Selectmen have signed an incentive agreement with Efficiency Vermont to upgrade the town's remaining mercury-vapor streetlights to energy-efficient LED lamps.
Under the agreement, Efficiency Vermont will pay Green Mountain Power outstanding depreciation left on outdated fixtures here, up to $100 per fixture on average, helping defray the cost of upgrading to the next-generation lamp bulbs.
According to Energy Committee Member Stan “Smokey” Howe, presenting the proposal at the Selectboard's Oct. 30 meeting, this spares the town from having to continue paying a monthly tariff on outdated, inefficient equipment, and furthers the aims of the state in widespread LED adoption.
“Most of our fixtures in town are so old there's no depreciation left on them. A few in town are newer fixtures that've been replaced in the past five to 10 years or whatever,” Howe said.
At its Oct. 30 meeting, the Selectboard considered and denied resident Jennifer Sargent's request to reduce the speed limit on Sugar House Road from 35 to 25 miles per hour. An early-morning delivery truck is known to speed in the area, they said, then concluded the matter might best...
The Selectboard is not ruling out dropping the town's property insurance carrier as they scramble to hold down a sharp rise in replacement valuations meted out in October by the Vermont League of Cities and Towns. Meanwhile, there is no answer from VLCT for why valuations have spiked here.
On a motion by Lewis White, seconded by Bill Holiday, the Selectboard voted 5-0 to appoint Keith Marshall to the Recreation Board. The vote came at the end of the Oct. 30 Selectboard meeting, some time after some Selectboard members apologized to rec chairwoman Sarah Evans for comments made Oct. 16 about spending for soccer supplies. Evans had asked for the apology pointedly, saying her expenses had been approved, her request for certain reimbursements was proper, and that the board...
After two years of hard work, Brattleboro artist Scot Borofsky has completed another section of his ambitious “Brattleboro Downtown Pattern Project” with a collection of 10 site paintings of patterns on private walls on Flat Street. The designs Borofsky used in this group of outdoor artworks were inspired by the patterns found in the ancient cultural artifacts of Native American and African art, including their beadwork, weaving, pottery design, and architectural decoration. He says he reinterpreted these patterns through the...
Project Feed the Thousands kicks off its 19th annual food drive on Friday, Nov. 15 at Price Chopper on Canal Street with a live broadcast hosted by longtime media supporter WTSA 96.7 FM. The community's goals this year: raise $100,000 in cash and collect enough provisions for 200,000 meals. The project team will collect non-perishable food, personal care items, and cash donations on behalf of the thousands who face hunger daily throughout southeastern Vermont and southwestern New Hampshire. According to...
The second installment of the 2013 real estate and personal property taxes is due on Friday, Nov. 15. Payments made after Nov. 15 will have an additional 1 percent interest added to the unpaid balance. The utility billing is also due Nov. 15. Payments made after Nov. 15 will have an additional 1 percent interest and an 8 percent penalty added to the unpaid balance. Payments can be mailed to the Town of Brattleboro, 230 Main St., Suite 111, Brattleboro,
Students involved in agricultural and horticulture studies at the Windham Regional Career Center (WRCC) recently took first place in the annual Vermont Future Farmers of America (FFA) soil judging competition. This makes it the 19th consecutive year that WRCC students have won this competition. And it was decisive, as it has been in a number of years for WRCC students, who achieved the top four scores statewide this year. WRCC students competed against some 130 students from the 18 career...
Winter world turns toward darkness, snow forms into mountains, snow covers the streets in a blanket of snow, white feathers fly overhead, drifting down over us as if we are held in a snow globe. Now the cat stretches and yawns. He has no care about the weather. He will not trudge to the hardware store, where I get two sacks of litter and the salesperson is kind in her concern. “Are you walking?” she asks. “1 don't think you...
Alternative transportation can be a tough sell in a rural state such as Vermont, where residents often have to travel long distances to get to work and market. The Brattleboro Energy Committee has been working for years to address this issue. In 2010, the Committee organized the Brattleboro Business Transportation Roundtable, composed of representatives from Brattleboro-area businesses and institutions such as the Brattleboro Retreat, Brattleboro Memorial Hospital, Windham Southeast Supervisory Union, and Landmark College. The Roundtable has been working to...
The Brattleboro Union High School Music Department will present a fall concert on Thursday, Nov. 14 at 7 p.m., in the school auditorium. Admission is free and all are invited. The 85-voice chorus opens the concert with Antonio Vivaldi's Baroque masterwork, “Gloria,” accompanied by pianist Susan Dedell. The piece features several student soloists. BUHS Jazz Workshop takes the stage next, under the direction of Jamie MacDonald. Students will perform three selections arranged in a jazz combo style featuring each band...
Next up in Sandglass Theater's New Visions puppetry series: Adelka Polak and her company, SOVA, with the world première of “Branches” on Nov. 15 and 16 at 7:30 p.m. Here the human form meets object to create poetry in motion. Sculptural forms unite with live dance, sound, and visual art in this beautifully woven world of the imagination. Combining fabrics, handmade masks, natural lines, and the moving body, “Branches” creates larger-than-life landscapes, transforming as the visual poetic narrative unfolds with...
There's an African saying, “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.” Here in Vermont, we have an equally daunting task - achieving 90 percent renewable energy by 2050. The African metaphor would imply that we can do so one house, one business, and one institution at a time, and this sentiment was in full swing at the recent Renewable Energy Vermont (REV) conference in Burlington. In addition to the single bites of solar hot water, air-source...
The Nest Gallery, featuring art, pottery, books and other creative works by local artists, recently opened at the junction of Exit 5 of Interstate 91 and Route 5 in Westminster. Founded by artists Penelope Arms of Westminster and Sloane Dawson of Rockingham, the Nest showcases the work of such artists as Matthew Peake, Fred Marin, Della Thompson, Marlene Kramer, Denis and Katheryn Chassé, and Mary Hancock. Books by award-winning writer Elayne Clift are also available. Penelope Arms says her love...
Are you paying too much to heat your home, business, or rental property, or looking to cut your use of fossil fuels? A new generation of super-efficient electric heat pumps, suitable for northern climates, may be the answer for you. These devices provide heat and domestic hot water using 25 percent to 50 percent less energy than conventional systems. They are environmentally friendly as well: 87 percent free of carbon emissions in Green Mountain Power territory, according to a press...
With all due respect to the author, I feel compelled to respond directly to the numerous claims, assumptions and accusations put forth by Byron Stookey [“Should the arts really shape place?,” Viewpoint, Oct. 23]. As someone who grew up with extremely humble circumstances in Springfield, Mass., during decades of disinvestment in our inner-city neighborhoods and once-glorious downtown; who witnessed firsthand the downward economic spiral of our nation's working class; and who personally employed the arts to forge his way out...
College news • The following local students recently earned degrees from Union Institute & University: Miranda Bemis of Jacksonville earned a Master of Education, John Petty of Putney has earned a Doctor of Psychology with a focus in clinical psychology, and Erin Berard of Brattleboro has earned a Master of Arts with a focus in clinical mental health counseling. Obituaries • Donald J. Blanchflower, 81, of Rockingham. Died Nov. 4. Soulmate of Brenda Burke of Rockingham. Father of James Blanchflower...
Representatives of the Transgender Oral History Project will be in Brattleboro on the weekend of Nov. 15-17 to present an afternoon workshop and collect local stories. The workshop “Movement Building and Breaking” is slated for Saturday, Nov. 16, from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Root Social Justice Center, 28 Williams St. A program announcement notes the event is open to all in the community, including allies, friends, and family. A suggested donation of $5 to $25 will help defray...
The Leland & Gray Players present “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying,” a wildly satirical hit musical by Frank Loesser and Abe Burrows, with performances on Nov. 14 at 7 p.m., Nov. 15 at 7:30 p.m., Nov. 16 at 3 and 7:30 p.m.; and Nov. 17 at 3 p.m. Based on the real-life mid-20th century success guide by Shepherd Mead, the story centers on a young window washer, J. Pierrepont Finch, who launches a meteoric rise from mail...
The three key seniors from Twin Valley's undefeated championship season - forward Dal Nesbitt, midfielder Colin Lozito, and defensive back Eli Park - were all selected to the Vermont Soccer Coaches Association's Division IV All-State team. Twin Valley's Buddy Hayford, the coach of the Division IV champs, was named the Division III-IV Coach of the Year. The Wildcats' 3-0 win over Proctor marked Hayford's seventh state soccer title in his 31-year career at Wilmington High School and Twin Valley High...
Brooks Memorial Library seeks trustees BRATTLEBORO - The Board of Library Trustees of Brooks Memorial Library seeks enthusiastic and dedicated library lovers to fill three upcoming vacancies on the board. One candidate will be elected at the March 2014 representative town meeting to complete one year of an unexpired term. Two others will be elected at town meeting to fill three-year terms. Candidates for this position should have an interest in maintaining a strong and visionary library. Trustees must be...
Who says silent movies have to be silent? In fact, they never were. Historically, the motion pictures of the silent era were backed by piano, organ, and sometimes a whole orchestra. In that way, they were closer to live stage performances than the movies we see today. Often the showing of silent films included acts by singers, dancers, and other vaudeville performers. On Saturday, Nov. 16, The Commons brings some of that cinematic excitement to life in presenting “Nosferatu,” F.
Federal regulators finished a three-day survey of the Brattleboro Retreat on Nov. 6. The surveyors from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services told Retreat officials they had no findings of noncompliance with federal conditions of participation, according to a press release from the psychiatric hospital. A final determination letter from CMS indicating whether the Retreat will continue to receive federal funding is pending. About 30 percent of the Retreat's patients receive federal subsidies for care. The Retreat, which is...
Theatre Adventure once again presents glitter, glamour, and theatrical treats galore during its annual fundraising fashion show, “Putting On Our Finery.” The show is hosted by Brattleboro's own Alfred Hughes Jr. on Friday, Nov. 15, at 7 p.m., at the West Village Meeting House, 29 South St., West Brattleboro. Theatre Adventure is NEYT's troupe of talented and amazing actors - with and without disabilities - who wow their audiences. The evening's festivities promise fabulous fashions, live music, delectable desserts, an...
RE: “What happened to Occupy Wall Street?” [Viewpoint, Nov. 6]: Are unions people? If you answer yes, then obviously corporations are people, too. They are very similar: groups of people with common interests. Unions put big money and influence into political campaigns. Why shouldn't corporations have the same rights? There are many campaigns where the left has outspent the right. They never cry about the influence of big money then. Attention, everyone! Stop crying, grow a spine, and vote!
A nonprofit that provides permanent housing to homeless veterans is managing to hold its own, despite ever-increasing demand for its services. Home at Last was founded by Robert Miller of West Brattleboro, a disabled World War II combat veteran, in 2008. It now owns five mobile homes - three in Brattleboro, one in Westminster, and one in Hinsdale, N.H. It will soon take ownership of its sixth home, also in Hinsdale. Board chairman Tom Appel said the combination of rental...
Open Music Collective presents a “Lady Day and Prez Tribute Show” featuring vocalist Melissa Shetler and her father, Scott Shetler, on sax. Melissa explains why she wanted to give this concert, slated for Saturday, Nov. 23 at 8 p.m.: “Family is family. Sometimes it's the family you're born into and sometimes it's the family you choose, but it's always family, and as such the bonds run deep.” And whether those bonds are blood, common language, inside jokes, physical traits, or...
Let's face it: no matter how independent our news or ad-free our dreams might be, as 21st-century humans we're all marinating to some degree in a hypersexual brew. But the routine fare offered by mainstream marketers would just seem juvenile if it weren't profoundly affecting culture at every turn. It's climate change of a whole new order. Halloween is clearly just one spike on the commercial graph. While in theory it's the most playful, creative, and freeing day of the...
During Sunday's Veterans' Day service at the Community Center, the American Red Cross honored a Putney woman who became the town's first war casualty when the ship that was carrying her to England was torpedoed by a German submarine on June 26, 1941. Maxine C. Loomis was born in Putney in 1915, and trained as a nurse in Springfield, Mass. At 26, she volunteered as an American Red Cross nurse and served in England. The daughter of Carroll and Ethel...
What started last week as a request to discuss $151,734.73 in renovation overrun costs for Rockingham Free Public Library grew into an email thread that unearthed a new area of contention between trustees and the municipal manager. As a result, Municipal Manager Willis “Chip” Stearns III has suspended any municipal assistance to the RFPL, its staff, or the Board of Trustees until there's a meeting between the trustees and the Selectboard to discuss the project. In the emails, Jan Mitchell-Love,
The Vermont Jazz Center presents Cuban pianist/composer Manuel Valera in concert with the New Cuban Express Quintet (NCE) on Saturday, Nov. 16 at 8 p.m. This international band is touring in support of a new, highly acclaimed recording, “Expectativas,” its second Grammy-nominated disc in two years. Valera is on piano and keyboards; Joel Frahmis is on saxophone; John Benitez is on bass; Ludwig Alfonso is on drums, and Mauricio Herrera handles percussion. Although Valera is barely in his mid-30s, he's...
RE: “Anti-abortion and pro-choice” [Essay, Oct. 30]: Thank you for publishing this piece. Personal truth-telling is an important step toward creating a culture of compassion and thereby understanding, if not agreement and compliance. At age 18, I, too, had an abortion. It was with the full understanding that I was terminating a soul that had come into me. It was the hardest decision and subsequent action I have ever made. I spoke to women who thought nothing of using abortion...
RE: “A retirement with dignity, thanks to Social Security” [Essay, Oct. 23]: While I am glad that Lynn Martin (along with my own grandmother and mother-in-law) are getting their Social Security, it has come to my attention that members of my generation (and those generations after mine) will not get theirs. I base this conclusion on a Social Security statement I received last year that says in part, “the Social Security system is facing serious financial problems... Without changes, in...
It all started four years ago with cups of coffee. In October, the Bright Spot Café and food pantry, part of the Community Bible Chapel, fed 231 people. The all-volunteer café and food pantry provides a free hot meal, food, toiletries, and clothing to Vermont residents on Tuesdays from noon to 3 p.m. (closed the first Tuesday of the month). On Nov. 15, the café is holding its first benefit supper and raffle. All funds go towards purchasing food and...
RE: “Lessons of the forest” [Essay, Oct. 23]: About seven years ago, I drove on West Jamaica Road and saw beavers constructing a dam on the origin of Ball Mountain Brook. The impoundment was immense. Then, about four years ago, a greedy worm fisherman put a bass boat on the pond, and hauled out every brook trout. That was the beginning of the end. The beavers exhausted their food supply and moved on. After a heavy rain three years ago,
Samantha Siano was last seen on Sept. 2. Two days later, her body, which had begun to decompose, was found in a residence hall bathroom at the Brattleboro Retreat, the state's largest psychiatric hospital. Siano died of a drug overdose. The Vermont medical examiner and local police determined last week that the 36-year-old former social worker from Exeter, N.H., had committed suicide. After six days of intensive inpatient care at the Retreat for mental health and addiction treatment, Siano was...
The town may require belt tightening in fiscal year 2015, warns Selectboard chair David Gartenstein. During the board's Nov. 5 meeting, in the Municipal Center, Gartenstein told the audience that selectmen might consider cutting services or propose a 15-cent per $100 of valuation increase in residential property tax in fiscal year 2015. Also on the agenda: whether to discharge the town's mortgage against the Robert H. Gibson River Garden, and a potentially life-saving DPW proposal to calm town traffic. Facing...
Building a Better Brattleboro's 2015 fiscal year work plan looks much the same as its current work plan, says Donna Simons, president of its board of directors. The organization started good projects this year, she said, promising similar projects would carry into next year. According to outgoing board Vice President Kate O'Connor, the membership approved the work plan and budget by written ballot. Twenty of BaBB's 80 members voted. Despite a similar work plan, the next few months will bring...