Charlotte News The Hometown Paper Since 1958
Volume lVII Number 02
The VoIce of The TowN
Thursday, augusT 28, 2014
e r a s l l i H e h T ! e v i Al
Charlotte Looks at Transportation 1 Charlotte and the War of 1812 7 A Tale of Two Charlottes 10-11 Life on Donegan Farm 14
The Charlotte News Volume lVII Number 02
The VoIce of The TowN
Thursday, augusT 28, 2014
Town Plan Addresses Growth and Usage In Transportation Chapter Brett Sigurdson The charloTTe News
Alanna Pinnard-Brace and Jackson Bisaccia are two of many CVU students who participate in dance programs outside of CVU.
Dance, But Nobody’s Watching CVU has been called “Sports Central,” but several CVU students participate in a sport independent of the school Kim Cribari The charloTTe News CVU has been known to excel in sports. It has 32 sports teams. In the CVU gym one can see banners from the many state championships the school’s sports teams have won. And when people walk through the front entrance of the school, they see a trophy case filled with awards from other sports events. It is not uncommon to hear about CVU sports like soccer, lacrosse and football, but what some people may not realize is that there are other sports not recognized by the school that its students participate in. One of these is dance. There are more students than some may think both male and female, who take dance classes constantly after school, and they have been doing it for years.
These classes range from ballet—a dance that is very technical, requiring disciplined, graceful movement—to hip hop, which is mostly sharp movement and fast paced. But while dance is a very physically demanding, unique sport, many may not even think to consider it a sport. Kaity McSalis, a junior at CVU, explained, “Some athletes may be able to run long distances or throw a football, but they can’t balance on their toes on a block of wood inside of their shoe. Dance is a lot harder than it looks. We make it look easy. Dance is a sport.” Nicola Boutin, owner and teacher at Fusion 802, spoke about many of the benefits of dancing. “Dance increases confidence, coordination, improves health,
The Charlotte Planning Commission recently released a draft chapter of the 2015 Town Plan centering on transportation, which coincided with a recent public workshop on the matter. According to the draft language of the chapter, Charlotte’s roadways and transportation policies are some of the most important issues going forward. After all, according to the document, “the repair and maintenance of town roads is the largest non-school budget item incurred by property owners in Charlotte.” As such, the commission has aimed to address maintenance, new growth and construction and pedestrianfriendly forms of travel. A key consideration in the draft is poor planning, development and maintenance of roads, which can lead to more costs over time—not just in increased monetary costs but also environmental costs, such as erosion, decreased water quality and fragmentation of wildlife-habitat and working lands. Currently, the town has not adopted a capital budget program to plan for the capital expenditures for road construction and maintenance over time. In the new draft, the commission calls for the Selectboard to work with the road commissioner to develop a five-year plan for road reconstruction, rehabilitation and routine maintenance under a capital budget program. Moreover, it calls for new private developments to be prepared for any of its future road maintenance costs by establishing a maintenance fund to ensure its roads comply with town road and driveway standards. The chapter also calls for not paving gravel roads unless there is a need and for maintaining the town’s covered bridges. Another major consideration in the transportation chapter is how to manage growth and increased use on Charlotte’s roadways. One tangible concern on the horizon is the scheduled construction on Route 7 beginning in 2016, which will
Dance continued on page 4
Town Plan continued on page 16
Planners Look for Feedback on Transportation and Energy Usage Edd Merritt The charloTTe News Thirty community members met with planners to review and provide feedback on the draft of the new Town Plan dealing with “Transportation” (chapter 9) and “Energy” (chapter 10). Both topics drew questions from the audience.
TransporTaTion
How to control traffic that goes through Charlotte on Route 7 was a big issue. Talk of improving this major north-south highway, particularly south of its intersection with Church Hill and Ferry roads, generated discussion about ways to accommodate users that would not dramatically increase the number of vehicles in town or up their speeds. A key planning consideration that did not focus directly on Charlotte—but one that would impact traffic in town was development in downtown Hinesburg, both residential and commercial. Plans for building are in order. When
those plans are implemented, traffic to carpooling and other means of traffic Burlington passing through Charlotte efficiency that would support, not hinmay increase. der, Charlotte’s growth. Planners noted that the cost of repair Seven sites for park-and-ride spaces and maintenance of town roads is the were shown on a West Village map cre“largest non-school ated as part of a “Tranbudget item incurred sit Stop Study.” These nexT Town plan by property owners included the town-owned workshop in Charlotte.” The flea market consisting of presenters said they 1.8 acres south of Ferry whaT: Land Use hoped Charlotte Road on Route 7 and two when: Friday, Sept. 5 would develop a capiplots totaling nearly two tal budget and plan acres at the southeast corwhere: Town Hall a program that would ner of Church Hill Road Time: 7 p.m. help road construcand Route 7. The Planning Commission tion and maintenance Other possible sites has also scheduled a over time. would move the parkworkshop on Economic A good deal of dising area off the major Development on Thursday, cussion centered on thoroughfare and place it Sept. 25. ways to reduce the within the West Village. number of cars travelOne is just east of weting with only one or lands between the library a few passengers and where to situate and Route 7. Another is open land a “park-and-ride” that would accom- behind Town Hall; a third on 0.6 acres modate VTrans buses to and from met- west of the post office; and another ropolitan areas north of town. Most between the Fire and Rescue station and speakers urged the town to encourage the Little Garden Market.
Unfortunately, the Route. 7 / Ferry Road corner has been deemed “crashy” by the state. Megan Price asked the wisdom of using an already “crashy corner” to create more “people congestion.” Selectboard Chair Lane Morrison put in a plug for renewing review of the railroad option with a stop in Charlotte. A number of people felt it had been tried and that the difficulty of matching service to individuals’ schedules caused limited usage. Speeding through town was raised as another negative factor on Charlotte roads. Again, the ability to have active traffic management and the training and scheduling of needed personnel raised the question by Selectboard member Fritz Tegatz of the town’s willingness to pay for it. Morrison said the current portion of the town budget devoted to traffic control is $25,000.
Transportation
continued on page 5
The Charlotte News
Commentary Miscues in Iraq Continue to Reverberate 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. The CharloTTe News is published in Charlotte by The Charlotte News, Inc., a Vermont domestic 501(c)4 nonprofit corporation. Distribution is made every other Thursday to all households and businesses in Charlotte and to selected outlets in Shelburne, Hinesburg, North Ferrisburgh, Ferrisburgh and Vergennes. It relies on the generous financial contributions of its readers, subscriptions and advertising revenue to sustain its operations. oN The weB aT:
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Barrie Dunsmore CoNTriBuTor The 27th Congress of the Soviet Communist Party took place in Moscow in February of 1986. As it was the first such major party meeting since Mikhail Gorbachev had become its general secretary, there was intense international interest in the event, due to expectations it would provide major clues to the Soviet Union’s future direction. It may be hard to imagine given the soft news nature of today’s network newscasts, but ABC News decided to originate its signature “World News Tonight” broadcast from Moscow that week. Peter Jennings arrived with a team from New York, and as senior foreign correspondent I was there with a group from London to beef up the Moscow Bureau. Wall-to-wall coverage was planned. One night prior to the Congress, a small group of us got together for dinner. It included Jennings, George Will (who, much to Peter’s discomfiture, was now doing commentaries on the evening news), a senior official from the U.S. embassy in Moscow and his guest Vladimir Feltsman. Feltsman was the son of a ranking communist official and the young concert pianist who had announced he wanted to emigrate from the Soviet Union. His request had been denied, and he had become persona non grata to Soviet authorities. Not long before our dinner, Feltsman had been invited to play at Spaso House, the official Moscow residence of the American ambassador (at the time, Arthur Hartman). Presumably some KGB plant had cut some of the strings of the embassy piano. But it had been quickly repaired, and the concert went on. So at that moment Feltsman was a pretty big deal in U.S. Soviet relations. I can’t recall the name of the restaurant, but it was not bad and was popular with journalists and artists, so of course it would have the attention of the KGB. But that did not stop the “intrepid” Mr. Will. During dinner, he announced he had been speaking to First Lady Nancy Reagan, and she had asked him to invite Feltsman to come to play at the White House. As he recounted this story he gleefully added, “So you could go to Washington—and defect.” Feltsman looked thunderstruck. At that point, Peter and I and the embassy official all jumped in to loudly suggest to Feltsman that this would not be a good idea. Left unspoken was the reality that even the most naïve journalist would know that the KGB was undoubtedly listening to this conversation, and for a prominent Russian to be heard publicly talking about his defection was a pretty sure way to get himself sent to Siberia for a long stay. Mr. Will was either clueless or didn’t care. As it happens, Feltsman did not try to defect. And Gorbachev emerged as a historic Soviet reformer. A little more than two years later, after an intervention by Secretary of State George Shultz, Feltsman and his wife and son were given exit visas. When they arrived in Vienna in August of 1988, American officials met them
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a properly robust American military force to be left behind after the U.S. withdrawal. rebels, which empowered the truly “bad guys”—the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS)—to take over parts of Syria and Iraq. Kurdish capital of Irbil in Northern Iraq are too little, too late. Obama’s former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, in an interview with The Atlantic this past week, said a number of things that suggest she shares some of those critiques of Obama’s foreign policy. We knew the two had differences, but the fact that she went public with them now seems to erase any doubt that she will seek the presidency in 2016. Yet if, as now widely accepted, invading Iraq was the greatest foreign policy blunder in American history, then blaming Obama for the disasters that continue to reverberate from that invasion and the eight-year war that followed is like blaming the life boat crews for the Titanic’s death toll. Noted career diplomat Aaron David Miller wrote in a thoughtful op-ed recently that “Obama isn’t going to reverse his fundamentally risk-averse nature in this dysfunctional region. Obama has no interest in resuming his predecessor’s trillion dollar social science project in Iraq. As extricator-in-chief, he’s determined to get America out of profitless wars, not into new ones.” Perhaps. But given the increasingly bad news from Iraq and the broad and realistic threat posed by ISIS, greater U.S. involvement in further conflict there seems inevitable. This commentary originally appeared in the Rutland Herald/Montpelier Times Argus on Aug. 17, 2014. Barrie Dunsmore is a journalist who covered foreign affairs for ABC News for 30 years. His columns and commentaries are also featured on VPR. He lives in Charlotte.
CorrECtions Chloe lyoNs of New haveN TooK old laNTerN, whiCh her auNT aNd uNCle rolaNd aNd lisa gaujaC owN. This PiCTure of The view from The
The CharloTTe News P.o. Box 251, ferry road BusiNess ParK CharloTTe, vermoNT 05445 CirCulation: 3,000 CoPies Per issue. CoPyright © 2014 thE CharlottE nEws, inC. PrintEd by uPPEr vallEy PrEss
at the airport with an invitation for Feltsman to play at the White House the next month. That was followed by an “electric” American debut concert at Carnegie Hall. He has since had a successful career as a noted international concert pianist. As for George Will, he did not last very long as a “World News Tonight” commentator. But for some 25 years he was featured on ABC News’ “This Week,” only recently going over to FOX News. Will has, of course, been highly successful in his self-appointed role as the leading conservative intellectual. I confess there are very few things upon which I agree with George Will. But quite recently, Will said something with which I entirely concurred. Speaking of the 2003 invasion of Iraq, he called it, “The worst foreign policy blunder in U.S. history.” It was that line that set me musing about him and inspired this historical reverie. But beyond that, I consider it significant that the darling-of-the-right should be so unequivocal on such an important subject—especially as Iraq has come crashing back into the headlines. Much of the latest reporting and commentary dealing with this very serious turn of events in Iraq has been cast in terms of President Barack Obama’s mistakes and miscalculations. Among those:
NexT issue daTe: Thurs., aug. 11 CoNTriBuTioNs: moN., sePT. 1 By 5 P.m. leTTers: moN., sePT. 8, By 10 a.m.
In a story regarding the number of calls Charlotte Fire has responded to this year, we noted Fire has responded to 90 calls since July 1, the start of the fiscal year. Charlotte Fire has actually participated in this number of calls since January 1. This trend still leaves Fire on track to surpass its calls over the last two years. Also, in a story on the July 21 Selectboard meeting, we mistakenly noted that a discussion of Charlotte Volunteer Fire & Rescue’s financials for FY2014–15 included figures for the organization’s patient billing. However, patient billing was not actually included in the figures discussed that night. We apologize for these errors.
The Charlotte News
TownBites by Edd Merritt
New York Times
Seven Days looks at Thompson’s Point “Well shut them books and throw ‘em away, Say goodbye to dull school days, So come on and change your ways, it’s summertime. . . It’s summertime, summertime, sum sum summertime. . .” Seven Day’s
Cafferty challenges McLaughlin for Sheriff
Charlotter Kelly Brush Davisson leads the start of the 2013 Kelly Brush Century Ride powered by VBT Bicycling and Walking Vacations in Middlebury.
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Kelly Brush Ride Rolls Sept. 6
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Cooke and Crokcenberg meet with City Council, appear in Sierra Club magazine
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Regatta Raises Over $1,000 for Maritime Museum Twenty-four boats from up and down Lake Champlain took part in the second annual Diamond Island Regatta on Saturday, Aug. 23. The benefit race, sponsored by the Royal Savage Yacht Club (RSYC) and Charlotte’s Point Bay Marina, raised more than $1,000 for the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum (LCMM) in Ferrisburgh. The money for LCMM was raised through sale of “swag bags” containing
items donated from sponsors, via a raffle of various boating-related items and through sales to competitors of photos of their boats taken by race photographer Brandon Johnson. In the race itself, on a bright sunny day with a light north breeze, competitors were divided into two general categories, those who sailed with spinnakers and those who sailed with jib and mainsail (JaM). Boats came from the
The ‘jib and main’ fleet starts during the Diamond Island Regatta on Aug. 23.
Photos by brandon Johnson
Two dozen boats take part in second annual race sponsored by Royal Savage Yacht Club and Point Bay Marina
RSYC race director Wendy Friant presents the first-place trophy for Spinnaker A class to Bob Turnau, co-owner with Bill Fastiggi of Buffalo Theory, the first boat to finish overall in the Diamond Island Regatta on Aug. 23. local Royal Savage Yacht Club, based at Point Bay in Charlotte, and from Lake Champlain Yacht Club in Shelburne, Malletts Bay Boat Club in Colchester and elsewhere on the lake. Twelve boats sailed in each category, with the spinnaker fleet divided into four classes and the JaM fleet into two, according to ratings under the Performance Handicap Racing Fleet system, used for most sailing competitions on Lake Champlain. Among the winners was Charlotte’s Bob Turnau, whose Buffalo Theory, a Henderson 30 sailed with co-owner Bill Fastiggi, was the first boat to finish in the spinnaker fleet. Another Charlotte
Dance continued from page 1 posture, flexibility and stamina, not to mention that it is a fun way to be social and exercise.” She also made mentioned that dancers feel many of the same aches and pains any other sports athlete would feel. Like most sports, dance requires athletes to have serious dedication to what they do. Jackson Bisaccia attends CVU and several dance studios after school. He said, “You don’t have to start at age three in order to be good.” Talking about ballet specifi-
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winner was John Beal and his Dragonfly, a J-24 sailed by John Beal from the host club. Complete results can be found here: http://rsyc.org/fast-sail/diamondisland-regatta. “Thank you to everyone who made this day such a huge success,” said Wendy Friant, vice commodore and race director. “Raising $1,000 for the Maritime Museum is awesome.” She also thanked RSYC members and Point Bay Marina for the hospitality they had shown to visiting racers. “They are spreading the word for next year,” she said, “so we just expect this race to get bigger and bigger.”
cally, Bisaccia explained, “Ballet has very specific placement for every different step. Mastering that placement can take years. But if you have the dedication, technique will come with practice and persistence.” Although dance is a physical activity, artistic factors shouldn’t be ignored. “At the end of the day it’s an expression of life.” Bisaccia said about the creative part of dance. “Dance is an expression of emotions, connections and situations we feel, make and see in human beings.” The question of why CVU doesn’t recognize this sport is still raised. “Dancing gives you all the benefits of being athletic such as strength, endurance, and flexibility,” said Alanna Pinard-Brace, a senior, who takes classes at Fusion 802 dance studio in South Burlington. “Dance teaches me how to be confident in what I do and encourages me to take risks.” “I’ve wanted to dance since before I can remember,” she added. “It’s something I’ve always wanted. I just remember watching all the beautiful dancers and wanting to be just like them.” Pinard-Brace, McSalis and Bicassia all agreed that they would like it if CVU had a dance team. “It would be nice to get the dancers of our community together.” McSalis said. Boutin made one last comment about what she thinks people who don’t dance should know: “I think that dance is a sport as it is an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team may compete against another or others for entertainment.” She added, “I would tell anyone who disagrees to come and take a ballet class and then tell me otherwise.”
Kim Cribari, a junior at CVU, is an intern with the News.
The Charlotte News
Consolidated Trash Pickup in Charlotte—A Look at the Issue Clare Innes ContrIbutor
The Chittenden Solid Waste District (CSWD) is mulling changes to the way residential trash is collected in Chittenden County. With 63,000 households in the county, this is no small undertaking. The questions people are asking about changing the system run the gamut, but most can be boiled down to “What is consolidated collection?” and “Why?” Two main issues are driving CSWD to gather ideas and information and hold a public forum this fall to consider whether and how a change should be made to the way trash is collected in the county: been negatively impacted by multiple trash trucks running through them, serving a scattering of customers on any given day. This type of collection system increases road wear, costs, fuel use, noise and pollution. composting law, haulers will be required to provide curbside collection of yard trimmings (in 2016) and food scraps (in 2017). Food scraps will be banned from the side collection of food scraps and yard debris could be very expensive for most customers. After years of research into what has worked for other towns and cities in Vermont and across the country, CSWD has come up with a set of suggestions for a new system called “consolidated collection.” recycling pickup service operate under some type of consolidated collection system, enjoying pricing efficiencies and less damage to public infrastructure from multiple trucks running through neighborhoods. In Vermont, this type of system is already in use in 19 rural and urban towns and cities. Here is a summary of what consolidated collection could look like: partitioned into collection districts. Haulers submit proposals for being the sole hauler providing service in one or more districts for a seven-year term (this timeframe allows haulers to pay for additional equipment, if needed, to service their districts). Haulers compete for districts, which helps keep prices reasonable. ers. Small haulers would also have the option of submitting proposals cooperatively to service larger districts. Again, the details for how this would be executed are still
being formulated. We have identified selection criteria that could be used to help preserve a diversity of haulers. Still, we cannot guarantee that all current haulers would participate in a new system. those who choose to haul their own trash, recycling and compostables would still be available. nesses would not be included. not to join the system. It is up to each municipality to determine how that decision is made. ing a hauler pick up their trash at their house rather than at the end of the driveway. Included in customer service and performance standards would be a requirement for haulers to offer pickup at customers’ homes. As they do now, haulers would choose whether or not to charge for this service. If a hauler does not uphold these standards, it would face enforcement consequences, including the potential of losing its contract. prospect of being serviced by a hauler not of their choosing. There are 11 residential haulers in Chittenden County. Each would have the option of bidding on districts, some of which would likely be in areas where they have existing routes. Some residents would end up with the same hauler, others would not. Exact collection districts have not yet been proposed. CSWD is legally responsible for ensuring that there is an effective, efficient system for the disposal needs of businesses and residents. It would be irresponsible for the district not to examine more efficient and environmentally sound collection systems employed elsewhere to see if they might be suitable and worthwhile for Chittenden County. Tom Moreau, CSWD General Manager, will be attending the September 22 Charlotte Selectboard meeting to provide information and answer questions on consolidated collection. We are also finalizing the date and time for a public meeting on consolidated collection, which will be widely publicized. For more information or to submit a comment for consideration by CSWD’s Board of Commissioners, please visit http://cswd.net/consolidated-collection curbside@cswd.net. Charlotter Clare Innes is marketing and communications coordinator for CSWD.
Transportation continued from page 1 Carrie Spear noted that whatever is done is likely to change the chractoer of Charlotte, and that issue ought to be carefully considered. It may, she said, take more than six months as the proposed changes and concerns need to be seen within the bigger picture of a future Charlotte. Burlington and its suburbs are moving in Charlotte’s direction.
EnErgy Generating energy, supplying it to those in need and using it efficiently was a second set of topics that was discussed. Vermont legislators have set a statewide goal of creating an energy supply that would satisfy 90 percent of state needs through renewable sources by 2050. The Public Service Board must give “due consideration” to all town and regional plans for energy projects—hence its involvement in the solar array off Hinesburg Road in East Charlotte. Tegatz argued for more alternate power to be generated from individual structures rather than large arrays (smiling as he offered his barn roof for panels). He said he wished to explore the inclusion of town energy policies that encouraged (perhaps required) new buildings and major renovations to have on-site or regionally produced power by 2030. Other recommendations were that town buildings have zero net energy by the year 2050; that the town revise its land-use regulations to incorporate energy efficiencies; that the community determine ways to reduce single occupancy in motor vehicles; and that Charlotte seek ways of involving more townspeople in planning, developing and permitting energy projects in town. The draft plan says now that a “lack of outreach in the siting of new installations and the process for public notice and involvement associated with these facilities often leads to drawnout permitting processes and local land use disputes.” Articles about energy policies in several other towns in Vermont were made available to the audience, as well as maps of solar and wind energy sites in Charlotte. Town planners will hold two more workshops: on Sept. 5 on land use, and on Sept. 25 on economic development. Drafts of the plan are available on the town’s website. For those who cannot attend meetings, comments can be submitted any time by email to townplancomments@gmail.com, by mail to Charlotte Planning & Zoning, Attn: Town Plan Comments, P.O. Box 119, Charlotte, VT 05445, or hand delivered to Town Hall.
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The Charlotte News
Fall Fire Safety Tips
stir the ashes to be sure it is completely out before leaving the fire site. Permits are not issued during periods of rain, low clouds or high winds.
Chris Davis
and reimbursement of fire department costs to extinguish a burn pile that gets out of control can be assessed.
Contributor
Campfires or other open fires Burn permits Please remember to call Shelburne Dispatch at 985-8051 (7:30 a.m.–5 p.m.) for a burn permit before burning any brush, yard waste, unpainted wood or an open campfire. Burning trash or household garbage is not permitted in Vermont at any time. The state authorities will issue fines for burning trash or garbage, so please do not do it. In addition, the items in household trash are toxic to people and animals, and it just plain smells bad. We urge you to call Shelburne Dispatch if you spot someone burning garbage so the proper authorities can deal with it. For permitted materials, the dispatcher on duty will take down some necessary information and remind you that all burn piles must be extinguished before dark. Campfires may continue after dark as long as you stay with them and be sure to put them out with water when you are done. If the weather conditions are favorable, the dispatcher will issue the permit and log the location. This way if a neighbor or passing motorist spots smoke or flames and calls 911 to report a fire, the dispatcher will see that a burn permit has been issued for the area in question and will not dispatch the fire department. A reminder about state rules regarding burn permits: wood, brush, leaves, yard debris. to burn these materials in Charlotte. Attend the burn pile at all times. Have plenty of water at the fire site before igniting the fire and do not leave the fire unattended for even a short time. Always extinguish the fire with water and
Please call for a burn permit prior to having any sort of recreational or open cooking fire. Have plenty of water at the fire site before igniting the fire and do not leave the fire unattended for even a short time. Always extinguish the fire with water and stir the ashes to be sure it is completely out before leaving the fire site.
outdoor grilling safety tips Gas grills: Please follow a few simple procedures before lighting your grill each season. to make sure there are no mouse or bee nests. the tank to the grill for cracks, wear or other signs of aging. If necessary, replace the hose. Also check to make sure that there are no grease spots on the hose. fittings by tightening the connection at the tank and then using a soapy sponge to check all visible connections between the tank and grill. If soap bubbles appear, then there is a leak at the connection—the grill should not be operated until the connection is fixed. Many of our local gas companies will come out on a service call to inspect your gas grill and make sure it is ready to operate. If you need to replace any parts, these are readily available at local hardware stores, retail stores where grills are sold and on the Internet. from a building or deck railing. Never operate a gas grill indoors. open the grill top and stand well back
Mellow Yellow at Spruce Peak Aug. 30 Get groovy at a multimedia tribute to peace and love at the Mellow Yellow Experience, Saturday, Aug. 30, at the Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center in Stowe beginning at 8 p.m. Mellow Yellow, which features Charlotter Ken French on vocals, lead guitar and keyboard, has gained a national reputation for impeccable renditions of songs by the Beatles, the Monkees, the Turtles, the Supremes, the Moody Blues and more. The band has been featured two years in a row on the Moody Blues Cruise, sharing the stage with the likes of Roger Daltry, the Zombies, Carl Palmer and Starship. Vermont Maturity magazine called the band “the most authentic sounding sixties band imaginable.” The band’s immersive musical theater show features classic music accompanied by video clips that capture the social and political upheaval of the late 60s. Tickets are $20-38 (SPPAC members save up to 20 percent). To purchase tickets please visit sprucepeakarts.org, or call the box office at 760-4634. before igniting, keeping your body to the side as much as possible. If the unit fails to light on the first try, allow ample time for the gas to vent before attempting to light the grill again. vided by the manufacturer of the gas cooking appliance you are using. These are available from either the retailer who sold it or on the Internet. Charcoal grills: Before using your charcoal grill each season: rack is clean, and the vents are operating properly. from a building or deck. Never use a charcoal grill indoors.
charcoal- starting products and make sure to stand back when lighting the coals. Never pour accelerant onto lit coals. into the ash bed and stir it around to be sure that the coals are thoroughly soaked, then close the vents and replace the lid.
all grills Ensure that the grill is completely cool to the touch before covering or storing it. Do not store it against building walls or wooden railings. Charlotte Volunteer Fire and Rescue highly recommends using the preceding tips in order to keep yourself, your family and your home safe during this season. There have been quite a few preventable fires in Charlotte resulting from improper grill use and unattended burn piles, some of which have resulted in severe damage to property. Come by the station for a tour any time the doors are open, or stop by on a Wednesday evening after 7 p.m. to check out a Fire Department training session or to learn more about becoming a volunteer with the Rescue Squad or the Fire Department! Chris Davis is fire chief with Charlotte Volunteer Fire & Rescue.
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The Charlotte News
August marks the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812 and one of the more interesting events in the town’s history.
Dave Perrin Contributor
This year is the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Plattsburg during the War of 1812. This war, a result of a war in Europe between France and Great Britain, led to severe restrictions on U.S. trade with these countries. It was not supported in Vermont due to restrictions on trade with Canada. During the war, the U.S. Capitol in Washington was burned, and closer to Vermont there were multiple battles along the Canadian border. Prior to the Battle of Plattsburg in September 1814, Charlotte was given a preview of hostilities in May 1814 when the British fleet traveled up Lake Champlain intending to destroy the American fleet being built in Vergennes. The best documentation of this early Charlotte history is William Wallace Higbee’s Around the Mountains. According to Higbee, “The British Fleet in passing at this point fired on a lot of men, women, and children assembled in the way of curiosity on the bank of the lake, fortunately with no fatal results. The company threw themselves flat upon the ground at the command of Captain Charles McNeil, the grape shot hurtling over their heads instead of through them. It turned out that the British commander was more filled with rum than with patriotism for
King George in this effort to massacre women and children. Captain McNeil afterwards found a round shot in his meadows that served for years as a weight to close a garden gate.” (Wars at that time were usually much more considerate of civilians than wars today.) After passing Charlotte, the British proceeded up the lake to Fort Cassin at the mouth of the Otter Creek. Their attack was unsuccessful, and they decided not to send troops up the creek to Vergennes. The building of the fleet, which later defeated the British at Plattsburg, continued. The large group of people who witnessed the British ships sailing up the lake in 1814 was presumably on the bank in front of the McNeil Mansion and close to the original ferry landing, which was farther out on the northern shore of McNeil Cove than the present landing. The mansion is on the National Register of Historic Places but has been significantly modified. Modern accounts vary, but it was probably built between about 1800 and 1810 by either Charles McNeil II or by his father, John McNeil. Nancy Sabin, who is a great-greatgranddaughter of Charles McNeil, owns a cannon ball that family tradition says was embedded in the barn beside the McNeil Mansion. This is probably the same ball used as a weight for the garden gate.
By the time the British fired at the civilians watching the fleet, both John McNeil and his brother, Charles, had died. John’s son, Charles II, left an important legacy. He ran a very important ferry business that eventually became our Charlotte to Port Kent Ferry. This service included the reliable and profitable horse-powered ferry he owned with a
partner, Henry Ross. For those who don’t understand how the ferry was powered, see Charlie Lotz’s drawing in the October 12, 1988 issue of the Charlotte News. McNeil’s legacy has been carried on by a ferry, by descendants of 15 children, 11 of whom lived to over 70 years of age, and by a beautiful stained glass window in the Charlotte Congregational Church.
Photo by Edd MErritt
Charlotte and the War of 1812
‘Hokum’ at the Senior Center Over 100 people attended the Senior Center’s annual summer barbecue for good food and fun, as well as listen to the always popular Hokum Bros: (from left) Woody (aka “Stick Hokum”), Uncle Al Hokum on percussion and vocals, and Gus Hokum on clarinet, tenor sax and accordion.
SEPTEMBER AT THE LEARNING CENTER
KIDS IN THE KITCHEN
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The Charlotte News
The Humbled Parent The Jar of Life Sera Anderson Contributor
As new parents, we often struggle with balancing life more than at any other time in our lives. We have so many extra responsibilities with a newborn, as well as the other countless duties we had to undertake prior to even having a child. We still have oil changes, flipping the mattress, bringing the dog to the vet and paying our car registration. And the list goes on and on and on. I often ask myself what I thought about before I was a mother. What did I do with my time when I wasn’t constantly thinking about someone else or outlining my life around him? I forget what life was like. I think to myself, Wow, I must have had all this extra reserve of free time to do what I wanted, eat when I wanted and go to the bathroom when I wanted. So, my life now must be so productive because I get all that done as well as raise a child or four? Nope. Not always the case. Whether we work full time or parttime, stay at home or work from home, we feel at times 24 hours in a day is just not enough time to get these things checked off our lists, let alone spend time taking care of our families and ourselves. I came across a story years ago that I often think of when life gets a little turbulent. I don’t think the author’s name is
really known, or I don’t know it. There are a few variations of the story out there, all very similar, but here is one version. I know many of you have probably heard it before, but for those who haven’t, here it is—the story of the mayonnaise jar and the two beers: A professor stood before his philosophy class with some items in front of him. When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was. The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was. The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous “yes.” The professor then produced two beers from under the table and poured the contents of each into the jar, effectively filling the empty space around the sand. The students laughed. “Now,” said the professor as the laughter subsided, “I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things—your family, your children, your health, your friends and your favorite passions—and if everything else was lost and only they
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The author’s husband, Seth, and son, Caden, shortly after his birth.
remained, your life would still be full.” He continued, “The pebbles are the other things that matter, like your job, your house and your car. The sand is everything else—the small stuff. If you put the sand into the jar first, there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.” “Spend time with your children,” he told the class. “Spend time with your parents. Visit with grandparents. Take your spouse out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first—the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is
just sand.” One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the beer represented. The professor smiled and said, “I’m glad you asked. The beer just shows you that no matter how full your life may seem, there’s always room for a couple of beers with a friend.” And by all means, I am certainly not perfect with any of this and certainly don’t believe that I have it all figured out. Sometimes you really do need to get things done, but this is just another perspective that can help aid you when you are feeling overpowered with life’s demands. Because most of the time, it really and truly is all about perspective. Sera Anderson is the current Mrs. Vermont America. A former business owner, she is currently a stay-at-home mom.
The Charlotte News
Young Writers Project Writing Prompts September–October
About Young Writers Project Young Writers Project is an independent nonprofit that engages students to write, helps them improve and connects them with authentic audiences through this newspaper; YWP’s web site, youngwritersproject.org, and new digital magazine, The Voice; and partner web sites, vpr.net, vtdigger.org and cowbird. com. Teachers and students, grades 3-12, are encouraged to participate in Young Writers Project by submitting best work done in class or outside of school and by responding to weekly prompts. A team of YWP staff and mentors helps writers revise their work for publication. To post work on youngwritersproject. org, start an account, log in, click “Write” to create a blog, fill in the title and Photo 1, by Erin Bundock, Champlain body of the work and give it a genre Valley Union High School tag. For publication, click “Submitting for Publication?” and complete the information boxes. Finally, click “Save.” the point of view of one leaf on a large, YWP is supported by this newspaper and colorful maple tree; or General writing. foundations, businesses and individuals Your best piece in any genre. Due Oct. 3 Week 6: Room. You have a chance to who recognize the power and value of writing. If you would like to contribute, redesign your room from scratch with no please go to youngwritersproject.org/ limits. What do you do? Alternates: Lie. support or mail your donation to YWP, 12 Use the sentence, “You don’t have to lie; North St., Suite 8, Burlington, VT 05401. I know it was you,” in a poem or story. Due Oct. 10 Week 7: Angel. For the first time PromPts Week 1: General writing. Your best you meet your guardian angel. Write a writing from the summer in any genre. short story developing your guardian’s character and his or her relationship with Due Sept. 5 Week 2: Treasure. What is something you. Alternates: Snapchat. “This is no you should throw away but can’t? Why time to Snapchat!” Use this sentence can’t you? How did you get the object? in your story, poem or play. What has Alternates: Sports. Describe a moment just happened or is about to happen? or in your favorite sport that you’ll always General writing. Your best piece in any remember, either as a player or spectator; genre. Due Oct. 17 Week 8: Letter. Write a letter to your or Ode. Write an ode to the Segway and/ mother, father, a grandparent or favorite or its rider. Due Sept. 12 Week 3: Objects. Write about a teacher to say thanks—for something relationship that develops between two special they do, or for everything. Provide inanimate objects (e.g., books on a shelf, a specific story to show why the person is apps on a phone, park bench and trash so great. Alternates: Habit. Think about bin). Alternates: Aliens. Curious aliens a bad habit you might have and create a visit Vermont. What is the first thing they character with a similar bad habit. Write do? What do they demand? Or write a about why the character won’t easily give story about Photo 1 (above). Due Sept. up the habit. Due Oct. 24 Week 9: Winter Tales. Tell a story 19 Week 4: Haunted. Your dog takes about your experience of winter in short off down the street and bolts through the descriptive poetry or prose. No clichés, open door of a creepy, abandoned house. please. The best will be selected for What happens? Alternate: Image. Shoot presentation by the Vermont Stage a photo and write about it. Make sure to Company at its annual Winter Tales attach the photo to your blog. Due Sept. production at FlynnSpace in Burlington in December. Alternate: Lyrics. Find a 26 Week 5: Complicated. Your life is line from a favorite song that inspires complicated, and some days there’s just you/ excites you/ makes you feel good, one mess after another. Describe one and use it to sprout a poem, song or story. of those days in detail—it can be funny Due Oct. 31 or tragic. Alternates: Leaf. Write from
of students’ home contact information this fall. We’d like to expand opportunities for the community to meet with our principal by adding a new event, Breakfast with the Principal, in the early spring, since many parents truly enjoy learning from CVU’s principal about the school’s direction. And we’d like to raise enough funds to support CVU’s students, particularly for class “extras” and special trips that might otherwise be beyond the reach of some of our families. The Friends of CVU would very much like to hear from you, our parents and community members. What would you like to see our high school’s parent support group achieve? Would you be interested in more parent outreach and education workshops and programs? Would you like to see community dinners at CVU? How about more scholarship support for students, perhaps for international trips? Please let us know your thoughts. We can be reached at friendscvu@gmail.com. The CVU Board would like the community to know of another great opportunity to become involved in the high school. Community input is greatly appreciated when the board is preparing the budget each winter. The “Budget Buddy” program—an opportunity for up to 11 community volunteers to participate in all budget meetings, December through January—is one way in which residents can learn more about how the CVU budget is developed and share suggestions, concerns and other valuable “outside” viewpoints. Please contact a school board representative to learn more.
News from CVU A Look at the Friends of CVU Alice Brown Contributor After a two-month hiatus, the CVU Communications Sub-Committee, with much help from members of the CVU community, is pleased to offer its first article of the 2014–2015 school year. We welcome suggestions for future topics from the community. The Friends of CVU is a group of parents from Charlotte, Hinesburg, St. George, Shelburne and Williston, who volunteer together to strengthen the links between community, teachers and CVU high school students. We work with Connecting Youth to sponsor educational speakers and appropriate programs, and we support student clubs and activities with grants made possible by CVU community donations. What does the current Friends of CVU group do? This past year, we hosted a November “Dessert with the Principal,” during which Principal Jeff Evans talked with parents about how CVU continues to move forward. We ran a teacher and staff appreciation luncheon for the approximately 300 CVU employees, who very much appreciated the delicious special lunch. And we organized a breakfast for Grad Challenge presentation day in May, feeding close to 1,000 CVU seniors and juniors, parents and guests, teachers and staff and community panelists. It was a wonderful community celebration of our graduating students! Where would Friends of CVU like to go in the future? In keeping with our mission of developing community, we hope to distribute an electronic directory
Alice Brown is co-chair of the Friends of CVU. cVu school boArd rePresentAtiVes Lorna Jimerson: ljimerso@wcvt.com Marilyn Richardson: mkrichardson1520@gmail.com
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Putting Down Roots in Two Charlottes A personal profile of Dave Cable, a former Charlotter making a difference in the other Charlotte Emma Slater The CharloTTe News
Speed walking through East Charlotte at a gait that would make a Kenyan sprinter short of breath, Dave Cable can be seen with his signature pair of orange six pound weights in hand and sometimes a family member in tow. Whenever family, exercise and the outdoors converge, my uncle is in his element. Each morning at 6:30, Dave will meet up at the intersection of our driveways with anyone who wants to meet him for a rigorous five-mile walk. Whether I choose to join him or not, he’s there each morning during the summer months, stretching his legs against the stone wall that separates our yards. Each time I do decide to come, it’s guaranteed to be a great conversation (albeit at breakneck speed) about his favorite Charlotte characters, current events, ethics and, of course, the environment. The intense focus and devotion he exhibits on our morning walks is characteristic of the passion he has for making the world a better place. And for Dave, that starts with planting a tree. Fittingly, his standard speed walking uniform is a t-shirt printed with a diagram of proper tree planting practice, and the logo for Tree Charlotte, a non-profit organization he directs. But make no mistake: when I say Charlotte, it’s with a short “o,” as in Charlotte, North Carolina. Dave’s story is a tale of two Charlottes: his desire to promote conservation in the two very different ecological and cultural climates he calls home.
The author and her uncle, Dave Cable.
Vermont, and the larger region of New England, is where Dave had his first exposure to and training in natural resource conservation. While working toward his bachelor’s degree in environmental study and geology at Bowdoin College, he spent a summer working on a natural heritage project in Augusta, Maine. The goal of this project was to recognize sites in the state that held special ecological value, but it relied on the
compliance and support of many private landowners. Dave developed the philosophy, “If you make people more aware of these features, they will respond and be good stewards of the lands.” Later, getting his masters degree in natural resources at the University of Vermont, Dave’s personal and spiritual connection to the land solidified. He believes that his spirituality and religion are intimately tied to the outdoors, as their influence is both calming and inspiring. However, in 1998 the Cable family made the move from Charlotte, Vermont, to Charlotte, North Carolina, with a desire to explore a new direction in his career. At the same time Dave moved into real estate appraisal, completely leaving the realm of conservation. Although he said that working at a bank was interesting and challenging, he couldn’t glean from his experiences the same sense of personal fulfillment. “I didn’t have a personal alignment with what my love was and how I could make a difference in the world,” he said. Dave’s drastic shift in career direction, from working in the outdoors, to working a desk job, runs strikingly parallel to the differences in conservation efforts between the two Charlottes. The two locations are essentially polar opposites in terms of their populations, land demands, environmental ethics and socioeconomic makeup. Charlotte, North Carolina, is a rapidly urbanizing area with about one million residents. There is a resulting pressure for more building permits, tax revenue and residential expansion. This corresponds with a socioeconomic disparity and an urban culture that limits the community’s connection to the environment. Dave describes the areas he works in as “typically lower income, focused on just getting food on the table, the real basics of life, and you’re asking them to think longer term about what’s important in their community.” On the other hand he sees a certain advantage for the conservation efforts in towns like Charlotte, Vermont, that are predominantly rural. Rural communities can more readily draw a connection between their livelihoods and their land, which fosters an instinctual desire to preserve it. The conservation principles, the philosophy that Dave already firmly believes in, apply in both settings though. A healthy forest is almost more important in a city, which has so many more people within its sphere of influence. The question is: how can we make environmental conservation a relevant topic in the urban setting? How could Dave bridge the gap between Charlotte, Vermont, and Charlotte, North Carolina? With an abundance of tree puns, Dave jokingly explained that he decided to “go back to his roots,” “no longer a branch manager” at First Union Bank. (Pun count: 2) He worked in Charlotte, N.C., as the executive director of the Catawba Land Trust from 2007 until 2011 and has been the head of the board of Tree Charlotte since 2012. Both of these organizations try to answer the above question by making conservation relevant through kinetic and
The Charlotte News tangible projects, such as trail systems and tree planting events. The trail system initiative designed by Catawba is the Carolina Thread Trail, which seeks to conserve wildlife and stream corridors while creating an interconnected system of greenways and pathways. The Catawba team helped to conserve about 5,500 acres with strong commercial and individual support. The beauty of this project is that it binds together land protection with recreational value that is easy to appreciate. Tree Charlotte was born as a committee with a desire to “highlight the benefits of the urban forest,” according to Dave. Tree Charlotte has planted 11,500 trees in just two years. This was accomplished through a series of tree planting events designed to engage volunteers and bring entire neighborhoods together. Dave said that tree planting is a simple process, but “people just really dig it.” (Pun count: 3) “It’s something that you can engage in at all levels. Whether you are two years old or eighty years old you can play a role in planting a tree.” Planting trees provides a rallying point for neighborhoods, empowering them with a sense of ownership over the areas they improve. In fact, the success of these events is measured in both the number of trees planted as well as the number of repeat volunteers. The large number of returning volunteers indicates that people feel they truly benefit from the process. Dave believes that the tangibility of these projects is key in successfully promoting environmental connection in the inner city. He thinks conservation is a cerebral concept and often wonders, “What does it really mean to me? Being in a community garden, walking on a trail, planting a tree, those are much more relatable.” In fact, “they’re more understandable, and
they’re more participatory as opposed to just conservation for conservation’s sake.” As for his future involvement in Tree Charlotte, Dave’s mission is to teach more widely the skills and importance of caring for preexisting trees, while
Cable at a Tree Charlotte event in Charlotte, N.C.
expand the model of community engagement. Both the name and logo of Tree Charlotte have been designed so the name of any region can be replaced, to accommodate plantings in new locations. (Pun count: 4) Looking forward, Dave sees the battle for environmental health as an issue of perspective. People seem
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to have a shorter and shorter view of the future, with a tendency to plan in terms of short-term benefits. This mindset is often incompatible with the timeline of a landscape or a tree canopy, let alone with the geological makeup of an area. He believes that this deterioration of human perspective is an issue that pertains to most of the world, beyond the Charlottes, beyond the United States. As a conservationist, he sees his goal as an effort to help others put on “different lenses.” He said that it’s easy for leaders to focus on giving out building permits, building out the community, raising tax revenue, and creating jobs. “It drives people to think that whatever they have it’s not enough, and that focus on consumerism definitely weighs heavy on land- use decisions and financial resources.” However, as both an environmentalist and a capitalist he advocates balance in all things. When asked if these two priorities could coexist successfully, he replied, “Absolutely, you just have to be thoughtful about it.” As my uncle leaves again for Charlotte, North Carolina, I treasure memories of all the special outdoor adventures we’ve made together. (Pun count: 5). With Dave I hiked my first mountain, canoed the LaPlatte River and walked to the covered bridge time and again. Whether he is spending time with his family or serving as the director of a nonprofit, Dave has a profound impact on the communities around him. His gift for empowering people to care about the environment transcends geographic, cultural and financial boundaries. I agreed to share him with the “other Charlotte,” this winter only because I know that there are thousands more trees to be planted and many more walks in store for next summer.
Fabulous Fall Fashions
What to Expect When You're Expecting Surgery Kevin M. McGarghan, R.N. Contributor
If you’re going to have surgery, you’re going to have questions. And your doctor and the health care team caring for you during your procedure are going to have questions for you. These questions will be many and redundant, and they are meant to keep you safe. Practically everyone you meet before your surgery will ask at least your name and date of birth and the type of procedure you are going to have. When you get to the operating room, there will be a checklist where we will go over those questions and more a total of three more times. These redundancies help us avoid mistakes in your care. Getting answers to your health care questions is key to your being comfortable with the quality of care you expect. First and foremost, be your own advocate for your health. Make sure you understand why surgery is the best choice for you. Weigh your options and make sure you are comfortable with this decision. You can visit endless web sites that will give you information about the procedure you will undergo. You can even go to YouTube and see a video of the procedure. This kind of information is invaluable in educating yourself and may lead to further discussions with your doctor. The person you bring with you on the day of your surgery to get you home safely should also be someone you trust enough to help you make medical decisions. Your spouse or partner can play an important role in helping you obtain, and understand, your health care options. In the days and hours leading up to your procedure, you may be asked to stop taking regular medications, especially aspirin or medicine with blood-thinning properties. No food the night before your surgery. Clear liquid the morning of your procedure should be kept to essentials—
just enough for brushing your teeth or taking needed medicine. Because some of the medicine used during the procedure can cause nausea and vomiting, we ask you to limit food and liquid intake to lessen the risk of inhaling particles or liquid into the airway and lungs, which can lead to aspiration pneumonia. Leave your jewelry at home or with the person who comes with you to the hospital. That’s all jewelry. It no longer surprises me where people like to put jewelry. No hair pins, barrettes, ribbons or hair ties. We don’t want you laying on a pressure point during surgery. When you arrive in the pre-op area, you will be in a curtained room while a nurse begins the procedure of getting you ready for surgery. Here you will see your doctor as well as meet the anesthesiologist who will be responsible for your level of sedation during the procedure. If you are nervous or fearful about the procedure, tell your doctor or the nurse. Be honest about your level of pain and anxiety, as this is the time to address any discomfort you may be having. Being nervous and apprehensive about your procedure is normal. You may be hooked up to monitors, and you, your doctor or both may initial the part of your body where the procedure will be performed. Fletcher Allen is a teaching hospital so you will likely meet residents, medical students, nursing students and other health care professionals. By the time I come to get you for the trip to the operating room, you will have been well quizzed on your name, date of birth and what procedure you are having. And then I’m going to ask those questions yet again. We’ll place a bonnet on your head, which is usually when the phones come out for pictures of what I like to call “this year’s Christmas card.” Once you are in the operating room, you’ll be surrounded by a team (the Nascar aspect of the procedure) which will get you positioned, warmed and ready to go to your happy place—pick a good one! One final time, you will confirm your name, date of birth and procedure, and then it’s off to dreamland. It can all be a bit disconcerting. You can make it a positive experience by preparing yourself for your procedure. Educate yourself and be an advocate for yourself. Be honest with your doctors and nurses about how you’re feeling, your anxiety and most especially any pain you are feeling. We are all happy to be a part of your health care team. After all, you’re the reason we’re all there. Kevin M. McGarghan is an operating room nurse at Fletcher Allen Hospital. He lives in Charlotte.
Sandalwood and Charlotte’s Fragrant Trees were long-lasting white cedar snake rail constructions, emulated by many landowners in landscaping. The aroma is Contributor different from red cedar, but has its own I was clearing out some old professional “cedar-y” smell, well-known to cedar files and came across a publication I sniffers. The resin and turpene compounds in co-edited back in 1990 while at the East West Center on the topic of sandalwood. white pine elicit an awareness when you It was notable because it was the first enter a pine grove. While the lumber compilation of information on an has no strong scent after it is dried for international scale on this fascinating and use, the resinous white sap on cones, on stumps and in the crushed needles are valuable genus. This tree, “which imparts fragrance quite fragrant as “pine.” The resinous even to the axe that fells it,” has long stumps/roots were pulled in early land been venerated and exploited as the wood clearing and piled in a row as fencing, with the second highest value in the which has lasted until today in some world (first is agarwood). It is mentioned areas. Red pine is somewhat similar in as early as 2000 BC in the Ramayan of aroma. For a distinctive, strong, pleasant India. We read of its value in the Bible, odor, crush some balsam fir needles when Hiram, King of Tyre presents King or puncture a resin blister in the bark. Solomon with gold, almug (sandalwood) Balsam fir pillows, with their fragrance, are supposed to give one and precious stones. sweet dreams. This is the Its greatest use is in traditional Tannenbaum the Orient for making Christmas-tree fragrance incense, such as that in fresh cut trees can joss sticks, carving permeate the home. The sacred objects and resin is used in throat distilling essential medicines and in optical oils. Wooden objects instrument cement. such as statues, fans, Among our deciduous small chests and trees, two birches take chess pieces retain the prize, the yellow their lovely aroma birch and the black or for decades. It is sweet birch. A freshly much used in the broken twig or the inner perfume and cosmetic bark yields the odor of industries. wintergreen, and indeed My interest in oil of wintergreen is sandalwood which This photo is of a sandalwood distilled from the twigs or led me to convene Happy Buddha bought in a young bark, particularly the international Chinese market in Singapore 24 from black birch, the symposium that years ago, and it is still fragrant more intense. Birch beer produced the book when rubbed. is also made from the Sandalwood in the sap of black birch. Tap Pacific was due to the it, put a handful of corn importance it played in the early history of Hawai’i after first in a jug, and let fermentation do the rest. The bitter, acrid, almond smell and European contact. I was intrigued by the pit depressions in the exact shape and taste of prussic acid in black cherry, pin cherry or the shrub choke cherry are size of sailing vessel. These were pits to which sandalwood logged from mountain dead giveaways. Domestic livestock can forests was dragged or carried at the become sick or even die from browsing order of the Kings of Hawai’i for sale to on too much of these. However, the fruits the traders transporting them to China. of black cherry were used by pioneers The sandalwood trade continued hot and in making tart apple jam and jelly and heavy until 1840, when due to scarcity for flavoring rum and brandy to make King Kamehameha III placed a kapu “cherry bounce.” The tree warden does not recommend this to any but the truly (tabu) on remaining trees of the species. In 1988, a sandalwood logging venture adventuresome. My three other favorite aromatics took place on the slopes of Mauna Loa at a reported price of $2 per pound. are not native to Vermont but do grow This triggered a controversy about this here and have been planted successfully. “endangered” species and precipitated They are tuliptree, or yellow poplar, my organizing the aforementioned state- and cucumber magnolia, both of whose buds and twigs when crushed have a of-knowledge symposium. Enough of Hawai’i—back to Charlotte, citrusy or lemon odor, and the sassafras. which has some well-known fragrant tree Sassafras greenish twigs smell like oil species. Perhaps most similar in its lovely of sassafras and have myriad uses from aroma is our red cedar or juniper. It sassafras tea to root beer flavoring to is used in cedar chests or other storage fermented beer. These latter three species boxes, and I have even seen a clothes may become more common in Vermont closet paneled with this insect-repelling as the climate warms, and indeed we have and beautiful wood. The heartwood is planted tuliptrees in our roadside planting very resistant to decay, which makes it program. A few other tree species in Charlotte good for fence posts. Red cedar oil is used in many fragrance compounds. And have distinctive odors that I can do not forget to smell the berry-like cones recognize—for instance black walnut that are used to flavor gin—and smell and butternut—but the odors are difficult to describe. Free advice from like it. Our other cedar, northern white your tree warden: using your nose can cedar or arborvitae, also has fragrant, aid in tree identification in the woods long-lasting wood, often used in boat and often gives clues as to its uses. building, especially in canoes. It is a By the way, if anyone really wants to favorite fence, pole and rail wood, but, investigate sandalwood, other than by remember, it is only heartwood that is Googling, I do have two extra copies of fully impregnated with oils and turpenes the aforementioned book. to provide long service. Many fences Larry Hamilton is Charlotte's tree built before the invention of barbed wire warden.
Larry Hamilton
The Charlotte News
Charlotte Senior Center
The Café Menu
by Mary Recchia, Activities Coordinator Just a reminder that the Center will be closed on Monday, Sept. 1, for Labor Day. –––– Please look for the new fall program of activities as an insert in this issue of the Charlotte News. Here are a few highlights for the first weeks of September to get you going. Do you want to research your ancestors but are not sure how to get started? Have you started your search and need some ideas on what to try next? Join Carl Tatlock and the genealogy group on Thursday, Sept. 4, at 1 p.m. to share ideas, trade information and tell stories of your journey through history. Family Tree Maker and Ancestory.com are available at the Center to assist you in your search. No Fee. –––– A new session of Yang tai chi chuan for beginners with John Creech starts on Thursday mornings from 10–11. Session I dates: Sept. 4, 11, 18 and 25 and October 2 and 9. Yes, you can learn the true Yang family style of tai chi, famous for its myriad benefits to health and wellbeing. The flowing movements and postures will increase flexibility, improve balance and strengthen core muscles. Practitioners cultivate a deeper sense of relaxation, increased energy level and a real sense of confidence and presence. John Creech has been studying and practicing tai chi for 10 years and invites you to come learn and practice together. Registration necessary. Fee: $42 for 6 classes. –––– Join Phyllis Bartling for a new session of Pilates on Thursday mornings from 8:30 – 9:30. Session I dates: Sept. 4, 11, 18, 25 and Oct 2 and 9. This is not your granddaughter’s Pilates class! This mat Pilates class is designed to be challenging and safe for folks 55 years and older. Pilates specifically targets the core muscle groups, including the lower abdominals, lower back and gluteals, to improve balance, strength and
posture. Exercises are done on the floor on mats; bringing a small rolled up towel to put under your head is a good idea. Registration required. Fee: $42. –––– Please join Jim Lovejoy for the first poetry reading of the season on Monday, Sept. 8, from 1–3 p.m. Building on the fun and excitement that has developed with our Poem in Your Pocket readings over the years, this after-lunch poetry bonanza provides a regular time for listening, reading, writing and sharing a love of language. Whether it’s a poem you’ve written or one you’ve found in a book or on Poets.org, pack a poem in your pocket and join Jim as he guides a wonderful afternoon of word wonder. No fee. Please join us Wednesday afternoons beginning at 1 p.m. for a collection of lectures, performances and special events that showcase the diverse interests of our community. No registration or fee.
MONDAY, SEPT 1: Center is closed for Labor Day holiday. Sept. 3: A Celebration of Art. Please join the participating artists of the 9th Annual Senior Center Art Show, “My Vermont,” for a gala reception to view and discuss their work that will hang in the Great Room for the month of September. Sept. 10: Shelburne Vineyard: Taste, Tour, Enjoy! Ken and Gail Albert established Shelburne Vineyard in 1998 and were joined shortly thereafter by fellow winemaker Scott Prom. Together they embarked on fulfillment of their lifelong dream: to make sustainably produced fine wines in Vermont. Tour their state-of-the-art, eco-friendly winery, built to meet the strictest environmental standards, and share their adventure making fine wine in Vermont’s northern climate. Registration required.
WEDNESDAY, SEPT 3: Southwest BLT taco salad, birthday cake and ice cream MONDAY, SEPT 8: Hearty local vegetable soup, tossed salad, coconut pecan cake WEDNESDAY, Sept 10: Grandma’s chop suey, 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 425-6345. A $4 donation is requested. Reservations are not required for the Monday Munch.
Angela Manno’s Color and Light in Pastel class, painting on a site at Ferry and Lake roads.
Food &Field Emily Donegan Contributor Over in a quiet corner of East Charlotte, my husband and I and our two young children are renting a farm and making our living as organic dairy farmers. I like to think that healthy children—as well as wholesome milk—are the most important things we produce on the farm. We work the long hours required to milk our 30 or so cows twice a day, move the animals several times a day to fresh pasture, and make all the hay to feed them through the winter. Like many of the dairy farms of yesteryear, we also grow most of our own vegetables, process our milk into butter, cheese and yogurt for our table, and raise most of the meat we consume. As we go about these tasks, our children, ages three and four, work and play alongside us. They don’t attend daycare or have a nanny. They watch, they help, they play in the pastures (or the sawdust, or the manure!). Though they haven’t reached school age yet, we intend to continue their education at home this way, rather than send them to school. Our lifestyle did not occur by accident, and though neither my husband nor I was raised on a farm, we pursued this way of life with a family in mind. Most of the crucial elements lacking in the typical child’s routine are provided by life on a farm: healthy food, fresh air, exercise and the opportunity for unstructured, creative play. Whether or not this will lead to a healthier, more well-adjusted adulthood for them remains to be seen.
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I do notice how different their childhood experience is from that of their peers, however—even at such a young age. My boys have witnessed countless births, and they know how to tell if a cow is dry or milking, or if you can expect a
Donegan Family Farm Products: Organic Milk & Healthy Children calf arrives still born. They’ve never seen the movie Frozen, and they don’t know what a video game or a text message is. When, at a barbecue recently, I told my son that a hot dog was made of cow meat, he didn’t believe me. Smart kid.
Emily and Joe Donegan, along with their sons Patrick and Frankie. calf in the next day or so. They know you need to mow hay before you rake it and rake it before you bale it. They know the difference between hay you should feed to heifers and hay that is good enough for the milkers. They’ve watched bloody veterinary procedures and witnessed animals being harvested for meat. They experience fullness of joy at the birth of a litter of kittens and sadness and denial when a
One of the joys I experience as part of my lifestyle is the connection I feel to the past. Three years ago, I gave birth to my son in the old farmhouse where we live and wondered how many farm women had given birth inside these same walls. Though our lifestyle is a modern anomaly, it isn’t much different from the way it was for hundreds of years before. Our need to feed ourselves and care for
our animals and the land transcends the muddled priorities of modernized culture. I wonder how many folks reading this article were raised on a farm in Charlotte. Probably a good handful over the age of 50, and very few who are in their 30s or younger. I wonder if those people would make up even ten percent of the town’s population—I doubt it. Yet, the history of agriculture in this town still sounds loudly in its sense of identity and values. I wonder how this will change in the next 50 years or so, when practically no inhabitants of the town have been raised on a farm. Though my family may have an extreme experience in this regard, I find it encouraging to see such a desire for integration between farms and education in our community and beyond. Relationships between the farm and cafeteria, school gardens, and the opportunity to work with and experience farms are now becoming more commonplace in schools. The connection between people and food isn’t something that we create; it is something that we are born with as human beings. When we allow our children to understand and experience this connection in a meaningful way, we are allowing them to more fully understand themselves. The more we engage with the animals and plants that sustain us, the more likely I believe we are to create a generation that values healthy food and an open, working landscape, just like the Charlotters of yesteryear.
The Charlotte News
SPORTS
by Edd Merritt
CVU girls’ basketball camp was a success Eighty-five girls between the ages of four and nine participated in a summer basketball camp run by CVU head coach Ute Otley with the help of her players Cathy Kolasch and Sadie Otley. The campers voted Sadie the “Ultimate Counselor.” Players practiced fundamental drills, making sure they had fun in the process. The groups were separated by age with the 4 to 6-year-olds in a morning session and the 7 to 9-year-olds in the afternoon. Many from both groups carried away awards on “Championship Friday.” Charlotte’s Carolina Sicotte was one of five “All-Stars” on the younger team. Richie Lowrey dusts off his opponents at the Devil’s Bowl race track Charlotte’s 15-year-old Richard Lowrey III is getting an early start toward following in his father’s footsteps as a racecar driver. He won the opening “Renegade” feature at the Devil’s Bowl Speedway in West Haven last Sunday. Katie Mack takes over reins of CVU men’s soc- Coach Rahn Flemming leads his CVU football team through what he calls the "Karaoke" or cer Redhawk head coach Katie Mack has come "Hula" drill. to CVU from successful seasons at the helm of Bellows Free Academy, Fairfax. She replaces T.J. Mead, a CVU grad who stepped down after five seasons to devote more time to family. Mack taught social studies at CVU last year and will continue doing so while she picks up coaching responsibilities. A native of Baltimore, Mack attended Drew University where she played soccer. After moving to Vermont she coached club soccer and junior varsity at South Burlington before heading to BFA. CVU starts its season at home against Rye, N.Y., on Saturday, Aug. 30, with the game beginning at 10 a.m.
CVU's boys soccer team took to the practice field for drills recently.
Campers and councelors who particpated in the afternoon session of the recent girls basketball camp hosted by CVU coach Ute Otley pose for a picture. A total of 85 girls grades 4–9 particiCoach Otley demonstrates the proper form for free throws. pated in the camp this summer.
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Town Plan continued from page 1 create temporary traffic delays that could send traffic to Charlotte’s secondary roadways. Another is the expansion of Hinesburg’s village and planned construction on Route 116, which could also send more commuters to and from Burlington to Charlotte’s secondary roads. While there are no policies or strategies in the chapter that speak specifically to addressing these concerns, the issue of increased use of Charlotte’s roadways is addressed in other ways. For instance, to help take some cars off the road, the Vermont Agency of Transportation has asked the Chittenden County Metropolitan Planning Organization (CCMPO) to undertake a scoping study for potential park-and-ride and transit stop locations in Charlotte. The plan calls for exploring such areas in the east and west villages.
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This initiative also coincides with the town’s support for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from transportation. Another way the chapter aims to curb traffic and pollution is through more pedestrian-friendly measures. The chapter calls for the addition of wider shoulders for pedestrian and bicycle use in any major improvement to class two or three highways in Charlotte. It also calls for assessing the feasibility of bike and pedestrian lanes during construction and resurfacing projects. Finally, with growth comes more traffic, and another key issue the commission hopes to address through the Town Plan is speeding in Charlotte. According to the chapter, a lack of official speed data and daily traffic figures have made tracking such trends difficult. The plan calls for the town to work with the state and CCMPO to collect this data, as well as figures on traffic accidents and safety concerns at dangerous intersections going forward. The chapter, however, does not contain specific policies or recommendations for traffic-calming measures on roads identified by the Charlotte Safety Committee. It calls for the Selectboard to review data on posted
speed limits and consider adjusting them. But the chapter also deals with nonmotorized transportation. Currently Charlotters have limited options to safely walk, bike or ride horses. However, the transportation chapter states support for such non-motorized travel options as a policy, especially in the village areas. The Planning Commission will, where appropriate, require provisions for sidewalks or trails and user amenities for new development in village districts,” the chapter states. “This will encourage pedestrian links between and among Charlotte’s neighborhoods, public spaces and commercial areas.” Further, in areas of reconstruction in the West Village, the town will explore the improvement of pedestrian, bicycle and auto safety measures. The transportation chapter is one of two Town Plan chapters that were not released with the first draft of the 2015 town plan at the end of June. The last chapter, which centers on economic development, has yet to be released, though the Planning Commission will hold a workshop on the topic Sept. 25. The 2015 Town Plan draft is available to read and for comment at charlottevt.org.
Morse's Doodles & Jots
Some people are not dead enough to be praised. Jim Morse is a former Vermont Supreme Court Justice living in Charlotte. Find more of his Doodles & Jots in his book, available at the Flying Pig Bookstore or online at Amazon, Barnes & Noble or Red Barn Books.
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The Charlotte News
Catching Canada Geese Bradley Carleton Contributor
For many waterfowlers the first brisk northern breeze that sweeps the pungent fragrance of the lake depths through the valley means it’s time to prepare for resident Canada goose season. While the public basks in the last few days of summer and revels in the glory of Labor Day weekend, goose hunters are preparing for Opening Day, the day after Labor Day. Field bags are packed, and decoys are set out in fields, their deceptive motion swaying with the slightest wisp of air. Sweat pours off our faces as we set the spread. Layout blinds are prepared by picking wheat and clover off the ground and stuffing them into the stubble straps of the nylon blinds, which sit only 14 inches off the dewy ground. It takes more than an hour and a half to properly grass the blinds and crawl into the coffin-shaped boxes. As the first rays of sunlight melt over the mountains, the sky lights up in salmon and helio, outlined by soothing sage. There’s
not a cloud in the sky, and the sweet-smelling northwest wind bodes well for our crew of four anxious fowlers. We are sharing our traditional cup of coffee and donuts when it happens. Far out on the bay, the echo careens off of the rocky beach. Her-onk! The breakfast flock is awakening. We return the call with a simple cluck and leave the rest to the imagination. Sometimes the best call is the one that leaves curiosity in the mind of the conversationalist. We wait. Soon another muffled yet intriguing honk comes from the bay. We answer back with a curt hail call. That gets the ball rolling! Now we are in an aggressive dialogue about how wonderfully tasty the wheat is this morning. Within minutes we can hear the entire flock begin to debate about when to leave the roost. Juvenile voices say “now!” while the more guttural adult tones profess “patience.” It’s like listening to a family on Christmas morning. Twenty minutes pass. We are all silent in the field, when one of our band of brothers calls out, “Two from behind! Right over the trees!" And “Silent! Get down!” I counter. Blind doors snap shut, and we all disappear in stalks of wheat and sheaths of clover. These are the scouts. We let them circle the spread and do not call or move. They examine us closely then slide gently back out over the water and land in the center of the bay, clucking to the flock of 100 birds. The question comes up every year.
Should we have shot when they were hanging over the decoys? My answer has always been “No.” Let them take the news to the flock that the field is full of geese and there do not appear to be any predators. Ten more minutes pass. Our hearts are beating wildly, hoping that we made the right choice. And then it begins. We hear the wing beats flapping against the water as the family pods begin to peel off of the flock. Within moments the sky is alive with honking as powerful wing pinions flail at the air. They are arriving in flocks of ten to 20 birds at a time. The first flock to Local waterfowlers and their harvest. Resident lower altitude swings from right Canada goose season in Vermont begins the day to left across the spread then after Labor Day. turns away to the south. A single bird backpedals and drops his is five per day with a possession limit of 15 dark black boots to land in the decoys. “Let ‘em land!” I whisper. When birds. To hunt them hunters must possess a the second flock sees the single bird on the valid 2014 hunting license, a Vermont state waterfowl “stamp” and a federal waterfowl ground, he calls to them. They cup their mighty wings in an arc, stamp which must be signed across the the shape of which has been emblazoned face. All hunters must also fill out a survey in waterfowlers’ memories for generations. to acquire a Harvest Information Permit As they glide in to finish their landing, feet (HIP) number. Good luck to all, and if you are curious outstretched, necks craning, I wish that I could freeze this moment in time and about how good smoked goose can be, somehow convey to all those who do not we will be sharing our harvest at Spear’s hunt what a magnificent spectacle we get Store in East Charlotte from time to time throughout the season. to witness. Some call the Canada goose a nuisance Bradley Carleton is executive director because it fouls their lawns and golf cours- of Sacred Hunter.org, a nonprofit that es. I prefer to think of them as majestic seeks to educate the public on the spiritual brethren seeking a connection to us. connection of man to nature and raises Resident Canada goose season begins funds for TraditionsOutdoorMentoring. the day after Labor Day, Sept. 2, and runs org, which mentors at-risk young men in through Thursday, Sept. 25. The bag limit outdoor pursuits.
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by Margaret Woodruff How to Create tHe PerfeCt Library How to create the perfect library— such a project recalls the story of Stone Soup, in which three wandering soldiers create a delicious meal using stones and only a little help from the town they visit. The perfect-library subject tops the list of features in blogs, journals and websites that cross our computer screens and our desks here at the Charlotte Library. While there are some common features to all, such as friendly faces and reliable resources, the biggest takeaway from these articles is that the best library is the one that best fits and serves its own community, much like the meal created in the Stone Soup fable. As we strive to fulfill that (everchanging) goal here in Charlotte, we need information from our community to inform our programming, purchasing and planning decisions. In the next few months, the library will participate in the Edge Initiative to help “libraries create a path for the continuous growth and development of their public technology services.” To make the project successful, we need your help with the first step in the program, a survey of the current use of the library’s technology services. This online survey is designed to find out how our patrons use the library’s computers and Internet connection and how this service has made a positive impact on their lives. This information will help the library improve its technology services and communicate the value of providing free access to computers and the Internet within the community. The survey is anonymous and takes ten to 15 minutes to complete. Paper copies of the survey are available for patrons who prefer not to participate online. We hope that you will consider taking part and creating our own perfect Stone Soup here at the library.
UPComing at tHe Library
and 17, 5:30 p.m. Join us to knit, chat and create. We’ll talk about our latest project idea, the “temperature scarf.” Maker Monday: The Great Pumpkin Challenge, Monday, Sept. 8, 3:15 to 4:15 p.m. Help us bring jack-o’- lanterns to life for Halloween. Charlie Woodruff will provide the programming expertise, you provide the creativity for our jumble of jack-o’-lanterns to decorate the library. Suitable for ages 10 and up. Registration required; please call or email the library to sign up: 425-3864 or youth@charlottelibraryvt@gmail.com. Getting Around By Bike, Wednesday, Sept. 17, 7 p.m. Have you been wanting to bike more? Ready to take the next step, but not quite sure where to start? Local Motion can help. In just one short hour, participants in this bike-commuting workshop learn all this and more: What gear you need (and don’t need) to stay safe and comfortable How to make sure your bike is in good shape for commuting How to map out a route that fits with your available time and comfort level How to “read” the street and ride safe under a range of conditions Best of all, not only will you come away with free leg bands, bike seat covers and other resources to help you stay safe, but workshops with ten or more attendees will be eligible for an on-site raffle of a waterproof bicycle rack bag, so bring your friends! Let Local Motion help you get back into bicycling today! Need gear? Low-cost bike lights and other items will be available for purchase at the workshop.
on disPLay at tHe Library Intimate Flower Portraits: Photography Exhibit by Anne Prescott, Sept. 2-Nov. 2, 2014. For as long as she can remember, Anne has been inspired by the special beauty of flowers and had a desire to capture them on film—to give them a permanence. After living many places across the country, Anne recently settled in Vermont to be near her family and has had a chance to pursue this project. These “flower portraits,” taken using a macro lens, show the extraordinary design in these “miracles of nature,” as she calls them. This is Anne’s first exhibit at the Charlotte Library although she has had informal shows (or showings ) in various locations where she has lived over the years.
Library hours Monday & Wednesday: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday & Friday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Wednesday Night Knitters, Sept. 3
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OutDoors in Late Summer Some of the nicest weather of the year generally unfolds in early September. If you have not ticked some favorite outings off your summer list there’s still time to create warm memories to get you through the long winter months. Have you visited Vermont State Parks (vtstateparks.com), with extensive public access to Lake Champlain? Burton Island, North Hero, Knight Point, Grand Isle, Alburg Dunes, Niquette Bay, Kingsland Bay and Button Bay all offer lakeshore, some swimming, others boating, and all walking. Glacial ice and the Ausable River carved the rosy Ausable Chasm (ausablechasm.com, 800-537-1211) in Ausable, N.Y., through towering cliffs. It is a marvel! As deep as 175 feet from rim to river, the narrow passage through multi-colored sandstone and quartzite is about 14,000 years old. The chasm has been open to tourists since 1870 and attracts tens of thousands of visitors each year. A walk of less than a mile leads to an optional, and really fun, raft ride through the lower reaches of the canyon. Open until early October. One of Vermont’s great water venues is Green River Reservoir in the towns of Hyde Park and Eden. Boasting more than 19 miles of undeveloped shoreline, the reservoir is pristine, quiet and a haven for wildlife. Green River Reservoir is the perfect adventure for a September day. As the northern forest turns toward fall, the butterscotch of tamaracks, yellow birches and early color of red maples mingle with the deep greens of fir, balsam and pine. Now a state park, the reservoir and 5,110 acres surrounding it are conserved. The shoreline and 14 islands collectively host 28 primitive campsites in an otherwise unending panorama of bog and woodland. Many fingers reach out from the main body of the reservoir accounting for its extensive shoreline. Otters, beaver and waterfowl are denizens of these wilds, and the state manages the property as habitat for bear and moose. Plan to spend a full day visiting Green River Reservoir. A maple creemee in Stowe helps break up the one-and-a-half hour drive. It’s a scenic, rolling 22-mile round-trip between the ferry in Essex and Dogwood Bread Company (dogwoodbreadcom-
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pany.com, 518-962-2280) in Wadhams, N.Y. The eatery is open Tuesday through Saturday until Labor Day weekend, then closed until Columbus Day weekend. Dogwood roasts its own organic coffee; bakes bread, pizza, cookies and scones in a wood-fired brick oven; creates delicious sandwiches, soups and salads; and has indoor and outdoor tables at a quiet crossroads. Bike south along the water on Lake Shore Road to Whallons Bay Road. Turn right and pedal up the rise until you come to the splendid views from the plateau, east toward the Green Mountains and Lake Champlain and west to the Adirondack High Peaks. Cross Route 22 and continue on Walker Road, which becomes Sayre Road. You will join Route 10 for the last mile or so. Dogwood Bakery will be on the right at the junction with Route 22. The return trip is mostly downhill. As you coast down Whallons Bay Road note that Camel’s Hump is directly in front of you. The road was designed with this view in mind. Local food and spectacular scenery are the draw at Vermont Bicycle and Pedestrian Coalition’s Tour de Farms on Sept. 21 in Shoreham. Bikers of all abilities ride and savor the farm bounties that make Vermont so special. For registration and information: vtbikeped.org. The bike ferry (localmotion.org) connects South Hero and the Islands to the Island Line Trail, 14 miles of riding from Burlington’s Oakledge Park to the end of the Causeway in Colchester. Through September 1 the ferry runs daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The fall schedule is weekends and holidays only from Sept. 6 through Oct. 13. A new 20-passenger craft, Vermont’s only bike ferry, carries cyclists and pedestrians across “the Cut,” a 200-foot gap in Colchester Causeway. The Causeway runs over marble chunks of the former bed of the Rutland Railroad and features spectacular lake and mountain views. Only one more chance to bike to a Sunday matinee at the Depot Theatre (Depottheatre.org.) in Westport, N.Y. The final Sunday performance of Pete ‘N’ Keely is at 5 p.m. on Sept. 1. The Depot, a historic and functioning 1876 train station, hosts nonprofit professional theater featuring Equity actors. Take the ferry to Essex, pedal the hilly dozen or so miles to Westport, catch the performance and cycle back to the ferry. ‘Tis the season to be alert to fall raptor migrations visible from Mt. Philo and Snake Mountain. In just one day, Sept. 10, 2007, spotters on Mt. Philo counted 3,500 migrating hawks! Not every year produces such a concentration, but it’s worth putting on the calendar. The Hawk Migration Association of North America, at hmana.org, publishes a free hawk silhouette ID chart that you can download for personal use. The Kelly Brush Century Ride, Vermont’s biggest charity ride, will be held in Middlebury on Saturday, Sept. 6. Kelly is a Charlotte native who suffered a spinal cord injury while ski racing for Middlebury College. After her accident she established the Kelly Brush Foundation. The foundation’s mission is to improve the quality of life of individuals with spinal cord injuries (SCI) by purchasing adaptive athletic equipment for those with financial limitations,, advocating for improved ski racing safety, and supporting research to treat and cure paralysis due to traumatic SCI. The ride is the Northeast’s largest handcycling event with 24 handcyclists joining 750 bikers to cover 25, 50 or 100 miles. KellyBrushFoundation.org. Enjoy the final weeks of summer in the Out-Doors!
The Charlotte News
DREADED CHARLOTTE DELINQUENT DOG LIST FOR PUBLIC DISPLAY
Around Town
Everyone seems to talk in abbreviations these days, so here is the DCDLFPD. If you find your name on this list, it’s time to fess up and register: $10.00 for neutered/spayed animals, $16 for intact males and females. If you’re on the list in error, please let us know and we apologize in advance. Seth Anderson Joe & Sarah Andriano Brett Applegate Rowan Beck Chris Berg Ellen Bosworth Caitlin Bourassa Marion Bourgault Kelly Dousevicz Mary Fisher Nancy Forrest Kim Frigault David Garrett Kristin Halvorson Moria Helms Kim Kanios Jane Kantor Woody Keppel Jane Kirby Christine Koster Rosine & Joel Kushnick Rachel McEntee
Giavanna Sadie Yeager Tilly Freya Ruby Kage Dexter & Maggie Eli Arthur & Nia Indie Quincy & Philo Lexie Baily Mishka Kendall Wally Junior & Bella Maggie Chomper & Satchel Luna Jed & Kevin
Barry Mount Richard Nurczynski Melissa O’Brien Katie Palmer Ann Marie Plant Kacy Preston Morgan Preston Sherry Preston Stephen Rose Leanne Sack Sharon Shapiro Richard St. George Devin St. George Tim Trachimowicz Danielle Vincent Deana Walker Loretta Waters
Jake & Archie Gus Daisy Roxy Chelsea Carter Kiera Alex Boo Ollie Penny Gracie & Jethro Isabel Oliver Burke Vader Sadie
-Mary Mead, Town Clerk/Treasurer
News from The News So Long, Kim We’d like thank Charlotte News intern Kim Cribari for her time working with us the past six months. A junior at CVU from Hinesburg, Kim worked hard learning the ins and outs of working for a small nonprofit newspaper. Along the way, she learned how to write in AP style, write stories from press
releases and do a bit of layout and design, among many other things. She also wrote enterprising stories on CVU’s Grad Challenge and CVU students involved in dance programs, which you can read on the front page of this issue. We’ve appreciated having her drive and energy in the office, and we wish her the best of luck with her writing in the future.
TOWN OF CHARLOTTE ASSISTANT CLERK/TREASURER -- IMMEDIATE OPENING This is a full-time position Monday through Friday,,40 hours per week, paid hourly with benefits including retirement, health insurance, dental and vision plans. Candidate must be able to multitask, be attentive to detail, take initiative, work independently and have great customer service skills. Responsibilities include recording land and vital records, issuing licenses and registrations, answering phone, front desk reception, assisting with elections, maintaining the voter checklist, preparation and receipt of property taxes, preparing deposits and issuing weekly payroll. Familiarity with Microsoft Word/Excel necessary; training will be provided for all municipal software programs. Pay rate is $14-$17 per hour, depending on experience. Interested candidates should submit a letter of interest and resume to Mary A. Mead, Clerk/Treasurer at P.O. Box 119, Charlotte VT 05445 or email mary@ townofcharlotte.com by September 5, 2014.
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.
You can expect on-time service, courteous crews and professional craftsmanship when you hire Lafayette Painting. We have been beautifying the homes and businesses of Chittenden County since 1977. Call us at 863-5397 or visit LafayettePaintingInc.com. (-02) AFFORDABLE HEAT with a MAXIM OUTDOOR WOOD PELLET FURNACE by Central Boiler. Burns wood pellets. Boivin Farm Supply 802-475-4007. (-03)
Congratulations to Amanda Comai, an upcoming senior at Colgate University, Hamilton, New York who participated in a summer internship with the National Organic Farming Association of Vermont (NOFAVT), Fletcher Allen Health Care and the Lund Family Center. In order to be accepted, Amanda had to submit a detailed proposal that was reviewed by a committee of Colgate faculty and staff. to Kelly Bouteller, a teacher at Charlotte Central School who was named as a facilitator for the National Education Association’s (NEA) Great Public Schools (GPS) Network. This is an online network where parents, teachers, education support professionals and other stakeholders in the community can share ideas aimed at improving students’ success in learning. Kelly is a facilitator for one of 120 groups. While over 1,000 educators applied to be the inaugural leaders, only Kelly and 60 others were chosen. Bouteller says she’s grateful for the opportunities she’s had to share and learn from Vermonters and she looks forward to the opportunity to extend the collaboration nationwide. to David Blittersdorf, CEO of All Earth Renewables, who received an honorary degree (doctor of engineering technology) from Boston’s Wentworth Institute of Technology and delivered the keynote address at the school’s summer commencement exercises. Blittersdorf is a 1977 graduate of Wentworth who later earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from UVM before founding NRG Systems (producing power through wind sources) in Hinesburg and later All Earth Renewables (the nation’s leading dual-axis solar tracker system) in Williston. to John Quinney, general manager of Energy Co-op of Vermont, which received an Efficiency Vermont grant this year. Efficiency Vermont looks for ways to provide technical assistance that increases the energy efficiency of new building design, construction, renovation, equipment and appliances. Quinney’s co-op received $20,000 to educate over 100 homeowners and contractors in nine mobile-home parks. His was the largest grant given by Efficiency Vermont.
Sympathy is extended to family and friends of Pauline Trudell of Essex Junction who passed away August 18 at the age of 94. She was the priest’s housekeeper for Our Lady of Mt. Carmel parish in Charlotte for a number of years, during which time she planted and maintained the vegetable garden near the church. The family asks that those wishing to make contributions in her memory consider doing so to the Pastor of St. Lawrence Church in Essex Junction for charity work.
MOWING: Call Portfolio Cuts to handle all your mowing needs. Professional lawn stripping with bagging capabilities. Consistent, Quality work everyday. Call Nathan now for free estimate. Fully insured 7347135, Portfoliocuts.com. (57-02) NEW AT THE MT. PHILO INN: Overnight accommodations, spacious 2-3 bedroom suites available by the day, week or month. Adjacent to Mt. Philo State Park, with panoramic views of Lake Champlain. Each "wing" in the historic inn has a private entrance, full kitchen, laundry and porch. MtPhiloInn.com 425-3335. ARE YOU TIRED? Of overpaying for a mowing service and getting sub-par work? Then call PORTFOLIO CUTS today for a free estimate. Local references, fully insured. Consistent, quality work. Call Nathan 734-7135. Portfoliocuts.com. (57-02)
DRIVERS: Money & Miles… New Excellent Pay Package. 100% Hands OFF Freight + E-Logs. Great Home time/Monthly Bonus. 1 yr. OTR exp./No Hazmat 877-704-3773 (-02) AFTER SCHOOL GUITAR AND MUSIC LESSONS. Give your child or yourself the gift of music! Professional guitarist/singer/songwriter, Sallie Mack, teaches a unique style of learning. Bass, Ukelele and songwriting also offered. Limited space. Call 425-6212 or 377-9506 or salliemack@gmavt.net (57-06)
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802.922.1191 bauheim.com The Charlotte News Hometown Paper Since 1958 Deliver to: LOCAL BOXHOLDER
Sweet from the farm.
This corn is picked daily at the peak of flavor and brought to us while the kernels are still sweet. Grilled or steamed, on the cob or in salads, it’s farmstand corn at its best. Hint: for a taste of summer in December, take leftover corn off the cob, pop it in a Ziploc® bag, and freeze.
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