Not-for-Profit, Award-Winning Community News and Views for Windham County, Vermont • Since 2006

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More than a newspaper

The Commons is the public face of a larger nonprofit organization, Vermont Independent Media, Inc.

We came to life from the ground up in 2004, as members of the community became increasingly concerned about the consequences of absent corporate ownership of the daily newspaper in town and the need for local people to have access to the skills to create their own grassroots media.

VIM came to life lovingly and carefully thanks to indefatigable volunteers. The first public programs of the Media Mentoring Project began in 2005, and the first issue of The Commons was published in 2006. The newspaper was published monthly until 2010, when we began a weekly schedule. We are published on Wednesdays 51 times a year.

Our mission

Recognizing that a vigorous exchange of ideas and information allows democracy to function and is the lifeblood of a community, Vermont Independent Media:

• creates a forum for community participation,

• promotes local independent journalism,

• fosters civic engagement by building media skills

through publication of The Commons and commonsnews.org, and through the Media Mentoring Project.

Nonprofit IRS filings

By law, every 501(c)3 nonprofit organization must make its IRS filings available to the public. Here are ours.

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Office hours

We attempt to keep our small newsroom open during the day on weekdays. But we are sometimes out covering the news, many of us are part-time, and we keep odd hours. We welcome your visit, but please make an appointment so you don't make a special trip.

Directions to the office

We're at 139 Main St., Brattleboro, Vermont (the Hooker-Dunham Building).

Office #601A: Newsroom

Office #604: Business/Advertising

Mailing address:

The Commons
P.O. Box 1212
Brattleboro, VT 05302

Phone/email

Connecting all departments: 802-246-6397

Fax: 802-246-1319

Email for general inquiries: info@commonsnews.org

General newsroom address: news@commonsnews.org

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Urgent, desperate advertising emergencies: adalert@commonsnews.org

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Recent PDFs

These PDFs are built from the final files that were printed and represent an accurate facsimile of the issue’s content.

Please be warned: These files are very large and not at all suitable for dialup connections.

We maintain files of a limited number of back issues in our office. Please email info@commonsnews.org, and we will make them available if we can.

Issue #523

Aug 14, 2019

Issue #522

Aug 07, 2019

Issue #521

Jul 31, 2019

Issue #520

Jul 24, 2019

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Search The Commons from 2010 to present

TODAY’S FEATURE/NEWS

In Vt., not all water pollution is created equal

While the need to clean up Lake Champlain is undeniable, the question remains: Will enough funding make it to water-quality and flood-resistance projects on this side of the state?

BRATTLEBORO—Do you know your watershed address?

A watershed address is a way for people to locate themselves within the interconnecting waterways that ultimately connect us all.

For example, someone who lives in Green River can say they have a watershed address is off the Roaring Brook watershed, within the Green River watershed, within the Deerfield River watershed, within the Connecticut River watershed, which drains into the Atlantic Ocean.... Continue reading story

TODAY’S FEATURE/NEWS

In Vt., not all water pollution is created equal

While the need to clean up Lake Champlain is undeniable, the question remains: Will enough funding make it to water-quality and flood-resistance projects on this side of the state?

BRATTLEBORO—Do you know your watershed address?

A watershed address is a way for people to locate themselves within the interconnecting waterways that ultimately connect us all.

For example, someone who lives in Green River can say they have a watershed address is off the Roaring Brook watershed, within the Green River watershed, within the Deerfield River watershed, within the Connecticut River watershed, which drains into the Atlantic Ocean.... Continue reading story

CALENDAR

CALENDAR

NEWS

BRATTLEBORO

FCC changes rule for funding public access cable TV stations

Locally and around the country, a party-line decision unleashes confusion and uncertainty for public-access channels as Legislature forms study committee to explore the issue

BRATTLEBORO

In Vt., not all water pollution is created equal

While the need to clean up Lake Champlain is undeniable, the question remains: Will enough funding make it to water-quality and flood-resistance projects on this side of the state?

BRATTLEBORO

Project CARE organizers cite success stories

Police chief says that the Brattleboro initiative for people facing addiction is flying under the public radar

• Seasonable, fair weather rules; some showers/storms for Thursday, Monday

Browse News stories through the archives

TOWN & VILLAGE

• Local libraries receive grants from Vermont Arts Council

• Around the Towns

• Bondville Fair returns for its 222nd year

• ‘Up-cycling’ is theme for next Wilmington Village Stroll

• Whitney Blake gets loan from economic development fund

• Retreat hosts 10th annual ‘Ride for Heroes’

Browse Town & Village stories through the archives

MILESTONES

• Milestones

• Brooks Family Reunion celebrates centennial

Browse Milestones stories through the archives

SPORTS

• Post 5 falls in Northeast Regional tourney

Browse Sports stories through the archives

VOICES

VIEWPOINT • Trump’s words inflame, incite violence and hatred: How can we live together in a country where about 40 percent of the population accepts and welcomes the rhetoric of homophobia, racism, sexism, religious bigotry, and xenophobia?

VIEWPOINT • Selectboard is hardly insensitive to homelessness: ‘Let’s all work together, using democracy and dialogue — not demands — to keep the ultimate, long-range goal in mind’

MEMORIAM • ‘Too busy saving the world to care for himself’: After a close call with death, Andrew Eames made two momentous decisions: to make the most of life, and to do good with life

LETTERS FROM READERS • Independence Day parade a great success

LETTERS FROM READERS • Raffle helps maintain historic buildings, fund kids’ programs

LETTERS FROM READERS • Wouldn’t it be nice if we could just ‘demand‘ things?

LETTERS FROM READERS • New program touts $15/hour wage as library employees earn less

LETTERS FROM READERS • Am I missing something?

LETTERS FROM READERS • Brattleboro needs a sustainability coordinator — now

COUNTERPOINT • Time for demands — and dialogue: The belief that Brattleboro town government is already doing enough about homelessness is just another version of the belief that we don’t need to do very much at all

Browse Voices stories through the archives

ARTS

BRATTLEBORO

Remixing Richard

In ‘King Dick,’ Analog Players uses a pair of actors and two puppets to do a new version of ‘Richard III’

• Public art project transforms old storage shed into a fabulist mural

• Vermont Theatre Company to hold auditions for ‘The 39 Steps’

• Third Sunday concert series continues at Rockingham Meeting House

• ‘Van Gogh & Japan’ explores artist’s Asian connections

• Romance and pot etiquette featured at Village Square Booksellers

• Local dance performance to benefit children at the border

Browse Arts stories through the archives

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