The Charlotte News | March 10, 2016 by The Charlotte News

Charlotte News

The

Charlotte’s award-winning community newspaper

Volume lVIII Number 16

The VoIce of The TowN

Thursday, march 10, 2016

Making it count – Town Meeting in words and pictures, page 10-11

Jackjump be nimble, jackjump be quick, page 4

WHAT’S INSIDE Legislative Report, page 2

Dear Courage, page 3

Health Matters, page 8

From the Archive, page 15

Crossword/Sudoku, page 15 Around Town, page 19

Safety concerns on Route 7, page 1

Charlotte News

The CharlottenewsVt.org

Vol. 58, no. 16 March 10, 2016

Vermont’s oldest nonprofit community newspaper, bringing you local news and views since 1958

CCS Library hosts Jane Beck

Turn here Safety concerns for Rte. 7 in Charlotte leave motorists, pedestrians and cyclists asking what can be done Geeda Searfoorce THE CHARLOTTE NEWS

Charting a course from the shores of West Africa to the hills of Grafton, Vermont, Jane Beck (pictured left), founder of the Vermont Folklife Center, followed the myriad family history of Daisy Turner for an enthralled group of 5th graders at CCS Library on March 4. Turner was 100 years old when Beck met her. The sparky centenarian, a celebrated story teller and poet who was born to freed slaves in southern Vermont, shared her 200-year oral history with Beck in dozens of interviews. Last year, Beck published Daisy Turner’s Kin: An African American Family Saga, which is a culmination of her 30 years of research into Turner’s life. Jane Beck’s daughter, Rowan, and granddaughters, Phebe and Janie (pictured above), all live in Charlotte. Photo: Alex Bunten

A taste for art The Little Garden Market’s chef/ owner Rick Benson is making waves in the art world. Art Collector World magazine, published by San Diego’s Dolphin and Hawk Gallery, extolled his work in their February issue. “This is really exciting for me,” says Benson, currently Dolphin and Hawk’s only New England artist, of the accolades. “The daring mission impossible artist from Vermont has been creating his spiral masterpieces one circle at a time,” the article reads. “Benson’s compositions are serene and bold abstract creations pushing the traditionalism of the Eastern United States a step further into a modern and contemporary vision for the future.” Benson’s work is on display at The Charlotte Library. More info can be found at goo.gl/kCwYJq.

Kindergarten registration at Charlotte Central School If your child will be 5 years old by September 1, 2016, please call Naomi Strada at 425-6600. Your child is eligible to attend kindergarten at Charlotte Central School. Kindergarten registration for the 2016/2017 school year will take place April 11 and April 12, 2016. Once you have called to say your child will be coming to CCS, you will receive a registration packet. We are looking forward to meeting your child on this special day!

Oh the places you’ll go Ben Recchia directs the annual CCS play for the second time Madison Hakey THE CHARLOTTE NEWS

Happy (belated) birthday, Dr. Seuss! In light of this whimsical author’s birthday on Mar. 2, CCS will present “Seussical” on Apr. 7, 8, and 9. The theatrical production is put into play by Charlotte’s own Benjamin Recchia as director; Sabrina Davis as band member and choreographer; Emma Hess, Elise Asker, Katey Hayes, and Rebecca Cottrell as backstage crew; Meg Young and Simone Edgar-Holmes on makeup; Emma Flore as assistant; Rayona Silverman and Paige Thibault on lights and sound; and finally Benjamin’s

parents, Carl Recchia as music director and Mary Recchia on costumes. With such a wonderful crew of locals working together, the show will be all sorts of fun. Dr. Seuss would be proud.

the beginningS of a gReat diReCtoR

Beginning just before his 7th grade year at CCS, Recchia participated in the Flynn Theatre’s production of “The Phenomenal Flynn Vaudeville Cabaret” because his dad and Robin Fawcett, the theatre arts teacher at CVU, were involved. Ironically, this show was “the first-ever vaudeville show on the Flynn main stage, a stage built for vaudeville,” Recchia says. After enjoying this adventure, Recchia became an actor at CCS during his 7th and 8th grade years and continued to help with CCS productions during his freshman and

On Feb. 25, The Charlotte News posted a picture on Facebook of a scene many Charlotters fear will happen to them. In the foreground sits a car with a mangled rear bumper. Just beyond it, against the backdrop of a gray winter sky, sits the truck that had just hit the car before spinning into a ditch, knocking down a Rte. 7 sign. Corey Nowling and Ross Stemmler of South Burlington—the driver and passenger of the car that was hit by Chase Gallison’s GMC truck—found out firsthand that morning what townspeople who frequent that stretch of road already believe: turning left onto the northern entrance to Church Hill Rd. from Rte. 7 is dangerous. But commonly held beliefs about an intersection’s safety—and widely held beliefs about other intersections along

Selectboard looks ahead Administrative matters and the year ahead discussed at Selectboard John Hammer THE CHARLOTTE NEWS

The Selectboard at its March 7 meeting had the same look about it as last year with Lane Morrison and Matt Krasnow having been returned for new terms. The opening action was to vote Lane Morrison into the chair for his third year. Matt Krasnow was voted in as vice chairman. Morrison got right down to work setting

Rte. 7—are not enough to enact a change in infrastructure. Turning lanes, traffic lights or additional signage are added to address road safety issues only after enough data has been amassed to warrant the costs associated with installing them. The comments accompanying The News’ Facebook post about the accident read like a docket proving an urban legend. Carol Cole Blanshine wrote, “We have been almost clobbered twice in the last week at this intersection. Part of the problem, as I see it, is people driving 60 plus mph on that road. A turn lane would help, but figuring out how to get people to slow down would be even better!” Monica Marshall, The News’ ad manager, wrote, “I saw this with my 15-year-old daughter. We live on Church Hill Road. She is very nervous about getting behind the wheel. This set us back another couple of months!!” Another Charlotter, Amy Henry, wrote, “This intersection has a lot of VERY close calls…. I hope that VTrans can study this intersection more closely. As it is now, each time I have to make a left, I can feel my blood pressure rise as I signal and slow down early, keeping a close eye on my see Route 7 Safety, page 9

up the organization for future meetings. All regular meetings for the coming year will occur on the second and fourth Mondays of the month. The board then went on to adopt Vermont League of Cities and Towns Model Rules of Procedure for Municipal Boards, Committees and Commissions as agreed for Charlotte. These rules will be published. The draft document is available at bit.ly/1pcdVo0. The Charlotte News was designated as newspaper of record to warn Town and Special Town Meetings. The Charlotte News and The Citizen were designated as newspapers of record for the warning of public notices and other legal classifieds. The Selectboard went on to authorize the chairman to sign warrants that had been reviewed by at least two other Selectboard members and to sign and authorize payroll payments. see SeleCtboaRd, page 9

sophomore years at CVU. Junior year, however, CCS found itself in a pickle: the school had no director. Since Recchia had been participating in the shows for quite some time, he understood what needed to be done in order to put on the show. After going through necessary preparations, Recchia presented his ideas to the principal and got the job. This year it just seemed to fit that Recchia would be the director again. “I love being able to provide a good theater experience for the kids,” he says. In fact, Recchia even shortened the rehearsal time to encourage students who were involved in winter sports to join in the fun. His number one concern is including everyone in this wonderful experience.

Playing the PaRt Recchia chose the play for this year based on a few things aside from the fact see CCS Play, page 4

Benjamin Recchia, director of the upcoming CCS play, “Seussical,” and his father Carl, the play’s music director. Photo: Madison Hakey

2 • March 10, 2016 • The charloTTe News

Voices

Legislative Report by Representative Mike Yantachka

Reflections on Town Meeting 2016 Since I moved to Vermont 38 years ago, I’ve attended every town meeting, eight in Shelburne and the rest in Charlotte, except for one during the year I spent in Germany. I love Town Meeting for its character and for the close relationship with local government it provides to citizens. I grew up in Pennsylvania where such a relationship did not exist. Even in my small town of Swoyersville people knew the names of their town councilmen, but didn’t have much interaction with them. I heard over and over again that the reason people didn’t bother to vote was because their vote didn’t count, which became a self-fulfilling prophecy. My brief stints in Connecticut and New Jersey offered political experiences that were very different from Vermont’s as well. The results of this year’s overwhelmingly positive vote on Article 9, creating a two-step Town Meeting process, is encouraging to me because I believe it will enhance the Town Meeting process. Only three short years ago there was a move to change the vote on the town budget to

Australian ballot, which would surely have sounded the death knell for Town Meeting as we know it. While well-intentioned to give more voters a say in adopting the budget, there would have been no significant business to attend to at the meeting itself, and attendance would have dropped off just as it has for the School Meeting held on the preceding evening. The concurrence of the Legislature with our charter proposal is assured with the 1148 to 403 vote. Now we’ll have a chance to satisfy those who want to continue having a say on the budget from the floor as well as those who can’t attend Town Meeting but still want to be able to register their approval or disapproval of the budget. We’ll have three years to evaluate the results, and if we’re not satisfied, we will automatically revert back to the current format in four years as a result of the sunset clause. On a related matter, more than 200 Charlotters filled out the Doyle Survey this year. Since I took a few days to visit my two-week-old grandson in Connecticut,

I still haven’t compiled the results of the survey. I’ll have them for a future article. However, I did get a few comments in conversations in the hallway. At least one person was frustrated with the quality of the questions. She felt that several were virtually meaningless and had predictable responses. While some of the questions may have been predictable, others, such as the one regarding legalization of marijuana, should provide meaningful insight into how much support the issue has in town. Based on my observations throughout the day I think the participation in the survey represents a good cross-section of the community who came out to vote, not just of those who attended the three-hour meeting. Finally, along with many other people in town I was disappointed that so many elective offices had no candidates. I can understand that there is a lot of demand on everyone’s time, which makes the commitment to serve a challenge. So I offer my praise and thanks to those who did step up in spite of that. They are folks who provide essential and valuable service to all of us in keeping our town running smoothly. I also want to thank everyone who signed my petition to run for re-election this year. I always welcome your thoughts and can be reached by phone (802-233-5238) or by email (myantachka.dfa@gmail.com). You can find this article and past articles at my website, MikeYantachka.com.

First impressions at Town Meeting Kali Adams THE CHARLOTTE NEWS

I didn’t pay much attention to Town Meeting when I was younger. Every year, it was hardly more than a vague idea in the back of my mind. My parents would discuss voting, with topics occasionally coming up at the dinner table. We’d share our opinions on whether or not certain Shelburne roads should be paved, but by the next morning I’d have forgotten all about it. I do remember, though not fondly, being dragged along to a few Town Meetings. It was one thing to discuss town politics at home—it was another to watch the legal process in action. As a kid, it was far from exciting. Being a Shelburne resident, I had never been to a Charlotte Town Meeting. This year, interning for TCN, I had my first

experience of Charlotte politics. Arriving at CCS at 7:30 a.m.—almost an hour and a half before the meeting was due to start—I was amazed to see how busy it already was. The polls were up and running, booths were being set up, and there was a feeling of frenzied excitement everywhere. My job for the day was running the social media campaign for TCN. Even though Town Meeting hadn’t started, there was still plenty to share. Right before Town Meeting started, some technical difficulties popped up, but coverage resumed shortly after. At first the format of the meeting felt odd, with the formal proclamations merging into pointed, animated discussions. Sometimes it was hard to keep up with all the opinions being expressed. It amazed me to see how much people

cared about almost every matter being discussed, from the Conservation Fund to voting changes. I was often surprised by where the discussions went. A simple review of Article 7 quickly led to a discussion of its finer points. Sometimes, the meeting’s digressions proved amusing. Somehow, a topic would switch from pedestrian safety to whether or not VCAM should provide the sound system for next year’s Town Meeting. Both topics, it should be said, elicited some very active conversations. I found that, as the meeting went on, posting every other minute on Facebook actually proved useful. I had to listen and analyse what people were saying, while at the same time deciding whether or not I should be taking pictures of them. What quotes did I feel were relevant? How had people’s opinions changed the discussion? Picking apart an argument that lasted several minutes and molding it into a post was challenging, but it got me engaged. For the first time in my life, I found myself fully interested in a Town Meeting. At the end, a few things stood out for me. I started to understand why Town Meeting exists. It shows you how much people are willing to advocate for what they believe in and that they can do it without much conflict. At one point, there was a discussion about why Town Meeting is important. That made me think about something Representative Mike Yantachka had said earlier: “I will leave it to the voters of this town to determine the outcome.” Town Meeting does exactly what its title suggests—it brings the town together. Even though some issues may create conflict, it is conflict brought about because everyone cares what happens to Charlotte in the future. Contact: kali@thecharlottenews.org

The Charlotte News The Charlotte News is a nonprofit communitybased 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. For submission guidelines and deadlines, please visit our website or contact the editor at news@thecharlottenews.org. 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 more than 50 outlets in Shelburne, Hinesburg, North Ferrisburgh, Ferrisburgh, Vergennes and Burlington. The Charlotte News relies on the generous financial contributions of its readers, subscriptions and advertising revenue to sustain its operations.

Editorial Staff news@thecharlottenews.org / 425-4949 Editor in chief: Alex Bunten Assistant editor: Geeda Searfoorce Contributing editors: Edd Merritt, Ruah Swennerfelt, Jorden Blucher, John Hammer Copy editors: Beth Merritt, Leslie Botjer, Vince Crockenberg, Carol Hanley Outwater interns: Kali Adams, Madison Hakey

Business Staff ads@thecharlottenews.org / 802-343-0279 Business manager: Shanley Hinge Ad manager: Monica Marshall Circulation group: Valerie Lebensohn

Board Members President: Vince Crockenberg Secretary: John Hammer Treasurer: Patrice Machavern Board members: Bob Bloch, Carol Hanley, Michael Haulenbeek, Gay Regan, Louisa Schibli

Contributors Rep. Mike Yantachka, Linda S. Hamilton, Larry Hamilton, Alice D. Outwater, Ph.D., Mary Van Vleck, Georgia Edwards, Bradley Carleton, Mary Recchia, Margaret Woodruff

On the Cover Top left: Breaking into song at one point, Nancy Wood and Ted Montgomery enjoy their time counting votes after Town Meeting. Top right: The Selectboard presides over a remarkably dulcet Town Meeting. Bottom left: Another crash on Route 7 has Charlotters wondering about the saftey of turns near Church Hill Road. Bottom right: Charlotters get a jump on the sport of the future: jackjumping. Photos: Alex Bunten

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Postmaster Send address changes to: The Charlotte News P.O. Box 251, Charlotte, VT 05445 Telephone: 425-4949 Circulation: 3,000 copies per issue Copyright © 2016 The Charlotte News, Inc. Printed by Upper Valley Press. Member of the New England Newspaper & Press Association and the Vermont Press Association.

The CharloTTe News • MarCh 10 2016 • 3

Dear Courage

Grandmother, retired nurse, and unshakable champion of the human spirit, Courage Turner Jones “Be brave, Beloveds, and somehow we’ll all make it!”

Dear Courage, My 12-year-old daughter is studying government in school and has been following the presidential campaign, along with becoming more informed about how our town works. She and her friends attended Town Meeting this year and loved seeing people talk about what’s important to them. In general, this process has been fun. It has been rewarding discussing issues with her and listening to her questions. Sometimes her questions spur me to do a little research, a thing I’m grateful for because I haven’t really had a lot of time in my life—or interest, quite frankly—to follow politics (I was born a few years before Watergate and I think I’ve always distrusted politicians). Other times, however, I find it hard to quiet my cynicism and have to work hard at not sharing too much of my tainted perspective. But the other night, watching the Republican presidential debate, I am afraid I became a little too vocal about my opinions and I don’t feel great about the example I set for her. I actually yelled at the TV at one point. I feel so upset about how crass and hateful Candidate Trump is but I don’t know how to encourage my daughter to not let cynicism derail her potential to be an active citizen. Do you have any advice on how to be a good role model in an area that is not my strong suit?

Signed, Politically Bereft Dear Politically Bereft, Oh dear. I can just imagine how you— and your daughter—felt during that debate, particularly in Candidate Trump’s opening statements, during which he essentially suggested that a person’s fitness to lead is in some way related to his or her physical attributes. The implications of this correlation are especially difficult for people educating girls and boys—as they grow into women and men—about what their roles are in serving and leading our country as the future unfolds. Because

we are, all of us, cultivating the future, and when a public figure espouses a view we don’t agree with, we must challenge ourselves to respond with that future in mind. No wonder you got mad. No wonder you yelled at the TV. No wonder you feel bad about setting that example for your daughter. BUT: getting mad and yelling at the TV are okay. Your daughter needs to see you get mad. Your daughter needs to see you have a reaction when something you believe in is threatened. Conflict is not to be feared. On the contrary, it is the engine upon which our system is built. Thank goodness we all have different opinions; realizing this allows us to listen with compassion to other humans. What we need to teach ourselves, in addition to respecting conflict rather than avoiding it, is how to listen—a skill I’m still developing at my ripe old age. It sounds like you are too. It is as important that, after yelling at the TV, you and your daughter talk. Ask her what she thinks about the ideas that were just discussed and let her find a way to ask you. Take the time. Take the breath. Make the time to go to Town Meeting—a profound Vermont tradition that asks us to be in the same room with our community, even when we disagree, and arrive at consensus together. And if you can’t make the time to go to Town Meeting—we are all busy with work and life—make sure you celebrate and educate your daughter on the voting process. Because the political process is at a crossroads in this country, and your daughter is poised to make it new. You’re already helping her by educating yourself and acknowledging how you want to do better. Keep it up.

Signed, Courage Need Courage? People ages five to 500 are encouraged to send their questions via email to dearcourage@thecharlottenews.org or via good old fashioned post to: Dear Courage c/o The Charlotte News, P.O. Box 251, Charlotte, VT 05445.

The mic sets the tone at Town Meetings Moderator: “We’re ready to begin.” Audience: “Turn on the mic!” Moderator: “There, can you hear me now?” Audience: “No, we can’t hear you!” Moderator: “If I put it closer to my mouth? Now can you hear me?” Audience: “Speak into it directly!” Moderator: “How about if I try to speak loudly without a mic?” Audience: “Are you kidding? We can’t hear you with a mic. How are we supposed to do it without?” Every year the meeting needs a microphone opening to set the friendly tone for discussion between Selectboard

and audience for the next several hours. Moderator Jerry Schwartz is the David Letterman of setting the meeting’s tone, and he should be commended highly for the mic wit he has developed lo these many years. Donald Trump should be so good, but maybe he lacks a big enough mic. Personally, I would hate to see Town Meeting openings deteriorate to the solemnity and solitude of a baptism without mic yells. But then I couldn’t go to a wedding without a hot schottische at the beginning either.

Edd Merritt Charlotte

Letters PoLicy: The Charlotte News welcomes signed letters to the editor and commentaries on any subject of interest to the community. To allow the publication of a diverse selection of views in each issue, please limit letters to a 300 word max. and commentaries to a 800 word max. Include your full name, town of residence and phone number. The editors reserve the right to edit for clarity, English usage and length or to publish submissions in full. Send them to news@thecharlottenews.org.

Town meeting results Articles voted at Town Meeting Articles 1 to 6 passed by voice vote. Of the three advisory motions discussed under Article 7, only that referring to bicycle safety passed.

Articles voted by Australian ballot Article 5 – CCS budget: 1,018 YES, 614 NO Article 6 – CCS allocation of funds: 1,247 YES, 346 NO Article 9 – Municipal Charter: 1,148 YES, 403 NO Article 10 – Village Designation: 1,207 YES, 349 NO Article 11 – Update energy sections of the Town Plan: 1,124 YES, 366 NO Article 12 – Add energy project siting standard: 1,123 YES, 384 NO Article 14 – Make technical clarifications and corrections: 1,122 YES, 325 NO NB: Article 13 was renamed Article 14 for superstitious considerations.

In Charlotte, the CSSU budget passed by 1017 YES, 614 NO. Overall it passed by 6314 YES, 3166 NO. All candidates for elected positions in Charlotte were voted in. There were no write-ins with more than the 30 votes required to be elected. Voter turnout was 57.85 percent (1785 voters)

Vermont Presidential Primary Election Results Democratic Election Bernie Sanders: 1,002; Hillary Clinton: 268; Roque “Rocky” de la Fuente: 1; Martin J. O’Malley: 1 TOTAL: 1273 (1 blank) Republican Election John R. Kasich: 220; Donald J. Trump: 122; Marco Rubio: 86; Ted Cruz: 36; Jeb Bush: 8; Ben Carson: 7; Chris Christie: 3; Rand Paul: 3; Carly Fiorina: 2; Rick Santorum: 1 TOTAL: 495 (2 write ins & 5 blank)

The following boards and positions have seats with terms ending in March 2016: • •

Get involved in town government The following boards and positions currently have unfilled seats: • Charlotte Park & Wildlife Refuge Oversight Committee (1 seat) • Energy Committee (1 seat) • Green-up Day Coordinator • Planning Commission (1 seat) • Recreation Commission (1 seat) • Thompson’s Point Design Review Committee (1 seat) • Trails Committee (2 seats) • Trustee of Public Funds • Town Agent • Town Grand Juror

• • • • • • • •

Conservation Commission (2 seats) Energy Committee (3 seats and 1 student seat) Planning Commission (2 seats) Recreation Commission (3 seats) Trails Committee (4 seats) Zoning Board (2 seats) Town Service Officer Tree Warden Fence Viewer Chittenden Solid Waste (Representative & Alternate)

If you have interest in serving the town by participating in any of these capacities, please send a short statement explaining your interest and relevant background information by Friday, March 18, to Dean Bloch, town administrator, at dean@townofcharlotte.com. If you have questions, please email, call 425-3071 ext. 5, or stop by Town Hall.

4 • March 10, 2016 • The charloTTe News MOUNT PHILO INNKEEPER, DAVID GARBOSE

BENJAMIN RECCHIA MAKING A POINT AT REHEARSAL

Recchia

continued from page 1

that Dr. Seuss’s birthday is around the time of the performance. Most important, Recchia knew the play needed to be a fun experience for the participants and the audience. “Seussical” is one of Recchia’s favorite plays because of how entertaining it is. In addition, he knew the script allowed for all students to be in on the action. “It’s no fun when four people have all the songs and the lines,” he says. He would know. Having been main stage and backstage multiple times during his life, Recchia knows the ins and outs of theatre. Even though he loves directing, he says it’s hard to simply hope everything goes as planned and not be able to help if

A LOOK DOWN THE DUAL SLALOM RACE COURSE

something does go wrong. “I like being able to help, and when I’m backstage I can do that.”

To nexT yeaR and beyond Theater work is a great hobby but not a career path for Recchia. Interested in science and art, Recchia says it is nice to go back and forth. However, his aspirations favor the scientific side of his interests. “I hope to be a vet for exotic animals at the zoo and aquarium,” he says. “Probably in the wild, too!” Adventure on, Recchia, whether on stage or in the zoo! Contact: Madison@thecharlottenews.org

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How much jackjumping would a woodchuck jump? Alex Bunten

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What comes to mind when you hear the word “jackjumper”? A quick Internet search will pull up a long-jumping, venomous breed of ant from Australia, some cables for jump-starting your car and possibly a few antiquated references to flailing your arms and feet around in unison at an aerobics class. Dig a bit deeper and you’d see a single ski with a tippy-looking seat on top of a short post. Some are 100 years old, others of a more modern design. Look through images and there’d be a host of Charlotters riding these contraptions all over the state—at Mt. Philo, Lincoln Gap, Bolton Valley and others. Most recently, there was a flock of locals down at Mount Snow’s 37th annual Jackjump World Championship on March 6.

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Once a year, “woodchucks” from around the state, and even from New Hampshire, descend on Mount Snow to test their homemade jackjumpers on a tight dual slalom course set on Charlie’s Chase. Each rider gets two runs and the times are combined. The grand prize this year was $100 cash for the top spot. With a combined time of 53.91, Mark Stirewalt of Waterbury Center took gold for the second year in a row. Craig Bunten of Charlotte was a hair’s breadth behind him with a combined time of 53.95. Ethan Bond-Watts, who had previously won the competition three time in 2010, 2012 and 2013, came in fourth with a time of 56:21. Other locals on the list of competitors were David Richardson, Sean Hirten, Tucker Bond-Watts, Matt Lageunesse, Neil Marchiese and Tom Deckman. In a tentative testament to the ease of riding these wild-looking devices down a steep slope, Deckman, who had tried jackjumping only once on Mt. Philo the year previous, was able to compete in the championship without missing a gate. Charlotte’s local inn-keeper, David Garbose, was also in attendance, watching the team sponsored by the Mt. Philo Inn. “It’s a great sport and seems to have strong connections to Charlotte,” he said, “We are happy to sponsor the riders, and we always love seeing them on Mt. Philo. Next year, if we get some snow in the valley maybe we’ll have our own competition in the north!” Currently jackjumping is only officially allowed on certain lifts at Bolton Valley and Jay Peak. According to Lee Weisman, former Charlotter and an unofficial advocate for the sport, other mountains may open their gates to jackjumping in the coming year. Contact: alex@thecharlottenews

The CharloTTe News â&#x20AC;˘ MarCh 10 2016 â&#x20AC;˘ 5

Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s get down to earthâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;in cemeteries Linda S. Hamilton CONTRIBUTOR

If you already have arrangements made for yourself and your loved ones for cremation or burial after death, good. Read no further, unless youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re interested (as I hope you are) in learning more about a little-discussed but very important topic: cemeteries. Unless you choose to have your ashes scattered to the wind or water, the final resting place for your body (or ashes) will most likely be a cemetery. Today such â&#x20AC;&#x153;graveyardsâ&#x20AC;? include both traditional in-ground burials and above-ground niches for ashes and bodies. A cemetery is intended to be a peaceful area dedicated to

respectfully protecting the earthly remains of people who lived and died before us, now resting there. In Vermont, private cemeteries are not uncommon. On private property, these are legally designated and protected through time, either maintained by the property owner and limited to that familyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s members or owned and managed by a legal cemetery association and open to the public. Of course, there are many church-affiliated cemeteries. And in this area we have a long tradition of cemeteries owned and maintained by communities through their local government. In Charlotte we have all of the above types of cemeteries. So you would think we are well positioned to care for our dead.

Natureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s prescription: Tree Rx

Larry Hamilton CONTRIBUTOR

Here it isâ&#x20AC;ŚMarchâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;unpredictable weather, mud season, too-short daylight hours for us non-snowbirds who are not in sunny, warm climes. Are you feeling tired, somewhat irritable, stressed out? You may need prescription strength NATUREâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;a walk in the forest, a hug with a tree. This is a non-harmful, yet addictive medication shown to relieve the crippling symptoms of modern lifeâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and not just for Vermonters. It is recommended anywhere and for all ages and all sexes. It can reduce cynicism, grumpiness, boredom and dissatisfaction with life. Side effects: may experience spontaneous euphoria, a lift at mouth corners and being in a good mood for no apparent reason.

Unfortunately, not so. The reality is that, unless you have already purchased your ay me down in plot, there may well not be room for you in any of Charlotteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s church-affiliated or harLotte public cemeteries. They are, in fact, near ~ Town Cemeteries carrying capacity. West Burying Ground (aka Barber Cemetery Yikes! Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a body to doâ&#x20AC;Śif you on Greenbush Road); East Burying Ground have put down roots in this community (aka Bradley Cemetery on Spear Street) and want to â&#x20AC;&#x153;stay putâ&#x20AC;? here? Clearly ~ Private Association Cemeteries itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time for Charlotte residents to think about this and openly discuss their needs Morningside (off Spear Street on Morningside and desires. We need to look into support Drive); Grandview (on Church Hill Road and feasibility of a new public cemetery. behind Congregational Church) At the March 14 Selectboard meeting, ~ Church-Affiliated Cemetery Cemetery Commissioner Stephen Brooks Mount Carmel (on Spear Street behind Our will propose that a small working group be Lady of Mount Carmel Church) formed to begin this process and report its findings to the Selectboard. If you would ~ Private Cemeteries under the care of like to be part of this working group, or Charlotte Cemetery Commission support the exploration in other ways, ~ Several small private/family burial please contact Stephen Brooks at scb@ sites in various locations briarburling.com or 373-3947. Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dig into thisâ&#x20AC;Ś

Caution: may cause you to slow down, look closely at a plant or animal, or see that all tree bark is not the same. If you have trouble being even mildly uncomfortable or worry about looking slightly weird to others (especially if hugging a tree), this may not be for you. Our ancestors were hunter-gatherers and therefore had to look closely at and give some kind of a name to those elements of their surrounding environment that were good to eat, were toxic or otherwise harmful, or were useful in some other facet of sustaining their lives. These were mostly plants and animals but included potable-water sites and useful rocks or minerals. Perhaps we have inherited some of this hard-wiring in our genes and feel most natural and comfortable when we have contact with nature? I believe that we feel even more harmonious when we can identify and have some knowledge of some of the natural elements that surround us, in Charlotte or wherever we may be. Yet societyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s increasing separation from the natural world is destroying this relationship in favor of purchasable goods with recognizable brands and logos. Shopping in the malls or on the web and surfing the web for â&#x20AC;&#x153;virtual realityâ&#x20AC;? seem to be consumerismâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s replacement for learning to be happy in the natural world. A majority of folks now can recognize immediately eight different brands of snack food and five kinds of salad dressingâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;but perhaps not more than two species of bird neighbors and two tree species. Nowhere is this situation more evident than in our youth of today. Richard Louvâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s book, Last

Local leads lambing clinic

Addison County, Chittenden County, Lamoille County, Rutland County, and Washington County were all represented by Vermont 4-H members from Critter Creek 4-H Club, Feathered Friends, Hinesburg 4-H Club, Independent 4-H members, Lamoille Localvores, Northern Winds 4-H, Trailblazers, Weybridge Willing Workers, and Wonderful Woolies at the 2016 State 4-H Sheep Lambing Clinic. Instructors Lydia Smith of Charlotte and Joe Emenheiser are pictured with event participants (alphabetically) Nora Allen, Land Boardman, Quincy Boardman, Jarod Bushey, Raymond Bushey, Emma Cushman, Caroline Hobbs, Corinna Hobbs, Nellie Karshagan, Gabrielle Ochs, Riley Ochs, Matthew Ouellette, Ruby Proulx, Evan Rakowski, Matthew Rivait, Noelani Rupp, Willa Shakeshaft, Cyrus Tyler, and Avery Willis. Photo: Courtesy Child in the Woods: Saving our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder, scares this nature-lover and tree warden. We are fortunate in Charlotte in that there is still a good deal of nature in our environment and opportunity for interaction and learning about soil, water, plants, animals and the valuable services provided by natural ecosystems. Or going out simply to pat or hug a tree, getting some of natureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s prescription Rx for stress relief. If you are not sure where to go, check

out Elizabeth Bassettâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s monthly column â&#x20AC;&#x153;Out-Doorsâ&#x20AC;? for good suggestions. There is a self-guided Nature Trail at the Charlotte Park and Wildlife Refuge. Much of the Charlotte Trail System goes through forest land. And as a Nature Conservancy trustee, I can recommend four of its nearby nature preserves: Williams Woods, Raven Ridge, La Platte River Marsh and Shelburne Pondâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;all fine little gems and open to public walking and nature observation and cures.

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6 • March 10, 2016 • The charloTTe News

Taking Care Alice D. Outwater, Ph.D. CONTRIBUTOR

In 1947 at the age of 17, I went to France with the Experiment in International Living to be a counselor in a French camp. Outside Le Bionnay in the Alps the government had built a children’s summer camp so they could enjoy outdoor activities during the warm months. On opening day some of the youngsters arrived clutching bars of chocolate they had received as going-away presents from their mothers. These were incredible luxuries, as butter and sugar were still scarce. The directrice, a sour, older woman who looked like a disgruntled gym teacher, had a no-nonsense manner and snatched all the chocolate from the children, saying it was forbidden. I was shocked and wondered, as did everyone else, what she would do with it. I found her action the ultimate betrayal. Had she forgotten what it must have meant to those children to receive such a valuable present only to have had it wrenched away so quickly? Later we learned she had stashed it away and eaten every bit of it herself. The 7- to 9-year-old boys had come in two-week relays. All had lost their fathers, if not several family members, during the war. They were a forlorn group of undernourished youngsters—frail, with shaved heads to get rid of the lice and a scared look in their eyes. They seemed emotionally stunted and unresponsive compared to robust American children their age. I’d never dealt with poor or mistreated kids and wondered how I would react. This area of France had been brutally treated by occupying German forces that had sapped the people’s spirit. I mused: “Living here as a child, my life would have been so different and difficult, really too alien for me to imagine.” New dimensions were trickling through my consciousness of how much rests on chance and family circumstances.

Summer in the haute savoir Each morning we played volleyball, then after lunch, with sweaters around our waists and knapsacks on our backs, we set off down the country roads with snow-covered mountain peaks surrounding us. Stepping along, two by two past fields of grain almost ready to harvest, we became seized by an expansive spirit as we heartily bellowed out “La Marseillaise”— “Allons enfants de la Patrie”—and songs made popular by members of the maquis (French underground). At a mossy incline, the boys picked stems of fragrant lavender and shyly presented them to me. They laughed and turned away in embarrassment as I delighted in the delicious aroma. It was a tender gesture that still clutches at my heart. Years later my 6-year-old son ran home from school, gripping a similar bouquet of spring wildflowers in his hand. He said: “Look Mummy, I picked these for you because I love you.” I burst into tears. We invariably stopped at the town fountain for drinks of water. It was a concrete structure with water dripping from a lead spigot. Most houses in the village lacked plumbing and water. The women, dressed in long black skirts and black stockings, gathered morning and afternoon to fill their water jugs for household use and exchange gossip. Soon they were commenting on the boys’ pink cheeks and their robust appearance. With all the male population killed, these youngsters represented hope for the future. The children’s fresh energy began to revive the older people, whose steps seemed lighter as they returned to their homes with the heavy jugs. The boys loved being tucked into bed at night. “Mademoiselle Alice, ici, ici (here, here)” echoed through my dorm after the lights went out. “I must tell you something special,” one said. I would bend down over each bed. “Thank you for coming from America to take care of me,” they whispered, as they reached up for a hug and pressed their soft cheek against my moist one while tears overwhelmed my eyes. “You make my nightmares go away.” When I returned to my room after the long day, I would place the lavender bouquets in my clothes feeling cherished by our gosses (kids). It was decades before I grasped the profoundness of that summer’s experience—the gap between the cultures, the killings and brutality of those war years, all of which was so remote from my sheltered

childhood. No one had escaped the occupation that had dampened the youngsters’ spirits and scarred the people’s souls. I felt privileged to share these precious summer days with them, to offer myself, my strange American ways and my stumbling French. Yet, I never felt mocked or belittled by any of them. We loved each other for our differences and expressed it well in our awkward ways. The staff managed nicely as a team, intent that the children should have the best possible summer experience. The directrice continued to rule to roost but would occasionally soften in her attitude and pat a child on the head for a task well done. We even caught her smiling as the weeks progressed. We learned later that her fiancé, two brothers and her father had been killed during the conflict. It

mellowed my opinion of her somewhat, although eating the chocolates still seemed a major transgression. Even now as I attempt to integrate the impressions of that summer, I wonder how the purity of those snow-covered Alps reaching into the blue could have been defiled by the horrors of war. I sometimes think of those little boys and hear them calling to me in the night: “Mademoiselle Alice, ici, ici,” such sweet young gosses dealing with the ghosts of the dark. We gave our hearts to each other, as they recaptured shreds of their childhood and I was plunged into my young adulthood. Pressed firmly in my scrapbook from 1947 are fading bouquets of lavender, still faintly fragrant.

Thank you for your continued support of CVU High School As your CVU School Board representatives, we wish to extend our sincere appreciation for your support of the Champlain Valley Union High School budget this year. We understand how difficult it is to balance the needs of the community and local schools with those of your own families. Thanks in great part to your generosity, CVU will continue to provide strong academic programs and a wide variety of co-curricular activities for our children. As well, CVU will remain a hub of activity for the community at large. Please continue to engage in the wide variety of courses offered through ACCESS and to attend theater, art and sports events as your interests and time allow. Again, thank you for investing in our children’s futures. We will continue to work diligently to carefully weigh the educational needs of our children with the fiscal concerns of our constituents. Sent from the CVU Communications Committee, on behalf of our entire board. Lia Cravedi, Kim Schmitt, Susan Grasso

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The CharloTTe News • MarCh 10 2016 • 7

Life in Cohousing How a cohousing community started in Charlotte Mary Van Vleck CONTRIBUTOR

My daughter Heather showed me an ad in Picket Fence Preview for a cohousing group starting in Charlotte. It featured an architect’s drawing of a proposed building and phone numbers to call for more information. After some hesitation, I called to inquire, and so began a remarkable adventure. I learned that a group of people who wanted to live in a more intentional community had assembled in Burlington. The group included, among others, an oncologist from the university medical center, an accountant, two university professors and Larilee, a therapist recently arrived from Delaware. She invited to me to visit, and a short time later, in October 2004, we met at the Town Offices. She drove me to the property in her Subaru, following a circuitous route through the Berry Farm fields, which was then the only automotive access onto the land, and showed me where the buildings would be located and the future driveway in from Greenbush Road. We also walked through the fields and saw several streams, including one with a beaver colony, which, sadly, is now long gone. Later we continued talking at her house in town. Slowly I began learning what cohousing is all about. The idea is to live in community where owners and future residents could participate in its design and organization, with a primary objective to foster social connections among all residents.

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There would be the Common House, the true center of the community, with a kitchen for the preparation and sharing of meals, where people could meet or hang out as often as they wish. The community would be managed by the residents, all or most decisions would be made on a consensus basis (more on that in another article), and each individual unit or house would be separate and independent with no shared incomes. Each home would be energy efficient and small (our largest house today is about 2,000 square feet), and we emphasize sharing the resources and land, aiming always for a simpler life and fewer possessions in order to leave a smaller footprint in our wake. I was hooked and quickly became an “exploring member.”

Planning ahead With the help of a professional cohousing advisor and after an extensive search, the group found a large piece of land on Greenbush Road in Charlotte and purchased it in 2005. The 125 acres allowed the building of up to 25 homes, since every house in Charlotte is required to have a minimum of five acres whether the homes are clustered or not. Because our plan includes two affordable units, we were allowed one additional unit. All homes would be within the 10-acre residential area, and the remainELP ing 110 acres PROCEEDS H SUPPORT

were already conserved. The staff of architect William Maclay of Waitsfield, already familiar with the principles of cohousing, designed the buildings and general layout. David Marshall of Civil Engineering Associates (CEA) in Shelburne planned the infrastructure, including a road and the electrical, cable, water and sewage lines.

Breaking ground In the spring of 2005, soon after the land was purchased and all building permits were obtained, construction began on the road in from Greenbush, curving on the downhill sections, straightening out across the fields, then looping around what would become the residential section, much like a long wiggly-handled tennis racquet. All infrastructure was installed, with Marshall supervising throughout. Included are our own elaborate water and sewage systems, since we’ll eventually have up to 26 families living here. Once the infrastructure was in place, the first town house and then the second were built by a team from Neagley and Chase. The first very excited residents moved in in July 2006. Townhouses were built only as the units in each were sold. Within the next year all four townhouses were completed, and in the three years after that the first four free-standing houses were built, all facing the green, all energy efficient with superb insulation and solar panels. As of today, 10 years later, the four

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clusters of attached units, 14 units in all, are occupied, and six of the 12 free-standing houses have been built, five of them bordering the green. The access road surrounds the buildings, leaving the central area car-free for maximum movement, freedom and safety for our many children. This is where games are played throughout the year—soccer, football, badminton, kite flying—and, in the warmer months, where we gather to eat together or share glasses of beer or wine, watch the little ones play and listen to the young girls choir. We are a community of 20 homes with 57 people—34 adults and 23 children—ages three to 77—and not yet fully built out.

Building togetherness Eventually, when we raise the funds, the Common House will be built at the north end of the complex, with a view down the entire green. We are very eager for this building so we can meet and prepare meals more regularly and easily, as we believe that shared meals are the glue that holds many communities together: the more meals that are shared, the tighter the community. This, of course, is hugely dependent on the number of available cooks and interested people. Helping to cook and attending meals is entirely voluntary. The rest of the property, the 110 acres to the south, east and west of the residential area, is conserved forever as forest and agricultural fields under the watchful eye of the Vermont Land Trust. A condition of our permit to build in Charlotte was that we would allow a long-planned town trail to cross the property, from Greenbush Road to Route 7, which will eventually extend about six miles from the Town Beach to the base of Mount Philo. The section of the trail across our property is now complete and open to the public. We also have woods with good-sized trees, a remnant of the original clay-plain forest, and we’ve enrolled in Current Use to reduce the taxes on our property. As we anticipated moving to this cohousing community, which none of us had ever experienced before, we all came with different dreams and expectations. Not all those dreams have been realized, but there have also been many unexpected benefits. When I anticipated moving here, I dreamed about what animals we would have. Could I at last have a horse or two, and Cara her cow? Cara got her cow, but there are no horses here yet. There is much more to say about intentional living, and I encourage you to look for subsequent articles I’ll write about living in cohousing—about how we run our meetings, make decisions and resolve conflicts, our agricultural endeavors, our current challenges, and about other cohousing communities nearby. I welcome any questions you may have and will try to answer these in later articles. In fact, your questions may be very helpful!

O.K. WITH CORRECTIONS BY:___________________________ Mary Van Vleck

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moved into the Common Pastures Cohousing community in 2006, first into an attached unit and then into a free-standing, five-star energy-efficient home on the green. She can be reached FP-0000383326.INDD at maryvanv@gmail.com.

8 • March 10, 2016 • The charloTTe News

Standing tall, living small

Drinking Water: Lessons from Flint Jim Hyde CONTRIBUTOR

Editor’s note: This is the first of three columns on Charlotte’s ground water resources. Today’s column discusses major threats to the resources in Charlotte and the data and testing resources available to identify potential hazards that may affect the quality of local drinking water. Subsequent columns will explore options available for remediating identified problems and look at threats to Charlotte’s ground and surface water quality from current and future human activity. The horrific story out of Flint, Michigan, this fall of families and children exposed to high levels of lead is a remarkable indictment of Michigan politicians, health providers and public health officials.

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What’s the relevance of the Flint story for those of us living in Charlotte? After all, we do not have a public, tax-financed, single-source water supply and distribution system. Instead the vast majority of people in Charlotte are served by private wells whose water comes from underground sources. We also have several public water systems, serving CCS, the Town Beach, the Charlotte Children’s Center, the Senior Center, the Town Offices/Library and the summer community on Thompson’s Point, all but one fed by groundwater from wells. First, Flint reminds us that access to clean drinking water is as essential to health as good food and clean air. For an estimated two billion people in the world, Senior at the Lake Champlain Waldorf School, Aidan Powell, has been a busy clean drinking water is a luxury that we bee in recent weeks. With some help from his father, Powell built himself a small have come to take for granted. We expect house on wheels that includes lighting, electricity, heat, ventilation, solar power, it always to be there and that someone will and homemade curtains. “It was very funny to see the people out walking on Spear make sure it is clean and safe to drink. Street yesterday take a double take when they realized what they were looking at,” Second, Flint should remind us that says Wendy Bratt, his mother. This architectural adventure served Powell well nobody cares more about our personal during his weeklong camp out in the parking lot of Cochran’s Ski Area. Powell health than we do. We owe it to ourselves taught five little kids to snowboard during this time, and helped with the season’s and to the families of Flint to never forget sugaring work. Both of these jobs Powell enjoyed immensely. Thanks to his work on this fact. While the Vermont Department the house, Powell is staying warm and well fed while enjoying the free time to play of Health (VDH) and Department of guitar and relax. In addition, he has learned the art of being resourceful. In “dire” Environmental Conservation (VDEC) need of a selfie stick, Powell cut down a sapling outside and attached it to his phone check on water quality, their princiwith some twine. Sometimes a selfie stick is a necessity! Good work Powell! pal focus is on public water systems. Therefore, it falls to us individually and as a community to be stewards of our drinking water. We cannot rely solely on the levels greater than the maximum allowed contaminants, such as E-coli and coliform. vigilance of others. contaminant level. While these numbers While radiologic elements occur naturally, are small, they are not zero. (You will find many microbiologic threats result from So what Should we do? an excellent nontechnical discussion of human activity. Some of these are more these contaminants on the VDH website— common than you might think, as we live First, we have to accept the geologic click on the Safe Drinking Water tab.) in a farming-intensive area as well as a realities of where we live. Most of geologically challenging area in terms us in Charlotte are served by drilled a word about lead of siting septic and waste-water disposal wells. Our water comes from ground systems. water trapped between the bedrock As Flint reminds us, lead is an insidious and the clay soils that characterize our and dangerous water contaminant. There the bottom line area. As a consequence, our water is is no safe level of lead. The good news full of dissolved minerals and natu- is that lead is not common in our source If you have not previously done so, rally occurring elements that make the water here in Charlotte. The principal have your water tested. You can do this water “hard,” resulting in a very high source of lead in water comes from older through commercial laboratories or utilize proportion of us being forced to utilize solder joints and plumbing fixtures. Lead services offered through the VDH. A full some form of water treatment to soften can leach out of these joints and fixtures complement of inorganic, radiologic and our water. While there are no obvious and contaminate water. While, as resi- microbiologic tests are available through adverse health effects from ingesting dents, we are responsible for monitoring the state lab and cost about $150. In return hard water, mineral deposits build up our own wells, the state monitors lead and you will obtain a profile of your water on cook wear, clog faucets, damage other contaminants in our schools and that may put your mind at rest or, at the hot water heaters and etch glassware. public spaces on a regular basis. Last week very least, provide excellent guidance for Odor—especially from sulpher—and I checked the data on all of these, includ- remediation. taste are often problematic, although in ing CCS, CVU, the Senior Center and the While awaiting the results, you might and of themselves these do not necessar- Children’s Center, for the last four years. consult a report from VDEC titled “A ily pose health risks. I am happy to report that when last tested Study of the Hydrogeology of Vermont.” Other naturally occurring elements, they all appear to have low lead and copper Conducted at the request of the town, it such as fluoride, arsenic, nitrates, chlo- levels. Microbiologic contaminants (see contains extensive charts and data on rides, copper, manganese and uranium below) are checked more frequently, up to Charlotte’s geology, soils, aquifers and derivatives, which can have significant four times per year at these same sites. drinking water. Many private Charlotte implications for health, are occasionOther potential contaminants include well sites are also charted. The Charlotte ally identified in water from Charlotte volatile organic compounds (VOCs), such Planning Department will hold a presentawells. Data collected between 2003 as atrazine (herbicide), DEPH (solvent tion on April 21 at 6:30 p.m. to discuss this and 2010, for example, show that fewer used in manufacturing) and TCE (plastics report in detail. than 2 percent of water samples in manufacturing). While Charlotte would If you find levels of any of these contamCharlotte and surrounding towns are at not appear to have many businesses that inants that surpass clean water standards, use such compounds, the recent discovery there are methods for remediation. More of perfluorooctanoic acid in several North about these in my next column. Bennington drinking-water wells from a For an annotated list of websites plant in Hoosick, N.Y. shows the potential discussed in this article as well as addivulnerability of our ground water sources. tional information on drinking water, Agricultural runoff, herbicides and pesti- see the digital version of this article on cides are added concerns, as is the threat charlottenewsvt.org. of further contamination from a transportation accident involving truck or rail James Hyde lives in Charlotte and is transport. emeritus associate professor of public Two additional categories of concern are health at the Tufts University School of radiologic compounds, such as uranium, Medicine. radium and radon gas, and microbiologic

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Route 7 Safety

continued from page 1

rear-view mirror to be sure that the traffic coming up behind me at speeds of at least 50 mph sees me and moves into the shoulder to go around.â&#x20AC;? Though itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not studying this intersection specificallyâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;yetâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;VTrans does collect data about collisions so it can build a supported case for making changes to a roadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s signage or traffic pattern. The agency uses crash reports to identify areas that need improved safety measures, sometimes leading to road redesign. Kevin Marshia, chief engineer at VTrans, studies collision data, along with his team, and is actively involved in refining how statistics affect change. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Historically, we have done an annual review of 50 high crash areas,â&#x20AC;?

SelectboaRd

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The Selectboard then approved the offer of employment to Margaret Sharpe, for 15 hours per week at a wage rate of $13.72 per hour, as the new Senior Center volunteer coordinator. The board went on to approve an offer of employment to Joe Rheaume for the newly formed position of zoning administrator/sewage control officer/ deputy health officer. His position is for 25 hours per week at a wage rate of $18.82. His approval must now go on to the Planning Commission for his appointment. It is important to note that Rheaumeâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;s name had previously been recommended by the PC for approval to this position In reviewing Town Meeting, the general feeling was positive. Selectman Spell complimented VCAM for streaming the meeting and expressed his regret that they had come under criticism for the poor microphone performance. The consensus was that it was not their fault and the board will pay close attention to that next year. The advisory motion made at the Town Meeting regarding safe bicycling on the townâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s roads was discussed. While no plan

he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;And now we incorporate benchmarks from the Highway Safety Improvement Program to evaluate the frequency and severity of collisions to get the most benefit from the data.â&#x20AC;? Working closely with regional planning commissions on identifying high risk areas and improvement plans, VTrans continually refines its processes, as evidenced by the ongoing development of its searchable database, which allows you to run reports with a wide variety of search criteria, like type of collision, routes and intersections, time of day, age of driver and more. All crash reports submitted to the State of Vermont involving motorized vehicles on all public highways are available for query in the database, which can be found at apps.vtrans.vermont.gov/ CrashPublicQueryTool. Having access to the nonpersonal Vermont motor vehicle crash data with tables and maps is a powerful tool for anyone concerned with road safety. But, though the collection and review of comprehensive data within the frame of a robust search is essential for improving automobile, pedestrian and cyclist safety, a was decided upon, the general consensus was to begin work soon and to solicit comments and ideas on the problem in the near future. Members of the Town Meeting Solutions Committee pledged to work with the Selectboard in making the hybrid-voting model, established by the new town charter, a success. Selectboard members Krasnow and Carrie Spear agreed to work together in trying to revitalize Town Meeting. The paperwork for the charter has been sent to the Secretary of State, who will send it on to the legislative counsel. Other actions taken included the review of a draft listing of recurring and special items for Selectboard consideration over the next year. They can be found at: bit. ly/1W4TPGp. All Selectboard liaison assignments remain the same, except Morrison will work with the library, Spear will work with CCS and Spell will join Tegatz on town properties. The draft assignments can be found at: bit.ly/1To3ie3 Administratively, the town attorney will be requested to enter an appearance in the appeal of the Zoning Board of Adjustmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s approval of an application to establish an event center at the old Varney Farm.

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key question raised on the Facebook postâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s comments is the link between numbers in a database and people behind the wheel. Charlotter Jennifer Behr Wilson reflected, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I wonder how many more collisions need to occur here before they add a turn lane.â&#x20AC;? According to VTransâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; database, 99 crashes on Rte. 7 in Charlotte were reported during the period of Jan. 1, 2010 through Mar. 4, 2016, a statistic that includes pedestrians and pedacyclists (cyclists). Thirty-

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Different signage or turning lanes need to be created, but mostly people need to slow down.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Kristen Nielson

and that the nuances of communication are sometimes challenging. The department must evaluate how to deploy its budget to do the most good for the safety of Vermontâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s drivers. But it also must work toward educating drivers about their role. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We all have a perspective about the roads on which we drive,â&#x20AC;? he says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;And VTrans works to use data to enact change when it is supported by facts. But this is a partnership in education, engineering and enforcement.â&#x20AC;? As the $16 million reconstruction project widening Rte. 7 continues, this ongoing vigilance will be required, as changes to roads introduce new variables into the equation. Because even though there wereâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;thankfullyâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;no injuries reported during the collision that received a flurry of responses on The Newsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Facebook post, drivers and passengers may not be that lucky next time. Being able to capture and sort through anecdotal evidenceâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;near misses, driver perspective, etc.â&#x20AC;&#x201D;might serve to prevent a future motorist, pedestrian or cyclist from becoming part of an urban legend before itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s too late.

six of those crashes resulted in injuries. Many, though not all, reported collisions are clustered around intersections, Church Hill Rd. being one of them. Charlotter Kristen Nielson, who was sideswiped in a collision while turning onto Higbee Rd., farther south of the Church Hill Rd. inter- Contact: geeda@thecharlottenews.org section, on Sept. 16, said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Oh, that stretch of road is horrible. Church Hill Rd. too. Everyone feels nervous driving on Rte. 7 when you have to make a turn. Different signage or turning lanes need to be created, but mostly people need to slow down.â&#x20AC;? Marshia understands that anecdotal perspective and human behavior are an essential part of the equation In another matter, relative to a certificate of occupancy for a two-family dwelling in the old Affectionately Cats building, the Selectboard agreed to let the occupancy continue until the matter can be decided by a town vote on a land use regulation to be voted at the next Town Meeting. The next regularly scheduled meeting will be on March 14.

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10 • March 10, 2016 • The charloTTe News

Highlights and hot points at Town Meeting Alex Bunten THE CHARLOTTE NEWS

There was barely a political sign or a badge in sight outside of CCS on March 1, unless you count the floppy Kasich signs along Charlotte Hinesburg Road. No one was in competition on the ballot, so the local political scene was ice cold. The presidential primary was, of course, another matter. Without much meat on the town government bone, one would expect the next most contested issue of the day to be the municipal budget. Selectboard Chair Lane Morrison started off his budget presentation by proudly stating that if the town were a student, the company responsible for the town audit—Sullivan, Powers & Co., P.C. —would have given it an A. No “material weaknesses” were noted and only three “significant issues” were found in the town finances, all of which were suitably addressed before the budget was printed. Morrison also pointed out that the town soon will overhaul the Planning and Zoning Department. Jeannine McCrumb will be leaving as the planning and zoning administrator, and the position will be parsed into two jobs, but with the same number of hours. “We’ve come to the conclusion,” Morrison said, “working with our commissions, Selectboard and folks in the office that planning and enforcement really require separate responsibilities.” The bad news came when Morrison announced that the tax rate would increase by $0.0128 to $0.1781. However, he explained that, despite both expenses

and revenues being down, the increase in taxes is due to the estimated five percent decrease in the value of the grand list. The updated grand list is expected to be complete by June 2016. CVFRS President John Snow covered fire and rescue stats for 2015. The total of 186 calls in 2015 was the second highest number of calls Fire and Rescue ever has had, though 25 percent of all calls were for false alarms. This compares to a statewide average for false alarms of 10 to 15 percent. An audience member asked if those calls were subject to fines, and Snow responded that no specific policy exists with regard to false alarms but joked that it might be a good thing, as many false alarms originate from the Senior Center. A mild-mannered, if not short by historic standards, discussion followed the presentations. Ultimately, the floor approved a $3,013,563 budget without a peep of rebellion—uncannily similar to last year. If you came to Town Meeting looking for controversy, two occasions at the end of the morning might have given you a rise. The first was an advisory motion suggesting VCAM be disinvited from Town Meeting next year. Hired to provide audio support and to live-stream the meeting, VCAM’s less than ideal control of sound levels raised the ire of many audience members, one claiming, “It was the worst in 13 years.” (What happened 13 years ago?) The start of the meeting was conducted mainly with one working mic, dutifully ferried around the room by

Continued on the next page

201

The CharloTTe News â&#x20AC;˘ MarCh 10 2016 â&#x20AC;˘ 11 volunteer 5th graders from CCS. (The new CCS principals reinstated the tradition of inviting students to volunteer at Town Meeting.) After a sheepish discussion about the merits of such an acrimonious thought, the motion was revoked. The second controversy came when Selectboard member Matt Krasnow proposed an advisory motion asking the Vermont Legislature to reject Article 9 on the municipal charter if passed. Krasnowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reasoning was that the language in last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s advisory motionâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;Article 6 stated â&#x20AC;&#x153;Shall the Selectboard explore the adoption of a legislative charterâ&#x20AC;Śâ&#x20AC;?â&#x20AC;&#x201D;didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t suggest action would be taken at the following meeting, rather it would be discussed again and explored.

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Representative Mike Yantachka said that such a motion could â&#x20AC;&#x153;create a conundrumâ&#x20AC;? for the Vermont Legislature wherein, if passed, the majority of residents would have shown their approval of the charter, but the fewer number of citizens at Town Meeting would like it to be rejected in order to design a better system. The motion was voted down by a slim voice-vote majority. To get the latest election results on Town Meeting night, follow us on our website, Facebook or Twitter. Contact: Alex@thecharlottenews.org

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Sports slalom course. CVU men were seventh, with no top-ten individuals.

CVU wrestlers finish second in the state

Edd Merritt Sports Roundup Women’s basketball rolls on with the record book Not only are the Redhawk women heading into the Division I state championship game, they are moving the record up with 94 consecutive victories. Spaulding in the playdowns, Mt. Anthony in the quarterfinals and Burlington in the semis are their latest victims. Against fourth-seeded BHS, CVU led 15-1 after the first quarter and 24-3 at halftime. The Redhawks played a patient offensive game coupled with a solid defense that didn’t allow a Burlington basket until the game had progressed for nearly 12 minutes. Charlotte bucketeers Laurel Jaunich, Annabella Pugliese and Sadie Otley, along with Abby Thut, again led all scorers. CVU faced 10th-ranked BFA St. Albans in the March 8 finals at Patrick Gym.

Both Nordic ski teams finish poles to the snow Rikert Nordic Center in Ripton was the site of the Division I cross-country championships last week. At the end of the second day of races, CVU’s women and men placed second. Tatum Braun placed among the top 10 individual women, and Tyler Marshall, Baxter Bishop and Peter Unger 3rd, 5th and 7th among men. On day one both freestyle relay teams were among the first five to cross the line.

Alpine racers take to Middlebury Snow Bowl CVU’s women fell just behind firstplace Rice and second-place Stowe at the end of day two for Alpine events. Emma Owen led the way, finishing among the top 10 overall with a second place over the

Twenty-four high schools entered wrestlers in this year’s state tournament at Mill River Union High School. CVU entered 13 of the 14 weight classes and discovered that its grinding season of tournaments, many taking the team out of state, paid off. Coming off a solid Northern Vermont Athletic Conference divisional win, the Redhawks put 11 wrestlers on the podium, with some strength in the semi-final rounds. Senior Ethan Fuller upset his Mount Anthony opponent for a shot in the finals. Jacob Griggs and Charlotte senior Kienan Kittredge also upset their opponents, who were seeded above them in the rankings. In the wrestle-backs for a medal, Lucas Brown, Wyatt Sanderson, Andrew Tieso (a freshman from Charlotte), Cooper Bouchard, Brandon Young, Justin Bissonette and Cooper Bolduc all put team points on the board—165 in total, a school record for most points scored. Coach Gunnar Olson praised his troops, saying that he was “proud of the guys with their ability to embrace the grind of such a tough season and remain consistent to the end.”

Hockey women in state finals

CSSU FLAG FOOTBALL GET TOGETHER WITH COACHES FROM CVU AND CASTLETON UNIVERSITY. PHOTO: EDD MERRITT

Flag football for grades two through seven The Chittenden South Supervisory Union Buccaneers football program sponsored three flag, noncontact football games happening simultaneously in the CVU gym on Sunday March 6. About 50 players from elementary through middle school participated. They were coached by CVU players and members of Castleton University’s team, under the direction of the Castleton and CVU coaches. This will go on every Sunday in March between 3:30 and 5:30 p.m. The teams had between into overtime. Holding a 1-0 lead into the third period, Essex gave up the tying goal by Redhawk Richard Hall with just 25 seconds left in regulation time. CVU freshman goalie Blaine Moore was particularly solid in the net, leading his coach Mike Murray to say in the Free Press that he looked forward to future years, when the team’s performance this year will lead to “bigger and better things down the road.”

Seeded second in Division II in the state, the combined Mount Mansfield/CVU women Cougarhawks scored early and often to defeat Rice and move on to the final game against U-32. CVU products Lydia Maitland and Jackie Ryan contributed two goals in the 6-1 win. The traditional Mount Mansfield team is bolstered this year by Burhans leads Brandeis seven CVU players on its 22-person roster. in national indoor In the quarterfinals against Burr & Burton, track championships CVU’s Lauren Hanley scored what proved to be the winning goal with just over two Haliana Burhans ran the 400-meter minutes left in regulation time for a come- leg of the women’s distance medley relay from-behind 5-3 victory. team to a third place finish in the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships. The Brandeis University sophomore also Hockey men fall anchored the 4x400 meter relay to sixth to Essex in OT place, and she ran as an individual in the Goal tending and strong defense at both 200- and 400-meter dashes. Brandeis ends of the ice sent the semi-final Division finished seventh overall. I men’s game between CVU and Essex

Give Charlotte a Shot! Hey sports fans and hack photogs! Got a decent camera and like to attend CVU sports games or other local events? The Charlotte News needs you. Send us your shots of Charlotters in action and you could have your work seen across Chittenden County. You’d be well on your way to being famous. You heard it first here. Get shooting! Questions/comments? news@thecharlottenews.org

5 and 7 players each and played across the basketball court. Activities of the day included receivers running their well-conceived pass routes, passing from budding quarterbacks and catching by nearly everyone. After several plays, the coaches would gather the teams together and discuss what was happening, complimenting and making suggestions. Virtually every player appeared to be having fun with some very good passing and catching. This reporter did not see Peyton Manning, but he guesses he must have been in the 3rd grade backfield.

Register for spring lacrosse Recreation Coordinator Nicole Conley encourages youngsters from third through eighth grade to sign up to play in the U.S. Lacrosse League this spring. Registration forms are available in the Charlotte Town Offices. Registration fees are $80 for 3rd through 8th graders, if paid by March 11, and $35 for 1st and 2nd graders, if paid by April 11.

Two Charlotters on the Vermont Shrine football team Lineman Kienan Kittredge and back Richard Lowrey will represent CVU High School in the annual Maple Sugar Bowl football game against the New Hampshire all-stars on August 6.

The CharloTTe News • MarCh 10, 2016 • 13

Florida Comes and Goes Catherine Berg, Grade 6 Walk into Florida, you see the palm trees’ shadows. Walk outside, feel the heat that comes and goes. Walk onto the beach, and get sand in your toes. Walk into the water, the sun burns your nose. Walk onto a boat, the heavy wind blows. Get a camera, take lots of photos. Walk into Vermont… your whole body froze.

Sound Malcolm Ziter, Grade 6 Sound is a weird thing. It is a thing that can also be horrifying. Sound makes people laugh and happy or sound makes people sad, like the sound long forgotten, like the sound of dinosaurs and cavemen, and the sound of history, and the sound of when the pharaoh ruled Egypt, and the sound of orders from the pharaoh and the moans of slaves, and the sound of gunfire when Abe

Lincoln was shot, and the sound of the cry of slaves for freedom, and the sound of the first railroad, and sound of the first powerful president’s voice as he quietly crossed the Delaware to attack the British. Sound is powerful.

Hello Kennady Sweeney, Grade 6 Hello is what you said to me, instead of saying hi. Hello is what you said to me; I was scared about the goodbye. After all the years you left me; we shall meet again. When I saw you over there you asked, “Can we start over again?” Standing there thinking about what I should say, standing there thinking about how you left me that day. My heart’s saying yes, my mind’s saying no. As I was thinking, I thought, “What should I know?” Standing there debating in my big puffy dress, the words slipped out and I said, “Yes!” As I said yes, I felt different than before, something familiar that I have felt before. As I stood there, smiling from ear to ear, just filling up with so much cheer, standing there waiting, thinking, “Is there something I should know?” You looked up smiled and said, “Hello.”

Book Review: Elephant Company, by Vicki Croke Georgia Edwards CONTRIBUTOR

Published in 2014, Elephant Company continues to be one of the most requested books at the Charlotte Library. Vicki Croke’s true story of J. H. “Billy” Williams and the role his elephant company played during World War II is a testament to the mutual friendship and loyalty between man and animal. English Lt. Col. James Howard Williams had a deep affection for animals and possessed an innate ability to communicate with them. As a child, he was devoted to Prince, a pet donkey with a sense of humor. During his service in World War I, Williams developed a close bond with a camel named Frying Pan. Following that war, Williams successfully applied for the job of elephant wallah with the Bombay Burma Trading Corporation’s teak harvesting operations. Upon arrival, he faced a row of Asian elephants and was told, “Those four on the right are yours, and God help you if you can’t look after them.” Williams set out to learn everything he could about the world’s largest land mammal. He observed them to be domesticated during the working day and foragers and socializers when turned out for the night. Most of these elephants had been captured from the wild and trained by a process called kheddaring— tethering the animal’s ankles and instilling terror until it became compliant. Williams abhorred this method. After meeting Bandoola, a bull elephant who had been born in captivity and raised with gentling rather than breaking, he embraced an “elephant whisperer” approach. Calves born to domesticated mothers started school at age five with much of the curriculum consisting of bananas and bribery. A young uzi (handler) was assigned to each animal and attended school along with his charge. “Elephant Bill” intuitively understood his elephants, caring deeply for their psychological, as well as physical, well-being. Williams’ elephant company was

mobilized at the start of World War II to help with the war effort. The gentle beasts transitioned from teak harvesting to moving supplies, building roads and bridges, and evacuating refugees. In 1944, during its occupation of Burma, Japan demanded that all uzis and their elephants report for duty—noncompliance was punishable by death. Williams was not about to let this happen. In a daring move, with the intrepid Bandoola at the lead, he and his elephants trekked to safety around and over the perilous cliffs of the IndiaBurma frontier. This nail-biting portion of the book evokes the resilience and fortitude demonstrated in Unbroken. Croke has done her research on the Asian elephant, providing many fascinating facts. It is clear she is captivated by animal behavior, and much of the book is devoted to Williams’ unique relationship with these magnificent and intelligent beasts. In them, he discovered “… courage, loyalty, the ability to trust … fairness, patience, diligence, kindness and humor.” He once told a reporter that he “… learned more about life from elephants than I ever did from human beings.” The almost mystical bond he shares with Bandoola is the heart of the story. It is said that an elephant never forgets. Elephant Company is an unforgettable tribute to elephants everywhere. Editor’s note: One of Georgia’s book reviews was printed for a second time in our last issue. We apologize for this oversight and hope not to repeat it.

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14 • March 10, 2016 • The charloTTe News

Thin ice and mudcats Bradley Carleton CONTRIBUTOR

March is such an in-between kind of month. The last ice of a strange winter is peeling away from the shorelines. Ironically, the ice fishing is best in March. It’s just a little challenging finding safe ice to sit on. The Vermont tradition of bullpout fishing begins to tug on my heartstrings. (I like calling them “bullpout” or “hornpout” instead of their proper moniker “bullhead” because it’s a colloquialism taught to me by my wife’s uncle, Marvin Thomas, of Shelburne, a seventh-generation Vermonter.) As I am jigging for jumbo perch with my Swedish pimple and bibbit on the degrading pond ice, I am already thinking about sitting on the muddy banks of Otter Creek and Dead Creek. Locals call it “Donovans” after the campsite by that name on the other side of Panton Road in Vergennes. Once the ice is out of the river, the bullpout begin to swim upstream to spawn. They are a member of the catfish family and come in brown, white and yellow colorations, with nasty spikes on their dorsal and pectoral fins that only an accomplished angler learns to handle properly. Nonetheless, they are delectable as table fare. I like to fry them in a vegetable oil after rubbing the fillets with Cajun spices. They are identical in flavor to their

larger cousins but are far more tender. Another name for this fish is “mudcat,” a portmanteau that acknowledges the fish’s appearance with its love of wriggling in the mud. Thus the bait, usually a piece of large crawler or a chunk of chicken liver, is lying dormant in the mud, held down from the current by a two-ounce sinker. The bullpout approaches the bait by using its sense of smell and typically ingests the bait and hook in a slovenly fashion, swallowing the entire contraption. I am lost in my daydream and visualize being comfortably ensconced on my folding chair, hot coffee in my right hand, a maple donut in my left, while my medium-weight rod leans on an old “Y” branch stuck in the mud at a 45º angle. The line hangs off of the tip of the rod in a gentle bow, just enough tension to recognize a tug from the bottom of the river. ‘Pout fishermen watch their lines with tremendous concentration, looking for the slightest tug that straightens out the monofilament. When the line moves, the butt of the rod is lifted, gently at first, then quickly and assertively to set the hook. The battle is not typically a hard fight, but a larger fish will create a good wake as it spins side over side into the shoreline. This is where it gets a little dicey. Remember those nasty spikes? Well, the only way to pick up one of these cats is to aim the belly of the fish into your palm and rest your thumb under one of the pectoral fins and the forefinger under the other, supporting the weight of the fish by the spikes resting above the first knuckle

MARVIN THOMAS OF SHELBURNE WITH A NICE FISH.

of the finger and thumb. I often use my middle finger to squeeze the belly and my remaining two fingers to brace the lower belly. Unless you are an expert, under no conditions should one attempt to pick up a bullpout by the back, because the dorsal fin spike can easily penetrate the fatty tissue between the thumb and forefinger. And it hurts! Trust me! Once the fish is in hand, removing the hook is another lesson entirely. I have watched the old timers remove it by putting a stick down the throat and twirling it around the line then yanking it out, hook and line together. It’s ugly, but it works. (I have never seen a catch-and-release bullpout fisherman.) When the run begins, it’s not too difficult to fill a pail half full of these delicious mudcats. Some people disdain them,

calling them filthy and disgusting, but I think it’s because they haven’t eaten them when they are cooked properly. As I am thinking about bullpout fishing, I suddenly feel a tug. My ultralight ice rod is bending down toward the hole and throbbing with life. It’s a big perch. Probably a 12 incher. As I reel up the prize, I realize that this may be the last day on the ice. My wife’s uncle Marvin should be calling any day. Bradley Carleton is executive director of Sacred Hunter.org, a nonprofit that seeks to educate the public on the spiritual connection of man to nature and raises funds for Traditions Outdoor Mentoring. org, which mentors at-risk young men in outdoor pursuits.

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The CharloTTe News • MarCh 10, 2016 • 15

From the Archives

Puzzles “My favorite weather is bird-chirping weather. —Terri Guillemets

Cover page illustration by: Charlie Lotz

Welcome to tHe cHarlotte neWs’ arcHiVes! We’Ve started to Work on making our History accessible to all cHarlotters. sloWly, We’re deVeloping a pdF arcHiVe tHat Will eVentually be searcHable and We Hope to sHare tHat WitH you soon. We’re lucky enougH to HaVe nearly 60 years oF publications to Work WitH, but tHat does leaVe mucH to be cataloged. m any oF our publications HaVe no digital presence WHatsoeVer, so We’re HaVing to Find Ways to make tHem tecHnologically aVailable. tHougH tHis project Has barely begun and We HaVe a long Way to go, We’ll be giVing you a taste oF WHat’s to come rigHt Here in print as regularly as possible. r eprinted arcHiVe compiled by: k ali adams & madison Hakey illustration by: cHarlie lotz Charlotte Central School (CCS), enrollment is down and inflation is less, but the proposed Town Meetingschool budget is up. Voters decided There were 350 enrolled overwhelmingly, 37-120 to at CCS this year. Next return the Town’s rural year’s expected total is status in zoning matters. 327. WIth 23 fewer students The vote means that in the and lower inflation future residents will have shouldn’t there be a decline to vote on zoning changes in expenses? Instead, next and subdivisions instead year’s proposed budget is of having these matters over this year’s. The per handled by a Town Board. pupil cost would increase It was also voted not 5% more than inflation. to put the school budget The total CCS expenon an Australian Ballot ditures for ‘75-’76 were next year. This vote was $525,000. The expenditures on a show of hands. An amendment to add $15,000 for ‘79-’80 were $747,000. The budget for ‘83-’84 to the school budget for a is $1,191,000. The CCS foreign language teacher costs per pupil are the passed on the paper ballot highest in the District— 70 to 66 and the amended higher than Shelburne, budget was passed, also Williston or Hinesburg. on paper ballot, 84-65. This year’s cost per pupil Fred Anderson was is up 14%; the inflation thanked for helping rate rose 3.8%. Since 1980 Gordon Sprigg moderate CCS has a 50% real increase (Gordon had laryngitis). in per pupil cost over Article 8, the Nuclear and above inflation. The Freeze resolution, passed tax rate for CCS went up on a paper ballot 111 to 49. 72% from 1980 to ‘84. The Donald Ross expressed proposed cost per pupil is thanks to Richard Plante up 10% for the next year; on behalf of the town inflation rate is estimated for his many years to be 5%. To hold the per service as auditor. pupil real costs to the same level as this year (allowing for inflation), the Volume XXVI, No. 12 proposed budget would have February 23, 1984 to be reduced by $60,000. LETTER TO THE CHARLOTTE Article VIII of the CHarlotte Warning also NEWS concerns the school. It The usual argument for is often assumed that raising school budgets the only way to raise is that enrollment is up educational quality is to and inflation is up. At

Volume XXV, No. 12 March 10, 1983

Puzzles have been underwritten by

Homeport Vermont

PO Box 101, Charlotte, VT | 870-3481

increase dollars spent. Just spending more does not assure better education... Fred Anderson & Dan Ross

Volume XXV, No. 12 March 10, 1983 Girl Scout News On Monday, Feb. 7th Cadette Troop #118 went to the Shelburne Museum’s Vt. Folk Art Exhibit. There we saw many hand-made objects, all made by Vermonters. Some exhibits that the Troop found very interesting were the following: a man by the name of Frank Patoine from Hardwick carved a man from a tree using a chainsaw. Another exhibit that the Troop liked was a traditional Indian headband done in beads, made by the Abnaki Indians. It shows the running vine motif which is often found in Indian art. Newton Washburn, a member of the Sweester family in Stowe, started making beautiful baskets made of ash when his wife’s plastic laundry basket broke. His Sweester ancestors made many of them a secret for many years. At the exhibit we saw a woven cradle that he had made. We give out thanks to Susie Localio for giving us a guided tour after hours.

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16 • March 10, 2016 • The charloTTe News

Senior Center News Mary Recchia CONTRIBUTOR

Exploring Methods of Writing Prose, with Sabina Evarts, will take place on Friday afternoons from 1–3 p.m. Dates: March 11, 25, April 8, 22, May 13, 27. Let’s write it out! Here’s your chance to express in writing whatever your passion is: fictional stories, the “story of you,” factual, humorous, poignant, entertaining pieces. We’ll cover the mechanics of writing and expressing your thoughts; you’ll set goals and share your work as a group. Currently writing stories and poetry herself, Sabina was a high school English teacher and has been published in a number of poetry magazines and in the Vermont Writers collection. Please call Sabina at 985-4099 if you have any questions. Registration required, no fee. Join Susanna Kahn, Charlotte tech librarian, for a workshop titled Getting the Most out of Your iPhone, on Monday afternoon, March 14, from 1:30–3. In this hands-on workshop, Susanna will show you helpful apps, search and organization techniques, quick ways to connect to Wi-Fi, camera and photo tips, battery-saving tricks and more! Please bring your iPhone and your Apple ID information. Registration required, no fee. Our first outing of the Birding season with Hank Kaestner is planned for Wednesday morning, March 16, at 9. We will try to beat last year’s total by recording 101 species of birds in one year! Please meet at the Center so we can carpool together to the location Hank has scouted

for spectacular bird watching. Good views are guaranteed through Hank’s “Oh my God” telescope. Please register for this event, so if we have to change the date due to bird migration or weather, we can call you. No fee. Library Director Margaret Woodruff and Alice Outwater, Ph.D., will lead a book discussion on Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End by Atul Gawande on Monday afternoons from 1–2:30 at the Center. Registration required, no fee. March 21: Our series starts with the first two chapters of Gawande’s book and the intriguing but uncomfortable issues of attitudes and realities of aging in America. March 28: We take up the questions of dependence and assistance from Chapters 3 and 4. How do we balance our need for support with our desire to provide it? april 4: What is your definition of “A Better Life” (chapter 5)? Does this correspond with the narratives in Gawande’s book? And how does that translate into the difficult process of “Letting Go” (chapter 6)? Bring your ideas and questions to our discussion. april 11: How do we share decisions? How do we start a conversation with family members? This session brings us to the difficult conversations and possible confrontations about end-of-life care. Does the book provide helpful guidelines? Gardening for Purple and Green Thumbs, with Roswitha Baslow, Mary Lovejoy and Sukey Condict, will start Monday afternoons from 1–2:30 beginning March 28. Whether you know a lot about gardening, would like to know more, or simply enjoy the intrigue of beautiful plants, this gathering is for you. Designed to bring “garden-smart people” together to share knowledge with others, all are welcome to come enjoy the camaraderie of like-minded

Sean Moran and Shirley Bean at the 2nd Annual Senior Center Oscar Event. A BIG THANK YOU to Sean and the play reading group for hosting another very special day at the Center! Photo: Courtesy

garden fairies! Some will take tips and advice back to their home gardens. Others may not have gardens of their own any more but still like to dig in the dirt. Maybe you never have had gardens but wish to provide many hands to make light work of the landscape task here at the Center under the direction of a gardener. Whatever your motivation, we hope to see you on March 28! Registration required, no fee. Memories, Celebrations & Dreams— Creating Unique Art, with Lynn Cummings on Tuesdays from 9:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Dates: March 29 and April 5. In this new class we’ll be creating multi-layered works of art based on a theme chosen by each student. You might, for instance, choose the theme of a wedding or an ancestor or a child’s (or your!) accomplishment. Or you may create a work of art based on something you want to do but haven’t done yet. The subject is up to each student. You must get the supply list at least a few days prior to class, as each person’s project will be started with a layer of textual photocopies. You do not need to know how to draw or paint, but you do need to bring an open mind! You will see demos on creating a “ghost image” from a photograph and making collage papers to enhance your work of art. Registration required. Fee: $48.

A collection of lectures, performances and special events showcasing the diverse interests of our community Wednesday afternoons beginning at 1 p.m. No registration or fee. March 16: The hokuM Bros. WiTh Woody k eppel and Friends Rare and original, The Hokum Bros. sing and patter their way into inspired silliness and offer enough sly satire and social commentary to ensure you’ll be wearing your happy face long after the show is over. Their songs are catchy and integrated with humor, while their style of play is multifarious. The lyrics speak of true-life experiences with a thread of the earliest cultural fabric we call Americana. March 23: GeTTinG older BeTTer WiTh auThor paMela Blair, ph.d. In her book, Getting Older Better, Pamela guides you through the thoughts and feelings about aging that may be dragging you down. She offers dozens of practical and motivational ideas, pointing the way to a different, optimistic and clear-eyed way of getting older—better. Pamela D. Blair, Ph.D., is a holistically trained psychotherapist, life coach and motivational speaker with a private practice online and in Shelburne.

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The CharloTTe News • MarCh 10, 2016 • 17

TRENDY TITLES @ THE LIBRARY ADULT Bowl: Vegetarian Recipes for Ramen, PHO, Bibimbap, Dumplings, and Other One-Dish Meals by Lukas Vogler (cookbook) iConnected Youth by Barbara K. Hofer & Abigail Sullivan Moore (non-fiction, parenting) The Immortal Irishman: The Irish Revolutionary Who Became an American Hero by Timothy Egan (non-fiction, history) Madwoman Upstairs by Catherine Lowell (literary fiction) Waters of Eternal Youth by Donna Leon (mystery fiction)

News from the Charlotte Library Margaret Woodruff CONTRIBUTOR

UPCOMING AT THE CHARLOTTE LIBRARY Wednesdays, beginning March 2, 3:15 p.m.: TinkerBelles, Season 2: Our STEAM gals (and guys) will work with a doctor, river scientist, electrician, wind engineer and cryptologist during the six-week program introducing the working world of women in STEM careers. For 3rd – 5th graders. Registration required. Call 425-3864 or email charlottelibraryvt@ gmail.com. TUESDAYS: IT’S TIME FOR STORY TIME! March 8 – April 14. Preschool Lunch Bunch, Tuesdays, 12:15 to 1:15 p.m. Please bring a packed lunch. For children ages 3 to 5 who can enjoy story time with or without a guardian. Registration required. Early Elementary Story Time (kindergarten and 1st grade), Tuesdays

3:15 to 4:15 p.m. Extend the school day enjoying books, songs, poems and crafts. Students ride the blue bus to library. Registration required. Monday, March 14, 10 a.m.: Mystery Book Group: Death of a Red Heroine. “Set a decade ago in Shanghai, this political mystery offers a peek into the tightly sealed, often crooked world of post-Tiananmen Square China.” Join us for coffee and conversation about this Chinese mystery by Qiu Xiaolong. Copies available at the circulation desk. Monday, March 14, 1:30 p.m.: iPhone Tips & Tricks. Get the most out of your iPhone in this hands-on workshop. Tech Librarian, Susanna Kahn, will show you helpful apps, search and organization techniques, quick ways to connect to Wi-Fi, camera and photo tips, battery-saving tricks and more! Please bring your

iPhone and your Apple ID information. Co-sponsored with the Charlotte Senior Center, this event meets at the Senior Center. Please call 425-6345 to register. Wednesday, March 16, at 7 p.m.: The iConnected Parent: Staying Close to Your Kids in College (and Beyond) While Letting Them Grow Up. Looking for guidance about communicating with children in this world of instant interactions? Barbara Hofer, Professor of Psychology at Middlebury College, shares insight from her book and work with adolescents and families. Copies of the book available at the circulation desk for checkout. Mondays, beginning March 21, 1 p.m.: Being Mortal Book Discussion. Part one of our discussion, covering Chapters 1 and 2. Copies available at the circulation desk for checkout. Meets at Charlotte Senior Center.

Lincoln, VT Homeowner Recommends Bristol Electronics Have you been thinking you want to go solar? Bristol Electronics is the place to call. Over a year ago we met with another company and were so frustrated by the whole process that we decided to forget all about solar power. But when we met Bristol Electronics staff at the Bristol Harvest Festival they encouraged us to rethink it. We’re glad we did. Everyone at Bristol Electronics is friendly, courteous, professional and efﬁcient. They are patient with questions and concerns and they go beyond what they have to do. The price was fair, the installation was completed on schedule, and even the cables and wiring were neatly done! The design met our power needs, gave us the latest, most powerful panels available, and the panels are barely visible high up on our rooftops but they are up there working away - - - LOVE watching the meter go backwards!

Tuesday, March 29, 7 p.m.: The Hummingbird, Last Rites & Hospice Care. Author and advocate Stephen Kiernan discusses this key topic in contemporary health care. Copies of both books available for checkout at the circulation desk. Thursday, March 31, 7 p.m.: Introduction to Great Decisions. We’re organizing a group to learn about and discuss the key issues of the day: Middle East alliances, the rise of ISIS, the Kurds, Migration, the Koreas, the United Nations, U.S. and Cuba, and climate change. A reading guide and accompanying video presentations are supplied by the Foreign Policy Association so no expertise necessary! Each week features a different topic for conversation facilitated by Vince Crockenberg and Jim Hyde. If you’ve got an interest or experience in one of the topics and would be willing to share your knowledge, please contact Margaret at the library, 425-3864. Program is free, and materials are available at the circulation desk.

Library ContaCt information

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YOUTH Froggy Goes to the Library by Jonathan London (picture book) The Hero Two Doors Down by Sharon Robinson (juvenile fiction, sports) Of Better Blood by Susan Moger (young adult, historical fiction) Worm Loves Worm by J. J. Austrian (picture book)

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Library Board Next meeting: March 10, 6 p.m.. Board members: Emily Ferris, Dorrice Hammer, Nan Mason, Danielle Menk, Jonathan Silverman.

18 • March 10, 2016 • The charloTTe News

Community Events

Selectboard: March 14, 7 p.m. Planning Commission: March 17, 7 p.m. CSSU Board: March 15, 5 p.m. CCS Board: March 15, 7 p.m. CVU Board: March 15, 7 p.m. Conservation Commission: March 22, 7 p.m. Zoning Board: March 23, 7 p.m.

Acting up

The Champlain Valley Union High School Theater Program presents “Student Directed Scenes and One-Acts.” During this biennial event, student directors will be presenting four comedy one-acts on Friday and Saturday, March 11 and 12, at 7:30 p.m. and on Sunday, March 13 at 2:00 p.m. This year’s shows are The Final Dress Rehearsal, directed by senior Bridget Kerr; The Still Alarm, directed by junior Mishka Rehak; Baby, directed by senior Anna Cataldo; and The Loveliest Afternoon of the Year, directed by Meg Young. Charlotte residents involved in the show are: Meg Young, director of The Loveliest Afternoon of the Year, Sabrina Davis, Nathaniel Mick, Becca Cottrell, Alise Askey, Kayden Clark, Simone Edgar Holmes, Jane Lindsley, Rayona Silverman, Charlie Tegatz, Sydney Vincent, Suzy Zimmerman, Leo Garbose. Tickets, available at the door, are $6 for students and children and $8 general admission. Tickets can be reserved by calling (802) 482-6991. Do you have a Charlotte event or an event close by that features a Charlotter? Send description, date, time and costs to Ruah Swennerfelt at calendar@ thecharlottenews.org. Don’t be shy if it’s about you, a friend or someone in your family. If it’s a public event, be bold and share what’s happening with your neighbors.

Events in Charlotte or including a Charlotter FRIDAY, MARCH 11 Theater: CVU play, 7:30 p.m. (see above) SATURDAY, MARCH 12 Theater: CVU play, 7:30 p.m. (see above) SUNDAY, MARCH 13 Concert: The Hinesburg Artist Series 20th Annual Concert presents the Mozart Requiem and The Prayer, Turn the World Around. St. Jude Parrish. Tickets: $18 for adults, $12 for students and seniors 60 and older. Tickets flynntix.org or (802) 86-FLYNN) or at the Hinesburg Recreation Office in the Town Hall, Hinesburgh Public House or at the door. Theater: CVU play, 2:00 p.m (see above) MONDAY, MARCH 14 Playgroup: Chittenden County Parent and Child Playgroups. Free and open to children from birth to age 5 with

Upcoming pUblic meetings

Meeting times are subject to change. Check the town website for more info: charlottevt.org

Have yoUr say | Selectboard MeMberS | Chair, Lane Morrison, 425-2495 Matthew Krasnow, 922-2153 Carrie Spear, 425-4444 Jacob Spell, 425-6548 Fritz Tegatz, 425-5564

Things go “not so well” in the park during The Loveliest Afternoon of the Year, directed by Charlotte resident Meg Young. Photo: Brenna Commeau

Selectboard Regular Meetings are usually at 7 p.m. in the Town Hall on the second and fourth Mondays of each month. If you would like to bring an issue to the attention of the Selectboard, contact the board chair or administrator Dean Bloch at 425-3071, ext. 205.

| ccS School board | a caregiver. Schedules are subject to change. Mondays 9:30–11:00 a.m. at Charlotte Central School. Info: buildingbrightfutures.org or Colleen at bbfcharlotteplaygroup@gmail.com.

Other Area Events THURSDAY, MARCH 10 Event: Girl Scout Cookie Sale Booth. Did you miss out on ordering cookies from a Girl Scout this year? Here is your chance to purchase some cookies and support Charlotte Brownie Troop 30066. Shelburne Market 4–7 p.m. Info: Cheryl Tuiqere at cbarendse@yahoo.com or 802233-6552.

THURSDAY, MARCH 17 Playgroup: Charlotter Nell Ishee will teach the basics of infant massage. Classes run during the normal Thursday baby playtime at the Carpenter Carse Library in Hinesburg from 12:30–2 p.m. March 17 to April 7. No preregistration is Seminar: Join The Civic Series for a free, nonpartisan seminar about Syria required. Free. and refugee resettlement in the United States. Should Vermont accept some of SUNDAY, MARCH 20 the 10,000 Syrian refugees President Religious Service: Charlotte Obama has pledged to resettle in the Congregational Church Palm Sunday United States? O’Brien Community Service at 10:00 p.m. Info: 802-425Center in Winooski, 5:30 p.m. 3176, charlotteucc@gmavt.net or Registration and info: thecivicseries. charlotteucc.org. com/events. THURSDAY, MARCH 24 Religious Service: Charlotte Congregational Church. Maundy Thursday Service. A contemplative communion service in the vestry to place our hearts and minds upon Jesus’s last night with his disciples before his death with a reading of the Passion narrative. 7:00 p.m. Info: 802-425-3176, charlotteucc@gmavt.net or charlotteucc. org. Religious Service: Members of the congregation are invited to sign-up individually or in pairs to keep hourlong vigils throughout the night and day. 19 Hour Vigil from 8:00 p.m. to Good Friday, March 25, 3:00 p.m. Info: 802425-3176, charlotteucc@gmavt.net or charlotteucc.org

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FRIDAY, MARCH 11 Contra Dance: Queen City Contra at Shelburne Town Hall. Music provided by The Turning Stile. Peter Johnson will be the caller. All are welcome, all dances taught, no partner or experience necessary. Please bring clean, soft-soled shoes for dancing. 8:00 p.m. Beginners’ session at 7:45 p.m. Admission is $9.00 adults, under 12 free. Dance Info: 802371-9492 or queencitycontras.org. SATURDAY, MARCH 12 Film: Town Hall Theater presents A Hard Day’s Night. Watch the Beatles play wily, exuberant versions of themselves, capture the astonishing moment when they officially became the singular, irreverent idols of their generation and changed music forever. 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 and may be purchased at townhalltheater. org, 802-382-9222, at the THT box office, or at the door. Book Sale: Pierson Library March “Spring Cleaning” Book Sale. Shelburne Town Hall. Huge selection of books for sale. Adult and children’s literature all in excellent shape at great prices. Craft table for kids available so caregivers can shop with ease. Featuring a raffle of goodies from local merchants. 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Chair, Mark McDermott, 425-4860 Vice Chair Erik Beal, 425-2140 Kristin Wright, 425-5105 Clyde Baldwin, 425-3366 Susan Nostrand, 425-4999

| cVU School board-charlotte | Lorna Jimerson, ljimerso@wcvt.com Lynne Jaunich, lmjau@gmavt.net

| Planning coMMiSSion | Administrator, Jeannine McCrumb, 425-3071; jeannine@townofcharlotte.com Chair, Jeffrey McDonald, 425-4429 Vice Chair, Peter Joslin Members: Gerald Bouchard, Paul Landler, Charlie Pughe, Donna Stearns, Marty Illick

| Vt goVernMent | vt senate (cHittenden district) Tim Ashe, D/P-Burlington, 318-0903, tashe@leg.state.vt Philip Baruth, D-Burlington, 503-5266, pbaruth@leg.state.vt.us Virginia “Ginny” Lyons, D-Williston, 863-6129, vvlyons@leg.state.vt.us Diane Snelling, R-Hinesburg, 482-4382, dsnelling@leg.state.vt.us Michael Sirotkin, D-South Burlington, 999-4360, msirotkin@leg.state.vt.us David Zuckerman, P/D/W-Hinesburg, 598-1986, dzuckerman@leg.state.vt.us vermont HoUse Mike Yantachka, D-Charlotte, 425-3960, myantachka.dfa@gmail.com

| U.S. goVernMent | U.s. senators Patrick Leahy, 863-2525, leahy.senate.gov Bernie Sanders, 862-0697, sanders.senate.gov Us congressman Peter Welch, 652-2450, welch.house.gov

SUNDAY, MARCH 13 Volunteer Opportunities: Chittenden County United Way needs special event volunteers. Burlington Parks, Recreation & Waterfront. Craft volunteers to help at the “Brrlington Winter Bash.” If you like engaging with kids and can make simple crafts, join us from 12–3 p.m. Info: eallen@burlingtonvt.gov.

The CharloTTe News • MarCh 10, 2016 • 19

Classifieds

Around Town

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 and send it to The Charlotte News Classifieds, P.O. Box 251, Charlotte, VT 05445 or email ads@thecharlottenews.org.

Freebird! The Eastern Freestyle Central States “B” Mogul and Slopestyle Championships were held at Whiteface Mountain in New York from Feb. 27-28. Charlotter Cooper Whalen (pictured right), 13, took home first place honors both days, for Moguls and Slopestyle. Whalen, a 7th grader at CCS, is a member of the Sugarbush Freestyle Team and will go on to compete at the East Coast Junior Championships on Mar. 11-13 at Killington.

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On top of downhill Show us your steeds A new agricultural trend out of Ireland: #‎ Felfies—#‎ farmer selfies. The News wants to see your fantastic farming faces, Charlotte. Tag us on Facebook!

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Rice’s women’s ski team won the Vermont Alpine Championship! Charlotter Anna Schibli (in photo on left, third from left) and two other students also qualified for High School Easterns at Attitash to represent Vermont.

Congratulations to Anna Franceschetti who earned placement on the dean’s list at Bates College, Lewiston, Me., for the fall semester ending in Dec. 2015. She is the daughter of Kathleen Fleming and Mark Franceschetti of Charlotte. to Julia Kiendl who earned placement on the dean’s list for the fall term 2015 at Emerson College, Boston, Mass. Julia is majoring in communication studies. to step-sisters Ryan Hurd and Michaela Kiley who, respectively, earned academic honors for the fall semesters of their senior years, Ryan on the chancellor’s list at Chapman University in Orange, Calif. and Michaela on the dean’s list at the University of Montana, Missoula, Mont. Their parents are Deedle and Jane Kiley of Charlotte. to Amanda Gellis and Ellen Stone of Charlotte who earned placement on the dean’s list at St. Lawrence University, Canton, N.Y., for the fall semester 2015. Both graduated from CVU. Ellen is a senior at St. Lawrence majoring in neuroscience. Amanda is a member of the class of 2018. to Delanie Cynewski of Charlotte who earned placement on the dean’s list at Roger Williams University in Bristol, R.I., for the fall semester 2015. Delanie is an international relations major.

to Briar Alpert of Charlotte who began March 1 as one of three new members of the University of Vermont Board of Trustees. Briar earned a degree in mechanical engineering from UVM before joining Pizzagalli Construction Company in 1984. He went to Bio Tek in 1986 where he held a number of management positions and has served as president and CEO since 2000. to Riley Marchand, National Geographic Bee School Champion from Charlotte Central School who qualified to compete in the Vermont National Geographic Bee competition at Castleton University on April 1. He will compete against approximately 100 students from throughout the state to see who will go to the National Geographic Bee in Washington, D.C., in May. Riley became the school champion by answering all questions correctly in a preliminary contest in December. to Paige Thibault, a CVU freshman from Charlotte, who was one of 11 students selected to attend the Governor’s Institutes of Vermont Winter Weekends. GIV hosts intensive, hands-on learning experiences for high school students on college campuses in the state. This winter, 10 institutes were held at Goddard College in subjects ranging from acting and mathematics to fiction writing and biomedical research. Students have to apply through their schools, and selection is competitive. to Katie Manges, DVM, who recently joined Ark Veterinary Practice in Shelburne. A native of Massachusetts,

Katie studied veterinary medicine at Tufts University before moving to Tuscon, Ariz. She and her husband (as well as their pets) moved to Vermont in order to be closer to her family in Massachusetts. She is also a skier, which helps acclimate her to the state. to playwright and author Greg Pierce for his play currently running at the Claire Tow Theater of Lincoln Center in New York City. Titled Her Requiem, Greg’s play received praise from Christopher Isherwood in The New York Times as a “thoughtful, beautifully acted new play… Greg Pierce’s characters are superbly drawn, his dialogue smooth and smart.” This is his second play to be staged in Lincoln Center, his fourth in the city. Greg grew up just over the Charlotte line in Shelburne and graduated from CVU in 1996.

Sympathy is extended to family and friends of Rodney Corliss who passed away January 29 at the age of 58. He, his wife, Brenda, and their family worked on the Varney Farm in Charlotte for several years. Sympathies may be sent to Brenda Corliss, 474 VT Rte. 110, North Tunbridge, VT 05077.

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T he C harloTTe N ews

Voice of the town since 1958

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