The Leland & Gray Rebels girls' basketball team made it to the finals of the Bellows Falls Holiday Tournament on Saturday, and came away with their second straight championship.
In the tourney's opening game on Friday night, the Rebels beat Sharon Academy, 57-31. Ashley Goddard led the way with 20 points and 11 rebounds, while Chelby Nystrom scored nine and had three steals.
The Rebels faced Bellows Falls in the championship game, and battled to a 33-24 win over the Terriers. BF had a 16-13 lead at the half, as both teams played with a physical tenacity that seems to have carried over from their battles during soccer season.
Leland & Gray clawed back to a 24-20 lead after three periods, and took control in the fourth as Goddard and senior captain Alex Morrow led the way. Goddard had 16 points and eight rebounds, while Morrow added nine points and five assists. Emily Dufault was the Terriers' top scorer with 10 points.
Youth Services topped off its year-long 40th anniversary celebration with the honoring of board member emeritus Larry Cassidy, who was one of the founders of the agency when he was barely more than a youth himself. The announcement of the creation of the Larry Cassidy Fund of Youth Services'
As residents look for cost-effective ways to warm their homes in winter, many unfortunately turn to heating sources that carry greater fire risk than traditional sources. Improper use of these devices, including space heaters, fireplaces, and wood and coal stoves, is a leading cause of costly - and deadly...
An auditorium full of people came to celebrate the life of my brother-in-law, Gary Blomgren, on Saturday, Dec. 8. There, I saw how simple smiles and kindness can affect people to their core, way more than you realize. I talked to two police officers who were there to control traffic. One of them had also been Gary's student five years ago. We heard many stories, like how Gary would stop obviously upset students in the hallway, even if he didn't...
The halls of Brattleboro Memorial Hospital have been graced with paintings by local artists who draw inspiration from agricultural and natural settings. The show, “Farm Art,” is presented in collaboration with Strolling of the Heifers, and is curated by artist Caryn King. It will remain on view through May. All of the works are offered for sale, and a portion of the proceeds will benefit Strolling of the Heifers. The artists represented in the show are Caryn King, Georgie, Lesley...
Many, many years ago, I traveled light. I owned only what I could carry in a duffel bag. Then I settled down, bought a house, and managed to stuff an attic so full that it took a filled-to-the-brim Dumpster to haul the junk away. I'm sure I'm not the only one who has had to sit her ego down and whisper this sad, hard truth: “There never will be a museum dedicated to us, Ego. Not every single thing we've...
It wasn't a long haul to certification but it was a nail-biter. Congratulations are in order. The workers at the Brattleboro Food Co-op have a union. The outcome was never less than uncertain, and no one would have guessed the wide margin of acceptance. My own estimates were probably like those of most: one day thinking labor would be a winner and the next day not so sure. I'm as peripheral to the core organizing group as any typical shopper.
Obituaries • Judith C. Allen, 70, of North Walpole, N.H. Died Dec. 20. Wife of the late Joseph Szuch and the late Gerald Allen. Mother of Joseph Szuch and partner, Nancy Bennett, of North Walpole; James Szuch and his fiancee, Deborah Perry, of Westmoreland, N.H.; and Jennifer Szuch and fiance, Gene Perkins, of Charlestown, N.H. Stepdaughter of Polly McAllister of Putney and the late Robert Hanson. Sister of Carl McAllister and wife, Sharon, of Sandown, N.H.; Gwen Jones and her...
Local high school students considering careers in health care are invited to apply to “shadow” professionals in hospital, public health, and medical office settings, where they'll get an insider's look at this dynamic field. Southern Vermont Area Health Education Center (SVAHEC) announces MedQuest 2013 for southern Vermont high school students now in grades 9-11. MedQuest, billed as “the ultimate job shadow experience for youth,” pairs selected students with volunteer health care professionals to explore CPR certification, health career workshops, and...
Graeme King, of King Boatworks in Putney, has been hard at work in recent months building an ark. No, King doesn't have the skinny on another great flood. As it happens, he's building the ark at the request of Opera Theatre of Weston co-producers Lise Messier and Nan Nall, who plan to put it to work as set design for their production of Noye's Fludde (Noah's Flood) by Benjamin Britten. The company will celebrate the centennial of the British composer's...
Vermont's largest freight railroad has a new owner. On Dec. 19, 2012, the federal Surface Transportation Board (STB) approved the purchase of RailAmerica Inc., the company that owns the New England Central Railroad (NECR), by Genesee & Wyoming, Inc., another holding company of many short-line railroads across the country, for $1.37 billion. The takeover of the St. Albans-based NECR, which operates 394 miles of track between the Canadian border just south of Montreal and New London, Conn., became effective Dec.
The Actors Theatre Playhouse is scheduling interviews and auditions for its 2013 production of Annie Baker's Circle Mirror Transformation, slated for August at the Playhouse. Actors and production volunteers are welcome to write for an appointment with director Josh Moyse. Set in the community center of fictional Shirley, Vt., this new comedy mixes antic sadness and hilarious detail as five (mostly) strangers participate in an adult creative drama class. Over the course of the six-week class, they play “theater games”
A fundamental problem with the proposed skatepark location at the Crowell Lot is the faulty process that has brought us this far. It is my experience in Brattleboro that people will respectfully accept decisions that do not go their way as long as the process is fair and open. This has not been the case with the skatepark. “Re-site the Skatepark” signs can be seen throughout town. Many citizens of Brattleboro wish to preserve the Crowell Lot as a well-used...
Area farmers are invited to join representatives of Vermont's agencies of agriculture and natural resources to contribute to a federally required water pollution reduction plan for the state. The workshop is set for Wednesday, Jan. 16, from 9 a.m. to noon, at the Chivers Center at Vermont Academy, and will be a good opportunity for anyone interested in learning about pollution prevention practices already required of Vermont farmers. This event is free, and refreshments will be served. Federal law requires...
Community theater is a unique experience. For about six weeks, a dozen or more adults who have full-time jobs and families make putting on a show one of their primary goals. They skip dinners, they brave all sorts of terrible weather conditions, they sacrifice their precious time and even some of their own financial resources just so that they can create theatrical entertainment for the enjoyment of others, many of whom are complete strangers. Why would they do this? Are...
For a second consecutive year, Marlboro College is opening its doors to high school students looking to try out select introductory college courses. Better still, it's free. As part of Marlboro's effort to connect with the local community, motivated high school juniors and seniors, and their home-school equivalents, may apply to take a Marlboro class at no cost. Courses include beginning ceramics, introduction to black and white photography, introduction to ecological sustainability, and debating the American dream. Students also can...
On Jan. 1, Vermont's minimum wage increased by 14 cents to $8.60 an hour, raising wages for an estimated 11,000 low-wage workers in the state. Vermont's minimum wage increase means an extra $240 per year in wages for the average affected worker, and the increased consumer spending generated by the minimum wage hike will boost GDP by $1.4 million, according to an analysis by the nonpartisan Economic Policy Institute. Vermont is joined by nine states that also raised state minimum...
Forest Moon holds winter fun benefit BRATTLEBORO - A benefit day for Forest Moon: Celebrating Cancer Survivorship will be held on Sunday, Jan. 6, at Stump Sprouts Cross Country Ski Center and Guest Lodge in nearby Hawley, Mass. Proceeds from all registrations after 12:30 p.m., a buffet dinner, or overnight stay will go to support Forest Moon's free programs for people affected by cancer in western Massachusetts and southern Vermont. Based in Brattleboro, Forest Moon offers free or low-cost classes,
What you hear first is the laughter. When you peek in the door, there are 10 or so heads bent over a long table as if people are participating in some ancient ritual. Actually, that might be one definition of painting. For that is what you are seeing if you are on the second floor of the Brattleboro Senior Center on a Tuesday or a Thursday morning. I was lucky enough to find the room several years ago. What did...
Eric Bass and Bob Berky are back - and they promise to kill again! On Friday and Saturday, Jan. 4 and 5, the internationally acclaimed performers take to the stage at Sandglass Theater for two special performances of Richard 3.5: Light Ruminations on Murder. Bass and Berky return for two special nights of blood and guts entertainment with their two-man ragtime cabaret version of Shakespeare's famous tale of power-driven murder. Richard 3.5 is a dark comedy that pulls out all...
Malcolm Guild of Rockingham recently donated a conservation easement on 113 acres of forested and open land to the Vermont Land Trust, a member-supported land conservation organization. The property is primarily wooded, and Guild manages the land for timber. The property includes approximately 10 acres of open pastureland and six acres of wetlands. Guild's son, Thad, raises a small beef herd on the protected property. The conservation easement is a legal tool limiting development on the land. Landowners continue to...
The Great White Way comes to Main Street Arts on Thursday, Jan. 10, when Broadway singer Cass Morgan shares her experiences of more than 30 years in the theater. The third of four “Taste of the Arts, Tales from a Community” events, the evening begins with supper before Morgan relates her adventures playing feature roles in eight Broadway musicals and many off-Broadway productions. Now beginning its 25th year, Main Street Arts is a non-profit community arts center dedicated to serving...
Richard Michelman, a retired high school teacher, fine arts appraiser, and former Brooks Memorial Library trustee, will offer his expertise in history and art in a talk about one of the library's crown jewels - the Loud Collection. Michelman, who served as a library trustee from 1973 to 1982, has special insight into the people and culture in Brattleboro in the early years of the 20th century. He is a co-author of “Before Our Time: A Pictorial Memoir of Brattleboro,
Thank you for Robert Litchfield's recent article [“Horses make big impression on 'littles,'” Dec. 19] about the exciting new collaboration between Southern Vermont Therapeutic Riding Center (SVTRC) in Newfane and Big Brothers Big Sisters. Please accept a small correction to that article: For information about SVTRC, the correct web address is sovtrc.org. While SVTRC is indeed located on the grounds of Winchester Stables - whose owners initiated the program in 2010 and who have been notably supportive - it is...
Patricia Moulton Powden chats about the Dec. 27 snow storm. Snow often makes headlines in Vermont, but the white stuff equals big news for those, like Powden, in economic development and a tourist-heavy economy. After a phone call with her brother, who works at the Mount Snow Ski resort in West Dover, Powden said the ski area received 15 snowy inches. If the snow continues, she said, “that's icing on the cake.” Powden has served at the state level in...
The Brattleboro Area Prevention Coalition (BAPC) thanks the businesses that participated in the Responsible Beverage Service Trainings in December co-sponsored by the Department of Liquor Control. BAPC recognizes the important role that local retailers and restaurants play in preventing underage drinking. Thank you to the following businesses for participating in the training: Anchor Seafood, Backside Café, Bromley Sun Lodge, Elks Club, Fat Franks, Grain and Grinds, Happy Valley Brewery, Hermitage Inn, Neighbor's Mobil, Kipling's Restaurant & Pub, Last Chair Bar...
Plenty of other beer writers are trotting out picks to constitute two “Twelve Beers of Christmas” six-packs, so I decided to have some fun with it, too. * * * The mother of all seasonal beers, of course, at least in the United States, is Our Special Ale from Anchor Brewing. The “Anchor Christmas beer,” as it is sometimes inaccurately called to no one's dismay, usually shows up just prior to Thanksgiving and hangs out until mid-January. For many years...
Sleigh rides at Fairwinds Farm on Upper Dummerston Road have long been a highlight of the Last Night Brattleboro events, but in recent years the weather has tended not to cooperate. Monday afternoon, however, was a perfect day for a sleigh ride. Buoyed by more than a foot of new snow, and with the air at a bracing 30 degrees Fahrenheit, Jay and Janet Bailey put two teams of draft horses to work handling demand from a line of visitors.
Next Stage Arts Project is serving up a “Thursdays in January” series of food-themed films, and pairing them with the perfect culinary garnish. Bring an appetite. The series, “Films with Taste,” is curated and hosted by Putney School Executive Chef Marty Brennan-Sawyer. “We're excited to have Marty making this series a reality. Combining food with films will be a lot of fun for audiences,” said Next Stage Arts Project's co-founder Billy Straus. The series kicks off Thursday, Jan. 10, at...
Nestled on a hillside, Center Mountain Farm is one of the newer establishments to offer high-quality meats, many of which are raised by owners Madonna and Tim Racine. The Racines own the farm, which they opened in August 2011, raising chicken, eggs, turkey, and pigs. They sell much of their own produce, along with products from several local farms and artisans, in their small shop. When considering where to start their farm, Marlboro was a natural choice given the couple's...
The state Public Service Board (PSB) has issued a Certificate of Public Good for three meteorological test towers (METs) on 5,000 acres straddling a hilltop between Grafton and Windham. The board handed down this decision despite opposition from the town of Windham and other organizations, paving the way for the towers to be built by the end of January. The Dec. 20 ruling approved a “246 permit” - named for the section of state law that governs meteorological towers and...
Have you ever wondered how it would feel to act in a Shakespeare play with little to no rehearsal? That's exactly the sort of production New England Youth Theatre's Alumni Association is attempting with “Shakespeare Unrehearsed: The Taming of the Shrew,” a fundraiser to benefit NEYT's Angels in the Wings Scholarship Fund. For the third consecutive year, NEYT's Alumni Association is following Shakespeare's own production schedule: this show, as in the Elizabethan-era, will afford no more than 10 hours' rehearsal.
The Brattleboro Senior Center got a head start on celebrating 2013's arrival with its annual New Year's Eve potluck luncheon on Monday afternoon. The classic jazz trio “Sing, Sing & Swing” entertained diners as they enjoyed a menu of salad, homemade macaroni and cheese, ham, and scalloped potatoes. Guests also claimed an 11½-hour jump on the revelers in Times Square with a countdown, and rang in the new year with a toast of sparkling grape juice and the tidings of...
The first real snowfall of the season found me gazing out the window at all those white flakes pouring from the sky. Snow is quite bizarre, really, when you stop to think about it: solid white matter, frozen into perfect crystals, falling from above, and accumulating on the ground, staying frozen for months, piling up into huge clumps when the plow comes. We ski on it and sled down it and tramp it into our houses and love it and...
Windham County Sheriff's Department Corporal Dana Shepard has reported to the Selectboard that the town is entitled to $9,941.60 as its share of violation fines in the last six months - and that amount is expected to increase. Shepard told the board at its Dec. 26 meeting that the department has “way surpassed” the expectations of Captain Robert Lakin. “We still have two to three months of winter traffic,” he said. “We're doing very well.” Mark Anderson, of the sheriff's...
Board to support turn lanes DUMMERSTON- The Selectboard has voted unanimously to submit to the Windham Regional Commission a letter in support of two turning lanes on Route 30. Lew Sorenson, the town's representative to the commission, made the request at the Dec. 26 Selectboard meeting. Last month, Sorenson warned board members of the dangers of not having a turn lane on the northbound side of Route 30 at the Green Iron Bridge, as well as on the southbound lane...
Sewer rates rise PUTNEY-The Selectboard has voted to raise sewer rates to meet the financial obligation for the 2013 budget. Putney's flat rate per quarter will go up $8, from $86 to $94. The metered rate will go from .004 cents per gallon of water to .0042 cents per gallon. The rates for users in Dummerston is now $172 per quarter, and will increase to $188. The metered rate will increase .0004 cents, to .0084. The increase took effect Jan.
On the afternoon of Aug. 28, 2011, the Williams River's swollen floodwaters slammed against the abutments holding the Bartonsville Covered Bridge. When the 140-year old bridge uttered an “ungodly creaking sound,” resident Susan Hammond turned her Flip camera toward the bridge. Seconds later, the village landmark slid into the rushing waters, another casualty of Tropical Storm Irene. “I was really hoping the bridge would survive,” Hammond said. Hammond said she expected to take footage of the bridge weathering the flood.