Input sought on plans for police-fire facilities upgrade
BRATTLEBORO - The Brattleboro Police-Fire Facilities Building Committee invites the public to attend a display of design plans for the renovation of the Police Department, Central Fire Station, and West Brattleboro Fire Station on Thursday, Feb. 27, at 5:30 p.m., in the Selectboard Meeting Room at the Municipal Center, 230 Main St.
Following the display, the Police-Fire Facilities Building Committee will reconvene its meeting at 6 p.m. and take public input on the design plans. For more information, contact the Town Manager's office at 802-251-8151 or tmsecretary@brattleboro.org.
Speeches, evaluations at Toastmasters meeting Feb. 27 at Grad Center
BRATTLEBORO - BrattleMasters, the Brattleboro-based chapter of Toastmasters International, meets the second and fourth Thursday of the month from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on the second floor of Marlboro College Graduate Center, 28 Vernon St., Brattleboro.
This week's meeting is Thursday, Feb. 27 at the same time and location. Guests are welcome, and refreshments are provided. There is no pressure to speak, and members work at their own pace and with assigned mentors to help them meet their speaking and leadership goals.
For more information, visit brattleboro.toastmastersclubs.org.
Town Clerk's office open for early voting
BRATTLEBORO - The Brattleboro Town Clerk's office is open Saturday, March 1, from 9 a.m. to noon, for early voting in the Annual Town and Town School District elections.
The Town Clerk's office is closed Tuesday, March 4. Staff will conduct elections in the BUHS gym on Fairground Road. Polling hours are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Pet vaccination clinic offered in East Dover
EAST DOVER - The East Dover Volunteer Fire Department sponsors a pet vaccination clinic at the firehouse in East Dover on Saturday, March 1, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Dr. Miles A. Powers of East Dover will vaccinate cats and dogs. This clinic is open to all. Fees are $10 for rabies and $15 for a distemper-complex vaccine for either a dog or cat, or $20 for both vaccinations. Dogs should be on leashes, cats in carriers. For more information, call 802-348-7918.
Putney hosts community ski day March 2
PUTNEY - West Hill Shop and Green Mountain Orchards invite everyone to a free community-wide cross-country ski day at Green Mountain Orchards on Sunday, March 2, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Free cross-country ski rentals are available, but must be reserved in advance. For more information, call 802-387-5718, write info@westhillshop.com, or visit www.westhillshop.com.
Free 'Parenting Teens Wisely' class offered in Brattleboro
BRATTLEBORO - Parenting doesn't come with a handbook. Fortunately, Parenting Teens Wisely does. In an effort to promote positive communications among parents, caregivers, and teens, the Brattleboro Area Prevention Coalition (BAPC) and Windham County Partnership for Success offer a Parenting Teens Wisely workshop on Monday, March 3, from 6 to 9 p.m., at Marlboro College Graduate Center, 28 Vernon St.
This free, three-hour workshop teaches parents skills and techniques to help them better understand and deal with children ages 10-19. Participants will learn problem-solving tips, how to better encourage cooperation with their teen, and how to refine fair and effective discipline skills.
Two trained facilitators will guide participants. The course teaches constructive skills proven to reduce drug and alcohol abuse in youth, improve performance in school and homework, reduce delinquency and other problem behaviors, and resolve family conflict.
Participants will receive a Parenting Teens Wisely workbook, a parent resource packet, and a certificate of completion. Snacks are provided. Space is limited. Contact BAPC at 802-257-2175 or bapcprogram@yahoo.com.
CCV in Brattleboro to host VSAC workshop
BRATTLEBORO - VSAC counselors and college aid professionals are available Thursday, March 6, at the Community College of Vermont's Brattleboro center, 70 Landmark Hill, to help with filing online FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Financial Aid) and Vermont grant applications.
Walk-ins are welcome from 4 to 6 p.m.
Students and parents should each bring the following (students born before Jan. 1, 1991, do not need to bring parent information): Social Security number, most recent federal tax return, most recent W-2 or year-end pay stub, untaxed income records, bank statement(s), business and investment records, home equity and farm equity information, and an alien registration card (if not a U.S. citizen).
All information is confidential and used only for the purpose of filling out forms. For priority registration, call 800-642-3177 and ask for outreach.
Winter Farmers' Market heads into final month
BRATTLEBORO - March is the final month for the eighth season of the Brattleboro Winter Farmers' Market, but don't let that fool you into thinking not much is happening each week at the market. More daylight means that farmers' high-tunnel greenhouses are producing early fresh greens.
As the snows melt and the ground thaws, wintered-over carrots and parsnips with the sweetest taste you can imagine may appear - maybe leeks as well. And of course one can always find local eggs, meats, cheese, syrups, jams, pickles, cider, and more.
The market ends the season with the seventh annual CSA Fair. A number of CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) farms will join the regular market lineup to offer information about farming operations and CSA share options. Take this opportunity to do your CSA research and pick your farmer for 2014.
The market, sponsored by Post Oil Solutions, is open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Robert H. Gibson River Garden Saturdays through March 29. EBT and debit cards are welcomed, and Market Match Coupons are still available. For more information, contact write farmersmarket@postoilsolutions.org or call 802-869-2141.
Free tax help available to area residents
BRATTLEBORO - Free tax assistance through the AARP Tax-Aide Program is available in Windham County through April 15.
Tax-Aide volunteers are trained and certified to assist in preparing and filing federal and state personal income tax forms as well as renter rebates and property tax adjustments.
Tax assistance is offered at the Bellows Falls Senior Center (802-463-3907), the Brattleboro Senior Center (802-257-7570, 9 a.m. to noon), VFW Post 1034 in Brattleboro (802-257-9509, after 1:30 p.m.), Community Bible Chapel in Brattleboro (802-257-1594), and Jacksonville Municipal Center (802-368-7567).
Sugar-on-snow supper at First Congregational
WEST BRATTLEBORO - Each March for more than 60 years, the First Congregational Church, 880 Western Ave., has served up a delicious, traditional Vermont sugar-on-snow supper.
On Saturday, March 8, the tradition continues with a menu of ham, baked beans, coleslaw, potato salad, deviled eggs, rolls, sugar-on-snow, homemade donuts, pickles, coffee, tea, and milk.
Seatings are 5 and 6:15 p.m. Prices for adults are $12; children 5-12 are $6; kids 4 and under are $3. For reservations, call Janet at 802-257-7495.
CCV offers free online course: Money Smarts
BRATTLEBORO - Based on the “massive open online course” (MOOC) concept, Community College of Vermont is offering a free, non-credit “little” open online course (LOOC) called Money Smarts.
From Monday, March 3 to Monday, April 7, the program covers a variety of topics with the aim of increasing your financial literacy and helping you take control of your personal finances. Weekly module topics include budget and goal setting, understanding credit, mastering credit cards, borrowing basics, and leveraging services banks and credit unions provide.
The five-week course provides opportunities to discuss financial literacy with the instructors and other participants, and includes readings, videos, websites and other resources to build money management skills.
Money Smarts is offered free to all as a public service of the Community College of Vermont. High-speed (cable modem or DSL) Internet access is recommended. To enroll, visit looc.ccv.edu.