

Issue #541

Brattleboro celebrates Last Night 2019

Brattleboro's Last Night Committee will present a fun-filled and substance-free day of celebration for all ages on New Year's Eve on Tuesday, Dec. 31.

The day kicks off with activities for both seniors and toddlers. There will be a Senior Potluck Luncheon at the Brattleboro Senior Center from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., with the Rob Fletcher Trio as musical guests.

From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., KidsPLAYce is holding Toddler and Preschool Free Play. For more information call 802-254-5212.

From 1 to 4 p.m., folks can enjoy sleigh and hay rides at Fairwinds Farm on Upper Dummerston Road (no dogs, please). The cost is $8 for adults and $4 for children up to 12 years.

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Proposed museum building: home of the Whopper?

I was intrigued by the architect's illustration of the proposed Brattleboro Museum & Art Center. Glancing at it, at first I thought it was a picture of the new Burger King under construction at Exit 1, taken before the advertising logos were on. Of course, I quickly realized my...

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‘They paid for the groceries that I didn’t have enough money for’

I believe in kindness and good. On Dec. 7, at approximately 7 p.m., I was shopping for groceries at Market Basket in Swanzey, N.H. While shopping. I knew I had only $175 and I couldn't go over that amount. I had figured out that exactly what I needed for...

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We honor the work of the Marlboro College community, and warn of its loss

A few days ago, we were present at “Dances in the Rough,” a performance of dance at the Serkin Center for performing arts at Marlboro College. These were works-in-progress presented every semester by the students. Another similar presentation of visual art in progress, “Open Studios,” is on view at the Snyder Center for Visual Art and surrounding buildings. During each semester, particularly at the end, these kinds of events are preceded and followed by readings from young poets and playwrights.

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NECCA presents 'The Flying Nut: 'Tis the Sea-son'

The New England Center for Circus Arts has presented their reimagining of The Nutcracker since 2009. This year's production, The Flying Nut: 'Tis the Sea-son, in NECCA's custom-built circus trapezium, offers another high-flying celebration of circus joy - this time with a dose of midwinter tropical delight. Join the Stahlbaum family as their children receive a gift that starts them on a journey to strange and fascinating lands, where crabs do trapeze and flamingos dance on an oceanscape far from...

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Personal attacks on Marlboro president disparage us all

The issue of Marlboro College's future has elicited considerable discussion, which is all to the good. Indeed, this has been the College's hope as it seeks the best possible future for its students, its faculty and staff, its property, and the continued support of its alumni. Such discussion and the acknowledgment of the loss and grief that many of us, understandably, feel are both necessary and totally understandable. And our hearts go out to all of our neighbors who are...

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Humane Society launches campaign for major expansion

The Windham County Humane Society has announced a major expansion project for their Brattleboro facility that will double the size of the existing building and help to provide a greater level of care for animals and pet owners throughout Windham County. The original building, constructed nearly 20 years ago, was adequate when the society was handling 300 animals a year, but the WCHS now helps over 1,700 animals within the same space. Over the years, the shelter has seen increased...

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A young candidate misses the mark

When I listen to mayor Pete Buttigieg during a debate or interview, my old English-major heart all but swoons. His choice of words and turns of phrase are exquisite and often downright eloquent. Even his off-the-cuff responses rarely include the usual uhs and you knows - plus, he knows the correct usage of fewer versus less. Now that's exciting! This guy has definitely read the classics, and he's a student of history - my kind of guy. His views are...

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No paper next week

As has been our custom for years, The Commons will not publish the last week of the year. And in related news, we will be doing this sort of thing a little more frequently in 2020. Starting in the spring, we will publish four issues per month. On months with five Wednesdays, the paper will not publish that fifth issue. That means that in 2020, no paper will be published April 29, July 29, Sept. 23, and Dec. 30. This...

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Rani Arbo & daisy mayhem bring ‘Wintersong’ to Next Stage

Next Stage Arts Project and Twilight Music welcome back acclaimed roots, rhythm, and harmony quartet Rani Arbo & daisy mayhem to perform their Wintersong program at Next Stage on Saturday, Dec. 21, at 7:30 pm. Wintersong is a “celebratory, poetic, reflective collection of seasonal songs, an ode to light and dark at the turning of the year,” according to a news release. Rani Arbo & daisy mayhem feature four-part vocal harmonies, fiddle, acoustic, and electric guitars, bass and a homemade...

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How to avoid a financial meltdown this holiday season

Consumers spent more than $700 billion on holiday shopping in 2018. With this year's holiday shopping season in full swing, Brattleboro Savings & Loan is highlighting five tips to help consumers keep their holiday spending under control. “There are so many people to shop for during the holidays, and big sales can make it easy to overextend your finances in the hustle and bustle of the season,” BS&L President and CEO Dan Yates said in a news release. “It's essential...

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Around the Towns

Fire Dept. says it's time to schedule rental property inspectionsBRATTLEBORO - Assistant Fire Chief and Health Officer Leonard Howard III says all rental properties in the town of Brattleboro need to be registered, and that Zone 1 properties need to call the fire station to schedule an inspection. The registration form can be found on brattleborofd.org or the Town of Brattleboro website. If there are questions, call the Fire Department at 802-254 4831. Zone 1 covers the following streets: Buttonwood...

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Milestones

Obituaries • Arthur Lewis “Art” Brunell, 81, of Washington Terrace, Utah, formerly of Vermont. Died Dec. 6, 2019. He was born in Wardsboro on Aug. 27, 1938, the son of Beatrice Lackey Brunell Wintle and William Brunell, Jr. He was married in 1960 to Judith Shippa. He graduated from Brattleboro Union High School in 1956. He enlisted in the Marine Corps and served for 11 years. He was employed by the American Paper Company, Northern Utah Glass Company and a...

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Guitarist, composer Hiroya Tsukamoto to perform at Stage 33

Innovative guitarist and composer Hiroya Tsukamoto will bring his fusion of folk, jazz, and world music to Stage 33 Live in Bellows Falls on Sunday, Dec. 22, in a special 2 p.m. matinee performance for a well-timed break from the holiday rush. Eclectic and immersive, Tsukamoto takes audiences on an earthy, organic odyssey. In addition to original compositions, his repertoire travels the world of traditional music. Tsukamoto leads concerts internationally, including multiple appearances at the Blue Note in New York...

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Last Night Brattleboro offers smorgasborg of traditional song, dance

Last Night Brattleboro presents the 16th annual concert of New England, Appalachian, Irish, and French-Canadian dance music, fiddling from around the world, and a feast of singing including singing for all, featuring Brattleboro's Murphy/Tracy family (Keith, Becky, Aidan), and Amidon family: Peter and Mary Alice, Sam, Stefan, and Zara Bode with special guests Matt and Shannon Heaton. The concert is Tuesday, Dec. 31, at Centre Congregational Church, 193 Main St., starting at 7 p.m. Boston-based Matt and Shannon Heaton offer...

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Baker Street Readers plans musical Christmas Special

Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson will solve a yuletide mystery when the Baker Street Readers present a dramatic reading of The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle on Thursday, Dec. 19, at 7 p.m., at the Hooker-Dunham Theater, 139 Main St. The Readers present one of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories each month, but for Christmas they're throwing in a twist: Victorian Christmas carols sung by local a cappella group The Harmony Lot. The drama at 221b Baker Street...

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Water-quality partners address clean water in Windham region

The Windham Regional Commission and the Windham County Natural Resources Conservation District have expanded their outreach and services to municipalities and the public to improve tactical basin planning efforts for the West, Williams, and Saxtons River and direct Connecticut River Tributaries (Basin 11/13). According to a news release, in addition to the basin planning efforts, the WRC and WCNRCD will also support overall water-quality efforts throughout Windham County. The work is supported through a grant provided by the Vermont Department...

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Was Marlboro’s fate not already determined by its alumni?

I read this Viewpoint by Amy Domrad Tudor with interest. She related her experience at Marlboro College, assessed the current situation, and lamented that alumni had not been informed of the situation. Her response is to let alumni make the decision as to what the end result will be. But didn't alumni already make that decision? According to the US News & World Report Best Colleges 2017, the alumni donation rate for Marlboro was 25 percent. This means that 75...

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A bad candidate is a bad candidate

The Democrats' field of presidential candidates has lost all of those who were people of color, and some are mighty upset. Upset at whom? Those who didn't send enough money to those candidates? Those who failed to show up at rallies? The DNC for actually having rules and enforcing them? Who exactly is to blame? Nobody. We don't know why some people generate big support and others just don't: lack of charisma, tainted past histories, stronger candidates overshadowing them, campaign...

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A not-so-overnight success

Local author and naturalist Sarah Cooper-Ellis would be the first to admit that she couldn't have done it alone. Her first novel, Landing, forthcoming this month from Levellers Press, is a late-life love story set in Vermont against the backdrop of small-town gossip and family intrigue. Although Cooper-Ellis has been writing most of her life, she would never have had the courage to finish and publish this book without the support of many writer colleagues. “When, after my first husband...

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Scattered snow squalls, then Arctic blast

Hello and good day to you, residents of the peaceful and picturesque windy hamlets of southeastern Vermont! We've got some brutally cold air on the way to southern Vermont, but the good news is that our active pattern appears to be relenting into the holidays. For Wednesday, however, an upper level low will bring scattered snow showers and snow squalls ahead of an Arctic front. This front will bring gusty winds and wind chill readings well below zero late Wednesday...

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RFPL hosts puppet show for kids of all ages

Families and youth of all ages are invited to the Rockingham Free Public Library on Monday, Dec. 23, at 5 p.m., for Punschi, a special family event. Punschi is an action-packed performance by second-generation puppeteer Jana Zeller of Sandglass Theater and her cast of German hand puppets. Inspired by European fairground traditions, the show includes two hand-puppet adventures, clowning, and musical interludes on the ukulele. Zeller grew up in a family of internationally touring puppeteers and began working as a...

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Dance school presents ‘The Nutcracker’

The Brattleboro School of Dance will present a dazzling rendition of The Nutcracker at Landmark College Theater on Dec. 20, 21, and 22. They will be joined by professional dancers associated with BSD as alums and colleagues. Local BSD students will share the stage with professional dancers from around the country, including Michaela Rae Mann, who has toured with the Miami City Ballet; Patrick McGrath, currently with the Trisha Brown Dance Company; world-class circus arts performer Megan Gendell; Madeleine Bonn,

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‘Our job is to light the world up with life and love’

Stroll downtown, and Christmas screams everywhere. So imagine the surprise when a recent ad for Brown and Roberts Hardware pictured a child hammering home a different holiday. “Build and paint your own menorah!” the workshop poster promised. “Enjoy donuts, hot cocoa and chocolate Chanukah gelt!” The Green Mountain State may morph each December into a 5.9-million-acre set for White Christmas, but the Jewish holiday of Chanukah is set to shine its own light on the area beginning Sunday at dusk.

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Breakfast organizers hope to break the 1,000-meal mark

Most people think preparing for Christmas means shopping for presents. Jadi Flynn and Megan Walker have their sights set on something else: 14 pounds of coffee, 140 pounds of pancake mix, 270 pounds of eggs, 1,920 hash browns, and 3,200 sausage links. Flynn and Walker are the granddaughter and great-granddaughter, respectively, of Charlie Slate, the local man who started the town's free annual Christmas Breakfast. His family and friends are ready to continue the tradition for hundreds of diners and...

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‘The Art of the Chop’ at Mitchell-Giddings Fine Arts

Mitchell-Giddings Fine Arts is opening its renovated gallery upstairs at 181 Main St., and the public is invited to celebrate the relocation and the premiere of Collaborative Prints and Collages of the Sea, collectively titled The Art of the Chop, by artist and master printer Lisa Mackie. An opening reception will be held Friday, Dec. 20, from 5 to 7 p.m., with an Artist Talk with Mackie scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 25, at 5 p.m. The exhibit continues through Feb.

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Youth are seizing the moment

When Greta Thunberg stood before the United Nations recently, stared diplomats in the face with determination, and said emphatically, “How dare you!,” the world watched - gasping, and feeling that things might just be on the brink of changing for the better. When Malala Yousafzai survived an assassination attempt because she challenged her country and the world to educate girls around the globe, people saw a glimmer of hope for half the world's population. When students like Emma Gonzalez and...

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Vernon nonprofit acquires historic house as potential community center

As at least 20 people toured the first floor of the historic Governor Hunt House, a few of them, bundled in jackets and hats, huddled around a temporary space heater set up to warm the unheated 18th-century building. After almost five decades housing the Vermont Yankee's conference rooms and a few offices, Entergy officially donated the Governor Hunt House to the local nonprofit, Friends of Vernon Center, in a brief ceremony, Dec. 16. Potential plans for the building include office...

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Colonel girls beat Rebels to win Tip-Off Classic

In the latest illustration of Yogi Berra's famous adage, “It ain't over till it's over,” Rachel Rooney calmly sank two free throws with 0.1 seconds left in the game to give the Brattleboro Colonels girls' basketball team a 50-48 win over the Burr & Burton Bulldogs in the Leland & Gray Booster Club Tip-Off Classic in Townshend on Dec. 13. The momentum from that improbable finish carried over into the tourney's championship game the next day, as the Colonels took...

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Service honors ‘sacredness and vulnerability of the season’

Loudspeakers seemingly everywhere are shouting “All is Merry and Bright.” Except if you're grieving a death. Or divorce. Or job loss, health challenge, hunger, homelessness, or separation from a loved one. “There's all sorts of sadness,” Devin Starlanyl says. The member and lay minister at Brattleboro's St. Michael's Episcopal Church knows that seasonal tunes declaring “It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” don't comfort those feeling otherwise. That's why she and her peers are organizing a “Longest Night” service...

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Next Stage Arts Project hires new executive director

Next Stage Arts Project announced it has hired Keith Marks to be the next Executive Director following a nationwide search. He will assume leadership of the nonprofit in January. Marks is the second executive director for Next Stage, which celebrates its 10th birthday in 2020. Marks will move from Jacksonville, Fla., where he founded Avant, a nonprofit organization dedicated to enriching community through the power of diverse arts experiences. His efforts earned him the 2019 Arts Innovator Award from the...

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A figure in the misty, snowy night

So the story starts in Englewood, N.J. in 1980, and it was at Christmas time. My husband, Ken, and I came down from Putney. My sister Sally, and her husband, Billy, came down from Barre with their little boy, Ryan. My sister Barbara, who lived in Brattleboro, came down with her partner, David, and her two girls. We all traveled down to New Jersey to be together in my parents' house, the house that we all grew up in (and...

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‘I want a painting to take me to a place I’ve never been’

Renowned American painter Emily Mason died at her home on Dec. 10, surrounded by family and friends, including her husband of 62 years, artist Wolf Kahn. She was 87. Her death was announced on Dec. 13 by the Brattleboro Museum & Art Center (BMAC), where Mason was an honorary trustee. A lifelong New Yorker, Mason adopted Brattleboro as her second home. Every spring, beginning in 1968, she and Kahn would arrive at their hillside farm, where they would remain through...

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Winter storm delivers snow, sleet, freezing rain to region

A major storm is heading for southern Vermont with a potentially hazardous mix of freezing rain, sleet, and snow. The storm expected to start Sunday night, and last right through Tuesday afternoon. On Sunday, The National Weather Service in Albany, N.Y., has posted a Winter Storm Warning for Windham County, with heavy mixed precipitation expected and total snow accumulations of 1 to 4 inches and ice accumulations of a quarter to half an inch. Winds could gust as high as...

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Former VP of Marlboro College seeks fresh look at finances

A former Marlboro College administrator has challenged the school's Board of Trustees to give him - and a “small team” that would include senior college staff - access to the struggling school's financial data. Trustees have promised a formal response to a proposal from Will Wootton, who served as vice president for institutional advancement at Marlboro for 19 years, that would result in a new alternative to the plan on the table bringing Marlboro's students, faculty, and educational philosophy to...

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Quick facts about Governor Hunt House

According to documents shared during the Dec. 16, ceremony from the Friends of Vernon Center, the town, and Entergy, the Governor Hunt House has witnessed many changes. Jonathan Hunt built the house in 1789 for his wife, the former Lavinia Swan. Born in Northfield, Mass., Hunt inherited many acres of land in town and served as the state's first lieutenant governor under Gov. Thomas Chittenden. Hunt himself, however, never became governor. He did serve as sheriff of Windham County and...

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The things you leave behind

About 30 years ago, my sister and I agreed to be the executors for Madelin, who was a first cousin of our father. Of course, when you make this sort of a promise to a healthy, strong 60-year-old, the reality is far in the future. Madelin lived to be 96, although the last four years or so were a time of mental decline, so when she finally died in mid-November, it was a blessing in many ways. A tough, assertive,

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