• Richard Harriss Barr, 89, of Londonderry. Died peacefully on Dec. 30, 2021. Richard received his primary education at St. Andrew's College in Toronto and completed it at the Hun School. As a member of the Class of 1955, he received a B.A. in art history from Dartmouth College. Richard became a designer and importer of woman's fashion and Scottish woolens in New York City. He was passionate about sports, Dartmouth, bagpipes, photography, art, and the Brooklyn Dodgers. He was most passionate about his family. He is survived by his daughters, Sabrina B. Barr, of New York City, Capucine T. Barr and husband William W. Venable, of Londonderry; grandchildren Damarah Barr-Smith, Paisley Barr, and Cameron Barr-Kotzen; great-grandchild Hudson H. Barr; brother John Douglas Barr; many adored nieces and nephews, and his former wife, Nicole Barr. He was preceded in death by his parents, John Barr and Isabel Harriss Aria; and René Kotzen. Memorial information: A celebration of his life will be held at a later date. Donations to the Wounded Warriors Project, in care of Brewster-Shea Funeral Service, P.O. Box 885, Manchester Center, VT 05255.
• Casey Nelson Bozetarnik, 71, of Brattleboro. Died Dec. 30, 2021, in the comfort of his home with his wife, Pat, at his side, following an extended period of failing health due to kidney disease. Casey was born in Holyoke, Mass., on Aug. 10, 1950, the son of Casimir and Jean (Langue) Bozetarnik. He was raised and educated in Brattleboro, attending St. Michael's Parochial School and was a graduate of St. Michael's High School, Class of 1968. He earned his associate's degree in business from St. Joseph's College in Bennington, his bachelor's from Johnson State College, and his M.Ed. from Norwich University. He began his career in education at Guilford Central School,...
After complaints from parents and child care providers that young children were being left out of efforts to provide COVID-19 test kits to Vermonters [“Petition calls for state testing for youngest Vermonters,” News, Jan. 5], the state announced on Jan. 7 that it is launching what it calls the...
Dog and wolf-hybrid licenses are available for the 2022 licensing period. Vermont dogs and wolf-hybrids 6 months and older must be licensed on or before April 1. Renewal licenses may be obtained in person at the Town Clerk's office by using the drop box in the Municipal Center parking...
I would like to thank independent bookseller and activist Nancy Braus for her essay. It is a master class in irony. Why does Ms. Braus, the independent bookseller, “refuse to carry the creatively awful books about the perfidy of vaccines, of Anthony Fauci, or of the 'hoax' of Covid,” yet complain that “books we read and believe in are being censored daily” and “our voices are not being amplified,” as she enjoys a full half page above the fold of...
With the increase in positivity of the omicron variant of COVID-19 throughout Vermont, as well as staffing challenges that all hospitals in the state are experiencing, Brattleboro Memorial Hospital says it has taken several measures “to assure the continuation of essential hospital services and the safety of our patients and staff.” As of Jan. 10, the following operational changes at BMH have taken effect: • Staff at BMH's Primary Care practices are transitioning new-patient and other applicable appointments to telehealth,
Walter Parks and Rob Curto's “Swampalachian Trail” concert, scheduled for Saturday at Next Stage Arts, has been postponed because of concerns about the spread of COVID-19. “We will reschedule in coming months, and will let you know once we have a date on the books,” the arts performance space announced on its website.
On Wednesday, Jan. 12, at 6:30 p.m., Andy Davis will present an introduction to the use of Robert's Rules of Order in public meetings. The event is sponsored by the Steering Committee of the Representative Town Meeting (RTM) and is open to all, including past, present, and future town representatives. The hour-long meeting will take place on Zoom and includes an opportunity to ask questions. The link to join the meeting is links.dancingmasters.com/tjeyb7. Meeting ID is 885 2334 8254, and...
Facing an angry public and the threat of a budget referendum after the murder of George Floyd, the Selectboard formed the Community Safety Committee. This was to be a civilian committee composed entirely of residents, especially people at risk, and explicitly excluding police, modeling civilian authority over police. The committee produced a report with 41 recommendations. Brattleboro Common Sense's SAFE policing plan is recommended in its entirety as number 38, and specifically for disarming police for community tasks (such as...
On Thursday, Jan. 13, at 6:30 p.m., Shanta Lee Gander will present via Zoom, “Bearing Witness and Endurance of Voice: The Legacy of Lucy Terry Prince,” a program detailing the life story of Lucy Terry Prince, hosted by the Rockingham Free Public Library. Lucy Terry Prince was born in Africa, where she was kidnapped by slave traders and then transported to Rhode Island. While still enslaved in 1746, she wrote “Bars Fight,” the oldest known poem written by an African...
I just don't know what to do. Political commentaries these days often run something like, “There seems to be a good chance that democracy is in danger.” Those are the optimistic ones. Many - from both the right and the left - run more along the lines of “Buckle up! You ain't seen nothin' yet.” If the polls are correct, a lot of Republicans and many independents are pretty sure that the illegitimate Biden administration is looking at the world...
And just like that, the town has a new Planning Commission. At its Jan. 10 meeting, the Selectboard reorganized the body, announcing it had decided to reduce it from nine members to five, for at least the time being. The board appointed Michael Szostak to a one-year term, Jethro Eaton and Charles Light to two-year terms, and Julie Howland and Jeannette Tokarz to three-year terms, having selected the final candidates using criteria and a process that were never defined in...
Around the world, as of this week, almost 5.5 million people have now died from COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic. Each population has had its own experiences because of how governments have decided to handle both the social and economic consequences of a global pandemic. Within the countries on the European continent, as across the world, governments have each handled the pandemic differently. For example, in France and Italy, one must have a COVID-19 pass system that proves...
The Brattleboro Museum & Art Center (BMAC) will present a free talk by artist Natalie Frank and curator Elissa Watters on Thursday, Jan. 20, at 7 p.m., via Zoom and Facebook Live. Register at brattleboromuseum.org. Frank and Watters will discuss the BMAC exhibit, “Natalie Frank: Painting with Paper,” which presents work that Frank produced with a Pollock-Krasner Foundation Grant in 2019–20. The exhibit is on view at BMAC through Feb. 13. Frank worked with wet pigmented cotton and linen paper...
Pretty much everybody in Rockingham and Bellows Falls agrees that having to tear down historic buildings is a very sad thing, and that the time to act is early enough, before they are prohibitively expensive to save. Robertson Paper, the Stables by the Waypoint Center, the Methodist Church/Grange/YMCA.... all have been lost in the last few years. The Bellows Falls train station, constructed 100 years ago in 1922, is in need of extensive repair. Fortunately, the recently passed infrastructure bill...
Due to health concerns surrounding the wave of COVID-19 cases in recent days, the Vermont Jazz Center and jazz composer and trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire have rescheduled an upcoming concert for the fall. Tickets that have already been purchased in advance of the concert, originally scheduled for Jan. 22, will automatically be applied to the rescheduled date: Saturday, Sept. 17. Full refunds are available upon request. “We look forward to seeing you when it becomes safer to hold in-person music events,”
The ankle-deep waterway that runs through the Townshend State Forest, under State Forest Road, and into the West River - raising debate over racial justice, economic equity, inclusion, gender identity and equality, and the role of government in citizens' lives - is again on the front burner here. Proponents of renaming Negro Brook have secured Selectboard support - with a caveat - and are moving cautiously forward. Lynne Shea, representing a “small group” of residents who want to resuscitate an...
In the fading light of a cold January afternoon, dozens of people gathered to remember the one-year anniversary of the violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C. in 2021, and vow to not let it happen again. The candlelight vigil in Pliny Park on Jan. 6, which was organized at the last minute by Everyone's Books at 25 Elliot St., was among hundreds that took place around the United States. Though it was not explicitly billed as...
Here, embedded in this half-cocked coup is a tacit murder-suicide pact. Witness the rage of pawns. * * * Unbridled white guys, and a clutch of women (one of whom will take a bullet), muscle into our sacred chambers. * * * Here, they break the rites, manhandle heirlooms, ransack keepsakes, revel in their easy terror. * * * • * * * Those who stride out, cower, cough, crow, who show the selfie; * * * Those who, gloved...
After four straight losses, including a 56-25 defeat on Jan. 4 against Northampton, Mass., the Brattleboro Colonels girls' basketball team needed something good to happen. Beating an undefeated team definitely qualifies as something good. Despite coming to the BUHS gym on Jan. 6 with only six of their 13 players on the roster due to a COVID-19 outbreak, the Windsor Yellowjackets gave the Colonels all they could handle. However, Brattleboro came away with a 41-35 victory in a bruising game...