Brentwood Joe's Town Hall Podcast

For Richard: White Star Families and the Grief America Doesn't See

This episode is personal. Released on the first day of PTSD Awareness Month, this podcast shines a light on White Star Families — the families of veterans and service members lost to suicide. Unlike Gold Star Families, who receive federal recognition and public honor, White Star Families carry their grief largely in silence, without official acknowledgment, and too often without the support they deserve. Every year in the United States, approximately six thousand veterans die by suicide. That is seventeen families every single day who wake up carrying a loss the world does not always know how to acknowledge. This episode is dedicated to Army Sergeant First Class Richard David Tarmy — born October 26th, 1969, who served his country in Operation Iraqi Freedom with the United States Army Signal Corps, and who was lost on March 25th, 2013. This episode is for Richard, for his family, and for every White Star Family carrying a grief America doesn't always see. If you or someone you know needs help, call or text 988 and press 1 for the Veterans Crisis Line. Available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2523102/fan_mail/new]

5-19-2026 The ICE Meeting

A full recap of the May 19th Brentwood Select Board meeting — a packed evening that covered routine financial business, the formal welcome of new Town Treasurer Linda Lambert, and a major conservation win as the board approved using the open space bond to fund a 55-acre conservation easement on the Sly property on Middle Road. The board also received updates on the ongoing town administrator and recreation director searches, and heard from auditors on four open items still requiring resolution. But the evening's most talked-about moment came when Police Chief Murch informed the board that he had signed a 287G task force agreement with ICE — a decision rooted in officer safety and twenty years of law enforcement experience that sparked a substantive public discussion about process, transparency, and what it means to keep Brentwood safe.  Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2523102/fan_mail/new]

Memorial Day

Memorial Day Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2523102/fan_mail/new]

School Board under fire

A recap of the Brentwood School Board meeting that drew the largest public turnout in years. At the center of the controversy: beloved kindergarten teacher Mrs. Julie Proctor, removed from her classroom for seven weeks following a playground incident. This episode breaks down the emotional public testimony, the board's selective enforcement of its own rules, a stunning revelation about who actually makes personnel decisions, and the deeper questions about transparency and accountability in our local government. The community showed up — did the board? Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2523102/fan_mail/new]

End of an Era

Brentwood Joe's Town Hall Podcast returns with major news: After 275 years, Brentwood has held its last traditional town meeting and voted to adopt SB2. In this episode, Joe recaps the March election results—including a school board seat decided by coin toss—explains what the SB2 transition means for local democracy, and shares his balanced perspective on the opportunities and challenges ahead. He spotlights Tzuo Hann Law as an example of informed civic engagement, and announces the first Annual Preserve Brentwood Fall Flea Market on September 20th, a community event raising funds for the rec center. Whether you're concerned about property taxes, curious about SB2, or looking to reconnect with neighbors, this episode has something for you. Town meeting recap coming in the next episode. Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2523102/fan_mail/new]