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Mushroom Foraging Workshops Through the Brattleboro Food Co-op

by Not Signed In | Home & Garden

The Brattleboro Food Co-op (BFC) is sponsoring a series of four wild mushroom foraging workshops this summer and fall. Led by Justin Garner, a clinical herbalist and founder of Sweet Flag Medicinals, each workshop will focus on whatever edible fungus is popping up in that particular month. Precautions will be taught for harvesting wild mushrooms, as well as cooking instructions and some on the ecology, natural history, flavor and medicinal value of the different species.

State Rep. Valerie Stewart Serving Lunches at Living Memorial Park to Area Youth

by Not Signed In | Food

July 23rd and 30th, Vermont State Representative Valerie Stewart will be at Living Memorial Park serving lunches to area youth as part of the Windham Southeast Supervisory Union’s Summer Food Service Program. The WSESU runs the Summer Food Program to ensure that children and teens have access to healthy food when school is not is session. Any child, 18 or younger, can find a free breakfast, lunch or dinner at various sites around Brattleboro or Guilford. Anyone can text ‘FOOD’ to 877-877 to find the site closest to them.

BMH Introduces New Endoscopy System for Earlier Digestive Disease Detection and Treatment

by BMH | Health

Brattleboro Memorial Hospital is among the first hospitals in Vermont to acquire the Olympus EVIS EXERA III video endoscopy system. This system uses a video processor, light source, endoscope, and monitor to enable physicians to look inside the gastrointestinal (GI) system to diagnose, detect, and treat GI diseases such as colorectal cancer. The advanced imaging in the EVIS EXERA III system will help BMH physicians to detect GI disease at an earlier stage when treatments are most successful.

“By acquiring this new system we are able to further our commitment to providing exceptional care to our patients. With this advanced technology we increase our capacity to provide more accurate diagnoses, shorter procedure times, and an overall improved procedural experience,” said Steven R. Gordon, President and CEO of Brattleboro Memorial Hospital.

BAJC Announces the Ordination of Cantor Kate Judd

by BAJC Shir HeHarim | Spiritual

Brattleboro Area Jewish Community (BAJC) in West Brattleboro is proud to announce the ordination of Cantor Kate Judd. Kate was ordained through the Cantor Educator Program (CEP) at Hebrew College in Newton, Massachusetts. 

The program at Hebrew College draws on renowned faculty from three Hebrew College schools — the School of Jewish Music, Shoolman Graduate School of Jewish Education and Rabbinical School — as well as resources from Andover Newton Theological School and other member institutions of the Boston Theological Institute. Cantors in the CEP earn a Masters of Jewish Education degree, enabling them to serve congregations as mentors and facilitators and as spiritual leaders who can empower their congregants in study as well as in worship.

Dosa Kitchen Food Truck Has Moved to Grafton Village Cheese in Brattleboro

by Dosa Kitchen | Food

Our South Indian food truck, Dosa Kitchen, has moved to a new home:

400 Linden Street (on Route 30), in front of Grafton Village Cheese in Brattleboro. Check Facebook for our new extended hours and stay posted as we firm up our regular hours. This week we’re open Sunday and Monday, closed Tuesday and Wednesday, then open the rest of the week. We’re at 646-388-2221 if you would like to call ahead.

SeVWA’s 2015 E. coli Monitoring of Local River Sites Continued July 15th

by sevwa.wqmp | Nature

The Southeastern Vermont Watershed Alliance (SeVWA) had its third monitoring day for the summer of 2015 on Wednesday, July 15th. The majority of our sites received significant rainfall in the day before sampling and 8 of our 27 sites tested above the recommended “suitability to swim” bacteria level set by Vermont and the EPA. It is generally recommended to wait 24-48 hours after a significant rainfall to resume swimming in lakes and streams, so keep that in mind when making weekend plans on the water.

Even though we keep saying that bacteria levels are heavily dependent on rain, river users, whether they be swimming, boating, paddling, tubing, fishing, or even just hiking by, can help improve water quality by taking care of the rivers and their shores.

Family First: Brattleboro Savings & Loan Earns Gold Status as a Breastfeeding Friendly Employer

by Not Signed In | Family

BRATTLEBORO, VT. – Brattleboro Savings & Loan recently took a step toward making the bank a bit more comfortable for new moms and dads on both sides of the teller window.

This June, the bank received ‘Gold Status’ from the Breastfeeding Friendly Employer Project, joining an elite set of businesses across the country that are taking a pledge to create safe, welcoming environments for breastfeeding mothers and their children.

One’s Lure of Choice

by spinoza | Nature

It’s peak summer, buzzing abounds. I was recently struck by the correlation between bikes and flies. This article attempts to chase that down. An exercise in vernal observation and kinetic free association, admittedly esoteric.

Sitting by the side of the road, gazing with even a slight degree of critical attention, you’ll see Harleys, BMWs, Ducatis, Triumphs, and a spate of Japanese varieties, Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki.  Within each company selections are offered which do specific things optimally. The Touring Bike, the Cruiser, the Racer, the Dirt Bike. Also dotting the landscape, an array of hybrids made to straddle on and off-road use, they do various tasks reasonably well. These are the Enduros, Spyders, Dual Sports, etc. It’s a vast domain, with models for every passion and taste.

Pay As You Throw and the Rising Cost of Recycling

by Lise | Home & Garden

Pay As You Throw wasn’t so bad, now was it? All you have to do is spend a few extra hours (and/or dollars) a week on your trash and voila! It’s trash day and out to the curb it goes, in multiple assorted bins, to be sure, but at least it’s gone and that’s what matters. End of story, right?

Oh, how we wish. Unfortunately, now that we’re all composting, recycling, and reducing our landfill waste to little piles of plastic and metal oddments, we have a new problem. Curbside recycling is not profitable. It doesn’t even pay for itself. In many places, including Brattleboro, the recycling companies have to be propped up financially by the municipalities, costing taxpayers money (again).

Cat Box Liner And Litter Package Tested And Approved For Brattleboro’s Curbside Composting Program

by Litter-2-U | Pets

Liner converts into a clean, sealed disposal bag

Brattleboro, VT July 10, 2015, Litter-2-U is a product that gives cat owners a convenient way to dispose of cat litter in their curbside composting cart. This fast, easy and clean way to change cat litter compliments Brattleboro’s curbside composting program and diverts litter from costly, harmful landfills to usable compost.                

Litter-2-U (L2U) is a compostable plant-based liner pre filled with a 100% wood-pellet litter, which is highly absorbent and effective at odor control. The strong 2-ply liner has a jute drawstring that can later be cinched for disposal. With L2U, Brattleboro cat owners can avoid putting their litter in a costly non-compostable PAYT bag destined for the landfill. L2U is currently available online at and is delivered to your door.

Brattleboro Savings and Loan, and the Confederate Flag Check Logo

by Andie | Activism

A few months ago when I was reordering checks from Brattleboro Savings and Loan, I looked through the possible options for a logo/symbol to put on them, and came across a confederate flag as one option.  I contacted the bank to ask if there was a check company I could deal with that didn’t offer that as I did not want to support such a company. 

My request was not received with the most understanding response, and I was quite concerned that my bank did not understand my concern.  I let it slide, and tried to find a company on my own, but soon realized it would take me a long time to go through all the other companies and their choices, and gave up and went back to Harland-Clarke, through BS&L.  Then, the horrible mass shooting/murders in South Carolina happened, and the nation focused on the issue of the flag.  I decided I could not sit by any longer. 

It’s Time to Register Students for Hebrew School!

by BAJC Shir HeHarim | Spiritual

It’s not too late to register children in the Brattleboro Area Jewish Community Hebrew School. Congregation Shir Heharim (Song of the Mountains), the Brattleboro Area Jewish Community, offers a once-a-week religious school for youngsters from the age six up to thirteen or older.  The school offers a vibrant child-centered program that teaches Hebrew language studies as well as songs, stories, prayers, holiday observances, customs and traditions, history, current events, and all things Jewish.  Students can begin school at the age of six.  Anyone who is planning to become a bar- or bat-mitzvah must be enrolled for a minimum of two years.

SeVWA’s 2015 E. coli Monitoring of Local River Sites Continued July 1st

by sevwa.wqmp | Nature

The Southeastern Vermont Watershed Alliance (SeVWA) had its second monitoring day for the summer of 2015 on Wednesday, July 1st. As you may recall, a large thunderstorm came through our area Wednesday morning which coincided, rather unfortunately, right with our sampling time. Some volunteers were out before the storm moved through, but about half our sites were not tested due to the inclement weather. Our volunteers are a valuable asset and we never want to risk their safety to get a few water samples!

          Bacteria levels tend to spike following a heavy rain event when more water falls on the ground than can be infiltrated, or soaked into, the ground and it runs off directly into rivers and streams taking everything loose on the ground with it. In the case of impermeable surfaces such as concrete, pavement, and compacted sand or gravel, no water can ever infiltrate and always becomes runoff when it rains.

Unbeatable Bee-zzzz – Free Program at Brooks Memorial

by Brooks Memorial Library | Family

What superhero can carry 122 times her own weight,  fly 5 million miles on a gallon of honey and see ultraviolet colors invisible to us? Yes! The Mighty Bee!

Bees can buzz along at 15 mph and beat their wings 200 times per second. What do bees do with their superpowers? They help provide the world with flowers, fruit, and even chocolate! One in three bites of food we eat is thanks to these pollinators! And don’t forget honey. To make a pound of honey, bees must fly 55,000 miles and visit around 2 million flowers.