I do not believe your statistics on domestic abuse, nor do I believe background checks are going to have any effect on domestic abuse.
All you are doing is providing distorted information stating that high numbers of the Vermont voting public are in favor of universal background checks. I have yet to speak to one.
Your agenda is is just promoting a false sense of security.
Vermont does not have any gun problems, and we have not had any for a couple of hundred years.
This column is a pack of lies. For one thing, WCAX conceded that Vermont is in no sense “one of the highest rates of gun trafficking in the Northeast.” In fact, that station said exactly the opposite, based on a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms report. And the...
Join the Friends of Brooks Memorial Library for a library fundraiser concert on Friday, Nov. 7, at 7:30 p.m. The performers: Vermont folk-based duo Hungrytown, the musical and married team of Rebecca Hall and Ken Anderson, who have released “Hungrytown” (2008) and “Any Forgotten Thing” (2011). Hall and Anderson...
The Windham Solid Waste Management District (WSWMD) has issued a request for proposals (RFP) to construct a new solar energy facility at the district's former landfill. The WSWMD, composed of 19 local communities in rural southeastern Vermont, owns the closed, 30-acre landfill on Old Ferry Road. The landfill operated from 1982 to 1995, and has a methane recovery system to generate electricity. In April 2014, Gov. Peter Shumlin signed legislation that will allow WSWMD to develop up to a 5-megawatt...
For years, Vermont Yankee opponents have insisted, “Let the state have more say.” A recent news article reports that now that state environmental officials seem likely to find in favor of the plant, one longtime Vermont Yankee foe is fretting about the national ramifications of a looming decision by a state agency. The Vermont Agency of Natural Resources plans to uphold the safe, proven practice of running cool Connecticut River water over steam-filled Vermont Yankee pipes, then discharging it downstream.
If Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and, indeed, the rest of this Congress had put more effort into single-payer health care as they did in the Affordable Care Act, our growing segment of the increasingly older population and the future of health and medical science and services for us all would have been better served. In its stead, we watched helplessly as they plowed $12.5 billion into “Obamacare,” which is nothing less than a Cheshire-cat-grinning, wide-mouthed gift of massive proportions to...
Meeting Waters YMCA will join over 10,000 other organizations nationwide in hosting Lights on Afterschool! celebrations on Thursday, Oct. 23. Launched in October 2000, Lights On Afterschool! is the only nationwide event celebrating afterschool programs and their important role in the lives of children, families and communities. Meeting Waters YMCA will host celebrations at each of its seven Y-ASPIRE sites: Brattleboro's Green Street School, Oak Grove School and Academy School; Dummerston School, Putney Central School, Rockingham Central School, and Walpole...
Community discussion focuses on revitalizing West Brattleboro WEST BRATTLEBORO - A community discussion on ways to revitalize West Brattleboro will be held on Thursday, Oct. 23, at 7 p.m. This will be facilitated by the West Brattleboro Association (WBA) and will be held in the Community Room of Hayes Court on Garfield Drive (just west of the West Brattleboro Post Office). The group invites any and all to come learn about and discuss the report “Revitalizing Southern Vermont's Villages –
“Under Milk Wood, a Play for Voices,” by Dylan Thomas, will be presented by Broad Brook Grange in Guilford on Saturday, Oct. 25, at 7:30 p.m. The performance is the featured event in Guilford's series commemorating the 100th birthday of the well-known Welsh poet just two days later. This will be the first public performance by Guilford's Packer Corners Players. The ensemble gave private readings of the work in 1968 and 1993. Three of the five original players are still...
Transitions • Sovernet Communications of Bellows Falls has appointed Sharon Combes-Farr of Ludlow as the company's Director of Marketing. Combes-Farr is a Vermonter who brings with her more than 17 years of telecommunications, marketing and project management experience. At Sovernet, Combes-Farr will be in charge of all marketing and communications for the company, including customer service and customer support. • Susan V. Kendall has been named Director of Administrative Staffing and Recruiting at TPI Staffing Group, based in Keene, N.H.
If you drove to your workplace this morning in a car equipped with seatbelts and airbags; if you turned on the faucet when you got there and filled a cup with clean water; if you took a break and enjoyed fresh air free of tobacco smoke, one person more than any other has helped to make it possible: Ralph Nader. And that's just for starters. Cited by The Atlantic as one of the 100 most influential figures in American history,
In light of his experiences fighting in Iraq, veteran Tyler Boudreau will discuss PTSD and “moral injury” in a talk at Brooks Memorial Library on Nov. 5 at 7 p.m. His talk, “The Morally Injured,” is part of the Vermont Humanities Council's First Wednesdays lecture series. The event is free and all are welcome. Boudreau served 12 years in the Marine Corps infantry. As a captain and company commander with the Second Battalion, Second Marine Division, he deployed to Iraq...
Twilight Music and Next Stage Arts Project present International Bluegrass Music Association award-winning mandolin prodigy Sierra Hull and her Tennessee-based bluegrass quintet Highway 111 at Next Stage on Sunday, Oct. 26, at 7:30 p.m. Hull is a leading light in the new generation of bluegrass musicians. Her phenomenal mandolin playing, eloquent vocals, and musical maturity have drawn comparisons to Alison Krauss. A seasoned performer, Hull has appeared on Garrison Keillor's “A Prairie Home Companion” and the Grand Ole Opry radio...
A roast pork supper will be served on Saturday, Oct. 25, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Evening Star Grange in Dummerston Center, sponsored by Dummerston Cares, Dummerston Congregational Church, and Evening Star Grange. The dinner is a benefit for the Dummerston Fuel Fund, which provides fuel assistance so that no neighbor need go without heat. During last year's heating season, the Dummerston Fuel Fund said it assisted eight different individuals or families living in Dummerston who had fuel emergencies.
Brattleboro Area Hospice is once again presenting the annual Cherished Goods auction, this year on Saturday, Oct. 25 at the VFW on Black Mountain Road. Proceeds support the hospice care and bereavement services that are provided free of charge in the community by Brattleboro Area Hospice. Much like last year's eclectic choices, this year's auction features many pieces of furniture, works of art, jewelry, and other items of interest, all of which will be available for auction just in time...
As a 71-year-old co-owner of property in three towns, I found using Jamaica and Townshend official websites very useful. I looked forward to keeping myself informed by watching every meeting video as they were posted on Townshend's website. I read all minutes on Jamaica's website. I am very much in support of both towns taking down the sites for all the reasons mentioned in the story. As a matter of fact, I am proud to know exactly why the decisions...
A benefit event will take place at The Stone Church on Main Street on Saturday, Oct. 25, from 7 to 9 p.m. to help save the land and culture of the Baka Pygmy in Salapoumbe, Cameroon, which organizers say is being destroyed by deforestation and modernity. The evening starts with a delicious Cameroonian meal leading to a performance of spirited dancing and drumming by Brattleboro residents Georgette Adjie Beighle and Raoul Ombang, originally from Cameroon, and members of the Brattleboro...
Twenty middle school students and their teachers from Inner Mongolia arrived at Leland & Gray Middle and High School on Oct. 15 for two weeks of music and dance workshops with L&G students and performances for Windham Central and L&G students and the community. The visitors are living with host families in the West River Valley and enjoying the fall foliage, local food, and Vermont hospitality. A performance for the Leland & Gray community is set for Friday, Oct. 24,
A preview of a new PBS documentary, “The Raising of America: Early Childhood and the Future of Our Nation,” is offered on Tuesday, Oct. 28, at the Latchis Theatre from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. To be released by PBS next spring, “The Raising of America” examines how a strong start for all children leads to greater individual success and a more prosperous and equitable society. The film will be followed by a community discussion on this national issue. Panelists include...
Anyone attached to the image of a writer as a secluded, ink-stained hermit decked out in corduroys and a moth-eaten sweater has not watched Adrian Todd Zuniga in his electric blue bespoke suit emcee Literary Death Match. From the far end of the Robert H. Gibson River Garden, Zuniga presided over a battle of words, wit, and literary trivia during the opening event of the 13th annual Brattleboro Literary Festival on Oct. 3. In Literary Death Match (LDM), four authors...
Elayne Clift is purposely reporting as fact many lies that were debunked long ago. I just can't understand how a writer can do this sort of thing and be considered credible.
Do you really think a person who trades a firearm for drugs would have consented to a background check? Never mind that it's already illegal to sell firearms to felons as well as for a felon to own or possess one. So how would background-check legislation stop this sale? If someone has broken several laws already, would one more law have stopped him?
As I asked gun-control advocates at a meeting in Bellows Falls recently, “Why don't you trust me?” I've never done anything to anyone from GunNonSense and they couldn't pick me out of a crowd, yet I'm not capable of good judgment. Some gentleman (a supporter) started to spout the 40-percent-without-background-checks statistic and this “gun-show loophole.” I asked if he has ever bought a firearm in Vermont or anywhere for that matter. His response was no. So these people who support...
First off, I would like to comment on the statistic that 40 percent of gun sales are done without background checks. This number came from a survey of around 250 people done 20 years ago, before background checks were even required. To continue the use of this discredited statistic shows that no real research has gone on here. I would then ask the reader and the author of this column to think about the opening paragraph. Can anyone honestly think...
Elayne Clift wrote: “We also know that violence against women across the country is directly related to weak gun laws.” Actually, we know no such thing. All but two other states in the country have stricter gun laws than Vermont, and each of those states has much higher crime rates. Anyone who says they are protecting woman by taking away our right to defend ourselves a) does not know what they are talking about, and b) keeps us vulnerable by...
I feel that I have to set the record straight. Fact: According to the FBI, the number of firearms murders in Vermont is two per year. This statistic is also confirmed by the Vermont Department of Public safety's crime report. Fact: Since 1996, when the Brady Bill was first enacted, there were 357,000 firearms purchased in Vermont. This is from a report from the FBI which oversees the background checks. This figure doesn't include the millions of firearms that were...
The nuclear industry is pouring money and political influence into selling the United States and Wall Street on the lie that nuclear power is the answer to climate change. New nuclear “think tanks” are popping up like mushrooms in the muck. President Obama, who owes his political career in large part to the nuclear industry, favors nukes in his “all-of-the-above” Clean Power Plan. Nuclear is pegged for $12.6 million in guaranteed loans from the Department of Energy, compared to $4...
With the elections less than two weeks away, 10 candidates responded to questions about human rights in Vermont during a forum held as part of a statewide discussion on building a new Vermont economy. The candidates had 90 seconds each to answer big questions on healthcare, workers' rights, supporting Deaf students and adults in the wake of Austine School's closure, and climate change. Ahead of the elections, the Vermont Worker's Center (VWC) - with organizations such as 350VT.org and the...
All children deserve a safe, nurturing, and stimulating start to life. From high-quality prenatal care to rich early-learning experiences, the children we raise today will become tomorrow's parents, leaders, and innovators. The Southeast Vermont Building Bright Futures (BBF) is one of 12 from across the state dedicated to improving the quality of life for all young (birth to age 8) children and their families. Our mission is to support and improve all aspects of the early-childhood system based upon Vermont's...
Congratulations to Winstanley and Integrated Solar of Brattleboro on their successful development. I wish those involved with Windham Solid Waste Management District much luck as they go down their development path. Having their potential solar array available to community net-metering customers will be very beneficial. The article ends with an assertion - “Increasing energy efficiency in homes, however, remains important” - and a quote from Kim Smith, assistant planner, Windham Regional Commission: “And that's one our greatest opportunities.” I am...
In Apron Theater's Eleemosynary, I really enjoyed watching these intelligent women struggle with their own emotional intelligence and seeing how raw the feelings were as they tried to make their relationships better. Difficult theater performed brilliantly. Congratulations to all. Thanks for an amazing ride.
Part of the problem with political issues these days is we refuse to even listen to the other side. The country is extremely polarized, as is the media, which plays to one side or another. The Commons has been responsible, in my view, by publishing a side that might not be popular in the area that it serves. To even suggest that they may be “on the take” does them a great disservice. You have one opinion of the closing...
Whether your aim is to punch up your writing with lively, accurate quotes and rich detail or you just want to know the skills professional interviewers use to get the story no one else has, a workshop will offer some helpful and practical tips and techniques. Vermont Independent Media's Media Mentoring Project brings you into the world of an award-winning newspaper reporter and skilled screenwriter for an hour with “The Art of the Interview” with Olga Peters. Learn how to...
It is with deep sadness that after almost 30 years of dedicated service to the children of Brattleboro, I have decided to resign as a fourth-grade teacher at Academy School. I thank the approximately 600 brilliant, insightful, and talented students I have been privileged to work with while they learned, questioned, problem-solved, and continued their growth toward becoming empathetic and socially responsible members in their community. I am in awe of the hundreds of devoted and nurturing parents I have...
The Emergency Winter Shelter at the First Baptist Church, 190 Main St., is set to open for its eighth winter Nov. 2 and is appealing for community volunteers ages 18 and older to staff the effort. The Brattleboro Area Drop In Center is the lead agency in coordinating the downtown shelter, which provides a safe, warm place to stay, as well as a dinner meal, for the individuals and families in the region who face situations of homelessness. Last season,
Jana Zeller grew up with two acclaimed puppeteers: her parents, Ines Zeller and Eric Bass, co-founders of Sandglass Theater. So perhaps it's hardly surprising that she has had a lifelong fascination with that peculiar art form. Nonetheless, it took Jana quite a while to become a puppeteer. “Initially I worked in the visual arts rather than the theater,” Zeller says. “But even then, more often than not, puppets found their way into my work.” Zeller did not begin to create...
Fear and humor are frequently seen as two sides of the same coin. Some people chuckle to mask their nerves. Others even howl in the face of danger. The split personality of the lead character in “Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” seems to be a perfect vehicle to illustrate this polarity. But despite more than 30 adaptations, director Josh Moyse says he has yet to find one that adequately captures it. “All of them have been too...
When I was coming of age around New York City in the early 1980s, there was a local sports broadcaster whose signature phrase was, “Let's go to the videotape!” What would follow would be a fascinating few minutes as games were reduced to their most dramatic highlights. Going to the videotape has changed our perception of the world. In recent history, we've seen the rise of broadcast journalism, surveillance footage, and the increasing prevalence of the recorded moving image. The...
The Bellows Falls field hockey team completed its second straight undefeated regular season with a 3-0 win over Windsor last Friday, but it took some work by the Terriers to do it. Windsor played excellent defense in the first half but was worn down by the Terriers. Leah Robinson broke the scoreless deadlock with 3:55 left in the first half, and Anna Clark and Cassidy Santorelli scored in the second half to give BF a 14-0 record and the Marble...
On Oct. 8, I made the trek from Brattleboro to Burlington to hear how Vermont will tackle the health effects of climate change. As a physician deeply concerned about climate change and all its impacts, I was thrilled that Vermont is forward-thinking enough to commit resources to such an important issue. And I was not disappointed. The two scientists presenting the program to the public - Climate Change Program Chief Heidi Hales, Ph.D. and Environmental Health Surveillance Chief David Grass,
Storyteller Simon Brooks will kick off the season of scary things when he brings his “Frightening Tales” to Bellows Falls Middle School Thursday, Oct. 30, at 7 p.m. The program, sponsored by Main Street Arts, is recommended for teens and adults. Brooks promises stories that will chill listeners to the bone, in some cases as disturbing as Edgar Allan Poe's “The Black Cat.” A native of England, Brooks began telling stories in 1990 and has been a professional storyteller since...
It all started with the idea that serving a daily nutritious meal to area seniors was too important a function to be left to the whims of bureaucrats and politicians. Ten years and about 400,000 meals later, Brattleboro Senior Meals is going strong in the kitchen at the Brattleboro Senior Center in the basement of the Gibson-Aiken Center. Included in their 600 meals per week are noon lunches served Monday through Friday, breakfasts on Tuesdays and Fridays, and the 70...
For something that hasn't existed for more than three quarters of a century, the trials and tribulations of one little railroad has a powerful hold on the imaginations of those living in the West River Valley. How else could you explain seeing a standing-room-only crowd of about 150 people jammed into the NewBrook Firehouse on Oct. 15 to celebrate the preservation of a key piece of the long-defunct West River Railroad? The Historical Society of Windham County held a program...
I have been approached numerous times and asked about my philosophy on policing and the direction I will lead the Brattleboro Police Department, so will take this opportunity to express my thoughts on our role within this community. I am a very strong advocate of community-involved policing - a concept that is not new. These are not my original ideas. Nor - most importantly - is this style of law enforcement a list of activities to check off as completed.
David Holzapfel's fifth- and sixth-grade classroom feels more like a small liberal arts college than it does a public elementary school. The multi-age, multi-subject classrooms at Marlboro Elementary School embrace an interdisciplinary and experiential approach to education, influenced by the nearby Marlboro College. Holzapfel says teachers there are given the freedom to teach the things that excite them: “That's where learning becomes infectious for kids and that's really what we want,” he says. In this way, Holzapfel is being celebrated...
Here in Windham County, a wealth of information on energy efficiency, weatherization, and how to afford it will be presented on Button Up Day, an event in its second year that takes place on Saturday, Nov. 1. The statewide event's goal is to work on a “grassroots level” to “help people 'get' the benefits of efficiency and to stop wasting energy,” says Johanna Miller, Energy Program Director for the Vermont Natural Resources Council (VNRC). The event at the Dummerston School...