The Charlotte News | April 10, 2014

The Charlotte News Volume lVI Number 17

The VoIce of The TowN

Thursday, aprIl 10, 2014

From Town Hall to Fire Hall The Selectboard will hold its quarterly meeting with CVFRS in the Fire Hall April 21 When the Selectboard meets for its quarterly meeting with Charlotte Volunteer Fire & Rescue (CVFRS) April 21, it will do so with a change of scenery. Rather than meeting at Town Hall, the board will cross the street to have a special meeting at the fire hall, the first since the memorandum of agreement (MOA) between the town and Fire & Rescue was signed.

A stipulation of the MOA is that the Selectboard and CVFRS hold quarterly meetings. The special warned meeting will center on CVFRS business only. The Selectboard and Fire & Rescue will discuss the organization’s budget to date, the

inventory status of CVFRS equipment, the status of having all vehicles registered to CVFRS and other items yet to be identified for the agenda.

According to Selectboard Chair Lane Morrison, the meeting will also include opportunities for Selectboard members and the community to explore CVFRS’s new ambulance, walk around the Fire Hall and meet Fire & Rescue’s corporate and auxiliary boards.

“The objective is to show the community that we are communicating and working together,” said Morrison.

The meeting begins at 7 p.m.

Land Being Prepped for East Charlotte Solar Array Edd Merritt

Photo by Karyn Lunde

The charloTTe News

Maryn Askews dances through a scene in CCS’s presentation of Honk!, a musical based on Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale “The Ugly Duckling.” For more photos of the performance, turn to page 14.

It has been just over a year since the Vermont Public Service Board (PSB) approved planting a solar array in a field north of Hinesburg Road in East Charlotte. A road into the array was laid near the beginning of the winter, and two poles were set near the main road to connect the array to the grid.

However, with the severe ice and snow over the past few months, the actual construction of the array with place-

ment of racks and their panels had to wait. Spring is now upon us, and the preparation of the soil for placement has begun. Scoops and graders have been at it for approximately a week, and the racks (frames) for the panels are stacked, ready to be set into the ground.

The PSB approved the plans for the field with several caveats, among them that the array be moved farther back from the road than originally proposed

Solar Array

continued on page 8

Envisioning a Better Future in Africa Two Charlotters are using technology to improve health care in Uganda Emma Slater The charloTTe News Scrolling through hundreds of pages of photos recently, Anna Franceschetti displayed her images of dirt floors with no walls, an IV bag hanging from a window and young children with their mothers, which tell the story of her first visit to Uganda.

Anna, a senior at CVU from Charlotte, visited Uganda for ten days last August, volunteering for Imaging the World (ITW) as a part of her graduation challenge project. She toured several clinics with a caravan of friends, family and medical students, each individual at different stages in their medical education.

Visiting the clinic in Nawanyago, Uganda, Anna was struck with the contrast between the medical facilities available to Vermonters and the conditions of clinics in Uganda. These images seemed foreign in comparison to her experience with hospitals like Fletcher Allen. However, even an ocean apart, the two places are connected by the innovative spirit of several Charlotters.

Imaging the World (ITW), co-founded by Kris-

ten DeStigter of Charlotte, is a program that provides access to ultrasound imaging equipment, an essential tool to combat maternal death due to complications. Anna said that this often “sounds so simple, because everyone in the U.S. gets them,” but unfortunately most Ugandan communities don’t have access to ultrasounds. In fact, one out of every twenty mothers in this region die from complications in childbirth.

ITW’s model is to place ultrasound imaging equipment in pre-existing clinics near CVU senior and Charlotter Anna Franceschetti records a survey larger hospitals. If an issue is found, patients in Nawanyago, Uganda, during a recent trip there. can then be sent to a nearby hospital for procedures such as a C-section. This idea was to train midwives to also perform basic interpretations. designed with adaptability in mind, so the approach is DeStigter offered Anna the opportunity to tour these applicable in any environment. The ITW team trains clinics. DeStigter, as well as being president of ITW, is the midwives at these clinics to take ultrasound images residency program director, professor and vice-chair of using a specific sweeping protocol. The images are radiology at the University of Vermont. Her relationthen sent to a centralized location in Uganda where ship with Anna traces back to her childhood, recalling technicians are trained to read them. They are also accessible to doctors in locations around the world, Africa although the goal is to work toward processing all of continued on page 8 the images within the country. Eventually, ITW hopes

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Commentary The Charlotte News PublishEd by and for CharlottErs sinCE 1958 The CharloTTe News is a nonprofit community-based newspaper dedicated to informing townspeople of current events and issues. It serves as a forum for the free exchange of views of town residents and celebrates the people, places and happenings that make the Town of Charlotte unique.

Contributions in the form of articles, press releases and photographs pertaining to Charlotte-related people and events are accepted and encouraged from all townspeople and interested individuals. For submission guidelines and deadlines, please visit our website or contact the editor at news@charlottenewsvt.com.

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Lower Property Taxes This Year, But What About the Future?

Two bills under consideration in the Vermont State Legislature could have a profound impact on school funding and governance in Vermont, including Charlotte. The education tax bill, H.889, sets the statewide rates for this year and mandates that the Legislature establish an income tax by 2017 to replace a portion of residential property taxes. The school consolidation bill, H.883, would dissolve current supervisory districts and local school districts and replace them with a smaller number of “expanded pre-Kindergarten through grade 12 districts” by 2020. The expanded districts would each be governed by a single board and operate on a single budget.

The short-term good news for Charlotte if H.889 passes is that education property taxes will be less than projected at Town Meeting. Rather than the anticipated 5.9-percent increase in the residential tax rate, it would increase only 2.8 percent, from 1.46 to 1.5005. On the other hand, the nonresidential rate (commercial, rentals, summer homes) would go up slightly more than anticipated—2.3 percent rather than 2 percent, or from 1.405 to 1.4375. H.889 passed the House on April 4 and is now being considered in the Senate.

What about the long-term effects? Legislators are reacting to the outcry among taxpayers —evidenced by the 35 failed budget votes in March—against the relentless yearly increases in property taxes. H.889 includes several approaches to curb these increases, including tying the excessive spending penalty to inflation and doing away with small-school grants. Responding to frequent requests to base education funding on income rather than property, they propose a statewide tax on all Vermont income tax payers, replacing the current income sensitivity system of credits to homeowners.

The income tax would not provide all of the education funding; there would continue to be both nonresidential and a lower residential property tax.

Nowhere in the bill do legislators address the major drivers of spending: increases in salaries that often exceed inflation (administrative as well as teacher), health insurance and federal- and state-mandated services over which local school boards have little control.

Teachers’ contracts are now being negotiated, away from the public view or public vote; as usual, we can only hope that the annual costs of the final contracts are reasonable.

I am particularly worried that the expected reductions in property taxes will be short lived. Time and again, going back to the 1960s and even earlier, every time the Legislature has promised a new approach to ease property taxes, the plan of the day has worked for just a few years. Then gradually, as the state needs more money for other priorities, the Legislature has reduced or diverted the other revenues that were intended to provide property tax relief. With both an education income tax and property tax, and without adequate cost controls, how long will it be before both taxes become onerous?

A recent case in point: when writing H.889, the House Ways and Means Committee funded the lower residential rate with reductions in income sensitivity and renter rebates. But not all the savings are being used to provide property tax relief. They are using $900,000 of the savings to help balance the General Fund budget.

The savings include $600,000 from the reduction in property tax breaks for renters and $600,000 from the reduction in the maximum cap on income sensitivity from $8,000 to $6,000 (except for households with a member over 65).

The Expanded Districts bill, H.883, which mandates consolidation of school districts, is the other major piece of legislation in response to taxpayer unrest.

However, while the bill offers efficiencies of scale, the legislators working on it have cautioned against expecting much in the way of tax savings. Their focus is on increasing educational opportunities for students and achieving more streamlined governance.

I agree those are worthy goals, but are there benefits of this massive restructuring of Vermont’s education system that make it worth giving up all semblance of local control of our community schools? With one board for pre-K through 12th grade, Charlotte’s representation would be minimal. And with ballots from all towns in the expanded district commingled for the one budget, Charlotte’s voice would be lost.

It was just four years ago that school districts were mandated to consider consolidation on a voluntary basis, and like ours, most school districts reviewed the benefits and determined there were not significant enough cost savings or educational advantages to do so.

What new evidence is there to prove all that research was wrong?

As of Tuesday, H.883 was still in the House Ways and Means Committee. I’m hoping the many opponents of this bill are successful in holding it back from passage so there can be continued conversation at the local level about other ways to provide a 21st century education at a reasonable cost to taxpayers.

In the meantime, one way to keep property taxes under control in Charlotte would be to attract more families with children to our beautiful town. Because the statewide formula is based on per-student spending, just another 18 students at CCS (two per grades K-8) would have meant this coming year’s taxes would actually go down a hair! (By my calculations, –.13%, assuming the same budget).

I believe we should ask our Planning Commission, as it develops the new Town Plan, to include provisions that will encourage the development of more moderately priced housing affordable to families to strengthen our community and help offset the downward trend in the school population.

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An excellent resource for health-related questions is available at Fletcher Allen Health Care in the Community Resource Center located on level 3 in the Main

Lorna Bates McNeil Cove Road

PUBLIC MEETINGS Selectboard Regular Meetings are usually at 7 p.m. in the Town Hall on the second and fourth Mondays of each month. Sometimes they begin earlier; check online at charlottevt.org or with the Town Clerk (425-3071). Chair: Lane Morrison (4252495), Matthew Krasnow (922-2153), Ellie Russell (425-5276), Charles Russell (425-4757), Fritz Tegatz (425-5564). CCS School Board Regular Meetings are usually at 6:30 p.m. at CVU on the third Tuesday of each month. Chair Kristin Wright (425-5105), Clyde Baldwin (425-3366), Susan

Nostrand (425-4999), Erik Beal (425-2140), Mark McDermott (425-4860). Planning Commission Regular Meetings are usually at 7 p.m. in the Town Hall on the first and third Thursdays of each month. Chair Jeffrey McDonald (425-4429), Vice Chair Peter Joslin, Gerald Bouchard, Paul Landler, Linda Radimer, Donna Stearns, Marty Illick.

Committee meetings are listed on the town website.

Check times and agendas online or by phone; for the town: charlottevt.org, Town Hall, 425-3071 or 4253533; for CCS: ccsvt.us, CSSU office, 383-1234.

The Charlotte News

Legislative Report

by Representative Mike Yantachka

Education Governance Changes Proposed through H.883 When it comes to discussions about Vermont’s education system, the biggest focus has been the effect on property taxes. How to finance education has been a primary concern these past weeks, and the Legislature took steps to reduce the increase in the statewide property tax that was projected back in March.

The other big issue is the way the education system is designed, referred to as “governance” in legislative parlance, and how governance affects performance and costs. House bill H.883 has been reported out of the Education Committee to deal with this aspect, and it has become just as controversial as the financing issue.

What is being proposed?

H.883 is a school district consolidation bill. It proposes to eliminate supervisory unions by the year 2020. Existing school districts would be realigned into expanded districts responsible for the education of pre-kindergarten to grade 12 students.

Each expanded district would serve a minimum of 1,250 students or four preexisting districts, although waivers could be requested under certain circumstances.

Pre-K-12 districts would be formed recognizing historic relationships between communities, existing school districts and potential geographic obstacles. Existing school districts would have until 2017 to self-determine their alignment in a new or currently existing preK-12 district.

What does it hope to accomplish?

The goals of this legislation include (1) creating more cohesion in curriculum, professional development and accountability, (2) the ability to share resources and create more options for students, (3) opportunities for all students to prepare for the 21st century marketplace, (4) leadership stability throughout the system and (5) potential saving in education delivery.

Photo by Edd MErritt

What’s the problem?

The present system of organizing school districts was designed back in 1892. Vermont has 282 school districts, 80 supervisory unions and 1,500 school board members for about 80,000 students. There is one school board member for every 53 students. Because of increasing costs, we have the highest per-pupil spending in the country. We have the lowest teacher-to-student ratio, yet our student achievement, as good as it is in comparison with the rest of the country, has not increased at the same rate as our spending. Furthermore, the governance structure is not conducive to

stable educational leadership, resulting in a 30-percent turnover rate of principals and superintendents.

What effect will it have on CSSU? CSSU has already consolidated many functions at the supervisory union level.

This has allowed sharing of resources across the five pre-K-8 schools it serves.

It currently operates with five pre-K-8 school boards, a CVU school board and a supervisory union school board. Under H.883, all of these boards would be reorganized into a single board with representation from each community unless one or more member districts chose to realign with other districts. Since some schools have an increasing student enrollment and others a decreasing enrollment, possibilities would exist to share classroom and staff resources as well.

Some are critical of this plan because they perceive a potential loss of local control over curriculum and budget. Others doubt that the plan would actually achieve savings. Everyone, however, seems to agree that the current system is unsustainable.

While some supervisory unions already operate fairly efficiently, some in other parts of the state are constrained by size, geography and lack of resources. The House will continue to debate this bill in the coming weeks, but whether it gets to the full House for a vote remains to be seen. I have received several comments both pro and con about this bill, and I have actively sought the views of current and past school board members I had not heard from. If the bill is not passed this year, it will probably be reintroduced next year. In the meantime, we can continue to learn more about the concept.

I continue to welcome your thoughts and questions and can be reached by phone (802-425-3960) or by email (myantachka.dfa@gmail.com), and you can find my website at MikeYantachka. com.

The “Mini-Mississippi” is Charlotte’s answer to the “Mighty Mississippi.” It flows under Hinesburg Road and behind the Hall Farm.

On the cover Ice breaks up and gathers around pIlIngs at the ferry dock. photo by karyn lunde.

next publIcatIon date: thursday, aprIl 24 contrIbutIons: Monday, aprIl 14 by 5 p.M. letters: Monday, aprIl 21, by 10 a.M.

The Charlotte News welcomes signed Letters to the Editor on any subject of interest to the community.

Letters may be edited for length and as needed for clarity, grammar and spelling. NOTE: The deadline for submission of letters is 10 a.m. on the Monday prior to publication.

CORRECTION In the March 13 issue of the News, we reported Town Clerk Mary Mead received a 10.8-percent raise in 2000 and 2001. Mead actually received a 4.5-percent increase between 2000 and 2001 and a 4-percent increase between 2001 and 2002. We also reported her salary in 2000 was $36,902.

It was actually $36,786. We apologize for these errors.

Town Bites

by Edd Merritt Metz opens the Generator The Generator “maker space” in Burlington’s Memorial Auditorium opened on Saturday with its board headed by Michael Metz of Charlotte. According to an article in the March 28 Burlington Free Press, Metz said that the idea for Generator came to him partly in conjunction with another Charlotte-imbued idea, the renovation of the Moran Plant as proposed by Tad Cooke and Erick Crockenberg, two UVM College of Agriculture students from Charlotte.

However, upon further discussion and consideration, Metz’ group decided not to wait for Moran’s development but to begin opening studios now in the Memorial Auditorium Annex, along with help from the city of Burlington.

Heritage Automotive Group goes local for ads Heritage Automotive owner David Machavern of Charlotte noted in the April 2 issue of Seven Days that his firm would take a “different tack” in its advertising by going with Mount Mansfield Media, which, according to author of the article, Margot Harrison, uses “amusingly wacked-out ways to convey a simple message.”

The company was started by former WCAX-TV salesman Jake Cunevalis. Machavern says that while he felt some of Heritage’s early commercials were a bit “edgy” (How, for example, does Rusty DeWeese eating candy from Elmore General Store relate to cars?), he has been getting positive feedback from viewers. Spot ads profiling the company’s technicians are called “H-Team Origins” and appear similar to movie trailers. Machavern feels they inspire customers to come in and ask for the technicians by name. Heritage has risen to become the ninth largest among Boston-area dealerships, which he calls a “pretty big deal for a little Vermont dealer.”

In return, Heritage underwrote Mount Mansfield Media’s short documentary film titled “Rebuilding Waterbury,” which focused on Waterbury’s flood victims and helped the recovery group attain $1 million in donations, including a $250,000 grant from the Stiller Family Foundation.

The Charlotte News

CVU Grad Challenge Looking for Volunteers Presentations on May 23 Kim Cribari The CharloTTe News For the past 18 years every CVU senior is required to do a graduation challenge before they leave. The idea of the CVU graduation challenge is for every student to get 20-45 hours of a new learning experience. Their new learning ultimately turns into a paper and a formal presentation evaluated by a panel made up of CVU faculty and volunteer community members. This year the day of these presentations will be May 23 at the school.

The graduation challenge topics range widely from topics like photography, remodeling, learning to play piano to being a dental assistant. Ming

Fen Cogdon, a CVU senior from Charlotte, did her graduation challenge by spending a month in Ecuador learning about the culture.

“I loved every moment I had in Ecuador,” she said, “I found it very fun, both to experience and write about.”

Cogdon also went on to thank CVU for letting her share her experience with the community through the grad challenge process.

On the day of presentations the school will be set up for all the seniors to show one of the groups of panelists what they learned. CVU is still looking for volunteers to help on that day. If you are interested in participating as a panelist, you can visit http://cvuweb.cvuhs.org/ gradchallenge/Home.html to get more information and sign up.

Bond-Watts ‘New Glass’ Exhibit April 12-13 Charlotte glass artist extraordinaire Ethan Bond-Watts will host an exhibit called “New Glass” at the Root Gallery in Burlington April 12 and 13 from noon to 4 p.m. The show will feature works such as this filigrana vase. The Root Gallery at RL Photo is located at 27 Sears Lane.

For more information visit ethanbond watts.com.

Editor’s Note Due to space constraints in this issue, we were not able to print the second installment of “Dichotomies,” the second chapter of our Charlotte’s Web series, as advertised in our previous issue. The second half of the article will appear in our April 24 issue. Please look for it then.

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The Charlotte News

A Look at Recent and Upcoming Town Business Lane Morrison Contributor New board members gettiNg established

The two new members, Fritz Tegatz and Matt Krasnow, are quickly getting established on the Selectboard. Our goals and priorities for the upcoming year have been reviewed, with each of us expressing our interest with respect to taking lead positions as follows: ees, committees and commissions—all Selectboard members; including consideration of a new salary structure—Ellie Russell; Committee study and recommendations– Matt Krasnow; Fritz Tegatz; lines to be reflected in town policies— Charles Russell; oversight—Lane Morrison.

admiNistrative assistaNt positioN The Selectboard spent two weeks completing due diligence with regard to hiring an administrative assistant to support Planning, Zoning and Town Administration.

This is to replace Gloria Warden, who recently resigned to take a position in Ferrisburgh. The board voted to fill this position and interviewed ten candidates for the job. Currently the board is in the process of selecting a person based on these interviews. aNNual audit Each year a formal audit of the town is conducted by an outside CPA firm.

Three firms were interviewed; the Selectboard chose Sullivan, Powers & Company from Montpelier for a three-year contract.

Along with the auditing functions, this firm will review our office procedures and internal controls and make recommendations. This effort will help the board in creating appropriate policy updates.

towN greeN improvemeNts For several years the community has been concerned about water collecting on the Town Green during heavy rains, as was the case during last year’s Town Party. Also, the effort by the Monument Committee to relocate the town memorial on the green is nearly complete. A request for a proposal (RFP) will be presented to the Selectboard for approval at our next meeting. The RFP will seek quotes for improvements to the green to include a curtain drain, a concrete foundation for the monument and other site work. It is expected that this work would start in midJuly. The funding for this will be from private donations and the town budget. library repairs It has been determined that both a new roof and a new furnace are needed for the library. Prior to proceeding with the roof, an energy audit is proposed, which will include an evaluation of the HVAC system and building envelope heat loss. The funds will come from the town maintenance fund and from the Energy Committee budget.

We look forward to a productive year ahead.

Veterans’ Monument Project Receives Generous Donation The Veterans’ Monument Garden Project, which aims to move the existing WWII monument from CCS to the Town Green, has received a generous contribution from the Marine Corps League Detachment 606, Burlington, Vt. The donation will add to other funds, which will help bring the project to fruition.

Other groups or individuals wishing to contribute to the project may send donations to the Town of Charlotte, Veterans’ Monument Garden Project, Office of the Town Clerk, P. O. Box 119, Charlotte, 05445. All contributions are tax deductible.

Grange Rummage Sale April 10–12 The Charlotte Grange will hold its annual spring rummage sale April 10–12.

There will be clothes of all sizes, books, shoes, lamps, dishes, toys, housewares, jewelry and more.

The sale will take place on Thursday, April 10, from 9 a.m.–4 p.m. and Friday, April 11, from noon–7 p.m. On Saturday, everything will be $2 a bag from 8 a.m.–noon.

For more information about donations or the sale, contact Deb Stone at 578-4237.

Lane Morrison is chair of the Charlotte Selectboard

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Walking with the King Bradley Carleton Contributor Now that the ice has finally receded to the bowels of the lakes and ponds, the sun warms us just a little more each day. The tiny spriglets of grass begin to peek up between the still-brown detritus left on the soles of winter’s shoes. The robins have begun to work their magic, slowly convincing the cold wrapped buds of the maples to open ever so slightly.

The mornings bless us with a variety of birdsong, one of which fires the imagination and instincts of our primordial selves: the dawn thunder of the Boss Tom turkey still on his roost.

His chest inflated and his waddles fire red, his dewlap dangles over his beak like a ragged flag of glory from fights past. He thrusts forward and bellows at the top of his voice, shocking the world around him to bow and recognize that the King is now awake.

One hundred yards away covered in 3-D camouflage, I sit at the base of a pine tree. I can smell the forest floor’s musky scent. Pine sap is stuck on my index finger as I check the safety of my shotgun. I shoulder my gun, resting the fore end on my knee.

I know that soon His Majesty will waddle down the path to his strutting zone and begin his daily mating

The author with a Boss Tom turkey after a successful hunt. ritual among his harem of ladies of the court. My heart beats wildly as I hear him gobbling incessantly as he walks down the path. A large hen appears and heads off to my left behind a row of forsythias. My heart sinks. “What if he follows her?”

Another hen appears and she circles the hummock in front of me, then disappears to my right. She putts curiously and then settles into the purring sound, feeding on grubs. Now I’ve got one bird on my right and one on my left. “This is good,” I think to myself.

I am surrounded by the real hens and all I have to do is convince the King that I am the one he wants this morning.

I cluck tentatively and then gently purr a sweet contented trill, trying to seduce the Monarch toward me. He gobbles back vociferously. He is on his way.

Moments later, he appears 70 yards distant, behind a downed pine tree. He struts back and forth displaying his regal fan for all his subjects to see.

I sit still, with the white bead of my barrel on his majestic head, waiting for a closer shot. I can now hear my heartbeat in my ears, drumming as if my tympanic membrane is going to shatter. He walks around the pine and strolls powerfully toward me. His eyes are burning a hole in my camouflage. I breathe through my nose, slowly, deeply, expanding my diaphragm to center myself.

He is now 25 yards away. He is in range and I am feeling his very breath in unison with my own. His chest expands and mine does so in perfect time with his. I avert his gaze as he stares at me. He knows I am here and every fiber of my being is intertwined with his. We are one.

After a long prayer of thanks and forgiveness, we walk home together.

Later, at the bridge, as I fish for bullpout, I cry tears of gratitude. Spring has arrived.

Spring turkey season begins May 1 and runs through May 31 each day until noon. Licensed hunters with spring turkey tags are permitted to take two bearded birds (typically toms are bearded but occasionally so are hens— both are legal—but must have a beard on their chest.). All turkeys taken must be checked in at a big game reporting station, where they are weighed and aged. Good luck and show respect for landowners by always asking for permission to hunt.

Bradley Carleton is executive director of Sacred Hunter.org, a nonprofit that seeks to educate the public on the spiritual connection of man to nature and raises funds for Traditions Outdoor Mentoring.org, which mentors at-risk young men in outdoor pursuits.

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The Charlotte News

Wolfie Davis Wins Champ Run Logo Contest CCS fourth grader Wolfie Davis is the winner of this year’s PTO Champ Run logo contest. His logo design will appear on posters, T-shirts, water bottles and other things related to the race.

This year’s Champ Run is slated for June 8. This fun family event includes a 5K run/ walk, a 10K run, and a 1-mile fun run (not timed). Both the 5K and 10K will be chip timed. This race is an out-and-back, beginning and ending at Charlotte Central School.

All proceeds will benefit the Charlotte Central School Parent Teacher Organization.

For more information about the race or to register, visit racevermont.com/champ-run.

Wolfie Davis, winner of this year’s Champ Run logo contest, and Co-Principal Greg Marino.

LEAP! Green Up Day in Charlotte May 3–4 Register to participate through town website Joe Gallagher Contributor In spite of the unusually extended period of cold this winter, spring and Green Up Day are still coming to Charlotte! Please book Saturday, May 3, and Sunday, May 4, on the calendar on your fridge, on your desk, in your head or in your iPhone. This is a wonderful event that provides all of us an opportunity to join our fellow Charlotters to clean up our roads. Let’s hope for warm temperatures and sunny skies. Our goal is to have every road in Charlotte covered.

It’s fairly simple: pick up your green bags at the Quonset hut at CCS on whichever day you plan to go out, clean the road you choose and then return with your trash. If you like, you can pick up your bags in advance at Spear’s Corner Store, the Old Brick Store or Town Hall.

We will be at the Quonset hut on Saturday from 9 a.m.–3 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m.–noon. Some folks choose to clean up the roads prior to the event weekend, and that’s okay, too.

So that we maximize our resources and don’t have more than one person covering a road, please jump on the town’s website and register for the section of the road you are going to clean. Or if you want, simply send me an email at joegallaghervt@gmail.com and I will register you. I can also be reached by phone at 734-2854. Shoot me an email or give me a ring if you have questions or ideas to help make the day successful.

I hope to see you out there!

(Learn + Play) Summer Camps Creative fun for children ages 5-13!

FIND OUT MORE: visit the Museum web site or call 802-985-3346 x3395

The Charlotte News

Africa continued from page 1 how her own daughter, Madison Hyams, grew up with Anna. Already familiar with DeStigter’s medical work in Uganda, Anna consulted DeStigter about possible volunteer opportunities while contemplating graduation challenge options.

DeStigter’s own interest in Africa began with a parasite research project in Eastern Africa. She also participated in a semester in Liberia, becoming familiar with cultural nuances and developing a deep love for the continent. This passion, combined with her ultrasound specialty during her radiology residency, inspired the inception of ITW, in 2007. DeStigter invests time after hours and during vacations to support this program, making regular trips to visit the clinics. She also works together with a large team of volunteers made up of university students, teachers and community members, as well as a large team working in Uganda.

DeStigter explains that ITW’s use of ultrasound is a new concept because until recently “even the machines themselves weren’t practical for remote locations.”

This impracticality was due to their large size and power demand. The traditional images provided by older machines required that the person operating the system have a high level of training.

However, ultrasound technology has evolved in recent years in ways that make it practical now for introduction into poorly funded areas. Now medical staffs are capable of capturing images in the field, simply using external landmarks like the belly button and pubic bone.

These photographs, once taken, can be compressed and sent over a cell phone network for interpretation by a worldwide community of doctors. The correspond-

Kristen DeStigter, co-founder and president of ITW, in Uganda. ing diagnosis is then sent via a phone call or text message response, as cell phone accessibility is common.

Since this ultrasound technology is also a new phenomenon for patients, ITW needed to sensitize the community to its presence. Initially, community members were wary of the ultrasound machinery.

They believed that it could burn a mother’s skin, make women infertile or injure the fetus. Educating families about the positive ramifications of ultrasounds is just as important as being able to provide the service itself. It is especially important for the men to understand the ultrasound procedure, because in the Ugandan culture they make all of the healthcare decisions. De- Stigter said that the “husbands are very engaged in medical care, so it is important to teach them as well about what is going on in their wives’ bodies.” In fact, they are fascinated by the ultrasound monitor and still consider it magical. The medical staff often joke that the men have come to watch the “TV.” Another part of this process involved

surveying patient and their families to examine how well they were receiving the work done by ITW team members, how ITW could improve it, and how the community was perceiving it as a whole.

The results have been encouraging, with the vast majority of patients responding positively. In fact, out of the over 1,000 patients surveyed, 100 percent of women advised to seek preventive medical care at a referral hospital did so. DeStigter said that by having the access to this information, nurses are able to “guide them far in advance of critical condition, giving them time to prepare for the next step.”

This was the focus of Anna’s graduation challenge assignment, as she surveyed patients and their husbands about the care they had received from ITW. Anna said that “the technology is not commonplace there, and the hope is that by helping people to understand it, they will be more willing to accept it.” They would “check that the patients are accepting health care, actually using the ultrasounds, that they think it’s helpful, and that it’s making a meaningful impression on the community.” Anna designed these surveys by revising earlier ones with the help of Charlotter Magdalena Naylor, a Fletcher Allen psychologist.. These would then be administered and recorded via an iPad, with translation help from an ITW worker. Occasionally, there was a struggle with the language barrier and translation. At one point there were three layers of translation necessary to connect all of the local dialects in a conversation.

Anna was impressed by the work and commitment of the translators and nurses working at Nawanyago.

Anna also helped to design a second survey to collect information on the public’s opinion of ITW, outside of its direct patients. She described how people invited them into their homes, forming an incredible connection with the local peo-

Solar Array continued from page 1 and that shrubbery be planted to screen it from neighbors and drivers passing by on Hinesburg Road.

The south-facing array will consist of 26 rows of racks with panels fixed on them. They will not track the sun.

Over 8,000 individual solar panels will sit atop the racks, covering approximately 12.6 acres of a 46-acre open field. In addition to the panels, two inverter structures for converting direct voltage to alternating current will be within the fenced perimeter of the array.

ple. Again, the results pointed to a positive conclusion. ITW maintains a good reputation, even among those who have only heard about the services it provides.

Building on this success, the mission is to continue expanding beyond the original Nawanyago pilot clinic and 12 sites that currently exist. This expansion would take place both geographically and in terms of the services provided. Most recently, the ITW team has been completing administrative work to introduce the program in Malawi. The team is also beginning to educate staff operating the clinics about breast cancer, in a move toward using the ultrasound equipment beyond obstetrics. This would involve imaging of the liver, kidneys and trauma sites, as well as use in pediatric care. Ultimately, it would “extend the capabilities of the resources we’ve put into the country,” said DeStigter.

As a part of this initiative, DeStigter’s daughter Madison also participated in the trip to Uganda for her graduation challenge. Her focus was on developing, in collaboration with breast cancer survivors, material to educate about breast cancer. DeStigter said that before ITW was introduced to the area, many “didn’t know what cancer was, didn’t know about screening, and didn’t know it could prevent it if done in advance.”

Reflecting on Anna’s work, DeStigter remarked that she is “a very bright girl” who has “really been able to contribute a lot to the program with her thoughtfulness.” She also believes that in return, Anna has gained many new life skills through the experience. Although Anna is still considering her plans for college next year, she was inspired by seeing the breadth of impact the doctors made in everyday life and is interested in exploring medicine more.

Everything in the array, including the inverters, will rise about ten feet from the ground.

The array was proposed under a state subsidized program known as SPEED (Sustainably Priced Energy Enterprise Development). The plan gives renewable power producers higher prices for the electricity they generate. At the time of Charlotte Solar’s request, there was an overabundance of SPEED projects, and the plan was placed on the waiting list. Several proposals fell by the wayside, however, and Charlotte Solar was approved.

The array will generate 2.2 megawatts of electricity for the grid.

The Charlotte News

OutTakes

I Got the Crossroad Blues

Commentary

by Edd Merritt But there ain’t no livin’ in the middle of the house ‘Cause that’s the railroad track —Bob Hilliard, “In the Middle of the House” So there I was, waiting for the railroad gates to open on Ferry Road.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m a train kid from long ago. Living in the upper Midwest, I saw trains and tracks and roundhouses everywhere. Granted, they weren’t the subways of the urban East, but you could get nearly anywhere in the country via tracks, and those tracks came through virtually every town, village and city in southern Minnesota.

Trains dropped their loads, fed their cars on Cargill grains and took on passengers before heading toward the next village. Many times they shared the main street with automobiles and bicycles. Shops would shut down when the train arrived. People went to the station, talked with the conductor, and learned the dirt from Dodge Center, how much rain dropped in Stewartville that morning and how the corn looked west of Mankato.

I regularly rode the Chicago/Northwestern engine to visit my “gramps,” who lived 40 miles away. He knew every engineer on the line, and they told him that, in fact, I had driven them from Owatonna to Waseca and was ready for my trainman’s license before the next trip. My head expanded to moon size.

If the load of boxcars was light, the likelihood of being pulled by steam rather than diesel increased, and I loved to watch the boiler man shovel coal with the fire door open and the bright orange flame aglow. I don’t remember ever seeing the cowcatcher ply its trade, but I wondered if I were bovine how it would feel being scooped up by this iron fork on the front of a locomotive with gigantic wheels and a body that outweighed me by several tons.

There was always someone riding in the caboose, and the only way he could be reached was by hand phone because one couldn’t walk the length of the train through boxcars. I thought he was in outer space. We talked, each a bodiless voice. When the train halted, he would walk between cars, checking the couplers for safety.

Later in life, I rode the train to college. This was prior to Amtrak, but many Midwesterners going to school in the East made the trip to New England a tour-de-grand on the train. Unwitting regular riders thinking they could get a good night’s sleep between Chicago and Connecticut were sorely mistaken. Two carloads of 19 and 20 year olds, holed in the cheap seats for their last day of whoopie before classes began, kept lights on and sounds blaring. Riding the rails—many sans parents for the first time since the beginning of summer—making friends and meeting cute girls along the way (particularly for those of us headed toward allmale bastions), we made the train to New England our own version of Animal House.

The fun slowed down, however, when some of us had to change over to the Boston & Maine heading up the Connecticut River Valley to West Lebanon. Somehow, the tobacco barns foretold the coming doom of classrooms and laboratories and the fact that the closest girls’ college would soon be over an hour away.

In those days trains were an integral part of the U.S. and Canadian cultures. They moved people as well as tankers and boxcars. But what do trains in the 60s have to do with those in 21st21st-century Charlotte? Well, waiting for the track gates to rise on Ferry Road the other day gave me an opportunity to reflect on that question before crossing the tracks and carrying on with my appointed duties.

The engineers seemed to sneer a bit out of their high windows at the 14 of us lined up, waiting to get somewhere

else as quickly as possible. I noticed that one of the trainmen was handling a switch up toward the abandoned Charlotte station, and the train moved very slowly so that he could catch up and get back on.

Initially it headed south, slowly, until its last two cars were still blocking the crossing. It stopped for a minute before reversing its course to bring the rest of the cars and the engines back across the road. All this time, traffic was building up on either side of the tracks.

My first thought was: Why is this being done across one of Charlotte’s busier roads?

Isn’t somebody at Vermont Railroad aware of the waiting factor involved, how this backup affects the community? Should the Old Brick Store open a portable grill here?

Since relatively few trains pass on a regular basis, should I have their schedules pinned to the visor in my truck? Is there a way to avoid this crossing?

Just then, the engine stopped about a quarter of a mile north of the junction. As the first car in line, I waited and waited for it to move so the gates would rise. It didn’t, and they didn’t. I then took it upon myself to break the law. Seeing the engine at a dead halt up the track and knowing that even a Japanese bullet train couldn’t make it to me in time to crash, I headed around the drawn gate, swerved across the tracks, around the other gate, waiting for the police siren. Those behind me did the same. If arrested, we’d have pled environmental damage from our idling exhausts.

Neil Young, a train fanatic, could have cut a CD to cover our bail.

Vermont Railway System: I’m old enough with fond memories to remain a railroad junkie, so please keep the trains running. Just move the switch so I’m not stuck for 15 minutes without my morning latte.

Yours truly, John Henry A Steel Drivin’ Man

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The Charlotte News

Howe to Present a (Charlotte) ‘Whale’ of a Story April 13 Howe, a former curator at UVM’s Perkins Museum of Geology, tells the story using the intertwined stories of a fossil mammoth found in 1848, a fossil whale found in 1849, a country naturalist, and an internationally famous scientist. Utilizing original reports and writings, period magazines and newspaper accounts, and research at the Vermont Historical Society, University of Vermont Special Collections and the museums of natural history and comparative zoology at Harvard University, Howe weaves together the definitive account of what we do and do not know about the Charlotte whale.

Included for the first time is an account of the exploratory pit dug at the whale site in 1993, a complete chronological history of the whale from 1849 to the present and new insights into the tiny harmonica that is rumored to hang within the whale’s skull.

How Do You Get a Whale in Vermont? is the story of a local denizen from an ancient age that captured the imagination of an entire state and went on to become Vermont’s official state fossil.

Refreshments will be provided.

Author Jeff L. Howe will discuss and sign his book How Do You Get a Whale in Vermont?: The Unlikely Story of Vermont’s Official State Fossil on Sunday, April 13, from 2–4 p.m. at the Charlotte Senior Center.

At the event, sponsored by the Charlotte Library and the Charlotte Historical Society, Howe will tell the story of the Charlotte whale and the successful effort to have it designated the Vermont state fossil.

In 1849, a gang of railroad workers racing to build the first railroad across Vermont stumbled upon the fossil bones of a mysterious animal buried deep in sticky blue clay high above the shores of Lake Champlain. A local professor and natural historian was consulted, and he quickly and correctly declared the bones to be those of a beluga whale from the Ice Age. But with one question answered, a dozen more sprang up.

How did the bones of a small white whale end up buried ten feet beneath a rural Vermont farm field, two mountain ranges and over 200 miles from the nearest ocean? Why did two of the most significant fossil discoveries in 19th century New England occur in Vermont on consecutive summers? And how would these discoveries fit into the rapidly evolving scientific debate over glacial ice ages, evolution and the history of Earth?

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SPORTS Lobels help move hockey bantams to the national level The Chittenden/South Burlington (CSB) boys bantam AA hockey team won the Vermont state championship by beating Essex 3-1 on March 9. As a result, the team moved to the USA Hockey Tier II national tournament in Hackensack, N.J., to take on teams from Maine, Washington and Colorado. In the Essex game the Hawks both possessed the puck and maintained a solid defense to bring down their opponents. CSB included two Charlotters, one a player, Jennings Lobel, the other the coach, Bob Lobel. The team’s record for the regular season was 24 wins, six losses and seven ties. Although they did not win in their pool at the national level, they took Team Seattle into overtime before falling 4-3.

CVU hockey players make all-state teams The Burlington Free Press named its all-state men’s hockey lineup and included two Redhawks on the first team.

Senior Alex Bulla, a defenseman, was noted for his “commanding presence, leadership and decision making on the ice.” Junior goalie Greg Talbert had six shutouts and a 19-1-2 record, as the Redhawks won the Metro Division state championship. Brendan Gannon, a senior forward, and Kaleb Godbout, a junior defender, won third team honors, while sophomore forward Ryan Keelan and freshman forward Thomas Samuelsen gained honorable mention.

For the women, South Burlington’s Sarah Fisher, a forward for the Rebel/ Hawks was named to the all-state second team, and senior forward Molly Dunphy received honorable mention.

The state coaches felt CVU mentor Mike Murray deserved coach-of-theyear honors and Alex Bulla deserved being a first-team defenseman. They named Gannon and Talbert to the coaches’ second team. Keelan and Godbout on third team rounded out the coaches’ selections.

The women’s coaches felt Fisher deserved being a first-team forward.

CVU’s Evangeline Dunphy and South Burlington’s Courtney Barrett of the Rebel/Hawks combined scholarship with hockey to earn academic all-star status.

by Edd Merritt

The CSB Bantam Hockey Team roster includes Charlotters Jennings Lobel (front, fourth from left) and coach Bob Lobel (back row, left).

All-state basketball has a Charlotte flavor In addition to Shelburne native and Redhawk Emily Kinneston being named high school women’s basketball Player of the Year by the Burlington Free Press, Charlotte added two names to all-star rosters plus Ute Otley as Coach of the Year. Laurel Jaunich, a sophomore forward made the third team, and Sadie Otley, also a sophomore, received honorable mention. Williston’s Kaelyn Kohlasch, a Redhawk guard, earned second-team honors by hitting 49 percent of her shots, including 51 percent of those from three-point range. This was Kinneston’s second year in a row to receive Ms. Basketball recognition by the Free Press, which joined the state coaches and Gatorade in picking her as Vermont’s best. Otley’s colleagues also recognized her as best coach in the state and placed Kinneston, Kohlasch and Jaunich on their first team all-stars, Amanda Beatty on the second, and gave Sadie Otley honorable mention.

Lucas Aube, Charlotte scorer for the Redhawk men, received honorable mention from the state coaches.

CVU tennis tops MMU CVU men and women tennis teams served up victories over Mount Mansfield Union. The men traveled to Jericho, where they won 5-2. Charlotte's Nathan Comais and his doubles partner prevailed 9-7. The women shut out the Cougars 7-0 in Shelburne with MacKenzie Kinston and her partner winning the number one doubles matche 6-2, 6-3

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Catamount Blades Host Spring Show On April 13, the UVM Figure Skating Club will end its competitive season by presenting its annual spring show at Gutterson Arena. The show will include a performance by the UVM synchronized skating team, the Catamount Blades— featuring Charlotter Donna Waterman—as well as several solo skaters, many of whom have taken part in collegiate competitions this year. The show begins at 3 p.m. Tickets are $5, with children under five admitted free of charge.

Pickleball Anyone?

The Charlotte Recreation Commission would like your views on making at least one of the town’s three community tennis courts Pickleballfriendly for the coming season.

Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in America. Played on an area about one-third the size of a tennis court, Pickleball combines elements of ping pong, tennis and badminton. An especially popular game for seniors, it provides a good workout

with less stress on the joints than tennis. It’s a doubles game mainly, so it’s a good social game as well. Rackets and balls are relatively inexpensive. To learn more about the game visit usapa.org.

Adding a Pickleball play area would involve adding new lines to an existing tennis court, which would then be usable for both sports. Doing so is not without cost, so gauging community interest is the critical first step. Please share your thoughts with Greg Smith of the Charlotte Recreation Commission at gbmainesmith@ gmail.com.

The Charlotte News

Charlotte Senior Center

the cafĂŠ menu

by Mary Recchia, Activities Coordinator

Our April art exhibit features works

by Elizabeth Llewellyn, artist and art educator. She has been making art ever since she could hold a crayon and believes that everyone can benefit from art, even those who believe they “can’t draw.� This eclectic show will include paintings and drawings by Elizabeth and her students of all ages. –––– The Center is pleased to host the American Red Cross Blood Drive for this much needed community event on Thursday, April 10, from 2–7 p.m. The comfortable atmosphere and great snacks make giving the “Gift of Life� at this site most pleasurable. –––– Just a reminder that both Pilates and Tai Chi classes will not be meeting the weeks of April 14 and 21. Hope to see you when these classes resume on May 1. –––– Just added! Hank Kaestner will be leading another birding expedition on Wednesday, April 16, from 10 a.m.– noon. Good views will be had through Hank’s “oh-my-God� telescope in search of waterfowl (ducks, geese, grebes, loons). Please plan to meet at the Center, and we will carpool to the location Hank has scouted for optimal viewing of the birds. Register your interest, and we’ll call you if we need to adjust the day due

MONDAY, APRIL 14: Northwood country bean soup, apple coleslaw, homemade dessert

to bird migration and weather. Registration required. No fee. –––– On Thursday, April 24, from 1–3:30 p.m. during our regularly scheduled play reading we plan to watch the movie version of the play we read in January, Lovers and Other Strangers, by Renee Taylor and Joseph Bologna. A sign-up sheet for our next reading on May 29 is at the host desk. Hope you can join us as a participant or listener as we continue to broaden our exposure to this rich and poignant form of literature. –––– The first of our spring road hikes with Marty Morrissey will be on Tuesday, April 29, to Ripton. We will start at the Skylight Pond trailhead and head north on Forest Service Road 89 to the Natural Turnpike for a couple of miles. We can return the same way or leave a car ahead.

Please meet at the Center ten minutes prior to our 9 a.m. departure with water, good hiking or walking shoes and a snack or lunch. Registration required. No fee. –––– Pastel painting with Shirley ReidThompson begins Thursdays from 1– 3:30 p.m. Dates: May 1, 8, 15 and 22.

Our emphasis will be on pastel painting techniques. Color theory will be explained and used in your paintings. We will work from real-life setups except for

one afternoon when we will use photographs. We can do mixed media, watercolor and pastel if you want. If requested, we can do individual contrast composition with color layering. Special help for beginners is available. All levels of skill are welcome. Call Shirley (860-0666) for a materials list. Registration required.

Limit 10. Fee: $100.

LocaLLy Led Lectures, performances and speciaL events

Please join us Wednesday afternoon beginning at 1 p.m. No registration or fee.

April 16: This Book Is for the Birds with P. Brian Machanic. A native Vermonter and current Charlotter, Brian joins us to talk about the evolution of his new 88-page coffee-table book featuring photographs of 37 species of birds indigenous to the eastern U.S., most found in Vermont. His photography has received regional and national awards. Brian’s presentation will include many of his book’s images, along with anecdotal commentary on bird watching, photographic techniques and, yes, even the perils of book publishing.

April 23: Hearing screening, courtesy of The E.M. Luse Center at UVM. Dr. Elizabeth Adams, audiologist, and students from the UVM Department of

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16: Ham, mashed potatoes, steamed asparagus, carrot cake MONDAY, APRIL 21: French lentil soup, mixed greens, peanut butter pie WEDNESDAY, APRIL 23: African chicken, homemade dessert

senior Luncheons are held every Wednesday at noon.

Reservations are necessary in advance and can be made by calling the Senior Center at 4256345. A $4 donation is requested. Reservations are not required for the Monday Munch.

Communication Sciences & Disorders will provide this free hearing screening using portable testing equipment. The outcome of the screening will give you information on the status of your hearing and whether or not you may want to seek further evaluation. Please register at the host desk to receive an appointment time.

Llewellyn and Students Hold April Art Show at Senior Center Local artist Elizabeth Llewellyn and her students are the featured artists at the Charlotte Senior Center this month.

Llewellyn believes that everyone can benefit from making art, and this eclectic art show will include paintings and drawings by Llewellyn and her students of all ages. Vermont landscapes, dragons, horses, giant cupcakes, flowers and more are all featured in this fun show.

Llewellyn lives and creates her art in Vermont. Her equine art has sold in the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, the United States and Canada. She teaches art freelance at various locations around Chittenden County and gives private lessons as well. More information about her artwork can be found on her website, artforallages.net.

Students in one of Elizabeth Llewellyn’s art classes proudly show off their work. See more of Llewellyn and her students’ art work at the Senior Center throughout April.

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HONK!

The cast of CCS’s Honk! serenades the Ugly Duckling, who has turned into a beautiful duck, played by Josie Fox (center).

Accept Yourself, Accept Others: CCS presents Honk!

Talented Charlotte Central School students performed Honk!, a musical based on the story “The Ugly Duckling” by Hans Christian Andersen.

Under the direction of Andrea Underhill, the performances took place in the CCS multipurpose room March 27, 28 and 29 and delighted audiences with musical ensembles delivered by a cast of middle school students playing a wonderful assortment of characters.

The CCS Drama Program selected this production because the message of acceptance is important for all ages. Throughout the performance, the Ugly Duckling discovers “it takes all sorts to make a world.”

The show delivered the message to the school and community that “different isn’t scary and different isn’t bad, so being different should not make anyone sad.”

Photos and text by Karyn Lunde

The final act: (from left to right) Caroline Reynolds, Augusta Claire Burhans, Eliza Jacobs and Rayona Silverman.

Josie Fox (left) as Ugly Duckling and Elizabeth Spicer (right) as Cat.

Paige Thibault (left) as Ida and Josie Fox (right) as Ugly Duckling, transformed into a beautiful duck.

The Charlotte News successful effort to have the whale designated the Vermont State Fossil. This event is co-sponsored by the Charlotte Library and the Charlotte Historical Society. It takes place at the Senior Center. For more info, see page 11.

Mystery Book Group: Back to the Golden Age. Monday, April 14, 10 a.m.: We return to the “Golden Age of Mystery” this month, reading Margery Allingham’s Affair at Black Dudley, the first story featuring her hero Albert Campion. Coffee, muffins and conversation.

by Margaret Woodruff

Upcoming at the Library 6 x 6: Reading Challenge for Charlotte. The Reading Agency of England and Wales started the “Six Book Reading Challenge” as part of its larger mission to “give everyone an equal chance in life by helping people become confident and enthusiastic readers.” In good library tradition, we are borrowing this idea for the Charlotte community.

Together with the Charlotte Central School Library, we invite everyone in town to read six books in the next six weeks—6 x 6. You can select whatever strikes your fancy, you can read to others, you can be read to—the parameters are wide, as long as you’re reading. Even in this high-technology world we live in, reading remains a key building block for learning and development and, in addition, has even been credited with calming nerves, sharpening brains and staving off Alzheimer’s disease.

There’s no reason not to read, so join us!

Week of the Young Child Story Time, April 10, 10:30 a.m. The Charlotte Children’s Center and the Charlotte Library will collaborate to host a story hour for preschool children on Thursday, April 10, at 10 a.m.

Chris Davis, Charlotte fire chief, is the special guest reader. Children from the Center will bake special treats to share with the community. All preschoolers in the community are invited to attend this special story hour. Resources and information about the library’s Early Literacy Initiative will also be available.

April 13-19: National Library Week Celebrate all the library has to offer as we showcase our various programs and collections. We’ll launch our 6 x 6 Reading Challenge, map out local authors and illustrators, embark on a new Maker exploit and learn about the discovery of the Charlotte Whale.

How Do You Get a Whale in Vermont?: The Unlikely Story of Vermont’s Official State Fossil, Sunday, April 13, 2–4 p.m.

Author and archaeologist Jeff Howe tells the story of the Charlotte Whale and the

Afterschool Arduino Club, Monday, April 14, 3:15-5 p.m. Looking to expand your Arduino aptitude? To get things started, IBM engineer Charlie Woodruff throws down a Maker challenge, and then we’ll meet monthly to see what is new in the Arduino world. All materials provided as needed. Grades 6-8. Registration required. Please call or email the library to sign up: 425-3864 or charlottelibraryvt@ gmail.com.

6 x 6 Reading Challenge Kick-off, Wednesday, April 16, all day. Join us at the Charlotte Library or the Charlotte Central School Library to launch our 6 x 6 reading challenge and help us build a community of readers. It’s the perfect way to dust off the snow and cold and read your way through spring. There are plenty of books to choose from and prizes to win, so sign up today!

Maple Magic, Wednesday, April 16, 5:30 p.m. It’s finally sugaring time! Don and Betty Ann Lockhart, longtime maple experts, reveal the mystery of the maple and why we all love this Vermont state icon so much. Maple syrup tasting and maple treats included.

Library board meeting Thursday, April 18, at 5:30 p.m.

Board members: Bonnie Christie, chair; Vince Crockenberg, treasurer; Emily Ferris, vice-chair; Dorrice Hammer, secretary; Jonathan Silverman, member-at-large.

Library information Director Margaret Woodruff

Hours Mon, Wed: 10 a.m.-–7 p.m.

Tues, Thurs, Fri: 10 a.m.-–5 p.m.

Sat: 9 a.m.-–2 p.m.

Phone 425-3864 Email charlottelibraryvt@gmail. com

Website charlottepubliclibrary.org

Food Shelf News

by Kerrie Pughe Feinstein $1 Million Giveaway “All that will matter to us someday is what we did while we were here to help those in need.”

—Alan Shawn Feinstein April is a great month to donate to the Food Shelf. For the 17th consecutive year, Alan Shawn Feinstein will divide $1 million proportionately among hunger-fighting agencies nationwide in an effort to enhance local fundraising.

Founded in 1991, the Feinstein Foundation is dedicated to the alleviation of hunger, the importance of community service in education and the values of caring, compassion and brotherhood.

Feinstein’s past annual spring $1 million challenges to fight hunger have raised over $2 billion for over 1,800 agencies and houses of worship nationwide helping the needy.

Financial donations are welcome, and food items will be counted and valued at $1 per item or per pound.

expenditUres and donations Our monthly food and toiletries purchases (tissues, diapers, shampoo, etc.) have been exceeding $2,000 a month.

At this rate, we will spend more than last year and will need a boost in donations to help us keep on track. In addition, since September 2013 we have spent approximately $6,800 on children’s winter clothing, school supplies, and emergency fuel and other assistance. This has exceeded our SCHIP’s grant of $5,000 for these types of purchases, so we welcome any donations to help us close that gap.

The Charlotte Food Shelf is run entirely by volunteers; all donations go directly for food or assistance to our neighbors in need. If you are a customer of yourfarmstand.com, you may make a donation to the Food Shelf as part of your online order. Otherwise mail checks to: Charlotte Food Shelf & Assistance 403 Church Hill Road P .O. Box 83, Charlotte, VT

thank yoU Thank you to the Garvey family (Dale, Lucille and Heidi) for your support. And thank you to the Bean families (Joe, June, Mark, Shirley, Matthew, Janet and Jada). Thank you to Joyce, Larry and Scott Roy as well.

Thanks for all the cold-weather comfort food donations received at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church, Charlotte Congregational Church and at our dropoff points in town.

Thank you to ShakeyGround Farm in Charlotte for the fresh eggs. They say they are looking forward to the summer produce season to help out with fresh produce as their bounty comes in.

Thank you to the Jon Fishman family for the oranges and to the 16 families from Our Lady of Mount Carmel who donated food for a day (breakfast, lunch and dinner) for a family of four during the Lenten food drive.

Thank you to Diane and Emile Cote for the donation in memory of Ryker Reynolds, infant son of Kristine and Nicholas Reynolds and grandson of John and Susan Lavigne.

Thanks again to Linda Hamilton for her several deliveries of potatoes donated by Lewis Creek Farm, and thank you to Heather Manning for the support.

Wish List Canned corn, peanut butter, canned fruit, Pinesol or similar cleaning product, soup, crackers, catsup, granulated sugar, toilet paper and tissues.

Donated food drop-off locations: All nonperishable food donations may be dropped off at the Charlotte Library, the Charlotte Congregational Church vestry, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church (main entrance) or at the Food Shelf during the distribution mornings. We request that all fresh foods be dropped off at the Food Shelf by 7:30 a.m. on distribution mornings (see Ongoing Events calendar).

The Charlotte Food Shelf is located on the lower level of the Charlotte Congregational Church vestry. We are open from 7:30–9:30 a.m. on the following Thursdays for food distribution: April 10 and 17, May 8 and 22, as well as from 5–7 p.m. the Wednesday before each distribution morning.

We are open to all community residents. Privacy is very important and respected in our mission of neighbor helping neighbor.

For emergency food call John at 4253130. For emergency assistance (electricity, fuel) call Karen at 425-3252.

For more information call Karen at 4253252 or visit our website at https://sites. google.com/site/charlotte foodshelfvt/.

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Charlotte Conservation Currents Joanna Cummings Contributor

Waking up in the morning to the sound of red wing black birds is a wonderful sign that spring has finally arrived. Millions of birds are migrating north to nest, breed and spend the growing season in Vermont.

Monarch butterflies are also making their way here on a journey that is the longest known of any insect migration on earth. While no one really knows for certain why monarchs travel such a long way, this phenomenon has been happening for thousands of years and is steeped in mystery, spectacle and wonderment.

The monarch migration story begins in central Mexico, where the North

On Monarchs, Milkweed and Protecting Our Pollinators American population from east of the Rocky Mountains overwinters. For several months millions of monarchs “roost” in high-mountain, forested locations, completely covering the branches and trunks of oyamel firs, a type of evergreen tree. These forests are part of designated sanctuaries of the Mariposa Monarca Biosphere Reserve. A population of monarchs in the western United States winters on the California coast in areas near Santa Cruz.

The high mountain forests of Mexico are cool and protective, which allows the returning generation of butterflies to stay inactive so they can maintain a reserve of energy stores all winter.

Unlike birds or other animals that make a migratory round trip more than once in their lifetimes, the monarchs that return to Mexico every fall are not the same ones that left in the spring. It is their children’s grandchildren that return the following fall!

In a way it seems like there are two kinds of monarchs, one being the “sum-

mer” butterflies, which are the generations born after they leave Mexico. The last generation—the fourth or fifth, born in late summer—is the population that actually migrates, flying upward of 3,000 miles back to Mexico. However, they are biologically and behaviorally different from the summer butterflies.

According to the organization Monarch Watch, “Even though these butterflies look like summer adults, they won’t mate or lay eggs until the following spring. Instead, their small bodies prepare for a strenuous flight. Fat, stored in the abdomen, is a critical element of their survival for the winter.

This fat not only fuels their flight of one to three thousand miles, but must last until the next spring when they begin the flight back north. As they migrate southwards, Monarchs stop to nectar, and they actually gain weight during the trip! Some researchers think that Monarchs conserve their “fuel” in flight by gliding on air currents as they travel south.”

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For many years no one really knew where monarch butterflies went for the winter. A zoology professor named Dr. Fred Urquhart and his wife, Norah, experimented with ways to track butterflies and eventually perfected a tiny label that could stick to a butterfly’s wing while not damaging it. In 1975, with the help of Monarch Watch, Dr. Urquhart discovered the region of Mexico where the monarchs overwinter by locating butterflies that had been tagged in the United States.

The monarchs in Mexico become more active later in March. They mate and begin to fly north, needing to find milkweed plants on which to lay their eggs. Timing is very important in this stage of the butterfly’s life cycle. Monarchs are specialized feeders, and only seek plants in the milkweed family. If they cannot find milkweeds to lay their eggs on, then there will not be a next generation of butterflies to continue the life cycle.

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The Charlotte News interesting relationship monarchs have with milkweeds. The butterflies gain an important defense against predators by feeding on milkweed as caterpillars.

Plants in this family contain toxic steroids known as cardenolides, which are bitter tasting. Through metamorphosis (when a caterpillar “pupates” into a butterfly), the monarchs store the cardenolides and emerge as butterflies with the steroids still in their bodies. Birds and other animals may try to eat a monarch caterpillar or butterfly but will spit it out because it tastes so bad.

There seems to be an unanswerable question about the migrating generation of monarch butterflies: how do they find their overwintering grounds, considering the last generation has never flown to Mexico before? Some sources postulate that monarchs may use the sun and the earth’s magnetic field for orientation, because their antennae contain a compound that can function like a “chemical” compass.

Although wonders never cease with monarch butterflies, several factors have contributed to a very steep decline in their population, to the point where the butterfly and its magnificent migration may become extinct in the next decade.

Journey North, a partnership that follows the yearly monarch migration, states that, “Because the monarchs are

concentrated in a very small area in the winter, they are more vulnerable during this stage of their life. However, breeding sites in Canada and the U.S. are also crucial to their survival, and additional losses of these sites also pose threats.”

Loss of habitat for monarch butterflies correlates with the loss of their sole source of food, plants in the milkweed family. Agricultural use of herbicideresistant crops and increased use of herbicides to control weeds have reduced milkweed significantly. Monarchs are having great difficulty sustaining their population as they move north in the summer and south in the fall. Climate change has also been included in some studies as a contributing factor, with rapid weather fluctuations and drought as threats to their survival.

We all can do our part to help protect monarch butterflies, and our efforts will benefit other pollinators such as bees, moths and birds as well. On the national level, an organization called the Pollinator Partnership is pushing for federal legislation that would encourage more state highway departments to stop mowing roadsides and plant bee-friendly wildflowers and monarch habitat instead.

You can plant milkweeds in your yard or garden. There are many references to get you started, including an

This map of monarch migration patterns shows the fall and spring routes these butterflies take across the U.S. extensive list of plants from Monarch Watch that will attract butterflies and other pollinators. Also check the Ultimate Guide to Butterfly Gardening for many references on how to plan and plant a butterfly garden.

During this month of April, there are two days where you can take action to protect pollinators like the monarch butterfly. In remembrance of Rachel Carson, Make Way for Monarchs orga-

nization is introducing a call to action and contemplation for monarchs and other imperiled pollinators on April 13 and 14. Earth Day is on Tuesday, April 22: set aside time that day to make a difference.

Get in touch with the Charlotte Conservation Commission if you have questions or ideas that you want to share.

We can be reached at charlottevtcc@ gmail.com.

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Places To Go & Things To Do THURSDAY, APRIL 10 Charlotte Grange Rummage Sale. See story on page 5.

Week of the Young Child Reading, 10 a.m., Charlotte Library. Join the Charlotte Children’s Center and the Charlotte Library to celebrate the Week of the Young Child with a fun-filled story hour

by Charlotte Fire Chief Chris Davis. For preschoolers and parents. Free.

North Ferrisburgh United Methodist Church Rummage Sale, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Great deals on used items. Also Friday, April 11, from 1–6 p.m. And Saturday, April 12, from 8–11 a.m.

Intersections: Sound and Text from T. Urayoan Noel and Edwin Torres, 8:30 p.m., St. Michael’s College. Edwin Torres’ acclaimed performances and live shows combine vocal and physical improvisation and theater. The author of many books of poetry, Torres has performed in spaces as diverse as the Guggenheim Museum, MOMA, MTV and the Nuyorican Poets Café. Noel received fellowships from the Bronx Council on the Arts and the Ford Foundation. His critical study In Visible Movement: Nuyorican Poetry from the Sixties to Slam is forthcoming from the University of Iowa Press. Originally from San Juan, Puerto Rico, Noel is Visiting Assistant Professor of English at NYU. Doors open at 8:15 p.m. Located in St. Edmund’s Hall Farrell Room (#315). Free.

FRIDAY, APRIL 11 Fly Fishing Film Tour, 7 p.m. Town Hall Theater, Middlebury. The annual Fly Fishing Film Tour returns to Town Hall Theater with a mix of popular returning filmmakers and talented up-and-comers.

This year’s event showcases a greater diversity of featured locations and species of fish than any previous tour. State-of-the-art fishing gear, boats and art will be on display beginning at 6:00 pm. Films begin at 7 p.m.. Tickets, $15, are available at Middlebury Mountaineer, 2 Park Street. For information call (802) 388-7245.

Artful Eating and Gardening Fundraiser, 4:30–7 p.m., Gardener’s Supply Greenhouse, Williston. Gardeners and foodies gather to meet Ed Behr, author of 50 Foods: The Essentials of Good Taste and The Art of Eating, and Ellen Ecker Ogden, garden designer and author of The Complete Kitchen Garden; eat delicious 50-Foodsinspired appetizers and desserts, have a drink or two, and hang out in the lush and fragrant greenhouse, all to benefit community and school gardens around the state. Cost: $15 in advance/$18 at the door. More info: http://tinyurl.com/April11VCGN. SATURDAY, APRIL 12 Women Veterans Wellness Retreat, 10 a.m–5 p.m., Burlington Lakeside Clinic. Join us for an introduction to Complementary & Alternative Medicine at the Burlington Lakeside VA Clinic and All Wellness Physical Therapy and Pilates Studio. Offerings will include restorative yoga, Reiki, acupuncture, massage, and reflexology. Free and open to women veterans of all ages and fitness levels. Call Burlington Lakeside Behavioral Health for more information or to register: (802) 657-7090.

Acadian Genealogy Research, 10:30 a.m.–noon, Colchester. At this Vermont Genealogy Event, Mike Sevigny will discuss the history of the Acadians in what became Canada’s maritime provinces. He will discuss their deportation by the British with the hardships and losses that resulted. He’ll then discuss research strategies and where to find the records necessary to locate information on your Acadian ancestors. Cost: $5. More info: vtgenlib.org/.

SUNDAY, APRIL 13 Emily Raabe Reading, Shelburne Town Hall. See page 4 for more info.

MONDAYS Senior Center Café, 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m. Featuring soup, salads, bread and dessert. No reservations necessary.

Charlotte Multi-Age Coed Pickup Basketball Open Gym, 7–9 p.m. at the CCS gym. High school students welcome. Call 425-3997 for info.

WEDNESDAYS Charlotte/Shelburne Rotary Club, 7:30–8:30 a.m., Parish Hall, Trinity Episcopal Church, Shelburne.

Newcomers Club of Charlotte, Shelburne and sur-

TUESDAY, APRIL 15 Vermont Poet Laureate Sydney Lea and awardwinning Vermont poets Kerrin McCadden, Karin Gottshall, and Geof Hewitt, 6 p.m., Shelburne Town Hall. The Flying Pig Bookstore in Shelburne is hosting a poetry celebration. This event is a sampler of poetry for adults, both new and seasoned listeners. The poets have been chosen for their distinct poetic voices and a variety of styles from narrative to impressionistic, with subject matter ranging from harrowing to hilarious. The Flying Pig will provide snacks for hungry listeners, and the poets’ books will be available for autographing. RSVPs encouraged to flyingpigevents@gmail.com or by phone at 802985-3999.

Vinyasa at the Vineyard, 6:15 p.m., Shelburne Vineyard. This Spring series Gentle Yoga class is led by Susan Buchanan of Yoga Roots. All levels are welcome, and wine will be for sale by the glass following class. Drop-in class $13/session and Yoga Roots Class Cards are also be accepted. More info: shelburenvineyard.com.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16 CCS Small Ensembles Concert, 7 p.m., multipurpose room.

THURSDAY, APRIL 17 Planning Commission Meeting, 7 p.m., Town Hall.

Green Writers Press Celebration Party, 7 p.m., Phoenix Books, Burlington. Meet the publisher and authors behind Green Writers Press, a new, Vermont-based publishing house dedicated to sustainable practices. Founder Dede Cummings will introduce GWP; we’ll launch The Beavers of Popple’s Pond, by Patti Smith; and we’ll get the scoop on other GWP books like So Little Time.

Speakers will include Peter Biello, Don Bredes, Dave Cavanagh, Greg Delanty, John Elder, Maeve McBride, Howard Frank Mosher, and Sharon Webster. Free. More info: phoenixbooks.biz.

Porches of North America, noon–1 p.m., Vermont Historical Society, Montpelier. Thomas Visser, director of the University of Vermont Historic Preservation Program, will discuss his latest book, Porches of North America. If you love to while away afternoons on a favorite porch, you will find this architectural history delightful as well as informative. Continuing monthly through May, the Vermont Historical Society will offer Third Thursday presentations about historic topics over the lunch hour at the Vermont History Museum at 109 State Street in Montpelier. The presentations are free, and the site is handicapped accessible. Bring a bag lunch and enjoy.

FRIDAY, APRIL 18 Red Wagon Plants Evening Greenhouse Tour and Cocktail Tasting, 5–7 p.m., Hinesburg. Red Wagon will be partnering with their friends at Caledonia Spirits to showcase herb-infused cocktails (cash bar) and to offer free samples of Caledonia Spirits’ award-winning gin, vodka and cordials. Take a tour through the greenhouses at 6 p.m. and learn about cold hardy vegetable, herb and flower plants that are ready for your gardens. Or stroll at your leisure, drink in hand, and soak up the warmth of lush green plants and friends coming together after a long, cold winter. Complimentary herb-themed appetizers and non-alcoholic drinks.

SATURDAY, APRIL 19 Charlote Congregational Church Easter Egg Hunt, 1 p.m. Everyone is welcome to this fun-filled event.

Children are welcome to come and hunt for colorful (authentic) eggs rain or shine. Please bring a basket to collect eggs and welcome spring with us!

Questions, please call Claudia McCullough at 595-

St. Jude, Mass, Hinesburg, 4:30 p.m.

Community Alliance Church, Hinesburg, Gathering Place, 9 a.m., Sunday School, 9 a.m., Worship, 10:15 a.m. Information: 482-2132.

Charlotte Congregational Church, Worship, 10 a.m., Sunday School, 10 a.m. Information: 4253176.

Lighthouse Baptist Church, 90 Mechanicsville Rd., Hinesburg, 10:30 a.m., Evening Service, 6 p.m. Information: 482-2588.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Mass, 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. Information: 425-2637.

St. Jude, Mass, Hinesburg, 9:30 a.m. Information: 482-2290.

North Ferrisburgh United Methodist Church, Hollow Road, Worship, 10 a.m., Sunday School, 9:45 a.m. Information: 425-2770.

Cross Roads Chapel, Relocated to the Brown Church on Route 7, Ferrisburgh. Worship, 11 a.m. Information: 425-3625.

Assembly of God Christian Center, Rtes. 7 and 22A, Ferrisburgh, Sunday worship, 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., Sunday School, 9 a.m. Information: 8773903.

All Souls Interfaith Gathering, 291 Bostwick Farm Road, Shelburne. Sunday Service 9 a.m., Evensong Service 5 p.m. 985-3819 Trinity Episcopal Church, 5171 Shelburne Rd., Shelburne, 8:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist, 9:15 10:15 a.m. “Space for Grace” (educational hour), 10:30 a.m. Holy Eucharist (with child care and Sunday School). 985-2269.

United Church of Hinesburg, 10570 Route 116.

Sunday service 10 a.m. September through June; 9 a.m. July through August. Sunday School during services. 482-3352

1425.

Everyone Around the Table: Routines, Rhythms and Stories for a Healthy Family Meal, Lake Champlain Waldorf School, Shelburne. Meals are a great way to bring the family together, but without certain rhythms, the time can often turn chaotic. Drawing on his passion for food, family and storytelling, Jason Frishman, the founder of Folkfoods, will offer simple ways to create a culture of sharing, connection and conversation at the dinner table. Free childcare and healthy snack provided; children will join the last part of the workshop with their families.

Annual Easter Egg Hunt, 10 a.m., Shelburne Methodist Church. Come enjoy our annual egg hunt.

Meet in the Fellowship Hall. There will be a reading of an Easter Story, followed by the egg hunt outdoors. After the hunt, stay for coloring, arts & crafts, and cookie decorating. Free. More info: contact Cheryl at cbarendse@yahoo.com or 233-6552.

MONDAY, APRIL 21 Selectboard Meeting, Charlotte Fire Hall, 7 p.m.

Meeting will be first quarterly update between Charlotte Volunteer Fire & Rescue and the Selectboard. See page 1 for more info.

Spring break, CCS. Runs through April 25 Spring break, CVU. Runs through April 25 WEDNESDAY, APRIL 23 Wounds of Waziristan, 6 p.m., Savoy Theater, Montpelier. Interested in joining the conversation about drones? Come to the Savoy Theater for an evening of discussion and education. Learn about the legalities of international and domestic drone usage and watch a screening of the short film Wounds of Waziristan by journalist Madiha Tahir.

Light refreshments. Free.

ONGOING EVENTS rounding area meets once a month on the third Wednesday from September to June. Variety of programs, day trips and locations. Information: Orchard Corl, president, 985-3870.

AA Meeting, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, 7 p.m.

Senior Luncheon, Senior Center, noon. For reservations, call 425-6345 before 2 p.m. on previous Monday.

Volunteer Fire Dept. Mtg., 7:30 p.m., Fire Station.

Charlotte Multi-Age Coed Pickup Basketball Open Gym, 7-9 p.m. at the CCS gym. High school students welcome. Call 425-3997 for information.

THURSDAYS Food Shelf, open from 7:30-9:30 a.m. March 27 and April 10 and 17. Lower level of the Charlotte Congregational Church vestry. Information: Karen at 425-3252; for emergency food call John at 425-3130.

FRIDAYS AA Meeting, Congregational Church Vestry, 8 p.m.

Charlotte Playgroup, 9:30–11 a.m., CCS MPR. Free, ages 0-5.

The Charlotte News

Around Town Congratulations to Putnam Pane and Kelly Pettijohn, M.D., who were married March 21 in Sayulita, Mexico. Putnam will receive his bachelor in nursing degree from the University of Colorado in May and join Kelly in Santa Monica, Calif., where she is completing her first year of surgical residency at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Putnam is the son of Elizabeth Bassett and John Pane of Charlotte. Kelly’s parents are Eileen and David Pettijohn of Cherry Hills, Colo. to Michael Wool, a partner in the law firm of Langrock Sperry & Wool LLP in Burlington, who was recently named chair-elect of the New England Board of Higher Education (NEBHE) located in Boston. The board facilitates successful practices in higher education and promotes expanded educational opportunities for New Englanders. Wool will continue his law practice, which focuses on business transactions and tax planning. to Izette Kelly, a CVU High School senior from Charlotte who was recognized by the Committee on Temporary Shelter (COTS) for organizing a donation drive for gift cards, toys and more for teens through the Leddy Arena Holiday Ice Show. to Liam Lustberg, an eighth grader who lived in Charlotte until two years ago and now lives in South Burlington. Liam bested 40 other students in the statewide spelling bee in March and earned fourth place in the state MathCounts competition held a week later. He will represent Vermont in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C., in May and will be part of Vermont’s team at the national MathCounts competition in Orlando earlier that month. to Tim Halvorson whose Church Street eatery, Halvorson’s Upstreet Café, was part of COTS’ “Cool Lunch” served outside in December. Jim Lampman's Lake Champlain Chocolates provided hot chocolate vouchers to the diners.

to Stephen Kiernan, Charlotte author who learned recently that William Morrow Publishing, a division of HarperCollins which published his earlier novel, The Curiosity, will now publish his next two, including the one on which he is currently working. Stephen says that when he received the announcement it was “one of the more exciting days of my life.” to Bob Botjer, a Charlotter and trustee of Champlain College, who was pictured in the March 26 Burlington Free Press helping to break ground for the college’s new $24.5 million Center for Communications and Creative Media off Maple Street in Burlington. It will adjoin the Hauke Family Center and Alumni Auditorium and will feature “state of the art labs and an art gallery,” according to Dean Paula WilloquetMaricondi. to “Pizza-on-Earthist” Jay Vogler who was shown in the doorway of his shop in the March 28 Burlington Free Press and who described in an article his support for California restaurateur and author Alice Waters, the founder of Chez Panisse in Berkeley. Waters has long been a proponent of sustainable food systems. In the article Vogler says that he started Bingham Brook Farm growing organic vegetables with the intention of marketing them to area restaurants. He soon discovered, however, that there seemed to be less connection between farmer and restaurant here in New England.

He feels that Waters has influenced more of the connection as the farm-to-table movement grew nationally. Jay says that having developed an “attached food business to our farm, Pizza on Earth Wood Oven Bakery, we even more appreciate the ties between the growing of quality produce and the transformation into a quality food product.” to Henry Atkins, a member of the Rice High School Scholars Bowl team that competed in the state tournament. Scholars Bowl tests the accuracy and speed with which students can answer questions. Henry was one of four team members selected from 22 applicants at Rice.

Essex defeated Suth Burlington for the state championship.

Bean Celebrates 90th Birthday at Senior Center Over 100 people came out to wish Shirley Bean a happy 90th birthday last Sunday at the Charlotte Senior Center. With cake and cupcakes, cookies and drinks, many friends and family members celebrated Bean, who was instrumental in helping build the Center. She still handles the front desk from time to time. Happy birthday, Shirley.

Classifieds The Charlotte News Classifieds: Reach your friends and neighbors for only $7 per issue (payment must be sent before issue date).

Please limit your ad to 35 words or fewer.

Send to The Charlotte News Classifieds, P.O. Box 251, Charlotte, VT 05445 or email your ad to ads@charlottenewsvt.com.

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Hannah Cleveland Participates in 4-H Lambing Clinic Charlotter Hannah Cleveland (back row, second from left) was one of 16 Vermont 4-H club members to participate in the 2014 4-H lambing clinic on March 29 in Orwell. The 4-H’ers learned about lambing preparation, lamb care and what to do when problems and sick lambs occur. After the barn session, some of the participants took part in an informal session at the house where they had the opportunity to ask questions and talk about their experiences raising sheep.

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