Hospital Safety Scores

You can look up the safety rating for a particular hospital or for all the hospitals in a certain city or an entire state at:  http://www.hospitalsafetyscore.org/

Hospitals are given a grade, such as “A” “B” or “C” and you can also see the detailed breakdown for each category contributing to the overall score. For example, one category is: Surgery Patients Received Appropriate Treatment to Prevent Blood Clots at the Right Time.


Supposed Call from Microsoft Windows Trouble Desk?

I just received a call from California, 408-023-6901, saying they were from regarding microsoft windows having some problem.  I asked for a little more info, and he started asking to verify info about my computer, which I refused to answer, and said if there were a problem I would expect an email regarding this, and, unfortunately, I started to raise my voice, and he hung up.  Has anyone else gotten a call like this, and reported it to anyone?  Any other info?  Thanks.


Harris Hill Ski Jump Wins Jumping/Nordic Combined Club of the Year at USSA Congress

Brattleboro, Vt. — The Harris Hill Ski Jump committee, which manages the annual Harris Hill Ski Jumping Competition in Brattleboro, was awarded Jumping/Nordic Combined Club of the Year at the 2013 U.S. Ski & Snowboard Association (USSA) Congress. The annual USSA Congress awards not only clubs but coaches, athletes and resorts who display exemplary service to the sports of skiing and snowboarding.

Peter Graves, former Putney resident, Harris Hill committee member and snowsports announcer, and currently Communications Director for USA Ski Jumping, accepted the award on behalf of the organization at the Congress which was held in Park City, Utah in late May.


National Farmers’ Market Week: Write a Love Letter to Your Farmers at the Wednesday, Saturday Markets

Celebrate National Farmers’ Market Appreciation Week!

Show your local farms and farmers’ markets some love with a note of appreciation, and yourself with some fresh sungolds or peaches: Write a note of appreciation to your farmers at the Wednesday Farmers’ Market, downtown by the coop, 10am to 2pm. The market will host more love letter writing at the Saturday Farmers’ Market, outdoors on Rte 9 in West Brattleboro, from 9am to 2pm.

EBT and debit are welcome at both markets. Summer harvest is at it’s peak– come get some vine-ripened tomatoes, blueberries, fresh basil, greens, and salad fixings, peaches ripened on the tree, plums and apples, amazing veggies, flowers, and more. Market vendors offer dazzling globe-spanning cuisine and gorgeous handmade crafts and adornments.


Hunting for Beauty, and Finding It Here

To those of you fellow citizens who awoke to a grey sky this morning. . .

if you had been up at 5:30, you would have seen the glorious sky known as the “pink – blue sky” to the east, above Wantastiquet.

It only lasts a short time, but it is a good sight for the eyes that have just come out of the dark and from sleep into the day.

It also reminds me of an idea I had for a photo excursion. In the winter, I frequently suffer from the blahs; the dark crowds in on me, and the cold saps me some. I have taken to going out, when I am in a bad mood, and trying to find beauty. Just the activity of trying to find moments and scenes of beauty, is restorative to my feeling of well being.


July 31st – SeVWA’s Fourth River Monitoring Day of the 2013 Season

Southeastern Vermont Watershed Alliance’s(SeVWA’s) water quality monitoring program was begun about 10 years ago. At that time, the organization was known as West River Watershed Alliance (WRWA).The 2013 river and stream monitoring program began on Wednesday, June 19th and this past Wednesday was SeVWA’s fourth 2013 river sampling day. 


CRVBL Playoff Matchups At Stake In Final Regular Season Weekend

The Connecticut River Valley Baseball League wraps up the 2013 regular season this weekend with all eight adult town teams in action with playoff seedings and matchups at stake. The action begins on Friday evening at 6:30 in Claremont as the defending league champion Cardinals host the Walpole Wild Blue. The two teams are currently tied for second place with records of 8 wins and four losses. Sunday morning at 10, the Putney Fossils and Brattleboro River Rats meet at Dummerston Field, and a win for Putney could move them ahead of the Newport Polar Bears in the playoff seeding. The regular season wraps up with a pair of games at 11 a.m. Sunday as Claremont hosts the Sunapee Old Lakers at Barnes Park while the Keene Black Dawgs take on Walpole at Keene State College.


Turtles to Toads – Live Animal Program at the Brooks Memorial Library

Turtles to Toads – LIVE ANIMAL PROGRAM at the Brooks Memorial Library 
Explore the worlds of repitles and amphibians through an interactive slideshow, touchable artifacts and live animals.

Saturday, August 3, 10:30 AM
Main Room

Presented by the Southern Vermont Natural History Museum as part of the Dig into Reading Summer Reading Program. 

Space is limited. Register by calling 254-5290 ext 110.


BMH Hires New Finance Director

Brattleboro Memorial Hospital official announced they have hired Bob Rovella to be the new Director of Finance.

Rovella joins BMH after serving as Director of Finance at Central Vermont Medical Center in Barre, Vermont. Previously, he has held similar positions at Cooley Dickinson Hospital in Northampton, Massachusetts and Lakes Region General Hospital in Laconia, New Hampshire. Rovella has an MBA from the UMASS Isenberg School of Business and a BS in Accounting and Business Administration from Connecticut State University.


Film Showing – Tipping Point: The Age of the Oil Sands

Tar Sands Oil: How You Can STOP It!

“Tipping
Point: The Age of the Oil Sands” a  CBC documentary film about the environmental issue of the proposed pipeline through the Northeast Kingdom. Sponsored by All Souls Church and Vermont Interfaith Power and Light. To be shown at All Souls Church, West Brattleboro on Wednesday, August 21st at 6pm. 

Discussion and light refreshments after the film. A free-will offering to benefit Vermont Interfaith Power and Light will be collected. 

For further information please contact: Betsy Hardy at 802-434-3397 or email: info@vtipl.org.


AARP Safe Driving Class for Senior Citizens, August 24

Brattleboro Memorial Hospital and AARP are co-sponsoring a Driver Safety program on Saturday, August 24 from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM in the Brew Barry Conference Room.

This driver’s refresher course is for people ages 55 and over and is designed to provide awareness of aging as it affects driving. The class covers normal physical changes associated with aging, provides practical techniques to compensate and review “rules of the road” with an emphasis on defensive driving practices.

Space is limited to 20 participants. The cost is $12.00 for AARP members with a membership card & $14.00 for non-AARP members. Call 802-251-8425 to register in advance. Fee covers materials only. Participants are encouraged to bring a lunch.


Free Time and Less Supervision During the Summer Can Be Exciting and Dangerous for Youth

Prescription drugs are so commonly used that some mistakenly believe they are harmless. These medications in your home may be easily accessible to youth, who often have a misperception that misusing medications is a safe way to get high. Many prescription medications, especially pain relievers and stimulants, can be extremely dangerous when used improperly, such as in combination with other drugs and/or alcohol. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administrations (SAMHSA), more free time and less adult supervision can make the summertime an exciting time for many young people, but it can also increase the likelihood of exposure to dangers and substance use.


CRVBL Weekend Roundup – Wins for Putney, Claremont, and Walpole

PUTNEY, CLAREMONT AND WALPOLE LATEST CRVBL WINNERS

By Kevin McElhinney, CRVBL

With the Connecticut River Valley Baseball League playoffs less than three weeks away, the Putney Fossils, the Claremont Cardinals and the Walpole Wild Blue all scored important regular season victories
in recent action.

At Dummerston Field, Putney benefitted from eight strong innings by starting pitcher Dave Guadalupe, as the Fossils beat the Sunapee Old Lakers, 8 to 4. Guadalupe gave up just one earned run on five hits before giving way to Richard Bissell who earned the save. Offensively, catcher Steve Stanley knocked in four runs on three hits, Brandon Reilly tripled, scored three runs and stole two bases while shortstop Nick Garcia went two for four, stole two bases and drove in a run.


West River Trail To Close Temporarily Under I-91

Trail closure under I-91 bridge, July 29-Aug. 2 and August 5-6

Attention West River Trail users: The area under the I-91 bridge will be temporarily closed from Monday, July 29 to Friday, August 2 due to utility conduit work. From immediately north of the bridge, the trail will be open. To access the trail north of the bridge, use the access from Rice Farm Road (go up Route 30, cross the Iron Bridge, take a right, past the Nature Conservancy trailhead, and look for the chain across the northern end of the West River Trail, on the right.)


Calling All Truckers! 5th Annual Brattleboro Memorial Hospital Touch a Truck Event

Plans for the 5th Annual Brattleboro Memorial Hospital Touch a Truck event are underway. And we would love for you to participate.

This fun event annually brings over 50 vehicles to the BMH parking lot for kids (and many adults) to look at, climb on and explore. Fire trucks, police cruisers, motorcycles, backhoes, dump trucks, school buses and many, many more converge for a few hours. Last year it is estimated that over 800 children attended.