Brattleboro Senior Meals February 23 thru February 27
Feb. 23 Mack & Cheese
Stewed Tomatoes
Cauliflower & Broccoli
Apple Sauce
Living
Living story sections
Media Bias and Kidnapping
In our world of celebrity worship, you can garner mainstream media attention if you are famous or a close relative of a famous person. That means that ordinary people who are not considered newsworthy by the media can wallow in obscurity even if they suffer indignities that media attention could help relieve.
Case in point is the incessant media attention that the kidnapping of Nancy Guthrie, mother of news celebrity Savannah Guthrie, is receiving. She was kidnapped on February 1 and, as of this writing, she is still missing. There are few clues to her disappearance, but the mainstream media and law enforcement have given her case an inordinate amount of attention.
Brattleboro Senior Meals February 16 thru February 20
Feb. 16 CLOSED FOR PRESIDENTS DAY
Feb. 17 BBQ Meatballs
Sweet Potato Pie
Green Bean Casserole
Pineapple
The Olympic$
The Olympics are a great escape from the crazy world we live in, if you can afford to watch them. Television cable bills are outrageous, but they are still showing the most popular events on major networks. The Olympics include lots of other events that are only available to watch if you pony up even more money than your cable bill and opt for the premium level of Peacock.
The modern-day Olympics always had a large financial element to it, but in 2026 it seems to me that the situation has reached a new level where the big media outlets hold the public hostage unless they dole out more and more money for viewing. There may be free ways to watch events that I am not aware of, especially with so many live stream options.
Beyond I Have a Dream
People who cannot attend, start the discussion here. Tell us your favorite quote from Martin King (besides “I have a dream”) so your neighbors can discuss it Wednesday the 11th., 6:30 at the Brooks Library in Brattleboro
Four special guests will make remarks at the beginning of the event. Most of the allotted time, from 6:30 to 8:30, and maybe later, will be devoted to free discussion about the Martin Luther King who has never been celebrated in popular culture. Who gradually became influenced by Malcohm X.
BCS is planning this event to be a public discussion with the descriptive title “Beyond I Have A Dream” and with short presentations by Ethan Nasreddin-Longo, Reverend Arnold Thomas, Rv. Lise Sparrow, and Mary Gannon, honoring King and Black History Month and featuring Q&A and public discussion more than presentations. The purpose will be to raise awareness of King’s radical evolution and of other militant anti-racist thought.
Brattleboro Senior Meals February 9 thru February 13
Feb. 9 Tuna Casserole
Dilled Carrots
Brussels Sprouts
Peaches
Harris Hill Ski Jump Competition February 14-15, 2026
Harris Hill Ski Jump will take center stage February 14 and 15 as 50+ athletes from the U.S. and Europe converge for one of North America’s most storied ski jumping competitions. This year’s event, the 104th competition at Harris Hill, features a rare convergence of international rivalries and up and coming Olympic-level talent.
The Winged Ski Trophy Showdown
Slovenia’s Urh Rošar returns to Harris Hill seeking a historic third victory in the Fred Harris Memorial Tournament on Sunday, a win that would permanently retire the iconic Winged Ski Trophy under long-standing rules at Harris Hill. Standing in his way is teammate and close friend Ozbej “OB” Kotnik (SLO), the 2023 champion, who is determined to keep the trophy in circulation. With the trophy retirement rule changing after 2026, this weekend could mark the final opportunity ever to retire the Winged Ski Trophy.
SNAP & Healthcare Open Hours on Friday
Are you confused about the new SNAP requirements?
Do you need help signing up for SNAP or Medicaid?
Have you been cut off SNAP or Medicaid or had benefits reduced?
Do you need help paying for Medicare premiums or co-pays?
The Vermont Workers’ Center is holding open hours at the Brooks Memorial Library Community Room on Feb. 6 from 2-4:30 PM to help people understand and navigate these programs. We’ll have information about Medicaid, Medicare, and the SNAP work requirements and exemptions, and can work with people on submitting applications and other paperwork.
Join Me in Volunteering at Beloved Winter Shelter
Join me in volunteering at the Beloved Winter Shelter. If they don’t get enough night volunteers they’ll have to stay closed during some extreme temperatures.
The other day I was talking with Amanda Ellis-Thurber, a fellow selectboard member. She reminded me that she has been volunteering with the Beloved Community Winter Shelter up on Town Crier Drive, and encouraged me to do the same. So I reached out to shelter staff, and last weekend did my first shift there.
Brattleboro Senior Meals February 2 thru February 6
Feb. 2 Shepherd’s Pie
Peas & Carrots
Beets
Pineapple
January 2026 Precipitation Report
January has been a cold snowy month with 3.02 inches of precipitation measured compared to the NOAA normal of 3.39″. So far this water year, starting the first of October the moisture total is 13.72″ compared to the norm of 15.99″. So the dryness of last year is continuing.
My snowfall total this month is 22.8″ compared to my average of 16.7″. This goes back to the winter of 1993-94. The highest January snow total over that time is 37″ in 2011. I also saw 6 mornings with temps below zero in January. We did still manage to have a couple storms fall as rain or part rain. My season snow total stands at 37.3″.
Civil War II?
Protests in this country are escalating, yet the illegal violence against citizens continues. The Trump sandbox mentality of having the big guns makes him feel that no laws apply to him, so he continues to trample on the rights of Americans as well as some people in other parts of the world.
Most of us are feeling helpless, but the question in my mind is whether or not people will move their protests closer to the level of a civil war. We are losing the democracy that many of us have believed in, and we are being mentally and physically tormented on a regular basis just for trying to stand up for the rights that have been guaranteed in the documents that are supposed to guide the people who run this country.
Tarot, Divination & Intuitive Arts as Insight, Guidance and Inspiration by Patti Newton
In Mainstream media Tarot or Tools for divination are often depicted as creepy fortune Tellers, Ancient prophetic Seers or eccentric women looking into crystal balls. They are usually regarded as the bearers of ill fortune, futures that are clouded by scary predictions and ill-fated omens. It’s no wonder that same mindset that has presented this negative image has also persecuted those in real life who have been the herbalists, the healers, the midwives, and those who brought comfort to those who were struggling; the Wise ones, the Shamans, and the Sensitives.
Every culture down through the ages have utilized divination arts. This is because it was recognized that humans have a natural intuitive/intelligence that is akin to animals renowned for their own high intelligence and intuition including chimpanzees, elephants, and octopuses, which display advanced problem-solving, tool use, and self-awareness. Other notable, highly intelligent creatures include crows, which understand cause-and-effect, and dolphins, which possess complex emotional processing and self-recognition.
Leda’s Kitchen Menu for 1/29, Chicken Tikka Masala + More
“That chicken curry was a knockout! We are so grateful for you.” –John U.
At Leda’s Kitchen, I draw on my adventures as a private chef, cookbook author, and co-owner of Dosa Kitchen Food Truck to offer weekly heat-and-eat meals designed to awaken your senses and fit seamlessly into your schedule. My menus feature curries, stews, nourishing soups and stews inspired by diverse food traditions. I cook with high-quality ingredients including free-range meats and focus on local and organic sourcing. You decide when to eat, as all dishes are designed to reheat beautifully, maintaining or even increasing their original deliciousness. On the menu for the coming week (order by January 27/pick up January 29:
Brattleboro Senior Meals January 27 thru January 31
Jan. 27 Baked Ham w/Raisin
Sweet Potato
Peas, Carrots & Onions
Apple Crisp
The Dawning of the Age of Aquarius Has Just Begun! 5 Astrological Positions in Aquarius Start Today!
Today is the dawning of the Age of Aquarius, and we can see this in the protests and demonstrations demanding that people are treated equally as human beings and treated with dignity, respect and kindness because we are all citizens of planet Earth.
Here is one example of a protest today, January 23, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xn93oAuICn0
Healthcare & SNAP Info Hours
The Vermont Workers’ Center is hosting drop-in hours at the Brooks Memorial Library Community Meeting Room on Jan. 23 and Feb. 6 from 2:00-4:30 PM to help people understand and navigate changes to SNAP, Medicaid and Medicare. There will be information about the changes, including the SNAP work requirements and exemptions, and on the rights of individuals currently on or applying for these programs. Workers’ Center members can work with people on submitting applications and other paperwork.
We Need To Stop The Rogue President
Most reasonable people assume that governments exist to support people and provide the infrastructure to make sure commerce provides whatever is needed to keep people safe and healthy. Sadly, a lot of people who are not reasonable, ethical and moral tend to rise to the top of the power structure in many countries.
When that happens, all of the documents and policies in place become meaningless. The founding fathers of the American experiment wrote a number of documents to guide the new country that was breaking away from the tyranny of King George III. The hope was that they could provide more freedom for people in a new country.
Leda’s Kitchen: Unique Meals for Flavor Seekers, Menu for 1/21
Hello Food Lovers,
On the menu this week:
*Ghee Roast Chicken Curry
*Beef Keema
*Ethiopian-style Chickpea Stew
… and more
Brattleboro Senior Meals
Jan. 19 CLOSED FOR MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY
Jan. 20 Baked Spaghetti w/Meat Sauce
Zucchini
Green Beans & Peppers
Garlic Bread
Pineapple
