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Time for A New Strategy

by RDavis | Activism

When fighting an unconventional war you have to think out of the box and develop new strategies to defeat the enemy. The war that is being waged in this country by Trump and his people defies logic, morality, ethics and common sense. But he has the ultimate power and, so far, he has been able to do whatever he wants. The only sensible counterattack requires new strategies.

One of the impediments to having a government that should be fair and just for the majority is the two-party system.

The world is hardly black and white, yet we expect our country to operate within an unrealistic system that only offers binary choices. Life is not like that.

Leda’s Kitchen Christmas Day Menu

by LedaS | Food

Hello Food Lovers,

Christmas and New Year’s Day both fall on Thursdays, which is Leda’s Kitchen pickup day. I’m excited to cook for you on these holidays! The best way to get the New Year’s Day menu and menus in general is to subscribe to my newsletter at www.ledaskitchen.com

Here’s my Christmas Day menu. Early pickup will be available starting 11am.

RIP Morgan Brown, aka Norsehorse

by cgrotke | Obituaries

iBrattleboro readers might know Morgan Brown from his writings as Norsehorse here on the site. Here is his obituary:

“Morgan Walker Brown died peacefully surrounded by love on Tuesday December 16th. A person of enduring determination and wise compassion, to the very end he used his prose and his voice to advocate for people in need. Morgan inspired many to follow in his example of empathy, kindness, and compassion.

Among the many hats that Morgan wore, he was primarily a writer and activist in the Montpelier community. In recent years, he even began to show up around the community in a Santa suit to bring a smile and joy to those often forgotten in his role of Wandering Santa; this role had started as a small act of love for his visiting granddaughter and blossomed into a much larger deed as he subsequently brought holiday cheer to homeless encampments during the coldest months. His poetry was read aloud in press conferences and by legislators in the State House. Most importantly he presented it as a tool to advocate for people to have shelter and housing.

A Lifeline for Difficult Times: The Taking Solace Series January’s topic: Climate and Ecological Grief: An Exploration

by CenterforSolace | Questions & Answers

In the midst of multiple challenges happening in our world, living with the growing effects of climate change can be overwhelming. Feelings such as grief, sadness, fear, guilt, despair, and helplessness can be held in community as we witness the ongoing destruction of our planetary home.

Join us on January 7th at 6pm as we slow down and create a place where we can share our feelings about what we are witnessing. This is not a venue for problem solving, it’s a place to express and share our feelings about how the earth is rapidly changing.

Leda’s Kitchen Menu This Week . . . and Preview of Christmas Day Menu

by LedaS | Food

Hello Food Lovers,

I wanted to give you a heads-up that I’ll be presenting a Sichuan menu for Christmas Day. The offerings will include Kung Pao Chicken, Mapo Tofu (vegan), and Red Braised Beef. You can start placing your orders on December 16 at 7 PM. Please email me at ledaskitchen@gmail.com if you’re interested in viewing the complete menu. Now, onto the menu for the upcoming week!

CHICKEN VINDALOO (GF/DF)
Free-range chicken cooked in an abundance of garlic, vinegar, and balance of chili (it’s not actually that spicy!*)
$26 for 24oz container (2-3 servings)

Afghan and Indian Meals Delivered in Brattleboro Second and Fourth Mondays

by Nanci Leitch | Food

One way to support an Afghan refugee is to subscribe twice a month (second and fourth Monday) to her great Afghan and Indian cooking which is delivered to your home, if you are a Brattleboro resident. Other folks can pick up their meal (a meat and vegetable entree plus bread or rice) at the end of their workday from a downtown location.

Leyluma’s Gourmet Dinners cost $30 for one serving or $50 for two and is made from the freshest ingredients. The menu switched back and forth between Afghan and Indian entrees. She can also make a holiday meal or catered a company lunch. Orders must be placed by end of day Friday by emailing nanci.leitch@gmail.com or texting 802-258-8348.

Disrespecting Nurses

by RDavis | Activism

This country has faced a critical nursing shortage for years. The situation was made worse as a result of the COVID pandemic when health care workers were burned out and left professions that already needed to increase their numbers. Now, the Trump administration has created a new threat to the nursing profession by changing its definition of a professional degree to exclude nursing.

This a gut punch to the 5.86 million nurses in this country. Of that number, 920,000 are LPNs and 5 million are RNs. These are significant numbers, and I hope that all nurses are reminded of the disrespect that this Republican administration is showing to nurses when it comes time to vote.

November 2025 Precipitation Report

by local | Nature

November was an overall dry month but seemed wet at times.  There was measurable precipitation on 13 of the first 17 days but only in small amounts.  Less days of moisture the second half of November. The monthly total is 2.36 inches compared to the normal of 3.53″. More than an inch below the average.  Year to date with just one month to go my total is 43.42″, just a few hundreds above the NOAA normal of 43.24″.

Prepare For A Difficult Flu Season

by RDavis | Health

Every year strains of influenza spread around the world. In the United States we look to the southern hemisphere and the U.K. to get an indication of what might head our way.

Drug manufacturers develop vaccines based on their best information, which is partly guesswork, and hope they come close to identifying the strain of flu we will face.

The 2025-26 U.S. flu season may be bad this year because the vaccines that were created are not a good match for the strain of flu that we will experience. According to a recent report on NPR, “And now, parts of the Northern Hemisphere, such as the United Kingdom, are being hit hard. That often foreshadows what’s in store for the U.S.

A Deadly Turn

by RDavis | Activism

The day that the government shutdown of 2025 ended was the day that any hope for preserving the quality of life of millions of Americans ended. On the surface, the shutdown was presumably about extending subsidies for the Affordable Care Act. But there was a lot more at stake.

The Republicans had already had success in shredding the Medicaid program by making sure that millions of people will not be able to access the program. Those changes have not played out yet. When they do, there will be a new epidemic of untreated disease that will have consequences throughout the entire health care industry.