolf’s challenge to create a puzzle. I haven’t hidden any prizes, but this could certainly be adapted to become a treasure-seeking endeavor in the future. Enjoy!

 

LSCMOS makes a square

BBMDEGHJWOWEPMLC are simply around

RO WB are varieties

and ACPMC also in pies can be found

BCTV Schedules For Week of 9/19/16

by BCTVProg | Media

BCTV channel 8 schedule for the week of 9/19/16

Monday, September 19, 2016

12:00 am Rock Voices – 7/29/16 Concert

1:25 am UVM: John Abele Inaugural Stetson Lecture 8/23/16

2:30 am Wolf Peaches / Poisoned Peas & Madame Pompadour’s Underwear

3:45 am Senior Moments: Alzheimer’s Disease Pt 1

5:00 am GMMT: Friday News Show

Filling the Void Left by Vermont Yankee

by tomaidh | Vernon

A recent program on Vt. Public Radio reported that energy leaders from across the state met in Vernon Sept 12th to help the town plan for life after Vermont Yankee.

Entergy closed VY in December, 2014, leaving behind an enormous switchyard that can handle hundreds of megawatts of electricity from a power plant.

The town wants to replace VY’s tax base — and lost jobs — and with those high voltage transmission lines, Vernon is looking for an energy project that could make use of the electrical infrastructure.

Crafting For The Homeless Is Back For Its Third Year! Come Help Make A Difference

by BAJC Shir HeHarim | Activism

Come join us for our 3rd year of making a difference on Sunday afternoon, October 9th, from 1:00-3:00 pm, to craft items for the homeless population in the area. Using traditional crafts, we will make hats, scarves, blankets and sleeping mats from yarn and fleece fabric. Our group will meet the first Sunday of the month after this session.

Some people come to learn to knit or crochet, others arrive with projects already underway. Some are members of BAJC; someare not. All are welcome! We donate our projects to Groundworks Collaborative. 

Thoughts on 9-11

by tomaidh | Op/Ed

 

When playing serious poker, they say that if you can’t figure who the “patsy” is within 3 hands, the patsy is you.

Oswald thought he was doing something patriotic when he took the (CIA) job in the Book Depository.  No one was more surprised than he when he realized JFK had been shot. “Holy Sh*t” he said. “I’m the patsy”. “I better GTF out of here”. He didn’t succeed.

VFW Lunch Specials 9-19 to 9-23

by Not Signed In | Food

Monday – swiss & bacon burger w/ French fries or a salad
Tues – chicken & turkey pot pie w/ biscuit & salad
Wed – goulash w/ salad
Thurs – shepard’s pie w/ salad
Fri – crab cakes w/ macaroni salad

Rhythm & Songs of the Tof Miriam Drum Workshop

by BAJC Shir HeHarim | Music

“Then Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine (also called “Tof Miriam” or “Frame Drum”) in her hand, and all the women followed her, with tambourines and dancing”-Exodus 15:20.

Brattleboro Area Jewish Community will be hosting Marla Goldstein leading a frame drum workshop titled ‘Rhythm & Songs of the Tof Miriam Drum’. The Tof Miriam is a very special and important instrument for the Jews. Played during the splitting of the Red Sea, it symbolizes freedom, joy, and celebration.

Maybe Coy, Maybe Not

by spinoza | Nature

I’ve been living here for several decades and it was my first close encounter of this kind. But what was it? I was riding my bicycle in West Brattleboro, past the cemetary where headstones are splayed on both sides of a dirt road. An animal darted in front of me, something dead, just killed, in its jaw. The prey, a hedgehog, I guess. The predator, what was it? At first I thought it was a German Shepard. A big one. It had a reddish coloring. Then almost immediately I second guessed that. There was no collar, there was something feral.

Brattleboro Fire Department New Hires

by BrattFireDept | Police & Fire

There has been a tremendous amount of change within the Brattleboro Fire Department over the last month which has included two new entry level firefighters being hired; two firefighters that have been promoted to lieutenant and two lieutenants have been promoted to the rank of captain. All of the candidates participated in a written test, oral board and Chiefs’ Interview. I am happy to announce the following hires and promotions;

Weekend Creativity Series – Soldering and Circuits

by cgrotke | Creative

Here’s a handy skill everyone should have – how to solder. Knowing how to use a soldering iron greatly expands your ability to make home repairs and build useful and interesting electronic devices.

This short video gives some tips and tricks for basic soldering of both wires and components.

The Separation of Science and Belief – “Give No Solace to the Faithful”

by Vidda | Op/Ed

One of the primary elements of good science is to be challenged. Challenge is a welcome, necessary and learning component of all science. Change and new discoveries are expected by any good scientist. And, theoretical and practical sciences are the most self-correcting of all human intellectual disciplines. All of which helps to keep science alive and relevant.Too many non-scientists use those components, however, as a wedge or a club to make us think that science is unstable, unreliable, does not “know everything” and that science cannot reach proven conclusions because waiting around the corner is another change.

Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – September 20, 2016

by cgrotke | Town News

Residents of Bittersweet Lane have asked the Brattleboro Selectboard to reconsider their recent decision regarding road reclassification. The board denied the request for the Town to take over the private road.

The Welcome Center may be getting a pump station, the Traffic Safety Committee would like more time to study the need for additional flashing pedestrian crossing lights, Blanche Moyse may get a road named after her, and there are many grants and financial reports to consider.

Attend and offer your two cents. You can always bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.

I-91 Brattleboro Bridge Replacement Project Update: Week of September 19th

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.

Route 30

The speed limit on Route 30 near the work zone has been reduced to 40 mph. Project-related truck activity on Route 30 will continue. Route 30 may be reduced to a single lane intermittently, with flaggers regulating traffic within the work zone.

Brattleboro Area Hospice Offers Opportunity To Create Memory Boxes

by Not Signed In | Health

On Tuesday, September 27, 2016, from 1:00 – 5:00 PM, Brattleboro Area Hospice will host an opportunity for adults to make a memory or tribute box in remembrance of a loved one. The event will take place at the Brattleboro Area Hospice office at 191 Canal Street in Brattleboro.

Participants in the workshop should bring photos and small treasures, poems, and mementos to create your special work of art. If you have a box you’d like to use, please bring it. Otherwise boxes and the materials you’ll need to paint and decorate your memory box will be provided.

Vermont Virtuosi Flute Ensemble: “Pipe Dreams 5” on Oct. 1

by fomag | Music

Brattleboro, Vt. – Friends of Music at Guilford presents the Vermont Virtuosi Flute Ensemble, seven of the finest orchestral and solo flutists in New York, Vermont, and New Hampshire, at 7:30 p.m on Saturday, October 1, in the sanctuary of St. Michael’s Episcopal Church. The Barre Montpelier Times-Argus says, “Vermont Virtuosi concerts are
now among the most rewarding chamber music performances in the state.”

“Pipe Dreams 5” is the back-by-popular-demand fifth public program by Vermont’s only professional flute choir. Playing five different types of flute, from petite piccolo to colossal contrabass, the ensemble will perform transcriptions of works by Bernstein, Vivaldi, Doppler, Debussy, Gershwin, and Leroy Anderson as well as original works by Vermont composers David Gunn and Dennis Bathory-Kitsz—whose piece was commissioned by Vermont Virtuosi.

WRC Seeks Public Comment on Renewable Energy Grant Program

by Not Signed In | The Region

The Vermont Clean Energy Development Fund has awarded $400,000 to the Windham Regional Commission (WRC) to develop a grant program to support renewable energy projects in Windham County. The program will focus on small-scale projects. Award amounts are proposed to begin in the $10,000 range and go up to $320,000. The WRC will host a public meeting in the Townshend Town Hall, 2006 Route 30 Townshend, Vermont Thursday, September 29th at 6 pm to solicit public feedback on the program proposal. RSVPs are preferred though not required to mmajor@windhamregional.org.