Char otte News
The Hometown Paper Since 1958.
Volume lVII Number 22
The VoIce of The TowN
Thursday, JuNe 18, 2015
Slow start for the Safety Committee 1 ∙ Town Party time 3 Writing competition winner 9 ∙ Charlotters graduate from CVU 12
The Charlotte News Volume lVII Number 22
The VoIce of The TowN
Thursday, JuNe 18, 2015
A tale of two meetings Selectboard takes on land use and financial matters John Hammer THE CHARLOTTE NEWS
Land and its uses dominate June 8 meeting
One last pledge June 12 marked the end of a lot of things for CVU students. At the school’s commencement ceremony at UVM that afternoon, Charlotters Noah Kiernan and Amelia Harris said the Pledge of Allegiance as public school students one last time. To read more about the memories and future plans of CVU’s graduating Charlotters, turn to pages 12 and 13. Photo: Jake Levison
For committee built on speeding, a slow start The Community Safety Committee has had trouble filling its ranks, one reason why meeting its mission hasn’t quite gained traction—yet Brett Sigurdson THE CHARLOTTE NEWS
Mark Moser is starting to develop a routine. At the beginning of each of the last two summers, he’s posted an update to Front Porch Forum about speeding on Greenbush Road, where he lives. “Once again the promised changes to stop outrageous speeds that vehicles travel the village have not changed drivers habits one bit,” he wrote last Sunday, adding he’s seen cars “hit speeds easily 60-70 mph in the village area.” While Moser appreciates the increased presence of Vermont State Police near Greenbush, a notorious road for speeding, he doesn’t believe it’s enough. “We were told there would be traffic ‘calming’ measures implemented, a radar speed warning sign, narrowing of the roadway by repainting the line to increase the shoulder area for use by pedestrians,” he writes. “What happened? Another year and really no chang-
es from last year, or the year before, or before that.” A few weeks earlier, Charlotte’s Community Safety Committee (CSC), the organization charged with advising the Selectboard on traffic control recommendations like those Moser cites promised by the town, held its first meeting in six months, the last time the committee had enough members for even a quorum. That’s why one could be forgiven for thinking this was the CSC’s inaugural meeting. Each of the five members—Chad Clark, Greg Smith, Moe Harvey, Robin Reid and Ed Cafferty (the final member, Libby James, was absent)—went in a circle to introduce themselves, sharing why they joined the committee. Its agenda even featured items like “election of chair, vice chair, secretary” and “determine committee’s work-plan and prioritized tasks.” Yet the CSC has been a standing committee since September 2014, when it was formally chartered by the Selectboard. However, due to the departure of two members and difficulty in getting new members to fill out the committee, the CSC’s efforts to advise the Selectboard on
Safety continued on page 6
First, the board approved Beth Humstone’s application for a permit to add 355 square feet to her camp’s footprint on 600 North Shore Road. The addition must meet with further approval from the Thompson’s Point Design Review Board, Zoning Board and Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation. Selectman Tegatz briefed a plan to utilize surplus paving funds to widen the south side of Ferry Road from Greenbush Road to the post office. A concrete curb would delineate the widened portion and reduce runoff into adjacent properties. Use of the widened portion will depend on public input and applicable road standards. A lengthy discussion arose concerning rebidding or renewing the lease for agricultural lands within the Charlotte Park and Wildlife Refuge (CP&WR). Existing contract wording is vague about whether the contract is open for rebidding or if there is an implicit intention to renew if both parties are satisfied. Counsel admitted that the language could be interpreted either way. A group of local farmers maintained that the language allows for rebidding, which would give new and beginning farmers an opportunity to lease the land for five years. The Park Oversight Committee stated that the incumbent, Nordic Holstein LLC, had agreed to a number of changes during the first five years of the contract and had been wonderful stewards of the land. Rebidding the contract would require a full rewrite to include the changes. The
Selectboard decided to renew the contract with Nordic Holsteins with the addition of a Schedule ‘A’ outlining the agreed-upon changes between the lessee and the town. In a related agenda item, Nordic Holsteins agreed to delay mowing 12 acres in the park to protect the nests of the resident bobolink population. The town in turn will reduce the lease by $360 should state or federal funds be unavailable for bobolink preservation (see page 17 for more about bobolinks). Late in the meeting Tree Warden Larry Hamilton asked the Selectboard for guidance in the matter of fines for injuring or destroying town trees. The matter arose when Robert and David Mack realigned the plowing pattern in a field at the northwest end of East Thompson’s Point Road to ameliorate erosion flows into Thorpe Brook. The new plowing pattern, however, along with a reduction in the size of the southern buffer strip, caused damage to a number of Rutter Tree Fund trees along East Thompson’s Point Road. The Macks rebuffed attempts by tree fund volunteers to reduce the damage but did offer to move the trees. Hamilton pointed out, however, that moving the trees now would kill them. The Selectboard decided that a site visit in the presence of arborists will be made before the Selectboard meeting on June 22. The Town Legislative Charter governing voting on municipal budget items has been drafted by the town’s attorney, and the first of two public hearings on its provisions will be held at the Selectboard meeting on September 14. The charter may be found at bit.ly/1Qtq3wh. In other brief actions, the Selectboard formally approved an offer of employ-
Selectboard continued on page 5
Ceal‘s ‘get together’ gets the golden seal Ceal Moran receives a recently signed Concurrent Resolution designating August 9 as Genealogy Day in Vermont. Mike Yantachka, house representative for Charlotte and Hinesburg, presented this resolution to her at the State House in Montpelier. Ceal has been hosting Genealogy Day in different counties around Vermont since 2010. The events were designed to “honor loved ones that are no longer with us and to keep family history alive,” says Ceal. Jay Town Hall will host Genealogy Day on August 9 this year. For more information about this initiative call Ceal at 802-425-4929. Photo: Courtesy
2 • June 18, 2015 • The CharloTTe news
Voices When I think of my father Musings on life and loss The Charlotte News The Voice of the Town Since 1958. 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 Charlotterelated people and events are accepted and encouraged from all townspeople and interested individuals. For submission guidelines and deadlines, please visit our website or contact the editor at news@charlottenewsvt.com. The Charlotte News is published in Charlotte by The Charlotte News, Inc., a Vermont domestic 501(c)(4) nonprofit corporation. Distribution is made every other Thursday to all households and businesses in Charlotte and to more than 50 outlets in Shelburne, Hinesburg, North Ferrisburgh, Ferrisburgh and Vergennes. It relies on the generous financial contributions of its readers, subscriptions and advertising revenue to sustain its operations.
Editorial Staff news@charlottenewsvt.com 802-425-4949
Editor in chief—Alex Bunten Assistant editor—Brett Sigurdson Contributing editors—Edd Merritt, Ruah Swennerfelt Copy editors—Beth Merritt, Leslie Botjer, Vince Crockenberg
BuSinESS Staff ads@charlottenewsvt.com 802-343-0279 Business manager—Shanley Hinge Ad managers—Monica Marshall, Liz Philip-Morris Circulation group—Valerie Lebensohn
Board MEMBErS Co-president—Tom O’Brien Co-president—Vince Crockenberg Secretary—John Hammer Board members—Rachel Cummings, Tim Halverson, Carol Hanley, Michael Haulenbeek, Patrice Machavern, Gay Regan, Louisa Schibli
ContriButorS Cindy Bradley Schuyler Edgar-Holmes
Georgia Edwards Carrie Fenn Abby Foulk Susan Grasso Larry Hamilton
Skyler Heininger Jim Hyde Kerrie Pughe Mary Recchia Sue Smith Holly Sullivan Margaret Woodruff
thAnk you!
on thE CovEr CCS Stage Band performing on the Memorial Auditorium Stage, June 9, during the 2015 Burlington Discover Jazz Festival. Photo: Susie Marchand nExt iSSuE dEadlinES Next Issue Date: Thursday, July 2 Contributions: Monday, June 22 by 5 p.m. Letters: Monday, June 29, by 10 a.m. SuBSCriPtion inforMation The Charlotte News is delivered at no cost to all Charlotte residences. Personal or out-of-town subscriptions are available for $20 per year (Bulk Mailing) or $40 per year (First Class). Please send a check or money order to the address below. PoStMaStEr Send address changes to: The Charlotte News P.O. Box 251 Charlotte, VT 05445 Telephone: 802-425-4949
Alex Bunten EDITOR IN CHIEF
It’s been about six months since my father, Roger Bunten (1947–2014), passed away unexpectedly. When I found out, I was out on the town with friends in Alicante, Spain. My older brother, Will, called at about 11 p.m.—“Dad didn’t wake up.” The words didn’t register. My father had retired the year previous. He had beaten a serious case of prostate cancer. He was participating in Movember for a second time. He had braved a visit to Russia six months prior (a place he said he would never go to) and talked about other travel. In the summer, he rode his motorcycle every day to “get some wind in my hair.” Mt. Philo was his morning “block.” He had re-kindled love in his life with a high school sweetheart. He was happy. And then this. Impossible. Craig, my younger brother, found him and tried to resuscitate, but he was already gone. Arrhythmia. A skip of the heart. A loss of rhythm. It didn’t start again. Meanwhile, my heart stopped and my mind swirled on a side street in Spain. Where is my family? How do I get home? Why now? Why him? What next? What next? The last question was the worst. I kicked a stone wall so hard that my toenail seems to have creased at its base— where my life creased. I could hear my dad saying, “That’ll leave a mark.” The black line is about half way up my toe now. Toenails grow slowly. I had planned to leave Russia in the coming few years anyway, but this event precipitated an immediate departure in December. I dropped my job and life there and soon found myself living in my family home, working at my hometown newspaper. A shift in place, perspective, career, family, everything. What would dad have thought about all this? That’s what I want to know. The longest I’d been home in 12 years was about three months in 2011. After living in four countries and undertaking a few global adventures, this was supposed to be a breeze. I was moving home. I knew what I was doing. No. I didn’t. Where was home? Where was my father? Nothing could have prepared me for all of this hap-
(From left) Craig, Alex and Will Bunten celebrate their dad, Roger Bunten (1947 – 2014), for Fathers Day in 2012. They planted a red oak together. pening at the same time. A dull knife is A poor servAnt A few days after my father’s service, I bumped into Nick Cowles, a long-time friend and mentor. He said something to the effect of, “Don’t try to think too much. It’s going to be very hard for a while.” This just as well could have been something he tells people after too much Dead Bird Brandy. I didn’t really get it for the very reason he told me it. How do I respond to such wise words…? Get a new job that requires layers and layers of sharp thought. Like my father, I can be stubborn as a mule, but eventually come around in a sheepish way. About the time I figured out Nick was right, a sailing trip from Tortola to Newport, Rhode Island, came up on Bill Fraser-Harris’ boat, “Namaste.” It was an amazing trip. We sailed about 1,700 miles, saw dolphins, whales, caught a marlin, broke a spinnaker halyard underway, survived the corners of the Bermuda triangle, and generally found each other tolerable. But when I got home and tried to write up the story, I realized most of the trip I was just thinking about my father. I wasn’t paying attention to the details. The adventure paled in comparison to the amount of time I had to think about him. To boot, I got home from nine days at sea and realized that in the un-thinking fallout days I had planned a trip back to Alicante with my girlfriend, Marissa. My friend Luca was getting married. A week after the sailing trip, I was on a plane to Europe. Back I went, to the place where my toenail bent. The trip was lovely, but when I got “home” everything started bubbling up. At the office, a friend had a story idea— “How about something on all the working fathers in town for the Father’s Day issue?” Great idea. Bubble. I went for a run near the house. This was the same
path my father used to walk with our old beagle, Tally. Bubble, bubble. Dad loved to watch the crops grow on his walks. He knew them all. Glub, glub. “Ashokan Farewell” starts on my iPod, the dirge we played for my father at his wake. There goes the levee. Home is where I always visited my father and left again; this is where we played cribbage together; where we cooked pizzas in the brick oven; where I grew up listening to him sing at the top of his lungs; where he taught me to ride a bike; this was where we split wood and kept the home fires burning. if wishes were horses, beggArs would ride
I’ve been saying to people that all the travel was healing, but I don’t really know if it was. My toenail is growing out, that’s for sure. The event is moving away in time, but grieving is different for everyone. I’m still not thinking at optimal speeds, but the support of family and a very special community has been invaluable. For that I thank you. My toe will heal and my head will clear, but my heart will always beat a bit slower for a man who had an enormous influence on my life. What would he think of all this? He would have been thankful and amazed at all the people who sent flowers and cards or came to his service. But at the same time, he would have probably wondered why such a fuss was made over him. He would have loved all the memories that people have shared around the town. Long may they continue. He would have loved to see his boys all living in Vermont again. We would have loved to spend more time with him. Here’s to all the fathers on Father’s Day—you shape our lives in ways you might never know. Long may your memories shine.
Apply for the Outwater Summer Internship The Charlotte News is looking for a motivated, news-savvy intern with strong writing skills and a natural curiosity about the local area. Candidates should be readers of local media and be able to craft messages on platforms such as Twitter and Facebook. Candidates should be creative, outgoing, dependable and comfortable in a fast-paced environment. A driver’s license and access to a car are highly desirable. If interested, please send two or three writing and/or photography samples and a short motivation letter to news@charlottenewsvt.com with the subject “Outwater Internship 2015.” The deadline has been extended to June 25.
Circulation: 3,000 copies per issue.
This is a 15-to-20-hour per week position that will start at the end of June and run through the end of August. Interns who finish their working commitments will be paid a $500 stipend. The position can be extended for suitable candidates.
Copyright © 2015 The Charlotte News, Inc. Printed by Upper Valley Press
The stipend for this internship was made possible by a generous donation from Alice D. Outwater, and in memory of her husband, John Outwater.
The CharloTTe News • JuNe 18, 2015 • 3
Voices Thank you for a wonderful party! Heartfelt thanks to all who came to the Senior Center Sunday afternoon June 7 to celebrate Larry’s 90th birthday. What a lively and happy gathering! We are humbled and very grateful to have so many friends in the community. You made it the truly wonderful party that it was. Special thanks go to the many people who helped Linda pull the event together, especially Sally Wadhams, Annemie Curlin, Sue Smith, John and Ann Owen, Ruah Swennerfelt, Kitt, and Abby Foulk. The delightful barbershop quartet music was provided by the Mansfield 4, under the leadership of Charlotter Neil Schell. And the delicious and festive cupcakes were made by Rick Benson of Ferry Road Catering. We are also grateful to Charlotte Senior Center for the comfortable and welcoming space to gather in. At the reception, contributions were
welcome to the Charlotte Tree Fund toward the planting of a tree in the Charlotte Park and Wildlife Refuge in Larry’s honor. The outpouring of support was so generous that there is more than enough to plant and maintain a tree for Larry! Sincere thanks to the many people who contributed, to Stephen Brooks’ brother, Peter Brooks, for his surprise challenge grant, and to William Rutter and family for their generous support of the fund once again. This financial boost will enable the Charlotte Tree Fund to continue the program of enhancing the beauty and environmental health of Charlotte with more roadside trees. Lucky we who live in Charlotte!
Larry and Linda Hamilton Charlotte
Letters PoLicy: The Charlotte News welcomes signed letters to the editor 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 maximum of 300 words. The editors reserve the right to edit for clarity, English usage and length or to publish submissions in full. Send them to news@charlottenewsvt.com
A swamp white oak planted at the Charlotte Park and Wildlife Refuge to celebrate Tree Warden Larry Hamilton’s 90th birthday. At Larry’s birthday bash on June 7, well-wishers and tree lovers gave a total of $1,950 to the tree fund. In doing so, they met and exceeded a $500 match funding pledge by Peter Brooks (Stephen’s brother), who as a Cornell University graduate insists that Larry influenced his life while he was teaching there. William Rutter contributed an additional $5000 to the fund, bringing the total amount to $7,450, ensuring that lots more trees will be planted in Charlotte in the coming years. Photo: Courtesy
community news
Town Bites by Edd Merritt
Pollak and Clark face off with Facebook Former Charlotte resident Aaron Pollak and Kyle Clark, previously executives at Dynapower, started a new company called Designbook, which connects people who have ideas for a business
with sources of capital to make it happen on a scale that is reasonable. Clark met up with Pollak when Kyle sold his first company, iTherm Technologies, to Dynapower. They worked together for six years before deciding to head off on their own, not knowing that the name of their firm-to-be, Designbook, would compete with that of social media giant Facebook. Facebook filed a complaint with the Patent and Trademark office, stating that “Designbook” might lead some customers to think it is connected with Facebook. Little did the latter realize that those rallying behind these two Vermonters would include Vermont’s Governor Shumlin who wrote to Facebook’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg in their support.
News from The News Welcome Carol Hanley We would like to welcome Carol Hanley as the newest member of The Charlotte News Board of Directors. Carol is a graphic designer and owned Hanley Design in Charlotte until her retirement several years ago. She and her husband, Bunky Bernstein, lived in Charlotte nearly 40 years until three years ago when they moved to Long Point, just across Town Farm Bay from Thompson’s Point. We look forward to Carol’s contribution to our ongoing efforts in telling the stories that matter to Charlotters.
Gearing up for Town Party Charlotte’s Town Party takes place this year on Saturday, July 11, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the Town Green. The Friends of the Charlotte Library is preparing for the annual book sale and again is setting up for local town nonprofits to display information about their organizations.
table reservations If you represent a nonprofit town organization and have not been contacted about reserving table space for the party, call or email Dana Murphy (425-5885 or ray-dana@comcast.net) to request a spot. Please include your group’s information, your phone number and email address. We will try to accommodate everyone, but space is limited.
book-sale guidelines
To avoid rejecting pounds of books and adding to the already labor-intensive sorting process, please recycle unsaleable books before dropping off your donations at the library. We Cannot aCCePt Damp, moldy or mildewed books Books in poor condition (missing pages/covers, underlined, yellowed, etc.) Textbooks, encyclopedias, Reader’s Digest condensed books Travel books older than 2010 Magazines here’s What you need to do Throw out damp, moldy, mildewed
or smelly books with your trash. Recycle unsaleable paperbacks with your other recyclables or drop off at a Chittenden Solid Waste (CSWD) drop-off site. Unsaleable hardcover books cannot be recycled with your regular recycling but can be dropped off at a CSWD drop-off site. Goodwill (open every day) on Shelburne Road will take donations of most books, including textbooks, encyclopedias, old books.
donations for the book sale Bring saleable books to the library during library hours. Please DO NOT leave donations outside the door when the library is closed. Check in with library staff to find out where to leave your donations and to preview for suitability if you are uncertain. Request a donation receipt from library staff. We will be accepting donations starting Wednesday, June 24, and ending Thursday, July 9. If you have a large number of books to donate, please call the library at 425-3864 to make drop-off arrangements. Your book donations are what make the book sale the success it is. We are dedicated to maintaining the high quality people have come to expect and thank you for your continued support. Following these simple guidelines will make this year’s sale the best ever!
4 • June 18, 2015 • The CharloTTe news
Charlotte Sailing Center seeking approval for dredging project Brett Sigurdson THE CHARLOTTE NEWS
A Charlotte company is looking to dredge and deepen part of McNeil Cove in order to continue to operate. The Charlotte Sailing Center is currently seeking a lake encroachment permit for the project, which is now awaiting public comment. According to an application submitted by owner Andy O’Brien, the company is seeking to remove over 2,000 cubic yards of sediment from a channel the Sailing Center uses to launch and remove boats. If approved, the project will use a floating excavator to remove sediment and place it on a barge. The sediment will then be loaded into a dump truck and transported to a disposal berm on the Sailing Center’s property along Converse Bay Road. There, it will be spread and leveled by a bulldozer each day. The project is expected to take five days. This is the second time the Charlotte Sailing Center has sought to dredge the channel. The project was first undertaken in 2003, though it was ultimately left incomplete due to hardpan clay humps at the end of the channel.
According to the application, O’Brien says the project is vital to ensuring the Charlotte Sailing Center doesn’t “lose business.” “It is imperative I get the channel taken care of in order to make my company viable,” he wrote. “There is not enough depth at the hauling season to get boats in [to the launching bulkhead] to be hauled out for winter. Without the dredging operation, I will seriously have to consider closing my business.” The Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation is seeking comments on the proposal. It will hold a public information meeting at Charlotte’s Town Hall on July 6 at 10 a.m. Interested parties are invited to attend or submit comments to Kevin Burke, a lake encroachment regional permit analyst, at kevin.burke@state. vt.us. The deadline for submitting comments is July 10. Copies of the application are available for review at the Vermont Lakes & Ponds Management and Protection Program office in Montpelier or on the Agency of Natural Resources website at bit.ly/1Qxmjtu.
Champ Run fun The 13th Annual CCS PTO Champ Run was a hit on June 7, with over 84 participants in attendance. The 1-mile Fun Run started out the sunny Sunday races and 1st place went to Dicey Manning. Second place went to Aiden Devine and 3rd place to Oliver Nelson. In the 5K, CCS kids took the cake. The top three overall male 5K finishers were Henry Bijur, Will Patton, and Holden Batchelder. The top two overall female 5K finishers were Chloe Silverman and Sadie Holmes. Oliver Bijur and Katie Taylor of Charlotte took first place in the men’s and women’s 10K races, respectively. The Charlotte News’ own Alex Bunten dragged himself over the line in 4th place for the 10K, but won his age group. Well done all!
(Bottom) Dan Briggs of Middlebury ran on behalf of the Diversified Occupation Program. They called themselves D.O. on the Run. He is pictured with his mother and father. With the help of some good friends, spina bifida couldn’t keep Dan from participating for his second year in a row. Photos: Alex Bunten
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The CharloTTe News • JuNe 18, 2015 • 5
Charlotter Mike Dee opens new clinic in Hinesburg Dee Physical Therapy, or Dee PT, will open its third clinic later this month in Hinesburg. Dee PT is owned and operated by Mike and Justine Dee of Charlotte, who have been doing business in Chittenden County since 1988. They also run Dee PT centers in South Burlington and Shelburne. The new clinic will be located at 52 Farmall Drive just down the block from the Bristol Bakery in downtown Hinesburg. The window-lined, 2,700-square-foot clinic will have treadmills, elliptical machines, stationary bikes, free weights, a squat rack and weight-lifting machines. It will also have specialized equipment for early rehabilitation. Patients at all three facilities will have access to exercise areas and equipment during and after their rehabilita-
Selectboard
from page 1
ment as recreation coordinator to Nicole Connelly effective June 10, approved a petition to change the name of Mandi’s Way to Fat Cow Farm Circle, approved the appointments of Linda Radimer and Annie Geratowski to the Conservation Committee, reappointed Stephany Hawse to the Trails Committee and appointed Richard St. George as town forest fire warden.
Charlotte Meetings June 18–July 2 Selectboard: June 22, 7 p.m. planning commiSSion: June 18, 7 p.m. ccS School board: none cVu School board: none Zoning board: June 24, 3 p.m. board of auditorS: June 18, 8:15 a.m
seleCtboard MeMbers Dee PT owner Mike Dee (right) and Jared Boudreau, a physical therapy aide. Dee PT will open a new facility in Hinesburg later in July. tion. “We have found that our patients have a much better outcome when we individualize their program and allow them to exercise during and after their rehabilitation. Hinesburg residents will now have that care and convenience,� said Mike. Mike Dee will be the primary physi-
cal therapist at the Hinesburg location. Rahn Fleming of CVU will serve as a personal trainer. The clinic will open in July with hours offered Monday through Friday and the staff also expects to offer weekend hours for physical therapy and use of the fitness space.
Selectboard concentrateS on financial matterS on June 15
approved it for submission to the state. The long-running creation of a town purchasing policy underwent a final review with comments made by the town’s attorney and auditors. The final document will be made available to the public and approved at the meeting on June 22. In the last agenda item, the Selectboard reviewed last year’s auditor’s management letter (bit.ly/1TpaYuK) and concluded that the “material weaknesses� identified were all being actively addressed and that other recommendations made by the auditors for strengthening internal control and operating efficiencies were either completed or in the process of being resolved. The next regular Selectboard meeting will be held on June 22.
To begin, the board renewed the contract with the Vermont State Police for FY 2016 for an amount not to exceed $29,282.50, an increase of five percent over the 2015 contract; approved a contract with Sullivan, Powers & Co. to carry out the FY 2015 audit; and transferred $30,282, made available from a VELCO equipment tax payment, to the Improvement and Repair Reserve Fund for use in the repair of the library roof. The board also reviewed the annual, state-mandated Financial Management Questionnaire, recently completed by the town treasurer, Mary Mead, which uncovered the need for a policy to govern writing checks for cash. The Selectboard reviewed the completed questionnaire and
Chair, Lane Morrison: 425-2495 Matthew Krasnow: 922-2153 Carrie Spear: 425-4444 Jacob Spell: 425-6548 Fritz Tegatz: 425-5564 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 Chair, Mark McDermott: 425-4860 Vice Chair Erik Beal: 425-2140 Kristin Wright: 425-5105 Clyde Baldwin: 425-3366 Susan Nostrand: 425-4999
PLANNING COMMISSION Administrator, Jeannine McCrumb: 425-3071; jeannine@townofcharlotte.com Chair, Jeffrey McDonald: 425-4429 Vice Chair, Peter Joslin Members, Gerald Bouchard, Paul Landler, Linda Radimer, Donna Stearns, Marty Illick
Meeting times are subject to change. Check the town website for more info: charlottevt.org
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6 • June 18, 2015 • The CharloTTe news
Safety
A portion of that budget, $27,868, was earmarked in July 2014 for a new one-year police contract with Vermont State Police. On the recomSome numbers from the Vermont State mendation of the CSC, the Selectboard purchased a Police and its work around the town $7,500 mobile speed traffic cart to measure speed and Compiled by: Alex Bunten traffic flow. The town also painted lane-narrowing white fog lines a quarter-mile in all directions at the intersections at Greenbush and Ferry roads and Spear Street and Hinesburg Road. Finally, the town rented lights to promote traffic safety during trick-ortreat on Halloween. As of June 12, $44,509 of the original allocation remains. If the money is not spent by the end of the fiscal year on June 30, it will go down as unspent and possibly used as revenue against next year’s tax rate, said Matt Krasnow, the Selectboard’s liaison to the CSC. When asked if he thought the allocation could have been used to meet a demand for more traffic safety measures, Krasnow stated he felt “the money spent has been effective at improving safety in 1 Six of the alarms were false. town and a wise investment 2 One individual in compliance. One individual not home. One address did for the town.” not exist. All the same, Krasnow is 3 One of the crashes involved an injury. hoping the Selectboard will 4 A motor vehicle was searched and the operator was issued a marijuana budget for more safety meaticket. sures during the 2016-17 fiscal 5 Male arrested. year. A total of $30,000 was allocated to traffic enforcement for FY15-16, though almost all problem areas in town for speeding and points begat a task for Clark, Smith, of it—$29,282—is tied to a new police where the town could put the speed cart Cafferty, Harvey and Reid. They agreed service contract with the Vermont State in order to get the best data. to meet again the second Tuesday of Police. Krasnow has presented sevIt’s something the Selectboard is also every month to move forward on the eral ideas to the Selectboard, such as pondering, explained Krasnow. committee’s work. extending the white fog lines already “The Selectboard decided to get the For his part, Krasnow is confident the in place in the east and west villages traffic cart’s analytic capacities working CSC will overcome its slow start. another quarter mile each. He’d also and fine tuned before spending money “I think the Safety Committee now like to see money allocated for remov- on another traffic calming experiment, has a diverse and great composition of ing dead trees from the town’s rights of so that we could develop an accurate members who have expertise in the field way and spreading more sand and salt baseline and measure any change quan- and bring a positive enthusiasm to their on the roadways in winter and sweep- titatively, effectively and accurately,” work,” he said. “I look forward to their ing it away in the spring. said Krasnow. recommendations to the Selectboard in Likewise, the newest version of the The committee also discussed other the future.” CSC displayed an energetic determi- ways to control speeding—speed nation to move forward on its mis- humps and speed tables, for instance— One spot currently remains open on the sion during Tuesday’s meeting. After as well as safety at the Town Beach and CSC. For more information on how to introductions, the committee got down whether current police coverage was apply, see below. to business, spending time discussing sufficient. Each of these conversation
The Charlotte beat
from page 1
town safety issues have languished. “I’m not sure anything useful has come of the committee heretofore,” Smith told the committee during introductions. Smith has been a member of the CSC since September. An 11-year resident of Charlotte with a background in the Department of Justice, he joined the committee because he felt his lawenforcement background would benefit the town. However, a quorum has been difficult to achieve, he told the committee, and he’s sensed a lack of interest by the Selectboard to do much. “What are we going to be about?” he asked. “More meetings where we don’t even get a quorum? I’ll take a stroll.” The Selectboard established the seven-member CSC as an advisory group that would make recommendations on police services, road safety and emergency planning. According to its original charter, the committee’s tasks center on researching and collecting public feedback about police service and traffic calming options. Its work is a continuation of the efforts by the original CSC, which was formed on an ad-hoc basis after community members grew concerned over a perceived rash of break-ins and speeding reports. The committee’s work culminated in a 43-page report on the need for more police services in Charlotte. Based on five years of police call data and a community survey, the committee found there was a negligible increase in crime in Charlotte between 2008 and 2013. Exploring ways to reduce speed, the CSC recommended the town employ traffic-calming measures such as speed humps and tables, strategic shoulder striping and better signage. It also recommended a larger police presence to curb speeding and burglaries, though it did not offer specific recommendations for the extent of such police coverage. The process of exploring community safety also continued at Town Meeting 2014, when voters allocated $40,000 of the town budget for public safety measures in FY2014-15, an amount that augmented $30,000 budgeted for traffic enforcement.
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• Design Review Committee—1 vacancy with a term ending in April, 2016 • Community Safety Committee—1 vacancy with a term ending in April, 2017 • Recreation Commission—1 vacancy with a term ending in April, 2017 • Zoning Board of Adjustment—1 vacancy with a term ending in April, 2018 Interested applicants should contact Dean Bloch by e-mail (dean@townofcharlotte.com), phone (425-3533) or stop by the office for more information.
The CharloTTe News • JuNe 18, 2015 • 7
Public health: behind the cloak of invisibility Alzheimer’s disease. Overcoming failure is a challenge that drives all of us in public health. A first principle of public health practice is that it is always better to prevent disease and illness rather than to treat them afterwards. For example automobile injuries: If, through safe-driving programs, better designed Editor’s note: This is the first in a highways and roads and better engiseries of articles that Professor Hyde neered vehicles, we can prevent a will write for The News over the next collision from occurring, then we have several months discussing the science prevented subsequent injuries. If those and practice of public health. measures do not work, then we have a second-line approach using seat belts Most of the time public health is and other vehicle-engineering strateinvisible. gies to dissipate the energy of We don’t have fancy the impact—air bags and padhigh tech gizmos such ded dashboards—thus proas CAT scans, MRIs tecting occupants from injury. and heart-lung machines. Finally, if all else fails, we We are rarely portrayed have a third “harm reduction” on TV or in movies mechanism available: the that celebrate our work. emergency medical care sys(Exception: “Call the tem. This includes transport Midwife” on PBS.) The (ambulances, helicopters), simplicity of the strateJim Hyde caregivers (first responders gies we employ—hand CONTRIBUTOR and EMTs) and trauma cenwashing, boiling water, ters. sunscreen, diet—belies This is what is meant by an the sophistication of the integrated health system. science behind them. Most signifiBut integrated systems are costly. cantly, here in the U.S. we don’t have The most costly parts of the system a formal mechanism for financing our are the most technologically intense work—whether public or private. and furthest from the initial cause. The The paradox is that it is often our least costly are the preventive measuccess that helps make sures. The paradox is us invisible. When that we often find it something doesn’t hapeasier to finance the ‘Public health pen—a heart attack, rather than the approaches also former a measles outbreak or latter. food recall—people challenge us as a Public health rarely, if ever, comment. society to make approaches also chalHowever, when a cruise lenge us as a society is cut short by Norwalk hard choices: some- to make hard choicvirus, TB shows up in times economic, es: sometimes ecoour schools, or someoften ethical and, nomic, often ethical one dies from an antiand almost always almost always, biotic-resistant infection political. Take, for acquired during a routine example, early childpolitical.’ hospital procedure, then hood lead poisoning. everyone takes notice. We have known since The history of pubRoman times about the lic health is replete with stories of adverse health effects of lead exposure. both success and failure. Some failures In the last 40 years, research has shown result from not applying knowledge we that even very low levels of lead expoalready have—the cholera epidemic sure in childhood are associated with in Haiti—some from the difficulty serious developmental and neurologiof changing behavior—obesity—and cal deficits in kids. While much has some from an insufficient understand- been done to remove lead from the ing of the causal pathway to disease—
environment— e.g., removal of lead additives from gasoline and the elimination of lead from paint—lead still remains in older housing units, in landfills and in dust, especially in urban areas. Because the costs of remediation are so high, however, rather than expending resources to remove these sources of lead, we choose to accept a certain amount of damage to our children by leaving residual lead in place. But even were the costs significantly PHOTO: WELLCOME LIBRARY, LONDON/CREATIVE COMMONS lower, the politics that it would the dilemmas and conflicts we face as take to get us to a lead-free environ- a society in protecting the health of ment are daunting. Consider for a the public. In the meantime, if these moment the current debate in Congress sorts of topics interest you, follow my on proposed EPA regulations on coal- Twitter feed @jimhyde or any one of fired power plants and you have some a number of very good public health sense of what would be required. practice sites—especially the CDC At the most basic level, public health (cdc.gov), the Vermont Department practice is about stewardship. This of Health (healthvermont.gov/), the often means making decisions and tak- Bloomberg School of Public Health ing actions that will benefit the greatest at Johns Hopkins (jhsph.edu/) or the number of people in the population T. H. Chan School of Public Health at while at the same time causing the least Harvard (hsph.harvard.edu/). amount of harm. This is never easy and sometimes intrudes on the rights Jim Hyde is a professor emeritus of of individuals. An example is the case public health at the Tufts University of the person who refuses to wear a School of Medicine. Prior to Tufts seatbelt, does not wish to be screened he was with the Family Development for Ebola exposure or would rather not Project at Children’s Hospital Boston have health insurance coverage. and subsequently the director of preMy goal with ensuing columns is ventive medicine in the Massachusetts to peek behind public health’s invis- Department of Public Health. He and ibility cloak and make the science his wife live in Charlotte. and practice of public health a bit more comprehensible. Who are the players? What is their relationship to colleagues in clinical medicine? Why is epidemiology called the “basic science” of public health? And drawing on current issues in the news, what are
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8 • June 18, 2015 • The CharloTTe news
The Literary 'Lotte
Book Review Do No Harm: Stories of Life, Death and Brain Surgery by Henry Marsh
GeorGia edwards
The Edge of the World: An Excerpt
CONTRIBUTOR
Schuyler Edgar-Holmes CONTRIBUTOR
I was fingering the key on a chain around my neck. The metal had long become warm from the heat of my body. I heard a crow cawing outside but didn’t really notice. I went to the trunk and slipped my key into the lock. It felt strange, the feel of the cold wood next to the heat of the key. The lock clicked, the trunk opened. I took out a package wrapped in brown paper. The package was heavy in my hand, so I set it on the bed. I took out my rope, knife, bow, a quiver of arrows, and a large piece of sturdy woolen cloth. I put all of it in my rucksack along with the pillow and blanket from the bed next to me. It was time to leave. I had lived in that house for as long as I could remember. Since my parents left, I had lived alone. Yes, a cabin in the woods does have its disadvantages. For four years, I had lived off the land, except for in the case of shelter. I didn’t dare go into the town and avoided hunters as much as I could. And that had been my life. Until now, until I decided that that life was not enough. My aunt had told me stories of places in far-off lands. One had caught my attention. It was a story of a man who had traveled to the edge of the world and found a portal into another realm. Of course the portals weren’t real, but I had long wanted to see the edge of the world, having heard other stories of the wonderful light. Otherworldly light. I had never wanted anything else more. Suddenly, I was on the ground. Before I could even register how, there were claws in my hair, dragging me upwards. I heard a familiar cawing noise from directly above me. A crow? The one I had heard outside my window. As it carried me through the air, I realized that no normal sized crow could carry me like this. I was also blinded by the pain and sure that I would be half bald by the time it put me down. Yet somehow I survived the surprisingly short ride. When it put me in its nest, I saw that I was right about its size. The crow was about ten feet tall, and its wingspan was about thirty. Its feathers were well oiled and so black they were almost blue. “Well, that was fun. One of the lightest landers I’ve carried yet!” the crow said. “Oh God, you talk,” was all I could muster as I sat there, wide-eyed. “Yes. It really shouldn’t be all that shocking you know. Almost all the animals in these woods talk. Just not all in English. And I happen to be giant, so it doesn’t seem so strange that talking in a human’s tongue would go with that,” the crow said in a clipped and arrogant male British accent…. Schuyler is a sixth-grade student at CCS.
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Sixty-seven-year-old Henry Marsh is one of Britain’s foremost neurosurgeons. A fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons and consultant neurosurgeon at Atkinson Morley’s/St. George’s Hospital, London, he came to his profession quite by accident. While working as a hospital porter during his undergraduate years, he saw his first surgery and found “…its controlled and altruistic violence deeply appealing.” He then applied to several medical schools in London but, lacking a background in science, was turned down by every one except the Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine. In 1973, as a medical student, he observed an aneurysm operation and described the procedure as ”… elegant, delicate, dangerous and full of meaning.” Thus began a precarious yet rewarding “love affair” with neurosurgery. Marsh went on to spend his career working in hospitals and private practice. He helped pioneer neurosurgery in which patients are kept under local anesthetic in order to converse during procedures. His volunteer work in the Ukraine has been the subject of two documentary films. The invasive procedures used during Marsh’s early years of performing brain surgery have been replaced with binocular microscopes, xenon light sources, cameras and computers. Long-handled, fine-tipped instruments and “suckers” now extract tumors from the brain. The “craft of neurosurgery,” as Marsh calls it, has made great technological advances but is not without its dangers. Life or death, function or loss, may come down to less than a millimeter. Like other neurosurgeons, Marsh sometimes
walks a fine line between performing procedures that save lives but may cause death or permanent damage, and allowing the disease to naturally run its course. Over the years he has come to believe that, for good or bad, luck plays a role. During his 42 years as a neurosurgeon, Marsh admits to errors of commission or omission and feels the obligation to bear witness to them. Several years ago, he delivered a lecture to fellow colleagues titled, “All My Worst Mistakes.” It was met by a stunned and silent audience. Undeterred, he went on to write Do No Harm, in which he acknowledges his mistakes in order to provide an honest account of what it is like to be a neurosurgeon and to recognize how his errors have contributed to inward changes. Each of the 25 chapters in Marsh’s book is headed by a type of brain tumor or medical term and contains a relevant case study. Using layperson-friendly language, he carefully explains diagnoses, procedures and outcomes and provides an intriguing look at the fascinating complexity of the human brain. His devotion to his specialty, and empathy for his patients, is evident. Marsh’s earlier professional years of adrenaline-pumping energy may have settled, but the anxious thrill presented by a difficult case remains. In these situations, he decides how far to go and respects his limitations by listening to his inner voice—“I decide at some unconscious place within myself, where all the ghosts have assembled to watch me.”
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The News is taking its annual summer break beginning July 2. Our next issue is scheduled for July 30. Please send any news or events happening in the interim for publication in our July 2 issue. The deadline is Friday, June 26.
The CharloTTe News • JuNe 18, 2015 • 9
4TH ANNUAL CHARLOTTE NEWS WRITING COMPETITION WINNER
Small Restaurant by Jorden Blucher
Jack bent over the small sink and splashed cold water onto his face. He could hear the murmurs and laughter of the other patrons as he stared at himself in the mirror, his breaths coming in rapid succession, the bright red walls seeming to close in as he tried to pace in the closet-size bathroom. Moments before he and Teresa had been sitting at a table in the middle of the room. He’d just poured the last of the wine into their glasses, when she told him. He’d nearly dropped the wine bottle and had pushed back from the table with such force the legs had screeched across the floor. Everyone in the small restaurant turned to look, their eyes following him as he rose and hastily threaded his way through the tables. Jack’s knuckles were white as he gripped the sides of the sink trying to control his breathing. He felt like the bathroom was turning on its side, preparing to throw him against the wall, like some demented carnival ride. Slowly he let go of the sink and twisted his body, placing a hand on the back of the toilet. Then he took an awkward shuffling step and sat down with a bang that echoed off the large black drain pipe that ran up the wall. Doubling over, he stuck his head between his knees. He’d been waiting for this night for three years. It was the one thing that had allowed him to keep going through the
long days and crushingly lonely nights. They’d written letters and talked about the future. This was supposed to be a great night out, seeing each other for the first time in so long, and yet here he was with his head between his knees in a claustrophobic bathroom. His mind raced as it replayed what had just happened. Her face had been emotionless when she had told him. Only now, staring at the worn floor, did he realize how much she had changed. I wish someone had told me, people must know, but people don’t do that here, they just keep to themselves and mind their own business. I’ll talk to her. Maybe we can work this out. Maybe at least I can get some answers. I deserve answers. There was a soft knock on the door. “Be right out,” Jack said, without lifting his head. He took a few more breaths and stood up slowly, his legs feeling weak. He looked at himself in the mirror and splashed some more water on his face and dried it with a coarse ineffective paper towel. The elderly man on the other side of the door gave him a look of pity before averting his eyes and turning sideways to allow Jack to pass. Their table in the middle of the room was empty.
‘Jack’s knuckles were white as he gripped the sides of the sink trying to control his breathing.’
Our writing competition winner, Jorden Blucher, graciously accepts his prizes from Vince Crockenburg, one of the three judges in the competition, and Charlie Prout of Horsford Garden & Nursery. Photo: Alex Bunten
C
ongratulations to Jorden Blucher, the winner of the fourth annual Charlotte News writing competition! Here’s what the judges had to say: “Our winning entry is clearly and crisply written, tightly focused and nicely illustrates the ‘Show me, don’t tell me’ rule of good fiction writing as it vividly captures ten minutes of pure panic.” We would also like to congratulate our runner-up, Kenneth Peck, for his story “A bagel episode.” Thank you to all the people who submitted to the competition. Writing is a process and we look forward to your submission next year! Also, a big thanks goes out to our sponsors (below) for donating the prizes and encouraging our community of writers. Horsford Garden & nursery | old Brick store | spear’s corner store
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10 • June 18, 2015 • The CharloTTe news
News From CVU by Susan Grasso
A look at our community’s largest investment: CVU grads Many years ago Hillary Clinton famously reminded us that “It takes a village to raise a child.” On Friday, June 12, CVU graduated the Class of 2015, and the CSSU “villages” said farewell and good luck to another cohort of their collective children—students who have benefitted not just from our tax dollars but from the myriad ways in which we engage with our youngest residents. As board members we spend a great deal of time thinking about our school’s mission, policies and priorities, trying
to balance what is best for kids with what is best for the school budget. At graduation time, we pause in this work, and, as good parents are wont to do as their children fly from the proverbial nest, we ask, how did our villages do in “raising” our students? Though not a question that is easily answered, we do have some post-graduation data, and plans are underway to collect more. Beginning with the CVU graduation rate, what follows is a brief profile of the Class of 2014, the most recent class for which data is available. On average, approximately 93 percent of CVU students graduate from high school within four years (compared to a national average of about 80 percent). Of the 276 graduates of the class of 2014, 73 percent planned to
RESIDENTIAL
attend a post-secondary institution (70 percent to a four-year college, three percent to a two-year college), indicating that CVU students pursue higher education opportunities at rates that exceed state and national averages (54 percent and 63 percent, respectively). Of those seniors who attended one of the local technical centers (15 percent of the Class of 2014), 30 percent enrolled in college. Post-secondary school attendance is an important parameter to consider as, statistically speaking, lifetime earnings have been shown to increase with educational attainment. Our best data also tell us that almost 53 percent of the Class of 2014 applied to UVM. Of these students, approximately 55 percent were admitted, and 21 percent (i.e., 30 seniors) intended to matriculate there. The remaining 75 or so students (i.e., 27 percent of graduates) who did not have plans to attend a post-secondary school self-reported that they were either entering the workforce or taking a gap year. Of these 75 students, 25 were planning to travel outside the U.S. and 20 were planning to apply to college later. Almost 19 percent of graduates intended to work after high school— this statistic includes students who are post-secondary school-bound. The Vermont Student Assistance Corporation (VSAC) recently shared new data regarding the persistence of Vermont high school graduates who immediately continue on to higher education. They defined persistence as the “percentage of students who, having enrolled in the fall of 2012, enrolled again in the fall of 2013.” The persistence rate in Vermont for this class was 86.1percent; at CVU, the overall persistence rate was 93.7percent. Not much else is known, however, regarding how our students thrive during their first year out of high school and beyond, nor what our students say, as they mature, about the education they were provided in the CSSU. CVU is working to expand its understanding of the fates of our graduates, with data such as the above, to add to existing measures of the quality of education we provide. In closing, we’d like to gently remind the Class of 2015 that, though your education was public, it was not “free.” And just as your school asks you to
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recognize your parents in the celebration of your graduation milestone, so your school board asks you to also acknowledge your community’s role in your “upbringing.” We hope we have done well by you these past 12 years and that you will represent your town, state and country admirably as you continue to grow into our future leaders. Congratulations and good luck!
CVU SChool Board CommUniCationS Committee Lorna Jimerson: ljimerso@wcvt.com Lynne Jaunich (not yet available)
Benefit for Tim Hunt June 25 Organizers looking for donations of art and antiques Charlotter Tim Hunt was paralyzed from the chest down in a skiing accident in early January, and friends in the antique community are rallying to raise money to support his ongoing needs. Members of the Vermont Antique Dealers Association are organizing a special benefit auction for Hunt, a longtime antiques dealer and collector, on Thursday, June 25, at the Old Lantern. A preview of the auction items begins at 5 p.m. and bidding begins at 6. The auction currently boasts a Civil War musket, paintings by Thomas Curtin, Custer Ingham and John Clarke, a painted cradle, a half-page color ad in the Maine Antiques Digest and more. However, organizers are looking for more donations, specifically art, jewelry, silver, watches, guns and small furniture. All of the proceeds from the event will go to a third-party trust set up in Hunt’s name. To donate to the auction or for more information, contact Jim Dickerson at 238-7764 or Greg Hamilton at 9891158. The trust is also accepting monetary donations. For more information, contact Val Hunt at 324-0441.
The CharloTTe News • JuNe 18, 2015 • 11
The Humbled Parent Websites and wonder
A few brave Girl Scouts helping on Green Up Day around Bingham Brook Road. Photo: Courtesy
Charlotte Daisy Girl Scouts are on the move Cindy Bradley CONTRIBUTOR
In March of this year a very energetic and enthusiastic group of first-grade girls, along with their parents and troop leaders, joined forces to become what is now Charlotte Daisy Troop #30066. Although we got a later start than we would have liked, in no way did this deter these girls from becoming a very strong and busy troop. We began our first meeting with an investiture ceremony, welcoming the girls to the world of scouting, and from there quickly jumped into earning our daisy petals and daisy flower center by learning the Girl Scout promise and doing activities that helped us practice the ten parts of the Girl Scout law. Some of these activities included, but were not limited to, putting on skits, designing murals and collages, choosing and learning about important women in history, exploring the jobs of some of our own local community members, doing community service projects and discussing rules, responsibilities and respect and showing friendship and kindness to others. But we didn’t stop there. We also have worked toward and earned some non-official “fun” patches. In March we worked on our maple sugaring patch by learning about maple trees and the whole sugaring operation. We made and sampled homemade maple butter and finished with a field trip to Palmer’s
sugarhouse in Shelburne where we made homemade maple candy and enjoyed a treat of sugar on snow. April had us participating in a councilwide shoe drive where, as a troop, we collected over 160 pairs of shoes to be distributed to communities in developing nations. We also went to visit the Charlotte Fire Station where we were given a tour of the building and emergency vehicles and earned our safety pin by learning about the Heimlich maneuver, how to make a 911 emergency phone call, and practiced stop, drop and roll. Then on a less serious note we had some silly fun trying on different uniforms worn by our local firefighters and rescue personnel. You may have driven by us in May as we trekked across Bingham Brook Road on a very warm green up day, picking up trash and discarded bottles, or maybe you saw us a couple of weeks later at BritSue’s greenhouses as we learned about vegetables and other plants from Britney Tenney and then tried our hand at transplanting some flowers. Our final meeting for the 2014-2015 scouting year was held June 8, and as we prepare to break for the summer we would like to thank everyone who helped us along the way. Whether you opened up your business to us or shared your time and knowledge with us, we want you to know that it had a profound impact on our first year of scouting and we truly appreciate it. We have had a very busy and fun Daisy experience.
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I am quite a bit older than many of tidbits and advice about parenting in the my friends, and I had kids when I was digital age. Its stated mission is to “curate fairly young, so while I am enjoying this new digital world for our kids.” I being a grandma (whose grandma name don’t know exactly what that means, but is JaMa—how cool is that?), I am watch- it’s worth checking out. The cover story ing my friends go through the trials of right now is an article about the founder’s raising toddlers and young children. I husband’s punk rock legacy. It’s betam the worst kind of friend, ter than reading about Marco because when they call and Rubio’s financial woes, again. complain about the havoc Another of my favorite their children are wreaking online parenting ditties is the on their lives, I just laugh. fabulous “It’s Like They Know I know, not very nice, but Us,” which adds ridiculous tag my youngest is a 16-year-old lines to the stock photos used boy, and you can imagine in parenting advertisements. that when my kid wakes me Most of the photos involve up at 2 a.m., it is decidedly small children wearing white, Carrie Fenn not for a glass of water. eating on white couches while CONTRIBUTOR Recently some of these the perfectly coiffed mom and younger friends started an dad smile lovingly in their online parenting magazine white polos and slacks. This called Razed. It’s not what you expect has never happened, but the advertising a parenting magazine to be—i.e., Razed world wants you to think that it could doesn’t focus on how to raise kids. happen to you, if only you bought their Instead, it seems to be a portal into product. We all know, all too well, what those places you sometimes go when you would happen if we dressed our children wonder how you got here and how you in white, or dressed ourselves in white, or will ever get out. I suggest you check it tried to even think about anything white. out at razed.us, but don’t feel bad if you Yeah, no. “It’s Like They Know Us” can find yourself laughing out loud (and, be found on Facebook and Tumblr. dare I say, totally relating?). One spot Raising kids is really fun and filled in particular you shouldn’t miss—“21 with great and cherished moments. It’s Parenting Listicles I’ll be Perma-Writing also filled with a lot of snot and tears and in Hell.” Razed is good vacation reading, other bodily fluids that make us want to and its articles are short enough that you gag. The best we can do is laugh at ourcan squeeze them in between the brother/ selves and our failings and celebrate the sister battles. times things go well—you know, when Less edgy but worth a look is Parent you are on vacation and, for that brief Co (parent.co), a website filled with moment, everyone is laughing.
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12 • June 18, 2015 • The CharloTTe news
CVU HIGH SCHOOL ALISSA STONE, AUDREY ALEGRETTA, MORIAH MANNING AND NATALIE FRANKLIN
(ABOVE) WILL DOLLIVER AND HIS MOTHER, DIAN
TYLER WILLIAMSON AND JACK REYNOLDS
(LEFT) MAGGIE HAESLER SPEAKING AT THE GRADUATION CEREMONY
CHLOE HOTALING AND HER MOTHER, MELANIE GOODMAN
CASSIDY MCGLAFLIN AND HER FATHER, PAT
ELLIE BLAKE AND ELI SPENCER
ELLIOT MITCHELL AND COLBY JORDEN
The CharloTTe News • JuNe 18, 2015 • 13
OOL
CLASS OF 2015
A hearty congratulations from The Charlotte News to all the Charlotters who recently graduated from CVU! We wish you all the best in your future endeavors! Stay in school, eat right, and get some exercise. The rest will fall into place. Good luck! We asked you what your plans are and to give an enduring memory of CVU. These are the responses we got.
Audrey Allegretta
University of GeorGia bUsiness/Undecided I loved meeting many new people from different towns.
Eleanore (Ellie) Blake
skidmore colleGe Winning the soccer state championship.
Will Dolliver
ithaca colleGe Singing with Mrs. Ledoux at CCS and later with Mr. Recchia in CVU chorus.
Taylor Filardi
University of central florida pre-med Playing three varsity sports, lacrosse, gymnastics and cheerleading with some awesome teammates!
Natalie Franklin
northeastern University bioenGineerinG
My favorite memories from CVU are the ones I have shared with my fellow teammates. One of my favorite memories is spending the weekend with my ski team at Okemo for state championships and cramming six girls into one room for two nights. We stayed up late dancing, eating and hot tubbing.
Aryn Hall
Dustin St. George
University of vermont
i am GoinG to attempt to do somethinG prodUc-
nUrsinG
tive with my life and to better myself as a person,
Amelia Harris
althoUGh i know nothinG is a GUarantee. The day I left and never had to go back.
project search
i will try three different internships and at the end of the year i Get a paid job. The teachers were really nice.
Colby Jordan
University of new hampshire deferred, bUsiness Rally in the valley freshman year.
Alissa Stone
st lawrence University chemistry/Undecided My favorite memory from CVU was joining the Nordic ski team because I met a lot of very close friends and had a really fun time with my teammates all four years.
Brandon Tieso
Conn (Oscar) Kelly University of delaware exercise science
the colleGe of the holy cross political science
Playing on the Scholars Bowl team.
Nina Mollo
Madeline Turnau
lesley University deferred, photoGraphy
colleGe of charleston bioloGy
John (Jack) Reynolds
Winning the state championship for soccer.
University of richmond bUsiness, marketinG
Beatrice Woodruff colby colleGe
Dylan Rocheleau
economics
montana state University film, cinematoGraphy, and bUsiness Annual Advisory Olympics, specifically the jockey race around four corners.
Playing lacrosse.
Sage Alpert • Rachel Amundsen • Kathleen Bedell • Jack Colgan • Nathaniel Comai • Stephen Donahue • Danielle Duchaine • Antonio Ferrentino • Shawn Fortin • Margaret Haesler • William Hodgson-Walker • Chloe Hotaling • Brady Jimmo • Sophie Judge • Jack Kantor • Wesley Keane • Noah Kiernan • Cassidy McGlaflin • Elliott Mitchell • Andrew Oliver • Kara Pflaster • Daphne Plante • William Potter • Elias Spencer • Richard Tegatz • Amylea Tenney • Melissa Thomas • Madison Tieso • Savannah Townsend • Zachary Trono • Noa Urbaitel • Tyler Williamson Editor’s note: The Charlotte News attempted to contact all the Charlotte CVU students, but got a limited response. We tried to include as much information as we received. Next time we'll get everyone and have a bit more lead-up time. The names here were collected from the CVU registrar.
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14 • June 18, 2015 • The CharloTTe news
Bird-watchers revel in return of Vermont’s migratory songbirds Local birders have good reason to be atwitter. Migratory songbirds are back in Vermont’s forests and fields having completed their annual migration north. Some birds began arriving from points south as early as March and April, but May and June are when the forests truly come symphonic with songbirds, according to John Buck, the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department’s migratory-bird biologist. Buck says that Vermont’s bird breeding season is shorter than many people realize. “Some migratory birds, such as warblers, live in Vermont for only about three months,” said Buck. “The early migrants have flown from here by late July or August, and most of our warblers are gone by September.” During the brief time between May and September birders excitedly grab their binoculars and head outdoors. While some birds are easy to identify by sight, spring songbirds are usually
best identified by their songs. “The sheer variety of birds in Vermont in early summer can be a little overwhelming to a beginning birder,” notes Buck. “But with a little practice, and by focusing on a few common birds, you can easily learn to identify two dozen species by sound alone.” Buck advises beginners to start with a few of the easiest birdsongs, such as those of a robin, chickadee or Vermont’s state bird, the hermit thrush. For birders who already have the basics, the next challenge is learning how to identify the wide variety of warblers in the state. Migratory birds arrive in Vermont from places as far away as South and Central America. This migratory nature of birds can complicate efforts to conserve them. Buck pointed out that even in rural Vermont, forest cover has started to decline. “Breaks in the forest such as roads, power lines, driveways and
USDA offers grants to support to rural cooperatives U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack announced on June 15 that USDA is accepting applications for grants to help rural cooperatives develop new markets for their products and services. USDA is making the grants available to nonprofit corporations and institutions of higher education through the Rural Cooperative Development Grant (RCDG) program. “The investments that USDA is making available will help organizations start cooperatives, expand existing ones, boost sales and marketing opportunities, and help develop business opportunities in rural areas,” Vilsack said. The RCDG program helps individuals and businesses start, expand or improve the operations of rural cooperatives and other mutually-owned businesses through cooperative devel-
opment centers. Other eligible grant activities may include conducting feasibility studies and creating business plans. USDA is making up to $5.8 million in grants available in fiscal year 2015. One-year grants of up to $200,000 are available. In most cases, grants may be used to pay for up to 75 percent of a project’s total costs. Recipients are required to match 25 percent of the award amount. The grants will be awarded prior to September 30, 2015. The recipients will have one year to utilize the awarded funds. The application deadline is July 30, 2015. For additional information, see page 34,129 of the June 15, 2015 Federal Register or contact the USDA Rural Development State Office.
Commissioner Louis Porter looking for birds at Lemon Fair. Ample opportunities exist to look for breeding birds throughout the spring and summer on Vermont’s 84 Wildlife Management Areas. Photo: Courtesy lawns can degrade bird habitat and give an advantage to bird predators and parasites,” said Buck. “Because they are so mobile, we all assume that birds will just fly ‘somewhere else,’ but we’re quickly running out of ‘somewhere else’ for birds to go.” To counter these habitat losses, the
Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department acquires and manages land for a variety of bird species with a wide range of habitat preferences, and these lands are open to the public to observe birds. For a list of Wildlife Management Areas in Vermont, go to vtfishandwildlife.com.
CSWD offers tips on how to keep your event landfill free Abby Foulk CONTRIBUTOR
The Town of Charlotte has a new policy aimed at reducing and sorting waste. According the policy adopted by the Selectboard in 2014, Charlotte “is dedicated to making all events in public spaces as waste free as possible by collecting in three streams: compost, recycling and trash.” We like to think that Vermont is “green,” but Chittenden County residents still send materials to the landfill that can be recycled, composted or reclaimed for better reuse. An estimated 34 percent of landfill “waste” is recyclable and 26 percent is compostable. This means that 60 percent of materials we’ve sent to the landfill d o n ’ t belong there. Not only can we improve our “sorting” to keep reusable resources out of the landfill, but we can also get better at reducing our single-use habits. We live in a convenience-driven, “takeout” society, but there are more sustainable options. Here are some ideas to reduce landfill “waste” from events held in Charlotte: 1. Choose reusable plates, utensils, cups and packaging whenever possible. If not possible, choose compostable or recyclable containers or minimally packaged goods instead. Compostable foodware is preferable
to using recyclable plastic, because the remaining food stuck on plastic contaminates the recycling stream. 2. Confirm what can and cannot be composted. It’s easy! Go to greenmoutaincompost.com/all-about-compost/what-is-compostable/compostable-products/. 3. Confirm what can and cannot be recycled at cswd.net/content-blocks/ chittenden-county-mandatory-recyclables/. 4. Avoid singleuse and non-recyclable items bound for landfills: plastic bags, plastic utensils, styrofoam, small single-serve packaging (wrappers, condiments, etc.). 5. Plan ahead; communicate your landfill-free goals to everybody involved in the event, including vendors and attendees. Help them understand what items to use (and avoid) at the event to reach this goal. 6. Create one or more “sorting stations” with one recycling bin, one compost container and one trash can next to each other. Hot tip: tape samples of items right on the bins they go in. It’s the clearest way to help everyone sort their materials properly. 7. To help, please print and use signs marking each station. They’re available at cswd.net/ event-waste-reduction/. 8. Plan to take compost to a Chittenden Solid Waste District (CSWD) drop-off center or contact me at afoulk@gmavt. net about alternatives. Thank you for showing how much you care for our community by making it a habit to keep your events out of the landfill! Abby Foulk is Charlotte’s representative to CSWD.
The CharloTTe News • JuNe 18, 2015 • 15
Out-Doors
by Elizabeth Bassett
Summer Outdoors Ideas A walk through the outdoor options in the area We live in a remarkable and beautiful place: mountains, rivers, lakes, historic sites; walking, hiking, boating, biking. Here are some summer ideas. Nesting herons: If you have not paddled at Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge in recent years, it’s time for a visit. Park at Louie’s Landing boat launch on Route 78 a few miles west of Swanton. Paddle or motor to the mouth of the Missisquoi. Shad Island will be on your right. Dozens of herons roost in the wetland trees. On a recent kayak trip we saw about three dozen nests with busy parents ferrying vittles to their young. If you are paddling be aware that you are floating outbound with the current and that the return to the boat launch will take longer. Daily bike ferry: Four years after calamitous flooding undermined it, the causeway in Colchester, on the former Rutland Railroad bed, is back. The Island Line Bike Ferry carries cyclists and pedestrians across a 200-foot gap from the causeway to South Hero. The boat will run seven days a week from June 12 to September 7. Make sure to stop for a maple creemee at Allenholm Farm on South Street in South Hero. Hinesburg Trails Committee has produced a brochure, “Adventures Close to Home,” describing the town’s trail network. Trails range from short walks in the village, to a two-mile farm walk at the Russell Family Trails, to 1,000 unmarked and unmapped acres at the Fred Johnson Wildlife Management Area. hinesburg.org/hart.html. Middlebury walking venues: The Trail Around Middlebury (or TAM) is a 16-mile footpath that encircles the Town of Middlebury. It links town forest, conserved properties, schools and farms, crossing the Otter Creek twice. Maps and information: Middlebury
Area Land Trust, maltvt.org. The Robert Frost Interpretive Trail, on Route 125 in Ripton, is a one-mile walk through the landscape that inspired poet Frost during his 23 summers in Ripton. Many poems are posted along the trail. The first 0.3-mile is accessible and suitable for wheelchairs. Public access to Lake Champlain is offered at many state parks: Burton Island, North Hero, Knight Point, Grand Isle, Alburg Dunes, Niquette Bay, Kingsland Bay and Button Bay. Individual season pass for day use at all parks is $25. A vehicle pass, for all seat-belted passengers, is $80, and a 10-visit punch card is $20 and never expires. Green Mountain Passport is available, for $2 for life, from town clerks to those disabled by military service and Vermonters 62 years of age or older. Daily fee: $3 for adults, $2 for children 4-13, and free for those three and under. The Winooski River meanders 10 miles from its last obstruction, Winooski One Hydropower dam, to its mouth. Along this aquatic playground the Winooski Valley Park District (wvpd. org) manages six access points for canoes and kayaks. From the Heineburg Bridge on the Northern Connector to the mouth of the river is 3.5 miles, plenty of distance for an outing. Only the distant rush of traffic reminds us of the urban setting. The Local Motion Trail Finder is the most inclusive source of recreation venues in Vermont and New Hampshire’s Upper Valley. If you want to walk, bike (on- or off-road), hike, paddle, ski or snowshoe, go to trailfinder.info. The LaPlatte River is a paddler’s delight, either from the boat access on Shelburne Bay (Bay Road) or from Route 7 just north of Shelburne village. The river gets shallow upstream, yet the towering redstone cliffs on that section are worth the visit. Between Route 7 and the bay the LaPlatte flows through a swamp of red and silver maples and hybrids of the two. You will be surprised at the tranquility so close to Route 7. Shelburne Farms is listed in 1000 Places to See Before You Die: walk the
Leopard frog at Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge trails, visit animals in the Farm Barn, ride the hay wagon, take a class, watch cheese makers produce the farm’s award-winning cheddar, or savor a meal at the Inn. Most menu ingredients are sourced within Vermont, and nearly all of the produce is grown on the property. Shelburne Farms is an international leader in stewardship education and it “walks the walk!” The farm is a beautiful place to visit. shelburnefarms.org. Shelburne Museum combines strolling through extensive gardens and grounds with a world-class collection of eclectic art. Stride the decks of the 200foot side-wheel steamer Ticonderoga; smell the heat as a blacksmith shapes a fork or a hook; imagine dining in the elegant private rail car Grand Isle; ride a historic merry-go-round; savor paintings by Monet, Manet and Winslow Homer. Did I mention quilts, weather vanes, sleighs and carriages, decoys, and a slate jailhouse? The ongoing generosity of Lois McClure enables Vermont residents to visit Shelburne Museum at a reduced rate. shelburnemuseum.org. Rokeby, a National Historic Landmark in Ferrisburgh, tells the story of Quaker abolitionist farmers. The Robinsons harbored runaway slaves at their farm during the 1830s and 1840s. Open daily through October 25, Rokeby features, “Free & Safe: Underground Railroad in Vermont.” This exhibit in the Education Center tells the story of two fugitive slaves, Simon and Jesse, who found shelter at Rokeby in the 1830s. Rokeby.org. The Depot Theatre in Westport, New York, has entertained audiences
Chris’s
r
in its converted railroad-station theater for more than 30 years. Combine a ferry ride, bike trip, picnic and theater—a great summer adventure! Three mainstage productions run from July 10 to September 6. depottheatre.org.
Get rid of garlic mustard Honk if you love spring wildflowers. That’s easy. Now, if you love Vermont’s ephemerals—trillium, blood root, spring beauties and Dutchman’s breeches—pitch in to safeguard them by pulling out garlic mustard. Garlic mustard is advancing across the country at a rate of 2,500 square miles a year. Brought to the United States in the 19th century as a remedy for gangrene and ulcers, garlic mustard has its wiles. A single plant can produce up to 8,000 seeds. It quickly grows to tower above and out-compete native spring wildflowers, stealing their sunshine. And its root exudes compounds that kill beneficial soil fungi and prevent other species’ seeds from germinating. The good news is that it’s easy to pull out after a soaking rain. Make sure to destroy the plant as seeds will continue to develop even after it has been pulled from the ground. Burn or place in a plastic bag and (sorry about this) put in the trash to be sent to the landfill. Photos and more information at goo.gl/c0ZeXU.
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The CharloTTe News • JuNe 18, 2015 • 17
Who’s to blame? Porcupines? Squirrels? The dreaded DED? A stroll through the history of Dutch elm disease and its place in Charlotte Larry Hamilton CONTRIBUTOR
In March and early April I received several inquiries as to what was causing the “unusual” bark and trunk appearance on many of our elm trees. Occasionally bark was sloughing off and sliding down the bole to create a pile at the base. The causal agent, it was speculated, was porcupines or squirrels, or perhaps even woodpeckers. Many times this was observed in rows (as along Route 7) or in groups of trees. No, friends, I regret that it is nothing but the ever-present Dutch elm disease (DED). And the Dutch are getting a bum rap from this name. The disease was first described in the Netherlands in 1921, but the fungous disease originated in the Orient, like many of our most serious pests to which our native trees have little or no resistance. It is thought that it reached North America on lumber or veneer logs from Europe around 1928. The fungus penetrates the protective bark of elm largely through two native bark beetle species and one European species. It also spreads through root grafts—hence dead rows or groups of trees. The disease is the most destructive disease of shade trees in North America, since stately elms had been widely planted in very many urban cen-
ters, such as New Haven, Connecticut, known as the Elm City. Early photos of Charlotte roadways show many a vase-shaped, gracefully canopied elm, though fortunately many of our forebears planted roadside sugar maples. The largest remaining urban “forest” of elms is thought to be Winnipeg, Canada, where perhaps 200,000 elms remain. They are maintained at a cost of $3 million annually. The disease reached New Zealand in the 1980s. The American elm is the most susceptible of the native Northeastern elms, with red (slippery) elm and rock elm being slightly less so. There are red elm in Charlotte, with the largest specimen standing at the corner of Thompson’s Point and Lake Roads on the McGarghan property—a girth of 212 inches. While I have seen rock elm (also called cork elm) in Chittenden County north of Burlington, I have not come across it in Charlotte, since it occurs mainly on soils shallow over limestone. There was plenty of rock elm where I worked in Canada on the Niagara Escarpment. It was the preferred wood for hockey sticks because of its toughness. Some of our American elms have so far escaped infection. They are probably not “immune,” but they are “resistant.” The largest of these in Charlotte that I am aware of is located just off Mount Philo Road at Stockbridge—138 inches in circumference (see photo). It is from such trees that tree breeders have produced some cultivar hybrid elms that seem to be resistant to DED. They have such names as Princeton,
An American elm along Route 7 in Charlotte—another victim of Dutch elm disease. Photo: Larry hamiLton Valley Forge and Liberty and are available at most tree nurseries. We have used some of them in our roadside shade tree restoration program. A good row of them can be seen in front of the Old Lantern and the adjacent field along Greenbush Road. A specimen with a traditional vase crown form is located at the Charlotte Library in the vegetable garden plot. If you have a particularly valued elm, fungicidal injections are available, but they are expensive and need repeating every one to three years. Killing the beetles with insecticide sprays is not something I would recommend. Since root-graft infection occurs, remove other dead or dying elms for at least 50 feet around a prized tree. In fact, for pre-emptive treatment for specimen trees, remove any unwanted healthy
Bobolink return to nesting areas designated at the park Sue Smith CONTRIBUTOR
The Charlotte Selectboard, the Charlotte Park and Wildlife Refuge Committee and Nordic Holsteins LLC, which leases the lands for haying, have come to an agreement for the benefit of nesting bobolinks. The agreement will designate that a 12-acre hayfield in the park where several pairs of bobolinks were observed starting to nest last May will from now on be a welcoming nesting area. It will not be mowed until August 1 each year, starting this year. Bobolinks are ground-nesting birds, and they like grassy, open areas where the hay is taken off every year and then allowed to grow back in the spring. These and other grassland birds are on the decline because mowing schedules have changed over time. We now mow earlier and more frequently. Because the hay is cut earlier than in the past, no sooner do the bobolinks nest and start raising young than their nests and chicks are destroyed by the mower. Research has found that 100 percent of nests are
destroyed at the time of mowing. By delaying mowing to August 1, nestlings should have enough time to develop and leave the nest. Although it was uncertain they would return this year, Alison Wagner, a reputable birder, reported that she spotted nesting birds near marker 10 last weekend. She sighted at least four males and four female bobolinks. Savannah sparrows are also nesting there and bringing food to their young. This bodes well for next year. Bobolinks try to return to the same fields to nest, and chicks return to the fields where they hatched. If a nesting field can be kept available, their numbers increase dramatically over time. When walking in the Charlotte Park and Wildlife Refuge, look for the bobolink in the upper meadow between the two benches and make a note in the trail register on your way out. For more information on bobolinks, check the Cornell Lab of Ornithology website, allaboutbirds.org/guide/ Bobolink/id.
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A male bobolink. Photo: PauL higgins
The largest living American elm in Charlotte stands in Stockbridge on Mt. Philo Road with an impressive girth of 138 inches. Photo: Larry hamiLton elms since they represent a possible source of infection. Do not store elm firewood, unless you first debark it. The Vermont Nature Conservancy is planting 7,000 disease-resistant, coldhardy American elms in flood-plain restoration projects throughout the state, including some in the LaPlatte River watershed. You can find more information about this on its website, nature. org. Larry Hamilton is the volunteer Charlotte tree warden. He is professor emeritus at Cornell University and a senior advisor to the International Union for Conservation of Nature World Commission on Protected Areas.
18 • June 18, 2015 • The CharloTTe news
SportS Final exams, final games, all topped off with commencement
It is hard to keep track of what sports end when. And the rain we have had recently has not helped matters. Track, tennis, golf, lacrosse and baseball have all been on Redhawk platters in the last few weeks with teams and individuals embroiled in state finals. At least commencement occurred under a roof.
Men’s lacrosse puts the clamps on Middlebury After the third straight year as Division I state lacrosse champions, CVU coach Dave Trevithick ought to know to wear a raincoat, because he’s been soaked after each game for the last three years. It was not an easy victory this year, however. In fact it took CVU until the last minute of regulation to eke out an 11-10 win over the top-seed from Middlebury. Junior attacker Matt Palmer repeated his past season’s efforts by whipping in the winning goal with just over 20 seconds left. Although they lost six games over the course of the season, the Redhawks built toward the finals by winning their last nine in a row. The final was close throughout. Each goalie was called upon for relatively few saves (five by CVU, six by Middlebury) as the midfielders held the ball within the center stripes a good deal of the time. When the ball did get into the attack zones, the shooters knew what to do with it. Palmer’s game winner was his fourth goal of the game; Owen McQuin had a
hat trick and Charley Bernicke hit two goals and added two assists. Charlotte’s Elliot Mitchell who had been a leading scorer throughout the year was checked closely.
Ho hum, women’s tennis keeps on winning The headlines in the Free Press said that CVU made “quick work of rival SBHS,” and they were true to the dot. Starting with state individual champion, Kathy Joseph’s opening number-one singles win, through the second doubles victory, Redhawk players placed their shots well on the court, just inside the lines with power, to win the state team title over South Burlington 5-2. Kathy’s younger sister, Stephanie, along with Mackenzie Buckman and Isabelle Angstman also gained singles victories. Erica Barth and Renee Dauerman won at doubles to clinch the championship.
Rice takes eight innings for Women 4th, men 5th in state track meets championship
In a baseball game touted to be a pitching dual, Rice’s Will Hesslink outdid CVU starting pitcher Sam Mikell despite the fact that Sam went seven-plus innings, four of them scoreless and allowed only six hits. The Green Knights came out on top 5-2. CVU had tied the game at 2-2 in the third, only to fall apart in the eighth, starting by allowing Rice a stolen base, a bunt single followed by a lined hit that scored two runs for the Knights. Three Hesslink strikeouts in the bottom of the eighth then put the game in Rice’s bag.
Edd Merritt Sports Roundup
SportsShorts by Edd Merritt
Redhawk Rayne Supple selected by Chicago Cubs My son’s father-in-law is a hearty Chicago Cubs fan whose anxiety about the decades-long playoff draught for his team has brought him to the edge of depression on numerous occasions. Well, his anxiety may be over as Rayne Supple, CVU pitching ace, was selected by the Cubbies in the 38th round of this year’s major league baseball draft. The 18-year-old from Shelburne is the first CVU draftee and the first Vermont high school player selected in 13 years (a nonhigh school player from Lyndon was drafted by Houston four years ago). According to an article in the June 12 Free Press, Supple still plans to attend Wake Forest University in the fall, pitch for the Demon Deacons and, by doing so, hopes to increase his draft round.
Richard Tegatz lines up to throw a 12-pound shot put just over 50 feet to place first in the men’s Division I state meet on June 6. He also placed third in the discus competition with a 129-foot throw.
Rich Tegatz finally hit the top in his final toss of the shot put. Pushing the winners throughout meets during the year, he saved his best for last, throwing a personal-best of 50 feet, two and one-quarter inches to win the Division I shot-put throw. He placed third in the discus just 10 feet behind the winner. Another Charlotter, Justin Clark, came in sixth in the 400-meter dash, three seconds off the pace. The 4x100 relay team from CVU helped establish the overall finish for the Redhawks by placing first. Zach Akey, Richard Baccei, Jeremiah Corey and Tawn Tomasi comprised the team of runners. Some might say that Charlotte placed CVU women where they landed on the
chart. Beginning with Malina Carroll and Sadie Otley finishing second and third in the 100- meter dash, moving on to Sophia Gorman finishing third at 3,000 meters and sixth at 1,500, Carroll and Otley again half of the winning 4x100 relay team, the Redhawks ended overall in fourth place among major schools in the state.
Men golfers chip their way to fourth in state
Green Mountain National Course held the fairways and greens for the high school men’s golf championships. Led by Carter Knox’s 73, only three strokes behind the medalist, CVU finished behind South Burlington, North Country and Rutland. Will Ryan, Demetri Morrissey and Ted Hadley all took 88 strokes to tour the course.
Tick season under way, Health Department warns Learn how to be tick aware this summer Ticks are a lot like weeds: they survive winter’s freezing temperatures, heavy snowfall and lack of sunshine. Unlike weeds, however, these resilient critters can carry pathogens—microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses and parasites—that cause illness. “Ticks are abundant in all parts of the state. Using bug spray and doing daily tick checks should be part of every Vermonter’s routine,” said Erica Berl, an infectious disease epidemiologist for the Vermont Department of Health. “The earlier you remove a tick, the less likely you are to become sick.” Thirteen different tick species have been identified in Vermont, but only four are known to carry pathogens that cause disease in humans. Lyme disease, one of the more common tick-borne diseases in Vermont, is transmitted from the bite of infected deer ticks. Symptoms of Lyme disease include an expanding red skin rash, swollen joints and flu-like symptoms. The number of cases reported to the Health Department peaked in 2013 with
nearly 900 cases, and there were nearly 600 cases last year. Transmission can be prevented if the tick is removed within about 36 hours, but the nymphs are so small that they can go unnoticed if you aren’t looking for them carefully. Most infections occur in the summer months when the nymphs are most active. Lyme disease can be successfully treated with antibiotics, especially if treatment is given early. Left untreated, Lyme disease may affect other parts of the body, including the heart and nervous system. If you believe you may have been infected or have developed a rash or fever, call your health care provider as soon as possible. The Health Department is advising everyone to take the following actions this spring and summer: Avoid: Areas that are good tick habitat such as tall grass, or areas with a lot of brush and leaf litter, and along forest edges. Repel: Before you go outside, remember to use insect repellant with up to 30-percent DEET and treat clothes with permethrin. When possible, wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants and tuck your pants into your socks to keep
ticks away from your skin. Inspect yourself regularly when outside to catch any ticks before they bite. inspect: Do daily tick checks on yourself, children and pets. Check yourself from head to toe. While nymphs are most commonly found on the lower legs, they may be anywhere on the body. Remove: Remove ticks promptly. Showering within two hours of coming indoors has also been proven effective in preventing Lyme disease by washing ticks off the skin. For the past two years, the Health Department has encouraged Vermonters to report ticks, including how many and what type. A deer tick pulled off clothing on Sleepy Hollow Road, in Colchester, and a Lonestar tick pulled off a dog on Mosquitoville Road between Rygate and Peacham were among the hundreds of reports posted on the Health Department’s Tick Tracker website last year. To report a tick, visit the tick tracker at: https://apps.health.vermont.gov/gis/ vttracking/ticktracker/2015/. For more information about ticks and Lyme disease visit healthvermont. gov.
The CharloTTe News • JuNe 18, 2015 • 19
Charlotte Senior Center
The café menu
by Mary Recchia, Activities Coordinator Join Hank Kaestner on Wednesday morning, June 24, for another Birding Expedition as we try to record 100 species of birds in one year! Meet at the Center a little before 9 a.m. so we can carpool together to the location Hank has scouted for spectacular bird watching. 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. Are You Ready for an Active Summer? Ginger Lambert continues this energetic fitness class on Friday mornings from 9–9:45. We all have different body types and fitness experience but know that being strong and fit helps us to live our lives to their full potential. Using timed intervals and a series of stations this class will incorporate body weight, light weights and other cardio/strength building tools to boost strength, cardiovascular fitness, agility and flexibility. Some active games will be included to make this a fun and interesting workout. Joint and ligament issues will be taken into account. Every exercise can be modified for any ability or level of fitness. If you have been looking for a class that challenges you but doesn’t leave you in the dust, then this is for you. Registration required. Fee: $10/class. Welcome aboard! Join Joe and Martha Barton-Rivera and the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum for a Shipwreck Tour—without getting wet!—on Tuesday, July 7, beginning at 9:30. Did you know that there are over 300 historic shipwrecks at the bottom of Lake Champlain? Take a tour boat to the site of one of these wooden wrecks and go for a “dive” using a remotely operated vehicle. This robotic camera sends back real-time video to an on-board monitor as the vessel’s dramatic story is shared. We will gather at the Center and carpool to
Food Shelf News Kerrie Pughe CONTRIBUTOR
Thank you Thank you Evan and Catherine Metropoulos, Tina and Rick Flood, Susan and Hans Ohanian, Julian Kulski, Lisa Boyle, and Alexandra Lehmann for your support. All donations help us to fill our shelves with purchases from the Vermont Foodbank as well as with direct purchases from Costco and local grocery stores. Thank you to Karen Frost for the fresh apples, beets, kale, chives and asparagus for the 23 families that visited the food shelf the week of May 11. And thank you to Rachael Hutchins for the donation of fresh eggs. Thank you to those who donated in total about 100 pounds of nonperishable food to the Food Shelf during the letter-
monDay, June 22 Italian wedding soup Kale salad Bread Pastry dessert weDnesDay, June 24 Taco salad Homemade dessert monDay, June 29 Hot-off-the grill burgers and franks Black bean and corn salad Watermelon weDnesDay, July 1 Brian’s chicken salad Birthday cake and ice cream
More than 20 people were at the Senior Center on June 9 to attend a workshop offered by Sojourn Bicycling, a Charlotte-based company. Sojourn was featured in Frommer’s as one of the “World’s 10 Best Bike Tours.” Go to their website for more information, gosojourn.com. the museum where we will meet our tour guide for the one-hour trip. Afterward, feel free to eat the bag lunch you brought or grab a bite at the Red Mill Restaurant, but plan to spend the afternoon strolling the grounds since your ticket includes admission to the museum. Don’t miss this incredible experience! Registration required. Maximum: 25. Fee: $15 (includes admission to the museum). The day for Tubing on the White River with Phyllis Bartling and Sukey Condict is Tuesday, July 14, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Weather dependent. Affectionately known as the tubing capital of Vermont, “The Stockbridge Yacht Club,” as the locals call it, has the finest tubing on the White River. For $15 you get a tube and a shuttle up the river, and then you are on your own for the three-
mile float down the river that takes about two hours. Slow enough to just sit back and watch the world go by. The water is no more than a couple of feet deep, but even in its deeper holes the bottom of the river is crystal clear. Enjoy summer in full swing at one of Vermont’s natural playgrounds! A hat, sunscreen and water shoes are recommended. Pack a bag lunch to enjoy at the end of the trip on the “shore” with fellow tubers. Reservations required. We will carpool from the Senior Center. Fee: $15. A three-day, outdoor, intensive workshop titled Color and Light in Pastel with Angela Manno, internationally acclaimed visiting artist, will take place on July 21 and 22 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (with a one-hour lunch break) and July 23 from 9 a.m. to noon. Learn or sharpen
carrier food drive. And thank you to the members of the Charlotte Congregational Church who once again started a beautiful vegetable garden to benefit the families that use the Food Shelf. We look forward to the bountiful harvest!
to help us with the Wednesday evening and Thursday morning food distributions for June, July and August. Please call Nancy at 425-6116 if you can help.
PlanT a row Thanks in advance to all of you gardeners planning to plant an extra row for the Food Shelf this coming growing season. We especially love potatoes, onions, cabbage and beets, as well as anything to put in a fresh salad. wish lisT The food Shelf needs after-school snacks for children such as granola bars, crackers, peanut butter, pudding or jello cups and cereal. looking for summer volunTeers Welcome to Liz Foster our newest volunteer! We need additional volunteers and hope you will join us. We need substitutes
DonaTeD fooD DroP-off locaTions All nonperishable food donations may be dropped off at the Charlotte Library, the Charlotte Congregational Church Vestry, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church (main entrance) or at the Food Shelf during the distribution mornings. We request that all fresh foods be dropped off at the Food Shelf by 7:30 a.m. on the distribution mornings or before the Wednesday distribution hours. The Charlotte Food Shelf is located on the lower level of the Charlotte Congregational Church vestry.
Senior luncheons are held every Wednesday at noon; reservations are necessary in advance and can be made by calling the Senior Center at 425-6345. Reservations are not required for the Monday Munch; a $4 donation is requested.
your skills in capturing radiant color and light in your work in the tradition of landscape painting that Claude Monet used to create his impressionistic masterpieces. Students will practice and learn the secret to approaching subjects in changing light, how to simplify the landscape into basic masses and to develop the ability to see the full spectrum of color. Classes are taught in pastel. Those proficient in other media are also welcome. Open to beginning through advanced students. Plenty of individual instruction will be given, ending with critique in a supportive atmosphere. Registration required. Fee: $150. Mary Recchia is the activities director at the Charlotte Senior Center. Distribution days/times are posted in this newspaper and on the bulletin board in the Charlotte Congregational Church Hall. You may also call the Food Shelf (425-3252) for a recording of the distribution times. We are open to all community residents. Privacy is very important and respected in our mission of neighbor helping neighbor. For emergency food call John 4253130. For emergency assistance (electricity, fuel) call Cindi at 425-3234. For more information call Karen at 425-3252 or visit our website at sites.google.com/site/charlottefoodshelfvt/.
20 • June 18, 2015 • The CharloTTe news UPCOMING AT THE LIBRARY
The latest from the Charlotte Library Margaret Woodruff CONTRIBUTOR
Most years at this time, we invite library users to take a seat on the porch and enjoy the summer day. This year we are asking for your patience instead as we embark on the re-roofing of the library building. Some library visitors have already encountered the closed driveway and the limited parking spaces, as well as extra noise, and handled these obstacles with grace and understanding. Sharing this inconvenient experience underscores what a community endeavor our library is. The sympathetic smiles and good cheer that people greet us with as they enter the un-hushed building remind us of the partnership forged in the town for freedom of access and of information. We welcome everyone during these noisy days. While we look forward to a cozier library next winter when the insulation and new roof will keep us all warmer and more comfortable, we are always grateful for the support and partnership in our town.
Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday Night Knitters. Wednesday, June 24, at 1 p.m. Summer Reading Kick-Off. Join the Vermont Institute of Natural Science (VINS) to learn why animals are heroes of the natural world as we launch our “Every Hero Has a Story” summer program. Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. Preschool Story Time. For ages 3 to 5. June 30 to July 28. Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m. School Kids Story Time. For ages 6 and up. July 8 to July 29. Saturday, June 27, at 8:30 a.m. Library at the Grange. Join us for breakfast and books! Saturday, June 27, at 10:30 a.m. Lego Saturday. For all ages who can play safely with Lego blocks. For more information on these and other programs, please visit our website: charlottepubliclibrary.org.
LIBRARY BOARD Next Meeting: June 18, 6 p.m. Board members: Emily Ferris, Dorrice Hammer, Nan Mason, Danielle Menk, Jonathan Silverman.
Library Information Hours Mon, Wed: 10 a.m.–7 p.m. Tues, Thurs, Fri: 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Sat: 9 a.m.–2 p.m. PHone: 425-3864 email: charlottelibraryvt@gmail.com Website: charlottepubliclibrary.org
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few highlights that are worth seeing: • The Alice M. Ward Memorial Library in Canaan, the northernmost stagecoach stop on a route from Franklin, New Hampshire, to Montreal, Canada • T h e Brookfield Free Public Library, the oldest continuously operating library in Vermont • T h e Windsor Public Library with its active seedlending library. Patrons are encouraged to post pictures and stories on the Vermont L i b r a r y Association’s Facebook page, facebook.com/vermontpassport. More details about the program are available at vermontlibraries.org/passport. For more information, contact: Virgil Fuller at 802-685-2188 or vermontlibrariespresident@gmail. com.
The News is taking its annual summer break beginning July 2. Our next issue is scheduled for July 30. Please send any news or events happening in the interim for publication in our July 2 issue. The deadline is Friday, June 26.
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This year, save yourself the hassle and heavy lifting of international travel—pick up a Vermont Libraries Passport instead and find yourself lost in literature. From June 1 to September 1, 99 Vermont public and academic libraries will be handing out passports (pictured) and encouraging patrons to visit some of Vermont’s many libraries. Local libraries will offer passport stamps and small prizes. Three patrons around the state (adult, young adult, child) will receive Vermont Library Ambassador awards for visiting the most libraries. They will also receive a copy of Pat Belding’s, Where the Books Are, a classic book about the history and architecture of Vermont’s public libraries. Stop into the Charlotte Public Library for your passport and then get on your high horse around the state. A
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The CharloTTe News • JuNe 18, 2015 • 21
A Taste of Summmer
Where everybody knows your name ing local business but what some patrons that night called an important It’s Friday night at the Village Cafe local meeting place. Marcotte attributes and Tavern in North Ferrisburgh, and the place is starting to fill with cus- much of the success tomers eager to begin the weekend. A of the business thus Travis Marcotte, co-owner of the Village Cafe and Tavern in North Ferrisburgh, stands behind the bartender and waitress move across the far to filling a need bar on a busy Friday night. phoTo: BreTT SigurdSon checkerboard floor delivering drinks and locally: giving people food. Friends old and new talk amid the from Ferrisburgh and “Baseball fans welcome.” cabin-like interior, decorated with cozy Charlotte—“We get a lot “We want to make it feel like a small furnishings and beer signs and pictures of people from Charlotte,” he said—and he coop of cars on the wall. Casually moving other small neighboring communities a town, like a place to gather,” said Dianne Marcotte, Travis’ mom, who directs the between the groups is Travis Marcotte, place to meet over food and drinks. What: Village Cafe and Tavern “I didn’t realize the draw at the time,” design. “It’s quaint and a little quirky.” co-owner with his parents of the yearWhen it’s open: M–W: 4 to 10 She describes the Cafe and Tavern old establishment next to his family’s he said. “I didn’t realize the need for p.m.; Thu–Sat.: noon to midnight; car dealership, Marcotte & Sons Auto someplace to go and hang out, whether as a place like the fictional television Sun.: noon to 9 p.m. However, it be husband and wife or just single bar Cheers, a place where everyone can Village, on Route 7. Travis Marcotte says closing A few years ago, Marcotte would people. There’s a huge need for it in this mingle, no matter their background—a hours may vary. never have predicted he’d be standing in area. People are starving for it, for sure.” quality echoed by her husband, Marcel What you’re eating: Travis The Marcottes have taken this idea— Marcottte. a busy bar in North Ferrisburgh, let alone recommends the ribs, which are “We have lawyers and farmers come be the owner of one. He’s a car guy after creating a comfortable place to meet from nearby Dakin Farms. The all, and had never even worked in the for locals and tourists alike—and put it together at the bar,” he said. pizza and wings are also popular, Indeed, as the night progresses, cusfood service industry. But since the Cafe in the small details of the interior, like not to mention the lobster roll. and Tavern opened in the spring of 2014, a roof over the bar, wood paneling, a tomers ranging from teenagers to parents W hat you ’ re drinking : he’s become the head of not only a thriv- fire place, wood signs with sayings like and their kids to groups of adults fill Anything from the 16 tap lines, the tavern, congregating near the bar, though the frozen drinks will be the video game room and a back dining tasty on hot summer days, Travis room, which Dianne notes has become says. popular for hosting events. Travis anticipates a busy summer at What you’re doing: Aside the Cafe and Tavern. With its two patifrom eating or drinking and talkos and live entertainment, he’s hoping ing? Watching sports on one of people will continue to find his business the six big-screen televisions or a welcoming place to gather. If the past playing video games in the game year is any indication, that’ll likely be room. the case. Where to find it: 6640 Route “We’ve had business since the day 7, North Ferrisburgh. Look for the we opened,” he said. “People walk in 1930 Studebaker Dictator parked and they’re smiling, when they leave out front. Marcel and Dianne they’re smiling. They’re really happy Marcotte drove it away after their there’s a place to come to eat and drink. wedding. If you live in this area, this is the place More information: villagecafeto come.” andtavern.com, (802)539-2149. Two Cafe and Tavern specialties: a lobster roll and a beer. phoTo: BreTT SigurdSon
Brett Sigurdson
THE CHARLOTTE NEWS
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22 • June 18, 2015 • The CharloTTe news
Community EvEnts JUNE 19 FRIDAY
HIKE AND VOLUNTEER: Champlain Area Trails first summer volunteer hike/trail project. Meet at 9 a.m. at Dogwood Bakery. Contact: info@champlainareatrails.com EXHIBIT: Opening reception of The Best of the Northeast MFA Exhibition at 6 p.m. Exhibit runs June 19 – August 23. Gallery Hours are Wednesday – Sunday 12 to 5 p.m., Helen Day Art Center, 90 Pond St., Stowe. Contact: mail@helenday.com Cost: donations. helenday.com/exhibitions.
JUNE 21 SUNDAY
FOOD FESTIVAL, MUSIC: A new kind of community festival experience, Foodaroo, features a variety of eclectic acts—from street performers and buskers to leading local bands, from 3 to 8 p.m. Free. Food truck tickets available at the event. Town Hall Theater, 68 South Pleasant St. Middlebury. Info: 802-382-9222 or townhalltheater.org YOGA: Community yoga classes at Shelburne Beach with Yoga Roots: June 21, July 12, 19, August 2, 23, 8 – 9 a.m. The second-annual free beach yoga series at Shelburne Beach in support the Shelburne Food Shelf. Contact: heidi@yogarootsvt.com, 802985-0090. FATHER’S DAY EVENT: Shelburne Museum Family Day. Visit the exhibition Walter Wick: Games, Gizmos & Toys in the Attic. Guests will enjoy a museum-wide scavenger hunt, art activities, 3D printing, mini-golf, a Rube Goldberg – themed challenge and much more! Exhibit free with museum membership or with museum admission.
JUNE 22 MONDAY
GOLF: Teen Challenge Vermont 7th annual golf classic at Basin Harbor Club & Resort in Vergennes. Teen Challenge helps those struggling with drugs or alcohol to recover from addic-
tion. Contact Admissions Director Gilles Gentley at 802-635-7807 or 802-323-4440 (cell) or ggentley@ tcvermont.org
JULY 1 WEDNESDAY
MUSIC: Vermont Symphony Orchestra summer concerts. First event will be at the Mountain Top Inn, Chittenden, VT. 7:30 p.m. Tickets $31 in advance, $36 at the gate. Children under 18 free with adult advanced ticket, $12 at the gate. 800-876-9293, amy@vso.org, vso.org. YOUTH FOOTBALL: Registration deadline for CSSU Buccaneers Youth Football Program. For those entering 2nd through 8th grade in Charlotte, Hinesburg, St. George, Shelburne, and Williston. The season starts Monday, August 10, and goes through November. Cost is $150 (equipment and uniforms are provided); a limited number of scholarships are available. To sign-up, go to cssubuccaneers.org.
JULY 2 THURSDAY
CONCERT: 40th Army Band, Vermont National Guard. The program, “Music for a Summer Night,” will feature traditional patriotic American tunes and contemporary musical favorites. 7 p.m. at the Vergennes City Park, on Park St., Vergennes. Contact: Sgt. First Class Rahne Murner 802-3383480 (days) rahne.h.murner.mil@mail. mil
Wildlife habitat in the Champlain Valley Presentation by the renowned naturalist and wildlife tracker, Sue Morse followed by an inter-town conversation
Holly Sullivan CONTRIBUTOR
Who are our non-human neighbors with whom we share the land and water? Where in our town do these critters live? What kind of habitat, and how much habitat do they need to find food, raise their young and thrive? How can we grow communities that will include them? Why is it even important? If you have ever wondered about these questions, you now have a rare and wonderful opportunity to find out. Come hear Sue Morse, expert naturalist, one of the top wildlife trackers in the United States and founder of Keeping Track, Inc. for a free slide show workshop on June 18 to learn the answers. It’s from 7-9 p.m. at the new Lake Champlain Waldorf High School on Bostwick Road in Shelburne. The event is sponsored by the Lewis Creek Association (LCA), in conjunction with the Lake Champlain Waldorf High School, Shelburne Farms and town conservation commissions. The accompanying slide show will highlight her stunning photography of our local resident wildlife and the status of our common and most vulnerable
wildlife species. She will show us how to read wildlife signs and presence, and how to read our local landscape for both habitat health and opportunities for restoration. The picture of the bobcat is a beautiful example of her photography. Following the presentation there will be an inter-town conversation. Wildlife planning maps and other land use tools from towns and LCA will be used to view the variety of habitat types located in the different towns and where our contiguous habitat and historic travel corridor areas are. Together, we hope to learn more about the local critters and identify inter-town conservation priorities for the upcoming years. To keep your energy up, refreshments courtesy of Shelburne Farms and Lewis Creek Association will be offered. There will also be a raffle of Woody Jackson art in support of the Monkton wildlife habitat connectivity project.
Where to find a local Farmers Market
ONGOING EXHIBIT: Art, farm, history – a new exhibit at Rokeby Museum brings together three things Vermont is famous for. The Farm: The Drawings of Rowland Evans Robinson, 18501880 features nearly 40 pictures of farm life 150 years ago. The Farm just opened and will be on view at Rokeby Museum’s Education Center until October 25, 2015. 802-822-3406, 4334 Route 7, Ferrisburgh, VT 05456. For a preview: goo.gl/wJJ2KV.
Regular Church Services SATURDAYS St. Jude Catholic Church, Mass, Hinesburg, 4:30 p.m. SUNDAYS Community Alliance Church, Hinesburg, Gathering Place, 9 a.m., Sunday School, 9 a.m., Worship, 10:15 a.m. Information: 482-2132. Charlotte Congregational Church, Worship, 10 a.m., Sunday School, 10 a.m. Information: 425-3176. Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Mass, 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. Information: 425-2637. St. Jude Catholic Church, Mass, Hinesburg, 9:30 a.m. Information: 482-2290. North Ferrisburgh United Methodist Church, Hollow Road, Worship, 10 a.m., Sunday School, 9:45 a.m. Information: 425-2770. Cross Roads Chapel, Ferrisburgh Ctr. Rt. 7, Sunday Worship 10 a.m. Information: 4253625. Assembly of God Christian Center, Routes 7 and 22A, Ferrisburgh, Sunday worship, 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., Sunday School, 9 a.m. Information: 877-3903. All Souls Interfaith Gathering, 291 Bostwick Farm Road, Shelburne. Sunday Service 9 a.m., Evensong Service 5 p.m. 985-3819 Trinity Episcopal Church, 5171 Shelburne Rd., Shelburne, 8:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist, 9:15 - 10:15 a.m. “Space for Grace” (educational hour), 10:30 a.m. Holy Eucharist (with child care and Sunday School). 985-2269.
Charlotte Library Director Margaret Woodruff with children at the Grange in East Charlotte.
Library at the Grange Hoping to instill the love of reading in children, the Charlotte Library will “travel” to the Grange in East Charlotte on the second and fourth Saturdays of each month. Cheryl Sloan, the youth librarian, will bring books and fun activities for children of all ages. Also she’s able to sign children up for a library card if they need one. Conveniently there’s a library drop box at Spear’s Corner Store for the returns. The first event was on Saturday, June 13 and a number of children, some with parents, arrived. They checked out books, made bookmarks and were treated to a light breakfast of juices, milk, bagels, cream cheese, fruit and donuts. This exciting development is a collaboration between the library, the Grange, and Carrie Spear, with extra help from the Charlotte Congregational Church and Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church. The next event will be on Saturday, June 27 from 8:30 – 10:30 a.m. Breakfast is served each time. Everyone is welcome!
Enjoy the abundance from Vermont’s farms at nearby Farmer’s Markets all summer—the taste of fresh-picked vegetables and fruits, locally raised meats, baked goods, preserves, and even some cooked foods. SHELBURNE: Saturday from 9 a.m.–1 p.m. May 30 through October 10 on the Parade Ground in Shelburne center on Route 7 & Church St. Contact Tod Whitaker at 482-4279 or sbpavt@gmail.com. HINESBURG: Thursdays 3–6:30 p.m. June 4 through September 24 at the United Church on Route 116. Contact Marge Sharp 482-2651. SOUTH BURLINGTON: Sundays 10 a.m.–2 p.m. June 7 through October 11 at South Burlington High School, 550 Dorset St. Contact sbfm. manager@commonroots.org. BURLINGTON: Saturdays 8:30 a.m. –2 p.m. May 9 through October 31 at City Hall Park on College St. Contact 802-310-5172 or info@burlingtonfarmersmarket.org. VERGENNES: Thursdays 3–6:30 p.m. June 12 through September 24 at the Vergennes City Park in the city center. Contact rhondawilliamsvt@ gmail.com. RICHMOND: Fridays, May 29–Oct. 16, 3–6:30 p.m. Volunteers Green in Richmond. richmondfarmersmarketvt.org. And if you can’t get to one of the markets, you can still enjoy local farmer’s produce by shopping at Charlotte’s own yourfarmstand.com. Pre-order your selection and pick it up at a convenient location.
The CharloTTe News • JuNe 18, 2015 • 23
Around Town Congratulations to Brendan Murphy, a student at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, enrolled in the College of Letters and Science. Brendan earned placement on the dean’s list for the spring term. to Chase Weaver, a sophomore at Clarkson University, Potsdam, New York, majoring in civil engineering. Chase earned placement on the list of presidential scholars for the spring semester. Presidential scholars must carry a minimum of 14 credit hours and achieve a 3.80 grade-point average. to Danielle Rocheleau of Charlotte who graduated from Wake Forest University, Winston Salem, North Carolina, May 18. to Samuel Hartley of Charlotte, a junior at Johnson State College, who earned placement on the college’s dean’s list for the spring term. Students who earn such placement must receive a gradepoint average of between 3.50 and 3.99 for the term. to the following members of the McGarghan family of Charlotte: Callie McGarghan who graduated from Hampshire College, Amherst, Massachusetts, Leynah McGarghan who graduated from St. Lawrence University, Canton, New York, and Finn McGarghan who earned induction into the National Honor Society at Champlain Valley Union High School. to Catherine Hill of Charlotte who graduated cum laude in May from the University of Maine Business School with a bachelor’s degree in business management. She is the daughter of Jeff and Dorothy Hill. to U.S. Air National Guard Airman 1st Class Kyle Goodrich who graduated from basic military training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland AFB in San Antonio, Texas. In completing basic training, Kyle earned four credits toward an associate degree in applied science through the Community College of the Air Force. His parents are Cynthia and Joseph Goodrich of Sebastian, Florida, and his aunt is Carrie Spear of Charlotte. Kyle is a 2009 CVU graduate who earned an associate degree in 2012 from Wyoming Technical
Institute, Blairsville, Pennsylvania. to the following University of Vermont students from Charlotte who were awarded degrees at commencement exercises May 17: Peter Raszka, bachelor of arts degree in history from the College of Arts and Sciences; Bennett Dee, bachelor of science degree in nutrition and food sciences from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences; Alexander Farrell, bachelor of science degree in business administration from the School of Business Administration; Mark Nash, master of science degree in counseling from the Graduate College; Stephanie Burns, bachelor of science degree in elementary education K-6 from the College of Education and Social Sciences; John Stone, bachelor of arts degree in global studies from the College of Arts and Sciences; Jakob Schenker, master of science degree in natural resources from the Graduate College; Kylie deGroot, bachelor of science degree cum laude in nutrition and food sciences from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences; Tabor deGroot, bachelor of arts degree in anthropology from the College of Arts and Sciences; Heather Aube, bachelor of science degree in communication science and disorders from the College of Nursing and Health Sciences; Daniel Hebert, bachelor of science degree cum laude in biological science from the College of Arts and Sciences; Kelly DePaolo Horgan, a doctor of education degree in educational leadership and policy studies from the Graduate College; Rebecca Harcourt, bachelor of science degree in neuroscience from the College of Arts and Sciences; Kristen Donaldson, bachelor of science in business administration degree from the School of Business Administration; Chelsea Wiggins, bachelor of science degree in public communication from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences; Andrew Lugano, bachelor of arts degree in economics from the College of Arts and Sciences; Donna Waterman, bachelor of arts degree in anthropology from the College of Arts and Sciences. to Sarah Montheith of Charlotte, a junior at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, Massachusetts, who returned from Namibia in southwestern Africa, where she completed an intense, handson research project as part of her biochemistry major. All WPI undergraduates
Congratulations to students at the Lake Champlain Waldorf School from Charlotte who earned high school degrees this year (left to right): Sarah White, Shea Monsey, Eli Barlow, and Micah Ranallo (Gianna Kiehl not pictured). are required to complete such a project at one of the school’s 40 off-campus project centers.
Science. He has been hired as a full-time career firefighter with the Brattleboro Fire Department.
to Oscar Williams, son of Tom and Zoe Williams, who is an 11-year-old member of the cast of the Broadway show Fun Home, which recently won Tony Awards for Best Musical of the Year, Best Direction of a Musical, Best Book, Best Original Score and Best Leading Actor in a Musical. In the autobiographical script, Oscar plays the leading actress's childhood brother.
Marge and Hal Blake, summer residents of Thompson’s Point, are proud of their granddaughter, Lanie R. Anton of Davis, California, and their twin great-granddaughters, Sayres and Sage McKenna, of Wilmington, North Carolina. Lanie was awarded a Master of Arts degree in developmental psychology at San Francisco State University and will teach summer school while looking for a full-time job in the private or public sector. The twins graduated from Hoggard High School. Sayres will attend Western Carolina University on a soccer scholarship, while Sage will attend Appalachian State University on an academic scholarship.
to Norman Marcotte, a Charlotte native now living in Shelburne who has run Marcotte Appliance on Route 7 in the center of the village for the last 56 years and whose company was featured by Ken Picard in his “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot” column in the June 3 Seven Days. Norm has been selling Hotpoint and General Electric equipment as well as Clay Farm Equipment in the same spot since 1959. As a youngster, he developed an interest in construction and at age 14 designed a barn on Carpenter Road in Charlotte that he completed at age 21, which still stands 60 years later. He says that it is his personal attention to his products over the years that has allowed him to compete with the big-box retailers. He goes to work every day and services much of the farm equipment himself. to Kevin Lambert, who graduated from Vermont Technical College in May with an associate degree in Fire
to Kaylah Sharpe who graduated cum laude from Stonehill College with a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education and a bachelor’s degree in visual and performing arts. to Chennah Sharpe who earned placement on the dean’s list for the spring semester at Providence College and was accepted into the summer internship program for Interfaith Workers Justice. She received a grant through the Feinstein Foundation and is working in Los Angeles. with CLUE-LA (Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice) for the summer.
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NOTICE OF GRIEVANCE HEARINGS, TOWN OF CHARLOTTE: Notice to property owners in the Town of Charlotte, VT: Please be advised that the abstract of the Grand List for the tax year 2015-2016 has been lodged with the town clerk. Pursuant to Title 32, Vermont Statutes Annotated, section 411 (g), “A person who feels aggrieved by the action of the listers and desires to be heard by them, shall, on or before the day of the grievance meeting, file with them his objections in writing and may appear at such grievance meeting in person or by his agents or attorneys. Upon the hearing of such grievance the parties thereto may submit such documentary or sworn evidence as shall be pertinent thereto.” Grievances will be heard by
appointment only and will last 15 minutes. Appellants should be prepared to present evidence and documentation for their grievances. Appointments will be set by the listers until 4 p.m. Wednesday, June 24. Emails for appointments will not be accepted. Date: Thursday, June 25, and Friday, June 26, 2015 Time: 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon and 1 to 4 p.m. Place: Charlotte Town Hall Owners with new or previously set values who wish to appeal the appraised value of their property for tax purposes may request an appointment with the Charlotte Board of Listers. To make an appointment or for further information, please call the listers office at 425-3855. Charlotte Board of Listers: Maurice Harvey, Betsi Oliver, Betsy Tegatz