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.
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.
WESTMINSTER WEST-Plans are being made for the 36th annual Westminster West Community Fair, which will be held Saturday, Sept. 12, at Westminster West Church and around the village.
This year's parade theme is "Honoring Those Who Step Up for Rural Schools." The Grand Marshal is Westminster Town School District Board Chair Cheryl Charles. Other members of the school board, as well as students, bus drivers, administrators, teachers, paras, counselors, maintenance folks, school librarians, volunteers, sports coaches, cafeteria workers and, of course, parents are all invited to march in the parade.
There'll be the usual selection of entertainment and activities at the church from races in the morning to the talent show in the afternoon. In between, there is a chicken barbecue, and the ever popular and exclusive "Whack a Corn Cob." Don't forget to view the work of local artists upstairs or the zany vegetable creations in the foyer of the church.
It is not too early to think of what goodies in a garage or attic that can be donated to the Silent Auction or Golden Elephant. It is also not too late to join the fair committee or volunteer to help. To join in the fun, email Betsy Williams at laladust@gmail.com.
College news • Grace Conety of Brattleboro, Sophia Hamm of Brattleboro, and Zadie Olmstead of Dummerston were named to the spring 2026 Dean’s List at Simmons University in Boston. Obituaries • Stephanie Greene, 73, of West Dover. Died peacefully at her home Aug. 10, 2026, in the care of...
Historical Society of Windham County hosts annual potluck NEWFANE — The Historical Society of Windham County invites everyone to its annual Potluck and Special Program Friday, Aug. 28, at NewBrook Fire Station on Route 30. Bring a dish to share and catch up with your neighbors and friends at...
ATHENS-The Athens Brick Meetinghouse Committee, in conjunction with the Athens Historic Preservation Society, hosts Cameo Baroque at the 1817 Brick Meetinghouse Saturday, Aug. 29, at 4 p.m. Founded in 2014, Cameo Baroque — Leslie Stroud, traverso (Baroque flute); Beth Hilgartner, recorders and voice; Ernie Drown, harpsichord; and Laurie Rabut, viola da gamba — is Cameo Arts Foundation’s (CAF) “in-house” ensemble that specializes in the music of the Baroque era performed on period instruments. Cameo Baroque is dedicated to bringing some...
BELLOWS FALLS-Canal Street Art Gallery, 23 Canal St., presents new artwork from Nancy Fitz-Rapalje, Kim Grall, and Edward Kingsbury III through Oct. 11. Fitz-Rapalje, based in Bellows Falls, presents paintings from some of her familiar subjects such as fruit and floral still lifes. Portrayed in her calculated, geometric style of brushstrokes, her well-known top-down perspective flattens the background and focuses on placed objects. Fitz-Rapalje, referring to her painting as “sketches,” describes her practice of painting quickly from observation “a quick...
BRATTLEBORO-Next Stage Arts invites audiences of all ages to celebrate the creative talent of southern Vermont and the surrounding region at the Homegrown Festival, coming to West River Park on Route 30 in Brattleboro Sunday, Aug. 30. Part of the Bandwagon Summer Series, the festival begins at 4 p.m., with gates opening at 3 p.m., and features an afternoon of eclectic music, circus arts, dancing, food, and community. Headlining the festival are The Gaslight Tinkers, whose sound fuses African, Caribbean,
LONDONDERRY-On Sunday, August 30, at 4 p.m. at The Second Congregational Church, Nordic Harmoni, The Buzzards, and soloists from the community will perform an afternoon of music to benefit the Londonderry Neighbors Food Pantry. Donations will be accepted at the door. Nordic Harmoni claims they are the only Swedish-American chorus in southern Vermont sharing Scandinavian heritage and traditions. They welcome all interested singers to join them for rehearsals at the Second Congregational Church in Londonderry, where they sing both in...
BRATTLEBORO-Artist Richard Haynes and curator Alison Crites will discuss Haynes’s exhibition, “Learning to See,” at the Brattleboro Museum & Art Center (BMAC) Saturday, Aug. 29, at 5:30 p.m. “Learning to See” brings together Haynes’s paintings, drawings, and photographs which imagine a more compassionate and connected world. Working across different media, he transforms experiences of separation and oppression into images that celebrate togetherness and find beauty in ordinary moments. The exhibition includes Haynes’s newest body of work, “World Leaders in Moral,
ASHUELOT, N.H.-Write Action will be holding its annual potluck picnic on the grounds of 32M Center for Creative Work in the village of Ashuelot Saturday, Aug. 29. From noon to 1 p.m., there will be a chance to vote for new Write Action board members and participate in organization discussions. All are welcome to attend. The picnic will start at 1 p.m., with an open reading starting at approximately 2 p.m. Each reader has 4 minutes — poetry or prose.
BRATTLEBORO-Friends of Island Park presents the Riverfront Connections: Art Show and Historical Retrospective at the Latchis Gallery, 50 Main St., on view until Sunday, Sept. 13, with a reception during Gallery Walk on Friday, Sept. 4, from 5 to 8 p.m. The exhibition celebrates and draws attention to the history as well as the current state of affairs of Island Park, which stands between two bridges spanning the Connecticut River at the south end of downtown Brattleboro. The works of...
BRATTLEBORO-A local screening of the new documentary film, Cuba After Castro, takes place at the Latchis Theatre Sunday, Aug. 30 at 4 p.m. Claiming the film shows the first and only American interview with Cuba’s little-known Miguel Díaz-Canel, organizers wrote in a news release that Cuba After Castro “explores the island nation’s lesser-known history and turbulent present in a revealing portrait of the man tasked with steering its future after Fidel Castro.” Moving beyond the stereotypes, they said, “this film...
-This summer zipped by, students returned today to schools around Vermont and, suddenly, it’s time for the 2026 fall high school sports season to begin. • Girls’ soccer gets going on Saturday, Aug. 29, at 11 a.m., when Bellows Falls hosts West Rutland. Leland & Gray also opens at home on Monday, Aug. 31, as the Rebels host Rivendell Academy for a 4:30 p.m. match. Twin Valley opens on the road Tuesday, Sept. 1, with a 4:30 p.m. match at...
Rural health care, already struggling, took another hit last week when Dartmouth Health, facing a budget deficit of $63.5 million, announced it will be closing two telehealth services that provide live video medical advice to five rural Vermont hospitals, including Brattleboro Memorial Hospital (BMH) and Grace Cottage Hospital in Townshend. The cost of the Tele-ED and Tele-ICU services, “at our current scale, without external support, are simply unsustainable,” Audra Burns, a spokesperson for Dartmouth, the New Hampshire-based health network, told...
The writer is a Republican nominee for a Windham-3 seat in the Vermont Legislature. BELLOWS FALLS-Vermonters are facing high property taxes, housing costs, and other financial pressures. Instead of assuming every problem requires more spending, I believe we should examine creative ideas that could save money while improving services. One idea worth considering is an independent government-efficiency committee tasked with finding ways to reduce educational expenses without eliminating teachers or other essential school jobs. We should examine administration, purchasing, contracts,
BRATTLEBORO-At the rally in support of the Brattleboro Memorial Hospital (BMH) Birthing Center last month, my husband and I were impressed not only by the poignant stories shared by parents, medical staff and community members, but also by the civil, respectful, and constructive tone of these testimonies, as well as the remarks by BMH Board Chair Chloe Learey. We left feeling hopeful that the Brattleboro community would work together to find a collaborative solution that would keep this vital center...
Bert Picard is an activist, having retired as a Teamster truck driver who has organized with various unions and a workers’ center over the decades. GUILFORD-Capitalism works better than socialism. That’s what a supporter of Gov. Phil Scott told me the other day, when I was canvassing for Amanda Janoo, his opponent. This was a reasonable conservative. We were having an honest discussion, and they were very against the Trump regime. We hear this claim often when we want to...
WESTMINSTER-Third-generation Westminster farmer Paul Harlow was recently recognized with a Lifetime Achievement Award and inducted into the Vermont Agricultural Hall of Fame. He joins more than 100 inductees who have been honored over the past 20 years by the award, administered by the Champlain Valley Expo in Essex Junction. “I think this is a culmination,” Harlow, 75, said of the honor. “It’s acknowledging the work of the last 60 years.” Harlow Farm on Route 5 goes back 109 years to...
BRATTLEBORO-Fire Chief Jay Symonds will spend the next year on active duty with the Army National Guard, which has been a significant part of his life for nearly three decades. Symonds will leave his town obligation for military service the first week of October and return when his assignment has been fulfilled. “Public service has been a cornerstone of my life, and I am grateful for the opportunity to continue serving both my community and my country,” the chief tells...
Chris Morrow represents the Windham-Bennington-Windsor district, which includes the Windham County town of Londonderry, in the Vermont House of Representatives. Keep in touch with him at morrowforvt@gmail.com. WESTON-Well, it's been an interesting few weeks. First, the facts. Then we will get to commentary. As you are likely aware, five Ecuadorian asylum seekers were arrested in Londonderry recently by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. Besides the obviously horrific experience of the detainees, many in the community felt upset, powerless, and...
Lachlan Francis is chair of the Vermont Democratic Party. WESTMINSTER-Phil Scott rode into the governor's office a decade ago pledging to deliver results on affordability. After 10 years in the office - and following over a quarter-century of his service in Montpelier - it's well past time to assess whether things are moving in the right direction or whether it's time for a change. Unfortunately, the signs are clear that things in Vermont have gotten worse, not better, under his...
WILLIAMSVILLE-The Rock River Players production of Harold Pinter’s Betrayal exposes multifaceted, complicated betrayals within and even beyond a love triangle of two men — friends — and a woman. To add to the intrigue, the story is told pretty much in reverse chronological order. Pinter (1930–2008) was an English playwright in the theater of the absurd camp. Absurdism is a style that, after World War II, turned theater to existentialist themes and challenges. Among them: What comes to pass when...
MARLBORO-Get ready for lively fiddles, energetic dancers, and lots of singing when the RiverJam Romp returns Friday, Sept. 11 through Sunday, Sept. 13, at the campus at Marlboro Music on Potash Hill, the former home of Marlboro College. This family-friendly event celebrates the music and dance traditions of southern Vermont, New Hampshire’s Monadnock Region, and the Pioneer Valley in western Massachusetts. Now in its fifth year, RiverJam Romp offers traditional dance, group singing, concerts, jam sessions, instrument workshops, locally sourced...
BRATTLEBORO-I got to cover girls high school sports for 30 years as a staff photographer for The Post-Standard in Syracuse. I had the chance to become well acquainted with many of the officials, coaches, student athletes, and their parents in that incredible run. Never did the issue raised in your column catch my attention. And after reading that insightful bit of reporting, I don't think all of that was due to my own cluelessness. High-school-age girls' participation in athletics is...
