Issue #470
A stroll through nature’s pantry, maybe in the rain
For those who prefer to stock their larder with food they've hunted or foraged themselves, late summer is mushroom season, and the Nature Museum wants people to take advantage of this year's mycological abundance.
The museum - which, according to its website, “focus[es] on the natural history of northern New England, with exhibits on local flora, fauna, and geology” and offers educational programs for schools and the community - has invited Ari Rockland-Miller and Jenna Antonino DiMare, a Burlington-based couple, to lead a workshop, “The Wild World of Mushrooms” on Saturday, Aug. 25.
Marlboro Music offers three concerts with 33 resident artists this weekend
On the next to last weekend of Marlboro Music's 68th season, 33 of its 75 resident artists will be heard in three diverse programs: Friday, Aug. 3, at 8 p.m. in the Marlboro College Dining Hall; and Saturday, Aug. 4, at 8 p.m., and Sunday, Aug. 5, at 2:30...
Muggy, showery conditions continue to dominate region
Good day to you, southeastern denizens of the Green Mountain State! If you love warm-to-hot, hazy, humid, thundery summer weather, the Summer of 2018 is turning out to be your season, indeed. We had a little bit of a break this past Sunday and Monday, but we're heading right...
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Hashim inspires with commitment to issues
I am so excited to vote for Nader Hashim for state representative. From the moment I first heard him speak at the Putney Huddle, I knew he was the candidate for me. In Nader's work as a state trooper, he has seen situations across all sectors of our community, making him keenly aware of our area's needs and the issues our citizens care about. I value the way he listens carefully to everyone and takes their views into consideration. I...
Bellows Falls gets eight new trees
Trees were planted on School and Atkinson Streets in Bellows Falls in mid-June by the Rockingham Tree Committee. According to a news release, the School Street trees were made possible via a 50-50 Caring for Canopy tree planting grant the Rockingham Tree Committee received from the Vermont Urban and Community Forest Program and funds from the town of Rockingham. The grant allowed for six trees to be planted on School Street, replacing trees lost over the years due to age...
Main Street Arts seeks artists for community show
Main Street Arts Gallery has issued a call for artists to submit their work for a community art show. The show is scheduled for Aug. 16 through Sept. 28 with an artist reception on Aug. 24 at Main Street Arts at 35 Main St. In a news release, show organizers said they “look forward to bringing together circles of people in a synergistic way to create an exciting exhibit.” Artists of all ages and levels of experience are encouraged to...
Borter’s studio announces summer/fall jewelry workshop series
Borter's Jewelry Studio on High Street announces its summer/fall schedule of beginner- and intermediate-level metalsmithing workshops. Bob Borter, who has been making and selling his jewelry in Brattleboro for more than 30 years, will co-teach the classes with fellow silversmiths Susanna Haas (susannahaasjewelry.com) and Chris Lann (chrislanndesigns.com). In a news release, Borter said the studio's goal is to give budding jewelers a taste of what other Brattleboro collectives such as Brattleboro Clayworks, Fire Arts, and the River Gallery School offer...
Farmers’ market seeks vendors for winter
Vendor applications are now being accepted for next season of the Winter Farmers' Market, which will be held at a new location: the C. F. Church Building at 80 Flat St. Prospective vendors are encouraged to submit an application prior to the Sept. 15 deadline. The Winter Market opens for the 2018-19 season, its 13th, on Saturday, Nov. 3 and will be open over the next 22 Saturdays through March 30, 2019. Hours are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Products...
Milestones
College news • Carolina Curvo of Brattleboro, a member of the Class of 2019, was named to the Dean's List at Regis College in Weston, Mass., for the spring 2018 semester. • Maya Sutton-Smith of Brattleboro graduated with a B.A. in history from Connecticut College in New London, Conn. She was also named to the Dean's List for the spring 2018 semester. • Gaia Uman of Brattleboro graduated with a B.S. in behavioral neuroscience from Connecticut College in New London,
Peter Pan must be key Trump advisor
Recently, Trump enabled the American people to “sleep peacefully at night” by singlehandedly disarming the North Korean nuclear threat at his fake summit with Kim Jong-un. Then came the Helsinki meeting where Trump transformed the Russian adversary into an ally by believing Putin over our national intelligence agency regarding the subversion of U.S. elections. Methinks that Putin's Poodle must have Peter Pan as a key advisor as “all the world is made of faith and trust and pixie dust.”
Yellow Barn wraps up its summer season
Yellow Barn's 49th anniversary season culminates in a full weekend of concerts, including a Saturday matinee, plus a final pre-concert discussion. Featuring major works of the chamber music repertoire, listeners will have the opportunity to take a sonic journey around the world and explore stories woven between the pieces. In a news release, Artistic Director Seth Knopp said, “In the stories we tell, truths and fictions dance in delicate and changing balance, sometimes so closely they become one, indistinguishable but...
MSA offers arts and crafts summer camp
Main Street Arts will hold their Art, Crafts, and Games Camp from 1 to 4 p.m., Monday to Friday, Aug. 13 to 17. Recommended for children ages 6 through 11, the group will draw, sculpt, design, explore outdoors, sing songs and play games at MSA at 35 Main St. JoAnne Russo and Bradie Harris will share activities such as sun prints, papier-mâché, fairy houses, making journals, and other creative crafts. Tuition is $120. Scholarship assistance is available. Email [email protected] or...
SEVCA keeps kids, families fed during the summer
3SquaresVT helps make sure that people in need don't go hungry by providing monthly food assistance to eligible families and individuals through a user-friendly electronic-benefits transfer (EBT) card. Additional nutritional support is available during the summer months through several supplementary programs, such as summer meals programs for kids and Farm-to-Family coupons. Eating the right food is critical to good health, and 3SquaresVT has partnered with farmers' markets across the state to make sure those receiving benefits can use them to...
Marlboro teams with nonprofit to protect wetlands, roads, and beavers
Protect Our Wildlife, a Vermont-based wildlife protection organization, partnered with the town of Marlboro to help prevent beaver-related flooding and subsequent road damage. In 2017, POW launched a statewide Living With Wildlife program to help towns pursue nonlethal methods to address human-wildlife conflicts. With grant funding from LUSH Cosmetics, POW is providing financial support to install three culvert protective water flow devices, called Beaver Deceivers, on Grant Road in Marlboro. This site is one of three that the town will...
Around the Towns
Newfane Garden Club to meet NEWFANE - The August meeting of the Newfane Garden Club will take place on Thursday, Aug. 2. The meeting will be held in the garden of Laura Wallingford-Bacon. She will give a historical talk about Williamsville with a focus on the site and its many different uses over the decades. Guests are always welcome. If you are interested, call Ann Allbee at 802-365-7213 for directions. Strolling of the Heifers to host summer Pop-Up Gift Shop...
Northfield Drive-In celebrates 70th anniversary weekend with retro movies
One of the first drive-ins in the country, the Northfield Drive-In Theatre will celebrate its 70th anniversary Aug. 3, 4, and 5 with a Retro Weekend. The double feature will be E.T. The Extraterrestrial, shown first at 8:15 p.m., followed by Top Gun. The movies will be shown rain or moonshine. For 70 years, the theater has provided generations of moviegoers with fun for all ages. “Though the last 70 years have brought about many changes in technology, culture, and...
Wanted: ‘Rabble’ chorus members willing to sing, shout, and carry on in Windham Orchestra opera production
The Windham Orchestra is looking for more than a few adventurous souls to join its 'rabble' chorus. Puccini's Turandot includes a large group of singers tackling such roles as a bloodthirsty mob shouting for a beheading, to name one example. Given the opera's size and scope, Windham Orchestra Musical Director Hugh Keelan is encouraging singers of any and all talent to join what he calls “the rabble chorus.” “This opera is one of the great spectacle operas,” Keelan explains. “The...
Kornheiser: Commitment to environmental sustainability, energy efficiency
I am writing in support of Emilie Kornheiser's bid to be elected as the state representative from District 1 in Brattleboro. Her people skills, knowledge of and commitment to the Brattleboro community, and personal integrity make her an ideal candidate to represent our district. A particular issue that is important to her is dear to my heart. She is a strong advocate for environmental sustainability and has shown a deep commitment to energy efficiency. I urge all voters in District...
If voters reject a proposal, then that proposal should become impossible
Dear Legislators, Recently, the acting secretary of education, Heather Bouchey, ignored the majority of voters in the Windham Southeast Supervisory Union who emphatically rejected a merger and is now imposing that same merger plan on us. In her recommendation, she claims that the Legislature “did not contemplate a departure from the goal of a preferred merger based upon community sentiment” and makes assumptions that the voters who rejected the merger did so because of “a lack of information, misinformation, or...
Getting VY sale right matters more than doing it quickly
Regulatory delays, while frustrating to developers and other interested parties, sometimes signify that a process is working correctly. Such is likely the case with the regulatory timeline for the approval of the sale of Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant to NorthStar. The project to expedite decommissioning of Vermont Yankee included some timelines for NorthStar and Vermont Yankee owner Entergy to complete the transfer by the end of 2018. This timeline is dependent on approvals by both state and federal regulators.
As a business owner, I will be voting for Emilie Kornheiser
I will be voting for Emilie Kornheiser to represent me in Montpelier. At the heart of Emilie's platform is the idea that we all do better when we see ourselves as part of a community, instead of in isolation. I believe that Emilie is right. As a business owner, I recognize that my employees' challenges are my challenges. People who have a sense of stability in their lives are able to make it to work, and perform better when they...
Outgoing representative urges write-in vote for Gilligan
Aug. 14 is the date for the primary election in Vermont. Patrick Gilligan is seeking the Republican nomination for state representative representing Guilford and Vernon. Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond his control; Patrick was unable to complete the petition process to have his name placed on the ballot. He is asking you to request a Republican ballot and write his name in for the state representative position. I, too, am asking that you take a Republican ballot and with your...
Stuart: Daughter cites wisdom, experience, skills, and ‘unparalleled ability to connect’
I write to endorse my mother, Valerie Stuart, who has served as West Brattleboro's state representative for the past eight years. She and my father, John Mabie, have been inspirations and exemplary role models for me and my brother Ian throughout our lives. My mother began her service as our state representative on the House Education Committee. During the four years she served on that committee, she and her colleagues passed groundbreaking legislation that is good for Vermont's youth and...
Meeting House Pilgrimage to feature history through song
The annual program and 112th pilgrimage to the Old Rockingham Meeting House takes place Sunday, Aug. 5, at 1 p.m., with a barbeque and refreshments at noon. The program, presented by David Deacon, is titled “I'll Sing to You of the Good Old Days: History and Memory in Vermont Folk Songs.” Deacon will perform a selection of songs, with a few tunes that have, if not local, then at least regional relevance. The songs come from the collection made by...
Farm to Ballet returns to Retreat Farm on Aug. 5
Farmers, food, neighbors, live classical musicians, community, and the graceful art of ballet are what make Vermont's Farm to Ballet unique. Now in its fourth year, this partnership of agriculture and dance will offer audiences a delightful summer evening of entertainment, with eight performances on farms throughout Vermont. Farm to Ballet returns to Retreat Farm on Sunday, Aug. 5, at 5 p.m. “We are thrilled to have Farm to Ballet back at Retreat Farm for a third season,” said Katrina...
Candidate Jerome: Implications about Holton Home finances unfounded
The article about Holton Home and Bradley House in the July 25 issue of the Brattleboro Reformer, largely about a Holton Home licensing survey that occurred more than a year ago, needs clarification. It was an honor to be chosen to lead Holton Home in 1999, and I am proud of earning the trust of hundreds of residents' family members over the years. I had high standards for everything we did, especially resident care. The suggestion that any staff member...
Urges votes for Mrowicki, Balint, White, and Kornheiser
In these more-than-difficult times, it takes real courage and tenacity to be a voice for marginalized people. Representative Mike Mrowicki of Putney and Senators Becca Balint and Jeannette White have consistently and effectively advocated for people with disabilities and for poor and low-income community members; they have fought for legislation that addresses systemic racism in Vermont. We are extremely fortunate to have their representation in Montpelier, and I hope you will join me in voting for their continued presence in...
Freilich and his values: help for a broken political system
My voting history goes back to 1960, when I cast my first vote for John F. Kennedy for president. Coming from a GOP family - that's “Grand Old Party,” for young voters who might not recognize the current Republican Party - my mother simply said, “I know you will be canceling my vote for high office, but here are the local candidates I support.” Her list went right down to county sheriff and, of course, all were Republicans. I voted...
Hashim: a state trooper who de-escalates situations
I am the president of Costello, Valente & Gentry, P.C., a law firm in Brattleboro. Part of my practice is criminal defense, which means that I see a lot of material related to law-enforcement incidents in Windham County which isn't readily available to the public. That material includes video created by cruiser cameras when my clients interact with the Vermont State Police. Particularly in Windham County, VSP represents us well and exhibits a high level of professionalism and respect, even...
Did Jerome leave job under a cloud? ‘No,’ boss says.
“No.” The reply came without hesitation or reservation. The question? In the eyes of the Garden Path Elder Living's board of directors, did former Executive Director Cindy Jerome, who is running against two Democrats in the Aug. 14 primary - incumbent Rep. Mike Mrowicki and newcomer Nader Hashim, for a House seat in Windham-4 - act inappropriately? “No,” said Board President Ted Vogt. Garden Path manages Bradley House and Holton Home. It is perhaps the only brief answer to a...
Where do we draw the line between civility and civil disobedience?
In the recent uproar over civility, it was deeply frustrating to note the absence of civil disobedience in the discussions, and to see the time-honored tradition of leaders like Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. being conflated with actions perceived to be rude and unkind. It was also dangerous, and it was also another sign of the ideology of autocracy being used to quiet resistance when government, and its officials, are doing the wrong thing. One can argue that...
The creeping crud in the Townshend zoning-study vote is not the concerned citizens
Nonsensical letters such as this one do not really merit a response. Yet, as one of the so-called “creeping crud hippie socialists” that Tom Chase describes, I cannot resist. Mr. Chase claims to know the “real side” of the group of concerned citizens who have come together to try to stop the proposed building of a Dollar General in Townshend. He could not be further from the truth. The fact is, our group is overwhelmingly made up of young women...
‘It’s hard to combat unreality when it is all around you’
I have to make a disclaimer. Just so everyone knows, in full disclosure, Leah McGrath Goodman is one of my best friends. (In this interview on the air, she said I would “just have to make it a very hard-hitting interview,” so I started thinking of the bad questions.) Goodman is going to be at the Dover Free Library's annual dessert fundraiser - its largest event of the year - on Thursday, Aug. 2 at 7 p.m. to talk about...
Read any good books lately?
Candidates' forums generally follow a predictable format. A moderator asks questions, sometimes audience members ask questions. Each person speaks about their experience, their positions, and what differentiates them from whomever else is running for office. On the evening of July 25, Brooks Memorial Library hosted a different kind of candidates' forum. The purpose wasn't to have the participants give a stump speech or, if an incumbent, review their past political achievements - although one candidate strayed a bit from that...
Think globally, drink locally
With three trips in rapid succession in June, I feel on the verge of a “What I Drank for My Summer Vacation” essay. Not that any of the trips can really be categorized as vacations. I traveled down to the Gulf Coast of Alabama early in the month for a golf media trip. But as with any trip I'm on, there will be beer. That was quickly followed by a media trip to Grand Rapids, Michigan, and there the focus...
Roz Chast to speak in Brattleboro
The Brattleboro Museum & Art Center announces a much-anticipated talk by The New Yorker cartoonist Roz Chast, author of the widely acclaimed graphic novel, Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant? Chast will speak about her work, life, and career, in connection with BMAC's exhibition of 139 original drawings from her graphic novel, on display at the museum until Sept. 24. The event will take place at the Brattleboro Music Center on Saturday, Aug. 11, at 7:30 p.m. BMAC's doors...
New planning director calls transition ‘pretty seamless’
There was a changing of the guard in early July in the town's Planning Office. The same day long-time director Rod Francis departed for a new job in Norwich, Sue Fillion took over. Fillion was appointed as planning director by Town Manager Peter Elwell after an interview with a panel including Elwell, Selectboard Chair Kate O'Connor, Planning Commission Chair Liz McLoughlin, and Development Review Board Chair James Valente. In a news release announcing Fillion's promotion, Elwell noted the members of...
A separate peace
This summer, a secluded section of woods in West Brattleboro has been home to the campus of Jerusalem Peacebuilders, a group focused on bringing together teens from Israel and Palestine. Since 2011, the nonprofit has worked to recruit teenage leaders from Israel, Palestine, and the U.S. to help them develop the understandings and skills necessary to bring peace to the Middle East. On July 18, this year's participants could be found in small groups in the woods and fields around...
Cold soups for a hot summer
Right now, every imaginable summer vegetable and fruit awaits us at the markets and farm stands: squash, beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, peas, scallions, peppers, turnips, beets, radishes, the first corn, greens beyond belief - and it all looks inviting. We have everything we could want right at our fingertips, yet we have a dilemma - it's just too hot to cook! Some days, it's even too hot to eat. On long, hot summer days like this, I'm glad I have a...
Choose your own drama
Karla Baldwin frankly admits that she has difficulty describing Love and Information, the new play by Caryl Churchill that she is directing for Apron Theater. “It is easier to say what it is not,” she confesses. “Love and Information is a work that has no plot, no characters to speak of, and no development. In any concise way, it is even hard to say what the play precisely deals with. We're very far removed from the dramaturgy of realist dramas...
Arts retreat program comes into its own
A two-week artist retreat that has been a component of the Pikes Falls Chamber Music Festival has been blossoming into its own parallel program - “a residency in and of itself,” says its coordinator, Natasha Loewy. The Pikes Falls Visual Arts Residency brings visual artists to Jamaica for two weeks of rural inspiration for their work, complete with a $250 stipend and room and board. Loewy said visual art has been integrated with the music festival from the time it...
What’s for dessert? Raspberry squares!
Local berries are beautiful and bountiful right now, so if you have 15 minutes, make a small batch of raspberry jam for this recipe. Of course, you can use jarred as well! The squares are intensely buttery, but raspberries are certainly the star. If you turn your back, this dessert has been known to vanish into thin air! ¶1 cup unbleached white flour ¶{1/4} tsp. baking soda ¶{1/4} tsp. ground cinnamon ¶{1/2} tsp. salt ¶{1/2} cup brown sugar ¶1 cup...
Posts 5, 37 knocked out of state Legion tourney
The Southern Division teams in the American Legion Baseball State Tournament went 0-4 against their Northern Division opponents in the opening day of play on July 28 at Castleton University and St. Peter's Field in Rutland. Brattleboro Post 5 and Bellows Falls Post 37 lost their respective opening games in the double-elimination tournament as Essex Post 91 topped Bellows Falls, 5-2, at Castleton, while S.D. Ireland beat Brattleboro, 7-2, at St. Peter's. Post 5 then ended Post 37's season with...