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Your support powers every story we tell. We're committed to producing high-quality, fact-based news and information that gives you the facts in this community we call home. If our work has helped you stay informed, take action, or feel more connected to Windham County – please give now to help us reach our goal of raising $150,000 by December 31st.
BELLOWS FALLS — Organizers say St. Charles Daughters of Mary “Clothing Closet” is off to a great start due to the generosity of parishioners and friends of the Closet. Gently used, clean clothing is available for either a modest donation or an item to swap.
They currently feature a variety of summer dresses, tops, and pants for women; pants and tops for men; and a growing selection of clothing for babies, toddlers, older children, and teens. Summer sandals, sneakers, and accessories are also available.
Located in the St. Charles Social Center on 34 Cherry Hill St., the Clothing Closet is open Wednesdays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Appointments can be made with Katherine by calling 802-463-0729, if you have an immediate need. No one will be turned away due to the lack of donation.
If you wish to donate gently used, clean clothing and footwear, organizers say they are especially interested in items for babies, toddlers, older children, and teens at this time. Clothing donations are accepted during their business hours.
-Student-athletes at our local high schools have begun getting ready for the fall sports season. The football teams in Brattleboro and Bellows Falls began their practices on Aug. 10, while cross country, field hockey, and soccer will start practicing on Aug. 13. It’s not just the athletes and coaches...
-In the biggest race in Vermont's Aug. 11 party primaries, Amanda Janoo defeated Aly Richards to win the Democratic gubernatorial nomination. Unofficial statewide results at midnight on Tuesday, with 97% of towns reporting, had Janoo with 37,331 votes and Richards with 35,585 votes, a margin of just over 2%.
Roger Allbee served as secretary of agriculture, farms, and markets for Vermont from 2007 to 2011. This piece is adapted from a post on his blog, “What Ceres Might Say” (whatceresmightsay.wordpress.com). TOWNSHEND-Immigrants play a vital role in our U.S. food system. Each day, the food we consume is likely handled by guest workers, who comprise 21% of all employees in the U.S. food industry. According to a 2020 report by the Migration Policy Institute, immigrants are essential workers throughout the...
Nancy Braus, a retired independent bookseller, is a longtime activist. GUILFORD-There is a basic, overwhelming irony to aging in America. Those holding the vast majority of the power right now are old, often-deteriorating men who grasp their hold on power with a death grip. Obviously, the failing and flailing man who probably still can’t find Iran on a map but who continues to wield terrifying power, Donald Trump, is exhibit A. I will not waste the time of anyone who...
GUILFORD-Walking onto the Guilford Fairgrounds on Labor Day weekend feels a lot like it must have in the 1940s. The cow competition, the horse pull, the blue-ribbon pies, the barbecue stand, and the bingo pavilion are just as generations of Guilford children remember things. Growing up, David Franklin, president of the nonprofit Guilford Fair Association, which orchestrates the event, recalls spending the last weekend of every summer at the fair, where he’d spend the $10 he’d saved working at the...
Tara Cheney, the owner of multiple award-winning small businesses, describes herself as “a nurse, an employer, a healer, vice chair of the Guilford Selectboard, an advocate for justice and people, a potential future politician, and member of a 100-year Vermont farm family.” To Gov. Scott, members of the Vermont Legislature, and Vermont’s elected leaders: I was born in Vermont. My children were born here. My friends were born here. My colleagues were born here. This year marks 100 years that...
BRATTLEBORO-The 2026 Music Under the Stars concert series presented by the Brattleboro Music Center (BMC) and Retreat Farm concludes Saturday, Aug. 22, with Celtic Night. Keith Murphy and Becky Tracy will again host a night of Celtic music. Their special guests this year are Armand Aromin and Ben Gagliardi, a traditional music duo from Rhode Island. Organizers say they are a leading force in their local scene but also beloved in the larger trad music world and are no strangers...
NEWFANE-Step back in time at the Windham County History Fair and 250th Anniversary Celebration Saturday, Aug. 15, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Newfane's historic common. With free admission, events, and parking, the fair celebrates Windham County's rich history and commemorates America's 250th anniversary. Local museums, historical societies, heritage organizations, and artisans will gather to showcase the stories, people, and local traditions of the region. Throughout the day, re-enactors and skilled craftspeople will present live demonstrations of traditional trades...
MARLBORO-Marlboro Music concludes its 75th anniversary season the weekend of Aug. 14–16 with three final programs comprising 10 works, including the traditional Beethoven “Choral Fantasy,” with co-Artistic Director Mitsuko Uchida at the piano. More than 30 resident artists will perform across the closing weekend, marking the culmination of a season celebrating 75 years of Marlboro’s service to chamber music and musicians. The weekend opens on Friday with Villa-Lobos’s Trio for oboe, clarinet, and bassoon, W182—a work that draws on the...
SAXTONS RIVER-As part of the Sunday Music in the Park series, Jake Grieco & Co. will perform Sunday, August 16, at 3 p.m. in the small amphitheater at Saxtons River Park. With influences ranging from folk, Americana, rock, Celtic, and bluegrass, Jake & Co. will bring engaging instrumental grooves, guitar, and harmonies as they play a curated mix of contemporary, traditional, and timeless gems. The band consists of Grieco on guitar, foot percussion, shruti box, and vocals, joined on some...
BRATTLEBORO-Brattleboro Savings & Loan (BS&L) is collecting school supplies - such as new pencils, paper, and markers, as well as backpacks and lunchboxes - to donate to local kids for this upcoming school year. Through Saturday, Aug. 22, customers can take new supplies and leave them in drop-off boxes in any of the bank's branches: 221 Main St. and 972 Putney Rd. in Brattleboro, 108 E. Main St. in Wilmington, and 59 Vt. Route 30 in Bondville. The supplies will...
BRATTLEBORO-The town has named SerahRose Bissell as its new finance director, filling a position that has been vacant since the start of 2025. Bissell brings extensive experience in financial management, accounting, and organizational operations through her work as founder of Aerialist Accounting, a Massachusetts-based consulting firm that supports nonprofits of all sizes. She holds a master’s degree in accounting and has “spent her career helping organizations build sustainable accounting practices and strengthen internal processes to ensure compliance,” as described in...
JAMAICA-Founded in 2012, the Pikes Falls Chamber Music Festival (PFCM) returns to southern Vermont Aug. 18–22, with five days of admission-free concerts, educational programs, and community events. Audiences are invited to experience chamber music performed by nationally recognized artists in welcoming venues throughout the region. Known for its intimate performances, free admission, and commitment to presenting contemporary music alongside classical favorites, PFCM has become what organizers call a “beloved” summer tradition. Created by flutist Susanna Loewy, PFCM brings chamber music...
Addie Lentzner was a Vermont delegate at the Democratic National Convention in 2024. She is founder and co-executive director of the Vermont Student Anti-Racism Network, the co-founder of the End Homelessness VT Coalition, and interim chair of the Bennington Democrats. She is a student at Middlebury College, where she is studying sociology and Black studies. BENNINGTON-My generation — Gen Z — has been told repeatedly that we can save the world. Policymakers ask us to come to the halls of...
BRATTLEBORO-For more than 30 years, local nonprofit Building a Positive Community (BAPC) has grown into a trusted community partner dedicated to supporting the health, safety, and well-being of the people of Windham County. One of the ways that we at BAPC have found success in reaching our goals is by continuing to innovate through youth-driven approaches. In 2022, the Brattleboro Area Youth Council was created after partnering with Vermont Afterschool. The Youth Council works toward: • creating inclusive opportunities for...
BRATTLEBORO-Since her youth, Imogene Drakes of Brattleboro has had a passion for science and for ancient mysteries. That sparked a 2025 journey that took her to 11 key sites across six continents in search of deeper understanding of religion, mythology, and science — and their interconnectedness. In her third book, which launches this week, Around the World in 42 Days, Drakes relays the experience, from preparation through all the stops, to summary reflection. Promotion for Around the World describes it...
Anniversaries • Russell and Doris Stephens of Brattleboro celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary with a family party at Papagallos in Keene, New Hampshire. The couple were married Aug. 18, 1956, in Brattleboro, where they have lived and worked for 69 years. The couple’s children include Kevin (Anne) Stephens, Scott (Donna) Stephens, Bonnie (Carter) Chamberlin, and the late Karen (Tony) Speranza, 11 grandchildren and their spouses, and six great-grandchildren, two of whom will arrive soon. College news • Ilona Shaoul of...
The Nature Conservancy (TNC) in Vermont has recently funded multiple conservation projects through the Vermont Biodiversity Protection Fund (VBPF), including land in two Windham County towns. The $387,250 from TNC Vermont has helped make $3 million available from other sources to protect 2,163 acres in Athens, Marlboro, Fairfield, Fletcher, Bakersfield, and Thetford. All of the conserved land will be open to the public. VBPF funding will support expansion of the Athens Community Forest. Once protected, the land will be managed...
WEST BRATTLEBORO-West Brattleboro will come together for a neighborhood celebration Saturday, Aug. 22, as West Brattleboro Connects, in collaboration with local businesses, civic groups, and community partners, presents the inaugural West Brattleboro Community Day. Designed to highlight the vibrant spirit, independent businesses, and strong knit community of West Brattleboro, the full-day festival spans multiple hubs along and adjacent to the Route 9 corridor. "West Brattleboro has an incredible heartbeat, driven by independent business owners, community advocates, and families who care...
BELLOWS FALLS-Black Sheep Radio (WOOL-FM) invites music lovers from across the region to celebrate community, live music, and local radio at WOOLStock2026, taking place Saturday, Aug. 22, from 1 to 9 p.m., at the Bellows Falls Waypoint Center, 17 Depot St. Inspired by the spirit of the original Woodstock, organizers say, WOOLStock will offer “seven hours of peace, love, and music, featuring an outstanding lineup of regional performers, food, local beverages, and family-friendly fun.” This year’s performers include Man-Made Tragedies,
