The Charlotte News | April 29, 2020

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Charlotte News

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Thursday, April 30, 2020 | Volume LXII Number 21

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Charlotte News

The

Vol. 62, no.21 April 30, 2020

The last word

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

CVFRS caught in the wild

The word “last” has a lot of definitions; in our April 23 email newsletter, it appeared in the first sentence of the first article, referencing a previous Chea Waters Evans issue of the paper.

NEWS EDITOR Unfortunately, with all this bad news floating around about newspapers, “last issue” looked like it meant something it didn’t. No need to panic: It should have read, “most recent” or “previous.”

On Monday the Selectboard again met virtually, with members discussing austerity budget measures, approving reappointments, Juliann Phelps and reviewing draft request for bids for siding repairs on the Senior Center and construction of the next section of the Town Link Trail on State Park Road. The Selectboard also approved the warnings for the public information hearing and subsequent Australian ballot vote on the FY21 budget for Tuesday, June 23.

That wasn’t our last issue, and we have no plans to stop printing the paper. It’s been in circulation for almost 62 years, and we’re certainly not going to let a global pandemic stop our presses.

Other Charlotte-centric ways the word “last” might be used include, “How long is this town meeting going to last?” or “Last I heard, we weren’t going to have a sidewalk in the West Village, but that could change,” or, “Are we getting a restaurant in town at last?”

And we’re not merely hanging in there.

We’re delighted to report that our paper is doing well. We are humbled by and thrilled with the donations that recently came in from home and afar, the local businesses that have placed ads and bought space in upcoming issues, and contributions from talented local writers who suddenly have the time to put their words in print.

This is truly a community paper, and like our wonderful town and all the people in it, it’s going to last.

We appreciate you all so much.

Hank Kaestner snapped this photo last week on Marsett Road in Shelburne. “I watched as this Charlotte Rescue truck stopped, the driver got out, donned a hazard suit, and entered the house, all the while in front of this sign that had been posted by a neighbor several days earlier.”

Planning Commission convenes to discuss how to meet during COVID-19 emergency Juliann Phelps

On April 16 the Planning Commission held its first meeting since early March, with all members virtually present. While planning and scheduling future meetings was the only agenda item, members also discussed logistics such as site visits and how to encourage public participation in hearings using a virtual platform.

After Chair Peter Joslin welcomed new member Bill Stuono to the commission, he asked Town Planner Daryl Arminius to share the most recent information about town meetings from the Vermont League of Cities and Towns. In an email VCLT said it “does not recommend holding a public hearing during the public health emergency amid the stayat-home order’s restrictions on public gatherings.” Joslin asked the board

Selectboard discusses budget austerity, trails construction, appointments

to come to an agreement on how to proceed.

Planning Commission member Marty Illick said, “Depending on the urgency … it could be a case by case basis— some may not be able to go through until the order is lifted.” Joslin agreed, noting, “I want to make sure those who can participate, can. We can use the [land use regulation] petition as an example. A lot of people might want to participate.”

The commission decided to move forward with the planned agenda for May 7 with Arminius saying he would contact as many interested individuals and adjoining landowners as possible via phone or email. When the question of site visits came up, he suggested commission members meet and remain in their cars. Planning Commission member Shawn Coyle asked if they could look

into using a drone for site visits. “We’d have a more permanent record, we could see it from the air and review it,” he said.

Commission member Bill Stuono asked how the commission planned to hold deliberations and record virtual attendance, which replaces the inperson sign-in sheet. The commission considered some of the features offered in Zoom as alternatives.

Illick then asked about communications regarding the recent land use regulation petition. Joslin said he would draft and post an update to Front Porch Forum.

“We are moving forward slowly, one step at a time. Our intentions are to hear the petition and move the LUR forward—we just don’t know exactly when yet,” said Joslin.

Trimming the FY20 budget Selectboard members discussed the remaining FY20 budget, including updated expenses and revenues and recommendations from Town Treasurer Mary Mead. Chair Matt Krasnow said, “The goal is to build up any amount of surplus to anticipate any possible shortfall in revenue.” Similar to last meeting, the board agreed to have Krasnow draft and send an email to all the authorized purchasing agents for committees, commissions and boards requesting a five-percent cut in their budgets.

Road Commissioner Jr Lewis asked, “If somebody can’t take it out of this year’s [budget] will it be taken out of next year’s automatically?” Krasnow responded, “We have not talked about next year’s budget, but yes, austerity has to go on as long as the recession goes.”

Charlotte Library Director Margaret Woodruff asked for clarification on the type of budget reductions. The board clarified that the request for reductions will not include payroll, spending related to health and safety, or “statutorily necessary advertising” for zoning and planning.

“The hard work is going to come next year,” said Selectboard member Louise McCarren. “In a perfect world, we would do strategic budget reductions, not across the board. That’s a very hard lift—going through and figuring out the priorities for the town.”

The board also reviewed a list of contracts that Town Administrator Dean Bloch said “typically renew each fiscal see SELECTBOARD page 23

The Charlotte News • April 30, 2020 • 3

News From The News New board members We’re pleased to announce that Ben Miller and Bailey Vince Crockenberg Grattelo have been elected to the Board PUBLISHER of Directors of The Charlotte News, replacing retired members Lane Morrison and Dave Quickel.

Ben Miller grew up in Middlebury and followed one of his brothers to Ohio Wesleyan University where he studied journalism and economics. After college, he returned to Vermont and worked at the Orton Family Foundation as a marketing associate; he now is employed at Dealer. com as a search engine optimization analyst. He is also enrolled in the MBA Ben Miller program at Champlain College and has started his own SEO consulting business. He lives in Charlotte with his boyfriend and three dogs.

Bailey Grattelo attended Thomas College in Maine where she was the editor in chief of the campus newspaper during her junior and senior years. After graduating in 2009 with a degree in communications and then working in Portland for several years as a website project manager, she and her husband visited Vermont for a weekend—

and decided they wanted to live here. She too works for Dealer.com, initially as a digital strategist and more recently as a scrum master in the engineering department. Her two girls attend CCS. Bailey Grattelo Bailey and Ben will provide the News Board with skills and experience ranging from digital business strategy and search engine optimization, to business planning and online marketing, all of which will help us achieve our strategic goals as quickly and efficiently as possible and expand the services we can bring to you, our readers. Stay tuned.

Autocorrect follies John Quinney, the chair of the News Board’s Digital Committee, has been working with Bluehost, the company that hosts our website, to migrate to a new, faster server. The migration has not been without its problems—or unintended humor. As John was working with tech support to sort out some difficulties that cropped up in the transfer, he received this message: “I understand and I apologize for the incontinence caused. I’ll try my best to help you here by escalating this and adding all the notes you mentioned.” And this is a perfect example why we use people, not computers, to proofread our paper.

Ark Veterinary Hospital Welcomes

Dr. Morika Dr Morika grew up in Middlebury, Vermont where she developed a strong connection to the mountains, woods and fields of her childhood home. Her earliest jobs were around horses; exercising and training as well as working in the barns and even a little polo.

After earning an undergraduate degree in anthropology from Haverford College in Pennsylvania, she returned home to Vermont to spend the summer working with her beloved horses. During that time she worked closely with a local equine veterinarian and it was then that she decided to pursue a career in veterinary medicine.

Over the next year and a half she completed the necessary prerequisite science courses through UVM’s post-baccalaureate premedical program. In 2009 she moved to Athens, Georgia to become a Bulldog and earn her veterinary degree at the University of Georgia.

Although she first approached veterinary medicine through her love of horses, she decided to focus on companion animal medicine for her career.

Following graduation from UGA, Dr Morika matched to a rotating internship in emergency medicine and surgery at the Veterinary Emergency and Referral Group in Brooklyn NY. After completing her internship with VERG, Dr Morika worked in a busy small animal clinic in the Park Slope neighborhood of Brooklyn. She became the medical director of the practice and pursued her interests in internal medicine and soft tissue surgery.

After seven years in Brooklyn, Dr. Morika decided it was time to return to Vermont and her beloved mountains, woods and fields. Outside of work her interests include skiing, hiking, ceramics, reading and cooking. She is so excited to be joining the team at Ark!

Website woes abide John Quinney

BOARD MEMBER

For the past few weeks, we’ve been working to improve the performance, appearance and usability of our website. Unfortunately you, our loyal readers, cannot see the results as of this writing.

Our website has been slow to load pages, and on April 27, we launched a server upgrade process with our hosting company, Bluehost, to fix this problem. It didn’t work as planned, and instead our website is, as of yesterday morning, unusable and riddled with errors. The company told us that their employees are all working from home during the pandemic and that this has created problems for the technical specialists accessing our account—and others, presumably. Bluehost assured us, however, that the problems will be fixed within a couple of days, perhaps even by the time you read this note.

We’ll let our newsletter subscribers know as soon as our site is up and running again. In the meantime, if you’d like to become a subscriber, send an email request to our managing editor, Anna Cyr (anna@ thecharlottenews.org).

Update from the Planning Commission

The Charlotte News Mission Statement The mission of The Charlotte News is to inform our readers about current events, issues and topics, and to serve as a forum for the free exchange of views of town residents and community volunteer organizations on matters related to Charlotte and the lives of its residents.

Letters, Commentaries and Obituaries Consistent with our mission The Charlotte News publishes letters to the editor, commentaries and obituaries from our readers. All letters, commentaries and obituaries are subject to review and approval by the news editor of the paper and to the following rules and standards: • Letters to the editor, commentaries and obituaries should be emailed to news@ thecharlottenews.org as attachments in .doc format. All letters, commentaries and obituaries must contain the writer’s full name, town of residence and, for editing purposes only, phone number.

• Letters may not exceed 300 words, obituaries 500 words and commentaries 750 words.

• The opinions expressed in commentaries and letters to the editor belong solely to the author and are not to be understood as endorsed by either the Board of Directors or the editorial staff of the paper.

• All published letters and commentaries will include the writer’s name and town of residence.

• Before publishing any obituary, we will need proper verification of death.

• All submissions are subject to editing for clarity, factual accuracy, tone, length and consistency with our house publishing style.

• Whenever editing is necessary we will make every effort to publish each submission in its entirety and to preserve the original intent and wording. We will confer with writers before publishing any submitted material that in our judgment requires significant editing before it can be published.

• The news editor makes the final determination whether a letter to the editor, a commentary or an obituary will be published as submitted, returned for rewriting or rejected.

Publisher: Vince Crockenberg Editorial Staff Managing Editor: Anna Cyr (anna@thecharlottenews.org) News Editor: Chea Waters Evans (chea@thecharlottenews.org) Contributing Editor: Edd Merritt Copy editors: Beth Merritt, Vince Crockenberg Proofreaders: Edd Merritt, Mike & Janet Yantachka Business Staff Ad manager: Elizabeth Langfeldt (ads@thecharlottenews.org) Bookkeeper: Susan Jones (billing@thecharlottenews.org) Board Members President: Vince Crockenberg (vince@thecharlottenews.org) Treasurer: Ted leBlanc (treasurer@thecharlottenews.org) Board members: Bob Bloch, Gay Regan, Tom Tiller, John Quinney, Jack Fairweather, Christina Asquith, Claudia Marshall, Ben Miller, Bailey Grattelo, John Hammer (emeritus) Technical advisor: Melissa Mendelsohn, Orchard Road Computers Website: thecharlottenews.org Subscription Information The Charlotte News is delivered at no cost to all Charlotte residences. Subscriptions are available for first-class delivery at $60 per calendar year.

Want a subscription? Please send a check payable to The Charlotte News, P.O. Box 251, Charlotte, VT 05445.

Postmaster/Send address changes to: The Charlotte News P.O. Box 251, Charlotte, VT 05445 Telephone: 425-4949 Circulation: 3,000 Copyright © 2020 The Charlotte News, Inc. Member of the New England Newspaper and Press Association and the Vermont Press Association.

ON THE COVER 5070 Shelburne Road, Shelburne | 802-985-5233

Photo by Gia and Scout Applepath Owner Ben Pualwan

4 • April 30, 2020 • The Charlotte News

Around Town

Rain, then purple, then rain

Congratulations to Jordan Cannon for having been accepted as a Presidential Scholar into Harvard University’s Ph.D. Program in History and Middle Eastern Studies. Jordan is the daughter of Jan Cannon and the late Lee McIsaac of Charlotte. She is completing her baccalaureate at Columbia University with majors in history and Middle Eastern studies.

Sympathy is extended to family and friends of Monica Smith of South Burlington who passed away April 21 at the age of 73. A lifelong educator in a number of capacities from teaching to administration, she became principal of Charlotte Central School in 1990 and served in that capacity for 19 years. Her surviving family includes her son, Will, who lives in Charlotte. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Burlington in her name.

Photographer Susie Marchand was out on April 13 and caught this sunset. She said of the moment, “Who would expect such an incredible purple sky after a full day of steady rain? As a pink glow set in to the south, I knew the view to the west was worth checking out and was treated to an unusually purple stormy sky for a short time before the wind and rain took over again.”

Photo by Susie Marchand

Secretary of state issues directive expanding permitted processes for local elections Staff report

• Implementing a “drive-up” voting procedure

Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos, in agreement with the governor, announced a directive on April 24that identifies a number of new processes which municipalities are permitted to use in 2020 in order to conduct their elections as safely as possible.

• Holding a polling location outside

“In this age of social distancing, we’re all doing our part to reduce exposure and mitigate the potential of spreading the virus,” Condos said. “I also understand the tremendous pressure some municipalities are under to adopt budgets or hold other important municipal elections during this very challenging time. Providing this toolbox of options for municipalities to use if they need to hold an election will help protect the safety of voters and election workers while ensuring that Vermonters are able to have their voices heard at the ballot box.”

The directive can be found on the secretary of state’s website, alongside accompanying guidance posted by Director of Elections Will Senning.

The permitted processes were devised based on direct feedback to the secretary of state’s office from town and city clerks and local officials, and include: • Mailing a ballot proactively to every active or registered voter

Send Us Your Charlotte News! news@ thecharlottenews.org

• Forgoing the review of write-in votes in certain instances • Adjusting the deadline for nominating paperwork for candidates Specific details on these permitted processes can be found in the directive.

In addition, the directive states that election polling places shall follow current requirements regarding social distancing interventions based on executive orders of the governor and issued guidance by the Vermont Department of Health or the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

This directive is in addition to, and not in replacement of, the secretary’s first local elections directive, which allows municipalities to postpone upcoming local elections to a later date in 2020.

“We must take the steps necessary to follow social distancing requirements, and limit exposure and risk in our Vermont communities,” said Condos. “Our elections are no different. It is my hope that the new processes allowed by my directive will make the conduct of elections safer, and easier for our hardworking town and city Clerks, and local officials, whose jobs have grown increasingly more difficult during this health crisis.”

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The Charlotte News • April 30, 2020 • 5

COVID-19

We’re still in this together o Carol Blanshine, CCS PTO

Trina Bianchi

As we continue confronting the new health enemy, as Vermonters we need to stand tall and be proud that, as a state, we’ve done a pretty stellar job in staying safe and keeping each other safe by following the protocols outlined by Governor Scott.

Congratulations to each and every one of you who has been steadfast in doing what we all were asked to do. Let’s all continue to be vigilant and celebrate our success in our own homes and look forward to the day when we can all celebrate together again—maybe six feet apart, but together.

A group of Charlotte citizens came together two weeks ago in a virtual brainstorming session to see how they could work together to help all Charlotters.

They created a list of opportunities that help our residents cope with the current situation. This is an updated version.

If you would like to be involved and join this group, please email Margaret Woodruff at Margaret.woodruff@gmail. com or Cindi Robinson at cindirobinson@ gmavt.net. The goal of the group is to share information and to communicate that with all of you.

Who is in this group? o Chris Davis, Town Emergency Management Director o Cindi Robinson, Food Shelf o Cindy Tyler, Karen Doris, Food Shelf o Margaret Woodruff, Susanna Kahn, Library o Betsy Lloyd, Elizabeth Skypeck, CCS Food Service o Rev. Kevin Goldenbogen, Jim Hyde, Charlotte Congregational Church o Debra Kassabian, Mike Dunbar, Charlotte Crossings o Ruah Swennerfelt, Transition Town Charlotte

o Carolyn Kulick, Lane Morrison, Senior Center o Dr. Andrea Regan, Charlotte Family Health Center o Vince Crockenberg, Charlotte News o Mike Yantachka, Vermont State Representative o Karen Tuininga, Transition Town Charlotte, Seed Library and Compost Project CCS o Tracey Shamberger, Age Well o Trina Bianchi, Charlotte Grange

o Contact-free delivery, if needed, can be arranged by contacting Elizabeth Skypeck (802-343-5982) or Naomi Strada (425-6651) in advance. o The food distribution program is scheduled to run thru 6/30/2020.

For more information, email Elizabeth Skypeck at eskypeck@cvsdvt.org.

Carol Blanshine is a member of the Charlotte Central School PTO and can be reached at ccspto@cvsdvt.org if you have questions for her.

Charlotte Food Shelf information: please note change of hours

Looking for help with the internet and communication?

The Charlotte Food Shelf is in the basement of the Charlotte Congregational Church. From the parking lot, enter through the vestry door. Food is available by curbside pickup on Wednesdays from 5 to 7 p.m. If you need food or have questions, call Karen Doris at 425-3252.

Susanna Kahn, the technical guru at the Charlotte Library, is available for phone or online consultations/instruction/assistance.

Need to access Zoom, but unsure how to start? Want to FaceTime with your grandkids, but have no clue how to do it? Susanna can be reached via email at susanna@charlottepubliclibrary.org or by phone at 425-3864. The number is at the Charlotte Library; leave her a message with your contact information.

Free food available to all Charlotte children 0-18 years o Meals are available to Charlotte residents’ children 0-18 yrs. Lunches include an entree, serving of fruit, vegetables and milk. o Meals (for Charlotte) are ordered online go to cvsdvt.org, and click on the menu icon at the bottom of the page. o Online orders are accepted online from Friday at 11 a.m. to Monday at 8 a.m. For Monday pick up. o Even if you haven’t pre-ordered with the school, call the number below they will do their very best to provide them with food. o Pick up is on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at CCS—the West entrance, from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.

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o At each pick up, two breakfasts and two lunches are available for each child.

Chris Fortin (802)425-3846

From the Charlotte Library Lots of resources and program information are available on the Virtual Library page: charlottepubliclibrary.org/virtual-librarycharlotte-library/.

Tech Help with Melissa Mendelsohn, Orchard Road Computers Tuesday, May 5 Mac Users: 3 to 4 p.m.

Windows Users: 4 to 5 p.m.

Q & A with Melissa and Susanna Kahn from Charlotte Library. Frustrated that you can’t figure something out on your laptop? Wonder why loading programs is taking forever? Melissa and Susanna will answer your questions and troubleshoot in live Zoom sessions for Mac and Windows

computers. Register by emailing susanna@ charlottepubliclibrary.org.

Transition Town Charlotte, Seed Library/Compost Project at CCS Transition Town Charlotte is a group that supports community resilience (definitely something we need now!) through relocalization, reskilling and networking.

Their website is transitioncharlottevt.org.

If you have questions on how this group might be able to help you deal with a challenge you are facing now, feel free to contact Karen at kknh.nh@gmail.com or by phone at 802-539-2935.

Charlotte Seed Library is a program at the library that offers information about saving seeds and about general home gardening and food production. If you are thinking about starting a garden this year and would like information, this is a great resource. You can email seed@charlottepubliclibrary.org or visit charlottepubliclibrary.org.

Can you drive and are willing to deliver meals to seniors?

Meals on Wheels could use more delivery volunteers. Contact Erica Marks, director of volunteer services at 802-662-5249 or emarks@agewellvt.org. The Shelburne and Charlotte coordinator is Shona Unsworth at 985-9707 or shona.m.unsworth@gmail. com.

From Tracy Shamberger, Age Well Vermont In addition to Meals on Wheels, Age Well can do grocery shopping and run errands for essential items. While their team of volunteers have temporarily suspended face-to-face visits, they still provide and coordinate services for clients. Information about their Helpline and other services is below.

They also can use the help of volunteers see COVID-19 page 5

6 • April 30, 2020 • The Charlotte News

COVID-19 COVID-19

continued from page 4

and donations. A gift of any size will help reduce hunger and isolation for our older residents.

From Chris Davis, Charlotte’s Emergency Management Director Keep up the great work of staying safe at home, and, those that are able to return to work, do so safely. We need to continue to observe safe distancing of at least six feet around non-family or close friend groups, and we should wear a face covering when we are near other people in public to slow the spread of the virus.

Here is some specific information received April 20 from the Vermont Department of Health, and the State Emergency Operations Center: E-mail and internet scams are present and they are targeting towns so we should be careful with any suspicious e-mails. There was also an incident of a false VT Alert on texts in southern VT. It shows up as Vermont “e” Alert. This is a fake, and if we see anything like this they said to contact the VT Attorney General’s Office via their website at: https://ago.vermont. gov/contact-page/.

The number of new COVID-19 cases has slowed and the Health Dept. feels that they have flattened the curve. They stress that the virus is transmitting just as it has before, especially with asymptomatic individuals, so we should continue to follow all Vermont Dept. of Health recommendations.

Antibody tests are still not ready to be released in Vermont, but the DOH is working with the FDA on that.

NEED INTERNET ACCESS? Is your internet access too slow or non-existent? There are a few hot spots in our town where, from the parking lot, you can access the internet without charge. From your car, truck, bicycle or on foot with your laptop, phone or iPad, you can connect to the internet in the parking lot at the Charlotte Library, Charlotte Senior Center and at CCS (Charlotte Central School). Further east, you can also access it at Spear’s Corner Store.

The House met from afar last week, some out and about, and some legislative staff were actually in the house.

Photo by Rep. Mike Yantachka

distancing of 6 feet while on the job.

• Employees must wear non-medical cloth face coverings (bandanna, scarf, or nonmedical mask, etc.) over their nose and mouth when in the presence of others. In the case of retail cashiers, a translucent shield or “sneeze guard” is acceptable in lieu of a mask.

• Employees must have easy and frequent access to soap and water or hand sanitizer during duration of work, and handwashing or hand sanitization should be required before entering and leaving, job sites. All common spaces and equipment, including bathrooms, frequently touched surfaces and doors, tools and equipment, and vehicles must be cleaned and disinfected at the beginning, middle and end of each shift and prior to transfer from one person to another.

• No more than 2 people shall occupy one vehicle when conducting work.

COVID-19 tests are available after calling a person’s healthcare provider or the Vermont Department of Health at 802863-7240. Calls are answered 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., seven days a week.

Business operations deemed “essential” may continue to operate under preexisting guidance with the addition of the mandatory health and safety requirements for all business operations above.

Find answers—whether you are a health care provider looking for lab results, a returning traveler, calling from a longterm care facility or work in child care services affected by COVID 19.

To safely reopen certain operations impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak and not defined as essential, the state has authorized the following services operating with a single worker (such as appraisers, realtors, municipal clerks, attorneys, property managers, pet care operators, and others) to operate if they can comply with mandatory health and safety requirements, with no more than two persons present at one time.

• For non-health related questions, dial 2-1-1. If you have trouble reaching 2-1-1, dial 1-866-652-4636.

Other excellent information regarding all things COVID is on the VDH at this address: healthvermont.gov/response/ coronavirus-covid-19.

From the Vermont Department of Health website on 4/17/20: Mandatory health & safety requirements for all business operations All businesses must follow Vermont Department of Health and CDC guidelines: • Employees shall not report to, or be allowed to remain at, work or job site if sick or symptomatic (with fever, cough, and/or shortness of breath).

• All employees must observe strict social

Report from the Legislature

We will continue to meet and brainstorm about available resources. If you know of any that we have not listed, or if you have a different need, please feel free to contact Trina Bianchi at alchemy@gmavt.net, Cindi Robinson at cindirobinson@gmavt. net or Margaret Woodruff at Margaret. woodruff@gmail.com. As we start to see the start of life being renewed, please remember that this isn’t over and we need to be patient, careful and cognizant of staying safe and staying well. Stay well, stay safe!

The Legislature continues its work remotely The daffodils and hyacinths are finally blooming in the yard, the ground isn’t quite as soggy as it was last week, and May is upon us. Ironically, Rep. Mike unemployment is Yantachka at depression-level highs around the world as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Here in Vermont, the infection and hospitalization levels have been wellcontrolled as a result of steps taken early

by Governor Phil Scott under the direction of Health Commissioner Dr. Mark Levine and State Epidemiologist Patsy Kelso.

The curve has been flattened, allowing some easing of restrictions on outdoor work like landscaping and construction, as long as physical distancing and hygienic guidelines are observed. And the difficulty many Vermonters who tried to apply for unemployment benefits experienced should now be easing with additional personnel staffing the Department of Labor. Anyone still having a problem should contact me to see if I can help.

The legislature finally met in session using Zoom to approve the change to House Rules allowing us to vote remotely and to pass several key bills related to the health crisis. The change of rules required a 3/4 majority approval to take effect, and the vote was unanimous by the 147 legislators in attendance. With that approval, the House took up four bills pertaining to changes in the law for the duration of the COVID-19 emergency.

These bills provide for the administration of the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program, which relates directly to independent contractors and others who are self-employed, permit remote execution of a will and notarization of documents without having to be in direct contact with other people, and provide our State Treasurer with tools to proactively manage State and local cash flow needs.

We expect to hold more floor sessions in the weeks ahead. You can watch recordings

of House meetings, and live floor sessions, by following our legislative page on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/ channel/UCC1w34Iyg1vB_HT6dt_4eMA This is an unusual session for many reasons, not the least of which is the uncertainty of the financial future. The economic fallout will certainly reduce revenues coming into the state from income and corporate taxes, sales and use taxes, and transportation fuel taxes.

Since all sales and use taxes now go into the Education Fund, there will be less money to support the school budgets that have been passed. There is also a lot of uncertainty about what aid the federal government will provide to the states. As the legislature adapts to all this uncertainty, we will work to pass an interim budget that will get Vermont through the first quarter of the next fiscal year (FY21). The plan is to adjourn in late May or early June and return in August to pass a more complete budget for FY21.

In the meantime, the proposed closure of three Vermont State College campuses last week surprised everyone and created an immediate backlash. While the legislature in recent years provided less funding for the VSC system than requested, its costs have mounted, and the current crisis has exacerbated the deficit. The backlash by students, faculty, the public, the governor and legislators caused the proposal to be withdrawn. The legislative leadership of the House and Senate have committed to taking a serious look at VSC configuration as well as funding. VSC must provide an affordable and accessible opportunity for post-secondary students across Vermont to get a college degree.

I will be hosting a Virtual Town Hall via Zoom this Friday, May 1, at 6 p.m. Send me an email if you want to participate.

I am happy to help in any way I can if you are having difficulty accessing state services. I welcome your emails (myantachka.dfa@gmail.com) or phone calls (802-233-5238). This article and others can be found at my website (www.

MikeYantachka.com).

The Charlotte News • April 30, 2020 • 7

COVID-19

Can we relax? A COVID-19 update Vermont so far has been spared the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The aftershocks, however, are surely coming once stayat-home orders are Jim Hyde loosened, and when they come, they will further challenge the capacity and integrity of our public health and medical care systems.

First, what we know The COVID-19 virus is a variant of a family of viruses associated with the common cold. Transmission occurs when virus particles are inhaled or reach the mouth, nose or eyes of an uninfected person.

The good news is that proper hand washing, not touching the eyes, face or mouth, social distancing and isolation can stop transmission. The bad news is practicing these same behaviors has serious adverse effects on economic activity.

Unlike, for example, an earthquake, COVID-19 is invisible until people experience symptoms (cough, fever, fatigue, aches— see link for symptoms) or they are tested. But testing for the presence of the virus or for evidence of current or past infection has been shockingly late, inadequately available and, in some cases, unreliable. Testing is the only way to know if someone is currently infected or has been infected. (Less than 1 percent of the U.S. population has been tested, 2 percent in Vermont). Currently, there is no nation-wide testing strategy. As a result, we have only a limited understanding of the prevalence of infection.

As yet, no medications or treatments have been shown to cure the infection and eliminate symptoms. The good news here is that as many as 20 percent of those infected may have no symptoms, although they may still be able to transmit the virus. Roughly

60 percent of those infected may be able to ride out the illness at home. The problem is that the remaining 20 to 25 percent likely will require hospitalization, and roughly half of these will require a ventilator to assist their breathing. The chances of death or serious subsequent health consequences once on a ventilator are extremely high.

Can we relax the rules?

In a joint report, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggested four criteria be met before federal and state leaders relax the rules put in place to reduce the incidence of new infections: a low, declining, incidence of infection; an effective monitoring and surveillance system (testing); a public health system capable of investigating new cases (contact tracing); and a healthcare system with sufficient resources to handle a new surge in cases. In our federal system states will ultimately make decisions about how and when to relax controls. As of yet no state has met these four criteria, even as several governors have begun the process of unwinding public health controls.

Covid-19 symptoms: U.S. Centers for Disease cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html New York Times (4/23/20) nytimes.com/2020/04/23/us/coronavirus-early-outbreaks-cities.html FEMA/CDC Plan: Opening up America whitehouse.gov/openingamerica/

VTDigger vtdigger.org/2020/04/17/scott-announces-first-small-steps-in-reopeningvermont-businesses/ Vermont faces special challenges that will make this difficult:

What should Vermont do with the time our early success has bought us?

1. Common borders with Quebec, New York and Massachusetts, all three of which have experienced unprecedented levels of infection.

2. A markedly older population at greatest risk of infection.

3. Relatively few cases, which means we have a high proportion of susceptible people.

4. We are a vacation destination for people from states like New York, Florida, Connecticut and Massachusetts with a high prevalence of infection.

Given all this it will be a major challenge for Vermont to ease restrictions and avoid a reemergence of infection, as has happened in Singapore. The possibility of seasonal flu in the fall and winter could place further pressure on Vermont’s stressed healthcare system.

Vermont Governor Phil Scott recently announced “measured” steps to loosen restrictions put in place several weeks ago to get people back to work using a controlled and carefully phased approach.

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Where does this leave us in Charlotte?

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The fear is that success over the past couple of months with behavioral controls will be undone as asymptomatic but infected people begin to circulate in their communities and beyond, unknowingly infecting others. The New York Times recently reported on a Northeastern University study that showed that at a time when only a single confirmed case existed in New York City, there were likely as many as 10,000 people with the virus in the city.

The ultimate hope is for an effective vaccine. However, most scientists believe that it will take a minimum of 18 to 24 months to develop, test, manufacture and distribute. In the interim, new antiviral treatments may be developed, but that is far from certain. Any return to normal is also likely to see periods of resurgence of disease that will require new directives and new constraints until they pass.

On April 27, the Vt. Dept. of Health released a town-by-town breakdown of confirmed coronavirus cases. Charlotte fell into the lowest category, <6.

We still need to follow the guidance and directives of state and local officials, who should be commended for their adherence to evidence-based policies that have bought us some time. We need to resist the temptation to re-open economic activity all at once and instead follow a phased approach with an emphasis on expanding testing, surveillance and contact tracing, and isolating new cases.

If you have not recovered from, or tested positive, for the virus, you have to assume you are susceptible. Continue to use social distancing, wash your hands frequently and avoid touching your face. A cloth mask may offer some protection; at a minimum it sends a message to those around you that you care about protecting them. When you shop, choose your destinations wisely. Go at a time of day or to a place where there are likely to be as few others as possible.

Use curbside pickup wherever it is offered.

Monitor yourself for symptoms.

Until there is a vaccine we shouldn’t be fooled by the current lull. By staying vigilant and acting wisely, we can slowly begin to re-emerge socially and economically.

Jim Hyde is professor emeritus of public health at the Tufts University School of Medicine. He lives in Charlotte.

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Health

Simple movements can nourish, refresh, enliven, and calm Kristin Borquist

Nourish and enliven the body, refresh the mind, calm nerves, and have a bit of fun, too. Sounds like something we could all need a bit more of right now. How can we do these things for ourselves?

Here are a few simple activities you can do every day or any day. I am a big fan of transforming the things we already do into opportunities for strengthening, resting, and for building awareness with curiosity. They are also very useful life tools for children to learn now and then to always have at hand.

Morning ABCs with both feet will warm calf muscles, make joints happy, and build strength and grounding balance. I like to do them in bed before I get up, but you can do them any time. Just lie down on your back, sit up on the floor with legs out long, or sit in a chair. Do one ankle at a time. Imagine your toes are paintbrushes, pens, pencils, or any color crayon you like. Softly and slowly write your ABCs with one foot. Make them big and messy. Let your whole leg move. If you are drawing from a chair, just lift your foot a wee bit off the ground, so you have room to write. Then, try the other foot. This can be a challenge for the brain as well!

Why not invite the possibility of ambidexterity into the rest of the day?

Each of your hands is accustomed to having its own jobs. When doing simple and completely non-dangerous activities, let them switch roles. Eating, doing nonbreakable dishes, bouncing a ball, setting the table are some ideas. Switching sides when sweeping, vacuuming and raking makes them much healthier for the whole body. I like to count ten with one side, then go to the other. Laughter can be a common side effect.

Take Ten Breathing takes less than a minute.

When you need to switch gears, take a moment in neutral. Count your next ten breaths, without trying to shift or shape your breath in any way. Look around while you do this, move your eyes, see whatever you see. When we create some time-space to transition between things we do, we clear the decks. We can then bring more choice,

Photo contributed

presence and effectiveness to our next task.

Going from work to home, from time on the computer to playtime, from doing deskwork to having time with a partner or children, or from reading the news to making dinner are all examples.

When your hands are completely washed and clean, the Easy Head Hold can facilitate integration of the day’s experiences, gentle the mind, and soothe the heart and nerves.

Simply place one hand over your forehead.

Cover the back of your head with your other hand. Close your eyes. That’s it. Rest this way before going to sleep. If you wake in the night, the Easy Head Hold can help you get back to sleep. Try it any time you feel overwhelmed or in need of a hug. A few minutes is good but taking even a few breaths while doing the Easy Head Hold is worthwhile.

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Most importantly, remember that the benefits you gain from doing these things for yourself extends to all your relations.

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The Charlotte News • April 30, 2020 • 9

Junior Reporters

Mom’s the word The Junior Reporters are still working hard, and this week decided to pay tribute to their moms, with whom they’ve been spending an extra amount of time over the past seven weeks.

Any reporters, fourth grade through senior in high school, who would like to write for The Charlotte News, are welcome. Email chea@thecharlottenews.org to join us.

My mom: workin’ hard Ava Borquist

My name is Ava, one of the Junior Reporter Club members. My parents work really hard to keep us safe and healthy, and Mother’s Day is just around the corner. My mom and dad both have very important jobs, but because it is Mother’s Day, I will focus on my mom for now.

My mom is the budget director for the Uni-

versity of Vermont. Working from home doing this job, especially in a time like this, can be hard to handle with all of the changes we have to live with until the pandemic is over. After my mom is done working at her job for the day, she helps my dad cook dinner and clean up the house.

At night we all go downstairs to watch a family movie after her very long and hard day. When it’s time to go to sleep, she puts us to bed. I sit reading for a while, and I can hear her laughing downstairs at a show she is watching. It makes me feel better knowing I’m not alone. Our family will get through this as a team, and so to all the moms out there (and everyone else), stay safe and happy!

Gratitude

Eloise Glasscoe

Mother’s Day Gift Boxes

Hello, my name is Eloise Glasscoe, of the Junior Reporters Club. I want to use my paragraph to acknowledge mothers everywhere, as Mother’s Day is popping up in front of us. Moms are part of our everyday life, and they work hard to be supportive, to keep us safe, and to keep us healthy. We only get one dedicated day a year to celebrate it, so make it meaningful. Show your mom how much you care! For example, (don’t read this yet, Mama!) I’m making breakfast in bed and giving her an at-home spa day. Maybe you could take a bike ride with your mom or come up with something creative. Thank you, moms! Don’t think twice if you think you’re going over the top. Nothing is over the top when it comes to Mother’s Day. Take advantage of the quarantine and think of the most powerful way to show how much you appreciate your mom. A letter, a card, a poster, or a giant sculpture, just make sure it screams: I LOVE YOU, MOM! I hope everyone realizes just how much moms do for us.

Reporter Eloise Glasscoe with her mother, Jessica.

Courtesy photo

my first chore was cleaning the kitchen.

Honestly, I was exhausted after only five minutes. And that was only the beginning. I tried watching my sisters, and I did admittedly have fun ordering them around (even though there was a one percent chance that they would listen).

Moms do so much work and put so much love into it that they really should be appreciated. Thank you! Today I’m going to try and be there for my mom as much as I can, and you should do it. Moms are so important. They work hard to keep us happy, healthy and clean. All of those are hard, especially the last one. Give your mom a big hug right now! Why? Because they deserve it. My point is, appreciate moms on Mother’s Day!

Becoming Mom Amelie Fairweather

Sometimes I don’t think we realize how grateful we are for moms until you put yourself in that position. Yesterday, I attempted to “become my mom,” and

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10 • April 30, 2020 • The Charlotte News

School

School board attempts to chart an uncertain future The Champlain Valley School District School Board met on Tuesday, April 28, to chart a course forward in the midst of many uncertainties. Chief Nancy Richardson among them are the major hits to the state and local school education budgets and the uncertainty of how education will be delivered in the midst of the Covid-19 epidemic.

On May 8, Vermont Secretary of Education Dan French will provide more guidance to Vermont districts on the most reasonable course for educational programming in the fall of 2020. During the board meeting he was quoted as saying, “Don’t expect to be delivering educational programs in the same way.”

Some solutions mentioned at the meeting were staggered schedules, increased classroom spacing, and remote learning mixed with staggered attendance. What the district does not want to endure is a reaction to successive waves of increased virus by repeated shutdowns.

It is expected that compensatory services for special education students will be

provided this summer and that the cost will be funded by the federal CARES Act. The board is aware of the strain on families produced by the need to be engaged in home-schooling and the anxiety produced by the fear of having children attend school in an uncertain environment. The May 8 guidance from French will also define end-of-year celebrations and graduation. The last day of school will be June 12, with 3 additional days of teacher professional development.

In the area of education funding the news is dire. The FY20 State Education Fund has a $19 million deficit. For FY21 the deficit is expected to be $100 million, which will produce a 9 percent decrease in the FY 21 school budgets. In the case of CVSD, this amount would be $7 million, an amount that cannot be made up from the CVSD fund balance.

Because education is one of the pillars of community in Vermont, it is expected that the state will find an avenue to fulfill its commitment to local districts. The Joint Finance Committee of the Legislature is meeting to develop a remedy. There are only four avenues available: reduce spending, find a new tax base, obtain

federal money, borrow. It is expected but not certain that Congress will pass a bill to provide funding to state and local governments. In any case, it is difficult to project what this combination of funding mechanisms will produce. Jeanne Jensen, CVSD director of operations, said that “the pressure on the FY 22 budget will be extreme.”

In the midst of such difficult news, members of the administration and CVSD Board Chair Lynne Jaunich saluted the work of a former principal and current members of CVSD staff. Monica Smith, former principal of Charlotte Central School, who died suddenly last week, was remembered as a person who treated all children with love and respect. Early

childhood staff members Victoria Francis and Shelley Henson were lauded for their work in curriculum development for 400 preschool students in private settings across the district with a deadline of two days. Mark McDermott, director of human resources, thanked his staff for coming to the office and ensuring that CVSD staff are paid and medical and other benefits are delivered.

Finally, the board discussed a series of three retreats from the end of May through the summer that will enable members to be fully informed of transpiring events. At the same time, the regular work of the board will continue in the area of defining academic indicators, ensuring equity, strengthening the committee process, and planning for special education.

Hard work pays off Staff report

The following students from Charlotte received recent academic accolades.

Sam Sturim was named to the dean’s list at Tufts University in Medford, Mass., for the fall 2019 semester.

Curren Simard was named to the fall 2019 president’s list at the Community College of Vermont in Montpelier.

From all of us at

Sabrina Davis was named to the fall 2019 dean’s list at Adelphi University in Garden City, N.Y. Annabella Pugliese and Anna Schibli were selected for the dean’s list for academic achievement during the fall 2019 semester at St. Lawrence University in Canton, N.Y. Cole Boffa was named to the dean’s list at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Va., for the fall 2019 semester.

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The Charlotte News • April 30, 2020 • 11 The

Charlotte News

PUBLICATION DATES

School Diary of distance learning: Recess is long, and the teacher is mean

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Chea Waters Evans

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March 20, 2020 Dear Diary: I’m excited to teach these kids at home. How hard can it be? I made a color-coded magnetic schedule with time for reading and simultaneous snuggling, made an exercise schedule so I can work out and the kids can do P.E. at the same time, got some cool spelling board games, and researched fun ways to work math into cooking! We’ll get dressed for school every day, have a proper breakfast, and tackle this challenge with a big smile.

Bring it on, distance learning!

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March 24 Dear Diary: They say time flies when you’re having fun. Well, it also flies when your kid is hissing at you and pretending to be a poisonous snake while hiding under the table in a cage made out of dining room chairs. He said he wouldn’t come out until I promised that he never has to study spelling words again. Thank goodness for spell check! Otherwise, we’re still going strong. What an amazing gift we’ve been given! I laminated a handy reference page of login and password information for each kid for Google hangouts, apps, SeeSaws, Zooms, emails, Razzamataz Reading, Khan Academy, and the wealth of other online opportunities we have available to us.

March 30 Dear Diary: It’s been an interesting week.

It turns out that Mrs. Jones is a good teacher not because she has a color-coded magnetic schedules but because she holds some freakish hidden knowledge about how to get a fifth-grade girl to do anything other than Tik Tok dances and spreading flour from one end of the

kitchen to the other while making cupcakes. Math and baking might be a good teaching tool, but cleaning isn’t included in any category I’ve seen in the distance learning guide they sent home.

April 3 Dear Diary: Here’s a list of things I hate: trigonometry, cupcakes, tectonic plates (there are different names for different crusts?), online trumpet lessons, our internet service, and logins with passwords. What ever happened to learning in books? You didn’t need a strong signal to turn a page back in the old days!

Here’s a list of things my children hate: me, cleaning up flour or really anything else, wearing clothes for fewer than six days in a row. I gave the kids extra-long recess today and they’re outside shooting water balloons with BB guns. Memories!

Courtesy photo

Dear Diary: I drunk in closet.

these cupcakes my daughter made this morning and look it up. Let’s hope I don’t get frosting on my pajama top like I did yesterday after lunch. The kids gave me a weird look when I tried to suck it off the fabric.

April 14

April 15

Dear Diary: Today I made a cage out of the dining room chairs and sat under the table hissing at anyone who came near me. I did come out to fix the WiFi and then change my direct deposit so it goes directly into Mrs. Jones’ bank account.

That woman is a saint and should be sainted. Is sainting a thing? I’m going to go back in my cage with a solid dozen of

Dear Diary: Those color-coded magnetic schedules are finally working! I knew they’d do the trick, eventually. Today, the kids came downstairs, sat at their assigned workstations, and finished their assignments with barely a word. June 15 isn’t too far away. We can do this!

April 6

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12 • April 30, 2020 • The Charlotte News

People

Monica Smith didn’t just light up the room…she was the room Rookie Manning

Beloved former Charlotte Central School principal Monica Smith, who spent the last 19 years of her career as an educator at CCS before she retired, passed away last week. Her absence will be deeply felt by so many, including her friend, retired CCS teacher Rookie Manning.

When I think of a descriptor for Monica Smith “passionate” comes to mind right off. With difficulty using this past tense so soon, truly Monica was passionate about so many, many things. She had an extraordinary zest for life and all things living. As my principal for 19 years, she demonstrated passion for her students, their needs, their learning, their parents’ hopes and struggles. She was up front with the latest learning techniques and wanting her teachers to match her enthusiasm, take the risks and offer the best to our students.

Monica was always about the students. She was present for them, learned each one’s name and welcomed them to her office (for fun stuff not punitive). She simply loved them all.

Monica was thoughtful in the literal sense.

She weighed each possibility. She sought after and listened to opinions before making weighty decisions. Monica’s passion turned emotional at times. Her compassion for students, parents, teachers and people in general led to an empathy that would bring her to tears more often than some knew. Monica knew and loved a vast amount of people from every walk of life, called them her friends and checked on their well being whenever she could. She made friends easily with her charismatic and sensitive demeanor and she considered them her friends forever.

It needs to be said that Monica was a woman of deep faith. Faith guided her throughout her entire life. I know she prayed for enlightenment when making consequential decisions. Monica prayed for others constantly (their stress, health, grief, hopes and safety). Indeed, she had “a list” and would say “She/he’s on my list.”

Monica was praying for our whole world during this pandemic, and her incredible gift of empathy was in full play.

And our Monica was a giver. Indeed, she was a giver of self to individuals and

Monica Smith at the CCS Halloween festivities in 2008.

The Charlotte News file photo

worthy causes. She would find a way to help out whenever a need would arise.

Monica also enjoyed finding the right thing for the right person. She loved to give gifts that would delight the recipient. Witnessing that joy was a gift in itself to those of us on the other end of her generosity.

One cannot think of “Mons,” as I called her, without picturing her glorious smile that preceded her contagious sense of humor and laughter. Oh how Monica loved to laugh! She thrived on good stories (hers and others’). A cliché often quoted: “She lit up the room” doesn’t quite do it for Monica. Monica WAS the room!

Most importantly, Monica adored her husband, Ed, her children, James, Mary and Willy, along with her precious grandchildren. They were her world.

Pictures, stories and accomplishments were shared freely with so much pride, love and often humor. My prayer is that each one can know that a love, such as hers for them, knows no barriers in this world or the next.

That bright light of Monica’s didn’t only fill a room; it filled our world and our hearts. It is shining still. Monica insists we carry it forward. And we will, Monica. We will.

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The Charlotte News • April 30, 2020 • 13

Food Shelf News

Charlotte: A community of creative caring Susan Ohanian

In our current time “when much is broken, uncertain, and anxious,” Rev. Kevin Goldenbogen, Charlotte Congregational Church, UCC, wrote, “may you be encouraged by what you are doing, and what we are doing together as one creative and resilient community.” These words capture the spirit of the wonderful community outreach shown to the Charlotte Food Shelf this month. “The regulars” at the Food Shelf are so taken with the many creative and generous acts from our resilient community that they want to share the good news. Of special note, contributors ranged in age from kids whose birthdays don’t yet reach double digits to nonagenarians.

After reading articles that forecast massive food shortages, Ella Kenney designed a project to provide some basics for people in her community needing assistance. Although Ella lives in Williston, she is a junior at Champlain Valley Union High School and her notion of “community” extends beyond Williston town lines, reaching out to other towns from which CVU draws students: Charlotte, Hinesburg, Shelburne and St. George.

In addition to a generous spirit, Ella’s project exhibited a lot of organization.

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She not only set up the collection sites but also surveyed individual Food Shelf organizers to determine a town’s pressing needs. Here’s one notice she posted on Front Porch Forum for her drive to benefit the Charlotte Food Shelf:

her own creative talents to raise money for those who might need a little help with food and utilities. Just one day after making a Front Porch Forum post offering the proceeds of one hundred handmade ceramic bowls to benefit the Charlotte Food Shelf, Susan had orders for $1,216 worth of bowls. A day later it was $1,710.

And counting. You can see these beautiful bowls here: susanraber.com/bowl-benefit/.

Susan Raber Bray’s website offers contact information.

Redhawks Food Drive At CCS When? Sunday, April 26th from 1 p.m.-5 p.m.

Where? Charlotte Central School If you are fortunate enough to be able to donate, please strongly consider it. All donations from this food drive will go to local town food shelves. Please spread the word about this food drive with your friends and neighbors!

The Charlotte Food Shelf is specifically asking for: Toilet paper, Paper towels, Tissues, Bleach, Rubbing alcohol 70% or more, Dish soap, Sanitizing wipes Any food donations are also appreciated.

On the designated day, Ella set up a table in the Charlotte Central School parking lot with a “Donations” sign so people could drive by and make contact-free donations.

She noted, “Between every donation, I am sanitizing and disinfecting the table and the donations.”

Ella operated similar drives in other towns. She explains, “This offers me

Ella Kenney, a Junior at CVU, designed a project to provide some basics for people in her community needing assistance.

Photo contributed

a project that I can engage in, keeping myself busy while helping out the community!”

Susan Raber Bray explains her inspiration: “I know we are looking for ways to contribute to our communities during this difficult time.” Susan calls on

Jonathan Couture’s motto is “Think Global…Act Local.” He makes and sells hand sanitizer with the goal of selling enough to be able to donate 100 bottles of sanitizer to area nonprofits that need it.

The Charlotte Food Shelf and Charlotte Fire and Rescue are local beneficiaries.

You can read a fascinating description, complete with visuals, of Jonathan’s production process that has highjacked his kitchen: sailbtv.com/vermont-hand-sanitizer-about Nancy and Bob Bloch are moving South . . . to south Charlotte. They decided to convert their plan for a “moving away” yard sale of items collected for 40 years to a “free stuff giveaway” fundraiser for the Food Shelf: tons of garden supplies, see FOOD SHELF page 13

14 • April 30, 2020 • The Charlotte News

Food Shelf News FOOD SHELF continued from page 12

dishes, furniture, equestrian supplies, recreational items, books, statues, tools. In Nancy’s words, “You name it; we had it.”

This was a social-distancing event, complete with masks and gloves.

The Blochs were careful about safety protocols. People parked in the street, wore gloves and face masks, viewed merchandise widely spaced in an outside area. Nancy reports that the best thing about the event was seeing faces light up when people discovered and grabbed a treasure that she and Bob were about to discard.

The items were free but the Blochs requested that a donation of any size be made to the Charlotte Food Shelf.

This “free stuff giveaway” raised $500.

Donors in addition to the Blochs included Janet Morrison, Kimberly Cynewski, Daniel Pflaster and Tanna Kelton, and Catherine and Gregory Manning.

Laura Igelhart took a donation of many games and puzzles from Wow Toyz and made sure they had a rest/ decontamination period before delivering them to the Food Shelf. At the Food Shelf, Cindy Tyler plans to pack up new books along with art supplies from Color My World with these Wow Toyz treats as creative diversions for kids who are being cooped up for long hours.

Although the library is sheltered, it still operates as a Food Shelf donation site.

The following people donated food and supplies to the receptacle on the porch: Jessica Shevitz Rauch, Liza Woodruff, Kate Jennings and her neighbors, Alice McEnaney, Thomas Hengelsberg, Judy Hill, Scott and Liz Lollis, Zaw and family, Brad Palmer and Claire Simon.

When making her very generous donation of household products and meat, Louise McCarren didn’t forget the pets. There was a case of canned cat food as well as dog treats.

Joan White organized a grocery drive in the Ten Stones neighborhood. Patti Naritomi brought in groceries. Fat Cow Farm donated three large turkeys. Seth Zimmerman offered a mattress.

Back Door Bread and Rise ‘n Shine donated bread; thanks to Kit Thurber for coordinating pick up.

The Food Shelf also offers enormous thanks to a host of benefactors: Charlotte Congregational Church Friends of Charlotte Senior Center Charlotte, Shelburne, Hinesburg Rotary Raymond James Nancy and David Pricer Donna and Remo Pizzagalli Robert and Marjorie Archer Julie Kaplan and Uwe Mester Richard and Margaret Keach Deborah (Raven) Davis Julian Kulski and Lisa Boyle Elizabeth Bassett and John Pane Kathleen Nolan Bethany Myrick Norman and Sandy Riggs William and Emily Kallock Charles and Caroline Sprigg Nancy Wood Liz and Jim Foster Karen and William Bruett Carl and Carlanne Herzog Ruah Swenerfelt and Louis Cox Robin and Robert Coleburn Josie and Benjamin Kaestner Linda Hamilton Anne Castle Co-op Ebeth and Tom Scatchard Kathleen Nolan Patricia Netherwood Frances Foster Eleanor Capeless

Shuttered Senior Center conducts successful blood drive Susan Ohanian

National headlines tell the story: “Social Distancing Leads to Severe Blood Shortage.” Across the country, thousands of blood drives have been canceled.

By mid-March, this meant 86,000 fewer blood donations, truly a national crisis. One cause of the great drop in donations is the fact that many places where blood donations might take place— such as campuses and libraries—are currently shuttered.

The Charlotte Senior Center, a longtime blood donation site, is shuttered, but the notice for April 16 on their online calendar read: “The Senior Center is happy to host the American Red Cross blood drives.”

The Senior Center board of directors decided, “We must open our doors for this life-saving event.” And thanks to community support, the blood drive flourished.

Senior Center Volunteer Coordinator

Peggy Sharpe solicited donors through Front Porch Forum and scheduled appointments. Suzanne Ferland conducted a special deep cleaning of the donor area. Dick St. George and the Charlotte Fire and Rescue and Auxiliary carefully managed crowd control, making sure strict social distancing was observed.

They also conducted the intake procedure usually performed by a regular roster of Senior Center volunteers: registering donors, inputting information to the Red Cross computer, handing out informative literature to donors, and so on.

Typically, local blood drive donors are rather casual about showing up at their scheduled appointment times. Not on April 16. Donors arrived as scheduled, allowing the process to be carefully and safely orchestrated.

And the really good news is that 34 pints were collected, more than is typical for these Charlotte drives.

Hats off to Charlotte!

We are open from Thursday through Sunday, 10am to 3pm for take out and grocery sales only.

We are encouraging guests to place orders online and pickup curbside.

For our menu, ordering options, and more information, please visit philoridgefarm.com or call (802) 539-2147.

The Charlotte News • April 30, 2020 • 15

Library News Greetings from across town! We hope that you and your families are well and have a chance to enjoy the somewhat slow start Margaret Woodruff to spring here in Charlotte.

audiobooks. hoopla: www.hoopladigital.com/

The Community Seed Share: Once you have planned out your own garden and gathered the seeds you need, you can see if you have extras. If so, you are invited to link from here to the Community Seed Share form to provide details: Share Seeds. By mid-May we hope to have many generous offers of seeds in this database and will open it to those needing vegetable, herb or edible/pollinator-friendly flowers for their own gardens.

Join us for a live Baby Time on Tuesdays at 8:30 am. Stories, songs and fun for the youngest ones. Please contact us for an invitation to the virtual event: info@ charlottepubliclibrary.org.

Instantly borrow free movies, TV series, music albums, eBooks, and audiobooks anytime with your library card. No waiting or holds. Hoopla is available on your desktop, phone, tablet, Alexa devices, Roku, Apple TV, Fire TV, and Android TV. Download the app to take your borrows anywhere. Device specific instructions available here.

We are excited to announce that we will be offering curbside (actually porch) circulation of library materials beginning Tuesday, May 5. If you’re interested in checking out library books and other items, please place holds for those materials through the library website www. charlottepubliclibrary.org or by calling the library at 802-425-3864. Stay tuned for further details!

In the meantime, the library staff continues to work from home to keep our community connected and our library collections up-to-date. We want to make sure you know about our latest online offerings, which can be found at our website: www. charlottepubliclibrary.org. Some highlights include:

May 5 – June 9 @ 8:30 a.m.

Mac Q & A with Melissa Mendelsohn: May 5 @ 3 p.m.

Melissa Mendelsohn of Orchard Road Computers joins our tech librarian for live session. Bring all your Mac questions!

Please contact us for an invitation to the virtual event: info@charlottepubliclibrary. org.

Overdrive & Libby: help.libbyapp.com/index.htm

“1936” Discussion Group: 2020 will undoubtedly be a year remembered in history, and we are just in spring. There have been many monumental years that have shaped our political, social, and aesthetic choices. One such year was 1936. Although we turn the clock back 84 years we will make connections to our current pandemic challenge and such pressing issues as human rights; distribution of income; race and gender imbalance, political fanaticism; and environmental anesthesia. We will examine the many stories and perspectives of 1936 through political, social, scientific, and aesthetic lens. Email the library at info@ charlottepubliclibrary.org if you’d like to join us.

New offerings on hoopla & Libby, our digital platforms for ebooks and

Available 24/7! See our expanded collection of books on our Online Library. We’ve also added some suggested reading lists. If you are new to Libby or OverDrive, take a look at our Online Resources page to get started.

Windows Q & A with Melissa Mendelsohn: May 5 @ 4 p.m.

Melissa Mendelsohn of Orchard Road Computers will answer questions about Windows-based computers in this live session. Please contact us for an invitation to the virtual event: info@ charlottepubliclibrary.org.

Tumblebooks: Ebooks and audiobooks for all ages and interests. Use the links below.

No password required.

• TumbleBookLibrary – K-6 children’s ebook database, including animated read-a-longs. tumblebooklibrary.com • TumbleMath – K-6 math ebook database. tumblemath.com • TeenBookCloud – 7-12 grade ebook database. teenbookcloud.com • AudioBookCloud – all ages audio book database. audiobookcloud.com • RomanceBookCloud – a huge collection of Romance novels! romancebookcloud.com Upcoming Online Virtual Coding Club: April 30 & May 7 @ 3 p.m.

Are you interested in coding and have some experience with Scratch? Let’s work on projects together! We’ll share projects, problem solve, and chat with fellow coders in a virtual meet up. Guru Charlie, our coding expert, will be there too! For 4th grade and up. Space is limited and registration is required, please email susanna@charlottepubliclibrary.org.

Instructions and invitation to the meeting will be sent after registration.

Draw with Me (& Ed Emberley): May 6 @ 3 p.m.

Join Margaret for a live drawing session using Ed Emberley’s fun and easy drawing directions for everything from frogs to fire trucks. Direction downloads will be provided. Please email info@ charlottepubliclibrary.org for an invitation.

Better Together Book Club: May 13 @ 7 p.m.

Let’s check-in and get an update from Susanna on the Library’s status and what programs and services are available. Please register here for a Zoom invite: https://zoom.us/meeting/ register/tJclceygqzguGdIGmdUdLxW5H0Nj359iHZk Mad Scientist Online: May 14 @ 3 p.m.

Try your hand at fun experiments using household items with help from the tech team of Susanna and Charlie. We’ll work together and share results in this live Zoom session. Please email info@ charlottepubliclibrary.org for an invitation.

Baby Time:

Have a News Announcement?

Send it to: news@thecharlottenews.org

16 • April 30, 2020 • The Charlotte News

Food

Four ways to support restaurants now I am a consultant in the food, beverage, and hospitality industry.

As a lifelong chef, restaurateur, and food Matt Jennings professional, I’ve been fielding many questions about how to support my beloved restaurant industry during the unprecedented times in a COVID-19 world. The answers are nuanced and not exactly simple, but in a moment of limited operations and mandatory closures, the answers begin with focusing on how to maintain customers.

That’s where the community comes in.

Like you, I now make every meal at home with an ever-dwindling pantry. The simple market errand has turned into a haphazard, six-foot-distance mask and glove ritual, where supply is unreliable and patience can be low. And though my career is based in food and hospitality, we still struggle to create wholesome, delicious meals from odds and ends. Well, breathe easy, because there’s a mutually beneficial answer to that unending question: “What’s for dinner?” It’s your local restaurant. Let’s be honest, it’s a mutually beneficial relationship. You want a break from the dinner-and-dishes hamster wheel. Restaurants are desperate for your patronage to stay afloat.

As we face the reality of a forever changing foodservice landscape, we thought it would be helpful to provide our top four ideas of how to support this fragile sector as a patron, neighbor and fellow small-business owner. It has never been more apparent that our lives as humans and entrepreneurs are inextricably linked. Ordering from your favorite spot is a tremendous help right now.

But there are also some other ways to help the restaurant industry right now: 1. Order take away and do it as often as you can. Ordering takeout directly from the restaurant and going to pick it up curbside is an excellent way to directly support your favorite restaurants.

When you order takeout, you are paying them directly, same as if you were dining in. Many establishments have had to pivot due to COVID-19 and have created robust online order systems, prepackaged family meals, and even unique grocery items that can be purchased ahead of time and then picked up outside the restaurant in an organized fashion and at a safe distance. Right now, finding ways to go direct to the restaurant is more important than ever, as restaurants need cash flow to keep the lights on and pay their limited staff. This is also a great way to give yourself a little break from cooking so much, and an opportunity to re-establish family pizza night or taco Tuesday.

2. Donate. There are so many incredible organizations that need our support right now. Here are a few that we support and admire greatly. o Frontline Foods: Once again, the restaurant community proves how important the concept of hospitality truly is. With donations processed through Chef José Andrés’s World

Central Kitchen, Frontline Foods pays local restaurants to prepare and deliver meals to hospital workers in their community. Donate through World Central Kitchen or sign up as a volunteer. o Relief Opportunities for All Restaurants (ROAR) New York: One of the hardest hit communities in this pandemic has been the workers directly employed by foodservice establishments. To ensure these individuals and families are able to support themselves during mandatory closures, more than 50 of New York City’s eateries and restaurant groups—including influential names such as Daniel Boulud’s Dinex Group, David Chang’s Momofuku Group, and Tom Colicchio’s Crafted Hospitality—have formed an alliance to create ROAR), launching a restaurant employee relief fund.

The fund, operating on a first-comefirst-serve basis, will give individual grants of $500 to help food-service workers cover expenses such as rent, food, medicine, child care, and more. o The James Beard Industry Relief Fund provides critical financial assistance to small, independent restaurants. Due to COVID-19, these businesses have an immediate need for funds to cover operating expenses and keep from going out of business. This important restaurant partner not only helps to support them financially through the relief fund but fights on their behalf on Capitol Hill, to advocate for the industry as a whole, in particular those small and independent restaurants that help make up the local fabric of our communities. o The Independent Restaurant Coalition is a U.S. trade group formed during the 2020 coronavirus pandemic by independent restaurateurs and chefs. During the pandemic the group lobbied local, state and federal governments for relief after their businesses were closed by government mandates to slow the spread of the virus. IRC proves that there are tangible ways your support can directly affect the lives of those food and beverage workers in your community.

3. Social support. As we all know, we live in a world where content rules. The importance of social media has moved from a fun, quirky hobby to a vital part of the small business ecosystem.

As a consumer or fellow business owner, your words, actions and perspective matter. Use them for good and help promote your local restaurant community. The power and influence of social media is a simple tool we all can use to support our favorite haunts.

When you do visit your favorite places and order take away or delivery, talk about it on social media. Post photos of your food. Tag the business and your local elected officials and use the hashtags #saverestaurants and #toosmalltofail.

Photo contributed

4. Be patient and empathetic. Restaurants are facing the unprecedented task of drastically altering their businesses so they can serve us safely and efficiently. In an industry where carving out success from slim margins has always been the precedent, the razor’s edge is even sharper now. In restaurant culture, owners are very familiar with the understanding that no two days are alike and one never knows what awaits on the other side of the “open” sign. But in a

COVID-19 world, waking up and watching the information change rapidly, sometimes hourly, makes it almost impossible to create operational strategies that stick. Our ask of everyone is to be patient and empathetic to this process, as we are all in this together, for the long haul.

Matt Jennings is a lifelong chef, culinary consultant, and author of Homegrown; “Cooking From My New England Roots”.

He lives in Charlotte.

The Charlotte News • April 30, 2020 • 17

People & Places Widow’s chore list First thing every morning when I sit down at my kitchen counter, I take a look at my to-do list. It’s a blend of easy, medium and hard jobs.

Amy deGroot Yesterday, I was feeling pretty good because I’d been on a particularly robust springcleaning roll.

My sister-in-law was due to come over in an hour to borrow a belt sander. Other than the delivery man, no one has come here since the stay-at-home order. Even though we will visit six feet apart outside, a jolt of energy overtakes me like the boost I get pre-visitor, when I feel a sudden urge to clean my house. I decide to use her anticipated arrival as a motivator to address one item on my list that has been overlooked since February: “Check mouse poison.”

Last fall, I’d spent about $1,000 in repairs after a mouse chewed through a wire in my bedroom wall. Friends and family have quipped, “Get a cat,” but I’m allergic to cats and I have mice now. So I’ve resorted to poison.

I’ve got six plastic rat and mouse poison boxes circling my house and garage. They open with a key that I can’t get to work well at all. I’m over at the third box next to the bulkhead. There is a bed of leaves mounded next to one of the trap’s entry holes. A mouse nest, conveniently located by the feeding station? I swing the box clear of the leaves. To my horror, I find a snake wound in a spiral underneath the box.

“Ahhhhhh!” I scream.

Shelburne Museum…at home

My dog is concerned. Get ahold of yourself, Amy. It’s only a baby snake and it’s practically frozen in place.

The poison needs to be replenished in this box. I return from the basement with a box of poison I found in the workshop. This should be easy. There’s one remaining plastic container. I try to pry it open to get the poison out. Damn, why is everything so hard? It reminds me of the jar of tomato sauce I couldn’t for the life of me open last week.

Finally, I read the box and realize this is something my husband had bought: individual poison traps meant to be used indoors. Great! I’ll just put it in the garage where we catch lots of mice.

I go to the garage to set it in the corner, and “Ahhhh!” Out comes another blood curdling scream. I’ve come upon a dead mouse caught in a trap.

It used to drive my husband crazy when I’d startle him with one of my screams, but I swear, I came pre-wired to scream when I see mice or snakes.

My body feels like a jumble of metal pins and needles. I have to do my most dreaded job—empty the trap. It was always my husband’s job. Since he died, I’ve emptied about half a dozen of them, each making me so squeamish I wear a combination of gloves and plastic bags to handle the trap.

I take a few deep breaths and repeat out loud, “It’s only a dead body, Amy.” I finish the job just before my sister-in-law arrives.

This morning I find myself staring at my to-do list: “Order mouse poison.” In the back of my mind I add, “Think about cat.”

Edouard Manet’s work “The Grand Canal — Venice (Blue Venice),” is featured in the “Color” section of the online exhibition “Color, Pattern, Whimsy, & Scale” at Shelburne Museum. The exhibition explores Electra Havemeyer Webb’s approach to collecting and features both wellknown masterpieces and surprising treasures from Shelburne Museum’s diverse collection.

Courtesy photo Staff report

Visitors can’t visit Shelburne Museum right now due to coronavirus safety, but the museum is bringing the experience home by offering online exhibitions with recorded talks from curators, behind-thescenes conservation insights, and activities for curious art-lovers.

The first exhibition, “Color, Pattern, Whimsy, & Scale,” is focused on Shelburne Museum founder Electra Havemeyer Webb and her passion for American folk art. The exhibition explores her collecting ethos as she assembled one of the earliest and largest collections that would become the foundation for the museum.

“Typically, this time of year we would be gearing up for new summer exhibitions in our galleries. While we are not able to do that at this time, our impulse to engage the community, to offer a welcome diversion and to be here for our visitors has not changed. Instead, we have channeled our curatorial energy into creating a digital experience for our audience,” said Museum Director Thomas Denenberg. “It seems apropos to start with an exhibition that highlights many of the iconic objects that our visitors know and love and that highlights the drive and devotion of our founder, Electra Havemeyer Webb.”

The museum’s 45-acre campus and 39 exhibition buildings have been closed since mid-March in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

“Color, Pattern, Whimsy, & Scale” will launch in four parts. The first, “Color,” features an overview of the exhibition and a gallery of objects that illustrate Mrs. Webb’s fascination with color. Viewers are able to play recordings by museum curators detailing the objects and can learn about behind-the-scenes preparations narrated by conservators. In addition, viewers can participate in hands-on activities based on the exhibition themes.

“Color, Pattern, Whimsy, & Scale” explores Electra Havemeyer Webb’s idiosyncratic, intuitive and imaginative approach to collecting and features both well-known masterpieces and surprising treasures in Shelburne Museum’s diverse collection. “Color” features vibrant art objects, including French Impressionist painting “Blue Venice” by Edouard Manet, painted furniture from the 18th century and an orange and black carousel tiger made by artisans at the Dentzel Carousel Co. circa 1900.

Generous support for this exhibition is provided by The Donna and Marvin Schwartz Foundation and the Barnstormers at Shelburne Museum.

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18 • April 30, 2020 • The Charlotte News

Sacred Hunter Turkey season, another sign of spring I watched him marching across the back field, chest puffed up like a proud warrior returning from a victorious battle.

His long wings dragged on both sides, and he Bradley Carleton strutted with all the bravissimo of a young matador. Behind him he carried the flag of bravery, his tail fanned out to intimidate all who dared challenge his youthful exuberance.

He had obviously just returned from a battle to the south. His beard dragged on the verdant spring grasses as he marched to the north end of the field and into the small sugar woods where forsythias had begun to bloom. As he disappeared into the thick shrubbery, I wondered where he might roost tonight.

I tilled the garden and worked the rich compost into the soil. I broke a good sweat and drank sumac tea to quench my thirst.

Soon dusk would fall, and I would put on my camo gear and sneak into the spring woods.

The fist peeper sounded off at 7:32 p.m., and from there the cacophony of nightfall sounds built to a crescendo. After the sun set at 7:57 p.m., it was a full 20 minutes before the evening gobbles began. At 7:58, he began calling incessantly, proclaiming his territory to all the hens in the area, letting them know that he was there to govern over them and keep them from straying out of his harem. I slid out of the woods without breaking a stick, using a red bulb headlamp.

It was a fitful night of sleep. I knew where I had to be set up in the dark before dawn.

Again, I would have to sneak into the crisp spring woods two hours before dawn to get a good seat for the morning’s performance.

I rolled over in bed at 3:05 a.m. and muttered an expletive to myself: no use trying to sleep for another 10 minutes.

I gently crawled out of bed so as not to disturb my sleeping bride. I got dressed,

using the same red headlamp, and as I walked out the bedroom door, I heard my wife whisper, “Good luck!” Really?

I thought she was asleep! “Thank you.”

I whispered back. As I arrived at the end of the old dirt road that leads to the sugarhouse path, I was careful not to slam my truck door. I pushed it shut gently, listening for the click of the latch.

I entered the woods breathing through my nose to try to calm myself down so that I would not be out of breath by the time I arrived at my chosen hide. I set out my hen decoy and placed a young jake decoy behind her to make it look as if she were being dogged by some ambitious youngster who would challenge my boy in the tree. I cut some young native shrubs about a halfinch around at the base and placed a dozen of them in front of me. Then I nestled into the indented trunk of the maple that faced the oak with all the old white acorns on the ground.

I sat quietly for almost two hours before the eastern sky begin backlighting the pines. At the very first sign of dark blue and purple in the sky, it began. A loud thunderous scream came from the pines. Game on!

I started out our conversation with some super soft tree clucks—the kind of early morning loving coos between newly married couples. He answered back with a resounding verbal announcement. After about 10 minutes of these sweet dialogues, I got a little louder with a two-note cackle, to which he again responded with a deep throated proclamation. We carry on this dialogue for about 15 minutes, and then I decide that I need to get him out of the tree and walking toward me.

I take out my salted wing from last year’s bird and beat it loudly against my thigh, cackling at the same time in a descending vibrato. This is my go-to call: powerful fly down, no sound is returned. He is thinking about where this hen he just heard had landed 80 yards away. A minute later I hear his powerful wingbeat and branches snapping off the pine tree that was his roost.

As soon as he hits the ground he screams “Where are you?” in “Turkish.” He screams again and I answer him with a loud descending series of clucks with a finishing purr.

A moment later, as if he had calculated exactly the GPS coordinates of my answer, he screams again. I answer again with a strong, loud clucking. Then suddenly, the conversation ends. There is no more to talk about. He is looking for me. He is using his extraordinary vision to detect even the slightest movement.

An early mosquito lands on my outstretched forearm, holding my shotgun balanced on my knee bent in a 90-degree upright angle. The mosquito is my nemesis in this moment. I cannot slap him away because I will be discovered by the jake looking for me. So, I quietly pump my fist, pushing blood into my forearm to feed the marauder and fill him up, so he leaves before this bird comes any closer.

Three a.m. wakeup yields a peaceful morning, the intricacies of a hunt and then a delicious dinner.

Photo by Bradley Carleton

Now I see him! The turkey is about 60 yards out behind a fallen pine. He is strutting back and forth, deciding on how to get around this obstacle between him and his intended love, my hen decoy. He is very upset to see another jake pursuing what he has claimed for his own harem. Finally, he gobbles vociferously and jumps up onto the trunk of the pine. He cranes his head from side to side trying to determine how he will massacre this young upstart who is chasing his newfound love.

Jumping down off the pine, he begins to run toward the decoy, intent on a fight to the death. Just 10 yards out from the deceiver he pauses and puffs up his chest again and spits at the decoy. He is within

range now: 25 yards out. The bead at the end of my barrel is placed just under his bright red head collared with a bright baby blue and white. He sticks his head out to scream again but is met with the echo of my 12 gauge.

Tonight, my wife and I will honor this magnificent beast with maple and teriyaki smoked wild turkey breast. In all of nature, there is none grander than the give-away bird to bring us a sense of connection. Of a centuries-old dialogue with the Great Spirit.

Bradley Carleton is executive director of Sacred Hunter.org, a nonprofit that seeks to educate the public on the spiritual connection of man to nature.

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The Charlotte News • April 30, 2020 • 19

Outdoors Garlic mustard: It’s invasive, so be aggressive As spring unfolds around us, enjoying a sunny, warm walk outside is a pleasure that can be sullied by few things, save a few pests: bugs, scary dogs, garlic mustard.

Though they can be annoying, there’s no need to terminate the first two items on that list, but the third is fair game. The invasive plant, which grows in abundance in Charlotte, is creeping around Thompson’s Point, and a group of Charlotters are attempting to curb its spread and looking for help in doing so.

Susan Smith, who is a member of the Charlotte Invasive Collaborative, said that power in numbers is a good idea for an invasive plant like this. “This year there are many walkers at Thompson’s Point, and the many can do a job that the few could do!” Nan Mason and Belinda Mucklow are two regular walkers who have worked garlic mustard removal into their exercise routine.

Garlic mustard is an invasive that, according to VermontInvasives.org (a website operated and funded by various state agencies), arrived in New England around colonial times, and is particularly pesky because of its ability to grow in the shade.

“A high shade tolerance allows this plant to invade high quality, mature woodlands, where it can form dense stands. These stands not only shade out native understory flora but also produce allelopathic compounds that inhibit seed germination of other species,” the site reads.

Mucklow, in an email, said that it’s important to be able to recognize the plant (see above photo) and noted that there’s an urgency to get rid of it at this time of year.

“This is the perfect time to pull the garlic

mustard as there are no seeds or seed pods yet,” she said. “Therefore, they do not need to be bagged when they are pulled - just toss them into road or woods or take them home and make a pesto or put it in your soup!” The plants are known to have a pleasant, mild garlic taste.

Mason and Mucklow pull the weeds on their walks, and have marked them with white and pink flags as they go as a helpful guide to others who might feel inspired to do a couple lunges and pull some weeds as they walk. Group participation is key, Smith said. “In two previous years two people had tackled this job, but were overwhelmed.”

Mucklow concurs. “We are suggesting that if everybody pulls five weeds every time they walk around Thompson’s Point we can get rid of them quickly. In reality, the best thing to do is to find a marked area and just clean up that little area. After a while one gets to know what they look like. Please leave the flags—we will pull them later and also check the area.”

She also said it’s ideal to get the roots up as well as the leaves, though if it’s not possible, even removing most of the plant will prevent it from seeding this year; ambitious weeder/walkers can bring a handheld weeding tool “to help get up roots on more difficult established plants.”

Nan Mason and Belinda Mucklow, along with helpers Pippa and Gromit, walk, talk, and keep an eye out for garlic mustard on their daily walks.

Photo by Nancy Rosenthal

The plant spreads quickly and seeds twice a year, so early and active participation is useful and necessary in its eradication.

There are many recipes available online (garlic mustard roulade, anyone?) if weeders want to enjoy the results of their hard work.

Garlic mustard looks innocuous but needs to be eradicated from the local landscape.

Photo from VermontInvasives.org

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20 • April 30, 2020 • The Charlotte News

Into The Woods

The land ethic Ethan Tapper

Whether you are a forest manager, landowner or enjoyer of the outdoors, it can be intimidating to know your role in the management of our forests. While there are some examples of good stewardship, humans’ track record as land managers over the last few hundred years has been mostly poor, resulting in wholesale deforestation, the extirpation and extinction of numerous wildlife species, the introduction of invasive exotic plants, pests and pathogens, and the numerous stressors posed by climate change. Regardless, I believe that humans can develop an active, positive relationship with the land, one that protects and provides for both. A good roadmap for how we do this can be found in the formation of a “land ethic.”

Forester, author and conservation thinker Aldo Leopold posited the idea of a land ethic in his beautiful and seminal book “A Sand County Almanac,” published in 1949.

At Leopold’s time, an “ethic” was defined as a system of standards, morals and rules, for how humans treat each other. Leopold wondered why, when we had ethical standards with respect to other people, our relationship with the land was unethical, resulting in widespread environmental degradation.

Just as a lack of ethics harms our human communities, Leopold noted that a lack

of ethics toward the land harmed natural communities and ultimately ourselves, as we rely on the land for our survival and quality of life.

Leopold’s land ethic sought to expand the boundaries of our community to include the land, thusly ascribing the same ethics to the land as we do to our human communities.

This approach is still unusual today, as many people would either protect the land by completely separating humans from it or regard the health of the land as something completely subordinate to human interests.

Leopold wrote, “[A] land ethic changes the role of Homo sapiens from conqueror of the land-community to plain member and citizen of it. It implies respect for his fellow-members, and also respect for the community as such…when we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect.”

The goal of the land ethic is essentially three-fold. First, we must recognize the value of ecosystems to ourselves and our society. In Vermont, forests clean our air

and water, regulate our climate, protect our infrastructure from floodwaters, provide habitat for wildlife and the pollinators of agricultural crops, sequester and store the carbon, and much, much more.

They also provide economic benefits by producing renewable resources like maple syrup and timber, and amazing and economically important forest-based recreational opportunities. They provide the context for everything we do as Vermonters, making our state a beautiful place to live, work and visit. They are critical to our physical health and quality of life, and the cultural and economic health of our communities.

The second part of the land ethic’s goal is to recognize the intrinsic importance of our forests and other ecosystems. Leopold would argue that all the parts of forests, from trees to wildlife, have value regardless of whether they serve a direct human purpose. A modern understanding of forests reinforces the practicality of this mindset, as science increasingly reveals how seemingly

Welcome to

insignificant parts of forests, like fungi and invertebrates, are critical to the health of the entire system, including the parts of it that we traditionally value more highly like trees and wildlife.

Finally, a land ethic helps us understand how humans can play a positive role in the stewardship of the land. By considering the previous two points, Vermonters can manage forests in a way that is truly symbiotic, including helping them recover from past human land use, buffering them against the effects of a changing climate and protecting them from human-introduced invasive exotic species, all while responsibly harvesting local, renewable forest resources.

Using local, renewable resources maximizes the local benefits and minimizes the global harm of resource production and consumption, helping us be better local and global citizens.

Leopold would say that a land ethic “evolves in the mind of a thinking community.”

Maybe thinking about the land ethic is just a gesture, but hopefully it is one that enriches our relationship with the land and helps us establish a more thoughtful, sustainable relationship with it. I think that we can all agree that forests and ecosystems deserve intentionality, thought and ethical treatment.

Ethan Tapper is the Chittenden County Forester. He can be reached at ethan. tapper@vermont.gov, or (802)-585-9099.

Stay Home. Stay Safe.

Come Home to Hillside at O’Brien Farm in 2020!

We support our state officials, health care providers, and essential workers during this unprecedented time. We are reminded of the importance of HOME and the security it brings during times like this.

With the safety of the community as our foremost concern, we are pleased to announce that certain construction activities have resumed with proper safeguards and protocols in place.

Schedule a Tour. In-person tours are currently limited. Give us a call for a private tour of our neighborhood and to review the floor plans right for you! Or visit HillsideatOBrienFarm.com for a virtual tour and to hear from the homeowners who are already calling Hillside home.

Lipkin Audette Team (802) 662-0162 Info@HillsideVT.com HillSideatOBrienFarm.com

We are in this together, we will get through this together.

The Charlotte News • April 30, 2020 • 21

Out Takes Are state colleges just bricks in the wall?

A voice was chanting as the fog was lifting This land was made for you and me Edd Merritt

This Land is Your Land – Woody Guthrie

By the time this issue of the News comes out, the state college board of trustees will have received Chancellor Jeb Spaulding’s resignation following public reaction to his plan to close the campuses of Northern Vermont University and relocate their student populations to Castleton.

The state college system brought me to Vermont 40 years ago, and I’m very happy that it did. Had it not I may still be in the metropolis where coronavirus crops up in one of every eight citizens. In the course of my stay as an administrator at Johnson State College I discovered how institutions like Johnson add human value to their communities. These institutions provided

Vermont with a workforce of higher education graduates to a much larger degree than did its major university—UVM. This is not to say that UVM is anything less than a fine university. In seeking to compete with other major northeastern institutions, however, and to reap the financial benefits of students paying higher out-of-state tuition, it drew a majority of its student body from well beyond its home state. As a result, many graduates left Vermont upon earning their degrees. The state colleges, on the other hand, most often drew their student majority from Vermont where they stayed upon graduation.

My exposure to the education in the state college system told me that while the smaller size of the schools led each to focus on particular elements of learning, those elements came through in high quality.

I was pleased that the arts were a major focus at Johnson and that the campus was the site

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of events that drew participants and viewers in large numbers. Though never truly an artist myself, I was drawn to learning through activities that carried artistic elements. I will not forget my first day on campus being called to the college pond to witness the “Bread and Puppet” mime troupe march in from the woods and surround the water, displaying signs that opposed a national government that had promoted war in Vietnam. To me it was artistry that was being directed at politics. Moreover, it was seeded by the nature of communal life in this state, and the college fertilized that seeding.

professor and state senator Bill Doyle said, “Welcome to Johnson. Vote for me.” Then he left immediately.

As an undergraduate, I attended a college in Wisconsin known for its student activism. Therefore, witnessing it occur at Johnson State, I appreciated it as a learning opportunity, something that my graduate school dean maintained occurred in many settings, not all of which required a classroom.

After serving as a head resident on campus, Rachel Bissex went on to cut several CDs of her own songs.

The state colleges have enriched Vermont through individuals, too. In thinking about their possible closure, I recalled the students and faculty I knew at Johnson, all of whom stayed in the area and contributed politically, educationally and artistically.

My first day on campus, after having moved items into my office I was gazing at the magnificence of the Sterling Mountains rising not far away when there came a knock on my door. Longtime political science

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Two students who had yet to graduate when I arrived went on to serve in the State Legislature, one after earning her law degree. Another became a school principal and is now head of the Vermont Principals Association.

Renowned poet and adjunct faculty member David Budbill and I often stood together in the sandwich line of the delicatessen a block off campus.

Who knows what college will be like following the pandemic, what we educators will learn from the new technologies drawn on to cope with distancing. I personally hope that human interaction will remain part of the process. The state colleges serve that interaction well and have a history of providing positive learning environments to those who choose them for the start of their higher education. Whether they use this start as impetus to continue may be prompted by the undergraduate experience.

I hope that as of today we have not acted too soon.

Sports Edd Merritt

Redhawks on Free Press AllState men’s basketball Two CVU guards were named to the Burlington Free Press’ All-State rosters.

Junior Tyler Morehouse made the second team and senior Ethan Harvey received honorable mention.

What happens to sports if state colleges close?

According to a Free Press article 200 student athletes will be left without a team unless they enroll and compete at Castleton University. Nearly half of the Johnson State College student athletes

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22 • April 30, 2020 • The Charlotte News

Town

Charlotte Fire and Rescue Log February and March 2020

February Saturday, Feb. 1 Patient Treated, Transported by this EMS Unit

Sunday, Feb. 2 Canceled (Prior to Arrival at Scene) Patient Treated, Transported by this EMS Unit

Tuesday, Feb. 4 Patient Treated, Transported by this EMS Unit

Wednesday, Feb. 5 Patient Treated, Transported by this EMS Unit Intercept

Thursday, Feb. 6 Standby-No Services or Support Provided

Friday, Feb. 7 Standby-No Services or Support Provided Standby-No Services or Support Provided Patient Treated, Transported by this EMS Unit

Saturday, Feb. 8 Standby-No Services or Support Provided

Monday, Feb. 10 Patient Treated, Transported by this EMS Unit

Tuesday, Feb. 11 Patient Treated, Transported by this EMS Unit

Wednesday, Feb. 12 Standby-No Services or Support Provided

Thursday, Feb. 13 Patient Treated, Transported by this EMS Unit

Friday, Feb. 14 Standby-No Services or Support Provided

Saturday, Feb. 15 Standby-Public Safety, Fire, or EMS Operational Support Provided

Sunday, Feb. 16 Patient Treated, Transported by this EMS Unit Patient Refused Evaluation/Care (Without Transport) Patient Evaluated, No Treatment/Transport Required

Tuesday, Feb. 18 Standby-No Services or Support Provided Patient Treated, Transported by this EMS Unit

Wednesday, Feb. 19 Standby-No Services or Support Provided

Sunday, Feb. 23 Patient Treated, Transported by this EMS Unit

Monday, Feb. 24 Patient Treated, Transported by this EMS Unit Patient Treated, Transported by this EMS Unit

Tuesday, Feb. 25 Patient Evaluated, No Treatment/Transport Required

Wednesday, Feb. 26 Patient Evaluated, No Treatment/Transport Required Patient Treated, Transported by this EMS Unit Canceled (Transferred to Mutual Aid) Patient Treated, Transported by this EMS Unit

Thursday, Feb. 27 Patient Treated, Transported by this EMS Unit

Friday, Feb. 28 Canceled (Prior to Arrival at Scene) March Sunday, March 1 Patient Treated, Transported by this EMS Unit

Monday, March 2 Patient Treated, Transported by this EMS Unit Patient Treated, Transported by this EMS Unit

Tuesday, March 3 Patient Treated, Transported by this EMS Unit Patient Treated, Transported by this EMS Unit

Thursday, March 5 Intercept

Friday, March 6 Canceled (Prior to Arrival at Scene)

Tuesday, March 10 Patient Treated, Transported by this EMS Unit

Thursday, March 12 Canceled (Prior to Arrival at Scene) Patient Evaluated, Released (AMA)

Friday, March 13 Standby-Public Safety, Fire, or EMS Operational Support Provided Patient Treated, Released (per protocol)

Saturday, March 14 Standby-No Services or Support Provided

Sunday, March 15 Patient Treated, Transported by this EMS Unit

Monday, March 16 Patient Evaluated, No Treatment/Transport Required Canceled on Scene (No Patient Contact)

Thursday, March 19 Patient Evaluated, No Treatment/Transport Required Patient Treated, Transported by this EMS Unit

Friday, March 20 Patient Treated, Released (per protocol)

Monday, March 23 Patient Treated, Transported by this EMS Unit Standby-Public Safety, Fire, or EMS Operational Support Provided

Wednesday, March 25 Canceled (Prior to Arrival At Scene) Standby-Public Safety, Fire, or EMS Operational Support Provided

Sunday, March 29 Patient Treated, Transported by this EMS Unit

Monday, March 30 Patient Treated, Transported by this EMS

Finding the little things

Finally!

“While pulling roots and looking for worms, this amazing metallic green beetle caught my eye cruising along in the soil. What an incredible sight and reminder to look close and find those little things!”

Photo by Susie Marchand

Stuck at home is one thing, but stuck inside is another. The sun is finally coming out and temperatures are climbing.

Photo by Chea Waters Evans

The Charlotte News • April 30, 2020 • 23

Charlotte Senior Center

Carolyn Kulik SENIOR CENTER DIRECTOR

The field-bound cattle, in the mirrors of their eyes, Bear me up to the hunted hills and would Follow me over the wall and the topmost rail To hear the hillside wind go over the shed of pines And walk in the acorn-fall on the runs of the deer.

I am lost above orchard and field, and leaves like apples Shaken by the wand of my hand fall to a carpet of light.

I make songs out of the notes of ripe berries; I sit at the hallowed tables of unharvested stumps And drink from the earthy cup of the blue-sky spring.

I walk the on the round roads of fallen trees through valleys of fern And rest on islands of ledges above the waves of moss.

I read the revelation of the day On parchments of the silver birches And time sits with me in the hammocks of stone.

I shall go down again to the valley of concern.

I shall return to the rage of change, But it is today that is forever and forever, And I can hold the sun and the moment still In the wink of my eyes.

“Hill Journey” William Mundell, Newfane poet Will there really be a “Morning”?

Is there such a thing as “Day”?

Could I see it from the mountains If I were as tall as they?

Has it feet like Water lilies?

Has it feathers like a Bird?

Is it brought from famous countries Of which I have never heard?

Oh some Scholar! Oh some Sailor!

Oh some Wise Men from the skies!

Please to tell a little Pilgrim Where the place called “Morning” lies!

“Morning,” Emily Dickinson ______________________ Yes, Emily, there really will be a morning.

The sun is just over that hill…. The problem is that the hill is much, much further away than we thought. Even so, aren’t you glad that you didn’t know at the outset that this quarantining and social distancing would be lasting so long? In the beginning of this phase, many of us were thinking it would last only two weeks. Then gradually, reality set in and things because clearer—but they are still pretty foggy.

No, this is not a sprint. We are in the middle of a marathon—actually, an ultramarathon. Whereas a regular marathon is about 26 miles, an ultramarathon is 32 miles—or more. It can make all the difference in the world to just make that mental adjustment between “sprint” and “marathon.”

Stepping aside from reacting can be helpful, even though it may not be easy.

It is what it is, and the only thing we can choose is how we respond to the situation. There are many difficulties and disappointments to be sure, and the challenge is to be gentle with yourself and look for what can lighten your day. Quiet discernment can be a good skill to take away from this altered reality.

And, there are ultramarathoners who can run 100 miles in 12 hours. Think about that.

More on Zooming The new video-conferencing Zoom classes are not just up and running, they’re thriving. With unlimited virtual space, it is not a problem to have 18 or 19 in an exercise class. Plus, there are participants who have never been part of Senior Center activities, and some who would ordinarily be at work and unable to come. And, of course, it doesn’t matter where you are located.

As with the regular exercise classes, the Zoom versions are also ongoing, which means that you are welcome to join at any time. Stay tuned, there may be more Zoom classes coming.

Reduced fees For Zoom classes, the fees for courses are suggested at $5 per class— however, classes are open to everyone regardless of their ability to pay. We would love it if you tally your class participation and just send a check at the end of the month; note the class on the check. Checks should be made out to CSC and mailed to P.O. Box 207, Charlotte, VT 05445.

If you have any questions, please send them to: CSCZoom@gmavt.net. Do visit CharlotteSeniorCenterVT.org for more information about the Senior Center and course descriptions.

call 1-800-RED-CROSS. ______________________ The Senior Center’s mission is to serve those 50 and up. Residents from other communities are always welcome. There are no membership fees. Feel free to leave a message on the Center number anytime: 425-6345; voicemail will be checked daily.

Please skip a line here.

Be careful. Stay well. But mostly, be kind. ______________________ Charlotte Senior Center 802-425-6345

Even though the parking lot is not full these days, the Senior Center remains very much a part of the Charlotte community. For the Red Cross Blood Drive on 4/16, we were able to offer the use of the building as the blood supply has dropped dramatically with the closure of many of the Red Cross’s usual donation sites. If you wish to donate blood, please visit RedCrossBlood.org or

Ongoing Zoom Classes Gentle Yoga (Mon./11:00 a.m.), French Conversation Circle – Intermed.

(Mon./2:30 p.m.), Pilates Plus (Tues./9:00 a.m.), Essentrics on Wed. (8:30 a.m.), Mindfulness Meditation (Wed./1:30 p.m.)—no fee, Pilates (Thurs./8:30 a.m.), Essentrics on Fri. (9:30 a.m.)

How to register Please email your name, address, phone number, and name of the course(s) you want to take to CSCZoom@gmavt.net.

You will receive a confirmation that you are enrolled.

Here’s a screen shot of the 16 participants in Phyllis Bartling’s Pilates class on 4/28. (Phyllis is top right.) It is such fun to see familiar, friendly faces and get a peek into people’s homes—with the exception of the two zebras hanging out with Sandi Detwiler.

24 • April 30, 2020 • The Charlotte News

SELECTBOARD

continued from page 1

year, unless there is a reason to go out to bid. Some are structured to renew automatically.” The Selectboard asked that the town attorney be added to the list, which includes contracts for water system maintenance, police services, Town Hall cleaning and IT support.

Reappointments The Selectboard approved the following reappointments: David Ziegelman to the Trails Committee, Judy Hill and Jeff Giknis to the Recreation Commission, Robin Coleburn to the Thompson’s Point Design Review Committee, Roeluf Boumans to the Conservation Commission, and Dorothy Hill to the Charlotte Park & Wildlife Oversight Committee.

Request for bids: State Park Road trail Members of the Trails Committee presented a draft request for proposal for the construction of the next section of the Town Link Trail on State Park Road.

Last fall, volunteers cleared this section of the trail and the road commissioner installed drainage. Trails co-chairs Laurie Thompson and Margaret Russell, along with David Ziegelman and Jim Donovan, fielded questions and feedback on the proposal from the Selectboard.

Krasnow suggested the request for proposal should be changed to a request for bid and asked for the town purchasing policy criteria to be added. Tenney asked the committee to add a request for an estimated timeframe to the document, similar to the ash tree removal RFP. After

a bit more discussion, the Selectboard recommended an updated draft be presented at the next meeting. In addition, the committee said the estimated trail construction cost will be fully covered by the current amount available in the trails reserve fund. Thompson said, “We did well with fund raising this year. We had a good year.”

Other business The Selectboard approved a request for bid for siding repairs to the Senior Center.

The Center’s board president, Lane Morrison, said the work would commence in July. When the Selectboard discussed the state’s phased approach to re-opening businesses, Morrison said, “I think we are going to be one of the last facilities to open up.”

The board also approved a revised job description for the new town assessor position, which replaces the Board of Listers as approved by voters at Town Meeting in March. The board also approved an application to VTrans for a structures grant for Monkton Road and a request from the Green Mountain Bicycle Club to use the southerly portion of Greenbush Road for time trials.

The next regularly scheduled Selectboard meeting is May 11 at 6 p.m.

Classifieds Reach your friends and neighbors for only $12 per issue.

(Payment must be sent before issue date.) Please limit your ad to 35 words or fewer and send it to The Charlotte News Classifieds, P.O. Box 251, Charlotte, VT 05445 or email ads@thecharlottenews.org.

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