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

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Click here to make a one-time donation to support your not-for-profit community news source

Sponsor a Library

Every week, The Commons mails newspapers to libraries and schools throughout Windham County, and beyond. Of course we do! Part of our mission is make sure that honest, award winning reporting is available to all, regardless of ability to pay.

Now you can help further our mission. Only $75 guarantees a library or school delivery of The Commons for a full year. Join our Sponsor-a-Library program today! Click here (and select “Sponsor a Library” when asked “Apply My Donation To.”)

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Basic deadline information

• Please book your ad space before Friday at 3:30 p.m.

• We are happy to design your ad. If you would like that, please make sure we get your copy by that time.

• If you are designing your ad, please send by Monday at noon.

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We’d love to help you with your ads! Please let us know a little bit about your advertising and your needs, and one of our team will be in touch promptly. You can also call Jen at 802-246-6397 Monday–Friday, 10 a.m.–3:30 p.m.

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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.

• 2016
• 2015
• 2014
• 2013
• 2012
• 2011
• 2010

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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

General advertising address: ads@commonsnews.org

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 #490

Dec 19, 2018

Issue #489

Dec 12, 2018

Issue #488

Dec 05, 2018

Issue #487

Nov 28, 2018

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Search The Commons from 2010 to present

TODAY’S FEATURE/THE ARTS

Show proves adaptable in spirit

VTC’s production of ‘A Christmas Carol’ takes its shape from the many different venues it has used

BRATTLEBORO—You might call Vermont Theatre Company’s A Christmas Carol a holiday tradition that keeps on changing.

“What is Christmas if not a series of traditions that are both familiar and new every year?” asks James Gelter, director and (with his wife Jessica) co-adaptor of this annual theatrical presentation in Brattleboro.... Continue reading story