Community members join employees of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate The Masiello Group for a ribbon cutting ceremony at the company's new location BRATTLEBORO — Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate The Masiello Group officially moved its Brattleboro office from Main Street to a vibrant and celebrated the grand reopening last week The celebration and ribbon­ ceremony hosted by the Brattleboro Chamber of Commerce brought together town officials and company leadership to commemorate the relocation Guests at the event enjoyed a tour of the bright modern workspace; light refreshments were served; and the opportunity to meet the Brattleboro team of real estate professionals Brattleboro Chamber representatives Nick Dubois and Kate O'Connor presided over the ceremonial ribbon cutting underscoring the office's role as a new hub for real estate services in the community "We're excited to relocate to this fantastic new space that will better serve our clients and agents alike," said Joanne Goguen CEO of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate The Masiello Group we've created a welcoming environment designed for collaboration and innovation strengthening our ability to deliver the region's finest real estate experience." ''This new location in Brattleboro highlights our commitment to serving Vermont's communities top-quality service and supporting local families and businesses as they find their perfect homes." The Brattleboro office offers a full spectrum of services, residential and commercial brokerage, buyer and seller representation, relocation assistance, mortgage coordination, home warranty plans, and seamless closing support. For more information, visit www.masiello.com/brattleboro or call 802.257.1111 Get the latest headlines every morning in TheBeat Breaking news delivered directly to your inbox Everything you need to know about the arts and culture scene in Southern Vermont Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device People attend the first outdoor farmers' market of the year in Brattleboro on Saturday Ellen Graham of Brattleboro looks over some fresh produce at the Brattleboro Area Farmers' Market on Saturday, May 3, 2025. Purchase photos online. Rachel Zamore of Brattleboro looks over some of the plants from the High Meadow Farm's stand at the Brattleboro Area Farmers' Market on Saturday Siobhan McPherson makes dumplings at the Dumping Nest at the Brattleboro Area Farmers' Market on Saturday originally selected for target practice during a joint military exercise sank unexpectedly on its own Monday off the Philippines’ western coast The former USS Brattleboro took on water while being positioned approximately 30 nautical miles west of San Antonio according to a statement emailed that afternoon by Navy spokesman Lt The ship — a former rescue patrol craft and World War II veteran — had been chosen as a target for fighter-bomber drills during Balikatan the largest annual joint military exercise in the Philippines The Brattleboro was thoroughly cleaned before being towed to sea to minimize its environmental impact the vessel was selected because it exceeded its service life and was no longer suitable for normal operations,” he said The maritime strike portion of the exercise was not affected by the ship’s unscheduled sinking The Brattleboro earned three battle stars during WWII by the Pullman Standard Car Manufacturing Co. according to the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships the vessel transported 26 German prisoners — captured U-boat sailors — from Bermuda to Norfolk it was assisting in evacuating wounded troops during the Allied invasion of the Philippines and later performed similar duties during the Battle of Okinawa the Brattleboro served 18 years as a Navy experimental vessel before being decommissioned in November 1965 and transferred to the South Vietnamese navy the ship escaped Vietnam and was incorporated into the Philippine navy in 1976 as BRP Miguel Malvar The ship had been designated as a target for Philippine FA-50PH fighter jets and U.S New parking zones proposed in Brattleboro.  BRATTLEBORO — Parking system confusion prompted a proposal from town staff to reconfigure zones and make some other changes.  "This is in response to community feedback regarding the recent transition from a single meter pole system to a zone-based parking system," town staff wrote in a memo "The Department of Public Works (DPW) Administration and the Police Department have collaborated to present these recommendations." the Select Board will consider reconfiguring the zones so that parking lots and the corresponding streets become a single zone changing zone names to a numerical format only changing rate and time limitations on High Street to mirror High Grove changing time limitations on Elliot and Flat streets and adding two kiosks to the parking infrastructure that are currently allocated as spares A plan approved in June 2024 led to the removal of 147 parking meters calibrating all existing surface lot kiosks for a pay-by-plate system and installing instructional signs was covered by a grant from the Vermont Downtown Program.  which raised rates and began to charge parking fees for Sundays to help cover deficits in the system which has been completely implemented as of November 2024 has prompted a number of concerns from both residents and business owners," the memo states "A significant portion of these concerns can be attributed to the difficulty that comes with adapting to a new system." town staff didn't realize each kiosk could only be associated with a specific zone.  "It was previously assumed that a user could input the plate number and zone into any kiosk within the town," they wrote leading to issues with individuals inadvertently paying for parking in the wrong zone the kiosk located on High Street near the High Grove lot is only to be used for on-street parking and not for the High Grove lot This has resulted in significant confusion within our system." Proposed are zones that would be "associated with the parking lot and street it is directly attached to," according to the memo The names would be made in a "purely numerical format." Parking enforcement software used by the town has been unable to process alphanumeric characters within the zone name leading to confusion for employees and difficulties for individuals parking due to the inclusion of the term "zone" in the zone number.  Brattleboro zip codes are proposed to change the current zones.   it will ultimately address many of the issues users have encountered in locating Brattleboro's parking system via the application or Text to Pay," the memo states Town staff estimate the cost to update the infrastructure will total about $1,500 Decals will cover the existing zone names.  Uniform rates and time restrictions are proposed throughout each zone The Select Board is asked for help in determining an appropriate rate and time limit for the zone including High Street and High Grove.  "The objective is to encourage long-term parking at a reduced rate in High Grove while simultaneously promoting quicker turnover on High Street for tourists seeking brief parking to conduct business in town," the memo states High Grove has undergone significant transformations becoming a preferred parking location compared to the BTC." the town owns two extra kiosks that are reserved for use if damage occurs to another Town staff recommend integrated them into the system to provide additional locations to pay for parking and reduce the distance required to reach the nearest kiosk About $21,000 is earmarked annually within the parking fund capital plan for the acquisition of additional kiosks Other proposals for future consideration involve reinstating free Sunday parking and updating the process for appealing a parking ticket Also on Tuesday's board meeting agenda are plans for financial services discussion of town requests related to the Anna Hunt Marsh and Charles Dana Bridges to Hinsdale and updates on the town's housing plan and Brattleboro Thrives economic development program Free TrialSubscribe Already a subscriber? Sign In BRATTLEBORO, VT (MyKeeneNow) A man was hospitalized Saturday night after being shot in the abdomen near 54 South Main St. according to local police.adButlerLazyLoad("1708280235869983488",100,["734403","734403","734403"],"177038"); Officers responded to the scene around 9:45 p.m The victim was found conscious and alert when emergency crews arrived He was transported to Brattleboro Memorial Hospital for treatment The shooting prompted police to shut down the section of roadway between Groundworks and Lawrence Street for about two hours as investigators gathered evidence Brattleboro Police say the incident appears to be isolated and that there is no ongoing threat to the public and authorities are continuing to search for suspects.adButlerLazyLoad("3852559693109391146",100,["734403","734403","734403"],"177038"); Detective Lieutenant Greg Eaton is urging anyone with information to come forward Tips can be shared by calling 802-257-7950 or the department’s anonymous tip line at 802-251-8188 Nicole Colson is the editor-in-chief of MyKeeneNow A vacant Keene home under renovation was destroyed in an early morning fire causing $375K in damages and prompting a multi-town firefighter response Keene police officer Jake Dube identified in April 29 shooting that left Cullen Costa hospitalized; investigation into the incident is ongoing Brattleboro police are investigating a South Main Street shooting that left one man hospitalized and temporarily closed nearby roads Saturday night Eric Gagne joins My Keene Now & Next to preview Keene’s Thing in the Spring festival Keene City Council approves traffic changes and hears updates on downtown projects and the 2025-26 budget at May 1 meeting Be sure you have your GPS enabled and try again A flower basket in Brattleboro's Pliny Park and with it the return of the Downtown Brattleboro Alliance's Bloom flower program and First Friday Gallery Walks.  These free programs — considered signatures of downtown Brattleboro’s cultural life — are made possible through the local support and efforts of a small but dedicated team and to celebrate its 25 years of serving Brattleboro DBA has launched a “25 for 25” monthly donor campaign The organization is seeking 25 monthly sustaining donors to mark 25 years of service and help ensure these events continue to flourish “Our programs like Bloom and First Fridays bring joy and beauty to the heart of Brattleboro,” said Kate Trzaskos “But they rely on community support to grow and thrive.” DBA’s Bloom program fills downtown with vibrant floral displays that can uplift residents and visitors alike is a longstanding favorite among locals and contributes significantly to the charm and appeal of Brattleboro’s public spaces The First Friday series runs monthly from May through October transforming the streets of Brattleboro with food trucks Gallery Walk invites residents and visitors to explore local galleries and pop-up exhibits — both during First Fridays and throughout the year These programs are free to the public and represent a significant portion of DBA’s operating budget The organization's downtown designation status provides its base funding annually and DBA is responsible for raising the remaining 70 percent of operating costs through grants DBA says that’s where community support makes the biggest impact For more information, visit www.brattleboro.com. To donate, visit: https://givebutter.com/hbFNWr Green Street School held its 13th annual Tulip Trot on Saturday BRATTLEBORO — Green Street School's Tulip Trot 5K enjoyed record attendance.  At the 13th annual run/walk held Saturday, about 173 participants were counted by event organizers. The Tulip Trot is the school's biggest yearly fundraiser, according to sites.google.com/wsesdvt.org/tulip-trot/home.  "Our students and staff as well as the overall surrounding communities eagerly anticipate this yearly event," the website states Quality local journalism needs your support Access this story and all of our stories with 24/7 unlimited access Subscribe now for 99¢ Subscriber Sign In | Return Home N.H. — A former town manager for Brattleboro was recently let go from his job as city manager in Claremont for concerns related to his performance.  N.H. — A former town manager for Brattleboro was recently let go from his job as city manager in Claremont Yoshi Manale was hired by the city of Claremont in October 2022 His last day in Brattleboro was in June 2022 which he won over 50 other applicants who were being considered to replace longtime Town Manager Peter Elwell BRATTLEBORO — Outgoing Town Manager Yoshi Manale’s resignation and severance agreement were … This bobcat was spotted in a residential yard on Cortland Lane in Brattleboro on Saturday evening BRATTLEBORO — This bobcat was spotted in a residential yard on Cortland Lane in Brattleboro on Saturday evening BRATTLEBORO — As the partisan divide in the U.S some are asking if we can use our common concerns to bridge the toxic polarization that threatens our democracy That’s the central question guiding the next America 250 Town Hall this Wednesday Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application son of Carol (Perrigo) McManus of Brattleboro and the late Raymond Murphy of Southaven Jonmichael graduated with high honors from Brattleboro Union High School in 2021 He was an active child who enjoyed many sports and activities including soccer He cherished road trips with his family to visit relatives and explore new parts of the country In high school he began composing his own music and performed at BrattRock in 2018 He continued composing and performing music until his death he was a miracle and a blessing who pushed his way into this world and kept her on her toes with his energetic free spirit and his animated nature He brought her many smiles and tears of joy She is forever grateful that he chose her as his mother He will always be her “little man” and one of her greatest joys Jonmichael will be remembered by his family and friends as a person with an adventurous spirit and an inquisitive mind He loved pulling pranks and making people smile asking deep questions about the meaning of life and his place in the world which he expressed to everyone he met and to animals of all species especially his beloved cats Cheese and Rose He formed many relationships with people in the community Jonmichael was predeceased by his grandparents Troy and Emma Murphy Doug and Chris Murphy and brother Nathan Shaffer  He is survived by his mother Carol McManus; sisters Honnee McManus Paul Kickery; grandmother Ellen Schwartz; aunts Angela Perrigo Michele Curran-Wells; uncles Scott Perrigo (Crystal) cousins and other beloved family members and friends to be immediately followed by a funeral service those who wish may make a memorial contribution to Groundworks Collaborative  Ker Phaneuf Funeral Home has been entrusted with arrangements Phaneuf Funeral Homes & Crematorium - Brattleboro Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors People celebrate the return of Gallery Walk and First Friday in downtown Brattleboro on Friday People celebrate the return of Gallery Walk and First Friday in downtown Brattleboro on Friday, May 2, 2025. Purchase local photos online. Gail Grycel of Westminster West looks at some of the photos hanging at In-Sight Photography during Gallery Walk on Friday John Dimick paints as people watch at Kitchen Sync during Gallery Walk on Friday Fighters from Vermont Armored Combat compete during Gallery Walk and First Friday on Friday Jesse Thomas of Last Ember puts on a fire performance in front of a large crowd during Gallery Walk and First Friday on Friday Jason Scaggs and bandmates of Jatoba perform during Gallery Walk and First Friday on Friday dances to the music during Gallery Walk and First Friday on Friday Casey Haynes dazzles the crowd with cyr wheel during Gallery Walk and First Friday on Friday Viscersa Nefarious lies on a bed of nails as an audience member stands on top adding more weight during Gallery Walk and First Friday on Friday A large group marches from Main Street to the Brattleboro Common to celebrate workers and fight for democracy on May Day on Thursday A large group marches from Main Street to the Brattleboro Common to celebrate workers and fight for democracy on May Day on Thursday, May 1, 2025. Purchase local photos online. Deirdre Donaldson of Brattleboro holds an upside-down American flag during a march to celebrate workers and fight for democracy on May Day on Thursday Saturn from Westminster plays with the marching band as they lead a march from Main Street to the Brattleboro Common to celebrate workers and fight for democracy on May Day on Thursday Fred Breuning joins others as they march from Main Street to the Brattleboro Common to celebrate workers and fight for democracy on May Day on Thursday Mike Meininger of West Brattleboro sits on the bench at the Brattleboro Common holding an American flag to celebrate workers and fight for democracy on May Day on Thursday sidewalks were filled with people marching from Main Street to th… Richard spent his life serving his community and bringing warmth and unwavering loyalty to all who knew him Richard proudly served with the Brattleboro Fire Department for 34 years he was honored as Firefighter of the Year in 2013—a testament to his commitment and heroism Richard found brotherhood and camaraderie as a member of the Red Knights International Firefighters Motorcycle Club for 18 years and as a long-standing member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles Club for 33 years and the joy of connecting with others through shared passions Gregory Crespo and Emily Crespo; his father and selflessness will live on in their hearts and in the many lives he touched from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Ker Phaneuf Funeral Home Michael's Roman Catholic Church with burial to follow at St the family kindly requests donations be made to the Red Knights Motorcycle Club in Richard’s memory Contributions can be made to: Red Knights Motorcycle Club Vermont II Chapter Club treasurer or mail check to Red Knights Vermont II Chapter Ker Phaneuf Funeral Home & Crematorium The Brattleboro Fire Department and surrounding agencies responded to a two-alarm structure fire at 107 Glen Road on Wednesday The dog that was missing and believed to be in the trailer at the time of the fire was later found by Brattleboro Animal Control and returned to its owner WEST BRATTLEBORO — As a trailer filled with smoke neighbors rushed into action Wednesday to make sure everyone was safe and busted windows in hopes to save a dog When firefighters first arrived on scene at about 9 a.m. the trailer at 107 Glen Street was fully involved in flames and spreading to another trailer next door The Brattleboro Fire Department and surrounding agencies responded to a two-alarm structure fire at 107 Glen Street on Wednesday Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInBRATTLEBORO (WCAX) - Five people and two pets were displaced after a fire spread to two homes in Brattleboro Wednesday The fire department says they responded to a mobile home fire on Glen Street at around 9 a.m They say a propane tank began venting behind the home Two people were sent to the hospital to be evaluated The cause of the fire is under investigation Vermonters help clean up trash around the riverbeds and roadsides as part of Green Up Day fill out a ballot at the American Legion Post 5 during a town election held on Town Meeting Day on Tuesday Isaac Evans-Frantz and Amanda Ellis-Thurber were elected to the Select Board.  "Looking forward to getting to work and also just really grateful to have been out there today with eight great candidates Human Resources Director Sally Nix and Police Chief Norma Hardy (left to right) attend annual Representative Town Meeting on Saturday Planet Hank creator Hank Poitras films an incident on South Main Street that started off as a trespassing call but turned into an overdose call on Tuesday BRATTLEBORO — Following concerns raised by a report questioning what appeared to be falsification of public records an internal review by the town found that an unintentional error in the process was made.  An article by Jonathan Elwell published Friday in The Rake Vermont, "Are Brattleboro Police hiding their relationship with a far-right blogger?," reported that on Aug A car travels down Putney Road in Brattleboro on Friday An infographic shows Vermont Agency of Transportation paving projects scheduled in the near future A car travels on Canal Street in Brattleboro on Friday BRATTLEBORO — Several paving projects are planned around town.  VTrans said "a composite contract made up of multiple paving projects" is scheduled to take place in Brattleboro and from Brattleboro to Putney over the 2025 and 2026 construction seasons "The state hires one prime contractor and there are typically also sub-contractors who perform different types of work throughout the project," said Brandon Kipp A new community conduct ordinance that was passed to address drug use and crime in downtown Brattleboro was rejected at a special town meeting Thursday The select board passed the ordinance in September after hearing from shop owners and residents about the deteriorating climate in downtown At a series of select board meetings this summer they talked about open drug use which the select board approved in a 3-2 vote authority to issue civil fines for low-level drug offenses It also addressed “high response” properties where the police have been dispatched four or more times within a three-month period the police could connect with people and help get them the social services they need But soon after the select board approved the ordinance a petition was signed by enough town residents to call for the special town meeting vote Brattleboro is the only town in Vermont that has a representative town meeting Residents who live in each district are caucused in to represent that part of town and they vote on the town budget and other town issues At the special representative town meeting Thursday night the ordinance was defeated by a vote of 76-55 a town meeting representative who submitted the petition that called for a vote said at the meeting that the ordinance was poorly written and would not stand up to legal challenges “The way the ordinance is written makes it very likely that if challenged in court all or part of the ordinance would be invalidated and the town would have to pay money in damages,” she said “We simply cannot set up a system of civil charges in a quick and cheap manner that doesn’t open the town up for expensive lawsuits.” The town attorney said he thought the ordinance would survive a legal challenge Because of Brattleboro’s representative town meeting system many of the people who showed up at the select board meetings this summer could not vote on the ordinance and it was clear as the meeting went on that a majority of the town meeting representatives opposed the ordinance There were very few people who stood up and supported the ordinance during the almost two-hour meeting who acknowledged there was a problem and said he sees people injecting drugs regularly in his neighborhood did not think the ordinance would do anything to address the issue of homelessness and addiction and a police officer comes along and under this ordinance issues me a Class A violation Opponents criticized the select board for criminalizing poverty and for giving the police and town officials arbitrary powers to ticket and remove a certain class of town residents from public spaces But the select board members who supported the ordinance said they were only trying to listen to those who are frustrated with the climate downtown they pleaded with the meeting to allow them to at least try out the ordinance in an attempt to better serve those who were in the greatest need because our downtown has a perception of absolute erosion,” select board member Peter Case said nobody at this table ever blamed anybody who is unhoused Nobody at this table looks to criminalize poverty We had three or four select board meetings in a row where a hundred-plus people begging this board to do something Have questions, comments, or tips? Send us a message Enter your email to sign up for The Frequency See more newsletters Have questions, comments or tips? Send us a message Crews from the Brattleboro Public Works Department paint new markings on Western Avenue on Sept BRATTLEBORO — Safety is the priority for those seeking to reconfigure bike lanes on Western Avenue.  the Select Board supported a proposal for new bike lanes from Green Street to Exit 2 Parking would be permitted only the south side of the street with the bike lanes running straight on either side and potentially a buffer if space allows Brattleboro’s Brooks House has anchored the corner of Main and High streets for a century and a half (VtDigger - Kevin O’Connor) VTDigger — Kevin O’Connor President Benjamin Harrison rode past Brattleboro’s Brooks House in August 1891 (Courtesy Brattleboro Historical Society) — Hayes slept in one of its bedrooms in 1877 Writer Rudyard Kipling drank lager in its basement bar and played poker in its penthouse suite from 1892 to 1896 Broadcaster Lowell Thomas presented the NBC national radio news live from its ballroom in 1946 someone new will buy this town’s cornerstone Brooks House and soon make their own history The five-story Main Street landmark — built in 1871 ravaged by fire in 2011 and restored in 2014 — has been placed on the market “on an ‘as-is’ basis and is being offered without a formal asking price,” according to an online listing that notes potential purchasers must sign a confidentiality agreement to receive more specifics “Although we have listed the property for sale with a broker all of whom continue to work at our businesses downtown remain committed to Brattleboro,” its five local owners — engineer Bob Stevens financial-planner brothers Pete and Drew Richards and their colleague cousin Ben Taggard — said in a written statement to VtDigger When the late businessman George Brooks fashioned his namesake block in 1871 he spent $150,000 on 1 million bricks and 500,000 feet of lumber the local quintet scraped up $23 million more to rebuild the structure after a gutting blaze April 17 Stevens had known the Brooks House as the view from his engineering office when he was hired to assess the fire damage and draw up restoration plans not knowing he’d soon join four friends in buying the 88,000 square-foot building with six retail spaces won the Brattleboro Area Chamber of Commerce’s Corporate Citizens of Year award chronicled the restoration in a 2015 cover story headlined “Miracle on Main Street.” vacant building that inhabits a quarter of the downtown was not an option if we wanted Brattleboro to thrive,” Stevens said in the Vermont Life piece With the block finished and fully occupied the five now want to relinquish their duties as landlords and return to their day jobs “We formed the development team with a few goals in mind: renovate the building recruit great new commercial and residential tenants and restore the Brooks House to its rightful place as the cornerstone of downtown Brattleboro,” they wrote in their statement “Now that the building is full of life and every space has been filled it is time for us to hand the building over to its next generation of owners.” the owners said they would limit their comments to the statement But they stress they’re not leaving the community or Stevens will continue to operate M&S Development a firm he founded with Miskovich (whose law office is a Brooks House tenant) to support other New England projects including the $56 million renovation of Bennington’s Putnam Block The potential sale comes as downtown Brattleboro is stabilizing after the Covid-19 pandemic several longtime business closures and public complaints about a rise in police calls “Bigger changes are coming to downtown Brattleboro as we look ahead,” Kate Trzaskos executive director of the Downtown Brattleboro Alliance wrote in a recent newsletter that noted several new businesses and the current construction of a $7.4 million Amtrak train station you agree with our use of cookies to personalize your experience 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