Town honors its veterans with new plaque
On Nov. 14, veterans and their families and friends gathered at the Windham Meeting House for the dedication of a new plaque honoring the many veterans with close ties to the town.
“Several years have gone into researching and preparing the names of our local heroes who were in the military during wartime years since World War I,” organizers of the event wrote in a news release. “With over 150 names, the memorial is a testimony to the many dedicated men and women from our area who stepped forward to serve.”...
Jenna Sawin Rice hosts CD release show at Stage 33
Singer-songwriter Jenna Sawin Rice, who grew up in the Connecticut River Valley in Vermont, describes her “poetic” songs as “celebrat[ing] the stories of ordinary people, and the highs and the lows of being alive,” and says they are “delivered with honest, often haunting vocals and down-to-earth playing.” With the...
For one nonprofit, decision to leave Facebook is not complicated
Retreat Farm walks away from the social media platform to ‘prioritize authentic relationships’
On Oct. 28, Retreat Farm announced it was making “an intentional choice to prioritize physical connection and authentic relationships by discontinuing their use of Facebook and Instagram.” Retreat Farm Executive Director Buzz Schmidt wrote in an open letter to the community that “this choice was made based on our...
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Golka to perform in BMC concert
The Brattleboro Music Center Chamber Series welcomes pianist Adam Golka on Sunday, Nov. 21. The concert, scheduled for 4 p.m. at the BMC, will include Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 26 in E-flat Major, op. 81a “Les Adieux,” as well as Kapustin's Concert Etude Op. 40 No. 7: Intermezzo ; Golka's own Relevant Etude; Bacewicz's Sonata No. 2; and Liszt's Piano Sonata in B minor, S.178. Golka first performed all of Beethoven's Piano Sonatas when he was 18 years old, and...
Nothing in The Commons on activism against war in Yemen
As a retired teacher in the Brattleboro school district, I find it heartbreaking knowing that the war in Yemen continues on. Every 75 seconds, a child dies of preventable causes. The blockade and bombing in Yemen have contributed to the largest humanitarian brutality on Earth! On Jan. 25, Action Corps spread the call for The World Says No to War on Yemen Global Day of Action. On this day, a group of Vermonters held a car caravan as a part...
Sarasa Ensemble presents ‘Kaleidoscope’ at Brattleboro Music Center
The Brattleboro Music Center's 2021–22 season Guest Series continues with the return of the Sarasa Ensemble, presenting “Kaleidoscope” on Saturday, Nov. 20, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 and $10 for students at bmcvt.org. Those younger than 18 can attend free. As described in a news release, the concert will feature “colorful, ever-changing shapes in music with youthful Rimsky-Korsakov, timeless Purcell, and the genius of C.P.E. Bach.” Two new short works by Mariel Mayz and Li Qi, co-commissioned by David...
Around the Towns
BEEC shows how cats and wildlife can live in harmony WEST BRATTLEBORO - Bonnyvale Environmental Education Center invites cat lovers and their friends to a free virtual conversation about keeping cats happy and wildlife safe from them on Thursday, Nov. 18, at 7 p.m. Register to get the webinar link at beec.org. Many cat lovers struggle to balance their cat's happiness with the dangers and costs of their freedom on the other. Free-roaming cats typically live less than half as...
Whitingham Library presents concert of Celtic music
Whitingham Free Public Library welcomes Celtic musician Jeff Snow, who returns on Sunday, Nov. 21, at 2 p.m. for some holiday cheer and Celtic Christmas music. Snow, a talented multi-instrumentalist, shares the music - and the stories behind the music - of Scotland, Ireland, and England. In concert, he plays the guitar, autoharp, and bouzouki. Growing up in a home where old Scottish folk songs were the everyday sounds, Snow says he developed an early love for Celtic music. “Much...
Milestones
Obituaries • Jacalyn “Jackie” Abrams, 72, of Brattleboro. Died Nov. 6, 2021 at her home. A loving mother, partner, sister, grandmother, aunt, friend, and engaged community member, Jackie was born on Jan. 19, 1949, in New York City. She grew up on Long Island and graduated with a B.A. in early childhood development and an M.Ed., both from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. She started out as a classroom teacher and quickly found her love for art, starting with...
Craven screens his newest project, ‘Jack London’s Martin Eden,’ at Next Stage
Filmmaker, producer, educator, and art director Jay Craven will screen his most recent film, a film adaptation of Jack London's novel Martin Eden, at Next Stage Arts on Sunday, Nov. 21, at 5 p.m. Craven will introduce the film and be available for a post-film discussion with the audience. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at bit.ly/639-craven. “Jay's legacy as an educator, filmmaker, and film professional is legendary,” Keith Marks, executive director of Next Stage Arts, said in a...
New citizens group works on projects to improve community
A new citizen-led organization, One Londonderry, describes its mission: “to serve Londonderry and the surrounding communities by maximizing our strengths as a regional hub, a four-season recreation destination, and a beautiful place to live.” Organizers of the group, which is independent of municipal government, say its volunteers “work in concert with the town and other organizations and agencies on projects geared toward community betterment with the aim to create and sustain a thriving, healthy, and vibrant community for our residents,
We succeeded in the big ask. But more work remains.
Lives will be saved this year. That cannot be understated. When we announced that we would be staying on the State House steps on Oct. 14, the barrier for people without shelter to use the General Assistance Motel Program (GA Motels) was so high that many, even those who qualified, could not get in. As a result, we set our bar high on demands and said from the start that we would not compromise on people's lives. On Nov. 10...
Epsilon Spires presents a night of old-time banjo music on screen and stage
The documentary Linefork, which depicts the daily life of legendary banjo player Lee Sexton in detail, will be screened in the Sanctuary at Epsilon Spires on Friday, Nov. 19, followed by a discussion with co-director Vic Rawlings. Linefork was recorded over three years in Sexton's hometown of Linefork, Ky., where he has lived on the same plot of land since his birth in 1927. The film forgoes traditional documentarian elements like voiceovers and talking heads in favor of prolonged shots...
Fire Arts Vermont, BMAC present glass blowing demonstration
Members of the Vermont Glass Guild will participate in “Vermont Blown Away,” a free glass blowing demonstration presented in collaboration with the Brattleboro Museum & Art Center (BMAC) on Sunday, Nov. 21, at 2 p.m. Register at brattleboromuseum.org to watch live via Zoom or in person at Fire Arts Vermont on Route 30. Space is limited for in-person attendance. “Vermont Blown Away” will take the form of a friendly competition among teams of glass artists. Items from BMAC's Study Collection...
‘It’s time to come home’
Thank you all for being here this morning. This room is special to both Marcelle and me, and not just because as a kid I used to ride my tricycle down these halls. Having grown up right across the street, Marcelle and I gathered here with our parents, our children Kevin, Alicia, and Mark, and my sister Mary and announced my candidacy for the United States Senate.At the time, I was a 33-year-old, four-term Chittenden County state's attorney, launching a...
Vermont-made ‘rom-com’ gets Latchis shows
What happens when big business and a flatlander boyfriend threaten to come between two Vermont BFFs? Find out when the Latchis Theatre presents screenings of the new Vermont-made, family-friendly rom-com Soulmates on Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 20 and 21, at 1 p.m. Filmed in Waterbury, Huntington, Jericho, and Shelburne, Soulmates introduces lifelong best friends Samantha and Jessamine, whose small-town way of life is suddenly jeopardized by two out-of-staters - Jess's new fiancé and a corporation threatening the state's maple syrup...
Women’s Chorus offers ‘Heartsong Singalong’
Members of the Brattleboro Women's Chorus, led by Director Becky Graber, will perform their fall “HeartSong Singalong” via Zoom on Sunday, Nov. 21 at 4 p.m. “Some of the songs are very easy to join along with, and Becky will teach a song or two to all,” organizers write in a news release. After over a year of singing exclusively on Zoom, this fall the chorus was able to sing in person as well, recording song tracks that provide the...
Farm-to-school garden coordinators exchange ideas
Garden coordinators from five Windham County farm-to-school programs recently gathered at Guilford Central School for a “cross-pollination” event. Garden coordinators, often somewhat isolated in their unique roles, had the opportunity to share ideas, challenges, and successes with one another as they prepare for winter activities in the classroom. Increasing numbers of area schools have hired garden coordinators in recent years, finding that they are a key component to a thriving farm-to-school program. In addition to taking care of the gardens...
New funds support mental health resources, suicide prevention
Several local nonprofits have received grants from the Vermont Community Foundation (VCF) to expand Vermonters' access to mental health and suicide prevention care as part of its newest recovery initiative from its VT COVID-19 Response Fund. According to a news release, VCF is distributing $150,000 in grants for this initiative. Since it was created in March 2020, the VT COVID-19 Response Fund has distributed more than $10 million “to assist with basic and urgent needs for Vermont's most vulnerable, and...
From green to red on the Covid map
On Oct. 25, I stood with nurses, doctors, fellow legislators, and advocates for those who lack housing at a press conference at the Vermont State House calling on Gov. Phil Scott to do more to protect Vermonters against the rapidly rising rate of COVID-19. The state of emergency has been lifted, but we are still facing a public health crisis. Last week, we had the highest single-day case rate of COVID-19 in Vermont: 591 cases. In a single day! Our...
VSAC webinar offers help applying for Vermont Grant program
For students who are applying to college this year or who are looking for financial help for ongoing college study or for continuing education, it pays to research scholarship and grant opportunities. For instance, the Vermont Grant program, administered by Vermont Student Assistance Corp. (VSAC) last year administered $21 million in grants for eligible Vermonters and disbursed more than $7.7 million in scholarships. In the next “VSAC Shows You How” webinar, simulcast to Facebook on Thursday, Nov. 18, from 6...
Letters mischaracterized proposed changes in retired teachers’ health care benefits
For the past seven years, my life focus has been in calling out fraud, scams, and scammers. As a columnist, radio talk show invitee, video series host and producer, and presenter, I seek out scams and work to educate the public. Linda Hay and David Kolkebeck wrote letters to this publication warning of what sounded like a scam being dropped on retired teachers by the state of Vermont. As a retired teacher, this obviously caught my eye and as a...
Legislature to address climate as a public health emergency
The smell was what I noticed first - not unlike what you sense when a neighbor is burning brush down the road. “Down the road,” though, turned out to be smoke from wildfires in Manitoba and California which were staining our skies and burning our eyes and lungs last summer. That was the headline. The body of the story dove deeper into the effects and how fires in Canada and California were affecting air quality here, with experts ranking it...
SEVCA offers assistance with heat, utilities this winter
Southeastern Vermont Community Action (SEVCA) offers a variety of services and supports for eligible resident of Windham and Windsor counties concerned about affording their heat and utilities this winter. • Do you need some help heating your home? The first step for receiving seasonal fuel assistance is to fill out an application at dcf.vermont.gov/mybenefits. It's best to do this now, as benefits are already being issued. • Need some additional assistance to stretch your budget? Those eligible for seasonal fuel...
Local schools take part in 'Name a Plow' program
This fall, schools from around the state came up with names for the Vermont Agency of Transportation snowplows in their respective local maintenance districts. From creative and clever, to cute and silly, here are the new names of VTrans plows, courtesy of students in Windham County: • Academy School, Brattleboro: Astro. • Central Elementary School, Bellows Falls: The Maple Machine. • Flood Brook Elementary School, Londonderry: The Mighty Snow Tiger. • Grafton Elementary School: Snow Panther. • Halifax Elementary School:
Rockingham Free Public Library names new director
Ian Graham is the new director of the Rockingham Free Public Library. Graham comes to the RFPL from Rhode Island where, for the past five years, he was associate librarian of the John Carter Brown Library at Brown University in Providence. He was previously director of library collections for a decade at Wellesley College in Massachusetts, where he still has a home. He started at the RFPL on Nov. 1. How's it going? “I think it's going great. You might...
Guilford Selectboard fires entire Planning Commission
Nine members of the Planning Commission have been removed in one fell swoop by the Selectboard, causing a tsunami of questions that many are looking to be answered when the board next meets. “I've lived in town for 52 years, and it was a very hard decision for me and the Selectboard,” Selectboard Chair Richard Wizansky told The Commons this week. “But we believe it is the best action we could have taken for our town.” It started on Oct.
For a Thanksgiving tradition, new volunteers, a new venue, and a new chapter (CORRECTED)
The annual Thanksgiving Community Dinner is back at the Brattleboro Union High School and with some new faces behind the scenes in the kitchen on Wednesday, Nov. 24, at 11:30 a.m. [Editor's note: An editing error introduced the wrong day of the week in the print version of the newspaper this week. This date and day of the week is correct.] Jaci Reynolds and a new group of community members have come together to make the annual Thanksgiving Community Dinner...
Effort begins to preserve historic stained glass window
A campaign has passed its goal of raising $6,000 to preserve a historic stained glass window in a former church slated for demolition. The “Parable of the Sower” window, installed in the former Methodist Church at 66 Atkinson St. in 1880, was carefully removed from the building on Nov. 10 by a construction crew from the Twelve Tribes Community at Basin Farm, assisted by local volunteers. A nonprofit organization, Destination Bellows Falls, has been leading the preservation effort. A GoFundMe...
Terriers complete unbeaten season with a state football championship
Unbeaten. Untied. Unbelievable. The Bellows Falls Terriers capped off an undefeated 11-0 season on Nov. 13 with a 57-35 win over the Mount Anthony Patriots in the Division II state football championship game at Rutland's Alumni Field. This was the 21st time that BF was playing for a state football championship, and the Terriers' fifth trip to the final in the last six seasons. The win over Mount Anthony gave BF its 12th state title, and their first since beating...
Which conditions are more pernicious?
Finally, thanks to Covid, everyone knows about the work of respiratory therapists. We're now recognized as the profession that manages folks connected to mechanical ventilation. Nurses and doctors rely on respiratory therapists' knowledge and experience to help patients return to breathing on their own. Now that I am retired, the best use of my 25 years of experience in respiratory therapy work is to publicly share my knowledge and point of view. Let's start with masks. There are two types: