Living

Living story sections

Keeping Warm Will Cost More

by RDavis | Living

As we approach the 22nd year of the Windham County Heat Fund people will find it harder to be able to afford to keep warm this winter. The price of fuel has been directly affected by the actions of a deranged president who started a war to divert attention from his actions as a pedophile in the Epstein scandal.

The average price of home heating fuel in Vermont this week is $4.60 gallon with a range of $4.59 to $5.50. Prices have increased 18.1 percent over the past six weeks and they show no sign of going down. That means that 150 gallons of home heating fuel will cost at least $688.50. It also means that for the lowest income people among us, heating their homes will mean difficult priority decisions.

Saag Paneer & Mango Lassi at Leda’s Kitchen this week

by LedaS | Food

Hello Food Lovers,

On the menu at Leda’s Kitchen this week:

SAAG PANEER: 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.

The Lazarus Effect

by RDavis | Recreation & Sports

Just when Red Sox fans were beginning to realize that this season was going to be a bad one for the home team something of a sports miracle happened. Their record before July was 37-48, meaning their win percentage was a depressing .434. Then something happened.

It all started in April when Red Sox manager Alex Cora and a bunch of other personnel were fired. Chad Tracy, the manager of the triple A Worcester Red Sox was hired and things didn’t change quickly as the Sox continued on their miserable slump.

Then in July the resurrection began as the Sox had a record of 21-4, the best in the franchise’s storied history. As I write today their record is 64-53, or .547 and they are only seven games behind the American League leading Tampa Rays.

Vermont Needs A New Governor

by RDavis | Activism

Governor Phil Scott needs to retire as Vermont’s governor. Five two-year terms is enough. His ideas have become outdated and his approach to problem solving does not seem to be working for the benefit of a majority of Vermonters.

When Scott was first elected I was fearful that he didn’t know enough about health care issues to be able to move the state forward. My fears were realized and he still seems to be locked into the position that the private market is the way to go to improve access and affordability to health care. How’s that working out Governor?

Luckily we have two extremely capable candidates running as Democrats to defeat Scott. Amanda Janoo and Aly Richards both have work credentials that make it clear they are able to tackle some of the state’s most difficult problems and to develop fresh new approaches. The Vermont primary is August 11 and Democratic voters have an excellent but difficult choice to make.

July 2026 Precipitation Report

by local | Nature

July was quite a dry month right up until the end. On the 28th my total was 2.22″ but the month ended with 4.80 inches, greater than the NOAA normal of 4.28″. The drought monitor has only a  tiny sliver of Vermont in any kind of drought and that should go away with the next report. Year to date my total is 24.58″ compared to the NOAA normal for this date of 26.41 inch. About 93% of the average.

Across Vermont the monthly totals range from a low of 1.7″ in north central Vermont to over ten inches in southern Bennington County.  That area received more rain from the month ending storm. There were towns just north of here that also received inches more rain than the 2.58″ measured over 3 days at my gauge.

Agnes Mikijaniec on “Here We Are”

by Wendy O'Connell | Health

AGNES MIKIJANIEC is held in high esteem by patients and her fellow providers at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital where she is an Oncology/Cancer Care APRN. She is known for her compassion, candor, and expertise. Agnes is a hero to many.

An Elusive Treatment Plan

by RDavis | Activism

Should a municipality use its taxing ability to help bale out a local non-profit hospital?

That is a question that voters in Brattleboro may face if the selectboard’s plans go forward. At a recent selectboard meeting there was a unanimous vote to look into holding a special town meeting to vote on creating a one-time tax, of an undetermined amount, to help the financially troubled Brattleboro Memorial Hospital.

The selectboard’s intentions are good. The hospital board recently announced a plan to close its birthing center in the next six to 12 months. Town government and other organizations quickly rallied to work on a strategy to save the birthing center as it is projected to cause a $4.8 million deficit next year.

Saving Our Hospital

by RDavis | Activism

Our small community hospital is facing unprecedented financial problems. Sadly, this is a common problem throughout our country. Small hospitals close and a community is left to drive hours and many miles for health care. Our community is fighting to keep our Brattleboro, Vermont hospital open while difficult decisions have to be made.

Most recently, the hospital board decided to close its birthing center because it loses too much money. Projected losses over the next year are over $4 million while facing an overall deficit of $14 million.

An Impending Health Care Crisis

by RDavis | Health

The world of direct-care health care workers such as nursing home aides, home health aides and a variety of private caregivers is about to come crashing down. The Supreme Court has ruled that the Trump administration can end the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program.

TPS was created in 1990 to provide relief from deportation and work authorization to foreign nationals in the U.S. According to Wikipedia the protected population are people, “ who are nationals of a country experiencing ongoing armed conflict, an environmental disaster, or any temporary or extraordinary conditions that would prevent the foreign national from returning safely. Temporary protected status allows beneficiaries to live and, in some cases, work in the United States for a limited amount of time. In March 2025, approximately 1,297,635 people had TPS.”

Brattleboro Civic and Business Leaders Launch Coordinated Campaign to Save BMH Birthing Center

by Not Signed In | Activism

Coalition commits to fundraising, state advocacy, and community mobilization to prevent closure within the six-to-nine month window.

BRATTLEBORO, VT — A broad coalition of Brattleboro and Windham County civic leaders, public officials, and business community members announced today a coordinated effort to prevent the closure of the BMH Birthing Center. The group is moving forward immediately on three fronts: community fundraising, state-level advocacy, and public mobilization.

The BMH Board of Directors recently voted to move toward closure of the BMH Birthing Center within six-to-nine months, citing unsustainable financial losses that will require significant external support. The coalition views that window as an opportunity to protect an essential public service in our town and region.