Return of train service to Vermont on hold
BRATTLEBORO - Amtrak's plans to resume service north of New Haven, Conn., for the Vermonter and the Ethan Allen Express, its two daily passenger trains to Vermont, are now on hold.
Earlier in June, Amtrak was accepting ticket reservations for rail travel to and from the state starting on July 1. The rail service stopped doing so two weeks ago.
Now, no reservations are available until Aug. 3 - the tentative new startup date.
The Vermonter, which normally runs between St. Albans and Washington, D.C., with stops in Bellows Falls and Brattleboro, suspended service north of New Haven as of March 26 because of COVID-19 concerns.
Amtrak also suspended service in late March on its Ethan Allen Express, the train that runs between Rutland and New York City.
Both trains are funded by the Vermont Agency of Transportation, which has yet to make an official announcement on both trains' status.
Town seeks volunteers for boards, committees
BRATTLEBORO - The town is looking for residents to serve on a number of committees and boards: ADA Committee; Arts Committee; Cemetery Committee; Citizen Police Communications Committee; Conservation Commission; Development Review Board (full member and an alternate); Energy Committee; Fence Viewers; Inspector of Lumber, Shingles, and Wood; Planning Commission; Recreation & Parks Board; Senior Solutions Advisory Council; Tree Advisory Committee; and Weigher of Coal.
Applications and more information about various committees and boards can be found at brattleboro.org or by calling the Town Manager's office (802-251-8151).
Submit your application by e-mail to the Town Manager's office ([email protected]), or mail or deliver the application to Brattleboro Town Manager's Office, Attn: Committee Vacancy, 230 Main St., Suite 208, Brattleboro, VT 05301.
The Selectboard will make appointments at its meetings beginning in July. Submit your application 10 days prior to the board meeting.
Brattleboro to resume parking enforcement
BRATTLEBORO - The town will resume enforcement operations on Wednesday, July 1, for parking downtown, including in all regulated surface parking lots and all on-street metered parking spaces.
Parking enforcement had been halted on March 17 in response to COVID-19.
To protect public health, the town said that all meter and kiosk push buttons will be wiped down two times each day, Monday through Saturday, to disinfect the frequently touched surfaces.
Permits purchased for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020 (April-May-June) will be honored for the first quarter of fiscal year 2021 (July-August-September).
Questions about specific permits, citations, appeals, etc., should be directed to Parking Enforcement Coordinator Carol Coulombe at 802-257-2305. The Parking Enforcement Office at 77 Flat St. reopened June 29.
Saxtons River T-shirt tradition carries on
SAXTONS RIVER - No parade, no street fair, no fireworks, no water polo, but Saxtons River will continue the tradition of a special Fourth of July T-shirt in spite of the cancellation of the festivities.
“We are sad that the celebration won't be happening this year, but we wanted to hold on to some part of the tradition,” Susan Hernandez, a member of the Fourth Committee, said in a news release.
The T-shirt features a design by local artist Kathleen “Daze” Mortensen set against a background of the U.S. flag with a figure in the fashion of Rosie the Riveter holding cotton candy in one hand and a sign reading “Taking a Break” in the other while looking wistfully into an unknown future.
“I think it perfectly captures how we're all feeling now,” said Hernandez - “remembering the good times and looking forward to the next time the crowds can fill the streets of Saxtons River.”
A limited number of shirts will be printed, and they will be for sale outside the Saxtons River Inn on a date to be determined. Aprons and tank tops will also be available.
Masks and social distancing will be required. Cash or checks are the preferred method of payment.
Pre-orders can be made by contacting the committee at [email protected]. Anyone wishing to purchase a shirt who cannot attend the sale may use that contact to make arrangements for delivery or mailing.
The date of the sale will be announced on the Saxtons River Fourth of July Facebook page.
Moore Free Library receives federal grant
NEWFANE - Moore Free Library was recently awarded a two-year grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Sciences to fund a Community Memory project.
This funding will support the creation of a digital archive of stories, reminiscences, quips, and thoughts by and about community members from Newfane, Williamsville, South Newfane, and Brookline, past and present.
The project will begin on Sept. 1, with free training available for people who would like to learn how to interview and record others and for those who would like to learn how to work with audio recordings.
To find out more about this project and how to get involved, contact the library at 802-365-7948 or [email protected], or just drop in during library open hours.
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation's libraries and museums. To learn more, visit imls.gov.
Railroad, county museums open for the season
NEWFANE - The Windham County Museum and the West River Railroad Museum are now open for the season through Indigenous Peoples Day in October.
The Historical Society of Windham County was founded in 1927. The brick Federal-style museum (on Route 30) was built in 1936 as a showcase for the Society's extensive collection.
Two floors of exhibition space display examples of early Vermont furniture, folk art, Civil War artifacts, clothing, toys, and tools, all of which tell stories of Windham County's history.
Museum archives include early documents, records, and photographs spanning three centuries of Windham County history.
The Newfane Railroad Station has recently been restored as the West River Railroad Museum. It comprises the old Depot and Water Tank House, both of which were built in 1880.
The new museum, a short walk away on Cemetery Hill Road, houses a large collection of artifacts, documents, and photographs documenting the railroad's impact over its 50 years of operation in the West River Valley.
The Windham County Museum is open Saturdays, Sundays, and Wednesdays from noon to 4 p.m. The West River Railroad Museum is open Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m. Both museums are also open by appointment. Admission is free.
See the Historical Society's website for the latest news and schedule of events.