Issue #35

March for the Iraq Moratorium

I  am one of the people who have been marching on Friday afternoons in Brattleboro to call for accountability in government and an end to the occupation in Iraq.

To the many of you who have expressed your support, I thank you. It was our hope that we would inspire others to join us so that we could send a clear message to the world and our elected "representatives" that we want this devastating, illegal war to end. It has been difficult to keep our numbers up, however, as people have not joined us.

Yet the war goes on, and just because Barack Obama has been elected, it does not mean that it will end. In fact, it is more important than ever that we keep the pressure on.

There are still 150,000 troops and 75 major U.S. military bases in Iraq. More veterans are committing suicide - 1,000 attempt to do so every month - than are dying in combat. More than 20,000 U.S. troops have been wounded, and half of them return permanently disabled.

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Editorial substitutes pat, baseless rhetoric for perspicaciousness

The slant within the editorial "Plenty of blame" [The Commons, December 2008] caught me by surprise, as it did not seem to fit with the publication's usual perspicacity. It was easy to read that independent gubernatorial candidate Anthony Pollina “might have built a coalition with the Democratic Party" as...

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Legislature must stop Southern Loop

Last spring, an attorney with the Vermont Department of Public Service (DPS) confided to me that "there are less-than-honorable motivations for building the Coolidge Connector."  What this professional knew - and what other DPS staff, consultants, and expert witnesses knew - is that the Central Vermont Public Service/Velco power...

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River resolutions for 2009

While people are making their traditional resolutions for the new year, our Connecticut River could use a few well-intentioned pledges. In that spirit, river users could make the following resolutions: • As a boater: “I resolve to respect the 150-foot no-wake zone along the shores of the Connecticut River and all its boatable tributaries. I know that reducing my wave action will reduce river shoreland erosion. I will respect the rule as it applies to shoreline, swimmers, and other boats...

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Planning commission seeks Town Plan Advisory Group members

The Brattleboro Planning Commission is looking for volunteers to serve on the new Town Plan Advisory Group.  The advisory group will assist the Planning Commission in identifying major issues and goals for the new Town Plan to address, assist with public outreach, and review draft chapters of the plan. The Advisory Group consists of 12 to 15 people, and will meet approximately every two months over the coming two years.  This is an exciting opportunity to help create Brattleboro's future.

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