The Charlotte News Volume lVII Number 20
The VoIce of The TowN
Thursday, may 21, 2015
Selectboard prepares purchasing policy for approval
Cub Scouts tour Fire and Rescue
Photo: MAurA WygMAns
John Hammer and Susan Crockenburg
The Shelburne-Charlotte Cub Scout Tiger Den visited the Charlotte Volunteer Fire and Rescue station on March 31. Senior Fireman Rob Mullin provided a tour and demonstration for all the Scouts. Will Wygmans said of the trip, “I really liked getting a fireman hat from fireman Rob.”
In Charlotte, a Grange of possibilities The Charlotte Grange has been a part of the community for over 100 years. But what does the future hold? Brett Sigurdson THE CHARLOTTE NEWS
On an early April evening, 11 people meet in the Grange Hall in East Charlotte. While the gathering is ostensibly a monthly Grange organization meeting, the proceedings have the feel of a reunion of old friends—everyone around the table chats amiably, catching up on their families, what’s going on in the fields and at the Senior Center. The smell of food lingers around their words: chicken sandwiches, fruit salad, bars, and Dakin baked beans with maple syrup—Shirley Bean’s specialty. This is something of a typical meeting of the Charlotte Grange, when members and non-members alike meet to talk, eat
and conduct the business of a 100-yearold Charlotte institution. And while the feeling of camaraderie may not have changed much in that time, the organization in Charlotte has: like so many fraternal organizations nationwide, its membership has dwindled, its programming has diminished, and its members are attempting to find a way forward while still holding on to their history. Founded in 1867, the National Grange of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry is a national fraternal organization that has historically advocated for rural, agricultural interests. Like Freemasonry, the Grange incorporates a host of sacred rituals and symbols and ceremony, though these have become less confidential as the organization attempts to become more open and public about its historically community-centered mission. After dinner on this night, Bean illustrates this mission, quite literally, with a scrapbook she has diligently
kept. The opening page simply states “Charlotte Grange #398 is having fun!” But the remaining pages show the Grange is doing much more than this, for the news clippings and photos contained within show a record of the programs and activities members have supported, boosting the community in one way or another. There are, for example, pictures of CCS 3rd grade students posing with dictionaries the Grange donated as part of its “Words for Thirds program.” Other pages highlight the Grange’s annual Candidates Night, which brings together Charlotters vying for town positions and the Charlotters they aim to serve. Pages are devoted to the Tractor Parade— which the Grange helps sponsor—an annual Community Citizen award, and donations it annually makes to the Charlotte Food Shelf, Heifer Project, scholarships, locals in need, and the Red Cross blood drive, for which the Grange
Grange continued on page 8
THE CHARLOTTE NEWS
Discussions on the draft Town Purchasing Policy dominated the Selectboard meeting of May 18 with final comments from the public taken. The purchasing policy, one of the primary recommendations of last year’s auditors’ report, has undergone four revisions to this point. It has taken the work of the Selectboard, elected auditors and the town treasurer and her assistant. Comments, as discussed at this meeting, will be incorporated in the final version to be approved on May 19. The first comment out of the gate was from Moe Harvey, who praised and thanked all who undertook the work. He said that it was a “great job” and he encouraged the Selectboard to approve it and all the efforts that went into it. Harvey’s comments were followed by a number of other remarks on details, mostly from past selectboard members. The Selectboard was scheduled to vote on sending the purchasing policy to Sullivan Powers & Co. Tuesday evening, though the meeting took place after The News’s print deadline.
CVFRS quaRteRly RepoRt The board chair of the Charlotte Volunteer Fire and Rescue Services (CVFRS), John Snow, presented the organization’s quarterly report on finances and operations. His primary message was that estimates of rescue “transport” numbers continue to be low, but that patient billings are “close to the predicted level.” There have been 174 fire calls as of the end of April. This is quite a bit higher than last year.
Selectboard continued on page 5
Draft horses are getting some attention at Unity Farm Alex Bunten THE CHARLOTTE NEWS
Megan Morse is a petite 21-year-old from New Haven, Vermont, with headphones and sunglasses dangling around her dirty blond hair. She sits comfortably in control on a sickle mower behind a pair of enormous, black Shire draft horses. She is mowing ever-smaller circles at Unity Farm in Charlotte, but the size difference between her and the horses remains constant. Working east of Route 7, opposite the Charlotte Berry Farm, this trio seems to get a lot of attention. “My record is 13 stopped cars in one day,” Megan says with a proud grin.
“Some of them stop right in the middle of the road. You can see others with their hands out the window taking pictures. One woman jumped out and asked if I was ex-Amish!” Megan doesn’t seem to mind the limelight— and neither do General and Rocket. General is an English-bred stallion towering at 18.2 hands. (That equals about six feet from the ground to the withers—an area around the shoulder blades.) Rocket, Megan’s larger charge, was born in Florida and stands at about 19 hands. Although the breed was nearly a casualty of mechanization in the mid20th century, the American Shire Horse Association has 3,000 Shires in their official records today. Cathy Wells, the owner of Unity Farm, proudly keeps four
Photo: Alex Bunten
Keeping the old Shires working
Megan Morse takes a break from mowing, while Rocket and General, two of the four working Shire horses at Unity Farm, enjoy one of many photo opportunities along Route 7. Look out for the wagon rides with these enormous Horses continued on page 10 horses at the Charlotte Berry Farm this summer.
2 • May 21, 2015 • The CharloTTe News
Voices
News from The News 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, Michael Haulenbeek, Patrice Machavern, Gay Regan, Louisa Schibli
contrIbutors Mary Recchia Ruah Swennerfelt Margaret Woodruff Elizabeth Bassett Larry Hamilton Mike Yantachka
Stephen Sinclair Catherine Bock Jorden Blucher David Ziegleman Susan Crockenberg John Hammer
on the cover It’s all smiles and Shires at Unity Farm. From left: Amanda Morse, Rocket, Cathy Wells, General and Megan Morse. Photo: Alex Bunten
next Issue DeaDlInes Next Issue Date: Thursday, June 4 Contributions: Monday, May 25 by 5 p.m. Letters: Monday, June 1, 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 Circulation: 3,000 copies per issue. Copyright © 2015 The Charlotte News, Inc. Printed by Upper Valley Press
Alex Bunten EDITOR IN CHIEF
As Charlotte’s nonprofit community newspaper, we strive to offer information that appeals to a broad range of locals, both those raised here and those transplanted. We want to be your resource hub for community happenings within Charlotte, but also a bit beyond the borders. (It’s a rare and possibly unhealthy case when a Charlotter never ventures over town lines.) And we couldn’t do that without you—your readership and your writing, your time volunteering, and the contributions that help keep us going. For all that, we thank you.
It takes a vIllage We’ve been in the community for 57 years, and we hope to be around for another 100. A lot of community members have contributed to our history and we look forward to working with many more. Our most recent additions are Ruah Swennerfelt as the events editor and Liz Philip-Morris in our ad sales team. Ruah was born in Stockholm, Sweden, but has lived in Charlotte for 24 years, involving herself in a wide variety of town activities— Charlotte Sustainable Living Network, Transition Town Charlotte, Green Up Day, the Charlotte Grange, and a term on the Conservation Commission. When not gathering interesting local events for The News or volunteering to help the town, she spends time playing with her great-grandson, gardening, walking, and working on environmental issues. She loves knowing what’s happening around town and looks forward to seeing your event listings. Send them to news@charlottenewsvt.com with “EVENT” in the subject heading. Liz came to Vermont in 1991 to study English at UVM. She lived out in Colorado for a spell before coming back to get a master’s degree
in historic preservation. Before coming to work at The News, she managed an art gallery in Stowe and worked at the Shelburne Museum. She has two sons at CCS and is “very excited to be at The Charlotte News!” A hearty welcome goes out to you both! On the board side of things, we are very excited to have three newly appointed board members: Gay Regan, Tim Halvorson and Patrice Machavern. Gay is an English teacher and an avid writer. She came to Thomson’s Point with her family when she was a teenager more than 50 years ago and later got her bachelor’s degree from Middlebury College and a master’s degree from Bread Loaf School of English. Currently, Gay lives in Shelburne, but she spends a lot of time at the Charlotte Senior Center, with Charlotte friends, and with her daughter, Andrea Regan, at their summer camp on Thompson’s Point. Tim is the owner of Halvorson’s Upstreet Café on Church Street in Burlington. He has also been the director and chair of the Church Street Marketplace. In addition to The News, Tim serves on the Lund Family Center board and the Committee for Temporary Shelter board. A little know fact about him: the Burlington Business Association has created an honorary award in Tim’s name to recognize individuals for outstanding contribution to the economic vitality of Burlington. He lives in Charlotte. Patrice, a 29-year resident of Charlotte, is currently the administrative assistant for Charlotte Volunteer Fire and Rescue Services. Previously she served as a town auditor, a member and chair of the CCS School Board, a member of the Charlotte Children’s Center board, a CVU budget buddy and commissioner of the Charlotte Little League. In her spare time you can find her at a baseball field or traveling the country managing her son Dillon’s very successful racecar team in the Trans-
Am Road Racing Series. We look forward to working with you all!
PartIng such sweet sorrow We’d like to give a long-overdue thanks to Linda Williamson. Her constancy and commitment to the paper, and her willingness to take on anything from production to advertising helped us through some difficult times over the past nine years. We’re deeply grateful to her and wish her the best. Emma Slater said her good-bye in a previous issue, but we’d be remiss if we didn’t thank her for her work at The News over the last two-and-ahalf years, first as a sprightly CVU intern then as an all-business contributing editor. From reworking press releases to creating photo essays to writing original stories, Emma did it all for us—and with aplomb. We’ll miss her talent, her curiosity, and her presence around the office. We wish her the best of luck on her new adventures. We also say goodbye to three longtime members of the board this month: Kathy Luce, Meg Smith and, after a long stint as editor in chief and then board treasurer, Nancy Wood, who founded the paper in 1958. Thank you all for your many contributions to The News! We wish you well in your work, travel or visits to the grandkids.
Don’t be shy In closing, I’ve survived my first five months at the helm here and am really excited about the future of the paper. We’ve got lots of ideas and some very talented people working with us. Just look at the masthead. That said, it really does take a village to get this paper out every two weeks. If you are interested in writing or working for The Charlotte News, please don’t be shy—get in touch! It’s great experience for young people to build their resume and a fantastic way for all to connect with the community. More about all that in our upcoming issues.
The CharloTTe News • May 21, 2015 • 3
Voices Letter to the Editor:
Consider exempting existing ivory In reference to the article, “Charlotte has major players in the ivory wars” (April 23) regarding ivory, it should also be mentioned that many older, quality pianos and organs have ivory key tops, which are desirable for touch and feel by many pianists. To ban these would require replacing the tops with plastic, causing much unneeded expense, devaluing the instrument possibly to the point of it being worthless. What
of the many older pianos that currently exist in Charlotte area homes, schools, churches and concert halls that currently use ivory key tops? Could it be feasible that they might be confiscated for ivory law violation? Nobody wants to see the elimination of any wild animal for human vanity, but the ivory mentioned here is easily decades, even more than a century old. I’m all for the protection of wildlife, but let’s all consider exempting existing ivory products.
David Snow
Middleborough, Mass.
Firewood Awareness Week: buy local, burn local Steven J. Sinclair
Though EAB and ALB have yet to be detected in Vermont, our state is CONTRIBUTOR threatened by firewood transported here The locavore movement in Vermont from other states and countries. Trees is strong, whether vegetables, meat, may look healthy despite harboring craft beer or goods and services. I am harmful organisms that can go undetecthere to promote the same approach in ed for years. By the time the trees show the purchase and burning of firewood. signs of deterioration, containment and Why is this important? Transported treatment become increasingly difficult. Vermont’s forests are fundamenfirewood is a major vehicle of invasive pests such as the emerald ash borer tal to our state’s economy and wellbeing. There are over (EAB) and Asian 20,000 jobs in forestlong-horned beetle We collectively based manufacturing (ALB). These pests are a grave threat to benefit from healthy and recreation, with an annual economic our forests. Over half forests, and our benefit of $1.9 billion of Vermont’s trees from forest-based recare potential hosts forests need our reation alone (e.g., fall of these invasives— collective help. By foliage, skiing, huntand our state tree, the sugar maple, is no burning wood where ing). Trees in developed areas provide exception. Slowing you buy it, you $68 billion a year in the spread of invapublic benefits, such sive pests affords will help the local as air and water filus the time to study economy and keep tration, rainwater additional options for capture, shading and tree pest management Vermont’s forests cooling our homes, while still maintainhealthy and green. and increasing proping and providing the erty values thanks to a variety of goods and natural esthetic. services to the public We collectively benefit from healthy that come from our forests and trees. forests, and our forests need our collecOur forests truly are at risk. EAB has been detected in 25 states, includ- tive help. By burning wood where you ing all states bordering Vermont as buy it, you will help the local economy well as Quebec to our north. With and keep Vermont’s forests healthy and roughly eight billion ash trees across green. Join the Vermont Department of the nation, American cities will spend Forests, Parks and Recreation and our more than $10 billion over the next partners for Firewood Awareness Week, decade to treat or remove infestations, May 17-23, and help us celebrate localrepresenting a die-off ten times larger than Dutch elm disease. ALB is also ly sourced and treated firewood. Learn of great concern: the nearest infesta- more about the week at VTinvasives. tion is within 50 miles of our bor- org and about invasive pest and fireder in Worcester, Massachusetts. The wood at vtforest.com. Worcester ALB infestation has resulted in the cutting of more than 34,000 trees, Steven J. Sinclair is the director of and since October 2008 it has cost the forests at the Vermont Department of U.S. Department of Agriculture over Forests, Parks and Recreation. $146 million. The spread of these pests is a direct result of wood transport, specifically the movement of untreated firewood. 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
Legislative Report by Representative Mike Yantachka
A look at the end of the 2015 session Remember the energy projects. Remember the Rubik’s Cube? Last They include giving week’s legislative sesmunicipalities autoRubik’s Cube? sion was like trying matic party status in to solve a giant verbal Public Service Board Last week’s legversion of that threehearings, defining dimensional, threeminimum setback islative session axis puzzle. Fourteen requirements and was like trying to bills were assigned to allowing municipaliconference committees ties to define screensolve a giant verbecause the House and ing requirements. Senate could not agree Passage of this bill bal version of that on the details in the satisfies the objecversions each chamber tions Connecticut three-dimensional, passed. In addition to and Massachusetts three-axis puzzle. those bills, the immuhad regarding nization (H.98), water Vermont’s doublequality (H.35) and counting of renewenergy bills (H.40) still able energy credits. had not been settled. It also avoids a $50 million loss in Early in the week the House Health annual revenue for our utilities, thereby Care Committee took a couple more days stopping a potential 6 percent increase of impassioned testimony on whether to in electric rates. retain the philosophical exemption or to Saturday brought the passage of the remove it before finally bringing it to education and health care bills. The the full House for a vote. The hours-long health care bill had been trimmed back debate on the floor reflected the range considerably because of an inability to of opinions heard in testimony. Several agree on funding. What remained was amendments were offered before the a 33 cent per pack cigarette tax increase House voted to remove that exemp- and a 6 percent sales tax increase for tion while retaining the religious and soda. The package contains $3.2 milmedical exemptions. The 85-57 vote lion in new state health care spending, crossed party lines as individual legis- which is eligible for roughly another $3 lators made up their own minds on the million from federal matching funds. legislation. Following the decision on The money will be used to level-fund vaccine exemptions, the House voted Vermont Health Connect subsidies for to concur with the Senate on proposed out-of-pocket costs, target increases to amendments to the water quality bill, Medicaid rates and invest in initiatives which will put Vermont on the path to to strengthen the primary care system. reducing phosphorous runoff into its As late as Saturday afternoon negolakes and streams. tiations were still going on among the By Friday afternoon most of the con- House and Senate leadership and the ference committees reported agreement governor regarding how the agreed budon all but the budget, revenue, health get would be funded. They agreed on care and education bills, and the Senate $53 million in program cuts with the was still debating amendments to the expectation that $30 million in addienergy bill. Earlier in the afternoon tional revenues would have to be found. we passed the very important child This represents $3 million more in cuts protection bill (S.9). This bill requires and $5 million less in revenues than any mandated reporter who reasonably originally passed by the House. Finally, suspects abuse or neglect of a child to around 10 p.m. the final agreements were report it to the Department of Children made and the House gave its approval to and Families instead of to a superior, the budget. After the traditional speechand it improves cross-agency commu- es from the leaders of the Progressive, nication for child welfare cases. Typical Republican and Democratic parties, the of the “hurry up and wait” character of speaker of the House, and the governor, the session’s final days, the House was the session was gaveled to a close just repeatedly recessed to await updates before 11 p.m. on the status of conference committee I can be reached by phone (802negotiations. 233-5238) or by email (myantachka. Friday evening we received from the dfa@gmail.com). You can find this Senate its amendments to the energy article and past articles at my website: bill, and the House quickly concurred MikeYantachka.com. in its passage. The Senate left the provisions adopted by the House and added provisions regarding siting of solar
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4 • May 21, 2015 • The CharloTTe News
Kids Raising Kids How four children at Champlain Valley Cohousing are growing through raising goats Catherine Bock CONTRIBUTOR
In November of 2014 I invited all the children at the Champlain Valley
Cohousing community to a meeting to talk about raising goats. There was a lot of excitement and enthusiasm so we had a second meeting, which was attended by four girls, ages 11-13. The girls soon began the first step in what would become the Kids for Kids (K4K) project: learning about goats. “All winter we continued researching, visiting farms, and we even sewed a stuffed goat,� said Lia Gieg, 12. “Then we gave a well-researched presentation to the community on why we wanted a goat and everything we
had learned about taking care of them.� Then we met the pregnant does at New Village Farm in February, followed by a long, long wait for the kids to be born. During this time we worked on the barn, built goat jungle gyms and had meetings to make plans for the kids’ arrival. By April 3 four little does had been born and four little girls had fallen in love with them and given them names: Lina, Luna, Lexie and Bella. When the kids were two weeks old they were taken away from their mothers at night, so they were very hungry in the morning. This was a perfect time to teach them to bottle feed, so we made daily early morning trips to the farm with bottles of warm goat’s milk. “The first bottle feeding took patience because they were afraid of us and didn’t know what to do,� said Alyssana Lasek, 11. “I thought they would be so hungry they would just drink, but they looked at the bottle, sniffed it, kicked it but didn’t suck. After a week they learned and attacked us when we came with the bottles.� On April 30, the goats rode home in the laps of their new owners in the back of farmer Michaela Ryan’s van. When they arrived each girl proudly carried her kid from the car into their new home surrounded by excited members of the community. The goats immediately began nibbling on everything. This is apparently what they do to orient themselves. Farmer Michaela was proud of her intelligent kids for knowing how to research their new home. I was proud of my brave
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Lia Geig relaxing in the grass with baby goat Bella.
(Above) Alyssana Lasek bottle feeding her Luna. (Left) K4K walking on mount Munson near Champlain Valley Cohousing. and hard-working kids who finally got to bring their kids home. The excitement was overwhelming. “The first night home the goats stood by the fence and bleated when we left,� said Alyssana. “We hid behind the barn to wait for them to stop. They never stopped crying. It was heart breaking. The next night we slept in the barn. We held them and sang to them until they fell asleep in our arms. I felt so connected.� In the two weeks since we got the kids, everyone has worked hard. The girls get up early to bottle feed before school. They go to the barn right after school and play with and train their kids. As a result we now have four very sociable, happy, frisky and mischievous little does who are growing faster than seems possible. “It’s amazing watching the progress of the goat’s trust in us,� said Lia. The really unbelievable growth, however, is in the human kids who have been able to take on the new responsibility of caring for the animals without a single miss. They will need this new maturity to continue bottle feeding for another six weeks, while training their kids to walk on a leash, to forage in the forest and eat invasive plants, and to do any other tricks they think of teaching them. “Being with the goats lifts the stress off me,� said Lia. “It’s just so relaxing. It lets me think.� Eventually we will decide if we want to breed the goats, and I’m hoping for new kids to be born here and then milking and maybe even learning to make goat cheese. But even if we don’t breed them, K4K has given the community new life. Most of the families now spend time at the goat barn helping out and socializing with the goats, and with each other. Lia and Alyssana contributed to this article.
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The CharloTTe News • May 21, 2015 • 5
Selectboard continued from page 1 Since fire calls, except those with HazMat implications, are not billed, the increased number of calls will affect the fire budget because of increased material usage and equipment maintenance. Much of the discussion continued into a long series of Selectboard members’ questions on individual budget lines. The financial report may be found online at bit.ly/1JXpL9r. Snow predicted that the CVFRS budget would end up with a deficit in the high $20,000 range because of “payroll-related costs of EMS (Emergency Medical Services).� These costs arose from an unspecified, one-time personnel issue in early May. Snow did not see any reduction in EMS service for the rest of the year.
spell questions poliCe serviCe
The Selectboard at its Monday, May 11, meeting, discussed the town’s contract for police services. Trooper Matt Daley of the Vermont State Police (VSP) reported that Charlotte’s contract for police services with the Vermont State Police is going well from his perspective; there has been good communication with the town and rapid follow-up by the state police of safety concerns posted on Front Porch Forum. Board member Matt Krasnow confirmed this view, reporting few complaints from town citizens about the contractual police work and positive comments about seeing the state police around. Selectboard member Jacob Spell asked how the town would know if the money is well spent and suggested that Charlotters should be getting more service from the state police from taxes paid to the state. Trooper Daley explained that troopers were assigned to a wide area that precluded responding in a timely way to events,
such as speeding, in any particular town. He noted also that VSP radio logs record when and where their patrols in Charlotte occur. Krasnow provided a history of Charlotte’s need for and use of contracted police services and reminded the Selectboard that the VSP was the lowest bidder for the current contract. Nevertheless, Spell repeated his question about whether police services were being duplicated and should be provided on a state-wide level rather than by town contract. Trooper Daley reiterated that the VSP did not have sufficient manpower to patrol each town individually. In response to Abby Foulk’s concern about graffiti at the Town Beach and Charlotte Central School, Daley recommended reporting such events on Front Porch Forum and promised that the VSP would respond promptly. Selectboard Chair Lane Morrison proposed that the town administrator prepare an update of the Charlotte contract with VSP for review and action by the Selectboard at a future meeting. At the May 18 meeting, Krasnow was authorized to purchase two game cameras and locks and chains. The former are to maintain security surveillance on the beach entrance and the traffic speed cart and the latter to secure the cart. And in a final action the Selectboard authorized a “not-to-exceed� expenditure of $3,295 to be applied to insulating the west wall of the library, should it be found appropriate during the reroofing project.
other business
In a series of Selectboard updates on May 11, Town Administrator Dean Bloch reported that 1) the Holmes Bridge had been hit and needs repairs at an estimated cost of roughly $2,000 to be covered by insurance; 2) there are drainage issues on the town trails that the installed culverts are insufficient to deal with; 3) Dale Knowles is having trouble mowing the shoulders of the gravel trails due to inadequate grading; 4) non-elected town employees are due for evaluation/ review using the existing process; and 5) Kristin Hartley, recreation director, is resigning her position at the end of the month. In other business at the May 11
and 18 meetings: • Matt Krasnow requested an update on the town attorney’s assessment of the agricultural lease language in the Charlotte Park and Wildlife Refuge contract. This could not be discussed publicly because it was not a warned item. As Clark Hinsdale, a party to the contract, would not be available for the May 18 meeting, Bloch proposed that the issue be discussed on June 8. • Bloch reported that all permits were in place for improvements to the Town Green and that Chris Mack had been selected as the contractor. The work will be delayed until after the Town Party on July 11 to give the green time to recover before subjecting it to intense use. Dave Marshall, an engineer working with the project, described a system to address drainage issues from Ferry Road that impact the green. • The annual paving contract bidding for town roads was given to the low bidder, S.D. Ireland, with a bid of $62.86 per ton. In another road action, the Selectboard approved a highway access permit for David Raymond to relocate an agricultural road cut on the west side of Mt. Philo Road to a point 500 feet south of its intersection with Old Town Trail. • The Selecboard received an update from Chittenden Solid Waste District (CSWD). Director Tom Moreau reviewed the proposed FY16 budget, explaining that revenue has been flat this year due to reduced trash and lower prices for recyclables. In Chittenden County, residents create three pounds of trash per person per day, lower than the state level of 3.4 pounds per day. The goal is to reduce this to 2.7 pounds of trash per person by reclaiming tons of recycling worth millions of dollars that currently goes into the trash. CSWD is exploring whether to purchase machinery to separate different types of trash to make recycling more efficient and profitable. The Selectboard unanimously approved the CSWD budget. • A Town Beach Party was approved for 5-8 p.m. on July 11 following the annual Town Party on the green. The next regular Selectboard meeting will be held on June 8.
Charlotte Meetings May 21–June 4 Selectboard: NoNe PlaNNiNg commiSSioN: may 21, 7 P.m. JuNe 4, 7 P.m. ccS School board: NoNe cVu School board: NoNe
seleCtboard MeMbers 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 Check the town website for more info.
Meeting times are subject to change.
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6 • May 21, 2015 • The CharloTTe News
What’s in your lawn? Where Transition Town Charlotte has been and where it’s going
some of the cherry tomatoes they grew and placed them in a bowl on the library desk. She was delighted to see children helping themselves to these tasty, healthy treats, while learning they had been grown locally. Ruah Swennerfelt Again responding to the Transition THE CHARLOTTE NEWS US challenge in 2014, TTC expanded It all started in 2012. Transition US the gardens at the school and the library. offered a Community Resilience Challenge Abby brought composting bins to the to Charlotte and other Transition com- library site and, due to the generosity of munities. The challenge was to “pick Pelkey’s Blueberries, we removed some up shovels and tools to help construct invasive bushes and planted blueberries rainwater harvesting systems, install solar at the library. Charlie Russell donated panels, make energy efficiency improve- mulch hay. Later in 2014 TTC was approached ments, create gardens, and share garden by the Charlotte Congregational Church know-how with friends and neighbors, to discuss a garden there. The church all the while educating and empowering recognized the value in raising food for Food garden volunteers pose for a photo around the Charlotte Public Library community, and supporting local busithe Food Shelf, engaging the children in plot. Transition Town Charlotte now has two more food gardens across nesses.” food production, and reducing the amount Charlotte—one at CCS and another at the Charlotte Congregational Church. It was a tall order, but after a couple of of lawn to be mowed using fossil fuels. years Transition Town Charlotte (TTC) And that year TTC was featured on the has three vegetable plots—at the Charlotte Transition US website, Facebook page Refreshments will be provided for the heroes. Our gardeners will meet throughLibrary, Charlotte Central School, and the and May newsletter, as well as on the workers. There will be a sign up for weed- out the summer to pick what the garden Charlotte Congregational Church—and is ing and watering duties during the sum- has to offer and then plan a snack around international Transition website! continuing to build interest in local food mer at all three sites. Soon TTC will also the food we have picked.” Transition US has had an overwhelmproduction as part of a sustainable, resilbe reaching out to businesses in Charlotte Who would have thought that planting ing response to its Community Resilience ient future. and the local area for donations. a few potatoes would evolve into such Challenge, with 16,000 registered actions In May 2013 TTC responded to another An exciting outgrowth of the gardens is a community-involved project, assisting in 2014. And Charlotte has been a part of challenge by Transition US and expanded the involvement of children. At the church, people in need, getting folks working that since its inception. its gardens to include potatoes, tomatoes children will be involved in planting this together outside and slowly eliminating However, recognizing the growing and pole beans. That summer, Tai Dinnan year’s garden and tending it through the the need for fertilizers and fossil fuels to responsibility for maintaining multiple planned a library workshop with children, summer. At the library Cheryl Sloan has mow lawns? Maybe the next step is to community food gardens, a “More Food, reading about gardens, building fairy organized a summer garden program for encourage people to consider reducing Less Lawn” committee was recently houses and playing in the center of the pole bean teepee. Also Abby Foulk approached formed within TTC. This year, members youth. According to Cheryl, “The theme their lawns and replacing them with fruits TTC with her ideas about a garden and plan to grow potatoes, cherry tomatoes, for the summer reading program this year and vegetables? Maybe there should be composting at the school gardens. She radishes, lettuce, carrots, and sugar snap is ‘Every Hero has a Story.’ Not only are an event where people can share some of caped crusaders or Greek Gods heroes, their gardening knowledge while eating a found collaborators and engaged students peas at the library and church gardens. we are surrounded by superheroes in our meal harvested from their home gardens? An important date for your calendars is in the project. Margaret Woodruff picked May 30, when own community. They are people that What about planting fruit trees instead of a planting will make Charlotte a great place to be a kid. ornamentals near the library and Town CorreCtions take place at Learning the basics of planting, weed- Hall? What ideas do you have? Contact me if you want to volunteer the Charlotte ing and harvesting from our own library In our April 23 issue (page 4), John Ayers name was misspelled Library from garden will be a great program to start in the garden or if you have suggestions: as John Ayer. We apologize for this mistake. 9-10:30 a.m. them off on their way to be future garden ruahswennerfelt@gmail.com. In the May 7 edition of The News (page 2), the term “rhumb line” was misspelled as “Rum line.” This nautical term meaning an imaginary line on the earth’s surface cutting all meridians at the same angle originates from 16th century French, rumb, and has Oh joy, it’s spring time! proceeds to one of our specially about these three active projnothing to do with running rum or delivering alcohol. The spelling Lewis Creek Association (LCA) selected conservation projects. ects and decide how to spend was changed due to its association with a rhombus. and friends are having a fund- In one evening, 100 people can the evening’s proceeds. Project
LCA benefit at the Hinesburg Public House June 2
raising party and we hope you can come. Please join us for dinner on June 2 at the Hinesburgh Public House (HPH). HPH is serving its specially prepared community dinners with dessert from 5 to 9 p.m. for $20 per person. Thanks to owner Will Patton and the very inspired social mission of the Hinesburg Public House, 50 percent of all Public House community dinner proceeds will go to LCA. LCA will forward the
raise $1,000 for a local conservation project. Please join us and fill a table or two with your special friends and family. At the June 2 community dinner, guests will vote on how to spend the evening’s proceeds. They will be asked to choose from the Monkton Wildlife Connectivity Project, the Lake and Wetland Restoration Project in Charlotte and Shelburne, or our three-town “Ahead of the Storm” Flood Resiliency Project. Come hear
representatives will be available during the evening to describe each project. As part of this special evening, LCA will also be raffling off a bright and fanciful Woody Jackson artwork generously donated to support the Monkton amphibian and wildlife crossing installations. Thank you, Woody! Spread the word and join us for dinner on June 2. Take-outs count too!
The CharloTTe News • May 21, 2015 • 7
The Charlotte beat
Some numbers from the Vermont State Police and thier work around the town Compiled by: Alex Bunten
Source: Vermont State Police
Editor’s note: The fines levied graph (top left) shows an interesting jump in July and an wild low in October. One wonders if the heat brings out the speeder in us all.
Source: Vermont State Police
The differences between tickets and warnings (bottom left) is telling. August, October and July seem to be the strictest months, while January is the most lenient. The service calls chart (top right) warns that tax fraud is still alive and well. Be safe out there!
Town of Charlotte seeks recreation coordinator The Town of Charlotte is looking for a multi-skilled recreation coordinator for youth and adult programs, including sport and nonsport activities. The person needs strong organizational and communicational skills and ability to work within budget. Position averages 22 hours per week; starting pay-range is $17.92$19.78 per hour, depending on experience. Position is eligible for partial health benefits. Background check required. Job description can be obtained at charlottevt.org and from Town Administrator Dean Bloch (425-3071 ext. 5). Application deadline is May 28, 2015. Please email letter of interest and resumé to dean@townofcharlotte. com. Feel free to call or email with any questions.
This Memorial Day, remember all those who protect our shores
Source: Vermont State Police
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8 • May 21, 2015 • The CharloTTe News
Grange
continued from page 1
Tucked into the back is an agriculture report from 2012 and 2013 in which Bean recorded the state of harvests around the town and county—“Spring planting is slow but looks as all will get done on time,” she writes—an allusion to the days of old when the Grange was a place where farmers met to exchange information and ideas about the land. On a subsequent page, Bean placed an article by the UVM Extension office called “How to raise young farmers in Vermont,” which details the extension office’s plans to get more young farmers on the land. It’s the same problem faced by the Grange in Charlotte: how to get more people involved in the organization. *** For much of the 20th century Granges served as social and political centers in
rural communities across America. Its members—active at a time when a third of the country’s population farmed— lobbied to benefit agricultural interests like rural mail delivery and cheaper crop transport by rail. During the 1950s, the organization boasted some 850,000 members. With the advent of television and the Internet, coupled with a decline in farming, Granges have seen their memberships dwindle nationwide by over 40 percent. First chartered in 1908, Charlotte Grange #398 has experienced a decline in dues-paying membership from 190 at its height in the 1940s to around 40 today. But some members are trying to reverse course. “I’m trying to find a way to make the Grange relevant in this day and age,” said Dorothy Hill, the Grange’s president. Hill joined the Charlotte Grange in 2000 in large part because she wanted to connect with something of the town’s rural heritage, one she had known as the daughter of local farmers. But she also saw a chance to help an organization in
Long-time Charlotte Grange members Dorothy and Mike Claflin talk to Dorothy Hill after a recent meeting. The Claflins have been members of the Grange since they were teenagers.
A photo of an early Grange meeting in 1919, Chittenden county. need of support. “It’s over 100 years old,” she said. “I want to support the history.” In the decline of the Grange in Charlotte, Hill sees the changing dynamics of the town where she grew up, a town that has become increasingly disconnected, she says. “People have so many options now,” said Hill. “People really like the idea of the Grange, but they don’t join. They don’t participate. It’s kind of like it’s there. It’s reassuring because it’s still going and it’s a connection to the past, but all of these organizations need people to run.” Yet Hill sees an opportunity to bring younger farmers to the Grange, for the organization exists to support the kind of small-scale agriculture on the rise in Charlotte. “Those people would be great candidates to come to a meeting at the Grange because the Grange organization is a supporter of rural enterprises.” Granges from New York to Oregon have found new lives from young, agriculturally-minded people who desire a connection with their food and the communities that produce it. The Whallonsburg Grange, just across the lake, for example, has become a centerpiece in the community, hosting concerts, movies and a lecture series. Hill sees the Charlotte Grange building as a place where Charlotters can meet for similar events, though on a much larger scale. Because ultimately the Grange is about connecting people to each other, says Hill, and making the organization a stronger force in Charlotte could help build bridges between community members. In a sense, it’s about bringing a smalltown feeling back to Charlotte, explained Hill. “I want people to have connection to the land and the town that they live
in,” she said. “As the town gets more compartmentalized, there’s fewer people on the rolling farms. You have to find a way to make it all work. I think the Grange could be a facilitator to get people to do things.” *** Back at the April meeting, Shirley Bean shared just how important that community was to her. After her husband passed away, Bean said the Charlotte Grange became a source of emotional support. “They were so warm and welcoming,” she said. “They just enclosed me. They just helped me get through the grief. It was wonderful.” Bean has been a member for 27 years and has held every position in the organization. She fills up a scrapbook of the organization’s activities, which she pages through as other members clean up dinner. “I wish more people would…,” she says, trailing off as she stops on a page. “I wish more people would be aware of what we’re doing.” Despite the drop-off in membership, Bean believes the organization will press on because of the role it plays in Charlotte and its members’ lives. After the meal is over, Seth Zimmerman, a guest at the night’s meal, rises to share his interest in possibly joining the Grange. He calls to mind his ancestors, who farmed in Brooklyn, and the importance of small towns in America. “I want to say that the people who helped to keep the Grange running and going all this time—you have to give them an ‘attaboy’ and a good pat on their back because this is what small-town America really is,” he says. “And a big America is made up of a lot of small-town America.” “That, and I come for the beans,” he adds. “Shirley, you are loved.” The Grange holds open meetings twice a month for most of the year. For an updated schedule, contact Dorothy Hill at 425-4140 or Windytop2@aol.com.
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The CharloTTe News • May 21, 2015 • 9
The Humbled Parent
Just being kids Lessons in structure from allergies to skiing “Does this go on all winter?” Noah asked from the back seat as we pulled out of the driveway on our way to his ski lesson. “Yes,” I replied. “The winter is soooo long, though,” he said, exasperated. “You’ll have a different teacher this week,” I told him. “Let’s see how it goes, and if you don’t like it we can stop.” A few weeks earlier Noah had started his second season of ski lessons, something that he had been looking forward to since late summer. The year before he had taken half-day lessons and loved it. This year, because he was five, the only option for him was a full- day lesson. The first lesson had gone OK—he’d had fun even though one of his friends, who is a year older, and some of the other kids were calling him names. This bothered him, but by Friday he was excited to go skiing the next day. At the second lesson most of the kids, and the instructor, enjoyed going as fast as they could down the mountain. Noah is cautious and thus he was always bring-
ing up the rear. The group was not a good match, but he hung in there for the day, without complaint. I’ve always loved skiing. As a kid I covered every inch of the walls in my bedroom with ski pictures. The topic of skiing is what allowed me to meet my wife, Erin, and it is one of the reasons we moved to Utah. We want our kids to love skiing as much as we do, but we don’t believe in forcing them to love something just because we want them to. Nor do we feel they always need to be busy with activities. After 40 minutes and two more pep talks about giving it one more chance, we pulled into the parking lot. Noah was listless. I tried to keep an upbeat demeanor as I started gathering our gear. “Daddy, I don’t feel well,” he said softly after a few moments. “You don’t? What’s wrong?” After ten minutes of trying to tease out of him exactly what was wrong, I decided it was best just to head back home. “Are you saying you don’t feel well because you don’t want to ski?” I asked. “Uh-huh,” he said, nodding his head. “You never have to tell me or your mom that you feel sick because you don’t want to do something. You just tell us you don’t want to do it. If it is something like this we can just not do it, but if it’s something like school you may have to
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buck up and go. But always, no matter was speaking with someone recently who whom you are with, speak up when you told me that when he was a kid he and his don’t want to do something. friends would play baseball Okay?” every day after school in a “Okay,” he said and then field, using rocks for bases. closed his eyes and was asleep He went on to say that there almost instantly. are all these manicured As I drove home I thought baseball fields today that about all that had gone on have been built but largely in the last couple of weeks. remain empty because no Noah had started the afternoon one is organizing a game. program at his pre-school and The truth is our children was going five half days a would be much better Jorden Blucher week. Erin had worked two equipped for life if they had CONTRIBUTOR weeks in a row, which transto find things to do on their lates into working five days, own, use their imaginations, having two days off and then work out conflict, get dirty working about 80 hours over and expel their energy with the next seven days. I myself was worn unstructured play. Simply put, to spend out, so I could only imagine how Noah more time just being kids. was feeling. We’ve not gone back to the mountain since, nor has either of the kids Jorden Blucher is a stay-at-home-dad asked to go. in Charlotte who uses his passion for It seems that we as a society need trail running to help fight cancer (runour children to always have a structured ningdowncancer.com). More of his schedule, that we can’t leave them up to musings on life and parenting can be their own devices and imagination for a found at, smartmenmarrydoctors.com. moment. We have a myriad of rational and irrational fears and reasons as to why we feel this way. I
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10 • May 21, 2015 • The CharloTTe News
continued from page 1
of them. “They don’t get stuck. They don’t use fossil fuel. And they are just nicer to look at,� Cathy says. “But the key is to have them always ready. If it takes you more than 15 minutes to get out in the field, you’ll probably get on a tractor.� And Cathy isn’t the only one in Vermont using alternative horsepower. According to the Green Mountain Draft Horse Association over 100 Vermont farms use animal power. “We use them to mow, cultivate, seed, disk and haul just about anything,� Megan says. She shows a picture of them pulling a Toyota truck out of a snow bank last winter to prove the “anything� part. Megan and her identical twin sister, Amanda Morse, started with Unity Farm not long after Cathy established it in July 2012. Between the three of them, they have a lot of experience working with horses. Cathy previously managed the Shelburne Farms team of draft horses, Rocket and General mowing a field on and the Morse twins have been working Higbee Rd. with draft horses since they were eight years old. Patrick Palmer of New Haven, who has run the horse-drawn garbage collection in Bristol for 18 years, got the twins started with a runaway Belgian draft horse their parents bought. With extensive knowledge of town regulations and And policy, Michael T. Russell can help you plan, permit, Palmer’s trainand complete your project. ing seems to have paid off. Watching
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Horses
Unity Farm, established in 2012, isn’t only home to rare draft horses. The farm uses three hoop houses to grow flowers and winter greens—kale, chard and salad mix. They can be found at the Shelburne Supermarket and other locations.
Megan back up with the horses, Cathy comments, “This is how you know someone is good. I’ve seen her back a mower onto a truck bed with an inch to spare on each side. She’s very talented.� Historically, draft horses have been associated with sugaring or logging in Vermont, but according to a press release from Shelburne Farms, “A draft horse renaissance is taking root as people become increasingly interested in sustainable agriculture, renewable forms of energy, traditional farm equipment and practices, and greater connection with the land.� As a part of that renaissance, Cathy hopes to engage the general public with more than just an impromptu show off of Route 7—this summer, Unity Farm will offer wagon rides with these beasts of burden at the Charlotte Berry Farm and at the Bread and Butter Farm. Check their websites for more information: charlotteberryvt.com, breadandbutterfarm.com. A view of the tasty greens Unity Farm proffers.
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The CharloTTe News • May 21, 2015 • 11
Introducing the Charlotte Community Clean Up Fund Grants to help pay for cleanup at community sites For many years, the Chittenden Solid Waste District (CSWD) has allocated money to each of its member towns for a Community Clean-Up Fund. These funds are intended for projects involving the cleanup of solid waste at a location deemed beneficial to the community-at-large. Charlotte is allocated $1,000 every July and currently has a balance of $2,000. Funds are carried over (if not spent) and capped at $5,000. Grants may be used to pay for activities directly related to the cleanup of solid waste, such as disposal fees, container rental, transportation and labor. Funds may also be used for the prevention of future disposal at a site through proper placement of signage and recycling/compost/landfill containers. The municipality may choose to clean up sites located on either private (financial need must be proven) or public property. Some examples of cleanup projects approved in previous years by town selectboards and CSWD have included:
SCHIP grant deadline fast approaching Applications must be submitted by May 31 Since SCHIP began making grants, many nonprofits have used their awarded funds to continue their mission to improve the lives of our neighbors and strengthen our communities. Grants range from a few hundred to several thousand dollars. Grants may not exceed $5,000 per request. Applicant requirements: Be a 501(c)(3) or submit
the application through such an organization. Projects must serve residents of Shelburne, Charlotte or Hinesburg. Funds may not be applied to annual operating budgets or permanent staffing. One application per organization per calendar year. Grants deadlines are January 31, May 31 and September 30 To obtain an application follow this link: goo.gl/bKeWD. Or stop by the shop at 5404 Shelburne Road in, Shelburne. We are in the distinctive yellow house!
-Cleanup of illegal dumpsites (tires, appliances, general trash) -Addition of signage and Universal Recycling containers in public areas to discourage littering and decrease materials sent to the landfill -Rental of containers for additional Green Up Day expenses (e.g. a zerosort recycling dumpster for parallel collection of recycling) -Demo and disposal of a foreclosed property. If you have an idea for a cleanup project, contact Abby Foulk, fund contact and Charlotte representative to CSWD: afoulk@gmavt.net. Project proposals will be considered by Foulk, the CSWD enforcement coordinator and the Charlotte Selectboard.
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12 • May 21, 2015 • The CharloTTe News
Out-Doors
Charlotters celebrate longawaited spring A rundown of what the locals are saying and doing What are Charlotters doing to celebrate the much-delayed arrival of spring? Mary Ellen Hebert has been kayaking on Shelburne Pond and the LaPlatte— “The water is alive with ‘herps,’ reptiles and amphibians like snakes, turtles, lizards, frogs, toads and salamanders!” Others have been paddling Lewis Creek. Ed Amidon says, “Both osprey nests are active. I watched an adult bringing sticks to one nest, and it sounded like chicks had hatched in the other. Also, there is at least one pair of eagles on our side of the lake.” On a recent paddle up the LaPlatte from the fishing access on Bay Road in Shelburne, a group navigated nearly to Shelburne Falls. “When we went upstream at 9:30 a.m. we saw lots of geese, including one sitting on a nest, a dog in a kayak, fiddleheads and signs of beaver,” says Ellen Postlewaite. “A few hours later when we floated downstream, about three dozen turtles were sunning themselves on logs and rocks.” “We got quite far upstream before we hit any shallow water. It wasn’t a problem but could be soon, as the rivers are very low for this time of year,” Ellen says. “We didn’t turn around until quite close to the falls. There was one fallen log that was tough to negotiate—short kayaks got around it, longer ones had to get out and pull the boat over the log. It was a peaceful and beautiful paddle—budding trees, calm water and lovely reflections of the shoreline.”
Martha Perkins is considering kayaking down the Connecticut River from Bradford to Hanover. “You wouldn’t have to paddle once, just steer as the river is so full right now. Perhaps too big?” Liza Woodruff has started going up Mt. Philo again, walking around Thompson’s Point and letting the dog swim at the Whiskey Bay beach—where dogs are permitted. “Ticks are everywhere right now, so I am trying to stay out of the woods,” Liza says. “I did, however, take a nice walk up Buck Mountain the other day. The view from the top is similar to that from Mt. Philo, but it’s nice to get a slightly different perspective.” “I’m having a wonderful time looking at wildflowers,” says Ebeth Scatchard, “identifying them and checking them off in the book with a note of the date and location. I love walking on our trails, as well as Pease Mountain, Thompson’s Point, and Shelburne Farms. Yesterday, toward the top of Pease, we found bluets which we don’t have at home.” Some inspiration to get outdoors from two young adults who grew up in Charlotte: Brooke Scatchard, as a sophomore at CVU, did a “tri-search” project on the patent process. He continued on this trajectory in his Grad Challenge and invented a snow bike. Check out his website (bikesonsnow.homestead.com) to see his patented snow bikes and some videos of Brooke on his “sike” carving his way down some local ski trails. As a 19-year-old skier at Middlebury College, Kelly Brush sustained a spinal cord injury that left her a paraplegic. On a recent weekend, with 15 friends towing her uphill, Kelly skied the legendary Tuckerman’s Ravine on her monoski: kellybrushfoundation.org/in-kellyswords-tuckermans-trek/. Happy spring!
Photo: Sheri LarSen
by Elizabeth Bassett
Elizabeth Bassett and Lee Blanchard paddling up a very low Lewis Creek.
Where do your food scraps go? A compost aside By 2020, food scraps from all businesses and residents will be banned from Vermont landfills. About a third of material that goes into landfills is organic waste. If you don’t already have a compost pile, no better time than the present to get started. Even if you have no zeal for chopping garden waste into small pieces or mincing your grapefruit rinds, you can still compost. Passive composting amounts to throwing organic waste into a heap— garden scraps, leaves, grass and food— except for meat, bones, grease, and fish, which may attract unwanted critters. A proper compost pile involves a 2:1 ratio of carbon (hay, wood chips, straw, dry leaves or sawdust) to nitrogen (grass clipping, kitchen scraps, green weeds).
Add water, air, and fungi, bacteria and invertebrates, which can take the form of added compost, garden soil, or horse or chicken manure. When conditions are right—the right moisture and ratio of carbon to nitrogen, and a pile that is big enough to retain heat and moisture but manageable enough to turn, allowing aeration— microorganisms will thrive But take heart, decomposition is a natural process and will occur despite your miscalculations, omissions and errors— it just won’t happen as quickly. One day, if all goes well, you will get some usable compost from your pile. Meanwhile, you are saving money, disposal costs and space in the landfill. —Elizabeth Bassett
4-H members tout programs for ‘Paper Clover’ fundraiser On Friday, April 24, Hinesburg 4-H Club members met with fellow 4-H member and Tractor Supply Company (TSC) employee Lydia Smith of Charlotte to promote the annual “Paper Clover” fundraiser. This annual 12-day event benefits national, state and local 4-H programs. Smith brought in a spring lamb and sheep dog for the afternoon. Club members Cyrus Tyler and Corinna Hobbs, with club friend Caroline Hobbs, set up a display of various 4-H Sheep Project items so TSC patrons could see the work members enjoy in the program. The youths enjoyed this chance to interact with store staff and customers. The organization appreciates the Tractor Supply Company and everyone in our area for generously supporting the 4-H programs.
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George & Pam Darling P.O. Box 32 Ferry Road, Charlotte, VT gdarling@gmavt.net
The CharloTTe News • May 21, 2015 • 13
Do you have your own special tree? and is regarded in Britain as the Tree of Immortality and Transformation, and this is why you see them CONTRIBUTOR commonly in churchyards and cemeteries. Some Encouraged by favorable reactions to my recent are gigantic now and believed to be over a thousand column on the non-material values of trees, I would years old. We have in Charlotte’s Barber Cemetery like to expand on one aspect of that—the inspira- (West Burying Ground) large, old white cedars, also an evergreen—thus implying everlasting. The tional value of trees. We are, almost all of us, sprung from forest other name for it is arborvitae—Tree of Life. Perhaps the tree that has most impressed you people. Throughout human history, most cultures is the tallest organism in the world—a California and religions have regarded some special trees as redwood that tops out at 379 feet, more than 70 feet icons, sacred or central to their identity. We still higher than the Statue of Liberty. Who wouldn’t carry that imprint. For instance, the pipal or bo be filled with awe and reverence tree (Ficus religiosa, a species of for these giants when standing fig) was the tree under which the amongst them? Or perhaps your Buddha sat and received enlightspecial tree is a giant sequoia, the enment. It is still revered today most massive of all trees, with as a sacred tree by Buddhists and diameters as great as 36 feet? by Hindus also. Most Christians For me, the oldest single organbelieve in a real or metaphorical isms in the world, the bristleTree of Knowledge of Good and cone pines of California’s White Evil (also known as the Tree of Mountains rings the bell, and I Life) that stood in the Garden of have been privileged to place my Eden with Adam and Eve. Apple? hands on a tree that is over 5,000 Pomegranate? Apricot? years old—the Patriarch Tree. Many cultures honor a Tree Close to home we have some of Life. To desert peoples, the amazing trees that are worth date palm is thus regarded, as contemplating. As a result of it not only provides nourishing the Charlotte Big Tree Contest fruit but also marks oases in an held several years ago, we have arid environment. Fronds of the A local very large swamp white a roster of the largest diameter date palm are a traditional part of Christians’ celebration of Palm oak on property of Deputy Tree trees of each of our native speSunday. Vikings revered the ash as Warden Mark Dillenbeck. Mark’s cies. This is posted in Town “special tree”? Hall and is also available from a Tree of Life. the tree warden. Your Charlotte To the tribes of the Iroquois tree team (tree warden, deputy Confederacy the white pine is the tree wardens and tree stewards) Tree of Peace, under which the will be asking townspeople later this year to seek warring tribes of the region agreed to the Great out and describe their own special trees nearby Law of Peace—the basis for their own governance that fill them with awe and wonder and to share and acknowledged model for the U.S. Constitution. their stories through written descriptions, photos Some of our pagan ancestors, the Druids, revered or drawings. Also, at Town Party this July we will the roan (an oak) and conducted rituals around honor a particularly special tree in Charlotte—our them. The yew tree (Taxus sp.), an evergreen, was Millennium Tree (a swamp white oak) that was planted at Town Hall in 2000. We will gather around to wish it a happy fifteenth birthday. We will give it our thanks, our blessings for a long and peaceful life, and our wish that it will witness many positive things during its long life. Meanwhile, I invite you to think about a special tree of your own—one that brings you joy, comfort, reassurance, awe, inspiration and beauty when you spend time with it. Go visit it. Or go looking for it…
Photo: Courtesy
A birthday gathering for Larry Hamilton – all invited! On June 7, community members are invited to stop by the Charlotte Senior Center to wish Larry Hamilton a very happy 90th birthday! There will be an open-invitation reception from 4-6 p.m. Music, cake and hugs! Contributions are welcome to the Charlotte Tree Fund toward the planting of a tree at the Charlotte Park and Wildlife Refuge in Larry’s honor. Cash or checks payable to the Town of Charlotte (marked for Tree Fund) can be left at the June 7 reception for Larry at the Charlotte Senior Center or with the Charlotte town clerk.
Photo: Courtesy
Photo: Larry hamiLton
Larry Hamilton
Artist Annemie Curlin’s rendition of the cosmic Tree of Life with branches in heaven and roots underground.
Larry Hamilton is the volunteer Charlotte tree warden. He is professor Emeritus at Cornell University and a senior advisor to the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas. This article was written on Arbor Day, May 1, 2015.
Please join us for our open house! Friday, June 5 th 3:00pm-6:00pm Hors d’oeuvres & beverages will be served
We hope that you will be able to join us for some refreshments and meet our staff.
4281 Shelburne Road, Shelburne, VT 05482 802-985-2453
14 • May 21, 2015 • The CharloTTe News
SportS With rain beginning to let up and graduations approaching, the spring sports schedules for middle and high schools are going at a full-tilt boogey. Tennis courts, baseball and softball diamonds, lacrosse pitches and tracks are all feeling the tread.
the only Redhawk winner. CVU, however, came back against Colchester for a 5-2 match win, giving them a 7-4 won/lost record so far. Charlotte’s Ben Hyams and his doubles partner, Nathan Walker, were part of the victory. Ethan Leonard and Nathan Comai are other Charlotters who have been playing regularly.
Bats, sparks fly between CCS, SCS
The CCS baseball team recorded its first victory of the season, over Shelburne, at Charlotte’s Bill Peter Field last Friday, a 5-2 win. Coming into the game, the visitors from up Route 7 were considered a powerhouse in the district. Santiago Vazquez, however, dominated the game, pitching the full seven innings for CCS, throwing 97 pitches. Photo: Courtesy
A single match victory seems to be the most opponents can hope for against the CVU women’s tennis team. Neither Colchester nor Stowe could gain that in their latest attempt. Kathy Joseph has continued as the leading singles player. With her quickness and placement of shots, she appears to be headed well toward her third state tournament. Charlotte sophomore Meara Heininger has been winning doubles matches with her partner, Sara Ericson with the season winding down, and the Redhawk women standing at 12-0 as a team.
Edd Merritt Sports Roundup
CVU dominates the track at the Iverson Rebel Relays
CVU women’s tennis remains undefeated
Santiago Vazquez
Men’s tennis record stands at 7 wins, 4 losses
Only South Burlington and Essex stand in the way of a perfect season record for CVU men’s tennis. Having lost to both rivals twice, the latest a 6-1 defeat at the hands of the Hornets, this will be a tense few weeks. In that match the number four-seed singles player, Jack Zullo, was
Eleven track teams headed to South Burlington for the Iverson relays, and CVU showed its strength. Team scores were not kept. However, had they been the Redhawks would have been at or near the top. The women’s sprint relay teams at both varsity and freshman levels showed the way, winning the two levels of 4x100 meter races. Charlotte’s Naomi Burhans, Sadie Otley and Malina Caroll paced the varsity in that event as well as the sprint medley. Charlotte freshmen Megan Mahoney was an important link and was part of both freshman wins in the 4x100 meter and the 100-100-200-400 meter relays. The Redhawk team came in second in the distance medley—with another Charlotte product, Sophia Gorman, running in that group—and third in the shuttle hurdles with Otley adding her leaps and strides. Several other Charlotte athletes placed among the top ten in throwing and jumping events. Michaela Flore was seventh in the discus and ninth in the javelin, one place behind Annabella Pugliese in the latter. Maeve Higgins took third in the triple jump and eighth in the long jump.
Get me to the links on time
Cedar Knoll and Kwiniaska golf courses were sites for the CVU swingers to show their prowess as the Redhawks brought in low scores on each occasion. At “Kwini” CVU’s Ted Hadley hit for an 83, seating him in second place behind the medalist from Rice, Sam Myers, who shot straight and putted well for 77 strokes. Later in the month, Carter Knox followed Myers’ suit on the Cedar Knoll course, claiming medalist honors against South Burlington, Essex and Rice with a score of 76.
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by getting two hits and two RBI’s to lead the Redhawks to an 8-0 win. Sam Mikell, Shea Ireland and Degan Poland also contributed three hits apiece (Mikell’s produced two runs), and Landon Carpenter drove in three runs. This year’s senior- and junior-laden roster has moved through the season with only one loss. Charlotte’s Will Potter, like Supple and Sam Mikell, has contributed both on the mound and at the plate. In a recent 10-3 win over Colchester, he allowed one run and struck out eight in 5½ innings. In the game prior he had three hits that generated three RBIs.
no-hitter
CVU pitcher, senior Ryan Supple, pitched a no-hit game against Burlington High School, striking out 11 batters. He also helped at the plate
Softball sneaks up on the win column
Believe it or not, the three wins of CVU softball this year are an improvement over previous seasons. In the past not only were the losses regular but the scores were wider. They have lost their last four games, but with the exception of a 13-2 defeat by Colchester, CVU has managed to pile up a total of 21 runs. Charlotte’s Claire Potter has been hitting the ball as shown in the recent 17-9 loss to MMU when she was one of three Redhawks to get two hits, one a double. This followed the previous two-hit game for her against St. Johnsbury.
Both men’s and women’s lacrosse teams net six games
To hear it from the folks at Spear’s Store in the morning, May has not been their idea of a pleasant month weatherwise. There must be something about lacrosse addicts, then, to play in the mouths of storms. Each CVU team has managed to get in six games since early May The men, who face an uphill struggle for nearly the first time since lacrosse became a varsity sport 23 years ago, are hoping that their 16-1 win over St. Johnsbury Academy last week will bode well to move them over the .500 mark. They now stand at five wins, six losses. On May 12 the Redhawks hosted Essex for the second time this season in the “Battle of the Bucket.” This year the “Bucket” tipped in the Hornets’ favor as they squeaked by CVU 13-12, despite Charlie Bernicke’s hat trick, for their second win over the Redhawks. The Redhawk women last recorded a victory on May 9. Since then, however, they lost to Burlington, South Burlington and Rice by a total of 50 goals to CVU’s 21. All four games were tightly fought with good passing and movement up and down the field for both teams. Redhawk goalie Bailee Pudvar has consistently played well around the net.
5/13/15 1:00 PM
"I read about eight newspapers in a day. When I'm in a town with only one newspaper, I read it eight times." ~ Will Rogers
The CharloTTe News • May 21, 2015 • 15
Common but preventable New pneumococcal vaccine for adults shows promise, already big success for kids David Ziegleman M.D. CONTRIBUTOR
A new vaccine has been added to our arsenal against a very common, and at times deadly, bacterium called strep pneumoniae. This bacterium, first described by Louis Pasteur in 1881, is the most common cause of bacterial pneumonia in the United States, causing 900,000 cases per year, with 400,000 hospital admissions and a five to seven percent death rate, according to the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The bacterium also causes millions of middle ear infections in children. In addition, however, there are two other serious strep pneumoniae illnesses: bacteremia and meningitis, together known as invasive pneumococcal disease, or IPD. In 2012, according to the CDC, IPD caused an estimated 3,300 deaths in the United States. IDP is more common and more deadly in both very young children and older adults, as well as anyone with a decreased immune system. The good news, however, is that pneumococcal vaccines to date have shown great effectiveness in reducing the incidence of IDP. Strep pneumoniae has 90 subtypes. Efforts at vaccination have focused on the subtypes that are most common and cause the greatest number of cases. So when you see a vaccine named Prevnar 13, the 13 refers to the number of subtypes included in the vaccine. Pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine-23 (PPSV23) has been available for over 30 years and has been the mainstay for vaccinating adults 65 and older. This vaccine reduces IPD in adults by about 60 percent. A problem, however, is that children under the age of two do not respond to the vaccine with antibodies.
So in 2000 Prevnar 7 was released. This vaccine joined, “or conjugated,” part of the strep pneumonia’s cell wall with a benign part of a diphtheria bacterium. Infants responded with excellent antibodies to this combination. The results in children stand as one of the great modern day successes of vaccination. Prevnar 7 (and as of 2010, Prevnar 13) was given to children at ages 2, 4 and 6 months and again at 1 year. Between 1997 and 2013 IPD in children ages 0-2 was reduced by 90 percent. In addition, even though the vaccine was given only to children under age 2, everyone else, including older children and many adults, saw improvements. Of special note, adults 65 and older saw a 50 percent reduction in IPD even though they did not get the vaccine. In other words, if you give the Prevnar vaccine to infants and toddlers you reduce the occurrence of the disease not only in the children themselves but also in their siblings, their families and the community at large. Despite the 50 percent benefit from the vaccination of children, older adults still had an overall significant remaining rate of contracting IPD. However, a study conducted in the Netherlands, where vaccination with Prevnar was already well in place, demonstrated the benefit of giving Prevnar 13 to adults over the age of 65. The adults who received the vaccine showed a further 50 percent reduction in IPD beyond the 50 percent seen when Prevnar was given only to children--which means that the incidence of IPD in older adults was reduced by a full 75 percent. In response to this, in September 2014 the CDC recommended that all patients 65 and older be given the Prevnar 13 vaccine, followed one year later by the PPSV23 vaccine. One other bonus of vaccine use: Before the vaccines, strep pneumoniae had begun developing resistance to many antibiotics, but now that fewer cases are being created and fewer antibiotics used, the bugs that are present are more rather than less susceptible to routine antibiotics. The bottom line: Ask your health care provider if you are due for a pneumococcal vaccine. The recommendations are relatively new and somewhat complex, so your doctor will need to carefully look at your risk and determine which pattern of vaccination is best for you.
Age (years)
1997
2010
<1
142.9
15.2
(90% reduction)
1
178.7
15.1
(90% reduction)
2–4
31
6.9
18–34
9.3
2.8
35–49
18.9
8
50–64
23.5
17.2
≥ 65
61.7
30.2
Total
23.8
10.6
(50% reduction)
Dramatic decrease of IPD cases in the U.S. comparing rates of infection in 1997 vs. 2013, before and after the introduction of Prevnar7 vaccine in 1998, and the Prevnar 13 in 2010 given to children < 2. All cases of IPD are per 100,000 population.
Strongly SuggeSted vaccine regimenS 1. Children should receive Prevnar 13 at 2, 4 and 6 months, and then at age 12-15 months. For children who missed this series, parents should talk to your provider about a catch-up series. 2. Adults 65 and older should receive the Prevnar 13 vaccine and one year later the PPSV23 vaccine. 3. Adults ages 19-64 should consult their health care provider about whether to get the pneumococcal vaccine. People who smoke, have asthma, heart disease or several other common conditions should receive a PPSV23 now, and then go on to the usual vaccines at age 65. 4. People ages 19-64 who are at higher risk—for example, those with HIV, kidney disease, lymphoma or other cancers, and those on chronic prednisone therapy—should receive Prevnar13 now and then PPSV23 in eight weeks, followed by a PPSV23 booster shot in five years and again at age 65. —David Ziegelman, M.D.
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16 • May 21, 2015 • The CharloTTe News
Charlotte Senior Center
The Café Menu
by Mary Recchia, Activities Coordinator Please look for the new Summer Program of activities, classes and events as an insert in this issue of The Charlotte News. A few early highlights are listed below. A reminder that the center will be closed for Memorial Day, Monday, May 25. The Monday Munch folks look forward to seeing you all back on June 1. Our Annual Plant & (New) Gardening Tools Sale will be held on Saturday, May 23. You will find buds, blossoms and bargains. If you have gardening tools, pots, seedlings or plants to donate they will be accepted at the center on Friday, May 22. Hope to see you there! Join Hank Kaestner on Wednesday, May 27, 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, and if we have to change the date due to bird migration or weather, we will call you. No fee. Spanish Conversation with Maria Acosta will continue this summer on Tuesdays from 11-12 noon. Challenge your brain! With an eye toward speaking and understanding the language better, this group comes together to “chat” about the week’s activities or interests with a goal of improving their fluency through listening and speaking. A fun, no pressure way to meet some new folks, sharpen your mind and practice your Spanish. No fee. Not ready for a conversation just yet?
Monday, May 25 No lunch – Memorial Day holiday Wednesday, May 27 Chopped crab salad Homemade dessert Monday, June 1 Soupe au pistou (veggies, beans, basil) Salade Roberta Strawberry cake
Wednesday, June 3 Mediterranean white bean and tuna salad Birthday cake and ice cream
A happy group of hikers came out for Marty Morrissey’s spring hike to Bristol Waterworks on May 5. Bernice Wesseling is offering Beginning Spanish Tuesdays from 10-11 a.m. Dates: June 2 through August 25. Get started with Spanish. We will learn some basic vocabulary and simple sentence structures with an eye toward basic communication. The class will be extended for 15 minutes for anyone who wants to fill huecos in the language they already have. No fee. Do you Play Cribbage but can’t find anyone to play with? Are you just a bit rusty from those college days? A growing number of cribbage enthusiasts are joining Jerry Schwarz after the Wednesday luncheon at about 1 p.m. for a friendly game. All are welcome. No fee. Get Your Bike Ready for Summer
Business Directory Call Monica at 343-0279 to discuss how the Charlotte News can work for you!
with Sojourn Bicycling and Active Vacations on Tuesday, June 9, at 10 a.m. Kick off the season by getting your bike ready to roll during a spring tune-up session. Learn how to clean and lube your chain, inflate your tires properly and adjust your shifters. A few simple tricks will make your cycling more enjoyable. Sojourn will provide the necessary supplies. You bring your bicycle and your enthusiasm. Space is limited to 20 people and their bikes. Registration required. No fee. Are you ready for an active summer? Fitness for Every Body with Ginger Lambert will continue for the summer on Tuesdays from 9:15-10 a.m. beginning June 9. 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
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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.
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.
The CharloTTe News • May 21, 2015 • 17 garden gloves and any small tools you like to use for planting. Refreshments provided. Thursday, June 4, at 7:30 p.m. Library Friends Book Group. Join us to discuss the Thomas Hardy classic, Tess of the D’Urbervilles. Copies are available to check out at the circulation desk. Monday, June 8, at 10 a.m. Mystery Book Group. Our continental mystery tour continues as we read Maigret and the Hotel Majestic by Georges Simenon. Copies are available at the circulation desk to check out for reading before our meeting. Coffee and refreshments provided. Summer Reading at the Charlotte Library: “Every Hero Has a Story” Join us for stories, exploring, crafts and more to celebrate heroes of all kinds. For more information about these and other programs, visit charlottepubliclibrary.org.
Margaret Woodruff CONTRIBUTOR
Second Annual 6 x 6 Reading Challenge: Our challenge continues. Join in and stop by to pick up your prize and reward on June 8.
library contact information Director Margaret Woodruff Hours Mon, Wed: 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Tues, Thurs, Fri: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat: 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Phone 425-3864 Email charlottelibraryvt@gmail.com Website charlottepubliclibrary.org
library board Board members: Emily Ferris, Dorrice Hammer, Nan Mason, Danielle Menk, Jonathan Silverman.
Upcoming at the charlotte library Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday Night Knitters. Wednesday, May 27, at 7 p.m. Rumble Strip Vermont with Erica Heilman. Join us for an introduction to this fascinating podcast project where “you’ll hear from artists and criminals, taxidermists and soccer moms, lawyers and waitresses. Erica Heilman invites herself into Vermonters’ homes to find out what they know, what they hate, who they love, what they’re afraid of … in a surprising conversation that sounds like Vermont, and takes its time.” Saturday, May 30, at 9 a.m. Transition Town Garden Planting.Our fourth annual garden, including potatoes, tomatoes and other good things, gets planted! Get your hands dirty and share in the community project, “More Food, Less Lawn,” that includes the Charlotte Central School Garden and the Charlotte Congregational Church Stewardship Garden, as well as our garden right here. Bring
food Shelf Upcoming diStribUtion dateS Wednesday, May 27, 5-7 p.m. Thursday, May 28, 7:30-9:30 a.m. Wednesday, June, 10, 5-7 p.m. Thursday, June 11, 7:30-9:30 a.m. Wednesday, June 24, 5-7 p.m. Thursday, June 25, 7:30-9:30 a.m.
The Charlotte Food Shelf is located on the lower level of the Charlotte Congregational Church vestry. For more info, visit bit.ly/1S2kWkR.
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18 • May 21, 2015 • The CharloTTe News
Community EvEnts MAY 24
MAY 31
Sunday
Sunday
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY: RunVermont/Vermont City Marathon – Many volunteers are needed for the People’s United Bank Vermont City Marathon on May 24. 3+ hour shifts between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Contact the volunteer coordinator at 863-8412 or volunteer@runvermont.org.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY: Lund annual Bike Ride for Children on May 31. South Burlington event. 4+ hour shifts between 7 a.m. and 2 p.m. Contact Amy Cronin at 448-3617 or amyc@lundvt.org.
MAY 25
RIDE: Grand Isles Flats: Two distance options. 9:15 a.m. Folsom School, South Street in South Hero. Leader: Amy Otten, 878-4070 / amyotten@netscape.com.
monday
CONCERT: Daniel Bellone Sunset Kirtan Concert, “Awakening Through Music” All Souls Interfaith Gathering, Shelburne 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. $15.
MAY 29 fRiday
OPERA: Turandot Opera Company of Middlebury May 29, 8 p.m., May 31, 2 p.m., June 4, 8 p.m., June 5, 8 p.m. Cover performance—piano accompaniment only, Saturday, June 6, 8 p.m. Town Hall Theater, 68 South Pleasant St., Middlebury. 802-388-1436 or publicity@ townhalltheater.org.
JUNE 4 thuRSday
GALLERY EVENT: Furchgott Sourdiffe Gallery opening of “Words Unspoken,” an exhibit exploring markmaking as a form of language or prelanguage. Participating artists are Sara Abalan, Miriam Adams, Janet Fredericks, Linda E. Jones, Ria Lap, Sally Linder, and Nancy Weis. Public reception 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Runs through July 14, 2015. 86 Falls Rd, Shelburne. Info at 802-9853848, or joan@fsgallery.com.
futuRe oppoRtunitieS
MAY 30
JUNE 7
SatuRday
GARDENING: Help plant the Transition Town Charlotte supported library garden. Families welcome. 9-10:30 a.m. Refreshments provided. Contact 4253377 or ruahswennerfelt@gmail.com. EVENT: Vermont nonprofit Purple Hearts Reunited will lead a Memorial Hike on the Long Trail to Laraway Lookout to honor Vermont WWII Veteran PFC Cedric Laraway. 9 a.m. Suggested donation $25. For info: (315) 523-3609, purpleheartsreunited@gmail. com, purpleheartsreunited.org. EVENT: Seminar for Landowners on New Forestry, Wildlife Management Practices CASTLETON, Vt. “Understanding Farm Bill Programs for Forestry and Wildlife Management” 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Education Center at Kehoe Conservation Camp in Castleton, Vt. Free. Mary Beth Adler, 802-8858836; Dave Adams, 802-324-6529.
Sunday
CELEBRATION: An open-invitation reception at Charlotte Senior Center 4-6 p.m. Come wish LARRY HAMILTON a HAPPY BIRTHDAY—the youngest 90 year old you’ll ever know! Join him for music, cake, and hugs!
A Sister City Soiree The Burlington-Yaroslavl Sister City Program hosts Russian visitors at the Hotel Vermont Привет! Do you want to know more about Russian culture than how many times Putin takes his shirt off for TV each week? Do you know why some people compare Russians to coconuts and North Americans to peaches? Want to answer some burning questions like these while listening to some jazz at the stylish Hotel Vermont in Burlington? Come on down to the Sister City Soiree on June 10. We’ll be out on the balcony from 6-9
RUN: Charlotte Central School PTO 13th annual Champ Run. 8:45 a.m. Fun Run (1 mile). 9:15 a.m. 5K run/walk or 10K run. Register at ccsvt.org/pto.
r
SummeR CONCERTS: Vermont Symphony Orchestra TD Bank Summer Festival Tour tickets on sale now. Contact: Amy Caldwell (802) 864-5741 ext. 16, amy@vso.org, vso.org.
i i
До скорово!
PERFORMANCE: The Very Merry Theater’s Very Merry Teens present three performances of the hit musical “Chicago” at the end of the month. Mann Hall on UVM Campus, 208 Colchester Ave. Friday, May 29 at 7 p.m., Saturday, May 30 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., and Sunday May 31st at 6 p.m. Four Charlotte teens are performing: Leo Garbose age 17, Sabrina Davis age 16, Maya Townsend age 15, and Meg Young age 15. Contact Don Wright at info@verymerrytheatre. org.
Compiled by Ruah SwenneRfelt Send youR eventS to newS@ChaRlottenewSvt.Com with EVENT in the SubjeCt headline
Chris’s
p.m. with some Russian musicians from the Yaroslavl Jazz Center and Russian environmentalists from the Open World program, attempting to unravel a riddle wrapped in a mystery. We’ll also talk a little about the Burlington Yaroslavl Sister Cities Program that’s been doing cool stuff since 1988. Charlotter Howard Seaver helped start this program with Bernie Sanders back then. Howard’s son, David, also a Charlotter, is taking the reins for the new generation. Come see what’s happening! Check out our Facebook page for more info: facebook.com/burlingtonyaroslavl.
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The Charlotte Senior Center’s ANNUAL PLANT SALE
Sat. May 23 9 a.m. to noon Plant drop-off on Friday, May 22 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. Donations of garden tools in good condition, flower pots, gardening books & plants accepted. Call Judy Peabody 985-8801 or Roberta Whitmore 425-3978
The CharloTTe News • May 21, 2015 • 19
Around Town Congratulations to the following Champlain College students from Charlotte who earned placement on the dean’s list for the spring semester 2015: Mathew Therrien who majored in game art and animation and Sara Stancliffe who majored in secondary education—English. to the following Champlain College students from Charlotte who earned undergraduate degrees this spring: Morgan L. Denton, Dillon A. Palmer, David McKinnon Schmidt, Mathew E. Therrien. to William Hall of Charlotte, who graduated from the University of New Hampshire on May 16. He earned a B.S. degree in mechanical engineering, summa cum laude. to Konnor Fleming, the son of Karen Fleming of Charlotte, who graduated from Macalester College on May 16. Fleming received a liberal arts degree in psychology. to Sandra Steingard, M.D., medical director of the Howard Center and clinical associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Vermont College of Medicine, who presented a workshop at the annual meeting of the American Psychiatric Association in Toronto, May 16-20. Her presentation on “Rethinking the long-term use of antipsychotics in schizophrenia” was heard by psychiatrists from the U.S. and 50 foreign countries. Dr. Steingard is also a member of the board of National Medical Alliance of Vermont (NAMI-VT), from which she received an Exemplary Psychiatrics Award in 1996. She was named one of the Best Doctors in America in 2003, and she is on the board of directors for the Foundation for Excellence in Mental Health Care. She writes a blog called Anatomy of a Psychiatrist on the website “Mad in America: Science Psychiatry and Community.” You can find it at madinamerica.com/author/ssteingard.
to Alan Jordan, who will be leaving his post as executive director of the Vermont Symphony Orchestra, a position he has held for the last 16 years. After growing up in the Newport, Vermont, and graduating from North Country High School, Jordan left to study music at the New England Conservatory in Boston. He began stage-managing the Tanglewood Summer Music Festival in Massachusetts while still an undergraduate and spent nine summers in that capacity. In 1992 he became the orchestra manager of the New Hampshire Symphony before heading to Vermont to be with the VSO in 1999. The orchestra has around 55 full-time musicians who play about 40 orchestral concerts each year. Besides music, baseball is high on Alan’s list of fandom, and he coached Charlotte Little League for seven years. to Shea Monsey, who achieved her silver medal in dressage over the weekend at Centerline Dressage at Hits in Saugerties, New York. In less than two seasons, Shea has earned both United States Dressage Federation bronze and silver medals. These are awarded to recognize high achievement in the sport of dressage. In order to qualify for a silver medal, a rider must have four scores of 60 percent or higher—two at fourth level from two different judges from two different rides, and two at the Prix St. Georges level from two different judges and two different rides. Shea achieved that all in one weekend! Shea is a senior at the Lake Champlain Waldorf High School and works and trains at Taproot Farm in Hinesburg under the expert training of Jamie Fell. After graduating, Shea will be going to Hamburg, Germany, and then Wellington, Florida, to work and train at dressage barns. to Patrick Sharrow, airport operations specialist and 1999 graduate of CVU, who earned accreditation as an associated airport executive through the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE). AAAE has been committed to the advancement of airport executives for over 60 years by accrediting those who have demonstrated their competence in handling the responsibility of airport management.
Thank You to the employees of Waitsfield/ Champlain Valley Telecom who volunteered their time to work with the Nature Conservancy in helping to clean up debris from Williams Woods in Charlotte.
Sympathy is extended to family and friends of Marcel Claude Thibault of North Ferrisburgh who passed away May 10 at the age of 63. His surviving family includes his brother, Norm, and Norm’s wife, Terri, as well as two sisters, Paulette Thibault and Claudette Delorge of Charlotte. The family asks that, in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in his memory be made to the American Cancer Society, 55 Day Lane, Williston, VT 05495.
Machavern holds on for 2nd at Road Atlanta In his Heritage Motorsports Ford Mustang Charlotte’s Dillon Machavern looked as though he was going to lead the 38-car field across the finish line. Dillon started on the inside of row two behind, among others, the reigning champion. He diligently advanced throughout the race,
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: 425-3625. 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.
Students at CCS planted two new fruit trees on the school grounds on May 1 to celebrate Arbor Day. They were donated by Charlie Proutt of Horsfords Nursery.
eventually taking the lead on lap 23. He stayed there until the white flag signaled the last lap of the race where, to his misfortune, his car developed mechanical trouble. Dillon was able to hang on to second place, a strong showing in the third race of his rookie season. He now heads to Lime Rock Park in Connecticut for round 4 of the Trans Am Series on Memorial Day weekend, May 23. Dillion is second from the left on the podium
Classifieds
Regular Church Services SATURDAYS St. Jude Catholic Church, Mass, Hinesburg, 4:30 p.m.
CCS celebrates Arbor Day
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