PUTNEY-Next Stage Arts presents an evening of classic silent film and live music Friday, July 17, at 7 p.m., when pianist and composer Peter Tavalin performs a live improvised score to Harold Lloyd’s 1923 comedy Safety Last! at Next Stage, 15 Kimball Hill.
A graduate of Berklee College of Music and a lifelong jazz improviser, Tavalin has been accompanying silent films since 1979, creating expressive, in-the-moment soundtracks that event promoters say “bring classic cinema vividly to life.”
Drawing on his skills as both composer and improviser, he crafts a specific musical experience for each performance, responding in real time to the action, emotion, and humor unfolding on screen. No two presentations are exactly alike.
For this performance, Tavalin selected Safety Last!, widely regarded as one of the greatest silent comedies ever made. The film follows an ambitious young man navigating big-city life in pursuit of success, culminating in one of cinema’s most iconic and suspenseful sequences.
LONDONDERRY-Neighborhood Connections is reaching out to members of the community who are caregivers working with loved ones experiencing memory challenges or a diagnosis of dementia or related disorders. Their initial programming is a group format for caregiver support and for participant engagement, modeled after existing successful programs. The group,
College news • Nicholas Douglass of Saxtons River and Corina Mitchell of Westminster West students received their degrees in May as part of the Class of 2026 at Roger Williams University in Bristol, Rhode Island. Douglass, along with Rese Mulkey of Stratton and Ainerose Souza of Londonderry, were named...
MARLBORO-On Sunday, July 19, Zara Bodé and her Little Big Band will be performing a benefit concert at Marlboro Community Center, 524 South Rd., from 6 to 8 p.m. The concert is to benefit the Marlboro Community Center and the Marlboro Fire Department. The Concert will be preceded by a chili supper at 5 p.m., with a look at the new Rescue truck along with family-friendly activities sponsored by the department starting at 4:30 p.m. Zara Bodé’s Little Big Band...
Senior meal in Halifax WEST HALIFAX — On Friday, July 17, volunteers will prepare and serve the monthly Senior Meal at the Halifax Community Hall, 20 Brook Rd. Back by popular demand, the meal will feature David’s famous fried chicken. Fresh fruit, German potato salad, cole slaw, rolls or bread, and dessert will round out the menu. Socializing begins at 11:30 a.m. with appetizers. The main meal will begin around noon. A suggested $4 donation ($5 for those younger than...
WILMINGTON-Pianist David Feurzeig reports he will perform his 101st Vermont concert Saturday, July 18, at 2 p.m. at St Mary’s in the Mountains at 13 Main St., with local performer Bekka Eöwind, violin, continuing Feurzeig’s tour offering a free show in all of Vermont’s 252 towns to “spread the joy of music and promote environmentally sustainable performance.” In May 2022, he embarked on his Play Every Town project: 252 free concerts in each of Vermont’s 252 towns to combat climate...
MONTPELIER-In advance of the statewide primary election Tuesday, Aug. 11, Vermont Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas is reminding voters about their voting options and resources available from her office. The primary election determines which major party candidates will be on the ballot for the November general election. “Every election is a valuable opportunity to make your voice heard,” she said in a news release. “Yet, we tend to see lower turnout in primary elections. It’s crucial that Vermonters know...
MARLBORO-This summer, Marlboro Music marks a rare milestone: 75 years of bringing together musicians in the hills of southern Vermont to collaborate, to listen deeply, and to share their devotion to chamber music. The anniversary season runs July 18 through Aug. 16, under the artistic leadership of pianists Mitsuko Uchida and Jonathan Biss. Marlboro Music was founded in 1951, in the aftermath of World War II, as an act of belief in the power of collaboration, in the necessity of...
PUTNEY-The Center for Solace and the ALS Association will host a special community film screening of Stitching Strength Friday, July 24, at 7 p.m., sponsored by Farnum Insulators of East Dummerston. This documentary highlights the deeply moving work and philosophy of Dr. Richard Bedlack, who is a Stewart, Hughes, and Wendt Distinguished Professor of Neurology and Faculty Network Member of the Duke Institute for Brain Sciences. There are approximately 50 people living with ALS in Vermont at any given time,
Richard Davis, a retired registered nurse and tireless advocate for access to health care, is a former Brattleboro Reformer columnist. He continues to post his writing at Substack (rbdav63.substack.com), as well as on Facebook and iBrattleboro. BRATTLEBORO-Our small community hospital is facing unprecedented financial problems. Sadly, this is a common problem throughout our country. Small hospitals close, and a community is left to drive hours and many miles for healthcare. Our community is fighting to keep our Brattleboro, Vermont hospital open while...
-The Brattleboro Little League All Stars are off to a great start in the District 2 playoffs as the 10U and 12U teams both finished first in their round-robin playoff that determined the top two teams to play for the District 2 championship in a best-of-three series this week. Both Brattleboro teams clinched a spot in the championship series by defeating Bennington in a pair of action-packed games on July 11 at South Main Street Field. In the 10U game,
BRATTLEBORO-About 100 people showed up in front of Brattleboro Memorial Hospital (BMH) Tuesday morning in a continuation of community actions in support of keeping its Birthing Center open. After about 45 minutes of speeches from supporters and healthcare workers, many went into the hospital to attend a meeting of the BMH Board of Directors. In a news release on Monday, organizers called on Brattleboro Memorial Hospital Birthing Center Providers, patients and families, Brattleboro Federation of Nurses (BFN) members, Brattleboro Healthcare...
BRATTLEBORO-When it comes to Vermont’s immediate economic future, here’s the good news: State revenues are rising. The not-so-good news? State expenditures are rising faster. Storm clouds could form over Vermont’s economic horizon in the coming year, State Treasurer Michael Pieciak told approximately 50 business, nonprofit, and municipal leaders from across the region. The Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation (BDCC) CEO Roundtable — “Over the Horizon: State Revenue Pressures, Macro Risks and Regional Executive Strategy” — on July 7 at the SIT...
Joyce Marcel is a reporter and columnist for The Commons, where she regularly covers politics, homelessness, economic development issues, and the arts. And the Colonial Pool. BRATTLEBORO-I was swimming laps at the Keene YMCA pool one day last week when a gentleman I did not recognize turned and asked me, “Do you think the Colonial Pool will ever open again?” That’s when I realized that I have been asked some version of the same question every single time I swim.
This letter is signed by members of the Windham County legislative delegation: Sens. Wendy Harrison and Nader Hashim and Reps. Mollie Burke, Ian Goodnow, Emilie Kornheiser, Zon Eastes, Emily Long, Mike Mrowicki, Chris Morrow, Leslie Goldman, Michelle Bos-Lun, Laura Sibilia, and Emily Carris Duncan. Windham County legislators support efforts to maintain the Birthing Center at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital (BMH) and are ready to work with its staff and leadership, the Governor's Office, the Legislature, the Green Mountain Care Board (GMCB),
BRATTLEBORO-With praise for George Will's latest column, I'd like to add my thoughts and emphasis. Donald Trump's Supreme Court has just made it possible for him to end Temporary Protection Status (TPS), a designation intended to protect asylum seekers fleeing situations in their home countries that threaten their lives. Most TPS immigrants have been in this country for years, own homes, and have vital jobs. This ruling paves the way for Trump to return Haitians, Somalis, and others to nations...
BELLOWS FALLS-When singer/songwriter Michael Veitch returns to his hometown of Bellows Falls as part of the Saturday, July 18, Folk, Roots & Americana Music Festival held outdoors at in the Robertson Paper Company field on Island Street, the location will have a very special meaning for him. “When I heard that’s where the concert would be, I had to adjust the set list to make sure it was also tailored to the event!” Veitch said. “My father managed Robertson Paper...
BELLOWS FALLS-The Windham County Democratic Committee hosted a debate of the three Democratic candidates for lieutenant governor on July 9 at the Masonic Temple in Bellows Falls. Moderated by Amy Howlett and Denny Harty, the 90-minute debate featured candidates Esther Charlestin, Molly Gray, and Ryan McLaren. The candidates were given prepared questions for the first half hour of the debate, then the majority of the time was spent answering questions from the 35 to 40 members of the audience. The...
BRATTLEBORO-The Charter Revision Commission is proposing a 60% supermajority requirement to reject a budget by Australian ballot. The stated goal is to encourage attendance at open Town Meeting. But this proposal would do the opposite of what democracy should do - it would make it harder for the people as a whole to overrule the decisions of a small minority. Open Town Meeting is a valued tradition, but it is not equally accessible. A meeting that can last 10 to...
SOUTH NEWFANE-Out on country roads from South Newfane to Brookline, artists and craftspeople use their hands to shape clay, paint, wood, fabric, even tea bags into one-of-a-kinds. It’s what they do. Whatever the times, they keep creating, exploring, finding place and peace on the canvas, the workbench, the potter’s wheel. So it is with the 11-member Rock River Artists (RRA), as the public can witness during the collective’s 33rd annual Open Studio Tour this Saturday and Sunday, July 18 and...
BELLOWS FALLS-“Comin’ down off summer / Comin’ down off fall / All I got’s a handful of festival laminates / hangin’ on my wall,” sings Ruth Ungar of the Mammals on her song “Coming Down Off Summer” — a song she wrote about leaving the excitement of festival season and returning home to the everyday routine. Ungar knows the experience well, as The Mammals, the dynamic five-piece folk-rock band that she leads with her husband, Mike Merenda, play plenty of...
This letter was signed by Brattleboro Town Manager John Potter and by Downtown Brattleboro Alliance Executive Director Kate Trzaskos.  BRATTLEBORO-On behalf of the Town of Brattleboro and the Downtown Brattleboro Alliance, thank you to everyone who joined us for All Aboard Brattleboro on June 24 and helped make it a joyful celebration of our community, our history, and our future. The day was a reminder of what makes Brattleboro special: neighbors coming together, local organizations collaborating, volunteers lending a hand,
Dr. Tony Blofson and Dr. Elizabeth McLarney are acting co-CEOs of Brattleboro Memorial Hospital. BRATTLEBORO-Few issues have united our community more than the desire to preserve the Birthing Center at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital (BMH). Parents have shared stories about welcoming their children into the world at BMH. Healthcare professionals have spoken passionately about the importance of local maternity care. Legislators, business leaders, and community organizations have stepped forward, determined to find a path forward. That support matters. It also points...
WEST BRATTLEBORO-How long do you think it will take for the average Iranian to both forgive and forget what Donald Trump and his administration (and, by extension, the U.S.) have done to their country and its people? Brian Shafford West Brattleboro This letter to the editor was submitted to The Commons. This piece, published in print in the Voices section or as a column in the news sections, represents the opinion of the writer. In the newspaper and on this...
BRATTLEBORO-On July 7, family, friends, and strangers gathered in memory of Scott Garvey, who was shot and killed by a Vermont State Police (VSP) officer in his home on that day one year earlier. At the beginning of the vigil, church bells rang for seven minutes — each minute for each of the shots fired on the day Garvey was killed. Attendees showed support to the family throughout the evening, with several of Garvey’s friends and acquaintances sharing stories, special...
