BRATTLEBORO-Each weekday morning from Aug. 12 to 23, local high school students are invited to participate in a two-week camp experience planned for refugee teens to be held at the Brattleboro Municipal Center.
Newcomers will arrive at 9 a.m. for English classes to prepare for the day's challenge and local teens will arrive at 10:30 a.m. to help prepare and will be paired with international teens for a two-hour challenge.
"With getting to know Brattleboro and each other as the goal, teams will find unusual lunches, do community service, and learn about local businesses and municipal agencies - all in the service of language learning and community building," organizers said in a news release.
This effort rises out of the town's sustained interest in fostering intercultural friendships at the high school and familiarizing newcomers with the many interesting facets of Brattleboro. The town of Brattleboro, Brattleboro Community Television, Windham County NAACP, Rotary, Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation, the Ethiopian Community Development Council (ECDC), St. Michael's Episcopal Church, and Guilford Community Church, UCC have all contributed to make the camp possible.
BRATTLEBORO-Vermont Theatre Company will present Cyrano at Retreat Farm on Route 30 on Aug. 9, 10, and 11 as part of their Classics at the Farm series. Cyrano - originally produced by Blauw Vier in Antwerp, Belgium, in 1996 - tells the story of Cyrano de Bergerac, France's greatest...
College news • The following local students were among Vermont State University's inaugural graduating class for May 2024: Elijah Boucher of Newfane, Clay Thompson of Grafton, Shyla Booker-Bradbury of Brattleboro, Rio Coursen of Putney, Jessica Curran of Bellows Falls, Kayla Farrar of Brattleboro, Katie Lahey of East Dummerston, Liam...
West Dummerston Covered Bridge closed this week for repairs WEST DUMMERSTON - The West Dummerston Covered Bridge is closed this week to all traffic, including pedestrians, to replace the decking on the bridge. The bridge is expected to reopen on Friday, Aug. 2, at the end of the day. Grace Cottage Hospital Fair Day is Aug. 3 TOWNSHEND - The Grace Cottage Hospital Fair Day tradition continues this year on Saturday, Aug. 3, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., on...
PUTNEY-Composer-in-Residence Jörg Widmann returns to Yellow Barn for the final week of this year's summer music festival in Putney. Performances take place in the Big Barn nightly at 7:30 p.m., and 12:30 p.m. for a Saturday matinee. At the center of Widmann's residency are his Beethoven Studies, a five-part string quartet cycle. "I'm very interested in a dialogue," said Widmann in a news release, "but not in a nostalgic way, looking back and saying, well, it was so nice in...
BRATTLEBORO-Fern Circus Collective, from Ithaca, New York, is coming to Brattleboro for one night only to perform their show I Hope You Are Fed at the New England Center for Circus Arts (NECCA) on Saturday, Aug. 10, at 7 p.m. I Hope You are Fed is a contemporary circus show that explores the emotions and the world of the five members of the (1)Fern Circus Collective. "These artists use an aerial world of their own devising, full of beautiful, dangerous,
BRATTLEBORO-The Windham County Humane Society (WCHS) says it is holding its annual Pet Remembrance Night "to honor the pets we've loved and the lives we've shared with them" on Monday, Aug. 26. "We thought [...] they are our favorite friends to snuggle with after a long day, are often present during our important life moments, and for many of us helped us cope during stressful times," said WCHS Executive Director Maya Richmond, "and when they depart, we grieve." At the...
BRATTLEBORO-Director Bob Thies and Rock Voices offer an evening of the music of Queen, Friday, Aug. 2, at 7:30 p.m. at Centre Congregational Church, 193 Main St. They'll perform favorites such as "Bohemian Rhapsody," "Somebody to Love," "Under Pressure," and "We Will Rock You," all arranged by founder and director, Tony Lechner. The 50-voice choir is backed up by a full, professional rock band. "Rock Voices represents everything that is wonderful about the greater Brattleboro area: a sense of community,
PUTNEY-The Emily Margaret Band is set to perform at the Twilight On The Tavern Lawn series on Sunday, Aug. 4, at 6 p.m. on the Putney Tavern lawn on Main Street. The Emily Margaret Band is a teen quartet that merges R&B and jazz into what organizers call "an evocative musical journey." Drawing inspiration from artists such as Hiatus Kaiyote, Amy Winehouse, and Lianne La Havas, the band offers a "fresh and innovative sound that resonates deeply with listeners." The...
ROCKINGHAM-Kicking off with the Aug. 3–4 Old Home Days and the Meeting House Pilgrimage weekend, nominations are open for Rockingham Old House Awards 2024. "Inaugurated by the Bellows Falls Historical Society 27 years ago, the Rockingham Historic Preservation Commission carries the baton to celebrate with property owners their ongoing restoration and renewal of historic homes and commercial buildings," Rockingham Historic Preservation Commission chair John Leppman says in a news release. The awards program is sponsored by the Commission. There are...
BRATTLEBORO-Epsilon Spires offers contemporary folk music, presented by three creative masters of the genre. This concert will take place Friday, Aug. 9, at 7:30 p.m. in the spacious sanctuary at Epsilon Spires, 190 Main St. Far from an antiquated and historic artform, this evening of music shares how traditional American folk music still resonates within the work of three distinct musicians, whose work synthesizes folk music with an incredible variety of musical expressions. Coming from Tennessee, Joseph Allred will play...
SAXTONS RIVER-With costumes, banners, swords, a coffin, and other artifacts, the Saxtons River Historical Society (SRHS) has mounted a display that highlights the local Odd Fellows lodge from its beginnings in 1888. The items are visible for the first time after having been stored for many years in a locked room at the Main Street Arts building, where the lodge met for about a hundred years. "We are grateful to Main Street Arts for allowing these historic treasures to be...
MARLBORO-The penultimate weekend of the 2024 Marlboro Music Festival offers a full slate of open rehearsals and three essential concert programs, with 25 resident artists performing masterpieces and rarely heard works. On Friday, Aug. 2, at 8 p.m., Marlboro Music gives back to the local community with its annual town benefit concert in Persons Auditorium. All proceeds from this performance support Marlboro town organizations. Audiences for the Saturday and Sunday concerts will hear co-Artistic Director Mitsuko Uchida performing Schubert's setting...
WEST CHESTERFIELD, N.H.-J.B. Priestley's classic mystery, An Inspector Calls, will be presented in a Script-in-Hand production at the Actors Theatre Playhouse (ATP) over three weekends - Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays - from Aug. 8 through 24. All performances begin at 7:30 p.m. The ATP production features Roberta Barnes as Sheila Birling and Bruce Holloway as Gerald Croft. The cast also includes Bob Gruen, Marilyn Tullgren, Mike Auerbach, Brian Marsh, and Belle Coles. Sam Pilo directs. With this production, "the Playhouse...
BRATTLEBORO-Vendor applications are now being accepted for the 19th season of the Brattleboro Winter Farmers' Market, the only five-month, weekly indoor market in the greater Brattleboro region. The Winter Market will open for the 2024–25 season on Saturday, Nov. 2, and will operate through March 29, 2025. The market is held in the Croker Gymnasium on the Winston Prouty Campus (former Austine School) and weekly market hours are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Organizers said in a news release that...
BELLOWS FALLS-I consider myself fortunate to have graduated from Marlboro College and settled in Windham County. It's put me in the realm of incredibly smart and empathetic people. (If you're reading this, that probably includes you!) Every once in a while, though, a few individuals rise to the top. Emilie Kornheiser is one of them. We are lucky to have Emilie representing us - all of us - in the Legislature. In the short time she has been in office,
PUTNEY-Rep. Mike Mrowicki, incumbent for the Windham-4 district (Putney and Dummerston), is running unopposed only in this summer's primary election, not for the November race. He will have two challengers, and one of them will be me. I am a primary progressive. I identify as an independent. My purpose is simple. More Vermont farms are the answer. More Vermont farms are the answer if you are concerned about climate change; if you are not worried about climate change, more farms...
-For me, tournament season for Brattleboro Little League baseball is always the fun part of the summer. Watching the latest crop of Brattleboro-area players take the stage, come together as a team, and experience the highs and lows that come with playing high-stakes baseball in July is always compelling. Then again, I am a neutral party and I don't have a child on the field. For the families of the players, July is an emotional roller-coaster that sometimes doesn't have...
GUILFORD-Fellow citizens of Guilford and Vernon: Vote on or before Aug. 13 in the Democratic primary. I urge all Democrats in Vernon and Guilford to be aware of the nature of this especially crucial election. Zon Eastes's opponent, Jason Herron, has never participated in any Democratic function and admits that he is running as a Democrat simply because many voters in our district are Democrats. I have much respect for and admiration of many Republicans in my community and family,
WHITINGHAM-Educator, fiber artist, and small-business owner Emily Carris Duncan, 41, is running unopposed in the Democratic primary for the Windham-6 House of Representatives seat that will be vacated by Tristan Roberts. The district includes Whitingham, Wilmington, and Halifax. Roberts, who did not run for re-election because his future wife is having a baby, will continue post-session Legislative work through the end of his term. He recruited Carris Duncan to be his successor. "As I've been getting to know Emily Carris...
NEWFANE-After going strong for over four years, West River Valley Mutual Aid (WRVMA) recently announced in a post on Front Porch Forum that it will close its portal, citing a decline in demand over the past six months. "It is with great joy that we announce our group's disbandment!" co-leader Juliette Carr wrote on behalf of its stewards. A pandemic-spawned entity, WRVMA is summed up on its website as "Neighbors Helping Neighbors in Windham County, Vermont: West River Valley &
BRATTLEBORO-The state Legislature has seen a lot of change recently: In 2022, a third of the House members and a third of the Senate members retired; 38 out of 150 House members and five out of 30 Senate members are retiring in 2024. I interacted extensively with state government during my career, and most recently as executive director of a statewide nonprofit, I can tell you that Emilie Kornheiser's experience as a legislator over the past six years, and as...
BRATTLEBORO-For many of us, recent events have been quite fraught. The violent attack on a man who was exercising his Constitutional right to campaign for public office on July 13 was shocking, as was the death of a man who simply came to the event to listen. The president and the candidate have both called for unity, civility, and respect in our interactions with one another. On a recent evening, I was standing on the side of the road in...
GUILFORD-Though I was sorry to learn that our state representative, Sara Coffey, was not running for re-election, I was able to spend time with Zon Eastes, who addresses my priorities as a candidate for her replacement. Zon has experience working within the State House, so he won't be taking on the job as a complete novice to the system. As the head of the Selectboard, he understands the rules and challenges of governing, even a small town like Guilford. But...
GUILFORD-Those of us who live in Guilford and Vernon are quite fortunate to have many citizens willing to volunteer their time and talent to benefit all who live here. Sara Coffey, our state representative, is certainly a tough act to follow, but two people have stepped forward to replace her: Zon Eastes and Jason Herron. Although I give both people credit for their willingness to take on this very demanding role, from my perspective, Zon is by far the stronger...
BRATTLEBORO-Once again, 2024 has been an excellent year for the Walk for Amber Scholarship. Between the walk and raffle on June 2 and our Vermont Welcome Center fundraiser on July 13, we raised just under $4,000. We awarded four Amber Bernier Scholarships - congrats, Larissa, Georgia, Ava, and Abby! - bringing our total to 61 since giving out the first in 2004. We are so grateful to our community for all the support and proud of our scholarship recipients who...
Editor's note: Ron Squires was elected to the Legislature in 1990 and died in office in 1993. GUILFORD-My son, Ron Squires, got me involved in local politics when he ran for Vermont state representative in 1990. I've stayed connected ever since. Ron represented everyone in our district, no matter who they were or whether they voted for him. A few years ago, I heard Jason Herron speaking at a public meeting on BCTV. I was shocked at how he bad-mouthed...
GUILFORD-I have known Zon Eastes for almost 40 years: as a neighbor, as my daughter's cello teacher at the Brattleboro Music Center, as a positive influence on young people in our community through his work with local and state music and arts organizations, and as a person committed to community service and improving the lives of the people in our community. Zon has successfully served on the Guilford Selectboard since 2019. He has demonstrated his competence and commitment as he...
Windham County State's Attorney Tracy Kelly Shriver has retired in the middle of her four-year term after 25 years of service. Shriver - who graduated from Vermont Law School in 1995, became a deputy Windham County prosecutor in 1999, and assumed her most recent position in 2007 - wrote a letter to Gov. Phil Scott last Wednesday reporting she would be stepping down effective this past Sunday, July 28. "As the years have passed, I have seen lots of changes...
BRATTLEBORO-I read with interest Elayne Clift's column. It is obvious the madness has begun and is in full swing. Make no mistake, I will not be voting for Donald Trump. I think he is a rapist, a failed businessman, an intellectual dunce, and perhaps the stupidest president who has ever governed the USA. But none of these matters has anything to do with why the establishment is so against him. Ms. Clift mentioned her fear of oligarchs and her fear...
The writer is a former resident of Brattleboro. WASHINGTON, D.C.-U.S. Rep. Becca Balint and U.S. Sen. Peter Welch have been strong progressive advocates in Congress. Will they now join Sen. Bernie Sanders in standing up against the corrupting influence of conservative lobbying dollars in U.S. politics? The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) has promised to spend $100 million in the 2024 election cycle to unseat progressive politicians critical of Israel. AIPAC is heavily funded by Republican megadonors and in...
ROCKINGHAM-The Northeast Men's Summer Chorus (formerly Yankee Male Chorus) will be singing on Thursday, Aug. 8, at the United Church of Christ in Keene, New Hampshire; on Friday, Aug. 9 at United Church of Acworth (Church on the Hill) in Acworth, New Hampshire, and on Saturday, Aug. 10 at Chester Baptist Church in Chester. This group provides music free to the churches and allows the groups a way of raising funds for local projects. The chorus eagerly accepts local singers...
BRATTLEBORO-The members of the band Deadgrass - a group of seasoned musical pros exploring the life works of Jerry Garcia on the instruments that first inspired him - will play their inaugural Stone Church show on the second night of their The Days Between tour with their show on Friday, Aug. 2. The name of the show refers to Aug. 1–9. Jerry Garcia, cofounder of the Grateful Dead, was born on Aug. 1, 1942, and he died on Aug. 9,
BRATTLEBORO-Banned from Utopia, a Frank Zappa tribute band featuring more of the late musician's former band members than any other group currently touring, will roll into the Stone Church for a throwdown on Saturday, Aug. 3. "I know of another four Zappa tribute acts - they are all over the place," Scott Thunes, Zappa's longest-tenured bassist who served from 1981 to 1988, said in a recent phone call with The Commons. Thunes, a trusted member of the band, held the...
WESTMINSTER-I am a junior in high school, as well as Rep. Michelle Bos-Lun's campaign manager. Among her many qualities I admire, her unwavering dedication to her community stands out the most. I first got to know Michelle when I served as a page in the Vermont State House during my eighth-grade year. She made it possible for me to participate in this opportunity by driving me to and from Montpelier weekly. Before voting, Michelle would be unafraid to ask questions...
GUILFORD-I have worked with Zon Eastes and can attest to his intelligence, diligence, compassion, and ability to work with others for the greater good. Jason Herron, on the other hand, is a wolf masquerading in sheep's clothing and has switched parties in order to fool the electorate. Despite his claims of transparency and his written platform lauding such Democratic tropes as food security, preserving farms and protecting seniors, his real platform can be seen in the Convention of States, where...
The writer is retired president and chief operating officer of NYU Brooklyn Medical Center in New York. BRATTLEBORO-A consultant re-summarizing problems already well-known to executives and board members feels very familiar to many of us. Suggesting that hospitals alone should come together and begin solving problems over which they have very little control does what consultants have done for decades: It restates obvious challenges without providing feasible solutions. The conclusion is tantamount to a group of oncologists coming to a...
BRATTLEBORO-Thank you for including the item on Claudia Williams ["Farewell, Claudia," Sports Roundup, July 17]. I was saddened when I heard of her passing last December. I had heard from a friend that its mention was kept from the public, and I respected her family's privacy. I met Claudia Williams at a book signing in 2022 for her memoir Ted Williams, My Father. She was a gracious and wonderful person. The book was remarkable - one of the best memoirs...
BRATTLEBORO-As a mother, a wife, and an obstetrician-gynecologist who has dedicated my professional life to reproductive health care, I am so grateful for the work of Rep. Emilie Kornheiser. Her steadfast leadership and vocal support of the Reproductive Liberty Amendment has made Vermont a model in the fight for reproductive justice. My patients frequently voice gratitude during some of the most painful moments in their lives for their ability to access abortion care and treatment for miscarriages and ectopic pregnancies...
BRATTLEBORO-For 12 years, I have had the honor of serving as a Vermont state representative, representing Brattleboro's third district (Windham-9). While I have decided that it is time for me to step back from this work, I could not be more thrilled to endorse Ian Goodnow in the primary election on Aug. 13. Ian is a remarkable person. He is kind and wise and relentlessly curious - all qualities that will allow him to shine in the State House. It...
WESTON-Vermont is at a pivotal time. We are at the mercy of global and national forces such as inflation, climate change, a broken health care system, and housing shortages. Simultaneously, we have statewide dynamics to address - primarily, our outdated and expensive education funding system, but also hospital finances/health care and housing. How do we balance these issues with the clear need to control spending so regular folks can still afford to live here? As we've seen while living over...
BRATTLEBORO-We are longtime residents of Brattleboro and have followed and appreciated David Gartenstein's public service for many years, including his time as Representative Town Meeting moderator and as member of both the Brattleboro School Board and the Brattleboro Union High School Board, the Development Review Board, and the Charter Revision Commission. We have also known him as a fellow Representative Town Meeting member. All of this participation shows David's deep experience and his commitment to public service in our town.
GUILFORD-The Selectboard has an interest in the people knowing the truth. Statements have been made and complaints have been circulated that are untrue. Those statements tarnish the reputation and impugn the credibility of the Selectboard whose interest is in making Guilford a great place to live and visit. We are writing now to present actual facts to the neighbors we serve. On July 3, the Guilford Selectboard held a special meeting on the topic of staff access to town vaults,
JAMAICA-Pikes Falls Chamber Music Festival (PFCM) is returning to celebrate the 2024 summer season with an admission-free public concert series running Tuesday, Aug. 6 through Sunday, Aug. 11. It's a "little known gem of a chamber music festival [that] offers performances of both familiar and new compositions at the highest level," says Marlboro-based musician Jesse Lepkoff, whose chops span blues, bossa nova, and jazz to Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque. "One can hear works by Mozart or Beethoven or by lesser-known...
BRATTLEBORO-Facing increasing harassment for their relationship and fearing for their lives and their family's safety, a Colombian family fled their homeland. It took months of travel on a journey where they faced considerable dangers, but this spring the four family members finally found refuge in southern Vermont, where they are rebuilding their lives as they seek permanent asylum. The couple, Oliva and Andrea, are in their mid-30s; their daughter, age 6, is just starting school. Andrea's mother, Claudia, is in...