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Living story sections

Nothing to Sneeze At

by AnneODyne | Activism

Remember when separation of church and state was a thing?  The original ‘build a wall’. Of course none of us were around when the deist founders wisely inserted that anti-persecutional notion into our country’s foundational documents. For two hundred and fifty years, the concept of a secular society in lieu of a religious one has been the official guiding principle of civic order.

But a tug of war, and erosion of this boundary has always been underway. ‘In God We Trust’ printed on money and statehouses…  Prayer and benediction at inaugurations, and openings and closings of Congressional sessions…Tax free churches…And now in Louisiana, an official declaration that the ten commandments must be printed and displayed in every classroom.

The Other Sports Page

by RDavis | Obituaries

Some people call it the Jewish Sports Page. Others call it the Irish Sports Page. I’m sure there are a lot of other names for what most people recognize as a newspaper’s obituary section. Nowadays that section may be online, but it usually amounts to the same thing. A picture and a description of a life.

I don’t know when it started for me, but one of the first things I do in the morning is to scan the local obituaries. It has reached the level of a compulsion and I have been trying to figure out why it has become such an integral part of my life.

During the week my news and “sports page” reading is usually online. On Sunday I like to have the newsprint in my hand and I spend a considerable amount of time reading about the lives of people I have never known.

Brattleboro and VT COVID-19 Regional Dashboard Summary – June 2024

by cgrotke | Health

Here’s the June 2024 dashboard summary. We continue semi-regular COVID-19 dashboard numbers from the Vermont Department of Health, and MA and NH counties that surround Brattleboro, as long as they continue providing them. Scroll down the new comments for the latest.

VT, NH and MA do weekly updates, near the end of the week, so we update on Fridays usually. All three have changed their dashboards since the start, so it is now tough to easily compare how things have changed. Variant updates are every two weeks.

May 2024 Precipitation Report

by local | Nature

A dry month for a change with 3.32″ measured compared to the NOAA normal of 3.64 inches. Much of the month was even dryer until the last 6 days when just over half of the month’s total fell. For the calendar year still well above average with 24.32″ measured compared to the NOAA average of 17.81 inches. All numbers from my location in the S.E. corner of Brattleboro and can very considerably from location to another.

Gary

The Killing Continues

by RDavis | Activism

Despite the fact the world opinion is increasingly hostile to the actions of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, the killing continues.

Despite the fact that Spain, Norway and Ireland have recognized a Palestinian state, the killing continues. Despite the fact that the International Criminal Court (ICC) is requesting arrest warrants for Israeli and Hamas leaders, the killing continues.

There are many international organizations making statements about the continuing atrocities being committed by Israel and Hamas and worldwide college protests only reinforced the polarization that has been created over the war in Gaza.

What good are all of these efforts if they only produce talk and more talk while the leaders of countries such as Russia, Ukraine, Israel and a host of other smaller countries waging wars, as well as terrorists groups such as Hamas, do not stop fighting?

Help Zawadi Long

by cgrotke | Family

Hi everyone. Some absolutely awful news about a dear member of our community – Zawadi Long. You may know her from around town or school, and perhaps have heard her – she’s a longtime voice on WVEW in a psa for her dad’s show Buttahmilk. I’ve known her since she was little, and she even helped me and Lise move a few years back.

She was in an accident in Jamaica.  Family has set up a Go Fun Me account:  https://gofund.me/7b93e38a

Here’s what her family says on that page:

A Good Place To Live

by RDavis | Living

I have only been a selectman in the town of Brattleboro, Vermont for a very short time and I still have more questions than answers about how our little New England town of 12,000 operates. I suspect that most people pay their taxes and hope they get good service from the town. There are a large number of committed citizens who serve on committees. Many represent the people at town meeting and they all gain insight into the details of town government.

As a selectboard member I have received a short overview of the town departments and I had no idea how much work is involved in keeping a town working efficiently. I am also amazed at the dedication and competency of all of the people who work for the town, whether as a department head or as a member of the road crew.

Vermont Values

by SK-B | Spiritual

When my wife and I relocated to this area from New York City 40 years ago, we found that we did not always “fit in.” People whose values we shared and with whom we had hoped to be friends were often cliquish and unwelcoming. Contrary to stereotypes, it was more often native-born Vermonters who seemed not to judge us by where we came from or how we talked, but would size you up and accept you if you had a good heart and a good character.

Dosa Kitchen’s 10th Season Starts May 10!

by Dosa Kitchen | Food

Dosa Kitchen food truck has been offering the Authentic Dosa Experience since 2014. Fans travel from Boston and beyond to Brattleboro for what they call “the best dosas in the USA.” The dosa, South India’s version of the crepe, has a seductively sour, tangy flavor, and airy, crisp texture. It’s gluten-free, vegan, and one of HuffPost’s “10 Foods to Try Before You Die.” Dosa Kitchen’s original Dosa Batter, a premade, ready-to-pour sourdough-style batter is produced on the premises and is available at the factory store behind the food truck and stores throughout New England. We hope to see you this season!

The Cannabis Story

by RDavis | Health

I still have trouble believing that I will not be arrested if I carry marijuana in my pocket or in my car. I came of age at a time when the drug was considered to be on par with heroin and other deadly substances. Some people were even making reference to the 1936 movie Reefer Madness when they tried to show how bad they thought marijuana was.

If you smoked it in your college dorm room you had to make sure you put a towel at the bottom of the door so no one would know what was happening inside. You risked expulsion from school and possible arrest.

No one could have predicted that this psychoactive substance that really is in a class all it’s own, would someday become legal for recreational use in 24 states and in D.C. Society has changed a lot and the federal government is moving to reclassify cannabis so it is not in the same class as heroin. Federal legalization is still not on the radar.

April Precipitation Report

by local | Nature

Monthly precipitation of 5.04” compared to a NOAA normal of 3.85”. A couple larger storms in the first half brought most of the moisture with a much dryer second half of April. For the calendar year the total is 21.00” compared to the NOAA average of 14.3” or 148% of normal. All numbers are from my location in the S.E. corner of Brattleboro and can vary from one location to another. My snow total for the season is 40.4” compared to my yearly average of 62.8”.

Brattleboro and VT COVID-19 Regional Dashboard Summary – May 2024

by cgrotke | Health

Here’s the April 2024 dashboard summary. We continue semi-regular COVID-19 dashboard numbers from the Vermont Department of Health, and MA and NH counties that surround Brattleboro, as long as they continue providing them. Scroll down the new comments for the latest.

VT, NH and MA do weekly updates, near the end of the week, so we update on Fridays usually. All three have changed their dashboards since the start, so it is now tough to easily compare how things have changed. Variant updates are every two weeks.