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Prescription Drug Access Seminar

by RDavis | Health

Richard Davis RN, long-time health care advocate, will be offering an information seminar for Windham County residents who are looking to find out the best way to buy prescription medications at the lowest price.

With the closing of Hotel Pharmacy and Brattleboro Pharmacy people are facing confusing and difficult choices finding out how to continue getting their prescriptions filled.

This seminar is for people who do not have insurance for medications. If you have Medicare D or are enrolled in a prescription drug insurance program this seminar is not for you.

BCTV Schedule – Week of January 9, 2023

by BCTVProg | Media

Sunday, January 8, 2023

12:00 am The David Pakman Show – The David Pakman Show – Weekly Broadcast

1:00 am Energy Week with George Harvey – This Week’s Energy News

2:05 am Green Mountain Care Board – 12/14/22

Monday, January 9, 2023

5:05 am VT Legislative Summit – Child Care and Paid Leave (12/8/22)

6:30 am Brattleboro Selectboard – Brattleboro SB Mtg 12/21/22

10:30 am Cannabis Control Board – December 21, 2022

Hotel Pharmacy Going Out of Business Soon!

by MD | Town News

I just learned this sad fact. Even if it’s been posted here already it’s worth saying again. The insurance system doesn’t support independent pharmacies–they don’t pay Hotel what medications cost, for cryin’ out loud. Hotel’s hung on as long as it could; word is we’ll lose their welcoming downtown presence in about 2 weeks. Many of us support our local vendors and producers. It’s a sorry state of affairs to see any of these businesses go. We’ll miss all the folks who were part of that fabric.

Brattleboro Selectboard Special Meeting Agenda January 10, 2023

by Not Signed In | Town News

The Brattleboro Selectboard will hold a special meeting on Tuesday, January 10, 2023 at 5:15pm and is expected to enter immediately into executive session to discuss contracts and labor relations agreements with employees. The Selectboard will reconvene the business part of the meeting at 6:15pm in the Selectboard Meeting Room at the Brattleboro Municipal Center at 230 Main Street. The public may also 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.

Balla Kouyaté and Mike Block at Next Stage on February 5th

by hahrenholz | Music

Next Stage Arts presents a concert with Malian balafon player and singer Balla Kouyaté and American cellist, singer, and composer Mike Block, on Sunday, February 5 at 4:00 pm. Composer, kora player, percussionist and vocalist John Hughes opens.

Balla Kouyaté and Mike Block have been collaborating for over a decade, bonding over their shared interest in music from across the world, and their commitment to innovating on their instruments. Balla Kouyate, a balafon player and singer coming out of the Djeli tradition of Mali, was awarded a National Heritage Fellowship from the NEA. Mike Block is an American cellist/singer/composer, and a Grammy Award-winning musician with the Silk Road Ensemble originally trained in Western Classical music.

Brattleboro Committee Vacancies

by Not Signed In | Town News

The Town of Brattleboro is looking for citizens to serve on the following committees and boards:
ADA Committee
Arts Committee
Brattleboro Housing Partnerships
Citizen Police Communications Committee (CPCC)
Conservation Commission
Design Review Board (Alternate)

Brattleboro Committee Meeting Warnings

by Not Signed In | Town News

The Brattleboro Charter Review Commission will meet on Thursday, January 12, 2023 at 6:00pm in the Selectboard Meeting Room at the Municipal Center (230 Main Street).

The Brattleboro RTM Finance Committee will meet on Monday, January 16, 2023 at 6:00pm in the Central Fire Station Meeting Room (103 Elliot Street).

Vermont Governor Scott’s Inaugural Address – Full Text

by cgrotke | Politics

Governor Scott was sworn-in again today and gave the following address to kick off his new term.

“Madam Speaker, Mr. President, Mr. Chief Justice, Members of the General Assembly, Honored Guests, and fellow Vermonters.

I am truly thankful for the opportunity to continue to serve as governor.

And after a few long years, it is good to be back in the people’s house, where Vermonters have come together from across the state in our darkest times and finest hours to solve problems for their communities and help their neighbors.

So today, I am especially grateful we are here, in this building, together.

WSESU Board Meeting Agenda and Minutes

by Not Signed In | Education

Discussion of Budget. Highlights:
a. “Budget season” is misnomer since budget development is year-long process and Board members always have a fiduciary responsibility with every decision made. Steps taken today are not set in stone. Goal is always what’s best for our students.

b. Review of same budget doc presented last week showing a $31,253,290 m budget for SU down 3.2% from last year

Medicare Threat Is Escalating

by RDavis | Health

Seniors continue to flock to enroll in Medicare Advantage plans. Most don’t know that they are helping to convert the program into just another private insurance plan. The insurance companies have been able to lure people in with low cost or no premiums and enticements that seem to good to be true.

There is a reason that the insurance industry advertising blitz has been so pervasive and relentless this year. Insurance companies are reaping higher profits from Medicare Advantage and, even though there is a high level of fraud and abuse, the companies committing these crimes simply pay fines and make it part of “just doing business”.

The Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP) has been one of the few activist organizations working hard to educate the public about the threat to Medicare and to provide factual information about what is going on. They have launched a new effort to get the word out and I am extracting some of the more important points.

WSESD Finance Committee Meeting Agenda and Minutes

by Not Signed In | Education

WSESD CFO Frank Rucker shared and reviewed a document: “Windham Southeast School District: FY24 Proposed Budget Summary.” He noted this document is on the website, and he will distribute copies to all WSESD Board members at their meeting tonight. Mr. Rucker also distributed a document, “WSESD FY24 Budget Detail,” to attendees, and indicated he had already emailed it to Board members. Highlights of Mr. Rucker’s budget presentation included:

• The total “general operating expenditures” portion of the proposed budget is $62,944,634, which reflects an increase of 3.2% over the previous year’s budget.

Brattleboro Charter Amendment Hearing – Protections for Residential Tenants

by Not Signed In | Activism

The Brattleboro Selectboard will hold two public hearings to discuss a Charter Amendment. The first public hearing will be held on Friday, February 3, 2023 at 6:15pm in the Selectboard Meeting Room at the Municipal Center (230 Main Street) and the second public hearing will be held during a scheduled Selectboard meeting on Tuesday, February 7, 2023 at 6:15pm in the Selectboard meeting room.

BCTV Schedules- Week of January 4, 2023

by BCTVProg | Media

Tuesday, January 3, 2023

4:32 pm Waterbury Public Library – The Honeybee Steelband 10/8/22

5:50 pm Brattleboro Literary Festival – Nancy Rubin Stuart

6:30 pm Vermontitude – Unpacking AP Triton 12/27/22

7:00 pm Democracy Now! – Democracy Now! Daily Broadcast

Selectboard Meeting Notes – In-Person Representative Town Meeting, Alcohol Rules Relaxed

by cgrotke | Town News
selectboard jan 3 2023

The Brattleboro Selectboard held their first regular meeting of the new year, and new Town Manager John Potter was on hand to answer questions and advise the board.

They discussed changes to the liquor license application requirements, backing off a previous BAPC suggestion that hasn’t had the desired results. They also had an extended discussion about the type of Representative Town meeting to hold this year, and heard from the public about homeless people and cold weather.

Brattleboro Dog and Wolf-Hybrid Licenses Available

by Not Signed In | Pets

Brattleboro dog and wolf-hybrid licenses are available for the 2023 licensing period.  Vermont dogs and wolf-hybrids 6 months of age and older must be licensed on or before April 1. 

Renewal licenses may be obtained in person at the Town Clerk’s office, by using the drop box in the Municipal Center parking lot, through the mail or online at www.brattleboro.org.   Dogs being licensed in Brattleboro for the first time will need a current rabies certificate and application form which is available on the website or at the Town Clerk’s office. 

Brattleboro Tree Advisory Committee Meeting – Shade Tree Ordinance

by Not Signed In | Town Plan

The regular meeting will be preceded, in the same room, by a public hearing of the tree removals at Pliny Park at 3:30 followed by the first public input, if any, concerning the Shade Tree Ordinance at 4:15. All board members are encouraged to attend these
hearings. The regular Board meeting will immediately follow the completion of public input on the Shade Tree Ordinance.

Brattleboro and VT COVID-19 Regional Dashboard Summary – January 2023

by cgrotke | Health

Here’s the January 2023 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.

Vermont and MA have very limited looks at what are going on these days, with weekly snapshots. NH attempts daily updates but doesn’t always give new totals. We continue to try…. : )