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After a Satori

by spinoza | Education

A kick to the eye. The sudden illumination, awakening. Then what? We’re faced with a choice- act boldly, or obsequiously fall in line.

It’s often said, we are social creatures. But what does that mean? Our genome evolved over millions of years (over a hundred thousand for our exact species). We were formed and given form through hunter/gather/foraging methods. Small bands of people acting cooperatively, non-hierarchal power structures, harmonious interaction with the land and its lifeforms.

Then, yesterday, or a few thousand years ago, through agriculture and pastoral living- we became sedentary, fenced in by boundaries and ideologies, controlled. Our population mushroomed, territories were annexed. Horsemen were elevated to warriors, shamans and chiefs told us what was what, the conquering hero was set loose upon the world. While the amount of labor- and dull labor at that- increased exponentially.

Brattleboro Representative Town Meeting Articles

by cgrotke | Town News

Below you’ll find a handy guide to the Town’s half of the Town Meeting Articles (the Schools half I couldn’t find; if you have it add it in the comments).

Brattleboro’s Representative Town Meeting is Saturday at the high school on Fairground Road. BCTV will be there covering the events of the day, and we’ll be streaming their signal here so you can observe and make comments from the proverbial peanut gallery.

Songwriter’s Roundtable w/ Lisa McCormick & John Sheldon, March 29

by Ruthie | Music

The Arts Block in downtown Greenfield, MA, announces a new musical series, the “Songwriter’s Roundtable.” 

The first show in the series takes place on Friday, March 29, at 8pm, and features guest stars Lisa McCormick and John Sheldon. 

The music will be presented in a “song circle” format where the artists trade songs during the sets. There will also be time for questions and open discussions about the songs and the process of songwriting and performing. 

Rockingham Library Leads Trip to Boston’s Isabell Stewart Gardener Museum–Saturday, April 13

by Not Signed In | Travel

The Rockingham Free Public Library is planning an excursion to Boston and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum for Saturday, April 13. A chartered bus will depart Bellows Falls at 7AM, returning at 7PM. The cost is $95 per person and includes round trip transportation and a museum tour. There will be time for shopping and lunch in addition to the tour.

NEYT Jazzes up its Spring Fundraising

by Not Signed In | Arts

Friday April 19th, at 6:00pm New England Youth Theatre will be rolling out the red carpet for a special gala fundraising event!

Join us for delicious French cuisine from local chefs, an assortment of fine wine, and live music performed by Deniz Cordell at 6pm.

Then enjoy a NEYT senior company performance of Scapin, written by France’s king of comedy – Moliere. NEYT uses the rave review off-Broadway adaptation created by America’s most famous clowns, Bill Irwin and Mark O’Donnell, who starred in the original Broadway production. It is literally laugh-a-second mayhem!

Another Loss for Brattleboro – Adivasi

by KAlden | Business

I was saddened to hear that ADIVASI will be closing it’s beautiful store on Flat Street. It hs always been a favorite place of mine to pick up an unusual gift or a beautiful tablecloth while supporting independent artisans. This is a huge loss for our town. I wish the family well.

One of the Best Little Towns!

by KAlden | Town News

Brattleboro has been named one of the 10 best towns in the US by Fodor’s magazine! Despite all our problems and all the complaining it’s still a pretty good place to live. Also included in the top 10 was Provincetown, Massachusetts- one of my favorite places to spend time.

www.fodors.com

Book Series: Two Hundred Years of Pride and Prejudice: A Look at Jane Austen’s Endurance

by Brooks Memorial Library | Books

Two Hundred Years of Pride and Prejudice: A Look at Jane Austen’s Endurance: A Two Book Reading Series

The reading/discussion series: Jane Austen Endures will celebrate the 200th anniversary of Pride and Prejudice and explore Austen’s publishing staying power. The two-book series sponsored by the Vermont Humanities Council will also examine Austen’s universal appeal, her talent for capturing the time she lived in, and her comic, satiric tone, among other aspects of her writing.

Thursday April 4, 2013 1:30 PM until 3:00 PM
Richard Wizansky will lead a discussion on April 4, 2013, beginning at 1:30 PM in the Library’s meeting room on Pride and Prejudice.

Escape the Snow: Film Festival: Travel to Vacanza in Italia

by Brooks Memorial Library | Entertainment

Vacanza in Italia Film Festival: Contact Library for this week’s film title, Wednesday March 20, 20136:30 PM until 9:00 PM

What causes people to travel to Italy? Is it the food, the pace of life, the sun? Or is it the civilizing influence of all of this. Do they always find what they think they should?

Please join fellow cinephiles at Brooks Memorial Library for a series of films that will make you want to “vacanza in Italia.”

Selectboard Meeting Notes: Tax Stabilization For Brooks House, Departing Board Members Say Good-Bye

by cgrotke | Town News

Amidst discussions of Brooks House tax stabilization and other business came the final thoughts and words of three Selectboard members sharing a final regular Tuesday meeting together. The two longest serving agreed that Brattleboro could use a mayor.

The Brooks House got their savings, Chris Chapman started a discussion about future plans for the Brattleboro’s earliest existing train station, the utility budget was approved for FY14, and many liquor licenses were approved en masse.

Curbside Composting video

by Mosski | Home & Garden

Here is the link to “Brattleboro Curbside Composting” You Tube video. http://youtu.be/kfoD2ZkPufc

Please watch it and learn the why’s and how’s of Curbside Composting. Share with your friends and neighbors who have doubts or questions about the Curbside Composting program.

The Lonely Heartstring Band at Hooker-Dunham Theater & Gallery on Saturday, March 23

by Not Signed In | Music

Twilight Music presents The Lonely Heartstring Band, a dynamic new quintet of Berklee College of Music students who share a love of bluegrass and acoustic music, as well as the music of the Beatles, at Hooker-Dunham Theater & Gallery on Saturday, March 23 at 7:30 pm.

George Clements, Matt Witler, Gabe Hirshfeld and Louis Fram play traditional and original songs as well as the songs of the Beatles, which they play as close to the original arrangements as possible, while adding their own influences. They create a new and unique sound using the standard bluegrass lineup of instruments – guitar, mandolin, fiddle, banjo and acoustic bass.

The Robert H. Gibson River Garden, Inc.

by JohnWilmerding | Town News

The River Garden as Part of our Commons

[Click ‘Read More’ below if you wish to read the many statements made on behalf of the River Garden at the meeting described below. — JW]

If you’re interested in saving the River Garden for public use, or even if you aren’t, please read these statements excerpted from the record of the Brattleboro Selectboard meeting of December 5, 2006 – the topic at hand was whether or not the Town should ask the State Legislature for “forgiveness” of a restriction attached to the first State grant of $150,000 used to purchase the land where the River Garden now stands, which stated that the Town or BaBB would have to pay the Legislature back those funds were the River Garden ever to be sold to a private individual or a for-profit entity. The ‘suitor’ or prospective purchaser of the property at that time was Tony Elliott’s Windham Development Group, LLC, the recent renovator of the Windham Hotel in Bellows Falls.

What Is A Homeowner Suppose To Do?

by RLElkins | Opinion

2012 will be remembered as an extraordinarily difficult year for Brattleboro residents. Since January the Vermont Legislature has voted out of committee to increase the state education tax rate by five cents; to increase the gas tax by two cents with another eight cent increase in the future; and to tax any drink containing sugar at one cent per ounce that will add thirty-three cents to the price of a liter.

At the local level property owners will be hit with a projected utility budget deficit of $600,000; the annual increase in the water and sewer rates for the new treatment plant; the increase in property taxes for the new fire and police station; the increase in the town operating budget; the increase in the town school budget; and the increase in the BUHS budget. Adding to the taxpayer’s misery is a town grand list that has flat-lined.

What is a homeowner suppose to do?

Representative Welch Introduces Two Bills to Boost Vermont Maple Industry

by Not Signed In | Politics

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Mar. 19, 2013) – With maple season in full swing, Rep. Peter Welch is pushing two bills to promote Vermont’s maple industry and make sugaring operations more energy efficient.

“Maple syrup and those who produce it are part of the fabric of Vermont,” Welch said. “Their trade goes back generations and is an important part of our economy as well as a key defining characteristic of our state brand. These investments in the maple industry will ensure it remains a strong part of Vermont’s economy and identity for generations to come.”