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BCTV Schedules – Week of December 13, 2021

by BCTVProg | Media

Monday, December 13, 2021

5:25 am Windham Elementary School Board – Windham Elementary School Bd Mtg 11/16/21
8:00 am The David Pakman Show – The David Pakman Show – Weekly Broadcast
9:00 am Energy Week with George Harvey – Energy Week #446 – 11/24/2021
10:00 am VT Nuclear Decommissioning Citizens Advisory Panel – VT NDCAP – 12/6/21 Mtg
1:00 pm Newfane Selectboard – Newfane SB Mtg 12/6/21

We Need A New Definition Of Parenthood

by RDavis | Activism

Over the past 50 or more years we have heard just about every possible argument for and against abortion. In 1973 the issue seemed to be settled from a legal perspective when the Supreme Court ruled on Roe v. Wade, making abortion a constitutional right.

But the debate never ended and the anti-abortion forces have been patiently packing the courts with sympathetic judges with the hope of once again making abortion a criminal act. In 2021 we are now on the verge of having a country where abortion will no longer be a constitutional right. The Supreme Court could go further and turn pregnant women who have abortions into criminals.

When it comes to abortion and the law I have a simplistic view. The courts should not be telling a woman what she can and can’t do with her body. There are many other issues to consider and I will not rehash them.

WSESD Board Public Statement

by Not Signed In | Education

We, the members of the WSESD School Board (the Board), are grateful for the opportunity to serve our community and, like you, are horrified by the revelations shared in Ms. Haskins-Rogers’ August 2021 article in the Commons and other information reported to us since then.

Our strong personal reactions made all of us open to taking many of the steps that were suggested by members of the community. In particular, we have been impacted by the open letter signed by 167 people which has called for, among other things, an open investigation and an assessment of the district’s present-day climate and functioning.

Since this letter, we have heard your concerns about the speed with which we have proceeded; frustrations we have also felt personally. But as quickly as we might wish to bring accountability and healing to what many of you have described as an institutional betrayal, we feel bound by our roles as elected officials to proceed with due diligence—a stepwise process, but one inspired by empathy for all those affected. We remain committed to a prudent process that:

Brattleboro Selectboard Special Meeting – Community Safety Review Update

by Not Signed In | Town News

The Brattleboro Selectboard will meet on Tuesday, December 14, 2021, at 6:15pm in the Second Floor Meeting Room at the Central Fire Station (103 Elliot Street). Everyone will be required to wear a face covering and maintain social distance. The public is encouraged to participate in the meeting over Zoom. The attached agenda contains information on how to access the meeting remotely, including the required “passcode.”  ASL interpreters will be available for deaf and hard-of-hearing community members.

Brattleboro Committee Meeting Agendas – RTM Human Services, Town Finance

by Not Signed In | Town News

The Brattleboro Human Services Committee will meet on Tuesday, December 14, 2021 at 1:00pm in the Selectboard Meeting Room and on Zoom. The attached agenda contains information on how to access the meeting remotely, including the required “passcode.” 

The Brattleboro RTM Finance Committee will meet on Thursday, December 16, 2021 at 5:30pm at the Brattleboro Food Co-op Café.

Vermont on PBS NewsHour

by cgrotke | Media

Vermont was featured on the national news last night. The PBS Newshour did a segment on Vermont and the pandemic. Our rising numbers contrast with our early successes and this makes for interesting news.

They said that Vermont’s numbers were up because 1) everyone got their shot early on so we’ve had a long time for the effects to weaken, and 2) variants are more contagious now.

People ending up in hospitals are mostly unvaccinated. People who are vaccinated are getting milder cases, but are transmitting it to those who are not vaccinated yet.  Booster shots aren’t as popular as the first round of vaccinations, either.

Julian McBrowne on”Here We Are”

by Wendy O'Connell | Entertainment

Next Stage Arts, Yellow Barn, Vermont Jazz Center – Julian McBrowne, Audio Engineer extaordinaire brings great sound and harmony wherever he goes – from our local venues to world tours and even a Caribbean island. Take a listen!

WSESD Board Meeting Agenda and Meeting Minutes

by Not Signed In | Education

AGENDA

I. CALL TO ORDER – 6:00 p.m. – David Schoales, Board Chair

II. CONSENT AGENDA
• CLERK’S REPORT – Approval of Minutes – November 9, November 16, November 19, November 30, December 9, 2021

III. Public Comment on Non-agenda Items (10 minutes)

Lighting Up The Park At Night

by cgrotke | Entertainment

I had to laugh last night during the Selectboard meeting. Dick DeGray, a former board member, called in to suggest putting lights in a park to illuminate a monument at night. It’s a good idea – flags and monuments should be lit, in my view – but it reminded me of our sock puppet selectboard special in which the sock puppet board debates putting lights in a park.

Enjoy the memories:

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Brattleboro Needs 500 Housing Units

by cgrotke | Town News
selectboard december 6, 2021

The Brattleboro Selectboard learned about housing issues and possible strategies for addressing some serious housing needs during their first regular meeting of December . 500 housing units is the low estimate of what Brattleboro needs, now, and the selectboard is eager to make it an actual goal.

The board also approved corrections and updates to a Civil War monument, preserving the original but annotating it with a new plaque and information about the people of color and lower classes of soldiers not named on the original. They won’t name them on the new plaque, but will be directed to further information.

WSESD Special Board Meeting Agenda

by Not Signed In | Education

AGENDA
I. CALL TO ORDER – 6:00 p.m. – David Schoales, Board Chair

II. Executive Session – 1VSA §313(a)(1)(E) – Pending or Probable Civil Litigation or a Prosecution, Which the Public Body is or May be a Party

BCTV Schedules Week of December 6, 2021

by BCTVProg | Media

Monday, December 6, 2021

5:00 am Sustainable Woodstock – Green Drinks Series – Weatherizing Your Home
5:45 am Brattleboro Literary Festival – Leah McGrath Goodman – Author of Ariana Huffington
6:30 am At BMAC – Artist Talk – B. Lynch
7:30 am The News Project – In Studio – Community Development With CEDS
8:00 am Democracy Now! – Democracy Now! Daily Broadcast

FOMAG Has Cancelled the 2021 Messiah Sing

by BusyMom | Music

For those who may not have heard the news already through other media, Friends of Music at Guilford tried to plan a Messiah Sing for this December but with rising COVID statistics, we decided it wasn’t worth the gamble, even with protocols in place. To quote from the FOMAG Facebook post…

Well, we hoped and we tried. We had the venue reserved, we had a conductor and keyboard and soloists. We felt optimistic as things were opening up late summer / early fall. We worked on protocols for preregistration, contact tracing, proof of vaccine, limited seating, even debated about proof of negative COVID tests. We held off on making any go / no-go decisions as long as possible. But those accursed COVID statistics have just been getting worse and worse.

Brattleboro Selectboard Meeting Agenda and Notes – December 7, 2021

by cgrotke | Town News

Traffic safety and recommendations for improvements to the Representative Town Meeting will be discussed at the next regular meeting of the Brattleboro Selectboard. New bike lanes, LED stop signs, and a request for a crosswalk are all in the mix for Tuesday.

The board will continue to provide free operating space for some local businesses who’d like to have larger establishments, and they’ll approve a correction to a very old piece of Town information.

You can bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.