Living

Living story sections

The Perils of For-Profit Health Care

by RDavis | Health

Luckily, Vermont is mostly protected from the inhumane harm that can be done when for-profit health care entities decide to leave a community because they can’t make enough money. Sadly, there is another story playing out in Massachusetts in a way that may do a lot of harm to a lot of people.

Steward Health Care operates nine hospitals in Massachusetts. Many of them are hospitals that have served their local community for a long time. If they close because of current financial troubles, it would create hardship for thousands of people and leave them scrambling to find health care providers as well as having to drive long distances to get to emergency rooms and doctors’ offices.

This country has embraced the notion that health care should be just another commodity from which profit should be extracted. After all, it would be unamerican for a business not to be able to extract profit while trying to manipulate market forces to its advantage. That is the American way.

Harris Hill Ski Jump in Brattleboro – 102nd Year

by Not Signed In | Recreation & Sports

WHAT:  The Harris Hill Ski Jump, the only Olympic sized ski jump in New England, is celebrating its 102nd year this weekend, February 16-18, 2024 in Brattleboro, Vermont.

On Friday, February 16, Harris Hill Ski Jump will host a Friday night target jump competition featuring athletes from the weekend’s lineup of international competitors. The event is FREE and a thank you to the greater Brattleboro community for its continued support of the annual ski jumping event. Live announcing and some limited hot drinks will be available for sale for Friday.

Plop, Plop, Fizz, Fizz

by AnneODyne | Health

We often hear advice, ward off dementia by staying mentally active. Learn a language, pick up a new instrument, take up a puzzle routine. Having recently lost a family member to that disease, and now being much more aware of its prevalence, (seemingly more and more-so) I’ve come to question that prescription. Not that mental engagement isn’t worthwhile for many other reasons, but as deterrent to the mysterious disintegration of the mind in these diseases I have my doubts.

Off the top of my head, a quick look at some well known people who were brilliant in life and succumbed to dementia. Saul Bellow- Nobel winning novelist (and part-time Brattleboro resident), Terry Jones- Monty Python director/writer/actor, Gene Wilder- writer of books, Young Frankenstein, and actor in many classic films, Ronald Reagan, Joanne Woodward, Bruce Willis, Rosa Parks, Robin Williams…the list goes on.

New Program to Support the Seriously Ill Needs Volunteers

by EileenBAH | Living

Brattleboro Area Hospice will be offering a new program that will help to support people with a recently diagnosed, serious but treatable illness.

This is a wonderful opportunity to work with clients who are learning to live and thrive while they adjust to the changes that a serious illness brings. 

We need volunteers in place before we can launch! 

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

by cgrotke | Health

Here’s the February 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.

Recipe: Banana Smoothie

by CCM Holland Mills | Food

required:

blender, I use a cheap Hamilton Beach item I got on amazon for about $25
4 medium sized bananas
1 heaping tablespoon wheat germ (on the lowest shelf @Market32)
1 cup Stonyfield vanilla yogurt
1 cup orange juice
1 cup milk
drizzle with honey

Never Forget

by RDavis | Activism

Should we continue to remind people of what an evil, manipulating and dangerous sociopath Donald Trump is? His followers will never accept any form of truth and the rest of us are living in fear of him becoming President again.

I was reminded of the statement by German Lutheran pastor Martin Niemoller. At first he sympathized with many of the ideas in Nazi Germany, but when Hitler came to power he became a critic and ended up in prison. His words are as relevant today as they were in Nazi Germany.

“First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist.

Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.”

Brattleboro Dog and Wolf-Hybrid Licenses Available

by Not Signed In | Pets

Annual Brattleboro dog and wolf-hybrid licenses are available for the 2024 licensing period. All current dog owners will be mailed a renewal notice in early February. To renew an existing dog license, return your payment and renewal notice with updated rabies vaccine information by April 1, 2024.

LICENSING FEES ON OR BEFORE APRIL 1

NEUTERED $19

UNNEUTERED $23

Connecticut River Joint Commissions Receives Grant from State of Vermont

by Not Signed In | Nature

The Connecticut River Joint Commissions (CRJC) is pleased to announce that it has received a $35,000 grant through the State of Vermont Agency of Natural Resources Department of Environmental Conservation. This grant funds CRJC’s work program for November 2023 to October 2024. Additional funding is provided by New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services.

These funds will allow the CRJC to continue its emphasis on the grassroots, locally focused work of its five local river subcommittees and the broader implementation of its river management plan. The CRJC focuses on the key issues facing the Connecticut River watershed of Vermont and New Hampshire and plays the vital bi-state role of convening, catalyzing, and leading dialogue on these regional issues.

Medicaid & Health Resource Drop-in Hours

by ESchwartz | Health

Have you been cut off of Medicaid, or are you concerned that you may become ineligible? Are you on Medicare and unable to afford a supplement? Are you concerned about going into medical debt?

The Vermont Workers’ Center is hosting drop-in informational hours on Feb. 6 from 3:00-5:30 PM in the Brooks Memorial Library Community Meeting Room, 224 Main St, Brattleboro. All are welcome to stop in to get updated about Medicaid, Medicare Savings Programs, and other health care resources. You can find out about your rights in this process and review any communications you have received about Medicaid or other health insurance.

They’re Talking About Homelessness Again

by RDavis | Activism

It goes in cycles. The public conscience gets activated and politicians and policymakers talk about the crisis of homelessness and about how something needs to be done about it. There is a lot of talk, a few stories by major media outlets for a few weeks or months, and then not much changes.

To be fair, there are a number of programs around the country that create housing for homeless people and they do make life better for people as long as there is solid case management support and motivation for people to improve their lives. Brattleboro, Vermont has a number of organizations serving the homeless and, despite growing in capacity and comprehensiveness over the years, they are faced with a Sisyphean task.

Sadly, Vermont has the second highest rate of homelessness in the country. We have a severe shortage of affordable housing, prices for homes that are too high and high property taxes that make it difficult for too many people to stay in their homes as they age and try to live on fixed incomes.

Brattleboro 2024 Dog and Wolf-Hybrid Licenses Due

by Not Signed In | Pets

The Brattleboro Town Clerks office is working on a new portal that will streamline the dog licensing process for dog owners, making it quicker and more efficient. Unfortunately, that launch of that portal has been delayed. Once the portal is ready, dog owners will receive renewal paperwork in the mail with instructions on how to access and use the new portal through our website.

If a dog owner needs to license their dog(s) prior to the launch of this portal, they may do so in the same ways that they have license in the past: by visiting the Town Clerk’s office, paying the fee online, or by submitting a check through the mail or the drop-box (please include a note indicating the name of the owner(s) and dog(s) that are being licensed). These methods will remain available after the launch of the portal.

Lunar New Year of China, Vietnam, and Korea

by ACCVT | Family

Asian Cultural Center of Vermont (ACCVT) celebrates the Lunar New Year Festival of China, Korea and Vietnam Saturday, February 10th, 1-3pm. You don’t have to be Asian or know anything about Asia to participate! Join us at the Brattleboro Museum and Art Center to usher in the year of the Green Wood Dragon. With this rare combination of the Dragon’s power and Wood’s creativity, 2024 brings a year of innovation, vision and growth. The Wood Dragon year promises to be dynamic and unpredictable.

We will start our celebration with a potluck: bring a dish to share. Then join us for traditional Chinese Dance with Nan Jiang Hyde, group Taiji and Qigong, Korean Tug-of-War, and New Year crafts featuring make-your-own dragon puppets. We end our celebration with a Dragon parade from the Museum up Main Street to bring us luck for the coming year. Don’t miss the chance to dance with the 30-foot dragon. This extraordinary dragon was created by an accomplished Vietnamese craftsman.

Low Income Senior Citizens Notified We Will Lose Program That Helps Pay For Internet In April!

by CrisEricson2016 | Home & Garden

Hello, I’m 71 going on 72 years old, I live alone with my dog, and I don’t know if I will be able to afford internet when this program ends in April. This email was sent to me by VTEL:

On Tuesday, January 16, 2024 at 04:06:05 PM EST, vermontel-no-reply@smarthub.coop wrote:

Dear Valued ACP Customer,

We regret to inform you that the FCC has advised us of the potential ending of the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) in the very near future.

Reflections On Retirement

by RDavis | Living

I have had over eight years to learn something about the stage of life that is called retirement. Sadly, in this country retirement is almost totally a financial issue and not everyone has the means to be able to set a date when they will no longer work for a living. The numbers have to work and living solely on Social Security is pretty close to impossible in today’s economy.

According to the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College, half of all Americans would have to lower their standard of living in order to retire. That means that those 50% of Americans have no retirement savings and they face the prospect of having to have an income from work for the rest of their lives.

Warm Winter Coats – Donation Boxes

by sheep2 | Activism

Please donate clean, gently used coats and boots for men, women, and children of all sizes

Drop off boxes are on the porch of The General Store in Putney and at the Brattleboro Coop entrance

Groundworks is currently housing, feeding, and supporting 200+ neighbors experiencing homelessness.