The second annual Soup Fest and Silent Auction fundraiser will be held on Sunday, March 20, at the NewBrook Fire Station on Route 30. Doors open at 4 p.m. with a $5 admission.
The event will help raise funds for the Windham County Historical Society's restoration of the 1880 Newfane Railroad Station as a Museum of the West River Railroad and annex to the Windham County Museum in Newfane.
Visitors won't have to ride the West River Railroad's “36 Miles of Trouble” to enjoy a variety of soups from Brattleboro to South Londonderry. Ten restaurants from the ten Depot towns along the old West River Railroad are bringing the soups to the fire station. The restaurants are Whetstone Station (Brattleboro), Top of the Hill Grill (for Dummerston), The Eatery (Williamsville), Rick's Tavern (Newfane), Harmonyville Store (Townshend), Dam Diner (West Townshend), Bitter Sweet Memories Cafe (Wardsboro), D & J Jamaica Grocery (Jamaica), Whiskey Dicks (Winhall), and The New American Grill (South Londonderry).
Silent auction bidding and the 50/50 raffle begin at 4 p.m. Soup supper will be served at 5 p.m., followed by desserts. Silent auction bids and the 50/50 raffle will close at 5:30 p.m.
Stone Church Arts presents Dunham Shoe Factory, a new musical collaboration among Mac Ritchey, Anna Patton, Dave Haughey, and Todd Roach, on Saturday, Feb. 27, at 7:30 p.m. This contemporary acoustic ensemble will perform their original compositions crafted from the traditions of the world and the sounds that surround...
Sustainable Valley Group and the Bellows Falls Historical Society have put literature and photos on large posters in the People's United Bank window and hosted a public forum about the proposed demolition of the TLR Mill Complex at Windham Antique Center on Feb. 22. We have done so because...
In the wake of sharp criticism of a seemingly incestuous relationship between the town development office, the Bellows Falls Area Development Corporation (BFADC), and the Bellows Falls Downtown Development Alliance (BFDDA), the agreements between the town and those two entities are paused for six months. During that time, Development Director Francis “Dutch” Walsh and Zoning and Planning Administrator Charles Wise will work on updating the town plan. Municipal Manager Willis “Chip” Stearns II told The Commons that with former Zoning...
On Saturday, Feb. 27, Meeting House School will hold its annual MudFling Event from 6 to 9:30 p.m. at Meeting House School, 534 South Rd.. The Meeting House School is a preschool for 3-to-5 year olds in Marlboro. As part of the school's fundraising events, the parents host a raffle and coffee house every February during mud season. It's an adults-only evening, and for a $10 admission at the door (which includes a raffle ticket), visitors can consume coffee, tea,
Dartmouth professor Nancy Jay Crumbine will share excerpts of the work of author E. B. White in a talk at Brooks Memorial Library in Brattleboro on March 2 at 7 p.m. Her talk, “Celebrating E.B. White,” is part of the Vermont Humanities Council's First Wednesdays lecture series and is free and open to the public. From his essays in The New Yorker to the beloved children's classic Charlotte's Web, E. B. White remains the master's master of elegant prose, sophisticated...
Transition Dummerston to discuss Permaculture DUMMERSTON - This month's Transition Dummerston potluck and program will be held on Friday, Feb. 26, from 6 to 9 p.m., at the Southeast Vermont Learning Collaborative, at 471 Putney Rd., (Route 5). The program will be a discussion of permaculture, following up on the two recent showings of the film, Inhabit. When the film was shown at the last monthly potluck, there was such strong interest in the ideas in the film that the...
College news • Amy Blazej of Windham, a member of the Colby-Sawyer College class of 2016 majoring in creative writing, is at Marlboro College as part of the Colby-Sawyer Study Away program, which “provides students the opportunity to acquire broad cultural knowledge and practical skills that will enable them to participate fully in a global society and to contribute to the internationalization of the Colby-Sawyer campus through academically demanding domestic programs,” according to the school. • Zebulon Shippee of West...
The 20th spring session of the Brattleboro Women's Chorus will begin on Wednesday, March 2 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at 118 Elliot, and on Thursday, March 3 from 10 a.m. to noon at Centre Congregational Church on Main Street. New and former singers are encouraged to join this spring as they prepare for a May concert of compositions and arrangements by the chorus founder and conductor, Becky Graber. The first two rehearsals are open to anyone who would like...
It is approaching a full year since the state's Act 250 District Commission completed public hearings on a proposed industrial-scale schist quarry in Halifax's conservation district. During that time, the commission provided numerous opportunities for the applicant and opponents to submit additional information. Final deadlines for submissions have passed, and it is expected that a ruling will be issued shortly. A large number of interested parties who participated in the Act 250 hearings also attended hearings held in a parallel...
Auditions will be held for two upcoming one-act plays on Sunday Feb. 28, from 3 to 5 p.m., at Broad Brook Grange in Guilford. The production is a project of Guilford Center Stage. Written and directed by local author Michael Nethercott, both works will be premiered in June. Nocturne Titanica is a mythological take on the sinking of the Titanic, while The Lace Jury is based on one of the first all-women juries in the country at the turn of...
Next Stage Arts will present a special literary event in its Next Stage Speaks series on Friday, March 4, at 7 p.m., with Robin MacArthur and Tyler Gibbons, hosted by Vermont Poet Laureate Chard deNiord. There is a suggested donation at the door of $10. The evening will feature an interview, reading, and performance with Robin MacArthur and Tyler Gibbons. This multifaceted event will begin as an interview with this couple who, when not tending to their two children, are...
Brattleboro Time Trade's second annual Spring Forward Extravaganza will take place on Friday, March 4, from 5 to 8 p.m. at the River Garden on Main Street. The event is in collaboration with the Arts Council of Windham County; it will be the opening night of the Student Art Show, and it was also chosen to coincide with that weekend's return of Daylight Savings Time. The Extravaganza will feature a silent auction, a cabaret stage emceed by juggler Tony Duncan...
Friends of Music at Guilford seeks additional voices for its Chamber Singers in preparation for its yearly “A Cappella à la Carte” event. This 50th Anniversary Season finale is set for Saturday, June 25, at a hilltop property in Guilford. The gathering will include a brief annual meeting, a potluck meal, and concert sets by the Chamber Singers and the Singcrony women's quartet. Other music-making may emerge as plans develop for this half-century birthday celebration. The Chamber Singers will perform...
It'd be great if a young turnout for Bernie Sanders turns out in force in the March 1 presidential primary. I was pleased that U.S. Representative Peter Welch stated that he will throw his support behind Sanders - support that is critical, as Welch is a superdelegate. So, of course, I was disappointed to hear that Senator Leahy not only endorses Hillary Clinton but says he will place his superdelegate vote toward her regardless of what we-the-people-of-Vermont want, should the...
Great! Quite thorough! I especially like the parts about age, about abortion, about the topics on which writer Mimi Yahn disagrees with Bernie Sanders. I was coming around to Sanders (from a Jill Stein–only approach) even before the “defense of Hillary” by Gloria Steinem and noted criminal Madeleine Albright. I had grown convinced there is hardly a war Hillary Clinton would not negotiate away from, and she likely would get us involved more deeply in something in the Middle East...
A new voter, Samantha Fisher, pins a red “Your Vote is Your Voice” button to her sweater. Her teacher, Cindy Holden of Vermont Adult Learning, discusses the Vermont Voter's Oath with Fisher. Vermont is the only state to have such an oath, Holden says. She asks Fisher what she thinks it means. “That you can't be bullied into a vote,” Fisher answers. Holden nods. “You can't be bullied, and you can't be bought,” she says. The two women discuss the...
The Vermont Theatre Company announces auditions for its May production of Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest to be held at Brattleboro Union High School on Monday, Feb. 29, at 7 p.m., in the auditorium. Anyone unable to audition at this time and who would like to schedule an alternate audition time may contact the director, Bob Kramsky, at [email protected]. There are roles for five men and four women ranging in ages from 16 through 70. No previous experience...
Alimony reform is much needed. Vermont needs it more than any other state, considering the ex-spouse is allowed to get remarried and still receive the alimony. That is abhorrent. Bad law is allowing too many people to take advantage.
This article about the proposed Vernon gas plant has stimulated much thinking. Ever since Yankee announced closure, many wondered what, if anything, would replace it. It's a wonderful opportunity for investors who can successfully answer that question. The existing (and newly renovated) switchyard pictured in the article constitutes an “injection point” where up to a gigawatt of electricity can be supplied to the grid for distribution over already robust transmission lines to markets in New England, New York, and even...
Voters throughout the county will assemble on Town Meeting Day on Tuesday, March 1, unless otherwise specified. That day also marks the presidential primary election throughout the state. Most Windham County towns are listed here with the election information that was available by press time. For updated information, links to the warnings for all the Town Meetings listed here, and other Town Meeting–related resources for voters, visit atm2016.commonsnews.org. Athens Annual Town Meeting begins at 10 a.m., according to the February...
I wholeheartedly endorse Avery Schwenk for the Brattleboro Selectboard. His presence on the board would bring vitality and a much needed perspective from younger Brattleboro citizens. Mr. Schwenk is a newcomer to local civic affairs, but he brings, in spades, all the personal attributes one should expect from a person in the position he seeks. He's very bright and both eager and quick to learn. He speaks of a genuine interest in Brattleboro and has a well-formed sense of the...
The upcoming Brattleboro Contradance will be held Sunday night, Feb. 28, from 7 to 10 p.m., at a new venue, 118 Elliot Street, across from the Central Fire Station. There is street parking, parking behind the building, and parking in the transportation center down the block towards Main Street. Caller for this contradance is Dugan Murphy. He will be accompanied by the band Hey Day, playing Irish-Cajun Swamp Contra music. Musicians are Shirley White (fiddle), Jonathan Larkin (accordion), Amy Larkin,
Both Dick DeGray and David Gartenstein bring strengths to the contest as candidates for Brattleboro's one-year Selectboard term. Having worked alongside both of them for two years as a board member myself, I would like to dip my oar into the issue to endorse Mr. DeGray. But first, let me articulate the strengths both candidates offer: • Years of committed service to the town. • Skills accreted in careers loaded with responsibilities. • Local knowledge gained from decades of residence...
It is utterly astounding the number of negative issues impacting Rockingham these days. These are aside from our everytown woes on any given day. In Rockingham, we are faced with a merger, a jail, and the continuing destruction of our historic buildings. (Or do they call that “development”?) The lack of transparency, last-minute presentations, and forced actions on the part of local and county officials is all part of an orchestrated effort to limit citizen participation, to obstruct citizen control...
Serving on Brattleboro's Selectboard has been one of the greatest honors and privileges of my life. Government is a fundamental public trust, and I am humbled to have been elected to represent and work for Brattleboro's citizens in providing oversight and direction for our town. I am running again because I want to continue the important work we are doing. I have many priorities. Our government should be responsive, open, and transparent. Everyone should be able to have a voice...
Brattleboro Town Clerk Annette Cappy and Assistant Town Clerk Jane Fletcher barely stopped for breath as people walked through the clerks's door one after another asking for early ballots. On Feb. 22, with a little more than a week until Vermont's March 1 presidential primary, Cappy said her office has processed close to 500 early ballots. “We have been super busy,” wrote Cappy in an email. Most of the 500 ballots arrived by mail. Approximately 175 voters cast their early...
Voters will be asked to approve raising $100,000 to demolish the long-standing TLR buildings on the southeast side of the rail tunnel beneath the Village. The town has aggressively gone after a number of “unsafe buildings” within the Village over the past few years, in an effort to force landlords and building owners to maintain safety standards. Municipal Manager Willis “Chip” Stearns II said that the town has been struggling to find someone qualified to take on the project of...
I am running for the Rockingham Selectboard's one-year seat. Because I have been on the board for almost 15 years, I bring history and experience. I was one of the founding mothers of Citizens for Participation in Rockingham (CPR). This organization was started almost 20 years ago, because there were few choices and too many candidates were running unopposed. Every time we have an issue in our community, we have a plethora of candidates running for office. Despite the fact...
Selectboard incumbants Susan Hammond and Ann DiBernardo face unusual competition this year. Four new names are on the ballot in bids for three seats on the board. Hammond is vying for the three-year seat against Lamonte Barnett and Charles Thurston. Incumbent DiBernardo's challengers for two one-year seats are Steve Adams, Cass Wright, and Stefan Golec. Golec currently sits as a Village Trustee. Rockingham Free Public Library has three open three-year seats, and three candidates, one of whom is a write-in,
The Intex Easy Set swimming pool retails for anywhere from $35 to $500 depending on its dimensions, and it's advertised as one of “the easiest family and friend-sized pools to set up in the world.” But in Vernon, the Easy Set is serving a much different purpose: to help manage a complex groundwater-intrusion problem at Vermont Yankee. Photos of the plant's interior show several blue pools marked with yellow radioactive warnings due to the full load of contaminated water inside.
Visual artist Jim Giddings is in an exuberant mood over Group Exhibit 2016, the new show at his gallery, Mitchell-Giddings Fine Arts (MGFA). “Frankly, every time I turn around in our gallery I see something new and exciting,” says Giddings. “The space never looked better, and people are coming from all over to see this show.” On Saturday, Feb. 27, at 5 p.m., the gallery presents an artist forum for its Group Exhibit 2016. This event, which is free and...
Brattleboro Music Center (BMC) has the reputation for being a fine place to study classical music. With more than 400 students, 30 dedicated and talented faculty members, and music instruction in 15 instruments and voice, the BMC is the heart of music in the Brattleboro area. However, many do not realize that BMC does more than teach the likes of Mozart and Bach. In the past decade, the center has expanded its vision to include the teaching American traditional music...
The River Garden once again will present Vibrant Ensemble, performing its program titled “Spirit & Energy of the Gong” on Thursday, March 3, from noon to 1 p.m. This ensemble is composed of percussionist and gong specialist Stephan Brandstatter and multi-instrumentalist and ethnomusicologist Dennis Waring. Performances include improvised compositions played on a wide assortment of instruments. The mood is said to be “calming, evocative, ethereally soothing, and therapeutically healing,” according to organizers. Waring plays saxophones, clarinet, and a variety of...
Sunday was a great day for Slovenia at the Harris Hill Ski Jump. Slovenians took the top three spots in the Fred Harris Memorial Tournament. Gasper Bartol won the open divison in front of a crowd of several thousand spectators, with fellow Slovenians David Krapez, 22, second and Zak Silih, 20, third. Bartol's second jump of the afternoon was the longest of the event, traveling 99 meters. “This is the first win in this season for me,” said Bartol, who...
Depending on whom you ask, the roundabout at Interstate 91 Exit 3 is either an effective traffic-flow device or a needlessly confusing mess. “You do hear people complain about the rotary, but other people really like it,” said Kate O'Connor, Brattleboro Area Chamber of Commerce executive director. It now appears that there have been enough complaints to spur some modifications: Vermont Agency of Transportation (AOT) officials say they're planning to tweak signs and pavement markings in an attempt to reduce...
Apropos of absolutely nothing but the fact that I'm writing this piece on President's Day, I was reminded earlier that it's time for my annual perusal of Article II of the U.S. Constitution. During this year's reading - again, for reasons entirely unrelated to any events that might have transpired over the weekend - a couple of clauses really grabbed me: “Section 1: [The President of the United States] shall hold his office during the term of four years […].
The Arts Council of Windham County (ACWC) is celebrating 36 years of Student Arts Month, which takes place during the month of March. Throughout the years, ACWC has celebrated blossoming young artists in Windham County while recognizing the teachers and school infrastructures that help these students flourish. The organization has partnered with venues, schools, and teachers to arrange activities featuring the work of young artists throughout Windham County. Between eight and 10 county high schools, as well as many elementary...
Rescue Inc. Operations Chief Drew Hazelton has a succinct diagnosis for what ails Vermont's ambulance services. “We're using a funding formula that predates our modern medicine,” the Brattleboro-based medic told the House Health Care Committee during a Feb. 19 hearing. State officials say they're working hard to fund a cure, and possibilities include a boost in Medicaid reimbursement, a new provider tax, and new partnerships with hospitals. Rep. Bill Lippert, D-Hinesburg and the Health Care Committee chairman, raised the stakes...