Welcome to THE COMMONS — News and Views for Windham County, Vermont – Commons

Click here to make a one-time donation to support your not-for-profit community news source
Every week, The Commons mails newspapers to libraries and schools throughout Windham County, and beyond. Of course we do! Part of our mission is make sure that honest, award winning reporting is available to all, regardless of ability to pay.
Now you can help further our mission. Only $75 guarantees a library or school delivery of The Commons for a full year. Join our Sponsor-a-Library program today! Click here (and select “Sponsor a Library” when asked “Apply My Donation To.”)
Now you can look great, and show the world your support of The Commons! Click here to visit our online store.
Make a recurring donation today.
• Send a story idea
• Publicize your event
• Send a press release
• Send to Milestones (obituary, wedding, birth, academic achievement)
Items sent to this address are presumed to be intended for publication.
• Write a letter in response to a story
• Contribute a Viewpoint, Essay, or Memoir
• We would love local artists to submit work to illustrate the section.
Items sent to this address are presumed to be intended for publication.
Items sent to this address are presumed to be confidential communications with our editors.
• Please book your ad space before Friday at 3:30 p.m.
• We are happy to design your ad. If you would like that, please make sure we get your copy by that time.
• If you are designing your ad, please send by Monday at noon.
Email us
We’d love to help you with your ads! Please let us know a little bit about your advertising and your needs, and one of our team will be in touch promptly. You can also call us at 802-246-6397 (please leave message for advertising)

  • Help Wanted
  • Real Estate
  • Nuts ’n’ Bolts (home improvement)
  • Public Notices (Legal Ads)
  • Front Page Box
  • Section Cover Strip Ads
  • The Commons is the public face of a larger nonprofit organization, Vermont Independent Media, Inc.
    We came to life from the ground up in 2004, as members of the community became increasingly concerned about the consequences of absent corporate ownership of the daily newspaper in town and the need for local people to have access to the skills to create their own grassroots media.
    VIM came to life lovingly and carefully thanks to indefatigable volunteers. The first public programs of the Media Mentoring Project began in 2005, and the first issue of The Commons was published in 2006. The newspaper was published monthly until 2010, when we began a weekly schedule. We are published on Wednesdays 51 times a year.
    Recognizing that a vigorous exchange of ideas and information allows democracy to function and is the lifeblood of a community, Vermont Independent Media:
    • creates a forum for community participation,
    • promotes local independent journalism,
    • fosters civic engagement by building media skills
    through publication of The Commons and commonsnews.org, and through the Media Mentoring Project.
    By law, every 501(c)3 nonprofit organization must make its IRS filings available to the public. Here are ours.
    • 2016
    • 2015
    • 2014
    • 2013
    • 2012
    • 2011
    • 2010
    Owing to the pandemic, our office is open by appointment only, and masks are required at all times.
    We’re at 139 Main St., Brattleboro, Vermont (the Hooker-Dunham Building).
    Office #601A: Newsroom
    Office #604: Business/Advertising
    The Commons
    P.O. Box 1212
    Brattleboro, VT 05302
    Connecting all departments: 888-511-5150
    Email for general inquiries: info@commonsnews.org
    Submit items for publication in the news sections (News, Arts, Milestones, Around the Towns): news@commonsnews.org
    Submit items for publication in the Voices section: voices@commonsnews.org
    Submit news tips and story ideas (not for publication): tips@commonsnews.org
    General advertising address: ads@commonsnews.org
    These PDFs are built from the final files that were printed and represent an accurate facsimile of the issue’s content.
    Please be warned: These files are very large and not at all suitable for dialup connections.
    We maintain files of a limited number of back issues in our office. Please email info@commonsnews.org, and we will make them available if we can.
    Issue #635
    Oct 20, 2021
    Issue #634
    Oct 13, 2021
    Issue #633
    Oct 06, 2021
    Issue #632
    Sep 29, 2021
    Randolph T. Holhut/Commons file photo
    Maya Waryas of Bellows Falls, left, seen here shooting the ball past a Windsor defender in a game last month, scored a goal to give the Terriers a 2-1 win over Hartford.
    Randolph T. Holhut, deputy editor of this newspaper, has written this column for more than a decade and has covered sports in Windham County since the 1980s. Readers can send him sports information at news@commonsnews.org.
    By Randolph T. Holhut/

    Until last week, only five Vermont boys have ever scored 100 or more goals in their high school soccer careers.
    On Oct. 12 against Woodstock, Green Mountain senior striker Everett Mosher became the sixth member of the 100-goal club when he took a pass at midfield and foiled several Woodstock defenders to bury a left-footed shot to the far side of the net for his milestone goal.
    It was the 30th goal of the season for Mosher, and it helped Green Mountain earn a 1-1 tie against Woodstock.
    “It means so much to me because I worked hard for this accomplishment,” Mosher told the Burlington Free Press last week. “But it’s also about my teammates, past and present, and my family — they have helped me. I’m just thankful.”
    In case you were wondering, there are 14 Vermont girls in the 100-goal club, with Proctor’s Abigail McKearin as the state’s all-time leading scorer with 168 goals from 2012 to 2015. Her little sister, senior Maggie McKearin, got her 100th goal last month, making them the only siblings on the list. West Rutland’s Eric Maxham is the boys’ all-time leader with 128 goals from 2014 to 2018.
    Mosher has been part of two Division III state championship teams at Green Mountain —boys’ soccer in 2019 and boys’ basketball in 2021. With the Chieftains now 10-1-1, Mosher and his teammates are striving for a third straight trip into the state soccer championship game.
    • Brattleboro got closer to securing a Division II playoff spot with a 28-24 road win over the Fair Haven Slaters on Oct. 15.
    Defense and a strong running game helped the Colonels win this game. Defensive back Tristan Evans had three interceptions in the first half as the Slaters took a 16-14 lead into intermission.
    Matt Heiber scored on an 1-yard pass from quarterback Joe Buxton on the Slaters’ first drive. Brattleboro responded with a 11-yard touchdown catch by Willem Thurber from quarterback Devin Speno on the Colonels’ first possession.
    Sam Barber opened the second quarter with a 4-yard touchdown run, but a missed extra point left the Slaters with a 13-7 lead. The Colonels then answered with another long drive capped off with a 37-yard touchdown catch by Charlie Clark. Reed Sargent’s point-after kick gave Brattleboro a 14-13 lead with 9:31 left in the first half.
    Both offenses sputtered the rest of the half, but the Slaters got a 38-yard field goal from Kole Matta as as time expired.
    Brattleboro got the lead back to start the second half with a 65-yard interception return for a touchdown by Evans for his fourth pick-off of the night.
    The Buxton-Heiber connection was good for another touchdown for the Slaters to retake the lead, but Evans would score his second touchdown of the night with 5:38 left in the fourth quarter for a 28-24 lead. The Colonel defense protected that lead, stopping the Slaters on their final drive of the game.
    Now 3-4 overall and 3-3 in the division, the Colonels close out the regular season against Rice on Friday night at Natowich Field.
    • Bellows Falls kept their unbeaten season rolling with a 39-8 win over Springfield on Oct. 15 at Hadley Field in this year’s renewal of their rivalry game for “The Trophy.”
    The Terriers now have a 59-42 record in the series, with 11 consecutive wins over the Cosmos. It was also the 97th career victory for BF coach Bob Lockerby.
    As usual, it was the Terriers’ offensive line that made it all happen as Peter Kamel, Patrick Barbour, Jake Moore, Dillan Perry, and Kevin Patterson gave the BF running backs the space to rush for 290 yards in the first half.
    Jed Lober was the top back with 106 yards, including a 55-yard touchdown run. Harrison Gleim ran for two scores, and Jeb Monier and Caden Haskell each ran for a touchdown.
    The defense did its job too, as the Cosmos failed to get a first down on six of their eight possessions in the first half. Springfield got its only touchdown in the second half, on a quarterback keeper by Carson Clark.
    Now 7-0, BF closes out the regular season on Saturday afternoon at Mt. Abraham.
    • Bellows Falls stayed unbeaten, but they had to work for them against two tough Southern Vermont rivals.
    Against Hartford on Oct. 12 in Westminster, the Terriers weathered a late rally by the Hurricanes to hold on for a 2-1 win. BF needed overtime to beat Hartford, 1-0, the first time they met this season, so another close game was to be expected.
    After a scoreless first half, BF took a 2-0 lead on goals by Emma Bazin and Maya Waryas. Caroline Hamilton cut the lead in half with a goal that came a minute after Waryas’ tally. BF goalie Jaia Caron blanked the Hurricanes the rest of the way to preserve the win.
    On Oct. 14, BF rallied from a one-goal deficit to beat Woodstock, 3-1. Natalie Parent got Woodstock’s only goal late in the first quarter. The Terriers responded with three unanswered goals as Maya Waryas, Grace Bazin, and Ava LaRoss got the goals, while Grace Wilkinson picked up two assists.
    The 12-0 Terriers visit Tenney Field on Oct. 20 to face Brattleboro.
    • Mount St. Joseph rolled to a 6-1 win over Twin Valley on Oct. 12. Luke Rizio scored on a penalty kick for the Wildcats’ only goal. The Wildcats then lost to Rivendell, 2-1, as Twin Valley finished the week with a 6-3 record.
    • Bellows Falls got their first win of the season on Oct. 12 with a 2-1 home victory over White River Valley.
    • Leland & Gray lost to White River Valley, 1-0, on Oct. 14 in South Royalton.
    • Champlain Valley made the long trip from Hinesburg worth it with an 8-0 win over Brattleboro on Oct. 11 at Natowich Field. Colonels goalkeeper Jenna Powers was kept busy, as she made 22 saves.
    • Proctor shut out visiting Twin Valley in an 11-0 win on Oct. 11.
    • Brattleboro hosted Mount Anthony and Burr & Burton in a varsity cross-country meet at Fort Dummer State Park on Oct. 12. Ava Whitney led the Colonel girls, crossing the finish line first in a time of 23 minutes, 18 seconds. Rounding out the Brattleboro scoring were Anna Cummings (16th), Priya Kitzmiller (17th), Meredith Lewis (18th), and Addison DeVault (19th).
    In the boys’ race, Tenzin Mathes placed fourth in 19:24 to lead the Colonels, who also had five runners in the top 20 finishers, including Noah Hed (11th), Brinly Woodcock (12th), Miles Akerman-Hovis (13th), and Ben Berkson-Harvey (19th).
    At press time, the Colonels were running in the Southern Vermont League championship meet in Bellows Falls, the last race before the state championship meet at Thetford Academy on Oct. 30.
    • Leland & Gray’s Emma O’Brien finished sixth in 23:06 in a Southern Vermont League girls’ meet on Oct. 12 in Springfield.
    • The Brattleboro Recreation & Parks Department says the Nelson Withington Skating Facility will be opening for the season on Saturday, Oct. 23. Please note masks are required inside the rink.
    The public skating schedule is as follows: Mondays: 7 to 9 p.m. (Dollar Night); Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays: 10:30 a.m.-noon (adults only); Fridays: 7 to 9 p.m. (public skate); Saturday: 1:30 to 4 p.m. (Dollar Skate) and 7 to 9 p.m. (public skate); and Sundays: 1 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. (public skate).
    Public skating daily rates are $3 for Brattleboro resident students, $4 for Brattleboro adults and non-resident students, and $5 for non-resident adults. Skate rentals are available for $3 per rental, with a wide variety of sizes available. All skates are disinfected after each use.
    The Recreation & Parks Department will also offer various programs at the rink this season.
    • Stick Time begins Oct. 23 and runs until March 6, 2022. It is open to all ages and abilities, and non-Brattleboro Hockey Association participants are welcome to come skate and shoot some pucks. The schedule is Mondays, 9:15 to 10:15 p.m. (adults only), Wednesdays 3:30 to 4:30 p.m., and Saturdays 12:15 to 1:15 p.m.
    Please note that stick time will be supervised, helmets and gloves are required, and there is a limited amount of equipment available for use. The cost per session is $3 for Brattleboro resident students, $4 for Brattleboro adults and non-resident students, and $5 for non-resident adults.
    • Open adult hockey begins Oct. 27 and runs until March 4, 2022, with pick up hockey games for adults (18 years old and older and out of high school). Participants in this program must have full equipment. Sessions will be on Wednesdays from 9 to 10 a.m., and Fridays from 9:15 to 10:15 p.m. The fees for open adult hockey are $10 for Brattleboro residents and $12 for non-residents.
    • An open speed skating program will take place Sundays from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m., beginning Sunday, Nov. 21, and running until Sunday, March 6, 2022. It is for anyone 7 years old and up. This program has no instructor and speed skaters must bring their own skates. Fees per session are $3 for Brattleboro resident students, $4 for Brattleboro adults and non-resident students, and $5 for non-resident adults.
    For all programs, events, facility information, and more, visit www.brattleboro.org, hover over the “Sport and Recreation” tab found on the blue horizontal bar, and click “Recreation and Parks.” If there are special needs required for this program, let them know at least five days in advance. For more information, call the Rec. Dept. office at 802-254-5808.
    • Week 7 of the fall/winter season of the Brattleboro Senior Bowling League at Brattleboro Bowl on Oct. 14 saw Stayin’ Alive (27-8) go 5-0 to stay in first place. Pin Setters (19-16) also had a 5-0 week to move into second, Pin Falls (17.5-17.5) also went 5-0 to move into third. Rolling Stones (16.5-18.5) is now fourth, followed by Team Four, Alley Katz and Old Farts (all 16-19), and Trash-O-Matic (12-23).
    Jeanne Czuy had the women’s high handicap game (244) and series (681), while Chuck Adams had the men’s high handicap game (289) and series (720), and Pin Falls had the high team handicap game (860) and series (2,520).
    In scratch scoring, Chuck Adams led the men with a 714 series, with games of 287, 224, and 203. Robert Rigby had games of 223, 198, and 184 in his 605 series, while Fred Ashworth had a 220 game as part of his 543 series. Warren Corriveau Sr. had a 200 game as part of his 540 series, while Marty Adams had games of 191 and 185 as part of his 523 series. Jerry Dunham had a 181 game.
    Carole Frizzell had the high scratch game (188) and Nancy Dalzell had the high series (467) to lead the women. Dalzell rolled a 170 game.
    We rely on the donations and financial support of our readers to help make The Commons available to all. Please join us today.
    Originally published in The Commons issue #635 (Wednesday, October 20, 2021). This story appeared on page C4.

    More by Randolph T. Holhut

    source

    Book an appointment