NewsINK Issue 3

Issue 3

May 2011

Get outside!

Bike trails Bike repairs Hike the NEK

8 10 12

Also: Summer slump?

Safe hunting FairPoint future

2 4 16 Cover photo by Phil Alexander

Biz 101:

To survive summer, go local

A funny thing happens at the Packing House when summer comes and the college students in the area disappear for a few months: the locals come out.

“The different crowds don’t always see eye to eye,” said operations manager Dan Sweet with a laugh.

The Packing House is located on Hill Street in Lyndonville.

“It definitely slows down a little bit but it’s not too bad,” Sweet said of the summer months. “You get more of a local crowd.”

Sweet said the locals seem to frequent more often in the summer than during school months, adding they seem to prefer when there are less students there.

The locals keep other bars afloat as well, including Phat Kats

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Tavern.

“It definitely slows down in the summer,” said Phat Kats owner Chad Pilotte, adding that local customers help to balance out business.

“The locals keep me going in the summer,” he said. Pilotte added that the number of college students coming to the bar in the summer has increased in the last couple of years, which has helped business. He thinks more and more students are choosing to stay around the area during the summer, especially those renting apartments.

For pizza restaurants, business picks up a bit when the college students leave.

For Shane Switser, manager of the Pizza Man on Broad Street in Lyndonville, the faces change, but business actually gets busier in the summer.

“The summer months are busiest months for us because our ice cream stand opens up and

brings in more traffic,” he said. “The college students keep us busy from August to May and then after that it’s the vacationing crowd.”

The Pizza Man has been in Lyndonville since 2009 and has been a hit with students at Lyndon State College. The restaurant offers a variety of pizzas, calzones, and salads. It also offers delivery to the college and the local area.

Hoagie’s is another pizza restaurant in town on Memorial Drive that’s popular with the college students. Like the Pizza Man, business at Hoagie’s stays steady even when school is out for the summer.

“When the college kids leave we get the summer vacation crowd. We don’t really notice a difference. It gets busier in the summer,” Hilarie Wright, the owner of Hoagie’s, said.

Wright added that the majority of her employees at Hoagie’s are college students who live in the area, so the staff doesn’t change very much in the summer either.

May 2011

Story and photos

by Madi Cox Opposite page: Chad Pilotte works the bar at Phat Kats Tavern in Lyndonville. The tavern receives more local customers in the summertime when LSC students travel home. Below: LSC student Kris Lizzari cooks a cheese pizza at The Pizza Man. Bottom: Lizzari puts a pizza into a box for delivery. Business picks up in the summertime when the ice cream window opens and tourists arrive.

NewsINK is a publication of the Vermont Center for Community Journalism at Lyndon State College. Find us online at Issuu.com (search for “NewsINK�).

Address queries to: NewsINK, Deptartment of Electronic Journalism Arts, Lyndon State College, P.O. Box 919, Lyndonville, Vt. 05851

May 2011

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‘Only turkeys stalk turkeys’ Stories and photo by Suzanne Proulx/NewsINK Turkey season runs through May 31, and Vermont Fish and Wildlife officers are pushing the importance of safety. It’s especially resonant in the Northeast Kingdom, where the state’s most recent turkey-hunting fatality occurred.

“Never stalk a turkey call,” says Chris Saunders, the state’s hunting education coordinator. “That means if you hear a call out in the woods that sounds like a turkey, don’t go after it. Stay where you are and try to call it in. It sounds really cheesy to say, and it is cheesy, but it is true: only turkeys stalk turkeys.”

In 2009, Kevin Kadamus of Lyndon shot his son Jacob as the boy approached his father’s position.

According to Saunders, almost all turkeyhunting incidents happen because someone is stalking what sounds like a turkey. To mimic that sound, hunters use box calls, slate calls and mouth calls.

Hunters can bag turkeys from half an hour before sunrise to noon.

“It’s very important when hunters are out and about that early in the morning to really positively identify their target and what lies beyond it,” says Saunders.

Hunters should never wear red, white, or blue be-

2010 safest hunting year on record Page 4

Vermont Fish and Wildlife has named 2010 the safest hunting year on record.

“In 2010, we recorded just two hunting-related shootings for the entire year. Both of them were relatively minor, which means there are no fatalities associated with them,” said Vermont’s hunting education coordinator, Chris Saunders.

The two incidents

cause those are the colors of the tom’s head. They should wrap killed turkeys with material colored hunter orange.

Hunter orange is recommended because it is a bright color that is not found in the woods, either in the spring or fall.

“Turkeys have very keen eye sight,” Saunders says. “As a result, most turkey hunters like to use full camo when they’re in position and calling, but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t wear orange going from site to site.”

Along with wearing the hunter orange while on the move, hunter Ted Benoit says he uses it another way: “When I’m sitting down, I usually put the orange above me on the tree, and hang it so people can see. It’s a little more visible.”

Benoit works at Village Sports in Lyndonville. He sits with his back against a tree to reduce the risk of being shot from behind while calling for turkeys. happened during deer season. In one, the hunter was resting the muzzle on his toe and the weapon discharged, shooting him in the foot.

In the other, the hunter was lowering a loaded gun from a tree stand with the muzzle pointing upward; the gun dropped and discharged, shooting the hunter in the calf.

Saunders said from the 1930’s to the 1950’s

it was common to see 30 to 50 hunting-related shootings each year.

The state attributes the lower numbers to hunter education classes.

“Hunter education became mandatory for first-time license buyers in 1975, and since that point the number of hunting related shootings occurring in Vermont has decreased about 75-percent. It’s

May 2011

been a tremendous reduction. We’ve reached the point now that almost everyone in the woods has taken hunter education.”

80,000 hunters are licensed in Vermont.

Many of the state’s game wardens are involved in the hunter education classes, according to the chief warden of the St. Johnsbury District, Lt. Kim Klein.

“A lot of wardens participate in hunter safety programs,” Klein says.

“Some even put on their own classes. There’s a lot of time and effort that goes into that.”

Lt. Klein also explained what one learns in the class: “They go over hunting safety, hunting regulations, laws and ethics, and they also do some hands-on stuff.

They get the students out and they talk about different firearms. They allow them to shoot rifles as well as shotguns.”

All first-time license buyers are required to take a class for each type of hunting they will participate in, whether it is a firearm, trap or bow.

All hunters should follow the four rules of thumb while they are out.

1. Treat every firearm as if it was loaded; 2. Keep it pointed in a safe direction; 3. Keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to shoot; 4. Properly identify your target and what lies beyond it.

May 2011

Work camp to accept ‘minor violent’ inmates The Vermont Department of Corrections wants to increase the number of inmates at the St. Johnsbury Community Work Camp in an effort to cut the state’s budget.

The department has proposed adding 12 beds at the facility, which would increase the total number of inmates to 112.

The department made a similar request back in 2008 when it proposed adding 20 inmates, but eventually dropped the proposal. This time, there’s a twist.

The department wants to use the work camp to house inmates with a history of minor violent offenses. The Selectboard is struggling with the proposal.

“For the town of Saint Johnsbury, it’s kind of a mixed bag,” says Selectman Jim Rust. “It always helps if we bring in extra revenue. On the other side, is it best for the town? That is a decision that has to be made now.”

According to Rust, the proposal must first go through the Development Review Board before the Selectboard can make any decisions. If the proposal is approved, the state would double its annual payment to St. Johnsbury for the work camp from $10,000 to $20,000.

Despite the risks, Selectman Bryon Quatrini believes the little extra help won’t hurt.

“Obviously you get some projects done that you wouldn’t get done,” Quatrini says. “That’s a benefit. They’ve done some projects for the town and have done a very good job.”

Inmates at the work camp have cleaned parks, shoveled snow, cleaned cemeteries and helped with renovations to the St. Johnsbury Welcome Center.

The Caledonian-Record reported representatives from the town met recently with corrections officials and won a promise that violent felons would not be housed at the work camp. People convicted of violent misdemeanors such as simple assault can serve time there.

The increase is due to go into effect on June 1.

Story and photo by RJ Brownell/NewsINK

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Great friend Pricey bike

New hope RJ Brownell NewsINK Nearly one year ago, St. Johnsbury’s David Wieselmann was paralyzed from the waist down after breaking his neck in a mountain biking accident.

“It was just a horrible shock,” says Joyce Wieselmann, David’s mother. “My daughter and I heard the news and drove down to Dartmouth (Hospital), and we were able to see him after four hours. He was there for two weeks.”

After Wieselmann was released from Dartmouth, he was sent to Fletcher Allen Hospital in Burlington to start adjusting to a new lifestyle.

Wieselmann was a man who truly took advantage of all the Northeast Kingdom had to offer in outdoor activities. His life was about movement, whether it be skiing, biking, kayaking or hiking.

After the accident, he was confined to a wheelchair. After months of therapy to try to regain feeling in his legs, he was forced to stop because he didn’t have the proper equipment to move forward. If Wieselmann ever hoped to walk again, he needed to purchase a Functional Electrical Stimulation bicycle.

FES bicycles supply electrical stimulation to leg muscles, which prompts them to move. Through this exercise, the major health risks associated with paralysis are minimized, including osteoporosis, muscle calcification, muscle spasticity and blood pressure problems.

The major benefit of the FES bike is its ability to revive dormant nerve paths in spinal cord injury patients, giving some the ability to walk again.

But the bicycles cost $20,000 and Wieselmann could not afford the purchase.

Luckily for him, close friend Julie Poulin organized a raffle at Trout River Brewing Company in Lyndonville to raise funds. Ticket sales at $100 apiece started off slow, forcing Poulin to push back the original drawing from April 9 to April 29. But it was ultimately successful, raising $31,000 in ticket sales and donations.

“It was a little scary at first but it’s been awesome that people have contributed what they have for David,” Joyce Wieselmann said. “Julie has been absolutely incredible.” David Wieselmann will continue his therapy and at the end of May he will participate in an aggressive therapy program at Journey Forward near Boston, Mass.

“Every single person who bought a ticket David keeps saying, ‘Oh, you’re amazing for doing this, Julie!’ but I just gave people the opportunity,” says Poulin. “I’m thankful for a lot of people.”

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May 2011

Where CAN they go?

“Reduce, reuse, recycle” are words used often on Earth Day. But just because the day has come and gone doesn't mean it's time to stop thinking about the planet.

Bottles and cans can be recycled easily, but where do they end up?

Throwing cans and bottles in a recycling bin or taking them to a redemption center are common options. But after you walk away, it is easy to forget about your rubbish.

Some people will drop off their redeemable material at recycling centers that don't redeem them for a nickel apiece.

"If you collect a bag full of

cans, you can get a couple of dollars that way,” says Paul Tomassi of Northeast Kingdom Waste Management. “So it would make sense for more people to redeem them.

But some people, if they’re bringing their other recyclables here, just find it more convenient to drop everything off here rather than make the extra trip to the redemption center."

There are no plants that physically recycle materials in Vermont.

Recyclable bottles and cans go to a collection center in Williston.

Scrap metal can go anywhere.

"Once we get a truckload we'll contact a broker and then they'll find the best market. And it could

Left: A fast, correct count is crucial at Lyndonville Redemption Center.

Above: Bagged cans line a wall at the Redemption Center.

May 2011

be here or in New England or could be in Canada. Sometimes our metal will end up in Pittsburgh," says Tomasi.

The distance from Lyndon to Pittsburgh is about 700 miles.

If a tractor trailor gets about 6.5 miles to a gallon it would cost around $400 in fuel to get Pittsburgh.

Carey Hengstenberg of the Vermont Waste Management Department says. "We're generating such a small fraction of waste compared to other states, even regionally. For other products outside plastics and glass, there are really not that many facilities that process that material."

Story by Jeff Rusack Photos by RJ Brownell Page 7

Kingdom Trails offers something for all

Bikers enjoy a nice afternoon last season, with Burke Mountain in the background.

Sam Monroe NewsINK Bikers looking for a thrill will have a new one this year when Kingdom Trails is 100 percent open.

For the trail system that was recently voted Best Trail Network in North America by Bike Magazine, it isn’t about staying where it is, but improving.

This year Kingdom Trails will open lift-access trails on Burke Mountain, the main one being Knightslayer. The trail will be open on the weekends and will offer a place for intermediate riders to get some experience.

Yankee Magazine highlighted Kingdom

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Trails as one of the ten “Thrills of a Lifetime.” And for riders looking to get a thrill the Burke trails offer it.

“The stuff at the top of the mountain is for people who are more avid riders,” said executive director Tim Tierney.

The mountain trails open up on June 1 and all riders are encouraged to have a full suspension bike, a full-face helmet, full body armor, and carry a cell phone and first aid kit. It is also advised that riders stay in groups of three while heading down the more challenging trails.

Photo by Steve Legge/Courtesy Kingdom Trails

“None of it’s required, it’s just strongly strongly suggested,” said Tierney.

“You have to be an expe-

“People love Kitchel.

One of the more popular ones is Tap N Die. Everybody has their favorite.”

-Tim Tierney rienced rider, you just can’t have the equipment and go.”

Tierney says it is more about the mileage than the equipment. Even if a rider has the best gear, the more mileage they have on the trail system the safer and

more enjoyable the top of the mountain will be.

The lift access trails, such as Knightslayer are being designed to give riders that experience before hitting the toughest trails.

However, no matter your experience level Kingdom Trails has something to offer.

Kingdom Trails stretches across the land of 55 private owners who give permission for the trails to be used.

With over 100 miles of trails riders can do something new every day.

With 4,500 visits to the trails every year, Tierney says everybody has a favorite.

May 2011

“A lot of folks love Sidewinder,” Tierney said. “People love Kitchel. One of the more popular ones is Tap N Die. Everybody has their favorite.”

Kingdom Trails has been named Best in New England by Boston Magazine Travel & Life.

For the less experienced bikers the staff at Kingdom Trails will help plan a trip.

They will highlight a trail map and give you all the directions needed to have a fun trip.

Kingdom Trails offers different rates for the trails. Individuals, ages 16 to 69, can purchase a day pass for $15, while those 8 to 15 can get a day pass for just $7, and those 7 and under or 70 and older can ride for free.

Season passes are also sold. Individual passes are $75 for the year, youth passes are also $75 and family passes are $150 for the year.

Left: A biker wears the full face mask and helmet strongly suggested for some of the trails. Below: A biker explores one of the easier trails.

Photos by Steve Legge/Courtesy Kingdom Trails

May 2011

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Time to Prepare “This is really an activity for everyone. You could be riding with an 80-year-old and say to yourself, ‘I’ll have to slow down so he can keep up,’ and then you see this guy blow past you.”

Adam Lavigne, an employee of East Burke Sports, believes Vermont is home to one of the most exhilarating sports: mountain biking.

Award-winning Kingdom Trails is only a few pedals from Lavigne’s shop.

And with the start of mountain biking season just around the corner, there are several things riders need to do to prepare.

Most riders maintain their bikes themselves, but for the most difficult problems, they should bring them to shops like East Burke Sports.

“Certain problems can be taken care of at home, but some stuff needs specialized tools like the ones we have here,” said Lavigne while using one of those specialized tools to fix a rear shock on a customer’s bike.

And it’s important to have problems properly fixed. “Some of these bikes are $4,000, $5,000 apiece. If it were my bike, I’d definitely have it

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fixed in a bike shop. These things are practically motorcycles without motors. These bikes have fluid disc brakes, fluid shock absorbers, lightweight bodies, some of these bikes are made out of a carbon fiber material,” Lavigne said.

But most people who are not immersed in the lifestyle don’t realize how many different disciplines there are.

“These things are practically motorcycles without motors.”

- Adam Lavigne “There are lots of different types of bikes for all different types of riding styles,” Lavigne said. “There are lightweight bikes for trail riding and cross country riding. There are heavy bikes to get you flying down speed trails. There’s really a bike for everyone and every style.”

One of the most beneficial aspects of mountain biking is the extensive exercise riders get. Biking uses all muscles of the leg, arms and core.

“It’s like a full body thing,” Lavigne said. “And it’s something you want to do. You want to get to the top of that hill so you can come screaming down the other side.”

But before riders go screaming down any hills, they should be equipped with the right gear.

Riders of every level wear gloves, shin pads, helmets, even full body armor.

Some riders can reach speeds of 40 to 50 miles per hour on downhill trails, so any weight the safety equipment adds is well worth it.

Lavigne said customers know that their bikes are in good hands.

“I love to ride. I’ve been riding for a long time. It’s a passion of mine and I take pride in my work.”

May 2011

Story and photos by Rene Thibault

Adam Lavigne, East Burke Sports May 2011

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Rick Ouellette is not your typical summer hiker. Ouellette prefers undocumented trails, like those in Granby, Vermont.

“I’ve always enjoyed going ‘off-themap,’ if you will,” Ouellette said. “As a back-country skier and as a hunter, I like to really get out and experience nature. That for me is kind of a special moment. Staying off the grid is the only way to go, in my opinion.”

Ouellette believes that these trails can amaze all sorts of hikers.

“I would want other hikers to come and get that same feeling and experience that I get when I am out in the middle of the woods,” Ouellette said. “The only sound around you is just the wind blowing and the birds, and the only thing you can think about is just the moment.”

Of course, there are some drawbacks to hiking in territory that is not documented. Being a person that knows the area of Granby well, Ouellette knows that certain safety precautions must be taken when hiking throughout the area..

“You really shouldn’t be hiking

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out in those woods without someone who knows the area,” Ouellette said. “You should definitely familiarize yourself with a map of the area and the use of the compass. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve pulled myself out of the woods even though I have no idea what swamp I’m in or what those two mountains surrounding me are.”

After hiking countless times around the Granby area, Ouellette has some interesting stories to tell.

“I was walking up through the grass, and it was a very nice day out,” Ouellette said. “I stopped for a second to take a drink out of my water, and I heard this twig snap. I thought it was my grandfather, who I was meeting up the trail. I turned around for a second because I heard another twig snap behind me. I looked and a saw a herd of about seven moose all stand-

Avid hiker Rick Ouellette May 2011

Story and photos

by Phil Alexander

ing up. I thought for a quick second about seeing these beautiful, majestic creatures and how I could have never had an experience like this close to a main trail.”

Some hikers prefer to travel on official trails, and Kingdom Trails in East Burke is ready to oblige.

Keenan Chenail helps the non-profit organization maintain its trails so that customers can hike on them in the summer.

Maintaining the trails is not the easiest job.

“The hardest part about maintaining our trails on a yearly basis has to do with the sheer magnitude of trails that we have,” Chenail said. “They’re numerous and extensive in length. There are about 100 miles of track that have to be maintained by us and us solely, and this all has to be done by opening day.”

May 2011

The work may be hard, but Chenail always finds a purpose in it.

“The most rewarding part of the day is the projects that give you instant gratification,” Chenail said. “It’s physically and visually satisfying when you build a bridge and see it being used afterward. As soon as you get out of work, you get to use that bridge yourself. Spending a day on a trail is never worth it until you get out there and experience the whole thing yourself.”

Experience in these trails is what helps Chenail recognize which trails are best for certain situations.

For those who are new to Kingdom Trails, Chenail has one suggestion: West Peak Trail.

“It wraps around the side of the mountain (Burke Mountain), giving you excellent views of the southern mountains like Mount Mansfield, Killington, and other greats,” Chenail said. “It also has challenging steeps and good stonework.”

For Chenail, summer hiking will once again allow him to be connected to nature.

“The best part about hiking in the summer is definitely observing nature,” Chenail said. “Everything around you turns into a green wall, and you are in a relaxed state. It makes you feel like you’re together with everything.”

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42 cats, 42 charges “I’ve been set up.

When I left, there were only 20 cats in the house.”

Cynthia Erlandsson Story by Nadine Grimley Left: Erlandsson’s former South Ryegate residence, where authorities say they found more than 40 cats living in wretched conditions.

Photo by Jarryd Guinard/News 7

On Nov. 16, 2010, Cynthia Erlandsson left her South Ryegate home with nine cats and a snake, allegedly leaving behind dozens of cats in what rescue workers called horrible conditions.

One peculiar part of this peculiar case is that Erlandsson alerted authorities herself. She called Kingdom Animal Shelter and told them she was preparing for a move to Wyoming because of her job.

When Kingdom Kats volunteers arrived at the residence on Nov. 18, they saw a cat in the window. But they needed a court order to enter. With that permis-

sion, and in the company of a sheriff’s deputy, they went inside and found five dead cats and captured 19 live cats.

They knew there were more felines roaming the house so they set traps. Between Nov. 20 and Dec. 23, 23 more cats were trapped and removed. Altogether, 20 had to be euthanized. The remaining 22 have been placed in locations across the state.

“We were not prepared for 42 cats,” said Joyce Littlefield, the animal cruelty investigator at the time.

“When we walked into the house it seemed like it

Photos courtesy of Vermont Volunteer Services for Animals Humane Society

From left: A hallway inside Erlandsson’s home filled with cat feces; a food and water dish; a staircase used as a litter box.

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May 2011

was out of a surreal horror film. The stench, the feces, every room was covered with feces and urine,” said Sue Skaskiw, the director of Vermont Volunteer Services for Animals Humane Society.

Both Skaskiw and Littlefield said the conditions were the worst they had ever seen.

“It’s so mind-boggling how somebody could have so little regard for animals that they could let them exist in these conditions,” said Skaskiw.

On April 25, Erlandsson was back in Vermont for her arraignment at the Caledonia County Courthouse, where she faced 42 charges of animal cruelty.

“I’ve been set up,” Erlandsson said during a brief talk with a reporter in a conference room. “When I left there were only 20 cats in the house. I planned on picking them up at Christmas time, but I couldn’t get up here because there was a Nor’easter.“ At that point a man who refused to identify himself entered the room and told her to stop speaking.

Dr. Peggy W. Larson, a veterinarian who deals with cruelty and hoarding cases, said people who collect large numbers of animals are like drug addicts.

“They are so consumed by their addiction to collect animals, they don’t care for the animals, they don’t take care of them, they don’t realize that these animals are suffering,” Larson said.

Erlandsson is a registered nurse. “To think that this woman is responsible for the care of

May 2011

people in life-challenging situations is very terrifying,” said Skaskiw.

Erlandsson pleaded not guilty to the charges. If convicted Erlandsson could have to pay up to $1,000 and up to a year in prison per cruelty charge. A trial date has yet to be set.

A bill in the House Committee on Agriculture would legally define animal hoarders as people who own more than five animals and would put harsher penalties on those convicted of animal cruelty charges.

Top: Erlandsson at the Caledonia County Courthouse in April. Below: Erlandsson leaving the Caledonia County Sheriff’s Department after her arraignment on 42 charges of animal cruelty.

Photos by Jarryd Guinard/News 7

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After rocky start, a focus on the future Story and photo

by Jared Richardson When FairPoint bought Verizon’s Northern New England landlines back in 2008, it never expected to experience major issues with the purchase.

FairPoint bought Verzion’s 1.6 million landlines in Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine for $2.3 billion, and was expecting to improve service immediately in the three states, especially in Vermont, where many areas had limited communication services.

Michael Smith, who is the president of FairPoint in Vermont, said the issues FairPoint faced were major.

“I don’t want to downplay the issues that we had. They were significant enough to rise to the level where people should have been paying attention,” Smith said.

The major problem that FairPoint faced was the readiness of the company.

Regulators in Vermont initially thought that FairPoint didn’t have the resources and the income to successfully buy Verizon’s landlines.

Another problem the communications company had was the switchover of communications systems from Verizon to FairPoint.

“We had a conversion from the old legacy Verizon computer system to a brand new system that ran into problems,” Smith said. “It’s common though with a new company changing complicated systems. They’re not easy systems to work with. I think our employees and technicians did a

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good job with the transition.”

The company also had problems with customer service, especially email.

When FairPoint was making the transition of systems from Verizon, it also had to transition e-mail systems, which eventually led to the loss of email for thousands of customers.

To make matters worse, when customers called FairPoint’s call center, many were waiting on the phone for hours to reach FairPoint representatives about the e-mail problem, because FairPoint didn’t have ample customer service employees.

The problem that customers were having is that they couldn’t make new e-mail accounts with FairPoint, which severely affected businesses that rely on e-mail communications.

The lack of customer service representatives eventually led to heavy fines for FairPoint.

Smith said, “We got the problem quickly resolved, and we got our customers’ e-mail accounts to work.”

After most of the issues were resolved at FairPoint after the buyout, the company faced its biggest problem.

In October 2009, FairPoint filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection after the company faced major finan-

cial issues.

The company was $2.8 billion in debt.

“The purchase took place right when there was a credit crunch, so obviously you are paying for credit.

You’re paying some inflated interest rates during this time,” said Smith.

The company also had to compete with other communication providers.

“People were changing from having landlines to wireless. We had to compete with cable companies offering phone services. Internet was being offered on wireless phones. It was a big trend. We had a slight decline in customers due to that,” said Smith.

There were some concerns from the public and the state service board that FairPoint wouldn’t be able to get out of the bankruptcy restructuring, but this January, good news came for FairPoint.

It got out of Chapter 11 bankruptcy, after reducing the debt from $2.8 billion to $1 billion.

The company also has $75 million in revolving credit.

Smith said, “We’re meeting our service quality metrics. In some cases, we’re far surpassing those service quality metrics that haven’t been met in a decade.”

May 2011

He also says that he thanks the employees of FairPoint for helping the company succeed.

“We have 600 employees, and they have all worked very hard to keep our company running in Vermont. They do a lot for our company,” said Smith.

The company has some big plans for the state in the future, which have already started.

Smith said, “We’re investing today about $50 million in this state to bring a next generation network. We’re laying out 1,000 miles of fiber and 380 remote terminals. It’s all to have better service to our customers, and to gain more customers.”

Smith says he’s confident that FairPoint will meet Governor Peter Shumlin’s plan to have broadband in every part of the state by 2013.

“I think we can meet that goal,” Smith said. “We have the resources, and our great 600 employees, to do it. We also have been working with the Shumlin administration and the Vermont Public Service Board to get broadband to everyone in the state.”

The Northeast Kingdom is one region of Vermont where there has always been limited broadband Internet service, and FairPoint is planning on changing on that.

“We want to get people off dial-up, and bring broadband to as many Vermonters as we can,” Smith said. In the Northeast Kingdom, the company is expanding broadband now in Newport, Derby, Island Pond, Barton, Concord, Craftsbury and Greensboro.

Smith said the communications company wants to provide the best service it can to Vermonters and gain back the state’s trust.

“That’s probably our biggest challenge as we move forward,” he said. We have done a lot for the state in the past two years, and I think we can keep that going.”

Darren Kennedy of Concord, who is a FairPoint customer, said that he hopes FairPoint will follow through with its plans and keep its promises.

“Hopefully they can come back to where they used to be, and offer more services to the people of Vermont. I’m confident that they will follow through. They’ve proven themselves so far since getting out of bankruptcy. I hope they can succeed,” said Kennedy.

FairPoint hopes to have 100 percent high-speed internet to at least 50 percent of its exchanges by next year.

“We’ve got workers in all parts of the state doing major projects to bring broadband to communities,” Sith said.

“We’ve got the support of the Vermont administration.

We’ve been hearing positive comments from Vermonters.

We’re trying to meet everyone’s needs. I’m excited to see what’s to come.”

FairPoint operates in 18 states and has over $1 billion in revenue every year.

May 2011

H ow doe s your g arde n g ro w ?

Lindsey Profenno NewsINK In the midst of a struggling economy, 22 people are trying to make a difference.

The members of the St. Johnsbury Community Garden on Lincoln Street want to share their bounty this year.

“We’re looking into doing a seed exchange and then actually do some gleaning and donate some of our excess food to the food bank,” says Sharon Meigs, a volunteer with the community garden. “We want to be part of a community and be a real community garden here.”

The garden is relatively new, and Meigs wants to get more people involved.

“This will be the fourth season, so we are pretty excited about it,” she says. “It’s been great. We’ve even had Governor Jim Douglas, when he was still governor, come and do a ribbon cutting on our first year there, and we’ve been growing, and we’re looking to expand but we have to see how that goes.”

In the garden a wide variety of vegetables are planted along with flowers. Each member or family gets a plot measuring about 10 x 20 feet.

The land on Lincoln Street was donated by the town.

Meigs was at the St. J Food Co-op on Earth Day trying to spread the word about the garden.

“I am trying to work with Melissa Bridges with the St J Food Co-op about expanding the idea of community garden throughout St. Johnsbury,” she says.

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Photos by Lindsey Profenno Top: Tulip foliage springs from the earth. Left: Sure signs of spring, two daffodils show off their vibrant yellow coloring. Above: Spirea offers contrast to surrounding tulips and daffodils.

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May 2011