New Menu Items at Leda’s Kitchen this week

Hello Food Lovers,

This week’s menu includes two new dishes:

Mexican Chicken in Tomatillo Sauce: Free-range chicken cooked in a tangy, just slightly spicy tomatillo sauce that can be enjoyed dairy free or with a finish of sour cream.

Creamy Mushroom and Chickpea Curry: Roasting mushrooms brings out the most of their savory nature, and cashews make this a creamy curry. Vegan or vegetarian options.


Statement from Shela Linton on Jacob P. Zorn v. Shela M. Linton

This week, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled in Jacob P. Zorn v. Shela M. Linton that the officer who injured me during a peaceful protest is shielded from accountability under qualified immunity.

This ruling is not just about one officer who harmed me—violating my Fourth Amendment rights through the use of excessive force while I was exercising my First Amendment right to peacefully protest. It is about a system that perpetuates harm, and then protects itself.

What the Supreme Court’s decision affirms is that qualified immunity continues to function as a shield for misconduct. It sends a message that even when harm is clear, even when there is evidence, even when people within the system recognize something went wrong, accountability can still be denied.

This is not an isolated incident. This is systemic.


SNAP & Healthcare Info Hours

The Vermont Workers’ Center is hosting drop-in hours at the Brooks Memorial Library Community Meeting Room on Friday, March 27 from 2:00-4:30 PM to help people understand and navigate changes to SNAP, Medicaid and Medicare. There will be information about the new SNAP work requirements and exemptions, and on the rights of individuals currently on or applying for these programs. People who were recently denied SNAP benefits are encouraged to stop in to find out whether they still qualify and how to re-enroll. There will also be information about a recently expanded program to help Medicare recipients afford premiums and co-pays. Workers’ Center members can work with people on submitting applications and other paperwork.


Town of Brattleboro Hosting Rabies Clinic on Sunday, March 29

The Brattleboro Police Department’s Animal Control Officer will be holding a Rabies Clinic on Sunday, March 29, 2026, at the Central Fire Station. Registration is not required for this event.

Date: Sunday, March 29, 2026
Time: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Location: Brattleboro Fire Central Station, 103 Elliot Street, Brattleboro, VT 05301


Brattleboro Dog and Wolf-hybrid Licenses Due

Annual Brattleboro dog and wolf-hybrid licenses are available for the 2026 licensing period. Dog owners who applied through the online portal or who provided us with an email address were emailed a renewal notice in January. Anyone for whom we do not have an email address should have received a reminder notice by mail with instructions for renewing by mail or for claiming the record in the online portal through the Brattleboro.gov website. To renew an existing dog license, log into the portal, or return your payment and renewal notice with updated rabies vaccine information by April 1, 2026.


Never Forget

I can hear the cries of six million souls pleading to the living to make sure what happened to them never happens again. Yet, our world today is facing a threat too similar to the one that was faced when Hitler and his team of murderers tried to wipe out an entire race of people and dominate the world.

Maybe people who think they understand history do not know what it meant when the Jews who survived the Holocaust told the world that they must be vigilant and never let a tyrant wantonly kill people while removing any possibility of peace.

Trump is a modern day version of Hitler, Mussolini and all of the mentally deranged generals in history who have preceded them.


Leda’s Kitchen Menu for 3/19, Featuring Saag Paneer

Hello food lovers,

On the menu at Leda’s Kitchen this week:

SAAG PANEER (GF/Vegetarian) $28 for 24oz (2-3 servings)
“Off the charts scrumptious!” —Nettie L. A saag that goes above and beyond: small-batch house-made paneer combined with organic spinach, lots of onions, ginger, and garlic, and  finished with a hint of cream to elevate the soft, earthy flavors of the dish.​ Mild.

KALA MASALA CHICKEN CURRY (GF/DF) $28 for 24oz (2-3 servings)
The chicken curry that fed countless Dosa Kitchen customers for a decade. Free-range chicken in a base of tomatoes, onions, ginger, garlic, and a spice mix (kala masala) created for us in India. Medium-hot spice.


Are We Safe?

Most countries in the world that attack other countries expect some degree of retaliation on their own soil. But the United States has engaged on multiple fronts and has seemed to be safe from any major retaliatory attack. There was 9/11, but that was not in response to us starting a war.

Trump has been attacking countries all over the world and, when he does so, he puts U.S. military bases and their personnel into the line of fire, but our country has not been attacked. The question in my mind lately is whether or not Iran is going to be satisfied with killing a few American soldiers in response to the no-reason attack on their country.


3Squares & Healthcare Info Hours

Do you have questions about the new SNAP (3Squares) requirements?
Have you been cut off SNAP or Medicaid or had benefits reduced?
Do you need help signing up for SNAP or Medicaid?
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 Meeting Room on March 13 from 2-4:30 PM to answer questions & help people navigate these programs. We’ll have information about Medicaid, Medicare, and the SNAP work requirements and exemptions, as well as a recently expanded program to help Medicare recipients afford premiums and co-pays. We can work with people on submitting applications and other paperwork.


Leda’s Kitchen Menu for 3/12: Unique Eats for Flavor Seekers

Hello food lovers,

This week’s offerings are Mexican-inspired, with mostly new to the menu dishes.

CHICKEN MOLE COLORADITO (GF/DF) $30 (2-3 servings)
Oaxacan-style mole with a complex, slightly sweet, nutty, and subtly spiced flavor profile. The deep reddish brown sauce is made with more than 20 ingredients including ancho and guajillo chiles, tomatoes, chocolate, raisins, cinnamon, and sesame seeds.

PORK AND GREEN SALSA STEW (GF/DF) $26 (2-3 servings)
Pork and hominy long-cooked in chicken stock with a tomatillo green sauce.


Why War Now?

It just may be possible that the reason for this newest incursion into international law-breaking and senseless murder has more to do with Trump’s personal issues than any international political problem. Talks were in process with Iran and there surely was no imminent threat to the U.S. or Israel. So why start a war now?

Here is my analysis that may seem a stretch, but keep in mind that we are dealing with a president who is showing more severe signs of mental illness every day. When he bombed Venezuela and kidnapped Maduro and his wife the media was focusing more and more on the details of the Epstein case. It is clear that Trump most likely committed serious crimes during his friendship with Epstein. If any situation is capable of bringing down Trump it is his behavior in the Epstein world.

The Venezuela incursion forced the media to change focus. That lasted for awhile until more of the Epstein files were released and a New York Times reporter found out that files relating to Trump had mysteriously gone missing.


February 2026 Brattleboro Precipitation Report

February was a dry and average temp month with no big warmups or rains.  Measured 1.22″ of moisture compared to the NOAA average of 3.11″.  For the water year that we are 5 months into, the total is 14.94″ compared to the normal of 19.10″.   Has stayed on the dry side thru fall and winter.

Snow for the month here was 10.9″ compared to my average of 16.1″ and for the season 48.2″.  February snow extremes from my records are 0.0″ in 2012 and 40.0″ in 2015.


Leda’s Kitchen (mostly Mexican) Menu for 2/26

“Happiness is having one Leda’s meal in your belly and another waiting for you in the fridge!” —Tim W.

This coming week’s menu is mostly Mexican inspired:

Chicken Tinga (GF/DF): Chicken thighs simmered in a savory, smoky, and slightly spicy red sauce based on tomatoes, onions, garlic, lime, and chipotle chilies in adobo sauce. Accompaniments: lime wedges and optional sour cream $28 for 24oz container (2-3 servings)