Issue #740
Vermont Pastel Society exhibits in November at Crowell Gallery
For the month of November, the Crowell Gallery, 23 West St., welcomes back the South East Regional Hub of the Vermont Pastel Society (VPS). Sixteen local artists have selected their finest original pastel work to display. All artwork is for sale; artist information and pricing will be available.
Exhibitors include Deedee Jones, David Brown, Gill Truslow, Monica Hastings, Lesley Heathcote, Carol Corliss, Carroll Durand, Melody Reed, Chris Reid, Matt Peake, Maggie Smith, Pat McPike, Cath Stockbridge, Matt Beck, Maureen Spinale, and Ann Coleman.
Canoe Brook Nature Preserve established in Dummerston
The Green Mountain Conservancy (GMC) has just established a new preserve in Dummerston. The Canoe Brook Nature Preserve, a 115-acre property located near the northeast corner of Dummerston, will remain undeveloped in perpetuity. This represents the second preserve of the nonprofit GMC of Dummerston, which also owns the 900-plus-acre...
Multimedia exhibit at Landmark College explores the human condition
The Fine Arts Gallery at Landmark College is currently exhibiting multimedia works of art by six artists, all centered around the human form. Curated by Landmark College Associate Professor of Arts Samuel Rowlett, "This Mortal Coil" opened on Sept. 22, and will be on display through Jan. 22. Visitors...
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Saxtons River Art Guild hosts watercolor workshop
The Saxtons River Art Guild announces a one-day workshop given by Vermont watercolorist Robert J. O'Brien on Saturday, Nov. 18, at the United Church of Bellows Falls, 8 School St., from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Workshop fees are $70 for SRAG members and $90 for non-members. SRAG will provide coffee and tea; participants should bring a lunch. The theme of the workshop is Portraits, and the human portrait will be explored in this workshop. Painting from a photo reference,
State ACLU honors Siegel for ‘courageous’ housing advocacy
The ACLU of Vermont has presented its highest honor to housing advocate Brenda Siegel for "her courageous advocacy on behalf of people experiencing housing insecurity in Vermont." "We are pleased to honor Brenda Siegel in recognition of her persistent and inspiring advocacy on behalf of the many Vermonters who are unhoused, facing eviction, or struggling to pay their rent," ACLU of Vermont President Bill Boyd said in a news release. "With great integrity and compassion, she has centered their voices...
Milestones
Obituaries • Robert Edward Baybrook, 79, formerly of Brattleboro. Died peacefully on Aug. 15, 2023 in Florida, where he moved 23 years ago to pursue his love of fishing. He was born Norman Edward Stewart on Jan. 28, 1944 in Burlington, the son of Helen Stewart Gilbert and Harold Rawson. He spent his childhood in Brattleboro, and graduated from Brattleboro Union High School with the Class of 1962. He was predeceased by his birth mother and his adoptive parents, Richard...
Epsilon Spires to sign 10-year lease for former church in Brattleboro
Epsilon Spires is about to sign a 10-year lease at 190 Main Street in downtown Brattleboro. The restored gothic church space with its historic Estey organ has been home to the nonprofit arts center since the center's founding in 2019. The mission of Epsilon Spires, according to its website, is "to illuminate the relationship between creative arts, natural sciences, equality, and sustainability through innovative performances, art exhibits, film screenings, panel discussions, and educational workshops." With this 10-year lease, the organization...
Our Place Empty Bowl fundraiser set for Nov. 19
The 26th Empty Bowl event to benefit Our Place Drop-in Center's food pantry gets underway Sunday, Nov. 19, at 5 p.m. at Alyson's Orchard in Walpole, New Hampshire. Tickets are on sale for the event at $40 each, which includes a supper of signature soups from local restaurants and chefs, as well as silent and live auctions, with items and services donated by local businesses and individuals. Village Square Booksellers in Bellows Falls, Galloway Real Estate in Walpole, and Our...
Around the Towns
Hospice hosts 'Kitchen Table Conversation' on Act 39 BRATTLEBORO - On Thursday, Nov. 16, from 2 to 3:30 p.m., Brattleboro Area Hospice, 191 Canal St., will host a conversation on Act 39, the Medical Aid in Dying Act. In Spring 2023, legislation was passed to allow terminally ill people from out of state to take advantage of it to end their lives. Participants will have the opportunity to discuss this change and the special challenges it may create, as well...
VCIL launches statewide in-home vaccine service
The Vermont Center for Independent Living (VCIL) has launched a statewide, in-home vaccine service for people of all ages. "COVID-19 and flu are still dangerous health risks, especially for people with disabilities and older adults," VCIL Executive Director Sarah Launderville said in a news release. "These communities were reaching out and telling us that they felt forgotten, and we knew we needed to respond." Made possible by the U.S. Administration for Community Living with a grant through USAging, in-home vaccinations...
Bill McKibben featured at Guilford forum on climate action and the role of Faith Communities
Bill McKibben will be the featured speaker for the program "Climate Action and the Role of Faith Communities," sponsored by Vermont Interfaith Action, at Guilford Community Church, 38 Church Drive, on Thursday, Nov. 16, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. McKibben - author, environmentalist, and co-founder of 350.org, the worldwide climate action group - will join the event remotely. There will be an in-person panel featuring state Sen. Becca White, D-Windsor, co-chair of the Legislative Climate Solutions Caucus; Dr. Becky Jones...
Community invited to join 35th anniversary celebration at Main Street Arts
On Saturday, Nov. 18, from 5 to 7 p.m., the community is invited to celebrate Main Street Art's 35th anniversary. The event is free. "This party will celebrate friendships, giving us the opportunity to reconnect with the past and meet those new to the community," said Anne Manner-McLarty, a member of the party planning committee, in a news release. "Come to share a story, revisit a fond memory, and experience how Main Street Arts fosters wellness and connection." A multimedia...
‘Art for All’ show opens at Canal Street Art Gallery
Canal Street Art Gallery, 23 Canal St., presents the "Art For All" seasonal group show, sharing the gifts from the many artists of the region and marking the gallery's seventh year. According to the gallery, the show is curated to be reflective of what artists are currently creating with a mission to make art appreciation accessible and affordable to all. The show opens Friday, Nov. 17, and is on view through Jan. 6. During the 3rd Friday Gallery Night from...
Bellows Falls Pride marks Transgender Awareness Week
From Nov. 13 to 19, organizations around the country will participate in Transgender Awareness Week to help raise visibility about nonbinary and transgender people. The Transgender Day of Remembrance, which began in 1999, is observed annually on Nov. 20 to memorialize transgender individuals who have experienced violence and hate crimes because of their gender identity. The day is intended to draw attention to the discrimination and prejudice that transgender people face. Bellows Falls Pride added a glossary provided by GLADD,
Plastic-debris artist will discuss her career
Aurora Robson, whose innovative works made of plastic debris are currently on view at the Brattleboro Museum & Art Center (BMAC) in the exhibit "Human Nature Walk," discusses her artmaking career on Saturday, Nov. 18, at 7 p.m. The recipient of BMAC's inaugural Award for Service to Art & Humanity, Robson has spent more than 20 years creating work with the aim of inspiring people to view plastic waste not only as a burden on the planet, but also as...
A revisionist history for Marlboro College
In a recent article in The Chronicle of Higher Education ("When Your College Is Staring Death in the Face"), former Marlboro College Trustee Dena S. Davis wrote: "We decided to merge with Emerson [College]. The [Marlboro] Music Festival bought the campus." This is not true. The campus was purchased by Democracy Builders. The sale of the campus to Democracy Builders, along with the turmoil that went along with the trustees' decision to approve the sale, are all fully detailed in...
Testing her mettle
Triathlons are not for the faint of heart, and the Ironman - a 2.4-mile swim, followed by a 112-mile bike ride, followed by a 26.2 mile run - is strictly for the fittest of the fit. Elizabeth "EBiz" Bianchi of West Chesterfield, New Hampshire, went to Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, to compete in the 2023 Ironman World Championship on Oct. 14. While she was nowhere near the winning podium - just completing this event in one piece is a huge accomplishment. The...
A big transition for the valley’s music scene
Last month, the Northampton, Massachusetts musical ecosystem was churning with major change. On Oct. 12, the recording company Signature Sounds announced that the Green River Festival had been sold to DSP Shows of Northampton and Ithaca, N.Y. And the Parlor Room, now a nonprofit, recently bought the legendary, but long-defunct, Iron Horse Music Hall. Northampton has long been a center for a kind of music that has too many names; you just have to know it when you hear it.
How can bystanders address mental health crises?
Imagine walking downtown through the Harmony Lot in broad daylight when a young man approaches and asks you for some money. You refuse. He passes by you and then starts shouting and howling into the wind. He's not even looking at you as he shouts. Disconcerting? Yes, of course. Threatening? Could be. Did you cause the incident? You'll never know. Is there anything you can do about it? Well, maybe. One person who knows how to handle events like these...
‘A fun little thing’
Ty Allembert and two friends entered a national competition to create a learning game on the website Quizlet and came away with third place and $5,000. Allembert, a native of Dummerston, graduated from Brattleboro Union High School and has just completed a bachelor's degree in computer science at the University of Vermont. He works in Burlington as a freelancer in coding and web development. "About three or four months ago, two friends and I joined a competition by the website...
On abortion, the numbers don’t lie
It is clear that the Dobbs decision by the Supreme Court caught the Republicans completely off guard, even though they have been working to take away the rights of women since before they killed the Equal Rights Amendment. The Right must have thought that stealing the basic rights to bodily autonomy and to determining the size of one's own family would be upsetting at first, but then we would all get over it. The pundits always say that Americans have...
A whimsical comedy unburies emotional truths
David Stern and the Wild Goose Players (WGP) partner again with Sean Hurley to produce Hurley's latest, Claire in the Chair in the Cimetière. It opened Nov. 10, and the production's offered again this weekend at Next Stage. "This is another world premiere from our playwright-in-residence," says Stern of the play, described in its publicity materials as "a whimsical comedy about life and death and finding one's purpose in the unlikeliest of places." It's both a "comedy and a moving...
Medicare Advantage: God's gift to insurance companies, not patients
At the same time that more seniors are choosing Medicare Advantage (MA) over traditional Medicare, the very real drawbacks to MA are becoming ever clearer. Opting for Medicare Advantage (MA) instead of traditional Medicare places decisions about your health in the hands of a big insurance company intent on making a profit: 75% of MA business is in the hands of six huge insurers. The blizzard of commercials that these insurers fund with their profits tout the MA program as...
Where does America go from here?
The Republican Party has lost its mind. Out of desperation, its House members have elected a speaker who, if his party's candidate is not elected, believes that the democratic election process is corrupt. If his candidate is elected, no problem. Where does America go from here? This Voices Letters from readers was submitted to The Commons.
Urging Balint to support ceasefire resolution
Rep. Balint, how will we hold onto our humanity? Even Sen. Durbin of Illinois recognizes that a ceasefire is what President Biden must demand. Will any of us be able to look ourselves in the mirror, knowing that "evil will prevail if good people say nothing"? Failing to call for a comprehensive ceasefire - not a meaningless "humanitarian pause" - will guarantee the continuation of the killing of innocents. How can we answer our children's questions about why we refused...
May we create a space for sanity and peace
On the morning of Tuesday, Nov. 2, in Westminster West, I participated in a service committing to the ground the body utilized by the beautiful and loving soul of Eshagh Shaoul. Our brother Eshagh was a faithful, observant, Iranian Jew. If you ever fellowshipped with him and his wife, Rosalyn, at their home in Putney, you would have transcended who you are as they escorted you though the "Temple of Love," a sacred ground adjacent to their home whereupon all...
Nar-Anon Family Group can help families find peace of mind
In his youth, in 1979, a young man decided, along with a schoolmate, to try marijuana. In our state, it was illegal to possess pot, which only added to the mystique of the drug. The young man and his friend continued to smoke throughout middle school and into high school, eventually moving on to the more sophisticated forms of dope, such as using bongs and pipes of hashish. At the end of his senior year, following graduation, he sought higher...
SEVCA bids goodbye to Good Buy stores
After more than a half-century of operation, Southeastern Vermont Community Action (SEVCA) has announced that it is closing its Good Buy thrift stores in Bellows Falls and Springfield. The recent decision by the anti-poverty nonprofit's board of directors takes effect Dec. 16. The stores will remain open Tuesday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., until then but will no longer accept any donations for the stores as they sell the remaining inventory at a 20% discount. SEVCA says...
'The way to insure peace is to stop the oppression, not blast a population to death'
Dear Rep. Balint: I am writing to you in response to recent remarks on VtDigger. First, I want you to know that I, too, am horrified and saddened by the violence committed by both Hamas and Israel. I hope that you will take a moment to read why I support a ceasefire and why your responses so far have left me with much confusion. You say that you are working with the Biden administration to push Israel to follow humanitarian...
Vermont papers over dirty energy use
Vermont's electric utilities claim that their power comes from 100% "carbon-free" sources. This claim bears closer inspection. Since the closing of Vermont's only nuclear plant in 2014, it is true that virtually 100% of the electricity generated in Vermont comes from so-called renewable sources. This includes the burning of wood waste, which, while renewable, is obviously not emissions-free. Vermont has zero coal, oil, or gas-fired electric generating stations. However, more than half of the electricity used in Vermont comes from...
Foes of planned housing project return to court
A third appeal to the proposed Windham & Windsor Housing Trust (WWHT) 25-unit, mixed-income, residential rental housing project on Alice Holway Drive has been filed in Vermont Superior Court. A hearing date has been set for Monday, Nov. 27, at 3 p.m., via remote video conference. It is expected that next steps will be defined at that hearing. Appellants Laura Campbell and Deborah Lazar, represented by attorney Harold B. Stevens, oppose the Environmental and Superior courts' previous opinions, effectively dismissing...
'To imply that this is Israel's war is misleading and incorrect'
Kate Casa, in her article on the Hamas unprovoked, barbaric terrorist attack on Israel, fails to mention the collaboration and funding from Iran, Hezbollah, and Hamas, all known terrorist groups - these would be the same ones that chant, "Death to America." She also fails to mention that upon breaking through Israel's borders they proceeded to murder hundreds of innocent men, women, and children and take many innocent civilians as hostages. Some have been found abused and murdered. Israel was...
Vets call for peace
At its monthly meeting on Oct. 28 in recognition of Armistice Day (Veterans Day), the Will Miller Green Mountain Veterans for Peace Chapter 57 adopted a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and that negotiations begin for a lasting peace in the region. This Voices Letters from readers was submitted to The Commons.
Musically minded youth take to the stage
The youth rock festival Brattrock will return to the Stone Church Saturday, Nov. 18 at with a dynamic lineup of four youth bands/performers. These in-person performances will showcase three bands - YourArmsAreMyLegs, Godzilla with a Gun, and Ezra Holloway - as well as solo performer Jessica Beck. Beck describes herself as a "common Greenfield hoodlum" who spends her days playing JRPG (Japanese role-playing games) such as Omori, which has a turn-based battle system with psychological horror elements. She describes her...
Boys & Girls Club, BEEC team up for winter 'hike and seek' series
The Vermont Children's Trust Foundation is funding a collaboration between Boys & Girls Club of Brattleboro (BGCB) and Bonnyvale Environmental Education Center (BEEC) to provide guided, outdoor, free family adventures On designated Saturdays, from 10 a.m. to noon, families are invited to partake in short walks with naturalists and educators from both organizations to local spots. These excursions are themed and are designed to inspire families to have fun together outdoors, even when it is cold. There is a spring...
The toughest job
The number of people in the United States age 65 and older reached 55.8 million in 2020, or nearly 17% of the population. That is estimated to grow to 73 million by 2030, and by 2050, it is estimated that 27 million people will need long-term care. That figure may be low. At some point in their lives, statistics say that 70% of adults 65 and older will require long-term care, with an average stay of 3.2 years. That could...