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Living story sections

A Bigger Prize

by RDavis | Activism

I told myself I was going to try to keep away from writing about the madman who is running this country. All of us have to figure out a way to preserve our sanity for the next four years and retreat has become an option for many. But the future that I see unfolding demands to be talked about because all of our lives may be transformed in ways we do not welcome.

I got a call from a woman in Florida who is married to a Puerto Rican man and they have two small children. They are living in a state of heightened fear every day and they are looking for a safer place to live. She knew nothing about Brattleboro but happened upon our little town in the cybersphere and wanted to talk to someone who lives here.

Harris Hill Ski Jumping Weekend

by Not Signed In | Recreation & Sports

WHAT: This weekend marks the 103rd year of the Harris Hill Ski Jumping competition, the only Olympic sized ski jump in New England, February 14-16, 2025 in Brattleboro, Vermont. The event has a festive atmosphere for the whole family with opening ceremonies, live event announcing, music, local food and drink, a jumbotron and souvenirs. The weekend will serve as a stop on the US Cup competition of the United States American Ski Jumping (USASJ) series.

On Friday, February 14 ♥️, Harris Hill Ski Jump will host a Friday night target jump competition featuring athletes from the weekend’s lineup of competitors. Jumpers aim to land as close as possible to a TSSD Services logo painted on the landing to win a cash prize. The event is FREE and a thank you for the greater Brattleboro community for its continued support of the annual ski jumping event. Live announcing and limited hot drinks will be available for sale for Friday.

Spring Training for Serious Illness Program Volunteers

by EileenBAH | Health

BAH is pleased to be offering another volunteer training for the Serious Illness Program. The training will be starting in April with days/times to be determined to allow for maximum flexibility and accessibility.
 
The Serious Illness Program was created to offer support, solace, and assistance to people going through a life-altering serious illness that may or may not carry a terminal prognosis. 
 
This is a wonderful opportunity to spend time with clients who are learning to adapt to the changes a serious illness brings. 

Brattleboro and VT COVID-19 Regional Dashboard Summary – February 2025

by cgrotke | Health

Welcome to the February 2025 dashboard summary. We continue semi-regular COVID-19 dashboard numbers from the Vermont Department of Health, and MA and NH counties that surround Brattleboro, as long as they continue providing them. Numbers are low, but not zero. Scroll down the new comments for the latest.

VT, NH and MA do weekly updates, near the end of the week, so we update on Fridays usually. Variant updates are every two weeks.

Sports – A Healthy Refuge

by RDavis | Recreation & Sports

If there was ever a time when we needed a refuge from the madness of the world it is now. Many of us are finding are own personal refuges and one of mine is sports. It doesn’t matter whether you are a participant or a spectator/fan because once you are immersed in any kind of sporting experience it is easy to forget about the rest of the world for a time. Reminiscing about your own personal sports history also has value.

My favorite sports are baseball and basketball. I have never been a football fan and I attribute that to the fact that my high school didn’t have a football team. I was the team manager for most of the sports at my high school, sort of a combination mascot and all around errand boy for the coach and players.

Our soccer team was one of the best in the state. A lot of that had to do with the fact that all the other teams we played had their best athletes on their football teams. All the big guys that usually don’t play soccer were on our team and we literally trampled most of the other teams.

January 2025 Precipitation Report

by local | Nature

A dry month with fairly normal temps. Measured 1.57″ of moisture compared to a NOAA normal of 3.39″.  Even with the relatively cold temps most of the month, about 1/2 of the moisture fell as rain.

Snow for the month totaled 12.6″ compared to my average of 16.5″.  My average in just the years 1993-2010 was 19.4″. Total snowfall so far this season stands at 25.3″ at my location.  For comparison Mt Snow ski area lists their season total at 93″.  They do exaggerate a little but they also have been receiving much more snow this year and skiing has been good for several weeks.

Audio Story Hits the High Points of Harris Hill “Like Nothing Else in the World”

by Lissa Weinman | Recreation & Sports
ski jumper

The Harris Hill Ski Jump stands like a beacon on the local landscape. Every February thousands gather at Harris Hill to watch athletes from around the world compete for the Winged Trophy. The thrills of this extraordinary event are brought to  life in the January episode of the Brattleboro Words Trail Podcast as jumpers fly, crowds roar and cowbells ring and three very different voices share their impressions on the hill.

Time To Cut Health Care Costs At The Top

by RDavis | Health

A group of lawmakers has finally decided to tackle the issue of obscenely high salaries paid to hospital CEO’s and administrative leadership in Vermont. Every time this issue has come up hospital spokespeople hide behind the mantra that they have to pay high salaries to attract qualified candidates. That may be true, but we are living in Vermont, not New York or Boston, and I think we can still attract excellent candidates without having to lure them in with salaries that could pay for three or four front line health care providers.

The purpose of the recently drafted bill states, “This bill proposes to require hospitals to provide information about employee compensation and administrative staffing ratios to the Green Mountain Care Board as part of the Board’s hospital budget review process. It would also direct the Board to ensure that the ratio of administrative employees at each hospital to employees delivering health care services directly to patients is aligned with national averages for similar hospitals and that the compensation for a hospital’s executive and clinic leadership does not equal more than 10 times that of the hospital’s lowest-paid employees who deliver health care services directly to hospital patients.”

Celebrate the Lunar New Year of China, Korea, and Vietnam

by ACCVT | Family

Asian Cultural Center of Vermont (ACCVT) celebrates the Lunar New Year of China, Korea and Vietnam Sunday, February 2, 1-3:00. You don’t have to be Asian or know anything about Asia to participate! Join us at the Brattleboro Museum and Art Center to usher in the year of the Green Wood Snake. Celebrations, which typically last two weeks, began on Jan 29th.

This Green Wood Snake year offers the unique opportunity to quickly shed skins of the past, creatively express what is in the shadows, and move forward covering much ground. We will start our celebration with a potluck. Then join us for traditional Chinese Dance with Li Fei Osborne, group Taiji and Qigong, and traditional New Year songs and crafts.

Do Voters Voting as a Group Support Democracy?

by RobertOeser | Activism

The Planet Hank Live Show streamed live on January 16, 2025 and is available on YouTube
https://bit.ly/4hq2rXC

Starting around 33 minutes, there is a section which I would like to point out. Here is the text, courtesy of the YouTube generated transcript:

Brattleboro Dog and Wolf-Hybrid Licenses Are Available

by Not Signed In | Pets

Annual Brattleboro dog and wolf-hybrid licenses are available for the 2025 licensing period. All current dog owners will be mailed a renewal notice in January. To renew an existing dog license, return your payment and renewal notice with updated rabies vaccine information by April 1, 2025.

Effective January 1, 2025, the State is increasing the dog licensing fees by $2 per dog. That money will go directly to the State to fund an animal welfare program.

Is It Time To Change Tradition?

by RDavis | Activism

Many years ago there were poor farms run by local towns where the needy people in a community would find help and shelter. I have also heard stories from older Vermonters that when the legislature had House members elected from every town that some towns would elect the most indigent among them to be legislators so they could be safe and cared for during the winter.

Another tradition started, and I don’t know when, but it has persisted in many communities in Vermont. I suspect other places around the country may have some variation of this. In Brattleboro, Vermont we have a Human Services Committee that reviews applications from local non-profits and then allocates funding from the town budget. There has been wide support for the town using tax money to support non-profits.