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 delays.
Absentee ballots may be mailed to voters, picked up by voters, or, if there is need, delivered outside voters' locations by two justices of the peace. Completed ballots must be received by the town clerk before the polls close on election day to be counted. For more information, or to request an absentee ballot, call 802-251-8157.
Sample ballots and meeting warnings can be found at brattleboro.org, under Elections. In-person voting on March 1 will be conducted at the American Legion, 32 Linden St. Polling hours are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
RFPL program looks at local archaeology
BELLOWS FALLS - On Wednesday, Feb. 16, at 7 p.m., archaeologist Gail Golec will discuss historical resources and archaeological sites in the upper Connecticut River Valley in a Zoom talk presented by the Rockingham Free Public Library.
“Often these resources and sites are looked upon as isolated finds, rather than a wider community with a shared history,” organizers said in a news release. “Learning to view geographical landscapes, natural resources, and historical events as interconnected creates a more accurate understanding of our culture and times and better informs us how to preserve and interpret resources.”
Golec has been a professional archaeologist for over 20 years, working on sites primarily in New Hampshire and Vermont. Born and raised in the area, Golec has undertaken extensive research projects focusing on the Contact Period/early Colonial settlement, 18th/19th century cemeteries, and documenting the lives of Indigenous and African American community members of the Greater Falls and Monadnock Region.
Golec teaches classes on these topics, gives community lectures, and writes and produces a podcast about historic cemeteries called The Secret Life of Death (thesecretlifeofdeath.com). To join this free live Zoom presentation, contact programming@rockinghamlibrary.org or call the library at 802-463-4270.
Town seeks to fill board, committee vacancies
BRATTLEBORO - Citizens are sought to serve on the following committees and boards:
ADA Committee, Agricultural Advisory committee (ex-officio non-voting members), Arts Committee, Cemetery Committee, Citizen Police Communications Committee, Development Review Board (alternate), Fence Viewers, Hazard Mitigation Committee, and an Inspector of Lumber, Shingles & Wood.
Applications and more information about various committees and boards can be found at brattleboro.org, or by calling the town manager's office at 802-251-8151.
If you are a resident and interested in serving on a committee or board, submit your application online, send the application by email to the town manager's office at jsticklor@brattleboro.org, or mail or deliver the application to Brattleboro Town Manager's Office, Attn: Committee Vacancy, 230 Main St., Suite 208, Brattleboro, VT 05301.
Senior meal served
DUMMERSTON - Evening Star Grange and Senior Solutions will hold their fourth Wednesday Senior Lunch on Feb. 23 as a take-out meal only, with pickup at the Grange between 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.
The menu includes a choice of corn chowder or vegetarian vegetable soup, a ham salad or egg salad sandwich, and a serving of potato salad, with pineapple/cherry crisp for dessert.
Reservations are requested by calling the Grange at 802-254-1138 by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 22. Leave your name, phone number, and total number of meals requested with your choice(s) of sandwich and soup for each meal. This meal is open to all, and a donation of $3 for those 60 and above and $4 for those 59 and under is requested.
Monthly free produce available Feb. 24
PUTNEY - The Vermont Foodbank and the Putney Foodshelf will co-sponsor the next monthly drop of free produce and some nonperishables on Thursday, Feb. 24, from 9 to 9:45 a.m. at Putney Meadows, 17 Carol Brown Way (the white building across from the Putney Food Co-op and the fire station).
All are welcome. Because of COVID-19, remain in your car at pickup and volunteers will bring out bags.
Winter Fun Fest planned
TOWNSHEND - The Winter Fun Fest, filled with sledding, snowshoeing, storywalks, s'mores and more, will be held on Saturday, Feb. 26, from 1 to 3 p.m., at the Townshend Lake Recreation Area on Route 30 (weather permitting). Bring your winter gear such as sleds and/or snowshoes and meet your neighbors.
Community Hope and Action will provide the s'mores and hot beverages. If you'd like to borrow snowshoes for the event, inquire at one of these local libraries: Townshend, Jamaica, Dover, Westminster, Guilford, Brattleboro, or Whitingham. For more information, contact Community Hope and Action at wrvthrives@gmail.com.