The Charlotte News | Sept. 11, 2014

Charlotte News The Hometown Paper Since 1958

Morse's Doodles & Jots I’d like to get my new old self back instead of living with the old new self.

Volume lVII Number 03

The VoIce of The TowN

Thursday, sepTember 11, 2014

Jim Morse is a former Vermont Supreme Court Justice living in Charlotte. Find more of his Doodles & Jots in his book, available at the Flying Pig Bookstore or online at Amazon, Barnes & Noble or Red Barn Books.

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Town Looks at Land Use 1 • Charlotte Primary Recap 1 • CVU Students Help Conservation Commission 10 • Mrs. Vermont Plans Cancer Fundraiser 17

The Charlotte News Volume lVII Number 03

The VoIce of The TowN

Thursday, sepTember 11, 2014

Low Voter Turnout Marks Aug. 26 Primary Cafferty wins hometown vote while losing bid for county sheriff Brett Sigurdson The charloTTe News

(From left) Jeff McDonald, Mel Huff, Linda Radimer, and Mike Russell plot their view of Charlotte’s future on a map during a recent Town Plan workshop.

At Land Use Workshop, Participants Plot Charlotte’s Future Growth Brett Sigurdson

The charloTTe News At last Thursday’s special Town Plan workshop on land use, Charlotte received a new restaurant on the water, several boutique shops, senior housing and 115 new houses.

At least hypothetically.

That’s because the night’s main activity involved all 17 attendees breaking into four small groups and literally plotting the town’s future on large aerial maps, marking where they envision Charlotte’s future housing and economic growth taking place. And while the activity was meant simply to chart the desires of the individual Charlotters who attended the meeting, the activity also revealed something of the fault lines in the community about growth in Charlotte.

Take, for example, a group consisting of Charles Russell, Sue Smith and Bob Ullrich. While other groups immediately started placing pins in the map, the trio approached the task

with circumspection. They discussed who owned the land and how much was there and how the land could be realistically subdivided following the town’s current five-acre minimum zoning regulations.

On the flip side, representing a

Next towN PlaN workshoP what: Economic Development and Housing wheN: Thursday, Sept. 25 where: Town Hall time: 7 p.m.

This will be the final Town Plan workshop scheduled by the Planning Commission. Drafts of the plan are available on the town’s website (charlottevt.org).

For those who cannot attend meetings, comments can be submitted any time by email to townplancomments@gmail.com, by mail, or hand-delivered to Town Hall.

view that Charlotte should more actively promote development, a group consisting of Fritz and Betsy Tegatz, Ellie Russell and Bonnie Christie almost immediately placed a restaurant along the water near the ferry landing, something “low key,” said Betsy. The group also discussed a pub in the West Village, which would stand near a few boutique shops as well as a community center Across the room, a group consisting of Linda Radimer, Mel Huff, Peter Carreiro and Mike Russell approached the task with a focus on both preservation and growth. After several minutes, the extent of their vision was a few pins on the map to represent a senior housing development on the town-owned Burns property. With a mixture of contemplation and verve Mike Russell explained the goal was to balance adding more people with keeping the views clear and unobstucted.

Land Use

continued on page 5

How much is a vote worth?

In Charlotte, that number seems to be seven dollars. Or at least when measuring voter turnout in the Aug. 26 primary against the amount it cost the town to program a new Accuvote electronic voting machine—roughly $2,000, according to Town Auditor Nancy Wood—the town used Ed Cafferty to count votes, the first time in the town’s history.

Indeed, so small was voter turnout in Charlotte that poll workers no doubt had time to calculate any number of things as they waited in the quiet expanse of the CCS multipurpose room for Charlotters to cast ballots according to their party affiliation.

But when the ballots closed that night, there were only a few numbers that mattered: just nine percent of the town’s 3,100 eligible voters—290 in total— turned out to cast ballots. The majority of those voters, 220, were registered Democrats. Sixty-nine Charlotters cast ballots as Republicans and one voted as a Progressive.

Cafferty’s ruN for sheriff Comes uP short While there wasn’t much drama on the ballot, Charlotters still had three of their own to vote for, and at least one of them provided what little intrigue the day held. On the Democratic ticket for Chittenden County Sheriff, Charlotter Ed Cafferty challenged long-time incumbent Kevin McLaughlin. According to unofficial results, Cafferty took Charlotte over McLaughlin three to one, 155 votes to 51. However, he lost the election countywide by a margin of 68 percent to 31 percent, or 2,808 votes to 1,300.

Speaking more than a week after his defeat, Cafferty pointed to the challenges that hampered his campaign, particularly challenging a well-funded, well-known incumbent with resources to rally supporters during an election year with anticipated sparse turnout.

He also pointed to an article critical of him published by the Burlington Free Press just prior to the election that misrepresented a central part of his plat-

Primary

continued on page 6

A Chorus of Donors Makes Blanchard’s Album Dream Reality Local singer-songwriter Francesca Blanchard reached her goal— and then some—for funding her first full-length album.

Emma Slater

The charloTTe News Charlotter Francesca Blanchard is excited to announce the successful completion of her Indigogo fundraising campaign, which raised $27,430, surpassing her goal of $25,000, to record her first full-length album.

Now her songs can undergo

the various layers of production work beyond the vocal recordings. Blanchard remains highly involved in this process and hopes that the album can be released by spring of 2015. She believes every detail is important in formulating a cohesive composition that supports her original ideas.

Blanchard also looks forward to creating thank- you prizes for special donors to her campaign. These include recording song covers and even writing an original tune by request. While there was support from fam-

ily and friends, many donations came from people she knows only through the Internet. She said, “It feels so good to be able to give back to those who have already given and be able to move forward with this.”

These supporters will also be pleasantly surprised in the evolution that has occurred since her first recording, a six-song EP called Songs on an Ovation, said Blanchard. She explained, “I’m

Blanchard Charlotter Francesca Blanchard recently raised over

continued on page 11

$27,000 via the crowd-funding website Indiegogo.

2 • September 11, 2014 • The

Charlotte News

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

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Selectboard Members Dodge Real Budget Issue, Show Conflicts of Interest I write in response to former Selectboard Chairman (and continuing member) Russell’s Aug. 14 Commentary responding to my letter. In my letter, I presented data showing that the town budget under Chairman Russell’s leadership had almost doubled (increasing by 90 percent). And I pointed to $700,000 in legal fees spent during that time to argue that we need new board members who will spend less and who don’t need attorneys constantly whispering in their ears. In response, Chairman Russell made three arguments, which I address in turn below.

First, Chairman Russell argued the large budget increases are not his fault because he needed support from other board members. But as chairman he is instrumental in putting the budgets together from the various (and rapidly multiplying) interest groups and presenting those budgets to the rest of the board.

He also only needed two votes with his own to pass a budget. In fact, his spending initiatives were often passed over the objections of the two remaining board members who called repeatedly for restraint.

Chairman Russell also blamed the town. But this blame is deceptive. The budget is presented on Town Meeting Day where it is discussed on the floor all day long. Fewer than about 200 of us (out of over 3,000 registered voters) are able to take off work to do that. And at this meeting it is impractical (if not impossible) to make line-item cuts. We should instead force the budget onto an Australian ballot (where many more of us would have a say) by submitting a petition to the Selectboard calling for a special meeting raising this question.

Second, instead of addressing a nearly doubled budget, Chairman Russell made an argument only a seasoned politician could love. He offered up a spreadsheet with what he calls “dollars to be raised by town” to argue spending is really not that bad because some of it was offset by other revenue.

The majority of this revenue, however, comes from increased building and permit fees (taxes by another name) and from lease payments for Thompson’s Point (which would be called property taxes if the town did not own the land).

Perhaps it is a symptom of a spendthrift mindset, but Chairman Russell’s numbers game ignores the fact that if the budgets had been kept reasonable, our town portion of the property taxes would be far less and we might have actually seen a significant decrease. Imagine that.

Third, Chairman Russell acknowledges having spent $700,000 on legal fees and pointed to the upgrade to the Velco transmission lines matter as an exemplar of necessary legal costs. I looked into public records and found a number of facts that

Chairman Russell (unsurprisingly) failed to reveal.

Here is what I found: Velco was not a lawsuit.

Rather, the town chose to hire attorneys to get involved in a quasi-judicial matter at the direction of just a few board members, including Chairman Russell and Ellie Russell. And these few members later blocked the town from putting a halt to (or even having a say in) their extravagant project.

The legal fees for this project exceeded $220,000.

The results of this costly legal adventurism were of dubious value and could have been achieved without a pricey legal team and certainly without spending anywhere near what was spent.

Perhaps most disturbing (but also unsurprising) is the fact that Chairman Russell and Ellie Russell both had clear conflicts of interest. A large portion of Chairman Russell’s brother’s property (right next door to his own) directly abutted part of this project. In fact, his brother later received $26,000 from Velco for an easement on his property. Ellie Russell’s home sits atop a rise and has a lovely view of Town Farm Bay to the west. The Velco project threatened to sully this view, thereby diminishing her property’s value and impacting her directly.

These are textbook examples of conflicts of interest. But instead of revealing these conflicts and recusing themselves, these elected officials hid their conflicts and forced us taxpayers to pay almost a quarter of a million dollars in legal fees for a project that directly benefited them or their immediate family.

Indeed, both Chairman Russell and Ellie Russell not only failed to recuse themselves, but town minutes show they also voted against (and thereby blocked) efforts of two other board members and some citizens to put the ever rising legal fees to a town vote or even a survey. In fact, the vote that blocked town-wide review occurred when the legal fees were only (only!) $75,000. In opposing such a vote, Ellie Russell said (without revealing her own interests) that it was “not in the best interest of the town to have the view destroyed by power lines.”

At one meeting where Chairman Russell was asked why the legal fees had been allowed to exceed a previously agreed upon cap, he said he just had not “paid close enough attention to the bills.” Both Chairman Russell and Ellie Russell are up for reelection in March 2015. For our own sake and the sake of our neighbors who are being priced out of our town, we all need to pay “close enough attention” to our tax bills when choosing our next Selectboard members.

Brady Toensing Greenbush Road

Contributors elizaBeTh BasseTT Bradley CarleToN Barrie duNsmore larry hamilToN mel huff jim morse

aliCe ouTwaTer kerrie Pughe mary reCChia margareT russell ruah sweNNerfelT margareT woodruff

On the cover Claire slaTer (lefT) aNd BiNNey PaTToN Tag eaCh oTher duriNg a reCeNT

CCs relay raCe. PhoTo By emma slaTer.

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PUBLIC MEETINGS Selectboard Regular Meetings are usually at 7 p.m. in the Town Hall on the second and fourth Mondays of each month. Sometimes they begin earlier; check online at charlottevt.org or with the Town Clerk (425-3071). Chair: Lane Morrison (4252495), Matthew Krasnow (922-2153), Ellie Russell (425-5276), Charles Russell (425-4757), Fritz Tegatz (425-5564). CCS School Board Regular Meetings are usually at 6:30 p.m. at CVU on the third Tuesday of each month. Chair Kristin Wright (425-5105), Clyde Baldwin (425-3366), Susan Nostrand (425-4999), Erik Beal (425-2140), Mark

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

Committee meetings are listed on the town website.

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

The Charlotte News • September 11, 2014 • 3

At the Charlotte News, Contributors What happens after the Thanks to those who Critcism of Selectboard hunt not poetic helped with boat rescue members unfounded Matter

Letters

Bradley Carleton, a self-appointed “sacred hunter,” describes the idyllic prelude to a goose hunt in sentimental and lyrical language, and he invites us to think of the geese as our “majestic brethren seeking a connection to us” (“Catching Canada Geese,” The Charlotte News, Aug. 28). But he disingenuously fails to tell us what happens next, after the geese land, when the poetry ends and the real action begins.

Here is how I imagine the next scene: Some 100 geese have landed 30 or so yards from the blinds camouflaging the hunters. Carleton and his buddies suddenly crawl out of hiding, raise their semiautomatic shotguns and blaze away at the flock, filling the air with a withering hail of BB pellets. Each shot kills or maims several geese. In less than a minute, much of the flock is wiped out, leaving a mess of twitching and flapping dead and dying birds, feathers, body parts, blood and gore in the water, and the warm, steamy stench of goose innards and crap in the air.

Perhaps a few dozen wounded geese have managed to take off and escape, but this merely condemns them to die slowly of their festering wounds.

So please spare us the cant about the beauty and sacredness of a goose hunt. This kind of hunting is the nearest thing to shooting fish in a barrel. I am not against hunting—on my own land I have shot just about every kind of edible mammal or bird available for the taking. I shoot what I want to eat and only as much as I can eat.

The goose hunt described by Carleton is an extermination campaign, and participation in such an event is not suitable for everyone, least of all for at-risk young men, who might take too much of a liking to this kind of excitement and become desensitized to mass killing.

I have heard that the Canada goose population has grown excessively large for its own good and the good of the environment. If so, maybe we should be grateful to the people who are willing to do the dirty job of eliminating the excess population. But this job is no more beautiful than reaming out sewer pipes. Get it done, and shut up about it.

I want to thank everyone who helped us when our boat caught on fire at Point Bay Marina. The people who worked there were quick to put out the fire and move the boat away from the dock.

The firefighters arrived rapidly on the scene, as did the EMTs. Everyone was professional and calm and helpful. Also there were people there who were boating and were kind enough to help out. Two women whose names I didn’t get were both nurses and were so thoughtful.

A total stranger from Canada, who was gassing his boat, had the four people who were burned sit on the dock and he used the hose to keep cold water on their burns. He did this for about ten minutes until the EMTs arrived. We realize how lucky we were as things could have been much worse, and we are thankful for that.

We also thank all the people who called, emailed and texted to see how we all were—and those who sent flowers, brought dinner, made cookies and brownies and those who took the time to visit Zak in the hospital and at home when he was recuperating. You know who you are. We thank you. Our son Zak is on the mend, and we are told he will be 100 percent in time. All others are also mending.

It is most gratifying to know that when people are in trouble others come to help with no questions asked. The goodness in people’s hearts is overwhelming. Thank you all again.

Teresa, Rick and Zachary Pete Whalley Road

Letters Policy All opinions expressed in Letters and Commentaries are those of the writers and not of The Charlotte News, which is published as an independent, nonprofit, non-biased community service and forum.

Hans Ohanian Charlotte

TOWN OF CHARLOTTE ASSISTANT CLERK/TREASURER -- IMMEDIATE OPENING This is a full-time position Monday through Friday,,40 hours per week, paid hourly with benefits including retirement, health insurance, dental and vision plans. Candidate must be able to multitask, be attentive to detail, take initiative, work independently and have great customer service skills. Responsibilities include recording land and vital records, issuing licenses and registrations, answering phone, front desk reception, assisting with elections, maintaining the voter checklist, preparation and receipt of property taxes, preparing deposits and issuing weekly payroll.

Familiarity with Microsoft Word/Excel necessary; training will be provided for all municipal software programs. Pay rate is $14-$17 per hour, depending on experience.

Interested candidates should submit a letter of interest and resume to Mary A. Mead, Clerk/Treasurer at P.O. Box 119, Charlotte VT 05445 or email mary@townofcharlotte.com by September 5, 2014.

I am writing to correct some “facts” that Brady Toensing included in a letter to the Charlotte Citizen and the Charlotte News. Accusing a public official of misusing tax dollars for personal gain is a very serious allegation. Honest mistakes can be forgiven, but sloppy research from a lawyer, especially one who is vice chair of the Vermont Republican Party?

Inexcusable.

Lawyer Toensing accuses two Selectboard members of unnecessarily sticking the taxpayers with extravagant legal bills for the town’s participation in the VELCO proceedings some years ago.

According to his research, Ellie Russell had a clear conflict of interest. He states that Ellie’s property sits atop a rise and has a lovely view of Town Farm Bay to the west. The VELCO project threatened to “sully” this view, thereby diminishing her property’s value and impacting her directly. This, he claims, is a textbook example of a conflict of interest.

Property atop a rise? A lovely view of Town Farm Bay? Not true. I resided in the same neighborhood for 11 years and served as president of the Claflin Farms Homeowners Association, of which Ellie’s property is a part. I know it well.

Her house does not sit atop a rise. It sits at the bottom of a hill where one cannot see even a sliver of Town Farm Bay or any other part of the lake. It looks across a cornfield toward two other residential lots, each with houses and trees blocking a portion of the view. One would have had to be at a much higher elevation to get even a glimpse of the lake or the proposed VELCO towers. These are the facts. If Lawyer Toensing got these wrong, what other errors might one find in his claims or his judgment?

I can think of few people in Charlotte who have devoted more of their personal time to the hard work of town government. I have yet to meet anyone who works harder, is more conscientious or more thoughtful in their approach than Ellie Russell. She listens, is open to various points of view, always responds to calls and emails, and doesn’t run from difficult decisions, even when she knows they might be unpopular. This is what I call leadership. I thank her for her service and can only hope that anyone who seeks to fill her shoes if and when she retires will strive to do the same.

Bonnie Christie Greenbush Road

Take a look at the masthead on page two, the place where we tell readers who produces the paper, where it’s printed and how to get in touch with News staff.

Pay particular attention to the names that appear under “Contributors.”

One of may favorite tasks each production cycle is changing the names that appear in this list to recognize community members who write articles for us and submit photos. It’s our way of saying “thank you” to those Charlotters who are helping tell this town’s story.

Without the names you see on that list now, you wouldn’t be reading this paper. There’d be nothing to read.

The same goes for the Charlotters listed below. The names you see there are the donors who have helped us raise $43,000 of our $55,000 goal in two years—more money than we’ve ever raised in such a time span. We don’t thank our donors by name every issue as we do our writers, but without their generosity, this paper couldn’t exist either. We’re incredibly grateful for their support.

Can we add your name to our list?

We’d love to be able to make you a part of the Charlotte News’s communitysupported, community-driven mission.

See below to find out how to donate to the News.

Ed Amidon & Louise McCarren Nancy & Jack Barnes Jeff Berkowitz & Kristin Wright Bill & Karen Bruett Carol & Owen Clay Lynn & Greg Cluff Jim Donovan & Patricia O’Donnell Teena & Ric Flood Carolyn Greene James & Mary Ellen Hebert Gary Franklin & Shanley Hinge Joan & Andy Jamieson Jane & Ted LeBlanc Lewis Excavating, LLC Lindsay Longe & Christopher Mack Jeff & Susan McDonald Katchen Moore Annmarie Plant Jessica Price & John Streng Lori Racha & Damon Silverman Marilyn Richardson Peter Ross & Maryellen Culbert Wolfger Schneider Cornelia & Joe Tierney Jim & Stephanie Wells David & Kim Ziegelman

The Charlotte News Annual Fundraiser YES! I would like to support The Charlotte News for the coming year in keeping us informed, entertained and in touch with our town and neighbors. Enclosed is my check in the following amount: $__________ Name __________________________________________ E-mail__________________________________________ Address _________________________________________________________ q I prefer to remain anonymous. Do not thank me publicly in The Charlotte News. Please make your check payable to: The Charlotte News and mail to P.O. Box 251, Charlotte, VT 05445

4 • September 11, 2014 • The

Charlotte News

Transition Town Charlotte Expands Gardens, Plots Community Space for the experts to help us with a business plan and with developing such a place.

In the meantime, look for some community get-togethers with food and drink to give a sense of how it would be to have such a community gathering place in the heart of the village. TTC is also in the process of planning some winter educational events. There are some great documentaries for us to see, and there are many people in our community who can teach us about some of the tools we’ll need in a postfossil fuel world. Look for notices in the TTC e-list, Front Porch Forum and the Charlotte News for time and place.

Ruah Swennerfelt Contributor

On the Transition Network website (transitionnetwork.org) the headline describes the Transition movement as “supporting community-led responses to climate change and shrinking supplies of cheap energy, building resilience and happiness.” The two projects described below touch on that description well.

Summers are often slow times for organizations, but Transition Town Charlotte (TTC) has two great gardens to celebrate this summer. This is the third year that TTC has shepherded a garden at the town library. This year we added some blueberry bushes (thanks to Pelkey’s) and continue to grow potatoes, tomatoes and green beans. We even added some greens. You might have noticed that the garden is looking quite lush and mostly weed free (unlike last year). This is thanks to the many folks who volunteer to care for the garden for a week each during the summer.

And now there’s a second garden!

The Charlotte Congregational Church liked what we had done at the library, so TTC consulted with church members to plot and plant (pun intended) a garden on its lawn facing Church Hill Road.

This garden has also been well tended, including by some of the folks helping out at the library garden. You can see from the two photos here that the gardens have abundant, healthy growth.

Why plant gardens on public lands?

Well, one good reason is to reduce the fossil fuels used to mow the same area.

Hopefully those gardens will grow, and mowing will be reduced even further in coming years. It seems like a drop in the bucket, but it also raises awareness of the pollution coming from gasoline mowers. Another good reason is that the food (except some cherry tomatoes and blueberries enjoyed by the children) is given to the Charlotte Food Shelf, providing healthy, organic and fresh produce to people in need. Not least of all, the gardens are beautiful!

Ruah Swennerfelt is a member of the Transition Town Charlotte Organizing Committee.

Charlotte Community Transitions, or CCT, (a related group of TTC), has continued to be busy exploring where a community space might be located in the village. You’ve probably heard of this as a “pub,” but we’re moving away from that word since it’s been confusing to some. We are really interested in a family-friendly place for meeting and gathering that offers food, beverages and events. Although a couple of sites have been identified that might be great, these would be expensive to develop.

CCT met on Sept. 2 with some Charlotters to explore what it would mean to raise significant amounts of money to bring this about. For food and beverage we will need someone who knows the restaurant business and has the financial where-with-all to develop the business. CCT would like to have a role as a nonprofit to raise funds for events and even to help finance the gathering place. Might that be some sort of Charlotte Social Club?

Or might it be a straight nonprofit?

We don’t know yet. We’ll be looking

Transition Town Charlotte’s gardens at the Charlotte Library (top) and Charlotte Congregational Church are in full bloom this year. This is the first year the Congregational Church has hosted TTC’s garden. Food from both gardens is donated to the Charlotte Food Shelf.

Land Use continued from page 1 Someone made a joke about simply building a high-rise tower.

While some version of this joke was heard in almost every group, the task the town is charged with is real. After all, town planners are projecting a need for 115 additional housing units by 2030, so dictating the future pattern of development is a central part of the Planning Commission’s task in rewriting the Town Plan. And if the town can promote growth in a coordinated manner, it will represent a marked change from the last ten years.

According to figures provided by Brandy Saxton, a community planning consultant with Port Huron, N.Y.---based PlaceSense, Charlotte added 140 new lots—most of them containing single residential units— between 2004 and 2013. They were built on 1,300 acres of undeveloped farmland in no clear pattern, Saxton explained. “The overall pattern is one of dispersed development,” she said.

However, according to the current Town Plan which was established in 2002 and has stood in some version since, the town’s aim has long been to focus growth and development in and around the East and West villages.

When the activity was finished, all four groups indicated the town should continue to make growth in the villages a focus for housing and business. All of them saw an opportunity to promote more business in the Ferry Road Business Park and near the train station, with some seeing an opportunity to create a thriving area for new housing and business near the business park.

Indeed, when the activity was finished and the maps were placed for display at the front of the room, the groups showed a remarkable consistency of vision—so much so that Peter Joslin, a Planning Commission member, mentioned having trouble telling the difference between them as he walked to the front of the room to present his version.

His group, like others, saw the Mutton Hill area near CCS as a place to increase population density of the sort that would attract families who could send kids to the school.

The group also placed a senior housing development near Town Hall due to its proximity to rescue services, the Senior Center and other village services, which the other groups did as well. Following suit with the other groups, Joslin’s group focused housing and business development in the Ferry Road business park. In fact, the only marked difference between groups was where to place hamlets and dispersed housing, which varied on each map.

Yet, for growth to happen in and around the West Village, the town would have to put money where its ideals are, explained Mike Russell.

“If the town wants clustered housing in the village, it needs to invest in infrastructure,” he said, urging specifically the

investment in a septic system for the West Village.

Such a system, which received the recommendation from a group the Selectboard commissioned for a study in 2011, would allow for more density in the village, opening the door for the kind of growth he and others in Charlotte have advocated throughout the Town Plan feedback process.

While the discussion seemed to show some consistency in vision among those who attended the meeting, other areas were less clear. Among them, were how to make housing and land more affordable. Ullrich, for example, noted that Charlotte’s new housing has been so dispersed because of rising taxes and landowners selling off chunks of land to mitigate rising costs. Any effort to have more sway over the location of higher density housing developments has to start with incentives for landowners to create it.

Similarly, Joslin mentioned the need to have variable lot sizes. “They have to be smaller,” he said. “Not all over, but they have to change if we’re going to make them more affordable.”

Marty Illick, a Planning Commission member, echoed Joslin. “The five acre thing was arbitrary,” she said. “Our density requirements need to mean something. We need to justify what our density allowances are so we know what we’re approving. It clearly doesn’t make sense to have it everywhere. We need to go back to the beginning and do it again.”

Another option to achieve higher density is more use of TDRs, or transfer of development rights, which allows a landowner to sell his or her density allowance to a developer who would like to increase a development’s size.

But, Saxton explained, TDRs are an unrealistic way for Charlotte to increase density, as it’s a system driven by economics.

Because there isn’t much drive for development in Charlotte, there is little desire to sell or purchase development rights. In fact, it hasn’t worked in Chittenden County’s more populated areas like Colcehster, she said.

“TDRs could have worked on regional scale, but not local scale,” she said.

While there was some discussion during the meeting regarding other aspects of land use—particularly how to include language in the Town Plan that will put the town in a better position to dictate where large solar installations should be built, since the state Public Service Board considers a community’s Town Plan before issuing a certificate of public good for such a product—the meeting concluded by returning to thoughts of Charlotte’s future landscape.

“It’s a false expectation in these rural towns that we’re going to have this robust economy for jobs,” said Illick. “We’re not Burlington and we’re not an urban area.

We’re a bedroom community with good agriculture soil.”

These ideas will no doubt play a part in the final Town Plan workshop centering on economic development and housing scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 25, at 7 p.m.

Photo by NaNcy Wood

The Charlotte News • September 11, 2014 • 5

Kelly Brush Ride Raises $300,000 for Ski Safety Charlotter Kelly Brush Davisson lead the start of the Kelly Brush Century Ride Powered by VBT Bicycling and Walking Vacations in Middlebury on Saturday. The ride drew 700 bicyclists and 28 handcyclists—some of them local, like Chris Patton and Andrew Thurber (pictured above on bikes), who waved to supporters as they crested a hill in the West Village. With donations still coming in, the ride—which is Vermont’s largest fundraising ride—has raised more than $300,000 to support the Kelly Brush Foundation’s mission to improve ski racing safety and to conquer the challenges of paralysis through love of sport. In the nine years since the ride’s inception, participants have raised more than $1.5 million. As a result, nearly 100 pieces of adaptive athletic gear have been donated to those paralyzed due to spinal cord injury. In addition, more than 400 miles of safety netting has been purchased to line ski racing and training courses, thus improving safety and preventing injury.

Give the Gift of the News Leaving Charlotte for the summer but want to keep a connection to the community? Want to keep your college-bound kids in the loop? Need a gift for someone special? Send them a subscription to the Charlotte News. Write us at circ@charlottenewsvt.com

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6 • September 11, 2014 • The

Charlotte News

August 26 Primary Results for Charlotte

Primary continued from page 1

State rep rematch Another Charlotter on the Democrat ticket was incumbent State Representative Mike Yantachka, who garnered 172 total votes for the Chittenden 4-1 seat, which covers all of Charlotte and part of Hinesburg. He was unopposed.

On the Republican ticket and also running unopposed, Charlotter Ed Stone took home 49 votes for the Chittenden 4-1 seat.

In a rematch of the 2012 race, Yantachka and Stone will square off for the seat in the November general election.

Neither Yantachka nor Stone have any upcoming campaign events. Yantachka noted recently that he would continue door-to-door campaigning. He will also hold public meetand-greet hours through the election at Spear’s Corner Store Tuesdays from 7:30–9 a.m. and at the Old Brick Store on Thursdays from 7:30–9 a.m.

“I really want to meet as many people in Charlotte as I can between now and the election,” Yantachka said. “I want to know what they are thinking about the issues. I don’t mind hearing their complaints, and I am happy to explain what I know about their concerns and offer ideas for what I can do about them. TwoYantachka way communication is important and necessary for legislators to represent their constituents well. I have tried to provide information to Charlotters through my weekly articles during the legislative session, and I will continue to do so if I’m re-elected. I have always made it a point to return phone calls and answer emails of constituents as well.”

When he talks to potential voters, he aims to highlight funding Stone for low-income weatherization and heating programs, Governor Peter Shumlin’s proposed single-payer health care program and rising property taxes tied to edu-

total voteS: 290 (9 percent) democratS: 220 republicanS: 69 progreSSiveS: 1 Photo by NaNcy Wood

form—that he would hire a more diverse police force than McLaughlin has—as well as his experience and qualifications. Cafferty was a long-time state employee, part-time state police officer, and currently teaches criminal justice at Champlain College.

Despite this, Cafferty said the final result came down to the voters. “The bottom line was about turning out the vote,” said Cafferty, “and he did that better than me.”

Cafferty thanked Charlotte voters for their support. “I appreciate the support everyone here gave me,” he said.

He’s not ruling out running for office again, Cafferty added, though his immediate plans consist of teaching and continuing his involvement with the county’s Democratic Party.

(From left) John Hammer, Leo Laberge and Town Clerk/Treasurer Mary Mead wait for voters to use the town’s new Accuvote electronic voting machine during the Primary election Aug. 26.

democratS Congressional Representative: Peter Welch 182 Governor: H. Brooke Paige 31, Peter Shumlin 131 Lieutenant Governor: Dean Corren 48 (write-in) State Treasurer: Beth Pearce 144 Secretary of State: Jim Condos 158 Auditor of Accounts: Doug Hoffer 137

cation spending.

“Property tax increases across the state are becoming unsustainable, and the Legislature knows it,” said Yantachka. “What worked 15 years ago is starting to come apart, so our Education and Finance committees have to design another way of providing equal access to our high level educational offerings while sharing the costs more fairly.”

For his part, Stone declined to discuss his goals for the upcoming campaign season.

Attorney General: H. Brooke Paige 28, William Sorrell 152

charlotte voterS follow State trendS

Assistant Judge (vote for two): Charles Delaney 98, Connie Ramsey 108

Charlotte’s voters mostly followed county and state election results. Incumbent Governor Peter Shumlin received 131 votes to H. Brooke Paige’s 31 votes on the Democratic ticket. Statewide, Shumlin received 77 percent of the vote to Brooke’s 13 percent.

Scott Milne, the top vote-getter statewide on the Republican ticket and Shumlin’s opponent in the fall general election, received 48 votes in Charlotte. Dan Feliciano, who waged a write-in campaign, received 13 votes. Statewide, Milne received 72 percent, while write-in votes—presumably many for Feliciano—received 14 percent.

In the reach for lieutenant governor this fall, incumbent Phil Scott will face Democrat and Progressive challenger Dean Corren. Scott received 67 Charlotte votes while Corren received 48 write-in votes on the Democrat ticket and one vote on the Progressive ballot.

With a limit of six candidates eligible to move on from the primary to the general election, all six candidates for state senate on the Democrat ticket and two candidates on the Republican ticket will appear on the November ballot.

Their vote totals in Charlotte, along with the remaining candidates and voters, can be found below.

Charlotte’s low turnout also mirrored that of the state, as only nine percent of Vermont’s 440,000 voters turned out to cast ballots.

The general election is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 4.

State Senator (choose up to six): Tim Ashe 160, Phil Baruth 143, Dawn Ellis 136, Ginny Lyons 156, Michael Sirotkin 158, David Zuckerman 152 State Representative: Mike Yantachka 172 Probate Judge: Susan Fowler 136

State’s Attorney: T.J. Donovan 163 Sheriff: Ed Cafferty 155, Kevin McLaughlin 51 High Bailiff: Daniel Gamelin 25, Michael Major 82 republican Congressional Representative: Mark Donka 9, Donald Nolte 7, Donald Russell 35 Governor: Steve Berry 2, Scott Milne 48, Emily Peyton 4, Dan Feliciano (write-in) 13 Lieutenant governor: Phil Scott 67 State Senator (choose up to six): Joy Limoge 40, Diane Snelling 47 State Representative: Ed Stone 49 High Bailiff: Gordon Gilbert 42 progreSSive Lieutenant Governor: Dean Corren 1 Note: bold indicates overall winner

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The Charlotte News • September 11, 2014 • 7

Rotary Builds New Compost Shed at Hinesburg School In line with the Rotary motto “Service above Self,” Rotarians (from left) Doris Sage and Dennis Webster of Shelburne (with shovels) and Michael Clapp of Charlotte were hard at work on Saturday, Aug. 30, helping build the new compost shed at Hinesburg Community School.

Charlotte Energy Committee to Present on Cold-Climate Heat Pumps Learn about cold-climate heat pumps, a new technology that can save money on heating and cooling bills and reduce dependence on fossil fuels, during a presentation on Thursday, Sept. 25, at the Charlotte Library from 7–8:30 p.m. Bill Kallock, a member of the Charlotte Energy Committee, will share his perspective as a homeowner living with an air-source heat pump. He’ll show heating performance data from his home over the past two winters to illustrate how the technology works, even at sub-zero temperatures. This even is organized jointly by the Charlotte Energy Committee and Charlotte Library. For more information, visit charlottepubliclibrary.org.

“A smile is happiness you’ll find right under your nose.”

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Charlotte Town Link Trail Moving Forward

The Trails Committee is pleased to announce that construction was started this week on the remaining Cohousing portion of the Link Trail. Josh Ryan of Timber & Stone and his crew will be working on the trail for the next few weeks. The Cohousing Trail will end at Route 7 where the pedestrian underpass will be built, allowing bikers and walkers to go off road from the Melissa and Trevor Mack Trail all the way to Greenbush Road.

The Trails Committee will be focusing next on State Park Road to connect Mt Philo safely to the rest of the Link Trail. Thank you to all of you who have contributed your time and thank you to all the Charlotters who made financial gifts to make this happen. Please check out our website for progress updates at charlottetrailsvt.org. Photos and text by Margaret Russell

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8 • September 11, 2014 • The

Charlotte News

With Job Presentation, Webster Continues Rotary Tradition Rosalyn Graham Contributor

Area youth in a Very Merry Theatre summer camp dance during a performance of Once on this Island on the Charlotte Town Green last month. The Charlottebased organization has more camps for kids this fall.

Very Merry Theatre Opens New Season of Camps Charlotte-based Very Merry Theatre, an organization that aims to foster confidence through theater, is getting ready to launch a new season of offerings for area youth at its 333 Stage in Burlington’s Old North End. Upcoming camps include: 333 Troupe (Sept. 11–Dec.13), Where the Wild Things Are (Sept. 22–Nov. 2), Cabaret with Ashley (Sept. 23–Oct. 28),

When Evan Webster spoke at Charlotte Shelburne Rotary Club in late August, he was continuing a tradition that began in the earliest years of the Rotary organization. His talk explained the science and complexity of screen printing, the process he uses for creating t-shirts and many other printed specialty items at his Evan Webster Ink company in the Shelburne Green Business Park at the south edge of Shelburne just off Route 7.

Explaining your occupation, trade or business to your fellow Rotarians is a tradition that harks back to the day when a lawyer, a coal dealer, a mining engineer and a merchant tailor first met in 1905 and gave birth to Rotary. Promoting fellowship based on diversity rather than commonality became a cornerstone of the organization and also laid the foundation for what is still known today

as “the classification talk,” in which a member shares vocational information that broadens everyone’s knowledge of the contemporary workplace.

Evan’s introduction of the modern science of screen printing, its evolution from the days of silk screens to the multi-screen process of today, and the satisfaction he finds in providing a valuable service to teams, clubs and manufacturers, both locally and throughout New England, enhanced the understanding of his fellow Rotarians of both his business and its place in the community.

Rotary meets every Wednesday morning at 7:30 a.m. for one-hour breakfast meeting (typically with an interesting speaker) in the Community Room at Trinity Episcopal Church in Shelburne.

Anyone who would like to attend and learn more about Rotary and perhaps consider joining the organization is encouraged to attend.

Rosalyn Graham is a member of Charlotte-Shelburne Rotary.

Homeschoolers Special: The Count of Monte Cristo (Sept. 24–Nov. 12), Make a Movie! (Sept. 23–Nov. 11), Moulin Rouge! [Teen Musical] (Nov. 14- Jan. 4) and Matilda [Thanksgiving Camp] (Nov. 24-26).

Scholarships are available for all activities. For more information or to register, visit verymerrytheatre.org.

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Evan Webster of Charlotte, owner of Evan Webster Ink, shows Richard Fox, president of Charlotte Shelburne Rotary, a screen that he would use in creating screen-printed custom products.

The Charlotte News • September 11, 2014 • 9

OutTakes Commentary

by Edd Merritt

Hope for Man or Gorilla?

If I were a gorilla, La la la la la I’d eat me a banana.

I’d live in a treehouse And swing on a vine, But one thing is sure: I would love ya . . .

—Raffi, “The Gorilla Song” It’s been a number of years since my sons attended CCS, but even then I don’t believe there was a gorilla on the faculty.

Be that as it may, I just finished a fascinating book written in 1993 by Daniel Quinn called Ishmael. It’s about a gorilla named Ishmael, a teacher whose subject is no less than the future of the world. The book’s narrator was drawn in by an ad in the personals section of the local newspaper saying, “TEACHER seeks pupil. Must have an earnest desire to save the world. Apply in person.”

At first, thinking nothing but the world’s premier satirist could be bold enough to send such an invitation, the author decided he had to find out for himself or, as he says, “satisfy myself that it was just another scam.” So he enters the office where he sees sitting behind a pane of glass a full-grown gorilla with a sign behind him saying, “WITH MAN GONE, WILL THERE BE HOPE FOR GORILLA?” The two are enticed into a dialogue, and it is the interchange between animal and man, each teaching and learning from the other, that comprises the bulk of the book.

What was so fascinating to me about a question-and-answer session between man

and beast? Well, first of all, it is my kind of science fiction, what I consider high caliber, much better than twelve chapters of explosions, space ships blasting the world apart, their lasers glowing.

The author’s approach is similar to that of Philip K. Dick, my favorite writer of this genre, who takes a setting or situation that we recognize as real, filled with the mundane, but then adds an element of the unreal to help us both enjoy the story while searching for its intended meaning.

Caught up in the ideas and characters, such as the humanistic androids in Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (which was the basis for Harrison Ford’s early movie Blade Runner), we willingly suspend our disbelief. Walter Miller’s Canticle for Leibowitz provides another futuristic glimpse that bases a post-apocalyptic religion on a grocery shopping list Leibowitz’s wife gave him just before the world ended. The ability of an author to write well enough so the reader maintains this suspension is what separates good fiction from bad and makes the former both enjoyable and meaningful.

The theme in Ishmael is the dichotomy between humankind and other elements of the natural world. Quinn breaks creatures down into “Takers” and “Leavers.”

Unfortunately, he says, societies such as ours form the “Leavers.” We take from the earth to meet our demands, and we often diminish other species—or even some human cultures—that live within limits.

He says the Native American hunters and gatherers moved with their prey and tended not to overcome them because they were needed for human survival. We, supposedly more civilized cultures, tend to devour our prey, use their habitats to grow our own agriculture and develop our urban areas, and hope to take over the world for our own limited betterment, also to the detriment of other species. Under this scenario, “after just a few thousand years of human rule,” Quinn says, the world will be “at the point of death.”

Ishmael said, “We know what happens if you take the Taker premise, that the world belongs to man.”

“Yes, that’s a disaster.”

“And what happens if you take the Leaver premise, that man belongs to the world?”

“Then creation goes on forever.”

“How does that sound?”

“It has my vote.”

So, what do you think? Are we mostly Takers or Leavers in Charlotte? Are we looking at the land around us to build cultures in which we (mankind) will become the dominant figures, or are we cooperating with other creatures to purposefully share whatever the future brings? The Leavers, by the way, would be the first to say they don’t know what that future holds—even questioning whether they will be around to see it.

Most of us in this country remain Takers.

We have plied our trade for hundreds of years, taking over land for our own purposes as we headed west. We pushed the herders onto reservations where they were forced to change their lifestyles, to become relatively sedentary.

To listen to Town Planning Commission meetings, we hear of agricultural use of Charlotte land mentioned in praiseworthy terms. Ishmael the gorilla would argue that ever-increasing use of land for agricultural purposes requires a growth in the species that it feeds and, thus, may lead to a lopsided population on earth, a population that expands itself by taking over other groups. It becomes mankind for the sake of mankind, he says.

However, at the end of his “class” with the author, he does say that returning to a hunter-gatherer lifestyle is not necessary.

True “Leaver lifestyle” is about letting the rest of the community live, and agriculturalists can help it happen. They simply must be aware of what they’re doing and limit the need for human population growth.

I don’t know whether the Planning Commission has thought of our landscape in these terms or whether it needs to evaluate nature in great detail.

Nonetheless, I don’t think it would hurt to consider the human community’s part in whatever happens to the countryside.

Remember Jan Albers’ admonition in her book Hands on the Land: A History of the Vermont Landscape: “Wilderness itself is a mirage, since we transform it into a working landscape, subject to human actions, the minute we enter it.”

Enter we have. The question now is where to plant the bananas.

Blume, Hodgson to Speak at State House Charlotte residents Kathy Blume and Suzy Hodgson will be panelists at the Vermont Connected: Envisioning the Future of the Vermont Digital Economy Summit at the Vermont State House on Tuesday, Sept. 23. The event will highlight some of the innovative ways that digital tools are being used for community development and advancing the Vermont economy. Speakers and attendees will also look ahead and consider the role the Internet and other advances in technology can play in the future of Vermont’s economy.

Blume will draw on her experience as co-founder of Vermontivate to talk about her success with social media and digital tools, as well as how these tools have strengthened her organization and aided outreach.

Hodgson is co-founder of YourFarmStand.com and will discuss how online tools can be part of the core system that helps to create a new business.

The summit is produced by the Vermont Council on Rural Development (VCRD). “We hope this is just the beginning of an ongoing conversation around technology, digital literacy and the tremendous power of online tools,” said Executive Director Paul Costello. “The Vermont Connected Summit will focus specifically on the areas of education, organizational effectiveness, community resilience and the creative economy.”

More than 50 Vermont leaders from state government, local communities, nonprofit organizations, small businesses,and tech firms will share insights about how essential digital tools have become in our rural state. The summit will also highlight how critical it is for Vermont to improve digital literacy, attract technology companies, and harness the potential of today’s tools for Main Street businesses and community organizations.

The Vermont Connected Summit will be limited to 300 participants.

To learn more and to register, visit vtdigitaleconomy/conference or contact VCRD at 802-223-6091 or by email at info@vtrural.org.

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10 • September 11, 2014 • The Charlotte News

Charlotte Conservation Currents Mel Huff Contributor

Nature isn’t always, as Alfred Lord Tennyson described it in In Memoriam A.H.H., “red in tooth and claw.”

Consider pilot fish and the shark. Small pilot fish swim in and out of the shark’s mouth, cleaning its teeth. In return, nobody messes with the pilot fish.

Another example: I once watched an oxpecker insert its beak into a giraffe’s nostril and pick out parasites, the giraffe all the while vigorously shaking her head. The oxpecker got a meal and the giraffe got pest control.

Here in Charlotte we’re about to see a similar example of what biology calls “mutualism.” This semester, students from Laurel Billingsley’s natural resources classes at CVU will collaborate with the Charlotte Conservation Commission on projects that will benefit both town and students. This won’t be the first time the students have done such projects, but it will be the first time they have done them in Charlotte.

The final details of the projects were being hammered out on the eve of this paper’s deadline, but during the Conservation Commission’s August meeting, Billingsley and the commissioners worked out the basic elements: Two groups of about 10 sophomores, juniors and seniors will do habitat mapping in Town Farm Bay, which has been called “one of the finest wetland complexes on the shores of Lake

A Different Kind of Mutualism How a CVU class is collaborating with the Conservation Commission to benefit the town Champlain.” One group will focus on invasive species and the other on native plants.

The Natural Resource course, which was started four years ago by Mike Burris, is structured around projects that enable students to see the connections among all the sciences. The students “work on real-life projects and have an investment in the community,” Billingsley told the Conservation Commission.

Billingsley is pursuing these collaborations because she wants the students “to step up to the plate more,” she said.

“I want them to have some kind of investment in a real project.”

The students in the project groups (there are five groups in all) will spend the first few weeks of the semester in the classroom learning the components of earth science— the carbon system, the rock cycle—and how the nonliving components feed into the living ones.

Then they will focus on the living components of ecosystems and how events like changes in water temperature and even small changes in reactants can cause invasive species to thrive. They’ll study the force of water and what plants can survive in flowing water, and they’ll learn how to measure water temperature and water flow.

The classroom work will include training in mapping—coordinate point systems, mapping scales, topography and orthographic photography. Students will learn how to delineate watersheds; they will be provided with GPS units and have GIS (geographic information

system) software loaded on their computers. They will also have a free app on their phones for recording data in the field.

(Above) Laurel Billingsley's class learns about potential bird habitats at CVU. (Left) Student Bailee Pudvar releases a bird that has been banded.

On Sept. 19, the students will visit all five project sites and choose a project. In early November when their field work is completed, they will make presentations about their projects to 5th graders in the Hinesburg, Shelburne and Charlotte elementary schools. Then they will begin testing data and trying to answer questions such as why there are invasive species in specific locations, how they got there, what causes them to thrive, and what can be done to get rid of them.

Conservation Commission members were energized by the possibilities of the collaboration.

Bob Hyams, who coordinates volunteers for the Town Farm Bay frogbit control project, observed that there is a problem with “emergent vegetation”—bulrushes and cattails—in the bay. “Every spring it comes up, and it really has a significant impact on the ecosystem, and it’s changing every year. You could get a method for monitoring it and a protocol that could be put in place each season to see what it’s doing,” he said.

Suggestion followed suggestion.

Students could identify plants and locate them on a map, developing transects to document their locations, said Joanna Cummings, the commission’s

chairwoman. Then next year’s students could go out and see if they’re in the same places. If they’re not, that will raise new questions. Why did they move around? What are the environmental factors impacting them?

Roel Boumans, the commission’s co-chair and an ecologist, suggested including the students’ field observations in the iNaturalist site that he’s developing for the town. The site will enable members of the community to report their observations of local flora and fauna, document them with photographs and sound recordings, and locate them on a map of Charlotte using a smart phone or iPad. One of the Conservation Commission’s goals is to add more layers of data to the town’s Significant Wildlife Habitat Map. The observations that the students record in iNaturalist can help populate the layer to be developed for citizen scientists.

Hyams and Boumans offered to work with Billingsley on the projects.

“A lot of this conservation biology is just observing seeing things you’ve never seen before and learning to observe,” Boumans said. “If you can foster that in the children, they’re going to be observing the rest of their lives, and they’ll just continue learning that way.”

What’s more, Boumans added, “You have citizens in the town knowing what’s out there to conserve.”

Mel Huff is a member of the Charlotte Conservation Commission.

The Charlotte News • September 11, 2014 • 11

Flood Raises $26,000K for Cancer Patients Through “Cycling to Celebrate” Teena Flood decided to celebrate two big milestones in a big way.

The Charlotte resident is celebrating her 60th birthday this year, as well as her 25th year of living cancer free. To honor these events, Flood, an accomplished distance cyclist, pledged to bike 85 miles—a combination of the two milestones—to raise money for the Cancer Patient Support Program (CPS) to support cancer patients and their families throughout Vermont and upstate New York through a project she’s called “Cycling to Celebrate.”

Almost as large as the milestones themselves is the money she’s raised for CPS so far: $26,000. Flood and her husband, Ric, made a personal appeal to family, friends and business colleagues. As an incentive, the couple pledged to match the first $5,000. Friend Ernie Pomerleau pledged the same. The response was immediate and strong.

While Flood trained for the event—she’s logged upwards of 500 miles—her ride was mapped, team jerseys were designed, and a celebration was planned. Then, just weeks before she was to leave on the ride with her daughter, Megan, the unexpected happened: Flood broke her ankle. Now, she waits to heal so she can finish the ride.

But CPS isn’t waiting to honor the Floods and Pomerleau for the their generosity—they’ll be recognized by the organization at its annual gala on Saturday, Sept. 27, at the Champlain Valley Expo beginning at 6:30 p.m. There, CPS expects to raise upward of $100,000.

Teena Flood (center) and her supporters. When her ankle heals, Flood Those who wish to contribute by attending the event, dubbed “Evening Song: A Night to will ride 85 miles to celebrate her 60th birthday and her 25 years of being Remember,” can purchase tickets at cpspvt.org. cancer free.

Blanchard continued from page 1 growing as the years go by, and my music is as well. It’s always expanding.” This includes adding a wider array of accompanying instruments, such as cello and violin, all played by local talent.

Listeners of the new album can look forward to six songs in English and six in French, filled with ocean imagery and themes like heartbreak

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and home. Blanchard’s hope is that people will enjoy songs in both languages, as the sentiment behind them transcends any language barrier. “I think you can understand songs no matter the language—it’s part of the beauty of the music, the feel,” said Blanchard. “Trust what you feel when you hear it. Then you will understand it.”

Blanchard will tour New England this fall, traveling as far north as Montreal and Maine and as far south as Philadelphia and Connecticut.

Specific dates will be announced on her website francescablanchard.com.

Personal Service, Professional Results Michael T. Russell — Member Attorney Serving Charlotte for 15 Years Business Formation & Consulting Construction, Development & Subdivision Real Estate Transactions Wills & Trusts (802) 264-4888 www.peasemountainlaw.com mrussell@peasemountainlaw.com 823 Ferry Road, Suite 100 Charlotte, Vermont

12 • September 11, 2014 • The Charlotte News

by Margaret Woodruff

also a key part of childhood development and one that the Vermont Department of Libraries has been promoting since the inception of its Early Literacy Initiative in 2010. The Charlotte Library participated in that pilot group and continues to include the basics of early literacy in entertaining and meaningful programs.

We hope that all families with young children will consider joining us on Tuesdays to share in the enjoyment and enrichment of story time.

For more information about the benefits of story time, check out http:// readgcld.blogspot.com/2009/05/benefitsof-traditional-storytimes.html and http:// www.peps.org/ParentResources/by-topic/ early-learning/why-story-time-rocks.

Links to these articles are available on the library website (charlottepubliclibrary.org).

Upcoming at the library

Story time September begins with a flurry of calendar, classroom and activity changes.

Here at the Charlotte Library, we are just catching up to the new season and new programs this brings. Besides our growing Maker Program (don’t miss your chance to take part in our Great Pumpkin Challenge!), we also love our more traditional offerings, especially story time.

This fall our story time schedule includes a preschool lunch bunch session on Tuesdays at 12:15 p.m., followed by a Kindergarten/First Grade explorer session at 3:15 p.m., both beginning on Oct 7.

The chance to share favorite books and accompanying songs and activities is a highlight of every librarian’s day, watching children respond and interact with the story as well as with each other. It is

Mystery Book Group, Monday, Sept.

15, 10 a.m. Our exploration of mystery’s “Golden Age” continues as we discuss Agatha Christie’s classic A Murder Is Announced. Copies available at desk.

Coffee and conversation.

Wednesday Night Knitters, Wednesday, Sept. 17, 5:30 p.m. Join us to knit, chat and create. We’ll talk about our latest project idea, the “temperature scarf.”

Getting Around By Bike, Wednesday, Sept. 17, 7 p.m. Have you been wanting to bike more? Ready to take the next step, but not quite sure where to start? Local Motion can help! In just one short hour, participants in our Bike Commuting workshop learn all this and more: • What gear you need (and don’t need) to stay safe and comfortable.

• How to make sure your bike is in good shape for commuting.

• How to map out a route that fits with your available time and comfort level.

• How to “read” the street and ride safely under a range of conditions.

Best of all, not only will you come away with free leg bands, bike seat covers and other resources to help you stay safe, but also workshops with ten or more attendees will be eligible for an on-site raffle of a waterproof bicycle rack bag, so bring your friends.

Let Local Motion help you get back into bicycling today. Need gear? Lowcost bike lights and other items will be available for purchase at the workshop.

Smilebox Scrapbook Workshop, Wednesday, Sept. 24, 5:30 p.m. Turn your summer vacation photos into a digital scrapbook with Smilebox. You’ll need a laptop with your digital photos on it.

If you would like to use a library laptop, please let us know and bring a USB flash drive with your digital photos. A family program for kids with parent or guardian.

Please call or email the library to sign up.

Heat Pumps in a Cold Climate, Thursday, Sept. 25, 7 p.m. Come hear about cold-climate heat pumps, a new technology that can save you money on your heating and cooling bills and reduce your dependence on fossil fuels.

Bill Kallock of the Charlotte Energy Committee will share a homeowner’s perspective of living with an air-source heat pump, showing heat performance data from his house over the past two winters.

Living with Alzheimer’s: Plainly & Simply, Saturday, Sept. 27, 10:30 a.m.

Local author Mary Ann Fuller Young shares her struggles and challenges caring for a loved one with this debilitating disease. Her memoir, Plainly and Simply, is an enlightening experience for all. It serves as a reminder to caregivers that they are not alone in their perplexing situations. Co-sponsored with the Pierson Library, this event takes place at the Pierson Library in Shelburne.

on diSplay at the library Intimate Flower Portraits: Photography Exhibit by Anne Prescott, Sept. 2–Nov. 2. For as long as she can remember, Anne has been inspired by the special beauty of flowers and had a desire to capture them on film—to give them a permanence.

After living many places across the country, Anne recently settled in Vermont to be near her family and has had a chance to pursue this project. These “flower portraits,” taken using a macro lens, show the extraordinary design in these “miracles of nature,” as she calls them.

This is Anne’s first exhibit at the Charlotte Library, although she has had informal showings in various locations over the years.

library board Meeting: Sept. 18 at 5:30 p.m.

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

Library Contact Information Director

Margaret Woodruff

Youth Services Librarian Cheryl Sloan 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

The Charlotte News • September 11, 2014 • 13

Food Shelf News Kerrie Pughe Contributor

Thank You Thank you to Margaret Woodruff and the members of the Charlotte Congregational Church who helped create and maintain the wonderful vegetable garden. The Food Shelf much appreciates the bounty it produced.

Wish lisT Tissues, toilet paper, healthy kids’ snacks, ketchup, mayo and canned tuna.

We also are in need of clean pint and quart sized jars (with lids), such as jam jars.

Have any extra fresh veggies from your garden? We would love your extra harvest! You may drop items on Sept.

24 at the Food Shelf in the Charlotte Congregational Church. If no one is

Sports Shorts

by Edd Merritt CVU contributes to Catamount soccer Three former Redhawks are members of this year’s UVM men’s soccer team—sophomore Shane Haley and freshmen midfielder Joe Costano and defender Zack Evans. The latter two were starters for three years at CVU and were Burlington Free Press first-

there you may leave the veggies on the outside entry steps in front of the Food Shelf door at the back of church.

Calling all kniTTers We love those hand-made gloves and hats. If you have some spare time and yarn, now is a good time to start knitting so we have a good supply for cold weather. have a TruCk and a feW hours?

We need a couple of strong volunteers (and your vehicle) for a three- to four-hour block of time once or twice a month to help with getting the large amounts of groceries from Costco or other stores to our shelves. Call the Food Shelf at 425-3252 and talk to Karen if you think you could help. food disTribuTion volunTeers needed We need volunteer substitutes to help with food distributions on Wednesday evenings once or twice a month. Can you help? Call Nancy Barnes at 2389173.

The Charlotte Food Shelf is run entirely by volunteers, so all donations go directly for food or assistance to our neighbors in need. If you are a customer of yourfarmstand.com, you may make a donation to the Food Shelf as part of your online order. Otherwise checks may be mailed to:

team all-stars. Evans was also named Gatorade Vermont player of the year in 2013. Haley scored the insurance goal in the Cat’s 2-0 win over James Madison in the year’s opener. Unfortunately, in the following game he was red-carded for purposely playing a handball. Despite being down a man for most of the game, however, the Cats prevailed for the win.

Stowe races feature several Charlotters For the seventh year in a row, runners and cyclers headed 4.3 miles up Mount Mansfield’s Toll Road in Stowe’s North Face Race to the Top of Vermont on Aug. 24. It has become a major summer event for many Nordic skiers and this year included a couple of Olympians

Charlotte Food Shelf & Assistance 403 Church Hill Road P. O. Box 83 Charlotte, VT 05445 Donated food drop-off locations: All nonperishable food donations may be dropped off at the Charlotte Library, the Charlotte Congregational Church vestry, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church (main entrance) or at the Food Shelf during the distribution mornings. We request that all fresh foods be dropped off at the Food Shelf by 7:30 a.m. on the distribution mornings or before the Wednesday distribution hours.

The Charlotte Food Shelf is located on the lower level of the Charlotte Congregational Church vestry. Distribution days/times are posted in this newspaper (see Ongoing Events calendar) and on the bulletin board in the Charlotte Congregational Church Hall. You may also call the Food Shelf (425-3252) for a recording of the distribution times.

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

For emergency food call John at 425-3130. For emergency assistance (electricity, fuel) call the Food Shelf at 425-3252.

Visit our website at https://sites. google.com/site/charlottefoodshelfvt. for more information.

from the Stowe area. Brodie O’Brien of Charlotte placed 39th among the 490 runners who finished the race, and Paul Unger was 66th among the 104 cyclists.

Darn Tough riders hit the Notch Road a week later Raising money for Stowe Adaptive Sports, 125 bicyclists peddled through Stowe and over Smugglers Notch. In one of the races, a 65-mile run called “King of the Mountain,� Charlotte’s Emily Unger followed Dee Barbie of Hinesburg by only a few seconds to take second spot among the women.

Machavern piles up points in the Sports Car Challenge If you can remember what sports

SAVE!

Important 2014 Charlotte Food Shelf Dates Food distribution: Wednesdays, Sept. 24, Oct. 8, Oct. 22, Nov.ember 5, Nov.19, Dec.3 and Dec. 17 from 5 to 7 p.m.

Thursdays, Sept. 25, Oct. 9, Oct. 23, Nov. 6, Nov. 20, Dec. 4 and Dec.18 from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m.

Holidays Friday, Nov. 21, 8 to 10 a.m., set up Thanksgiving baskets set Saturday, Nov. 22, pick up Thanksgiving baskets Friday, Dec. 19, 8 to 10 a.m., set up Christmas/Holiday baskets Saturday, Dec. 20, pick up Christmas/Holiday baskets The Charlotte Food Shelf is located on the lower level of the Charlotte Congregational Church vestry.

car races are called these days, you are likely to gain a spot on the podium.

Charlotte’s Dillon Machavern found his spot following the Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo North America as well as the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge, both run in late August at the Virginia International Raceway.

Driving a BMW in the Continental race, Dillon and his partner, despite a torn axle boot, finished 14th. He was more successful in his Lamborghini, finishing first in his classification both Saturday and Sunday, fourth overall on Saturday and second overall on Sunday. The two wins move Dillon into first place in the amateur driver classification standings on the season and allow him to be shown holding a watch face on the podium.

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14 • September 11, 2014 • The Charlotte News

SPORTS

CCVU men’s soccer takes it on the chin from Rice then kicks back against Rutland Katie Mack was introduced to readers of the September 5 Burlington Free Press sports section as CVU’s new head soccer coach of the men’s team. The article played up her challenge and her ability to handle it well. Unfortunately, it happened to appear in the same issue as the story of the previous day’s 2-1 Redhawk loss at the hands of Rice at the Jim Brady Kickoff Tournament in Essex. Mack was quoted in her preview saying that “soccer is a game of problem-solving, and you need to empower kids to be problem-solvers on the field, on their own.” Her advice must have worked in the consolation contest as CVU’s Max Brown nailed the net four times and Charlotte’s Elliot Mitchell twice to lead a 9-0 shutout of Rutland.

Women’s soccer starts season on a roll It must be our town’s wide-open spaces that contribute to the distinct Charlotte flavor on this year’s CVU women’s soccer team. Six Redhawks hail from here, starting with senior Maddie Turnau in goal, her classmates Audrey Allegretta and Ellie Blake, juniors Catherine

Cazayoux and Malina Carroll and the youngster of the bunch, sophomore Naomi Burhans.

Watching the team play requires one to focus on midfield and the opponent’s defensive zone.

CVU moves the ball in those areas extremely well with great patience. Its three-win, three-shutout record and an overwhelming lead in shots on goal for each game demonstrate the differences. Cazayoux is the leading scorer with three goals. Turnau has three saves to her credit, one came against Mount Abraham in the opener, a 2-0 win.

The Redhawks hosted Burlington High for their second victory, shutting out the Seahorses 3-0, followed by a 2-0 win over Rice with Charlotters Naomi Burhans and Audrey Allegretta scoring CVU’s goals and Maddie Turnau earning the shutout with two saves.

Field Hockey captures an opening season victory Colchester fell to CVU’s field hockey team in Hinesburg on September 4 as Dani Peters scored a goal and added an assist to lead her team to a 3-0 victory. Kate Machavern and Lilly Schmoker each added a goal, and as a squad the Redhawks seemed confident handling the ball and passing well.

Tashia Pashby-Brockwood was called upon to make only two saves.

by Edd Merritt

in which pairs of runners from each school competed against each other. Nine schools sent teams. CVU finished in second place behind Essex in both women’s and men’s pair runners. The following week the runners went to the Red Rocks course in South Burlington where they divided up by grade. Again CVU ran well with Tyler Marshall and Calvin McClellan finishing first and second among freshman and sophomore boys and the junior/senior boys team coming in just behind South Burlington. Charlotte sophomore Sofia Gorman placed second among freshman and sophomore girls, putting her team

Football heads into next week still looking for a win Maybe the home field advantage is just a myth. CVU football could not keep Colchester at its end of the turf and suffered a 46-19 loss to the Lakers on opening day of the season. Richie Lowrey, Redhawk running back from Charlotte, carried the ball 16 times for 66 yards.

But with Colchester running up points, CVU’s attack turned to passing and relied on quarterback Andrew Bortnick to hit his receivers. He completed 7 of 8 passes for 87 yards and two touchdowns, but it was well short of enough for the win.

A rainy afternoon seemed to strengthen CVU’s offense against Essex the following Saturday. Leading 15-0 early in the game, it appeared the Redhawks may have been in control.

However Essex gained the next 22 points and dropped CVU in a 22-21 defeat. Lowrey again propelled the Redhawk running attack, getting a nine-yard touchdown jaunt. Overall he gained 88 yards in 23 carries, averaging nearly 4 yards per carry.

He and quarterback Bortnick who gained 96 yards and threw for 57 were the leading offensive backs for CVU.

(Top) Samantha Shanks fights for the ball against a Colchester defender in a field hockey game. (Above) Charlotte's Catherine Cazayoux hits goal number two against Mt. Abe.

Cross Country begins in pairs and individuals Cross-country running has been a strong suit at CVU for a number of years, and 2014 appears to be no exception. The season began at home with a scrimmage

on top, and Carly Neeld’s second place did the same for Redhawk juniors and seniors. At the Essex Invitational meet, Sophia’s time of 19 minutes, 59.6 seconds was one of only two to break the 20-minute barrier. CVU topped Essex 43 to 42 in this race. Neeld finished 6th and Emma Putre 10th. Led again by Tyler Marshall, the CVU boys’ team placed third behind South Burlington and Essex. Elliot Eastman was the other individual Redhawk crossing the line Mackenzie Buckman looks toward the Mt. among the top ten.

Abe net.

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The Charlotte News • September 11, 2014 • 15

Charlotte Senior Center

The Café Menu

by Mary Recchia, Activities Coordinator

All are welcome and invited to visit the glass studio of Mickey Davis for a demonstration of a colorful and whimsical art form that is “sure to put a smile on everyone’s face” on Friday, Sept. 19, from 1–3 p.m. Come see how 24 x 24 inch glass sheets are turned into panels, clocks, jewelry, drawer knobs, bowls and other items with the help of the kiln.

Registration required. Limit: 10. No fee.

–––– We will resume our viewing of The 30 Greatest Orchestral Works from The Great Courses Collection beginning Tuesday afternoon from 1:45 – 3:15 p.m.

Dates: Sept. 23 and 30, Oct. 7, 14, 21 and 28, and Nov. 4 and 11.

Professor Robert Greenberg of San Francisco Performances takes you on a sumptuous grand tour of the symphonic pieces he counts as being among the very greatest ever written—inviting you to an in-depth contemplation of what makes these works so memorable and why they live at the center of our musical culture.

These 30 masterworks form an essential foundation for any music collection and a focal point for understanding the orchestral medium and deepening your insight into the communicative power of music.

Details of each lecture are available at the host desk, and each lecture is able to stand on its own. Registration required.

No fee.

–––– Join Hank Kaestner for another birding expedition Tuesday, Sept. 24, at 9 a.m. Good views are guaranteed through Hank’s “Oh-my-God” telescope in search of shorebirds, ducks, herons and migrating land birds. Please meet at the Center so we can carpool together to the location Hank has scouted for spectacular bird watching. Register for this event; if we have to change the date due to bird migration or weather, we will call you.

Registration required. No fee.

–––– All the world’s a stage and it’s here at the Center! Do you love theater? Do you appreciate the spoken word? Our play reading group will meet on Thursday, Sept. 25, from 1–3:30 p.m. and is for people who enjoy reading plays aloud or listening to others perform. No experi-

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ence is needed for either the reader or the audience. Scripts are provided. Parts have been assigned for this reading, but please let us know if you would like to be given a part for our next reading on Thursday, Oct. 23.

–––– Yes, Anyone Can Learn to Draw with Elizabeth Llewellyn on Thursdays from 10– 11:30 a.m., Sept. 18 and 25, Oct. 2, 9, 16 and 23.

If you can print and write you can draw. In this class for beginning artists we will learn about the different drawing materials and their effects on a variety of papers. Time will be spent developing value scales and working on contour and line drawing. The class will progress to learning about atmospheric perspective and the use of toned papers. All levels of skill are welcome in this fun, relaxed class.

Suggested materials list: a 9 x 12 drawing pad, graphite pencils (2B, 4B and 6B), charcoal (compressed or pencil) and a kneaded eraser. Registration necessary.

Limit 10. Fee: $80.

–––– Please join us Wednesday afternoons beginning at 1 p.m. for a collection of lectures, performances and special events that showcase the diverse interests of our community. No registration or fee.

MONDAY, SEPT 15: Golden squash and corn soup, salad, homemade dessert and his son Ben produced, and he tells us “the story behind the story” about the evolution of their film.

The Last Link captures the rich and dramatic legacy of the French Basque and Béarnais shepherding cultures. For over 5,000 years, sheep herding has been a way of life in Europe’s Pyrénées Mountains, and in the early 20th century, Basque and Béarnais emigrants brought this culture to the American West. Less than a hundred years later, it is in danger of being absorbed into mainstream culture. Numerous interviews conducted in France are combined with those of immigrants and their descendants in Wyoming and California and graphically illustrate the role of community in sustaining a transplanted identity within a larger Western American culture.

The Kahns’ film has appeared at numerous film festivals, on PBS and television stations throughout Europe and in many countries in the French-speaking world.

WEDNESDAY, SEPT 17: Catch of the day, homemade dessert MONDAY, SEPT 22: Greens with fresh fruit, corn chowder, apple turnovers WEDNESDAY, Sept 24: Almond turkey casserole, homemade dessert

Senior LunCheonS are held every Wednesday at noon. Reservations are necessary in advance and can be made by calling the Senior Center at 425-6345. A $4 donation is requested. Reservations are not required for the Monday Munch.

Sept. 17: SASH (Support and Services at Home). This free program is part of the Blueprint for Health, Vermont’s statewide health care reform initiative. Located at the newly opened Wright House in Shelburne, the SASH team consists of two coordinators and a wellness nurse. Their role is to help individuals navigate the health care system through support, education and prevention and is designed to provide personalized coordinated care to help participants stay safely at home regardless of age or residential setting. Come hear what the team has to offer and see if this service is right for you.

Sept. 24: The Last Link with Tim Kahn. With sustainable agriculture all the rage, Tim brings us the tantalizing documentary The Last Link, which he

Local artist Mickey Davis creates colorful works of art, like this plate, at her home studio. You can tour Davis’ studio and see more of her work with the Senior Center on Friday, Sept. 19.

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16 • September 11, 2014 • The Charlotte News

Taking Care

by Alice D. Outwater, Ph.D.

New Discoveries in Later Years Alice Outwater Contributor The loss of a spouse can leave one unraveled. You may flounder about dealing with deep sadness and with too much time on your hands only this could be an opportunity to reinvent yourself and follow nascent interests. A new endeavor needs an abundance of clarity and determination. Best to do some research in the library or bookstore and on Wikipedia to see what’s written on the subject. Seek

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out friends who found new niches and ask how they tackled them. Choose something small with a high success rate.

Marilyn married a West Point graduate. She followed him abroad to different posts, then nervously waited at home with the children while he was on active duty.

She had always been interested in the Civil War and threw herself into researching it.

She uncovered unknown facts and contributed these to various publications.

Talks to small groups came next. My reunion class was riveted as our bus rolled through the fields of Gettysburg and she stood with microphone in hand, bringing to life the long ago battles. Her fervor for the Civil War increased, as did her circle of acquaintances with similar interests.

After her colonel husband retired, they became a speaking duo and were honored for their in-depth knowledge. She was recently widowed and is ever enthusiastic about this work.

Another friend, Elise, intrigued with small plants, created a modest garden, which grew in size and complexity. She earned her master’s degree in horticulture, one course at a time, as she raised her family and tended to her husband.

Cacti captured her, so she entered specimens in local competitions and then

won a coveted first prize at the prestigious Philadelphia Flower Show in the cactus category. Eventually she was in demand to judge shows. Next came trips up and down the East Coast. Then I began to receive postcards from Arizona, Costa Rica and South America, where she met fellow cactus growers, toured their gardens and shared information. She excitedly emailed me, “I’m in Chile where the first known cactus that grew 15,000 years ago was discovered on an archeological site.”

Elise and her husband moved to Seal Harbor, Maine, where her garden was on an unlikely steep slope that ended beside the ocean. She especially loved the cacti that produced bright flowering blossoms.

She advised and talked to garden clubs and corresponded with worldwide experts.

Many articles followed. This happened slowly over a 40-year time span.

Our conversations eventually narrowed down to cacti—their sex life, their reproductive capabilities and many other littleknown facts. Her good-natured husband somehow handled this passionate pursuit.

As her arthritis advanced and gardening became problematic, she hired Ian from Scotland, a true soul mate who helped her with her garden until the end .

Inclement weather never deterred her.

She dressed in her floppy hat, Brooks Brothers raincoat and Wellington boots.

She settled into a folding chair, with red umbrella in hand, and gave Ian instructions. After a rain storm the chair sank unevenly into the mucky soil and Ian yanked it out. They warmed up in the greenhouse over hot cider and cookies while they exchanged news about guess what? Cacti.

On her 86th birthday she checked her beloved cacti as a bus tour arrived to view her garden. Ian watched her collapse from a fatal heart attack. He was bereft at the loss of his vital friend. I think of her as I water two cacti she gave me years ago.

Their red blossoms come out yearly, like a memorial to Elise.

Even at an advanced age, we can ’create a new persona stemming from a forgotten childhood interest. There’s no need to aim for a full-blown career. Think of each day bringing more adventure and even an increase in psychic and physical energy.

You could be surprised at what presents itself!

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The Charlotte News • September 11, 2014 • 17

Mrs. Vermont America Cancer Research Fundraiser Slated for Sept. 27 Charlotte royalty Sera Anderson plans to shave head at event to raise money for good cause It’s fair to say that the glamorous heads and good food on our table to eat,” participants in the Mrs. America pagsaid Anderson. “It’s just hair. I am blessed eant, held recently in Tucson, Ariz., to do something little to bring family, are unlikely to follow up the elegant friends and community together.” national event quite like Mrs. Vermont Aside from the “Buzz” event, Anderson America, Charlotte’s own Sera Anderis also hosting a three-on-three basketball son: she’s planning to shave her head in tournament Saturday, Sept. 20, at The Edge the coming weeks. in South Burlington from 9 a.m.–5 p.m. It It’s all part of an event called “Creatwill consist of male and female divisions for ing a Temporary ‘Buzz’ for a Lifetime middle school, high school and athletes 18 of Love,” which will take place Saturand over. Registration is $100 per team, and day, Sept. 27, at the Arrowhead Golf the money will be donated to the Vermont Course in Milton (see sidebar for more Cancer Center. For more info, or to register, info). Anderson is teaming up with The email jamie@mopamarketing.com.

Vermont Agency Foundation to raise Outside of these events, Anderson is at least $25,000 to benefit the Vermont keeping busy as an ambassador of Let’s Cancer Center to support initiatives in Grow Kids and of Wee Reading & Rhythm, pediatric cancer. a new project that aims to deliver books While Anderson isn’t sure she’ll and musical instruments to Windham Child meet her fundraising goal by the time Care Providers in Windham County, Verof the event, she and several friends mont.

Sera Anderson at the recent still intend to shave their heads. Both “One of the best things we can do for Mrs. America Pageant in the event and the gesture are ways to kids is to read to them and expose them Tucson, AZ show support for those like her motherto music,” said Anderson. “It’s a crucial in-law and her best friend, who passed time for them. It can be that simple.” away from cancer, as well as to bring Those with books or musical instruments the community together while raising more funding for the to donate are encouraged to contact Anderson at sera.

Vermont Cancer Center. anderson@yahoo.com.

“I have a healthy family, and we have a roof over our

If You Go WHAT: Creating a Temporary “Buzz” for a Lifetime of Love WHEN: Sept. 27, 2 p.m.

WHERE: Arrowhead Golf Course, Milton COST: $52.50 for adults, $10 for kids five and older. Tickets are limited to 100 and 18 remain Anderson is teaming up with The Vermont Agency Foundation and looking to raise at least $25,000 to benefit the Vermont Cancer Center to support initiatives in pediatric cancer. There she plans to shave her head, compliments of Hairbuilders for Men & Women in Williston.

Events will include live music, activities for adults and children and food. The event is being sponsored by Yelp and Mopa Marketing.

For more information or for tickets, go to http://bit.ly/1iau6ee.

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18 • September 11, 2014 • The Charlotte News

Places To Go & Things To Do

Regular Church Services SATURDAYS

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

SUNDAYS

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 11 Selectboard meeting, 9 a.m., Town Hall. Agenda and relevant documents at charlottevt.org.

CCS Board Meeting, CVU, 7 p.m. Agenda and relevant documents at cssu.org/domain/56.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12 Snake Mountain Bluegrass and the Connor Family, 8 p.m., Town Hall Theatre, Middlebury.

Local bluegrass from Snake Mountain performing both traditional and more modern takes on the genre, from hard-driving “breakdowns” to softer folk-type arrangements. Joined by the pure lively harmony and instrumentals of the Connor Family.

Tickets: $15, available at townhalltheatre.org or 3899222.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 13 Live music: Greenbush, 8–11 p.m., 51 Main at the Bridge, Middlebury. Join Greenbush—that’s Charlotters John Creech and Cobey Gatos—for instrumental explorations of blues and jazz. More info: go51main.com.

Internet Cat Video Festival, 2 and 7 p.m., Town Hall Theatre, Middlebury. THT presents the Walker Art Center’s Internet Cat Video Festival, presented in conjunction with Homeward Bound, Addison County’s Humane Society. Funds benefit Homeward Bound. Cost: $10/$5. Tickets are available at townhalltheatre.org or 389-9222.

Lecture: “Remembering Newt Washburn,” 2 p.m., Vermont Folklife Center. Donna Kelley will share her knowledge of the Sweetser family, their basket making techniques, and the Abenaki influence. The presentation will be complemented by stories Newt shared about growing up in a basket-making family. Washburn and Sweetser baskets from Donna’s collection are currently on exhibit at the Vermont Folklife Center. Cost: free. More info: vermontfolklifecenter.org.

brings some knives, gloves, etc. to sell. Great for teens and adults. Please bring your lunch. Cost: $35, $25 for members. Call 802 434-2167 to preregister.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16 Film screening: Wounds of Waziristan, 7 p.m., the Block Gallery & Coffeehouse, Winooski. This powerful film by journalist Madiha Tahir tells the heart-wrenching story of the victims of drone attacks and the direct impact that drone warfare has on people in the tribal regions of Pakistan. This event is part of the Peace & Justice Center’s Film Series with the Block Gallery & Coffeehouse. More info: pjcvt.org.

Heating with Solar and Saving Money, 5:30-7 p.m., New England Federal Credit Union, Williston.

Learn how you can heat and cool your home with clean, fossil-free solar power and save as much at 50% on your heating bills! This workshop will cover the basics of pairing solar power with the heat pump technology. Cost: free. More info: nefcu.com.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17 Lecture: “Getting Bi: Voices of Bisexuals Around the World and the Bi Women Newsletter,” 7 p.m., McCarthy Arts Center Recital Hall, St. Michael’s College. An advocate for the rights of people of all orientations and genders to live safely, openly and with full legal equality, Robyn Ochs’s work focuses on increasing awareness and understanding of complex identities and mobilizing people to be powerful allies to one another within and across identities and social movements.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18 Planning Commission Meeting, 7 p.m., Town Hall.

Agenda and relevant documents at charlottevt.org.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 19

Beginning Genealogy, 10:30 a.m.–noon, Vermont Geneology Library, Colchester. This talk is aimed at those who are about to start their genealogy searches and those who are relatively inexperienced. Sheila Morris will discuss records, methods and best practices for researching and for organizing the records and information you find. Cost: $5.

More info: vtgenlib.org.

Opening reception: Color, Light: Moments: New Landscapes and Still Lifes by Elizabeth Allen, 5:30–7:30 p.m., Furchgott Gallery, Shelburne.

Stop by for opening reception honoring artist fascinated with light. Show runs through Oct. 28. Cost: free. More info: fsgallery.com.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 14

Lake Champlain Waldorf School Rummage Sale Bliss, 9 a.m.–1 p.m., Turtle Lane campus, Shelburne. The Lake Champlain Waldorf School’s annual rummage sale is the place to find treasures for your home, children and lifestyle. Items from over 200 families, impeccably organized for your shopping pleasure. This is one of the largest rummage sales in the area, and we strive to make it a fun, unique experience. Lots of furniture, rugs, books, a boutique room, fantastic linens and kitchenware... room after room of stuff priced to go. More info: lakechamplainwaldorfschool.org.

Opening reception: New and Recent Paintings by Laurel Waters, 2–4 p.m., Shelburne Vineyards.

Join Charlotte-based painter Laurel Waters for an opening reception for her work. Larger oil paintings and framed giclée prints will be on view and for sale.

Additional loose prints and cards will also be available to purchase during the reception. Show runs through Nov. 30. More info: shelburnevineyard.com.

13th Annual Small Farms Food Fest, 11 a.m.–5 p.m., Shelburne Orchards. Stop by Shelburne Orchards for tractor hayrides, apple picking, rope making, circus arts with Phin, apple prints and more at this family-friendly event. Live music plays all day long with local bands Orchard Band, Danny Coane and his Apple Pickers, the Blue Gardenias, Cloud People and Red Hot Juba. Cost: $5. Free for those 6.5 and under and over 65. More info: shelburneorchards.com.

Bryce Dance Company Presents To You, Around You, About You, 2 p.m., Town Hall Theatre, Middlebury. A multimedia dance that contemplates themes related to end of life—aging, memory, illness—performed by a company committed to presenting work that truthfully reflects the stories and interests of the individuals and communities that they are working with. Tickets: $20/ $15 for students. More info: townhalltheater.com, 802 3829222, at the THT box office, or at the door.

Black Bear Carving Class with David Tuttle, 9 a.m.–3 p.m., Birds of Vermont Museum, Huntington. Come to a one-day carving class with David Tuttle of the Green Mountain Woodcarvers.

Carve and paint a black bear. Wood blank, snacks and coffee provided. No carving experience required. Please bring your tools and gloves if you have them; if you don’t, let us know. Dave often

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 20

Vermont’s Largest Electric Car Showcase, 11 a.m.–3 p.m., University Mall, South Burlington.

Drive Electric Vermont is hosting National Drive Electric Week’s main Vermont event at University Mall on Saturday Sept. 20—don’t miss the chance to test drive an EV and win local raffle prizes! Cost: free. More info: driveelectricvt.com.

Jane Austen in Vermont at the Burlington Book Festival, 1:30–2:45 p.m., Fletcher Free Library, Burlington. The Vermont Region of the Jane Austen Society of North America and Bygone Books will welcome historian David M. Shapard, author of five annotated editions of Jane Austen’s novels.

Come join us for a peek into “The World of Jane Austen,” the society of early 19th-century England that dominates her novels, with a focus on the position and customs of the controlling landed elite and the role of women in this society. Free and open to the public.

Symposium on American Painting, all day, Shelburne Museum. Vermont’s world-renowned Shelburne Museum will highlight its acclaimed collection of American paintings with a special full-day symposium on the subject with tours of the museum’s installation of American paintings, discussions and lectures. Symposium tickets are $75 or $65 for

Community Alliance Church, Hinesburg, Gathering Place, 9 a.m., Sunday School, 9 a.m., Worship, 10:15 a.m. Information: 4822132.

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, 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: 4252770.

Cross Roads Chapel, Relocated to the Brown Church on Route 7, Ferrisburgh.

Worship, 11 a.m. Information: 425-3625.

Assembly of God Christian Center, Rtes.

7 and 22A, Ferrisburgh, Sunday worship, 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., Sunday School, 9 a.m.

Information: 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.

museum members and $25 for current college students. A limited number of symposium scholarships are available. For more information or to register, contact (802) 985-3346, x3381 or symposia@shelburnemuseum.org.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 21 Williston Chowder Challenge, noon–3 p.m., Williston Fire Department. The 2014 Williston Chowder Challenge is a friendly competition to let the public and culinary experts pick their favorite chowder. Chowder Masters get bragging rights, publicity and exposure! Prizes will be awarded in four categories: Judges’ Choice, People’s Choice, Public Class and Best Display. Cost: $10/$5.

Whiskey on the Lake, 4 p.m., Ethan Allen Homestead, Colchester. Rather than risk being caught along the roads that crisscrossed the United States-Canadian border in New York and Vermont, many professional smugglers and others avoided lawmen altogether by using the open waters of Lake Champlain. Learn how these outlaws smuggled alcohol into the United States from Canada and how, between 1920 and 1933, U.S. customs officers tried their best to stop the seemingly never-ending flow of booze. Cost: free.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23 PTO meeting, 6 p.m., CCS Library.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24 Zoning Board of Adjustment meeting, 6 p.m., Town Hall. Agenda and relevant documents at charlottevt.org.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25 Town Plan Workshop: Economic Development and Housing, 7 p.m., Town Hall. Agenda and other documents at charlottevt.org.

Presentation: Cold Climate Heat Pumps, 7–8:30 p.m., Charlotte Library. See story on page 12.

Pies & Charts, 4:30–6 p.m., Richmond Congregational Church. The Public Assets team will be traveling around the state this fall, with tasty pies and enlightening charts. Please join us, enjoy the food and take home some tools to help you talk with policymakers about economic issues in Vermont. The gatherings are free, though we welcome donations. If you can, RSVP to cindy@actioncircles.com. And if you can’t RSVP, come anyway!

The Charlotte News • September 11, 2014 • 19

Around Town Congratulations to Carrie (MacKillop) Fenn and Peter Fenn who were married Aug. 23 at their home on Lake Road. The couple hopes that neighbors were not too disturbed by the musical exploits of Josh Panda and Hot Damned, “who were having so much fun they just kept playing!” to Commander Luc Delaney, USN, son of Sharon and Dennis Delaney of Charlotte and a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, who was promoted to commander at a ceremony in Norfolk, Va., on Sept. 2. to Liam Murphy, an attorney with the firm of Murphy Sullivan Kronk, who has been included in the 2015 edition of “Best Lawyers in America.” This is his 21st year being named in this publication under a number of different categories of practice. According to the press release, it “reflects his broad practice in all types of real estate matters.”

to Myra Kaplan, who would be a 10th grader this year at CVU were it not for her invitation to attend the full-year professional training program at the Gelsey Kirkland Academy of Classical Ballet. Mira has been studying ballet for seven years with the Vermont Ballet Theater and danced this summer in New York where she was invited to attend the Kirkland school. While living in New York, she will continue her high school studies online. to Elvie Golding and Peter Aube who were featured in an Aug. 31 Burlington Free Press article about “cross-cultural gardens” in Vermont. Having grown up in the Philippines, Golding brought Asian vegetables with her to this country and found they thrive in Charlotte. She and Aube grow them sideby-side with traditional American varieties such as tomatoes, corn and potatoes. She says theirs is the only garden in the area specializing in Asian vegetables.

Golding demonstrates her cooking at various farmers markets.

Sympathy is extended to family and friends of Albert “Bub” Williams of Burlington who passed away September 5. He grew up on the family’s farm in Charlotte, the son of Murchison and Flora Chaffee Williams.

Survivors include his sister Ruth Garen of Charlotte.

He said he loved the lake and his hometown, and his family asks that those wishing to make donations in his memory consider doing so to the Lake Champlain Committee, lakechamplaincommittee.org, 208 Flynn Avenue, Building 3, Studio 3F, Burlington, VT 05401 or to the Friends of the Charlotte Library, P.O. Box 120, 115 Ferry Road, Charlotte, VT 05445 or to the Visiting Nurse Association of Chittenden and Grand Isle Counties, vnacares.org, 1110 Prim Road, Colchester, VT 05446. is extended to family and friends of Janice Rae Naritomi-Hart of Encinitas, Calif., who passed away Aug. 31 at the age of 63. Her surviving family includes her sister, Pati Naritomi-Bennett, and Pati’s husband, Stuart Bennett, of Charlotte, along with their children Emiko and Taka Bennett. The family asks that those wishing to make gifts in Janice’s memory consider doing so to the San Diego Cancer Research Institute, sdcri.org, 1200 Garden View Road, Suite 200, Encinitas, CA 92024 or to the Lois Merrill Foundation, theloismerrillfoundation.org, 1345 Encinitas Blvd., #314, Encinitas, CA 92024 or to Caring for Carcinoid Foundation, caringforcarcinoid.org.

Charlotters Strut Stuff at Annual Art Show

Two young Charlotte designers created a line of clothing for STRUT, the fashion show that was part of Art Hop on Sept. 6. Campbell Whalen and Megan Mahoney designed all of the dresses using only white T-shirts. Their models were Charlotte 9th graders Tori Bergstein, Cassie Franklin, Lindsae Hayes, Addie Toensing and Sophie Reed. The models and designers were thrilled to be part SEABA’s annual event, and showed poise and confidence on the runway.

Classifieds The Charlotte News Classifieds: Reach your friends and neighbors for only $7 per issue (payment must be sent before issue date). Please limit your ad to 35 words or fewer. Send to The Charlotte News Classifieds, P.O. Box 251, Charlotte, VT 05445 or email your ad to ads@charlottenewsvt.com.

historic inn has a private entrance, full kitchen, laundry and porch. MtPhiloInn. com 425-3335.

AFTER SCHOOL GUITAR AND MUSIC LESSONS. Give your child or yourself the gift of music! Professional guitarist/singer/songwriter, Sallie Mack, teaches a unique style of learning. Bass, Ukelele and songwriting also offered. Limited space. Call 425-6212 or 377-9506 or salliemack@gmavt.net (-06)

AFFORDABLE HEAT with a MAXIM OUTDOOR WOOD PELLET FURNACE by Central Boiler. Burns wood pellets. Boivin Farm Supply 802475-4007. (-03)

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NEW AT THE MT. PHILO INN: Overnight accommodations, spacious 2-3 bedroom suites available by the day, week or month. Adjacent to Mt. Philo State Park, with panoramic views of Lake Champlain. Each "wing" in the

FOR SALE: 1 gallon propane handheld sprayer with 3 gallons of spray, $35.

Two chain saws, McCulloch Mac 10 - $25 for both. One three seat, old time, ironwood bench - holds 4 people, $100.

Please call Marvin at 425-3529. (-04)

Local Purebred Herford Beef From ours!

Our Family To Y , too

pork & chicken

Farm grown corn silage & fresh grass diets Antibiotic, hormone & nitrate free Whole & half sides Individual cuts

800 Bingham Brook Road, Charlotte 425-3516 SEND US YOUR NEWS, PHOTOS, EVENTS

news@charlottenewsvt.com

Charlotte News The Hometown Paper Since 1958

Morse's Doodles & Jots I’d like to get my new old self back instead of living with the old new self.

Volume lVII Number 03

The VoIce of The TowN

Thursday, sepTember 11, 2014

Jim Morse is a former Vermont Supreme Court Justice living in Charlotte. Find more of his Doodles & Jots in his book, available at the Flying Pig Bookstore or online at Amazon, Barnes & Noble or Red Barn Books.

The Charlotte News Hometown Paper Since 1958 Deliver to: LOCAL BOXHOLDER U.S. POSTAGE PAID MAILED FROM ßZIP CODE 05482 PERMIT NO. 9

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Town Looks at Land Use 1 • Charlotte Primary Recap 1 • CVU Students Help Conservation Commission 10 • Mrs. Vermont Plans Cancer Fundraiser 17