Resident Erich Kruger was surprised when he received a postcard from the Windham Southeast School District (WSESD) at his Hill Road home - addressed to someone who has never lived in the house in the 22 years he has been there since building it in 2000.
“We do get junk mail from random people and that name has never shown up on anything else,” Kruger said Tuesday of the mailing announcing the March 1 Annual Town Meeting and Election.
He then contacted Town Clerk Laurie Frechette.
“I am very concerned that this seems to indicate the town voter rolls are wrong,” Kruger wrote. “In this polarized time, I feel this error needs to be addressed on a level higher than individual complaints such as mine.”...
Vermonters have a new pathway to high-wage, high-demand careers in accounting and bookkeeping through the Community College of Vermont's (CCV) certified public bookkeeper apprenticeship program. The earn-while-you-learn program pairs on-the-job training with four college-level courses. Apprentices also earn four certifications from the National Association of Certified Public Bookkeepers (NACPB)
Access to circus arts is expanding this year in Brattleboro as the New England Center for Circus Arts (NECCA) takes on fiscal agency for the Parkinson's Disorder Pantomime Project, created and run by legendary mime and founder of Circus Smirkus, Rob Mermin. When well-known mime, Rob Mermin, was diagnosed...
This tax season, more people than ever before will qualify for the federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). People who worked during 2021 may qualify for a financial boost of up to $1,500 if they don't have children, or up to $6,700 if they do have children, by claiming the EITC. Vermonters making under $57,414 annually should see if they qualify. Additionally, any family with children who receives the Vermont EITC is automatically income eligible for 3SquaresVT - meaning it...
The Athens Brick Meetinghouse Committee, on behalf of the town, will undertake a project to bring a shine back to the exterior of the 1817 Meetinghouse. The work will include carpentry repair, window restoration, and painting of all wood surfaces, “bringing the exterior of this historic gem back to its former glory” says a news release. The Athens Brick Meetinghouse is historically(1) significant to the Windham County region of Vermont, and particularly the 12 surrounding towns included in the “Old...
College news • David McCooey Jr. of Londonderry graduated cum laude with a B.S. in integrative studies with a concentration in English in December 2021 from Clarion (Pa.) University. • The following area students at Community College of Vermont were honored for academic achievement in the fall 2021 semester. Named to the President's List, which recognizes full-time students with a 4.0 GPA (grade point average), were Melissa French and Paige Rohane of Bellows Falls; Ada Brown, Emily Hurley, Jonathan Kelley,
The Hooker-Dunham Theater & Gallery (HDTG), at 139 Main St., will resume regular programming after going on hiatus in January due to Covid. Story Night, their once-a-month hourlong program featuring four local storytellers, will resume on Thursday, Feb. 17 at 7 p.m. Each storyteller shares one story, and the pieces range across genres and tones-from personal to fictional, from funny to serious. This event is aimed for adult audiences. Thorn In My Side, HDTG's original game show, will resume on...
Absentee ballots available for March 1 town elections BRATTLEBORO - Absentee ballots for the Brattleboro Annual Town Meeting and Windham Southeast School District vote to be held March 1 are available. Due to the pandemic, voters are encouraged to make use of absentee ballots for these two elections. Absentee ballots must be requested by contacting the town clerk by 5 p.m. Monday, Feb. 28, although it is recommended to do so as soon as possible allow for potential mail delivery...
Is your family member struggling with mental illness? The National Alliance on Mental Illness of Vermont (NAMI Vermont) is offering a virtual NAMI Family-to-Family education program for caregivers of family members diagnosed with mental health conditions. This free, evidence-based 8-week program is facilitated by trained volunteers who care for family members themselves. The Southern Vermont class begins Wednesday, March 2, at 6:30 p.m., via Zoom. The curriculum includes information about mental health conditions and treatments, coping skills, handling crisis and...
Thank you for the excellent work on a much appreciated news source for Windham County! I just discovered a small error in the article on the Harris Hill ski jump, which states that “Mount Washington is the highest peak in the eastern United States.” Mount Washington is only the highest peak in the northeastern U.S. Mount Mitchell in North Carolina takes the title of highest peak in the eastern U.S. When I was double-checking that fact, I discovered that Mount...
American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds totaling $1.4 million dollars are to be awarded to the Town of Rockingham, Village of Bellows Falls, and Village of Saxtons River as part of the federal stimulus funding for COVID-19 relief and economic investment. According to a news release, eligibility includes economic development projects through public and private funding, as well as the original four broad criteria outlining uses of ARPA funding - essential worker response, public health emergencies and negative economic impacts,
The Tag Sale Team of St. Michael's Episcopal Church is hosting an online auction to benefit the St. Michael's Interfaith Refugee Fund, with bidding open Feb. 19–27. Offering curated donated goods, services, art, and experiences to bid on, the auction will raise funds to help facilitate the resettlement of Afghani people in the Brattleboro area. “Many families and single adults have just arrived in Vermont and are getting oriented while they live temporarily at the School for International Training,” said...
I had the pleasure of meeting Jason Herron this past fall when I attended a Constitution Alive course in Guilford. Jason was the coach/instructor for the course, which he willingly volunteered to do for 10 weeks. One of the first things that impressed me about Jason was his passion for the Constitution as well as his knowledge and sincerity. Jason defines himself as an independent and welcomes all opinions. He encourages all of us to learn, study, and teach the...
Sheriff Mark Anderson cites his non-discrimination motto as “culture eats policy for breakfast.” It's hard to imagine a more callous and unprofessional approach to fair and impartial policing. “Trust me, I'm cool” is not a non-discrimination practice. Putting protections in policy is. What are we to tell incoming Afghan immigrants about whether they can interact with local law enforcement without fear of harassment, detention, and being turned over to federal authorities for the same? Due to Sheriff Anderson's negligence, the...
For a Selectboard to truly represent all the citizens of a town there needs to be a diversity of members. That is why we support Cristine White for the Selectboard in Newfane. Cris has been reaching out to residents with differing opinions and ideas to find common ground and establish a respectful dialogue. We are confident she will bring those desires and open-mindedness to the board.
We Putney residents will be voting “yes” on the upcoming town meeting resolution urging the Windham County Sheriff's Office to close specific loopholes pertaining to communicating and cooperating with federal immigration agents. We believe we need a policy that respects the human rights of all people to feel safe living in and traveling through our town. Reforms, such as specifying that immigration status cannot be grounds for arrest, citation or deportation, and protecting the confidentiality of victims and witnesses of...
Local leaders in early childhood education are sharing simple strategies with families to help boost children's brain development starting at birth. Studies show that 80 percent of human brain development happens between birth and the age of 3. Learning gaps can be identified as early as age 2, says Community Project Coordinator Lisa Ford, who has been hired by Early Education Services, parent organization for Head Start and early Head Start programs. These programs offer early education services from birth...
It's time to vote! Man, is it ever. Over the past couple of years, I have been trying to educate myself about - dare I say it - government: first, our federal government, and now, our town government. Last week, while watching a “special” Guilford Selectboard meeting, I decided to ask about the funding for a new addition to our town library. I kind of got the runaround. In fact, not “kind of,” - I did get the runaround, an...
We are happy to see so many qualified candidates for positions on the Newfane Selectboard this year. People with a strong interest in being stewards of our town and having leadership positions in our town government are so very important, and we are impressed with the candidacies of Katy Johnson-Alpin, Jeff Chevalier, and Ann Golub. All three of these folks are great listeners and good thinkers. They are knowledgeable, sensible, and measured in their approaches to their lives and work.
I am writing in support of Zon Eastes' bid for reelection to the Guilford Selectboard. Zon has served on the board since 2019, when another member couldn't finish out their term. Shortly thereafter, he was reelected in 2020 for a two-year term. I have known Zon for years. My family harvests hay from a field across from his house on Yeaw Road. He has always been friendly and taken an interest in our family farm and the hay we are...
I'll be voting for Zon Eastes and Michael Becker for the Guilford Selectboard on site and outdoors at the Guilford Central School on Tuesday, March 1, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Early/absentee ballots are available; call 802-254-6857. More election information is at guilfordvt.com/faqs/elections-faqs/. I want Zon Eastes to continue his focus on the DVFiber effort to improve internet connectivity. I hope internet services reach everyone, and those who have internet see better service at more-affordable prices. His long collaboration with...
I've been in Newfane for 32 years, and this election has me very excited. Ann Golob, Katy Johnson-Aplin, and Jeff Chevalier will be a strong and very human team on the Selectboard. All three will listen to what we, the voters, have to say. They are down-to-earth, they are clear thinking, and they always have the best for Newfane at the top of their minds. Vote on Tuesday, March 1 for positive energy in Newfane!
Town officials have scheduled three public informational meetings prior to the March 1 Annual Town Meeting to explain the proposed budget and several warrant articles. The first was held Tuesday, Feb. 15, after press time, at the regular Selectboard meeting. It related to article #9, the proposed railroad station purchase. Approval of this article at annual meeting will add 1{1/2} cents to the current tax rate. You can review this meeting on Falls Area Community TV's website. Mike Smith and...
I am writing to show my support for Peter Case and his run for the Windham Southeast School Board. I have served on a couple of boards with Peter and what I like best about working with him is his first reaction to an issue is, “OK, how can we make this better?” As anyone who knows him will agree he has an unlimited amount of enthusiasm for the causes he's involved in. I know it's easy to read his...
I am pleased to write this letter of support for Zon Eastes, candidate for the two-year seat on the Guilford Selectboard. I have known Zon for almost 40 years: as a neighbor, as my daughter's cello teacher at the Brattleboro Music Center, as a positive influence on young people in our community through his work with local and state music and arts organizations, and as a person committed to community service and improving the lives of the people of Guilford.
As I enter the final weeks of my tenure as a Windham Southeast school board member, I have been reflecting on this experience. This community is well aware of the many difficult challenges that the board has faced during my two years as a member. Between Covid, two Superintendents resigning, a tumultuous (to say the least) vote for a proposed district dissolution, and now our investigation into sexual assault allegations in our district, I can honestly say that I feel...
If all goes well, soon the full Vermont House will consider S.74, a Senate bill making important changes in Act 39, the so-called “Death With Dignity” bill. Act 39, which went into effect in 2013, outlines a process to allow patients with terminal conditions to receive a prescription for medication that allows them to end their lives themselves. This law contains many safeguards against abuse or impulsive action: When a patient requests the prescription, two physicians, in visits at least...
The EOS Concert Series presents “Gather Up in the Arms of Your Love” Sunday, Feb. 20. The 4 p.m. concert at the Brattleboro Music Center will feature songs by Florence Price, two songs to poems of Langston Hughes from “Shadow of the Blues” by John Musto, a prolific contemporary composer, and music for piano and strings by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor. In addition, the program includes a piano trio premiere by Brattleboro's Stan Charkey, based on Coleridge-Taylor's piano arrangement of the well-known...
Lana Dever or Peter “Fish” Case for WSESD school board? Over the years, both have contributed much to our community, volunteering their time, energy, and expertise to a variety of social causes. Peter has served, for example, on the boards of Boys and Girls Club of Brattleboro, Groundworks Collaborative, Girls on the Run, and Black Mountain Residential Family Living. Anyone who follows his columns in the Brattleboro Reformer knows that he is a champion of Black Lives Matter, Everyone Eats,
Last winter, more than 1,000 people attended the inaugural Artful Ice Shanties exhibit, presented by the Brattleboro Museum & Art Center (BMAC) and Retreat Farm. Visitors saw ice shanties shaped like a giant iridescent fish, a black die with moon-shaped dots, a seascape with a three-dimensional octopus, and more. The wild and whimsical Artful Ice Shanties are back for 2022, generously sponsored by Foard Panel, Brattleboro Subaru, and The Marina. This year the exhibit coincides with outdoor activities for visitors...
A total of 97 youth from across Vermont have been recognized by the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards for their exceptional artistic and literary talent. The students' award-winning artwork and writing will be exhibited at the Brattleboro Museum & Art Center (BMAC) from Friday, Feb. 18 through March 5. The exhibit will culminate in an awards ceremony on Saturday, March 5, at noon, presented in person and via livestream. This year's keynote speaker will be poet, writer, and photographer Shanta...
The Guilford Welcome Center on Interstate 91 is hosting an art exhibit by Karen Becker through Wednesday, March 2. Becker, of Brattleboro, says most of the artwork in the exhibit “focuses on [her] love of nature” and features oils, pastels, watercolors, monoprints, and acrylics. She has exhibited her artwork in New York City, Boston, Maine, and Vermont. She received a BFA in graphic design from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, N.Y. During Becker's journey from Brooklyn to the Brattleboro area, she...
Next Stage Arts presents a concert by Afrofuturist free jazz luminary Angel Bat Dawid and her eight-piece ensemble, Tha Brotherhood, on Friday, Feb. 18, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 in advance at bit.ly/651-brotherhood, or $30 at the door. The screening is part of Next Stage's programming in honor of Black History Month. “Music has the ability to serve as a passport. Angel's music transports the listener to the heart of the Black experience in America. Her honesty, truth, and...
I do talk a lot about COVID-19 in this space, but it has been an unavoidable topic this season for local high school sports. Some teams have gotten through the season so far mostly unscathed, while others have had to struggle with outbreaks that have disrupted their schedules. The Brattleboro Colonels girls' hockey team was an early casualty of the pandemic, and coach Eugene Frost tried to keep his team together and focused in the face of a three-week layoff.
The first time I went to in-school suspension I was innocent. I'm not saying I'd never smoked in the girl's room. But that time I didn't. In-school was a revelation, though. I found my student spirit home there. Once I tasted the academic, intellectual, and social freedoms of in-school, I spent the rest of public-high-school hell going back - as much as possible. And I had to see the principal before each trip. So we were buddies. * * *
A seeming lack of accountability regarding mislabeled masks being sent to schools and businesses has teacher Dan DeWalt worried and upset. “It's not about what happened or didn't happen in my school,” says the Leland & Gray Union High School woodshop teacher. “It's about the state got their hands on a bunch of fraudulently labeled masks, and they're not going to do anything about it.” It started with a shipment of masks to Leland & Gray early in the pandemic,
As voting rights are under attack nationally, Brattleboro residents voted in 2019 to go a different path and expand the right to vote in local elections to 16- and 17-year-olds. On Feb. 11, however, Gov. Phil Scott signaled he would veto this change to the town's charter. Gov. Scott has hidden behind cries for “local control” in burdening local school officials with mask policy-setting and blowback. But when it comes to expanding voting rights, apparently he has no respect for...
This year marks the 100th anniversary of not only the Harris Hill Ski Jump but the other contributions of Fred Harris to the fabric of his community: the Brattleboro Outing Club and the Brattleboro Winter Carnival, as well as the building that he built on Cedar Street. Harris headed off to Dartmouth College after graduating from Brattleboro High School in 1906 with, as he put it, “skeeing on the brain.” There, during his junior year, in 1910, he founded the...
After recent spirited debate, the state Senate gave preliminary approval to a Brattleboro charter change that would allow 16- and 17-year-olds to vote in municipal elections. That change also would allow youth voters to run and serve as town meeting representatives and on the Selectboard. The vote was 20–9. At times, the debate on the virtual Senate floor on Feb. 11 offered glimpses of senators as parents. Sen. Ruth Hardy, D-Addison, a parent to a 16-year-old and a 17-year-old, said,