Monday, March 18, 2013

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MONDAY Â Â EDITION

ADDISON COUNTY

INDEPENDENT

Vol. 25 No. 4

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Middlebury, Vermont

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Monday, March 18, 2013

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40 Pages

75¢

Dairy  farm adds  wind  to  energy  portfolio By  XIAN  CHIANG-­WAREN BRIDPORT  â€”  A  wind  turbine  is  up  and  running  at  the  Audets’  Blue  Spruce  Farm  in  Bridport,  the  sec-­ ond  in  Addison  County  that  was  constructed  especially  for  the  Green  Mountain  Power’s  Wind  Power  Pro-­ gram.  The  turbine,  which  sits  atop  a  121-­foot-­tall  tower  just  off  Route  22A,  generates  around  165,000  kilo-­ watt  hours  of  electricity  per  year,  about  enough  to  power  23  homes.  It  also  will  save  around  191,807  lbs.  of  carbon  emissions  annually. “We’ve  made  a  big  commitment  to  renewable  energy,â€?  said  fam-­ ily  spokeswoman  Marie  Audet.  The  GDLU\ IDUP ZDV WKH ÂżUVW LQYROYHG LQ GMP’s  Cow  Power  program,  which  enlists  farmers  to  convert  manure  into  electricity  using  on-­farm  anaer-­ obic  digesters. “We  are  delighted  to  be  the  host  site  and  do  what  we  can  do  for  Brid-­ port  energy,â€?  Audet  added. GMP  has  in  recent  years  stepped  up  its  investment  in  wind  energy  throughout  Vermont.  The  company  has  placed  21  wind  turbines  through-­ (See  Blue  Spruce  Farm,  Page  15)

MIDDLEBURY  UNION  MIDDLE  School  eighth-­grader  Ronan  Howlett  of  Cornwall  won  the  Vermont  State  Spelling  Bee  last  week  and  will  represent  the  state  at  the  National  Bee  in  June.  Howlett  also  won  the  Vermont  Bee  last  year. Independent  photo/Trent  Campbell

MUMS spelling champ repeats feat By  JOHN  FLOWERS MIDDLEBURY  â€”  Middlebury  Union  Middle  School  eighth-­grad-­ er  Ronan  Howlett  has  an  expan-­ sive  vocabulary  for  a  14-­year-­old,  but  two  words  in  particular  will Â

always  resonate  with  him  even  if  he  rarely  gets  an  opportunity  to  use  them  in  a  sentence:  â€œqualitativeâ€?  and  â€œdesultory.â€? Those  are  the  two  words  that  have  won  him  consecutive  titles  as Â

Vermont’s  top  student  speller.  The  Cornwall  resident  repeated  as  top  performer  in  the  Vermont  State  Individual  Spelling  Bee  last  Wednesday,  March  13,  topping  (See  Howlett,  Page  39)

Sheldon unveils attic treasures Museum exhibit showcases quirky and beautiful items

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By  JOHN  FLOWERS “Everything  here  has  a  local  connection.â€? MIDDLEBURY  â€”  A  trip  to  the  household  at-­ Some  of  the  items  in  the  exhibit  were  accumu-­ tic  can  often  yield  a  few  cherished  family  trea-­ lated  by  the  museum’s  namesake,  Henry  Sheldon  sures  with  some  interesting  stories  attached  to  D ORFDO PHUFKDQW SRVWDO RIÂżFHU DQG them. avid  collector  of  coins,  stamps,  autographs,  fur-­ So  it  should  come  as  no  surprise  that  a  trip  to  nishings  and  many  other  items.  Other  treasures  the  attic  of  Middlebury’s  Henry  Shel-­ were  donated  to  the  Sheldon,  acknowl-­ don  Museum  of  Vermont  History  can  edged  as  the  oldest  community  history  yield  a  veritable  gold  mine  of  artifacts  â€œEverything museum  in  the  country. that  speak  volumes  about  the  people,  here has Some  of  the  treasures  are  utilitarian. places  and  history  of  Addison  County. a local $IÂż[HG WR WKH PXVHXP ZDOO LV D 0XVHXP RIÂżFLDOV KDYH GXVWHG RII large,  210-­year-­old  marble  saw  used  by  connection.â€? Middlebury  marble  merchants  Theo-­ some  of  the  Park  Street  institution’s  â€” Sheldon datus  Phelps  and  Charles  A.  Landon.  fascinating  attic  assets  for  its  latest  Museum The  two-­man  saw  is  toothless;Íž  sand  exhibit,  aptly  titled  â€œTreasures  from  Executive the  Sheldon  Museum.â€?  On  display  was  used  to  perform  the  cutting  ac-­ Director Bill tion  on  rock,  Brooks  noted.  Phelps  and  through  April  20,  the  treasures  include  Brooks Landon  operated  the  saw  at  a  quarry  a  series  of  stunning  paintings  featuring  local  scenes  and  people,  along  with  an  off  Halpin  Road  in  New  Haven,  among  array  of  unusual  conversation-­starters,  such  as  other  places. an  adult-­sized  cradle,  a  135-­year-­old  penny  far-­ Near  the  saw  is  another  reminder  of  Middle-­ thing  bicycle  with  a  52-­inch  front  wheel  and  a  bury’s  past  and  present:  A  built-­to-­scale  model  of  120-­year-­old  stuffed  cat. the  historic  Pulp  Mill  Bridge  that  links  Middle-­ A  WEATHER  VANE  depicting  the  famous  Mor-­ “They  speak  to  us,â€?  Sheldon  Museum  Execu-­ bury  to  Weybridge  across  the  Otter  Creek  via  gan  horse  Black  Hawk  is  part  of  the  â€œTreasures  tive  Director  Bill  Brooks  said  as  he  surveyed  the  Seymour  Street.  Lowell  Clark,  a  1951  Middle-­ from  the  Sheldon  Museumâ€?  exhibit. various  elements  of  the  exhibit  last  week. Independent  photo/Trent  Campbell (See  Sheldon,  Page  29)


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