Issue #813

BAJC hosts annual antique appraisal day at 118 Elliot

BRATTLEBORO-Brattleboro Area Jewish Community (Congregation Shir Heharim) will host its seventh annual Antiques & Collectibles Appraisal Day on Sunday, May 4, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., at 118 Elliot Gallery, with 10% of proceeds benefiting the Windham County Humane Society.

Appraisers Charles Suss, Stephan Brandstatter, Richard Michelman, Sharon Boccelli, and Severia Drake will be present to evaluate and appraise all categories of antiques and collectibles such as antiquarian books (signed and first editions), sterling silver, art glass, objets d'art, china, pottery, oriental rugs, fine art, signed prints, musical instruments, records and entertainment memorabilia, estate and costume jewelry, coins, currency, ephemera, photographs, toys, dolls, clocks, watches, tchotchkes and much more.

These knowledgeable appraisers will offer an accurate valuation of participants' heirlooms and personal keepsakes based on current trends and market value. Firearms, knives, ammunition or weaponry, rugs larger than 6 by 9 feet, or bulky furniture will not be accepted.

Come to 118 Elliot anytime between 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free; the appraisal cost is $10/per item with a five item limit per person. Cash or checks payable to BAJC are accepted. For more information, email [email protected].

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Windham Philharmonic performs Rachmaninoff’s Symphony No. 1 at Latchis

BRATTLEBORO-The Windham Philharmonic, with music director Hugh Keelan, performs Rachmaninoff's Symphony No. 1 at the Latchis Theatre on Monday, May 5, at 7 p.m. The Windham Philharmonic said in a news release that it "is committed to bringing our communities rich and varied programs. After grace and good humor,

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Mott to speak on finding common ground amid ‘productive disagreement’

BRATTLEBORO-As ideological silos deepen and the partisan divide in the U.S. continues to grow, many Americans - regardless of political affiliation - are feeling the impact of economic policies like DOGE cuts and tariffs. This shared reality presents an opportunity: Can we use our common concerns to bridge the...

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Rock Voices presents its spring concert on May 2

BRATTLEBORO-Join director Bob Thies and Rock Voices, a community rock choir, for an evening of choral music. Rock Voices features the harmonies of Tony Lechner's arrangements sung by a 50-voice choir, backed up by a full, professional rock band. This season's music includes songs by The Beatles, Guster, the Eagles, Aretha Franklin, Semisonic, Lucius, Led Zeppelin, James Taylor, and more. Admission prices are $20 for adults, $15 for seniors, and $10 for students. Children 12 and under are admitted free...

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May Day rally in downtown Brattleboro

BRATTLEBORO-For many years, Brattleboro has celebrated May 1 - International Workers Day, in much of the world - with a rally on the Town Common. This year, organizers said that the annual May Day event will be part of a nationwide protest against they call the "increasingly destructive actions by the current Washington, D.C. administration." It will begin with a rally on the lawn of Centre Congregational Church at 5 p.m., followed by a march through downtown that will end...

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Artist Nye Ffarrabas to discuss her work at BMAC on May 8

BRATTLEBORO-Artist Nye Ffarrabas and exhibition curator Mark Waskow will discuss the artist's life and career in a public talk at BMAC on Thursday, May 8, at 5:30 p.m. In the early and mid-1960s, artist Nye Ffarrabas was part of New York City's experimental and creative laboratory known as Fluxus, which encouraged the view that life and art were inseparable, that art was not an end-product but rather a creative energy and process. Now 92 and a resident of Brattleboro, Ffarrabas...

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Around the Towns

Downtown Brattleboro Alliance to coordinate Green Up Day in Brattleboro BRATTLEBORO - The Downtown Brattleboro Alliance (DBA) is coordinating this year's Green Up Day efforts in Brattleboro. This year's event will take place on Saturday, May 3, and DBA is inviting all community members to join the effort. Celebrated annually on the first Saturday in May, Green Up Day is when thousands of volunteers come out in their communities for a spring clean up of litter on roadsides, in parks,

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DeWitt Block rehab project wins 'Best of the Best' award

BRATTLEBORO-The team behind the renovation of the long-dormant DeWitt Block on Flat Street was among 13 firms honored for energy leadership at Efficiency Vermont's annual Better Building by Design (BBD) conference, held April 2–3 in South Burlington. The event brought together design professionals, leaders in building construction, and experts in climate workforce trades. With a theme of "2030 on the Horizon: Assessing Vermont's Vision Versus Reality," attendees gathered to discuss the latest in efficiency practices and technologies, build new relationships...

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Pamyua to perform at Next Stage

PUTNEY-On Saturday, May 3, Inuit music and dance group Pamyua will take the stage at Next Stage Arts at 7:30 p.m. The quartet, known for blending traditional Inuit melodies with contemporary R&B vocals. Founded in 1995 by brothers Phillip and Stephen Blanchett, Pamyua blends rhythms of traditional Inuit drum and dance with modern vocal arrangements. Over the years, the group has traveled the world, sharing their Indigenous knowledge and history through music, song, and dance. With a commitment to cultural...

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Wild & Scenic Film Festival comes to BF

BELLOWS FALLS-The Connecticut River Conservancy (CRC) will host their inaugural Wild & Scenic Film Festival at the Bellows Falls Opera House on Thursday, May 8. The tour event will feature a range of river-focused, environmental films from across the globe, with two films made in the Connecticut River watershed. Rivers Cannot Defend Themselves details past river advocacy in the Connecticut River watershed as told by David Sinish, one of the principal activists involved in procuring the Farmington River's Partnership Wild...

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‘It’s a different experience for audiences, and we started it for fun’

BRATTLEBORO-Learning one musical instrument takes years of study, possibly lessons, learning to read music, practice, and more practice. Now, imagine a band where each member has to learn four or five instruments because they swap instruments and lead vocals on every song. You get a band called Fantastic Cat, which debuts at the Stone Church on Tuesday, May 6. Called "gloriously fun," "the Harlem Globetrotters of Americana" by Rolling Stone and "some of New York's best singer-songwriters," by West Virginia...

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Milestones

Obituaries • Barbara Ann Atamaniuk, 71, of Greenfield, Massachusetts. Died peacefully at Charlene Manor in Greenfield, with her family at her side, on April 22, 2025, following a lengthy battle with dementia. Barbara was born in Greenfield on June 12, 1953, the daughter of Carlos and Alice (Garey) Renfrew Jr. She was raised and educated in Greenfield, graduating from Greenfield High School with the Class of 1971. Barbara was employed at Deerfield Academy, which she retired from following 16 years...

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‘Castle of Our Skins: Alchemy’ at BMC features composer Holland

BRATTLEBORO-The Brattleboro Music Center (BMC) presents Castle of Our Skins: Alchemy, featuring composer Jonathan Bailey Holland, on Saturday, May 3, at the BMC, 72 Blanche Moyse Way. This portrait concert spotlights Bailey Holland's solo and chamber music. The 7 p.m. performance will be preceded by a 6:15 p.m. pre-concert conversation about Bailey Holland's works with Castle of Our Skins artistic director Ashleigh Gordon. "Featuring the work of a single composer in a program provides such a rare opportunity to get...

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Everybody has the right to be heard

Rei Carpenter-Ranquist, a junior at Brattleboro Union High School, is a member of the Teen Advisory Board at Brooks Memorial Library and a mentor at New England Youth Theatre. BRATTLEBORO-A few weeks ago I was made aware of possible cuts to the Brooks Memorial Library budget and potentially its hours of operation. I'm a huge library supporter. I'm a member of its Teen Advisory Board, which helps choose materials and plan numerous events for teens in the area. I know...

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Homelessness Awareness/Action Day is May 6

BRATTLEBORO-The annual Vermont Homelessness Awareness/Action Day takes place statewide on Tuesday, May 6, with a local event at Pliny Park at the corner of Main and High streets at 4 p.m. "Join us in community as we honor the lives affected by homelessness, stand together for change, and celebrate compassion and connection," organizers wrote in a news release. "The event will include a ceremony of remembrance of those who have died unhoused, a call to action, poetry, singing, and shared...

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Music, opportunities, and blessings

BRATTLEBORO-We at the Vermont Jazz Center are thrilled to present Endea Owens fronting her sextet, The Cookout, on Saturday, May 10, at 7:30 p.m. Owens is a familiar presence to late-night TV buffs as the double-bassist propelling The Late Show with Stephen Colbert's house band with her swinging, low-end grooves. The Detroit native is a graduate of Juilliard who has toured and performed with Wynton Marsalis, Diana Ross, Solange, Jon Batiste, and many others. She has appeared on Jon Batiste's...

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Research study: Refugees in southern Vermont risk loss of services, health care, and housing

BRATTLEBORO-Forthcoming research by University of Vermont (UVM) and the Ethiopian Community Development Council (ECDC) warn that Bennington and Brattleboro's hundreds of local refugees risk losing services, health care, and housing, without additional state, local, and philanthropic support for its innovative model of rural resettlement. With funding from UVM's Leahy Institute for Rural Partnerships, Pablo Bose - who holds a doctorate in environmental studies from York University and is professor and director of UVM's Global and Regional Studies Program - and...

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Swords to Plowshares/Vermont comes to Brattleboro

BRATTLEBORO-Swords to Plowshares/Vermont will hold a special public educational and demonstration event on Sunday, May 4, from noon to 3 p.m., on the grounds of St. Michael's Episcopal Church, 16 Bradley Ave. Swords to Plowshares/Vermont is a Windham County–based nonprofit organization dedicated to gun safety and gun violence education. Working closely with the Windham County Sheriff's Office and the Brattleboro Police Department, Swords to Plowshares offers a way for individuals to safely dispose of unwanted firearms which are then transformed...

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Is the state attorney general above the law?

Nancy Gassett is a Vernon resident. She ran as a Republican nominee for Windham-1 state representative in 2022 and 2024. VERNON-Dear Vermont Attorney General Charity Clark: As you know, I recently wrote to you to ask the following question: You have publicly stated repeatedly, "No one is above the law." If you truly believe this, why are you silent on the state of Vermont's violations - over many years and presently ongoing - of federal immigration laws? You stated in...

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St. Michael's Episcopal Church hosts annual tag sale

BRATTLEBORO-Spring is here and with it, says St. Michael's Episcopal Church parishioner Liz Vick, "our 'Terrific Tag Sale,' a beloved event for many local people and visitors alike." An annual (except for 2020) event for 52 years, the tag sale that Vick coordinates and runs with numerous volunteers is Saturday, May 3, 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at St. Michael's at the corner of Bradley Avenue and Putney Road. This venue is handicapped accessible. Proceeds from the 2025 sale will...

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Terriers off to a solid start in softball this season

-The formula for winning softball is simple. Good pitching, good defense, and timely hitting usually means success. Bellows Falls had all those things last season and made it all the way to the Division III state finals. Those ingredients are there with this season's team, but Terriers head coach Don Laurendeau said they don't always show up at the same time. "We haven't had good at-bats or been able to make routine plays consistently, but when they get locked in,

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Our legal systems are in trouble

Laura Sibilia, an independent, represents the Windham-2 district (Dover, Jamaica, Somerset, Stratton, and Wardsboro) in the Vermont House of Representatives. DOVER-Recent detentions of legally present individuals - including a Turkish doctoral student and a Palestinian resident of Vermont - raise urgent questions about whether our institutions are upholding core American principles like due process, free speech, and equal protection under the law. These aren't just immigration cases. They're about whether people in Vermont and across the United States can rely...

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Religious freedom is under attack — from our government

The 16 Vermont faith community members signing this open letter, from Vermont Interfaith Action's Clergy and Church Elder Caucus, include Guy Wood (Brattleboro Area Jewish Community), Rev. Telos Whitfield (All Souls U.U. Church, Brattleboro), and Rev. Ralph W. Howe (First United Methodist Church of Brattleboro, Vt./The Beloved Community). The letter comes to us via Mike Mrowicki, an organizer for VIA. We are writing as leaders of faith communities from across the state of Vermont to express our deep concern that...

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Original budget underestimated contracted costs by $427,000

BRATTLEBORO-When Representative Town Meeting members rejected a $25 million municipal budget for the coming fiscal year, they returned it to local leaders for revision in hopes of lowering a 12% projected tax increase. No one anticipated costs might instead climb higher. Officials have discovered their original spending plan underestimated contracted expenses like payroll taxes, retirement contributions, and overtime. With the addition of the omissions and other accounting adjustments, the base budget's corrected total is $426,732 more than initially calculated, according...

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Brattleboro Selectboard under gun to craft a revised budget by May 1

BRATTLEBORO-It's been a month of lengthy, intense Selectboard meetings since Representative Town Meeting (RTM) rejected the proposed fiscal year 2026 operating budget on March 22. The strain has showed. RTM voters rejected a municipal budget that would represent a 12% increase in town taxes, or an overall 6.2% increase in Brattleboro property owners' total tax burden, if you factor in the school district budget. With three newly elected board members whom many voted into office to bring new voices and...

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Local food program looks for security in state money amid funding worries

MONTPELIER-Funding may be at risk for a nonprofit program that buys local food and gives it to Vermonters struggling with money - so its leaders are backing a bill that would solidify its budget through a state agency, rather than grants and donations. Vermonters Feeding Vermonters, created and run by the Vermont Foodbank, helps get locally grown produce and protein into the hands of food-insecure Vermonters. Started in 2018, the program provides money to purchase food wholesale from local farms,

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