GUILFORD - The Guilford Cares Senior Support Group meets every first and third Thursday of the month at 1 p.m., at the Broad Brook Community Center, 3940 Guilford Center Rd.
Deb Albright and Mary Libby guide discussions around whatever thoughts, ideas and feelings come up. "Good listening and good humor abound," say organizers, "and all conversation is strictly confidential." There are beverages and snacks, and "new folks find it easy to join in." They invite elders to have a seat and enjoy the company. For more information, or a ride, contact Guilford Cares at 802-579-1350 or [email protected].
This Town and Village item was submitted to The Commons.
BRATTLEBORO-On Saturday, Dec. 21, Vermont-based Jatoba and Massachusetts-based Hot Day at the Zoo will make their reappearances at The Stone Church, 210 Main St. for an all-ages winter solstice bluegrass concert. Doors open at 7 p.m., with the show starting at 8 p.m. Jatoba is a groovegrass bluegrass trio...
BRATTLEBORO-Petitions for town officers, Windham Southeast School District (WSESD) Board members, and Representative Town Meeting members for the 2025 election are now available at the town clerk's office. • Town elections will take place Tuesday, March 4, 2025, at American Legion Post 5, 32 Linden St. • Annual Representative...
BRATTLEBORO-Brattleboro's Last Night 2024 Committee members say they're planning a fun-filled and substance-free day of celebration for all ages on New Year's Eve, Tuesday, Dec. 31. This year, the day will kick off with snowshoeing and cross-country skiing (weather permitting) at the Brattleboro Outing Club trails from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Trail access will be free and rentals will be available at the Hut between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. A pizza party with music by the Rob Fletcher...
BRATTLEBORO-As usual, The Commons will not publish an edition for the last week of the year. The next issue of the newspaper will be published Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025. Deadline for news and advertising is Friday, Dec. 27. Because of the New Year's Day holiday, newspaper distribution will extend into Thursday, Jan. 2. All of us at Vermont Independent Media wish our readers warm holiday greetings, a safe end of the year, and best wishes for strength, prosperity, and resilience...
BRATTLEBORO-The gift of an undeveloped property on Rice Farm Road and Black Mountain Road in Brattleboro has dramatically expanded the Riverstone Preserve, owned by Friends of the West River Trail. The 166-acre acquisition adjoins the existing 22-acre Riverstone Preserve, which was purchased by Friends of the West River Trail in 2012. The Preserve now encompasses 188 acres of woodland and an important cobblestone ecological community along the West River. The donated land includes three-quarters of a mile of West River...
BRATTLEBORO-With the holidays upon us, many are bracing for increased amounts of trash, recycling, and composting. "Gifts and gatherings can produce a lot of waste, as much as 25% more than usual," writes Alex Lacy, outreach coordinator for the Windham Solid Waste Management District (WSWMD) in a news release. She shares WSWMD's tips to assist in detangling the details of holiday waste do's and don'ts: • Buying locally usually reduces the amount of packaging associated with gifts (and helps out...
TOWNSHEND-The public is invited to a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Grace Cottage Family Health & Hospital's new Outpatient Rehabilitation Services building on Wednesday, Dec. 18, at noon. Immediately following the ribbon-cutting, a one-hour open house will be held to give attendees an opportunity to tour the new facility, located in the Heins Building at 133 Grafton Rd. Many of Grace Cottage's physical and occupational therapists will be available during the open house to greet attendees and to answer questions. The newly...
PUTNEY-Next Stage Arts Project and Twilight Music celebrate the season with an evening of traditional Irish, British Isles, and original holiday music by John Doyle and Mick McAuley on Thursday, Dec. 19, at 7 p.m. at Next Stage. Both natives of Ireland and from musical families, Doyle and McAuley are "true powerhouses" in traditional Irish music. Their "nearly telepathic musical connection" began in the Irish-American band Solas. Both now have flourishing high-profile solo careers. They periodically come together to brush...
SPRINGFIELD-Health Care and Rehabilitation Services (HCRS), southeastern Vermont's nonprofit community mental health agency, is pleased to announce the availability of Narcan (naloxone) as well as fentanyl and xylazine test strips at its three regional offices in Hartford, Springfield, and Brattleboro. These lifesaving items are available to all residents of Windsor or Windham counties at no charge, emphasizing the agency's commitment to the well-being and safety of those in need. According to the Vermont Department of Health, there were 231 confirmed...
Obituaries • Allan W. Blank, 84, of Bellows Falls. Died at his home on Dec. 4, 2024. Allan was born on May 5, 1940, in Johnson City, New York, to William and Pauline (King) Blank. After Allan graduated from high school, he entered the Air Force. He later served in the Air Force Reserve. After retiring from the Air Force Reserve, Allan owned and operated several businesses, spending most of his time with his last business decorating trade shows. Allan...
TOWNSHEND-Grace Cottage Family Health & Hospital has been awarded a prestigious 4-star rating by the National Rural Rating System (NRRS), a program through the National Rural Health Association (NRHA) that recognizes excellence in rural healthcare and includes listing on the 2025 National Rural Honor Roll. Eighteen hospitals in the United States were awarded a 4-star rating; Grace Cottage was the only hospital in the Northeast to receive this distinction. The National Rural Honor Roll was created to recognize rural hospitals...
BRATTLEBORO-Kimberly Frost, the town's finance director since 2022, will be stepping down on Jan. 3. The announcement was made on brattleboro.gov on Dec. 10. According to a news release, Frost is leaving "to pursue a different opportunity." "Starting this next chapter was a difficult decision, but I'm grateful to have served my community," said Frost. According to the news release, Frost "was instrumental in reuniting the Finance Department with the Treasurer's Office and thereby finding efficiencies to reduce town staff...
BRATTLEBORO-Brattleboro Area Jewish Community (BAJC) invites everyone to join them to celebrate the festival of Chanukah at the Vermont Jazz Center, 72 Cotton Mill Hill, on Saturday, Dec. 28, from 6 to 9 p.m. This joyous celebration will feature Klezmer music and dancing with Klezamir, a menorah lighting, a latke contest, crafts, traditional treats and refreshments, and even a juggling workshop with Kinetic Theory Theatre. All are welcome. Admission is free, but donations are appreciated. Klezamir, based in western Massachusetts,
BRATTLEBORO-The Stone Church on Main Street had been hosting an eclectic range of music for several years. Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020 and forced it and other music venues to close. That, recalls Stone Church owner and general manager Robin Johnson, "was a dark day for venues nationwide." While support emerged for small businesses and nonprofits, independent entertainment venue owners were ill served. Thus, the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) was founded in April 2020, about one month...
-The Brattleboro Bears started off the girls' basketball season right, with a victory in the annual Leland & Gray Tip-Off Tournament in Townshend. The Bears put up an impressive display of defense in the opening game of the tourney on Dec. 13 with a 42-20 win over the Burr & Burton Bulldogs. Brattleboro held the Bulldogs scoreless in the first quarter and took a 13-0 lead. Burr & Burton never got closer as Brattleboro forced 32 turnovers, and held the...
GUILFORD-I congratulate The Commons on presenting two views on the Acceptable Community Conduct Ordinance in a clear, well-argued format. These kinds of debates are vital to our community, and The Commons serves us well. That is why I was surprised that you printed the letter "Concerns over software amount to thinly veiled bigotry," as it was, as it consisted largely of ad hominem attacks. Political disagreements are fine but printing wild accusations calling a community member an "anti-American, aspiring insurgent"
PUTNEY-Ars longa, vita brevis. One translation of the Latin phrase is that craft takes a long time to learn, yet life is brief. In other words, mastery requires many hours; one lifetime is not long enough. Some people come close, though, and Adam Wetzel, who died in June at age 86, was one of them. His carved birds show he was a master carver. Two of his bird carvings have been accepted into the permanent collection of Birds of Vermont...
BRATTLEBORO-Albert Mikuski, now 88 years old, recalls an extraordinary story of how he and his brother, James, in two branches of military service, connected for Christmas across the countryside in France in 1959, at the height of the Cold War. "Think about it," said Mikuski. "How many men or women in that era had the opportunity to spend Christmas together over 3,000 miles from home? Two small-town boys, both in the service, seeing one another in France." He shook his...
Richard Evers describes himself as "of Jewish heritage but not of faith or belief." BRATTLEBORO-I'm bound to offend some readers here, but I feel compelled to speak out publicly about a very loaded issue that I wish someone had addressed head-on, but they haven't, so I feel it's up to me. People have told me after I'd written or said something critical of Israel, "Well, you can say that because you're Jewish, but I can't, because if I did, I'd...
BRATTLEBORO-At a standing-room-only meeting at Academy School on Dec. 12, Representative Town Meeting (RTM) members voted 76–55 to rescind the town's recently adopted Acceptable Community Conduct Ordinance. Cristina Shay-Onye, District 8, made the motion to disapprove the ordinance, arguing that if enacted the ordinance would violate Constitutional rights and expose the town to expensive lawsuits. She urged town representatives to vote to disapprove the ordinance. Referencing the ordinance's "Behavioral No Trespass Zones," which include Brooks Memorial Library and the Brattleboro...
-The state's housing crisis will be a top priority in the upcoming legislative session, and housing advocates from southeast Vermont want legislators to hear their concerns. At a Dec. 9 Legislative Briefing, members of the Housing Coalition of Southeast Vermont - housing creators, housing service providers, economic developers, planners, landlords, and those who shelter people without homes - shared some of the challenges they face in their efforts to eliminate homelessness and increase housing in the area. State Reps. Mollie...
The writer leads the Vermont Coyote Coexistence Coalition. PUTNEY-So many people lack empathy towards wild animals who are simply trying to survive. We all know what it's like when we miss a meal: our bellies rumble, and we might even get lightheaded. Many of us are lucky enough to be able to reach into the fridge and quickly satisfy that hunger. Imagine being a wild animal who can feed itself and its young only by foraging, scavenging, or hunting with...
Annie Smith has described herself in legislative testimony as an animal activist. "We do this all in our free time and push other things aside because it is so important to us, others, and the planet as a whole," she said to the House Committee on Natural Resources, Fish, and Wildlife. WESTMINSTER-Hounding is when a bunch of dogs are purposely let loose to chase and attack wild animals. They are unsupervised and are often miles away from the hound-hunters, who...
The writer, a Democrat, was elected in November to represent the Windham-Bennington-Windsor district in the Vermont House of Representatives starting in 2025. WESTON-The Tax Commissioner has released his annual estimate of what our average statewide property tax will be next year, based on expected revenues, expected property values, the budgets school boards are proposing to local voters, and other currently existing costs in the education fund. The letter projects a 5.9% property tax increase. While it could have been worse,
Mary McCallum used to contribute regularly to the commentary series that used to air on what then was known as Vermont Public Radio. SAXTONS RIVER-I've done my share of protesting in life. In 1969, I joined a half-million protesters in Washington, D.C., in the Moratorium to End the War in Vietnam and was sprayed with tear gas. At a similar rally in New York City's Bryant Park, I saw fellow demonstrators clubbed by police and witnessed its rapid transformation from...
BRATTLEBORO-The headline made me curious enough to read this one person's opinion of a local merchant. In the end I am questioning why this was found to be worthy of actually printing. The writer seems to feel like they were singled out to be victimized, in part because of being female. Surely, things probably could have been handled better. It hasn't been all that long ago when we had to adorn facial coverings just to get through the door to...
WEST TOWNSHEND-When I learned, as a girl, about the lead-up to Kristallnacht, I had thought that the world would be smarter the next time the Jews were singled out after having seen and understood World War II. Apparently CCM Holland Mills missed that lesson. His use of modern tropes and lies and libel rival his prose and alliteration in scope and number. Good luck to the human condition. Eileen Hayes Arama West Townshend This letter to the editor was submitted...
Timothy Belknap describes himself as a "downtown resident and Brattleboro lover." BRATTLEBORO-The yes vote to overturn the Acceptable Community Conduct Ordinance at the Brattleboro Special Representative Town Meeting of Dec. 12 was highly organized and effective. Some very good points were made, to which pro-ordinance responses were lacking. Point: An unhoused individual will not be able to pay a fine. Response: In New York City, similar fines are waived if accompanied by a letter of support. Brattleboro could do the...