Joyce Marcel
Bracing for impact
BRATTLEBORO-Bullying is a distinctive pattern of repeatedly and deliberately harming and humiliating others, specifically those who are smaller, weaker, younger, or in any way more vulnerable than the bully. It's the power imbalance that marks it as bullying, according to Psychology Today.
With that in mind, it is interesting to wonder why a political party would seek to demonize a tiny 0.9% of the population - those people who identify as transgender - in order to seek power. Or to threaten the hard-won rights of another 5.5% of the population who identify as something other than heterosexual.
Refugees and asylum seekers brace for new political winds
The new arrivals, and those who work with and support them, hope for a new, stable, and safe life here with some international guardrails in place. But a new presidential administration, with campaign pledges of mass deportation, adds further trauma and distress.
BRATTLEBORO-Once you have lived through a civil war, or been beaten and tortured and starved, or watched your family killed in front of your eyes, and then taken a dangerous route to find safety for you and your family in - of all places - Windham County, Vermont, the...
State lawmakers react to a political shift
Republicans whittle down Democratic majorities, prompting members of Windham County’s delegation to be concerned — and working to figure out why
With the election now in the books, change is in the air. But how this change might manifest itself is still unknown. Many people in Vermont are voicing concerns about the national election, which puts former President Donald Trump back in the White House. "The results of the national...
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Sibilia says she will run for Speaker of the House
DOVER-With a strong sense of urgency and just weeks before the election, Rep. Laura Sibilia is planning to challenge House Speaker Jill Krowinski, D-Burlington, for the leadership role when the Legislature returns to session in January. The reason for the rare challenge? Sibilia, who represents Dover, Jamaica, Somerset, Stratton, and Wardsboro, said that she believes Vermont is in crisis on many fronts, including education, climate change, and health care, and that under Krowinski, the House of Representatives is not moving...
Deep-blue faithful rally at the Latchis
BRATTLEBORO-When it comes to voting, Brattleboro is as blue as the ceiling of the Latchis Theatre. So when U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders and U.S. Rep. Becca Balint spoke to more than 250 people gathered there for a Democratic rally on Oct. 19, it was as if they were preaching to the choir. And this choir was enthusiastic, offering more than one standing ovation to the two progressive politicians who represent Vermont in Congress. Both are prohibitive favorites in their own...
For World Learning, a new way to bring together cultures: housing
BRATTLEBORO-World Learning Inc. is in the first stages of developing a creative answer to the region's housing shortage - a problem that is hitting close to home. In 2018, when its School for International Training ended on-campus degree programs, World Learning was left with many empty dorm rooms in a cluster of campus residential buildings. That made the facility the perfect place to temporarily house refugees from such countries as Afghanistan and Senegal when they began arriving in the region.
Brattleboro makes slow, but steady, progress on housing
BRATTLEBORO-First, the good news: The Town Planning Office has issued at least 54 permits for new housing projects this year - the highest number in years, as town Planning Director Sue Fillion told the Selectboard on Oct. 1. "That's a conservative estimate of our permitting activity for 2024, actually," Fillion told The Commons later in the week. "We have approved 63 new units as of the end of September. And just so you know, that is the highest number of...
Republicans, independents mount challenges
BRATTLEBORO-The Commons reached out to challengers to incumbents in state legislative seats, inviting them to contribute some basic information to introduce them to readers as early voting in the general election gets underway. Following are brief profiles from those who responded to the newspaper's outreach for this story, with additional reporting and context from public records. A number of Republican challengers declined to participate, all claiming hostile treatment in the local press. A campaign website or social media presence follows...