Robert F. Smith
Rockingham scientist honored for bird studies
ROCKINGHAM-With his recognition as a fellow by the American Ornithological Society (AOS), Stephen Brown joins an elite group of 581 current AOS fellows, the highest level of achievement in ornithology.
Brown has a doctorate in natural resources from Cornell University, an master's degree in natural resources from the University of Michigan, and a bachelor's degree in environmental studies from Hampshire College.
Debate sparks over merging Rockingham's three fire depts.
A contentious proposal to merge the three fire departments of Rockingham, Bellows Falls, and Saxtons River will go before voters in 2025
BELLOWS FALLS-Meetings over the past several weeks to discuss the idea of merging the Bellows Falls Fire Department (BFFD), the Rockingham Volunteer Fire Department (RVFD), and the Saxtons River Volunteer Fire Department (SRVFD) have been both informative, and at times, confrontational. Merging the three independent fire departments into a...
Toxic air levels plummet to safer limits at BFUHS
School will resume use of gymnasium and auditorium as renovations near completion; administration eager for new science wing to open
WESTMINSTER-There was good news for Bellows Falls Union High School last week: Several major projects are completed or nearing completion, and air quality testing done for PCBs last week produced some very encouraging results. The School Action Level (SAL) of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) for high schools is 100 ng/m³,
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Depression-era murals return to Bellows Falls
ROCKINGHAM-A pair of Stephen Belaski murals, in storage in northern New York for the past 36 years, have been gifted to the town. Belaski, born in New York in 1909, grew up and lived in Bellows Falls most of his life. He became one of Vermont's most noted muralists, with many of his best known works created in the 1930s, including these two murals, funded by the Federal Art Project, part of the New Deal's Works Progress Administration (WPA). The...
Grafton Village Cheese will seek new owner or partner
GRAFTON-The nonprofit entity that owns the Grafton Village Cheese Company (GVCC) is looking for either a partner or a new owner as the next step in the award-winning cheesemaker's future. The nonprofit Windham Foundation has operated GVCC for over a half century, having resurrected the 132-year-old company in 1967. Last year the Foundation brought in new CEO Curt Alpeter, a seasoned business leader with experience at IDX Systems Corp., Runamok Maple, and other startup companies. In addition to the GVCC,
Health Center closing in Bellows Falls
BELLOWS FALLS-North Star Health has announced that the organization has made the "difficult decision" to close the Rockingham Health Center effective Jan. 1, 2025, when the Health Center will be combined with its Springfield and its Charlestown, New Hampshire locations. Affected by the consolidation will be both the primary care and the urgent care facilities, located in the former Rockingham Memorial Hospital, which was built over 70 years ago. After a financial crisis in the late 1980s, Springfield Hospital took...
Builders look to share skills with a new generation
In an effort to promote ongoing technical education among Vermont's builders, on Wednesday, Oct. 23, from 4 to 5:30 p.m., the Sustainable Energy Outreach Network (SEON) will host a roundtable discussion, "Passing the Torch: Vermont Builders Discuss Challenges Facing the Next Generation." It will be held in the conference room of WW Building Supply at 551 VT Route 30, Newfane, with organizers promising "an enlightening and impactful gathering for anyone invested in the future of our building industry." Several seasoned...
Rolling into the future
BELLOWS FALLS-The Bellows Falls Community Bike Project, active in the village for 11 years, has raised enough money to be able to buy its current location at 30 Henry St., on the corner of Atkinson Street. Project founder and director Bonnie Anderson hopes the nonprofit will sign a sales agreement this fall. Funds raised by the end of August totaled $80,454 which, along with $9,450 worth of donated professional services, means the group can buy the building without needing a...