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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.

View our bylaws here.

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.

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Owing to the pandemic, our office is open by appointment only, and masks are required at all times.

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: 888-511-5150

Email for general inquiries: info@commonsnews.org

Submit items for publication in the news sections (News, Arts, Milestones, Around the Towns): news@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 #682

Sep 21, 2022

Issue #681

Sep 14, 2022

Issue #680

Sep 07, 2022

Issue #679

Aug 31, 2022

TODAY’S FEATURE/NEWS

Missing Emmy

Amid shock, grief, and confusion, a community touched by the friendship of Emmy Bascom is rallying to support those mourning her violent loss — especially her husband and young family

GUILFORD—Michelle Frehsee is missing Emmy Bascom.

“There is a rawness within the Guilford community,” says Frehsee, one of many town residents who are reeling from the sudden and brutal loss of their friend and neighbor.

The 42-year-old Bascom was killed violently in Wardsboro on Aug. 8. An acquaintance has been charged in her murder.... Continue reading story

TODAY’S FEATURE/NEWS

Missing Emmy

Amid shock, grief, and confusion, a community touched by the friendship of Emmy Bascom is rallying to support those mourning her violent loss — especially her husband and young family

GUILFORD—Michelle Frehsee is missing Emmy Bascom.

“There is a rawness within the Guilford community,” says Frehsee, one of many town residents who are reeling from the sudden and brutal loss of their friend and neighbor.

The 42-year-old Bascom was killed violently in Wardsboro on Aug. 8. An acquaintance has been charged in her murder.... Continue reading story

CALENDAR

NEWS

BRATTLEBORO

A multigenerational crisis

Across Vermont, children of parents affected by the opioid epidemic are being raised by their grandparents, says one grandmother whose family has struggled with the devastating consequences for decades.

SPRINGFIELD

BMH shares in federal grant money

Funds will help ease an ongoing health care crisis fueled by COVID-19, but challenges remain

PUTNEY

When seconds count

National Institutes of Health awards $1.6 million to help CPR Therapeutics make ‘significant’ improvement in sudden cardiac arrest survival

BRATTLEBORO

WSESU board asks chair to step aside

Community members upset at surprise move to oust WSESU Chair Michelle Luetjen-Green, who remains in role after school board tables discussion

• Water mains to be flushed for fall

Browse News stories through the archives

TOWN & VILLAGE

• Rich Earth spinoff, Brightwater Tools, receives $1 million in funding from National Science Foundation

• Residents of Wardsboro, Windham, and Londonderry can insulate their windows for winter

• Around the Towns

• Curtiss Reed Jr. to receive VBSR’s lifetime achievement award

• Learn how to make your backyard pollinator-friendly

• State warns that business imposter email scams are on the rise

• ‘Overflow the Opera House’ food drive benefits Our Place

• Jewish New Year begins on Sept. 25

Browse Town & Village stories through the archives

MILESTONES

• Milestones

Browse Milestones stories through the archives

SPORTS

• Whitney leads, on and off the trail: Brattleboro’s best cross-country runner takes school to task for not backing her team

Browse Sports stories through the archives

VOICES

BRATTLEBORO

Brattleboro landlords who capitalize on a housing shortage: Shame on you

Gouging the people who are part of this community and driving them out of town will destroy the very community you wanted to be a part of, one property management professional writes OPEN LETTER by C.K. Morgan

BRATTLEBORO

Balint mishandled controversy over super PAC funds

Becca Balint’s campaign did nothing illegal when it benefitted from current campaign finance laws, but how she and her campaign dealt with this issue is troublesome VIEWPOINT by Richard Davis

COLUMN • No, it most definitely wasn’t Maggie: How your editor went the extra mile to find an old photo of a beloved BUHS French teacher and ended up getting it spectacularly wrong

Browse Voices stories through the archives

ARTS

• BMAC presents concert with Roger Clark Miller on Sept. 30

• All Souls Church hosts multimedia arts exhibit

• ‘The City Without Jews,’ a 1924 satire, will play with live score

• Theatre Adventure receives grant from Wolf Kahn Foundation

• Beth Galston to present talk, workshop at BMAC

• BMAC presents sensory observation workshop with artist Roberley Bell

• Red Door Concert Series hosts a night of ‘Moon Tunes’

• Student art work now on display at Brooks Library

• Nature Museum hosts Fairy House Festival

Browse Arts stories through the archives

We love and appreciate our advertisers!

... and we hope you do, too. This week’s Commons is made possible by ad support from:

Brattleboro Memorial Hospital
Colonial Theater
Dover Free Library
BCTV
Trust Company of Vermont
A.R. Sandri, Inc.
Media Bids
Burton Car Wash
Brattleboro Tire
Berkley & Veller
The Commons advertising
Bellville Realty
Grace Cottage Foundation
Rods Towing
Cheshire County
Fearless Computing
Boys and Girls Club
Brattleboro Food Co-op
Cersosimo Lumber Company
Lawton Floor Design
River Gallery School
Thompson House
American Legion Post 5
Gary Boes
Houghton Sanitary Service
Latchis Corp.
Town of Marlboro
Antique & Vintage Oriental Rugs
Members 1st Credit Union
Hub Crosswords
Greg Burnell
Vernon Self Storage
Breath Of The Heart
Janet Langdon
Brattleboro Time Trade
Jewett Plumbing & Heating Inc.
Steves Septic Service
Windham Central Supervisory Union
Elizabeth Julia Stoumen
Unique Antiques and Vintage Clothing
Durling Cleaning
John Leader
Hugh Barber
Gouin Services
The Shoe Tree
Gallery In The Woods
Windham County Heat Fund
Patrick Cavanaugh
Chelsea Royal Diner
Brattleboro VFW
Aqua Aid Systems, Inc.

Check out their ads in this week’s newspaper or on this website.

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Help us thrive!

Basic deadline information

Let’s talk advertising

Regular ad features

More than a newspaper

Our mission

Nonprofit IRS filings

Office hours

Directions to the office

Mailing address:

Phone/email

Recent PDFs

Search The Commons from 2010 to present

TODAY’S FEATURE/NEWS

Missing Emmy

Amid shock, grief, and confusion, a community touched by the friendship of Emmy Bascom is rallying to support those mourning her violent loss — especially her husband and young family

TODAY’S FEATURE/NEWS

Missing Emmy

Amid shock, grief, and confusion, a community touched by the friendship of Emmy Bascom is rallying to support those mourning her violent loss — especially her husband and young family

CALENDAR

CALENDAR

NEWS

BRATTLEBORO

Across Vermont, children of parents affected by the opioid epidemic are being raised by their grandparents, says one grandmother whose family has struggled with the devastating consequences for decades.

SPRINGFIELD

Funds will help ease an ongoing health care crisis fueled by COVID-19, but challenges remain

PUTNEY

National Institutes of Health awards $1.6 million to help CPR Therapeutics make ‘significant’ improvement in sudden cardiac arrest survival

BRATTLEBORO

Community members upset at surprise move to oust WSESU Chair Michelle Luetjen-Green, who remains in role after school board tables discussion

TOWN & VILLAGE

MILESTONES

SPORTS

VOICES

BRATTLEBORO

Gouging the people who are part of this community and driving them out of town will destroy the very community you wanted to be a part of, one property management professional writes OPEN LETTER by C.K. Morgan

BRATTLEBORO

Becca Balint’s campaign did nothing illegal when it benefitted from current campaign finance laws, but how she and her campaign dealt with this issue is troublesome VIEWPOINT by Richard Davis

ARTS

We love and appreciate our advertisers!