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A2 news the CoMMons • Wednesday, October 19, 2011 139 Main St. #604, P.O. Box 1212 Brattleboro, VT 05302 (802) 246-6397 fax (802) 246-1319 www.commonsnews.org Office hours by appointment 9 a.m.–5 p.m., Monday–Friday EDITORIAL Jeff Potter, Editor — Randolph T. Holhut, News Editor Olga Peters, Staff Reporter VERmONT ASSOcIATES TRAINEE Richard Henke www.vermontassociates.org EDITORIAL VOLUNTEERS Lee Stookey, Proofreading David Shaw, Photographer ADVERTISING Nancy Gauthier, Advertising mgr. — John moriarty, Advertising Sales Joe Immergut, Advertising Sales Sarah Adam, Advertising Production OPERATIONS mia Gannon, Administrative Assistant — Bill Proctor, Distribution Tom Finnell, Distribution VERmONT ASSOcIATES TRAINEE Jeanne Turner www.vermontassociates.org Deadline for the Oct. 26 issue Friday, Oct. 21 About the newspAper The Commons is a nonprofit community newspaper published since 2006 by Vermont Independent Media, Inc., a nonprofit corporation under section 501(c)3 of the federal tax code. We now publish weekly. The newspaper is free, but it is supported by readers like you through tax-deductible donations, through advertising support, and through support of charitable foundations. subMIttInG news IteMs/tIps We welcome story ideas and news tips. Please contact the newsroom at news@commonsnews.org or at (802) 246-6397. Most press releases and announcements of upcoming events appear on www.commonsnews.org, where they can be made available sooner. VoICes The Commons presents a broad range of essays, memoirs, and other subjective material in Voices, our editorial and commentary section. We want the paper to provide an unpredictable variety of food for thought from all points on the political spectrum. We especially invite responses to material that we’ve printed in the paper. We do not publish unsigned or anonymous letters, and we only very rarely withhold names for other pieces. When space is an issue, our priority is to run contributions that have not yet appeared in other publications. Please check with the editor before writing essays or other original submissions of substance. Editorials represent the collective voice of The Commons and are written by the editors or by members of the Vermont Independent Media Board of Directors. The views expressed in our Voices section are those of individual contributors. Bylined commentaries by members of the Vermont Independent media board of directors represent their individual opinions; as an organization, we are committed to providing a forum for the entire community. As a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, Vermont Independent media is legally prohibited from endorsing political candidates. AdVertIsInG Your advertising directly supports a better newspaper. The display advertising rate is $10.50 per column inch, and The Commons offers discounts for three or more advertising insertions. To place your ad, contact the advertising coordinator at ads@commonsnews.org. Advertising files can be saved as PDF (press-ready setting), EPS (with fonts converted to outlines), or as TIFF (600 pixels per inch), or printed as black-and-white hard copy. We can provide creative services for your ad design and help you find a professional designer if you have unusual needs. sponsor A pAGe Your donation of $50 pays to print a single page of The Commons. This contribution helps us publish a larger newspaper with more news, and we acknowledge these donations on the bottom of a page. Please specify how you would like to be credited, or whether you wish to donate in honor of or in memory of another person. Mail your donation, or contribute online at http://donate. commonsnews.org. dIstrIbutIon The Commons distributes 5,900 copies per issue to almost every Windham County town weekly. Get in touch if you would like us to consider adding your business. sInCe soMe hAVe AsKed... Despite our similar name, The Commons is not affiliated with Ver mont Commons, a statewide journal that is strongly linked with a movement advocating Vermont’s secession from the United States. VIM’s MIssIon To create a forum for community participation through publication of The Commons and Commonsnews.org; to pro mote local, independent journalism in Windham County; and to promote civic engagement by building media skills among Windham County residents through the Media Mentoring Project. boArd oF dIreCtors Barbara S. Evans, Barry Aleshnick, Alan O. Dann, Dan DeWalt, Peter Seares, Bob Rottenberg, Curtiss Reed Jr., Jane Noyes. ————— Without our volunteers, this newspaper would exist only in our imaginations. Special thanks to: Editorial support: Joyce Marcel, Christopher Emily Coutant, Rachel Cohen-Rottenberg, Chris Petrak Operations support: Simi Berman, Chris Wesolowski, Diana Bingham, Jim Maxwell, Bill Pearson, Menda Waters brAttLeboro RAnDolPH T. HolHuT/THe coMMonS More than 200 people showed up Saturday at the Wells Memorial Fountain in Brattleboro for Occupy Brattleboro, a protest held in conjunction with solidarity with nearly 1,000 events held around the world that day. RAnDolPH T. HolHuT/THe coMMonS Brian Shafford of West Brattleboro said he went to Saturday’s Occupy Brattleboro event because he can’t get down to New York. 205 Main Street Brattleboro, VT 05301 Phone. 802.275.4732 Fax. 802.275.4738 info@biologichealthcare.com www.biologichealthcare.com Operated Operated by by Connecticut Connecticut Operated River Transit by River Transit Connecticut River Transit Leave your Leave your Car behind your Car and Car behind and and Let “The Current” Provide Your Ride Let “The Let “The Current” Provide Your Your Ride Ride Serving Windsor Serving & Windham Serving Windsor Counties & Windsor Windham & Counties Windham Counties For Bus Schedules and Information Visit our Website at For Bus Schedules and Information Visit our Website at For Bus Schedules www.crtransit.org and Information Visit our Website at www.crtransit.org or Call www.crtransit.org us at 888-869-6287 or or Call 802-460-RIDE us at 888-869-6287 (7433) or or 802-460-RIDE Call us at 888-869-6287 (7433) or 802-460-RIDE (7433) 436 Western Ave., Brattleboro, Vermont (802) 257-9254 • www.vermontcountrydeli.com Open 7am-7pm Daily Fresh Pastries • Salads & Sandwiches Vermont Products • Gifts • Gourmet to Go CHECK OUT OUR STICK SEASON SPECIAL! Soup and ½ Sandwich– Only $ 5.99! Please mention this ad! Offer valid M-F until November 18 th Acupuncture Chiropractic General Family Medicine Lifestyle medicine Massage Therapy Naturopathic Medicine Nutritional Assessment/Individualized Programs Physical Therapy Psychotherapy n Occupy fRoM SecTion fRonT And Brattleboro did its part with an event that saw a mix of the stalwart demonstrators who’ve been marching since the 1960s, along with toddlers, teenagers, and people who were still new to the idea of public protest. Many of the participants had one particular cause or another that they supported, but nearly all were in agreement on the main point of the occupy Wall Street movement — curbing corporate power. Starting early Although the stated time for Saturday’s event was 2 p.m., a handful of early birds showed up at noontime to get things started. one of them was Treah Pichette of Athens, who said that the last time she was standing at the Wells fountain, she was protesting the start of the u.S. invasion of iraq in 2003. “i’ve been waiting and expecting something like this for years,” she said. “corporations run the world, and the whole idea that corporations have the same rights as people is ridiculous.” Kimberly Seto of Brattleboro came with her husband, an unemployed union carpenter, and their two young children. “i’m here to stop the greed,” she said. “We were close to buying a house, but when the housing market collapsed, my husband stopped getting work. He can’t even afford to pay his union dues.” She said that she’s “not one to go to protests, but i read about this on facebook, and saw what was going on in new York. We voted for [President] obama, but he hasn’t been able to do anything. it’s time for us to help him.” Brian Shafford of West Brattleboro talked about the need to have politicians that were accountable to the people. “The people in new York are saying it better than i can. i’d love to be there, but i don’t have the means.” Kiera lewis of Brattleboro came as part of the Vermont Workers center’s contingent, the group that helped to organize events in Montpelier and Burlington over the weekend. “i’m fed up and here to motivate other community members to raise our voices and be part of the decision process,” she said, carrying a sign that read “This is What Democracy looks like.” Jen Wiechers of Brattleboro noted the positive energy of the event. “Protests aren’t my thing, but this isn’t a protest, it’s a movement that’s more positive. it’s different, and a long time in coming.” You deserve it! Green River Professional Skin Care Microdermabrasion & European Facials by appointment 802-257-5771 Please support The Commons Community Let our Advertisers and Sponsors know you saw them in Mothers and daughters five-year-old Ted Scheltema of Guilford held up a sign “Democracy, not Plutocracy.” His mother, nicole Petrin, said her two children were excited to come. “He really wanted to hold a sign,” said Petrin. “This was his first protest, but being here is going to make a difference for their whole lives.” Another mother, Aurora nunez of Hartford, conn., was in town to visit her son, who attends Marlboro college. “i’m here to be supportive of this movement,” she said. “Things are really out of control. Working people can’t survive, and more and more people are falling out of the middle class. This might be the time that people finally realize what has happened to their country.” The mother-daughter tandem of Teri and Jodi Bates of Rockingham said they knew exactly why they needed to be there. “The state of this country is a mess and all the politicians are crooked,” said Teri. “They don’t govern, they’re worried about their next election. everybody’s sick of the same old, same old.” “This is beyond just rich and poor,” said Jodi, Teri’s daughter, who was holding a “Honk if You’re one of the 99%” sign. “This is about fairness and seeing the economy work for everybody.” Reviving the dream Ron Pickering of Brattleboro led the Vermont Afl-cio from 1993 to 2003. “i watched so many jobs disappear in that time, ” he said. “When i was young, you could get a decent job, live a good life, and end up retiring from the place you started at. That’s all gone now.” RAnDolPH T. HolHuT/THe coMMonS Kimberly Seto of Brattleboro was one of the early arrivals at Saturday’s Occupy Brattleboro event. Daryl Pillsbury agreed. He said he went down to Wall Street last Tuesday on his day off from his job at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital, and he planned to do so again this week. “This isn’t going to go away,” said the former Brattleboro Selectboard member and state representative. “There are a lot of angry people around the country that the American Dream is gone.” “There’s a general dissatisfaction that we all share, regardless of our politics,” said state Rep. John Moran, D-Wardsboro, who attended along with his legislative colleague Rep. Ann Manwaring, D-Wilmington. “We need to build a fairer economy.” RAnDolPH T. HolHuT/THe coMMonS Treah Pichette of Athens was one of the early arrivals at Saturday’s Occupy Brattleboro event.
THE COMMONS • Wednesday, October 19, 2011 NEWS A3 BRATTLEBOROTV.ORG BCTV Production Manager Roland Boyden hosts the public access station’s original 15-minute news broadcast, 5:45 Live. ■ BCTV FROM SECTION FRONT income has risen by more than $100,000, from about $150,000 to nearly $250,000. The most recent bump in revenue results principally from increased subscriber fees from the two cable TV companies that carry BCTV: Comcast and Southern Vermont Cable. BCTV provides local programming to more than 4,700 Comcast customers in Brattleboro, Guilford, and Vernon; Southern Vermont Cable serves 2,000 subscribers in Putney, Dummerston, Jamaica, Townshend, and Newfane. Channel 8, the main BCTV channel, carries programming produced by nearly 50 volunteer producers, from church services to the Strolling of the Heifers parade to a live daily news program, 5:45 Live . Channel 10 runs education- and government-related programs, mostly municipal meeting coverage, and other long-form programming. The Federal Communications Commission and the Vermont Department of Public Service both require cable TV companies to fund public-access operations, such as BCTV, in exchange for being granted a franchise to provide service in a community. These public-access channels are funded through a percentage of customer service fees, which amounted to 5.5 percent from Comcast, or more than $200,000 this fiscal year, and 1.1 percent from Southern Vermont Cable, about $18,000. The new contract with Southern Vermont Cable, recently vigorously negotiated, increased that company’s share from $5,000 to $18,000. These so-called franchise fees, dedicated in large part to BCTV operating expenses, now also include small percentages specifically designated for capital expenses. Trowbridge said BCTV’s current main goal is to replace equipment and renovate the organization’s studio; a project that will cost between $20,000 and $30,000. The capital improvements will be funded by the cable company capital fees and by money the station has saved in anticipation of renovations. The newly purchased $16,000 digital broadcaster and new editing suites are among the most important recent improvements, she said. The equipment replaces old DVD decks, enhancing reliability and quality. Less exalted, but nevertheless important, according to Trowbridge, is the plan to replace the retro, half-moon, desk Bluetime Collaborative .com ARCHITECTURE BRATTLEBOROTV.ORG The BCTV website offers new ways for viewers to see its government access and other local programming. in the studio where an on-camera person sits. “That one came from Experienced Goods,” she said. Trowbridge explained that a major mission of BCTV is to provide equipment and training to anyone who wants to learn or use those skills to produce a program. Last year, 48 producers and editors submitted programming to the station. Recently, BCTV celebrated 35 years at a small and tasty gathering and board meeting at the Brattleboro Museum and Art Center. The traveling, wood-fired pizza oven from Brattleboro’s Rigani’s Pizza supplied more than 75 guests with thin-crust, veggie-topped examples, as well as roasted vegetables and other healthy offerings. A congratulatory cake commemorated the occasion. Palpable good cheer dominated the meeting, highlighted by reports from Lynn Barrett, president of the BCTV board, and from Trowbridge, plus the introduction of BCTV’s new website ( brattleborotv.org ), also one of the benefits of increases in cable fees. The site went public on March 7. “We had a clunky and awkward website,” Trowbridge pointed out, noting that the station hired local web designers MuseArts and Woodbury Solutions to create the new site. The website now streams the broadcast of both stations, and visitors can play BCTVproduced programs and municipal meeting footage on demand. The new site also offers links to nearly everything BCTV does, including schedules, policies, teaching, and streaming opportunities, and public access news. The 2011-2012 board of trustees was elected at the meeting, including several members now serving: Lynn Barrett, Tim Wessel, Joe Bushey, Dora Bouboulis, Mary Cain, Wendy Mason, Martin Langeveld, and Exotic Thai Cuisine The Far East Just Got a Little Closer! 7 High Street Brattleboro, VT (802) 251-1010 ThaiBambooVT.com Steve West. The organization has articulated other goals and strategies for the station: increasing awareness and building the public image of BCTV, increasing local programming in all the towns that BCTV serves, engaging youth and seniors with special outreach and programming, improving the quality of BCTV productions, staying current with new media, and improving governance. Nonprofi t leader Trowbridge is now in her fifth year as executive director. She grew up in Dublin, N.H., and is a graduate of Milton Academy, the University of Michigan and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, where she gained a master’s degree in regional planning. She is a veteran of several nonprofits, including Tree People, a Los Angeles environmental organization. She is married to Hugh Silbaugh, who is dean of the faculty at Northfield Mount Hermon, a private high school in Gill, Mass. They have two sons and live in Putney. She also said she thinks her communications skills are good, a necessary talent for her job, which includes, “Speaking, writing, managing budgets. You have to have an organized mind and be able to weave a logical thread between a thesis and a conclusion.” Before coming to BCTV, she worked for the Brattleboro Planning Department as an assistant planner, grants manager, and community development officer. And, she pointed out, she also ran the town bus system. “What I finally figured out was I don’t exactly have a career; what I have is a skill set,” said Trowbridge. “And I can apply it to almost any situation, to any mission-driven organization.” Finnell Roofing LLC Metal Residential/Commercial Insured www.finnellroofing.com 802.257.0841 DON’T BE FOOLED BY BIG DISCOUNTS OFF INFLATED PRICES! Fair Prices EVERYDAY Metalbestos Chimney Pipe ???"@ABC"DEF Brown & Roberts 182 Main St., Brattleboro, Vt. 802-257-4566 Open 7 days Michael Putnam ■ Common FROM SECTION FRONT ordinances regarding the use of the property. “As far as the Grand List is concerned, [the common] has been listed under the town’s ownership for years,” said Kate Snow of the Listers Office. Nonetheless, Gilbert’s claim touched off a flurry of activity at the Municipal Center on Monday. Snow acknowledged that the church once owned the land, but that the Listers aren’t completely sure who has legal title now. Seeds of doubt According to Centre Congregational Church’s website, the congregation bought the parcel of land that now is the common in 1815 and build its first meeting house there. In 1842, the congregation decided to dismantle the building and rebuilt it at its present location, 193 Main St. Gilbert said the church isn’t sure whether it owns the property, and he said it is looking into his claim that it still owns the land. “Deeds weren’t very specific back then,” said Town Clerk Annette Cappy on Monday. “We’re still investigating who exactly owns it.” BMH Comprehensive Breast Care Program holds open house on Oct. 21 BRATTLEBORO — The Brattleboro Memorial Hospital Comprehensive Breast Care Program invites the public to an open house on National Mammography Day on Friday, Oct. 21, from 2-4 p.m., on the second floor of the Richards Building. BMH’s breast care nurse navigator Kelly McCue, RN, has organized a program that includes a tour of the mammography suite and a review of recent strides made by the program, including the awarding of a grant by the National Breast Cancer Foundation and the receipt of the American College of Radiology’s Gold Seal of Approval. As the hospital gets ready to start its high risk and genetics program, Dr. Joseph Rosen will give a brief talk about patients who are at high risk for breast cancer. Kim Timlege, LMT, will also give a brief review of the breast care program’s gentle restorative yoga practice. Pink cupcakes and pink lemonade will be served in observation of October as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Music will be provided by harpist Joan Shimer, and Larry Enright of Enright & Company has donated a manicure/pedicure for a drawing. For more information, contact McCue at 802-251-8437 or kmccue@bmhvt.org. B ecome a possibilitarian. No matter how dark things seem to be or actually are, raise your sights and see possibilities — always see them, for they’re always there. —NORMAN VINCENT PEALE Opening doors to home ownership since 1974. “It’s somewhat unclear,” said Sondag on Monday. “There have been rumors over the years that the property hadn’t been properly deeded, but it looks like more of a case of correcting some paperwork more than anything else.” As a result, enough legal doubt was sown that Gilbert was able to maintain his encampment for the time-being. Sondag said that overnight camping is not allowed on the common or in any other townowned park. “There are certainly good questions raised by this, and the whole issue of the First Amendment and the right to protest versus public order and safety,” she said. “For now, we’re doing more research and asking more questions.” One-man occupation Gilbert strung up a green nylon tarp at the northernmost edge of the common, overlooking the Brattleboro Retreat. His bedroll and a few bags with his belongings sit underneath. For the first couple of days of his stay on the common, he set up an electric griddle and a coffee pot and served free pancakes and coffee to visitors. The town shut off the water and electricity last Wednesday, so he had to give up the impromptu breakfast buffet. “It gives me something to do,” he said last week. “It’s less depressing than sitting around with no job.” Gilbert said he grew up in Michigan, where his father was a state policeman. He graduated from high school and served four years in the Army as an ammunition specialist from 1995 until 1999 to earn money for college. He then went to Walsh College in Troy, Mich., and graduated magna cum laude with a business degree in 2001, the first member of his family to go to college. He tried law school, but dropped out after 18 months. Free solar workshop offered in Brattleboro BRATTLEBORO— Homeowners, landlords, small business owners, and other residents looking for ways to cut rising energy bills are invited to a free solar workshop presented by Brattleboro Climate Protection and Co-op Power. The workshop will be held on Saturday, Oct. 22, from 9 a.m. to noon, at the Marlboro College Graduate Center, 28 Vernon St. Workshop attendees will learn the advantages of installing solar hot water and solar electric systems, and about the different types of systems that are available. Local solar installers will be on hand to offer real-life case studies of solar installations and to answer questions about solar and its affordability. Water heating is the second-largest energy expense in Vermont homes, accounting for 15-20 percent of a typical household’s annual energy use. Solar hot water systems can reduce annual hot water heating costs by 50 percent or more, while cutting carbon pollution by more than 2 ½ tons. :(12)+(/'4 as low as 3.50% FIXED RATE (3.50% APR) �� for eligible borrowers ��with zero points �� (no re• nancing) �� by up to $625 on the property transfer tax �� But he said he hasn’t had a full-time job since 2001, and has spent most of the last few years doing long-distance hikes. “It was cool for a while, but now I’d like to get a real job,” he said. He was on the Appalachian Trail this spring, and left the trail in Manchester. He said he worked for food at an organic farm in South Londonderry, but he wanted to try seeing if he could clerk with a lawyer so he could be certified to practice law. Vermont is one of the few states in the country that allows residents to become lawyers without attending law school, provided they spend 25 hours a week for four years studying alongside a licensed attorney before taking the bar exam. He said he hiked to Brattleboro looking for a job, but the one place that hired him let him go after a couple of days when the owners discovered he was homeless. He used the money to buy a cell phone and some new shoes, and he decided to set up camp on the common. “I was hoping the local government would be a little more supportive,” Gilbert said. “I would hate to see them force a protest off a public space.” But he loves being in Brattleboro. “My beef isn’t with the town. It’s with Washington,” he said. “Between the lobbyists and the unlimited campaign contributions, the people no longer have a say in how their country is run. The wealthy have too much political power, and too big a share of our nation’s wealth.” That’s why Gilbert said he started camping out on the common. “I went to law school for 18 months, and the biggest lesson I learned is how strange it is that so many people have no idea what their rights are,” he said. “No one’s joined me so far,” he said. “But give it a week or two, and we’ll see what happens.” Solar hot water reduces our dependence on expensive, imported fossil fuels, and is cost-effective, renewable, and applicable to many types of houses. The technology is simple, and has been successfully used all over the world for more than 30 years. Solar hot water can provide more than 70 percent of our hot water needs, even in Vermont’s northern climate. The cost of installing solar electric systems has decreased dramatically in the past year, and is now competitive with solar hot water. In addition, electric utilities in Vermont are now required to pay a higher premium for electricity generated by solar panels that are connected to the grid. Now is a great time to also consider a solar electric system. The workshop is free, open to the general public, and is limited to 60 participants. Preregistration is required. To sign up, contact Paul Cameron at 802-251-8135 or at pcameron@ brattleboro.org. Light refreshments will be served. Contact Vermont Housing Finance Agency call: 1-800-339-5866 or visit: www.vhfa.org !"#$% &'(#)* +, ( --(./#+*/0 Rates subject to change. Eligibility requirements and restrictions apply.
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