The Charlotte News | May 30, 2018

The

Charlotte News Wednesday, May 30, 2018 | VoluMe lX nuMber 23

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Vol. 60, no.23 May 30, 2018

Charlotte News

The

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

Selectboard Profiles:

The secret language of cemeteries Chris Falk Charlotte’s historic cemeteries have a lot to offer the living. The gravestones celebrate our history, and their carvings are a form of art, rich with beauty and mystery. It’s worth considering that, for humble 18th- and 19thcentury farmers, these stones were likely the only available public art.

Gravestone symbols, however, can be more than art, telling us something of the deceased and his or her family. Whether the symbols are simply decorative or convey a message may never be known, but the engravings are thought to reflect religious beliefs, occupations and personal interests.

The following are some of the many symbols (and their likely meanings) found in Charlotte’s historic cemeteries: • Arches and clasped hands can symbolize the unity of marriage and being reunited with a partner in heaven.

• Weeping willows and urns are symbols borrowed from the ancient Greeks.

Urns were used by the Greeks to store the ashes of the dead, while the willow symbolizes mourning and grief.

• The lamb represents innocence and usually designates a child’s grave.

• An open gate can indicate the passage from earth to heaven.

• A finger pointing up shows the pathway to heaven.

• A laurel wreath could signify victory in death or might represent evergreen memory of the deceased.

The new logo of the Charlotte Cemetery Commission incorporates a gravestone engraving.

Chris Falk is a member of the Charlotte Cemetery Commission, an all-volunteer organization working to maintain and restore the community’s graveyards. If you have questions, would like to volunteer or donate, contact members of the commission through Town Hall.

Community service runs deep in Tenney’s life Morgan Magoon Frank Tenney is a member of the Charlotte Selectboard as well as the chairman of the Zoning Board of Adjustments. He has been on the Zoning Board for 12 years, and the Selectboard since March of 2017. Tenney has enjoyed being part of the Selectboard because it gives him the opportunity to know what’s going on in the town and to understand how the town is run. Tenney has this to say about why he became a member of the Selectboard: “I decided to become part of the Selectboard because I knew a lot about what was going on from the Zoning Board, so I was interested in learning more about what’s going on in the town, as well as doing public service.”

In the time that he has been on the Selectboard, Tenney has helped with various things, like the approval of the Green Mountain Bicycle Club’s cycling events, as well as the hiring of contractors and others needed to complete projects for the town.

He is an accountant, and has learned that a big part of serving on the Selectboard was the approval of the budget, doing all the small things that need to be done, realizing how much everything costs, and having a short time frame to make decisions. Tenney explained, “You don’t realize the everyday things that need to be done.”

His interests include tinkering in his workshop at home, gardening, and working on tractors and cars. Tenney has contributed

to the Charlotte community in many ways.

His brother owns a local deli, and he helps him run it. Tenney has been a CVU school bus driver for over 25 years.

Frank Tenney has lived in Charlotte his whole life. He has two children with his wife, Beth Tenney. Three generations of his family have lived here. He has enjoyed living in Charlotte because of the small town atmosphere, and the closeness of the community. He also enjoys the trails, the wildlife, visiting the town beach, and climbing Mt. Philo.

Tenney has loved being on the Selectboard and is planning on running again. He said, “It’s been a wonderful experience for me. Everyone looks at a different part of what’s going on, and it’s nice to meet all these people in our town.”

Summer events discussed at early May Selectboard meeting Meghan Neely The May 14 Selectboard meeting was a long one, with discussion surrounding Thompson’s Point and Lane’s Lane taking center stage. Selectboard member Lane Morrison opened the meeting early with further amendments to the Thompson’s Point Wastewater Disposal System Ordinance. Early changes in the meeting focused on the tightening of language, as Selectboard members went through the ordinance line by line. Some sections of the document, such as guidelines and policies for lease holders, were removed to become parts of separate documents, which will be better served by the information.

The board determined that the total cost in connection fees for Lane’s Lane residents to the public sewer system will be somewhere around $3,500 per camp. This number is based on onsite

inspections of current wastewater systems but does not include the price of pipes required to make the connection or legal fees. Residents can expect further updates on the connection cost for Lane’s Lane at the next Selectboard meeting.

Public comments opened with concerns about the future of an Affordable Housing Committee in town. It remains to be seen if this committee will be elected or ad hoc, but the Selectboard encourages volunteers to come forward.

Abby Foulk was reappointed as the representative to the Chittenden Solid Waste District Board of Directors for a two-year term ending May 2020, and Rachel Stein was reappointed as the alternate representative for a two-year term ending May 2020. Suzy Hodgson was reappointed to the Energy Committee for a two-year term ending April 2020. see

SELECTBOARD page 4

2 • May 30, 2018 • The Charlotte News

Editorial A community filled with neighbors Janice Heilmann It’s been a long time since I was editor of The Charlotte News and wrote for these pages. My kids have grown and found work they love. Most of their friends have too. We’re in the same house with fewer

plastic bins of Matchbox cars than we had 20 years ago but some of the same clothes.

In hindsight (good old hindsight—such a cheerful friend), writing for The Charlotte News was a joyful bit of work. But what the heck did I write about? What took up all those late nights of suffering over adjectives and then pasting and gluing flimsy paper past midnight on many deadline nights. (Yes, that’s how it was done back in the nineties—waxing down huge pages of newsprint onto stiff boards and driving the unwieldy box of boards to the printer in Elizabethtown, New York.)

So I hauled out my box of yellowed Charlotte News clippings to see and remember what I was thinking about and what seemed important to the community before the century turned from one to the other.

In 1996 the Selectboard asked WIZN to move its tower, and young Charlotter Susannah Harris was dancing at Lincoln Center. In ’97, a commuter rail was on the planning table and eventually built (the demise of which was predicted right from the first trip down the track), and the Flying Pig opened its doors (going strong now

Dr. Katie Sarah Manges Smets

in another town). In 1998, we mourned the death of our beloved legislator Gerry Krasnow, who won his last term hoping he would live long enough to serve it.

(He died just a week after the election.)

The class of 1998 wore long dresses to graduation, and Ethel Atkins, the eternal grandmother of the Charlotte Central School cafeteria and the baker of some of the best yeast rolls ever, cut the huge celebration cake decorated with the names of every graduate.

The task of writing about Charlotte seemed simpler then. The only bit of sustained criticism I received in my five years as editor (and it was gently put, mind you) was that we had printed the last name of one grandmother’s high school graduate grandson incorrectly. There was an “l” where there should have been an “e.”

He had made it—with some difficulty— through 16 years of a local education, and his name was spelled wrong in his local paper when it was done. His grandma was upset and let me know it. I remember that I had disappointed her more than any recollection of incorrect Selectboard budget numbers.

Which brings me to this observation.

More than ever, when we understand less and less about the world and feel we have less and less impact upon the way things are going to turn out, there is the local paper and the list of graduates, photos of boys in clunky robes and girls in long dresses, tributes to people that have made a difference in our community, secrets of bees and recipes for corn chowder. We have an impact on our neighbors, even if we don’t agree with them.

Let’s try to hang onto that.

The

Charlotte News

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Publisher: Vince Crockenberg Editorial Staff News Editor: Melissa O’Brien (melissa@thecharlottenews.org) Managing Editor: Anna Cyr (anna@thecharlottenews.org) Contributing Editor: Edd Merritt Copy editors: Beth Merritt, Vince Crockenberg Proofreaders: Edd Merritt, Mike & Janet Yantachka Archives: Liz Fotouhi Business Staff ads@thecharlottenews.org / 777-3451 Ad manager: Monica Marshall (ads@thecharlottenews.org) Bookkeeper: Jessica Lucia Board Members President: Vince Crockenberg (vince@thecharlottenews.org) Secretaries: Rick Detwiler, Carol Hanley Treasurer: Patrice Machavern (treasurer@thecharlottenews.org) Board members: Rachel Allard, Bob Bloch, Gay Regan, Louisa Schibli 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 $40 per calendar year.

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ON THE COVER: Peyton Sweet shows cousin Harold Gardner how to pick fiddleheads.

By Lindsay Sweet Gardner

The Charlotte News • May 30, 2018 • 3

Town “A hunting we will go ….”

Family fun at the Charlotte Land Trust Scavenger Hunt

Photos contributed

Frances Foster More than 30 children and their parents were lucky enough to participate in an energetic nature-scavenger hunt at the Charlotte Park and Wildlife Refuge on Saturday, May 19. From toddlers to “tweens,” the park was alive with young voices thrilled by the excitement of the “find”! The children were sent off to find such specimens as milkweed pods, tree galls, shagbark hickory trees, oak leaves and butterflies. They checked off their accomplishments on beautifully illustrated cards that were drawn for the Land Trust

by Tessa Miskell Duquette, who grew up in Shelburne and Charlotte.

The event was a great success. The Land Trust organizers and the committee were pleased the rain held off and that the children and their parents were so enthusiastic about the free activity. This was the first event for younger people organized by the Land Trust, and the Trust hopes to do something similar on conserved land again in the future.

The Charlotte Land Trust has worked to conserve the best of Charlotte’s

agricultural, natural and scenic resources for over 30 years. Thanks to the generosity of landowners who have conserved their land and with the support of our donors and the Town’s Conservation Fund, we have helped ensure that these lands will remain a prominent part of Charlotte’s landscape now and into the future.

Frances Foster is a member of the PLAN T STrust Board of Directors.

Charlotte Land

RO CKS ER P L AW NAT TS

RO CKS W AT E R PLANTS RO CKS ER P L AW NAT TS

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Report from the Legislature

Going into overtime

The legislative process is both deliberate and deliberative.

Bills do not get passed without a considerable amount of testimony from Mike Yantachka stakeholders STATE REPRESENTATIVE on every side of an issue and discussion among the members of a committee comprised of Republicans, Democrats, Progressives and Independents.

Bills that are introduced are often modified significantly by the time they are voted out of committee and sent to the floor for consideration by the entire body of either the House or the Senate. Once the bill gets to the other chamber, the process is repeated. So, a lot of thought goes into a bill to ensure that it is a solid piece of legislation that accomplishes the purpose intended.

That is why, after hearing the rhetoric that he wants to protect the most vulnerable Vermonters and improve affordability, it is disappointing that the governor has decided to veto four bills that address those issues. Two of the bills, S.103 and S.197, would protect Vermonters from misuse of toxic chemicals and hazardous materials.

The first would create an Interagency Committee on Chemical Management to evaluate chemical inventories in the state, identify potential risks to human health and the environment, and propose measures to address those risks. It also would require testing for potability of new water sources used for human consumption. The second would require businesses responsible for exposing employees or the public to toxic materials through intentional or

unintentional releases to cover the cost of medical monitoring of exposed individuals.

The PFOA contamination of the public water supply in the Bennington area demonstrates the need for such legislation to protect the health of Vermonters.

Two other vetoed bills, S.40 and H.196, directly address affordability concerns for low- and middle-income Vermonters. S.40, the minimum wage bill, would gradually increase the minimum wage in Vermont to $15 per hour over six years. This bill would assist more than 25,000 minimumwage adult nonfarm workers who often have to work more than one job to make ends meet. It would also have the benefit of putting more money into the local economy at the same time. The other bill, H.196, is the paid family leave bill. This bill would create a statewide insurance program that would allow an employee to take up to 12 weeks to care for a child or other family member during critical times of need, including childbirth, prolonged illness and emergency situations. The program would pay 70 percent of the employee’s average weekly wage and would be financed entirely by a 0.137 percent tax on employee wages. For a full-time, minimum-wage worker, this would be 58 cents per week, or about 5.5 cents per week for every dollar per hour. This is a crucial benefit that smaller employers often cannot afford to provide but guarantees that some income is available during times of crisis or family necessity. If we want to make Vermont attractive for working families, raising the minimum wage and addressing flexibility for families to take care of each other are necessary.

As always, I can be reached by phone (802-233-5238) or by email (myantachka. dfa@gmail.com).

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4 • May 30, 2018 • The Charlotte News

Around Town Congratulations:

To Arielle and Mike Nurczynski on the birth of their daughter, Daphne Rose, on May 21 in Boston. Mike is the son of Charlotters Rich and Lynn Nurcynski.

Sympathy:

is extended to family and friends of Edmund Brooks of Addison who passed away May 18 at the age of 85. His six children survive him, including a son, Richard who, along with wife, Pam, lives in Charlotte. Following Edmund’s wishes, there will be no funeral service. is extended to family and friends of Francys Garrett of Burlington and Bartlett, Tennessee, who passed away January 7 of this year at the age of 107.

Born in Charlotte to Jennie and John Lucier, Francys was one of twelve children in the family. Celebrating her 100th birthday, she received a special certificate from the Pope to mark the occasion. is extended to family and friends of Carolyn Sackett Coleburn of Redding, Connecticut, who passed away May 19 at

Email your news, stories and photos to

news@ thecharlottenews.org

SELECTBOARD the age of 88. A graduate of Middlebury College, she raised her family in Rye, New York, where she and her husband, Kenneth, lived for 46 years until they moved to Connecticut. Her favorite days, however, were spent on Thompson’s Point in Charlotte where she spent every summer for 84 years. Her surviving family includes her son Robert and Robert’s wife, Robin, who until recently live on Carolyn Sackett Coleburn Whalley Road.

A memorial service will be held for Carolyn later this year in Charlotte. In the meantime, the family asks that, in lieu of flowers, donations in her honor go to The Ridgefield Library, 472 Main Street, Ridgefield, CT 06877.

Regional Bites Eich reports her status on the Big Island of Hawaii

A former Shelburne resident and a CVU grad, Jenn Eick, has been living in Kalani Retreat near the Kilauea Volcano on the large island in Hawaii. The retreat, which serves a variety of activities including yoga, meditation and the like, recently shut down its operations due to its proximity to the nearby volcanic activity. Jenn is a counselor there, and she contacted her dad, Will, to say that she was in the process of moving her possessions out of her house on the retreat grounds, which is only about four miles away from the fissures and vents of the volcano. As of just over a week ago, 18 fissures had opened in this area, and there were several earthquakes in the 5 to 6.9 range. Jenn said the larger ones caused her

house to shake. In her location, the main threat was from noxious air when the wind blew toward them. As a result, she has had to wear a special gas mask several times. On Friday, the U.S. Geological Survey said that 90 earthquakes of various intensities occurred on the volcano summit.

The other primary threat to safety was isolation, with only two roads in and out of the region. Again, at the time Jenn spoke with her father, only one road was open to traffic. Since then, it has closed as well, leaving roughly 2,000 people affected by the possibility of isolation. The managers of the major development in the area, Leilani Estates, have encouraged all its residents to leave because of that and bad air quality.

Jenn’s management decided to shut down its operations at Kalani. Both guests and the retreat staff were living on the retreat’s grounds, so it was a matter of evacuating several hundred people to a spot on Hawaiian Shores, northeast of the active fissures. Jenn has had to move twice, once from her house to a guest cottage, still on the original grounds, and then from there to the new emergency offices of the retreat where she has settled for the moment. She is in the town of Pahoa from which much of the news of the quakes is being broadcast. She is not certain whether, and if so when, the retreat will re-open for business. She is happy, however, to have been able to gather her possessions and to have her new shoreline spot somewhat away from the lava flow into the ocean. This volcanic activity forced residents to act quickly, while they find and collect their belongings, some having to search for a vehicle in which to carry them, and move them into new homes. Jenn says it has been exhausting.

continued from page 1

And last but not least, David Kenyon was reappointed to the Planning Commission for a four-year term ending April 2022.

The Green Mountain Bicycle Club requested approval for three time trial events for this summer on Greenbush Road, and approval was granted.

The Charlotte Recreational Beach Party, to be held on Saturday, July 14, was approved. This event at Town Beach will start at 4 p.m. and will feature live music as well as a potluck. Beach parking fees will be waived for this event.

Charlotte Recreation was also approved to sponsor Mozart at the Beach this summer. The three-night music event will take place at Town Beach on July 19, July 26 and August 2. Parking fees will be charged for this event. There is no admission fee.

The Selectboard approved a motion seeking bids for a new computer-network support service at Town Hall. The Selectboard will also seek bids for a new computer server. Selectboard member Fritz Tegatz moved to cancel the current Town Hall contract with SymQuest. His motion was approved.

Waitsfield and Champlain Valley Telecom petitions to install fiber optic within town highway rights-of-way were approved for Prindle Road, Mutton Hill Road, Mutton Hill Drive, Sutton Place, Westgate Road and Lime Kiln Road.

Rights-of-way were also approved for the Roadside Vegetation Management Plan to VTrans for mowing within the U.S. 7 right of way. Mowing in this area along the Charlotte Park and Wildlife Refuge will be done to control the growth of wild parsnip.

The VTrans Annual Financial Plan for town highways and Certification of Compliance were also approved by the Selectboard and signed during the meeting.

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The Charlotte News • May 30, 2018 • 5

Town Krista Hoffsis and Judy Raven Do you enjoy spending time on Lake Champlain? Do you care about water quality and habitat?

Join Lewis Creek Association and volunteers as we manage European frogbit and other aquatic invasive plants in Shelburne and Charlotte this June! Frogbit outings in the lower LaPlatte and Town Farm Bay provide great wildlife sightings along with beautiful, peaceful times on the water appreciating the morning and evening light, socializing with other volunteers, and enjoying the rewards of contributing to a healthy Lake Champlain.

Since 2011, a group of volunteers and paid workers have removed frogbit, water chestnut and yellow iris on the lower LaPlatte River in Shelburne and Town Farm Bay’s Thorp and Kimball wetland complex in Charlotte. Their efforts have successfully reduced frogbit populations to manageable levels.

“Frogbit is one of the few invasives that can be controlled without special equipment or laborious uprooting,” said Judy Raven, long-time volunteer and past project coordinator. “It floats on the surface and can be plucked

Calling all paddlers out by hand using a small rake. Left alone, it reproduces rapidly, and the roots intertwine to form large dense mats that can block waterways, choke out native vegetation, and negatively impact recreation activities like fishing and kayaking.”

Shelburne and Charlotte need to maintain an ongoing effort to keep frogbit and other invasive plants at low levels to allow native plants and animals to flourish. Lewis Creek Association depends upon volunteers and financial support from Charlotte and Shelburne to ensure long-term stewardship and success. “The only economically feasible way to do this,” said LCA’s Marty Illick, “is for local residents who care about our waterways to come out every year, pitch in and help protect these beautiful natural areas.”

Lewis Creek Association has set 2018 dates for frogbit picking in both the LaPlatte wetlands and Town Farm Bay for June 14, 24 and 27. If you or your group would like to be included in the email list that will provide up-to-date information of volunteer opportunities, please contact the program coordinator, Krista Hoffsis, at 448-2849 or kristahoffsis@yahoo. com.

2014 Frogbit project manager Mollie Wills and her field team in the Thorp Kimball cove.

Photo contributed

Accidental Pastor

Are you done with that?

It’s a curious thing to wake up in a city that’s quiet. Sure, it’s Saturday morning, but it happened on Friday, too. It could be that I’m used to the sounds of New York, which seems to be busy and loud at all hours of the day, and so I assume that all cities are noisy. San Francisco is quiet in the early morning.

I’m here to take a class at the Zen Hospice Project. I’ve wanted to see how they do end of life at the ZHP ever since I first read about it three years ago. But you can’t just go there and visit and you can’t volunteer for a short period of time, so I knew I would take a class eventually and I’ve finally gotten there. The class is called Mindful Caregiving, and the Project is right around the corner from where I’m staying, an inn called The Parsonage on Haight Street.

Of course, right?

Life!

I landed here two days ago and went straight to my brother Steve’s office in the Design District. He’s in-house legal council for a start-up called AutoFi. Yes, there is a ping pong table and a record player in their work space, and yes, many of the men there were wearing hoodies. Kind of funny; for the first time I found myself thinking about that kind of work culture in a different way, as not really all that appealing, a little too laid-back. Truly, I am getting old.

It’s fun to be in a new place, with new

visuals, new geography, the ocean! I haven’t been in San Francisco for a very long time. Usually I fly into San Jose and visit Steve and his family in Los Altos, or I fly into Reno and visit my son, Sam, in Lake Tahoe, where he’s in school. I haven’t had a reason to go into the city for many years.

And so it was with great curiosity that I ventured out yesterday, with my freshly downloaded Lyft app, to see what was going on.

I went to the Legion of Honor museum, way out in the northeast corner of the city.

There I met up with my beloved friend, Simone, who used to live in Vermont, but now teaches in San Anselmo. She was taking her kids on a field trip, and so we reconnected surrounded by Rodins and enormous paintings by Julian Schnabel.

We kept hugging and smiling, knowing our time together was brief. We had to absorb as much of each other as we could, and we did, at the museum and then at Baker Beach where we had lunch and played in the ocean and admired the far-off view of the Golden Gate Bridge.

I met a person at the museum who noticed I was spending a lot of time in front of a large and particularly powerful painting of John the Baptist. “I can see you like the religious imagery,” he said. see

PASTOR page 15

6 • May 30, 2018 • The Charlotte News

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The Charlotte News • May 30, 2018 • 7

Charlotte Library News Margaret Woodruff

Robert Smith. Next board meeting: Tuesday, June 12, at 6 p.m.

LIBRARY DIRECTOR

Charlotte Library Information

Kids Programs & Activities

Margaret Woodruff, director Cheryl Sloan, youth services librarian Susanna Kahn, tech services librarian

Thursday, May 31, at 3:15 p.m. THINK Tank: Paper Circuits. Make light-up circuits on a piece of paper! Conductive tape, a battery and LEDs will light up your card or folded paper creation. For 4th-8th grades. Registration required. Please sign up for up to two THINK Tank programs in May. For more sessions, please request to be put on the waiting list.

Summer Reading Kick-Off Party: Tuesday, June 26, at 1 p.m. Learn how raptors build their habitats in this hands-on session with Vermont Institute of Natural Science. For all ages. Full information about all summer reading programs available on our website: charlottepubliclibrary.org.

Adult Interest Wednesday, May 30, at 7 p.m. Vermont Holocaust Memorial Presentation.

Vermont Holocaust Memorial speakers share family stories and discuss the importance of studying Holocaust history as a means of promoting tolerance and respect for all. Co-sponsored with the Carpenter-Carse Library in Hinesburg, this event takes place at the Carpenter-Carse Library.

your photos so you can access them easily and know they are safe. This program is specific to Mac desktops and laptops (not iPads). It is helpful but not necessary to bring your laptop if you have one.

Please call or email the library to register: charlottelibraryvt@gmail.com or 425-3864.

Tuesday, June 12, at 7 p.m. The Full Vermonty with Bill Mares. A wry reading from his latest book on politics, media and life in Vermont.

Wednesday, June 14, at 10:30 a.m.

Organizing and Storing Photos on Your Windows Computer, with Melissa Mendelsohn. Learn some strategies for managing and organizing your photos so you can access them easily and know they are safe. This program is specific to Windows desktops and laptops. It is helpful but not necessary to bring your laptop if you have one.

Don’t forget! The Seed Library is open!

Plenty of seeds for growing your own fresh veggies. Questions? Contact Seed Library Coordinator at charlottelibraryvt@gmail. com.

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Foreign policy is tweeted from the White House and “fake news” has entered the zeitgeist. Cyberwarfare, hacking and misinformation pose complex security threats. Join us to discuss implications for U.S. policy. Reading materials available at the circulation desk.

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Monday, June 4, at 1:30 p.m. iPhone Workshop: Privacy and Security Settings.

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Friday, June 1, at 10:30 a.m. Preschool Story Time. Join us for stories, songs and crafts. Ages 3-5.

Tuesday, June 5, at 9 a.m.: Baby Time @ the Library. Meet other caregivers and the littlest ones in our area. We’ll chat, sing songs and read to Baby.

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8 • May 30, 2018 • The Charlotte News

Town

Charlotters driven to electric cars

John Quinney & Suzy Hodgson

Charlotters have been quietly leading the movement to bring electric vehicles (EVs) to Vermont’s roads. On a per-capita basis, there are now more electric cars—60 in total—in Charlotte than anywhere else in Chittenden County. Several of those EV drivers brought their cars for display and joined a group of 30 to listen to a presentation by Dave Roberts from Drive Electric Vermont last Wednesday evening at the library.

We learned that electric vehicles come in two types. The plug-in hybrid vehicles are the most popular because they have a back-up gasoline engine that takes over whenever the batteries have been drawn down, extending the range of the car. Typically, these cars are plugged in overnight at home, ready to head out on battery power the next morning. Popular plug-ins include the Toyota Prius Prime and the Chevy Volt among the 20 models now available in Vermont. Driving range is from 180 to 640 miles on full batteries and gas tank. There are now nine all-electric car models available in Vermont, including the Nissan Leaf, Tesla Models 3S and 3X and the Chevy Bolt. Driving range is between 110 and 330 miles on a fully charged battery.

All-electric cars are two to three times more efficient than gasoline cars and require almost no ongoing maintenance— no oil change, no spark plugs, catalytic converters or other emissions equipment.

As a result, all-electric cars need to be serviced only once or twice a year to check vehicle systems and rotate the tires.

EVs are in early adoption stages in Vermont, making up about two percent of all vehicle purchases in 2017—still, the highest percent in New England. Today’s

EV buyers may be financially motivated.

Transportation accounts for 52 percent of household energy expenses in Vermont, and gas prices are currently on the rise.

Over the past five years, Vermont’s electric vehicle owners have saved about $2,800 on their fuel costs, not to mention reduced maintenance and repair bills. Put more simply, charging an electric car is like paying $1.50 a gallon for gas.

Getting more EVs on the roads is part of the state’s Comprehensive Energy Plan and its overall goal of 90 percent renewable by 2050. At this point, transportation accounts for almost half of Vermont’s greenhouse gas emissions. The plan calls for a gradual replacement of gasoline light vehicles with EVs and diesel heavy-duty vehicles with biodiesel. To stay on track toward the goal, Vermonters should be driving 20,000 EVs by 2025. That’s a big increase over the 2,500 EVs on Vermont roads today.

What about winter performance, you may ask? Battery efficiency goes down by between 20 and 40 percent depending on how cold it gets and consequently reduces the range. This fact alone helps account for the popularity of plug-ins over all-electric vehicles here in Vermont.

What if you’re using your all-electric vehicle for long drives? While the vast majority of EVs are charged at home or at work, there are now 165 public charging stations in Vermont. Many more are needed, especially the fast-charging stations that require a relatively short 40 to 60 minutes to replenish the battery. If another car is already plugged in when you arrive, you’ll have to look for another charging station (cell phone apps have this information) or wait. If you have a plugin, you just head to the gas station when you’re low on fuel.

If you’re in the market for an EV, here are a couple of tips:

Photo by Deirdre Holmes, Charlotte Energy Committee member

• Visit the Drive Electric Vermont web site (driveelectricvt.com) where you will find lots of useful and practical information, including a Buyers Guide, a map that shows public charging stations and a discussion of the benefits of electric vehicle ownership.

for hosting this event, which was organized by the Charlotte Energy Committee.

• Stop by your local dealerships and gather information and ask questions, especially about any local promotions; many Vermonters purchased Nissan Leafs last fall and saved $10,000 off the regular price.

• Check out the financial incentives that are available. These include a $4,000 to $7,500 federal tax credit, and several Green Mountain Power programs for low-income Vermonters, in-home leveltwo chargers and Nissan Leaf buyers.

Megan Mahoney passes the mantle to new Charlotte Energy Committee Student member, Ethan Lisle.

Photo contributed

Many thanks to Charlotters for their keen interest in transitioning to EVs, to Dave Roberts for his informative and interesting presentation, and to the Charlotte Library

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10 • May 30, 2018 • The Charlotte News

Food Shelf News Susan Ohanian Thank you We celebrate this community-spirited generosity Thank you for the support this month from Michaela Ryan, farmer and founder of New Village Farm in Shelburne, who donated 50 pounds of ground beef.

Thank you to Sage Kehr. For her “good deed project” for her bat mitzvah, Sage found out what nonperishable food items the Food Shelf needs most and then

collected 10 large bags of this foodstuff.

Thank you to the Postal Service mail carriers for their May 12 food drive—and to all who participated in this annual event.

Thank you to the Baker Volunteers for their brownies, muffins and cookies. Holly Rochefort reports they are finding that six pieces per bag/plate is the perfect number.

Thank you to Salvation Farms for including us in its mission to build increased resilience in Vermont’s food system through agricultural surplus management.

Thank you to Garden to Give under the direction of Claudia Marshall and all our community gardeners who are planning to plant a little extra to help out our neighbors this growing season.

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Thank you to the Charlotte Congregational Church and the Charlotte Library for their work on summer lunch bags for children. Thank you to Carrie Spear for participating.

Thank you to an anonymous donor, and a belated thank you to Roberta Whitmore.

Note: Rotisserie chickens, dairy and fresh carrots were a few of the items distributed along with Memorial Day celebration picnic items such as hot dogs, hamburgers, buns, baked beans, jello and lemonade mix.

Wish list Wish list items include healthful summer food items that children enjoy for lunch.

Important upcoming Food Shelf distribution dates Wednesdays, June 6 and 20: 5 to 7 p.m.

Thursdays, June 7 and 21: 7:30 to 9 a.m.

Financial assistance As a reminder, the Food Shelf has some funds available for emergency assistance with fuel and electric bills. You may contact Cindi at 425-3234 if you need assistance.

Sage Kehr and her mother, Elizabeth.

Donations The Food Shelf is a volunteer organization, and all donations go directly for food and/or assistance to our local neighbors in need of assistance. Checks may be mailed to Charlotte Food Shelf & Assistance, P.O. Box 83, Charlotte, VT 05445. Thank you.

Donated food drop-off locations All nonperishable food donations may be dropped off at the Charlotte Library, the Charlotte Congregational Church vestry, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church (main entrance) or at the Food Shelf during the distribution mornings. We request that all fresh foods be dropped off at the Food Shelf before the Wednesday

Photo contributed distribution hours or before 7:30 a.m. on the Thursday distribution mornings.

The Charlotte Food Shelf is located on the lower level of the Charlotte Congregational Church vestry.

Distribution days/times are posted above and on the bulletin board in the Charlotte Congregational Church Hall. You may also call the Food Shelf number (4253252) for a recording of the distribution times.

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The Charlotte News • May 30, 2018 • 11

Sports CVU baseball goes orange

Saturday, May 17, was a special day for the Redhawk baseball team, for the school itself and, Edd Merritt particularly, for Storm Rushford, a sophomore who had contributed strongly to the team’s success through his all-around play as a pitcher, hitter and fielder – that is until physical weakness invaded his body and he was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia last summer.

He felt it during a game he was playing for CVU’s American Legion team, S.D. Ireland. Storm underwent treatment that will last for several years, according to his doctors. Led off by Storm throwing a ritual opening pitch, the “Strike Out Cancer” game against Essex, which CVU won 7-6, was seen by his teammates as a win for him as much as for the team.

Pitcher Liam Reiner was quoted in the May 19 Burlington Free Press as committing to victory before he took to the mound, “I kind of made a promise to myself and Storm . . . that we’re not walking out with anything other than a ‘W’”.

Individual state tennis tournaments have a Redhawk look

Throughout this season, both men’s and women’s tennis teams have performed well – both individually and as doubles players.

This weekend was state tournament time for individuals, both in singles and doubles.

In the singles bracket it was yet another Joseph year, the eighth in a row for the sisters, as younger sister Stephanie claimed the title by blanking Woodstock’s Momo Biele 6-0, 6-0. Also finding the Burlington Tennis Club courts to their liking were Redhawk doubles players Kendall Blanck and Renee Dauerman who defeated a South Burlington duo 6-2, 6-2. They did not lose a set in moving through the tournament, playing four rounds.

On the men’s side of the ledger, Ivan Llona and Josh Ashooh split their semi-final singles matches with Ashooh advancing to the finals and Llona losing

to his Essex opponent. Josh earned the number two state ranking after losing to the Hornets’ Preston Gordon in the final match 6-0, 6-1.

The CVU doubles team of Joe Warren and Ethan Lisle gave their Montpelier opponents a tough battle in the semi-final round before dropping a three-set match 2-6, 7-6, 7-6.

Major turnout for Essex Invitational Track Meet

Saturday saw sunshine, runners and throwers invade Essex Junction for the annual Essex Invitational Track Meet. CVU placed a number of finishers among the top six in their events. Ella Whitman and Alice Larson led the Redhawks, placing first and second in the 3,000-meter run, with Jennifer Ireland not far behind in fifth place. Alice and Ella also ran near the top of the field at 1,500 meters where Alice came in second and Ella fifth. Caroline Hill showed her dash ability by finishing second at 200 meters and third at 100 meters. On the men’s side, Parker Soares was the only Redhawk to place among the top six in his event. He did that breaking the finish tape in sixth place in the 1,500-meter run.

Redhawk football players receive a donation for meatpacking

The CEO of a neighboring Hinesburg business, Vermont Smoke & Cure, presented a $500 donation in recognition of the work of five Redhawk football players who helped supply a large customer order of meat sticks. CEO Tara Murphy presented the check to the team at its player/parent meeting, May 21. The mother of player William Murphy, she announced that there would be additional opportunities for sponsorships, an announcement that coincides with the beginning of the Boosters’ 2018 fundraising campaign. They look to raise at least $25,000 annually to help support the team’s expenses, since it cannot be done totally from the school’s athletic budget.

Speaking about meatpacking, what about artificial turf?

Parents were very active in the last attempt to replace natural grass, and it

Goalie Ali Wainer stands strong in her net. appears they are up to it again. The main complaint, according to an article in the Burlington Free Press on May 20, is that its lack has caused CVU spring teams in particular to move games scheduled for Redhawk fields to those of the opponents who have artificial turf. At the moment, only four high schools fit the category– Rutland, Essex, South Burlington and Burlington. The amount of rain we encountered this spring caused a number of games in a variety of sports to be postponed or moved because of CVU’s waterlogged fields. The natural turf also impacts early season practice according to women’s lacrosse coach Tucker Pierson.

He notes that they try to get time in the gym, the parking lot, even the Shelburne field house. But, they are competing for non-school time with other teams, varsity and JV. A major factor is the cost of the project.

The previous attempt was estimated to cost $2.6 million, according to the Free Press

Photo by Al Frey

article. Voters in the CVU school district turned down a $1.5 million dollar bond and a $700,000 bond the following year by close, but decisive nonetheless, votes. Part of the reason for the healthy tab to do the project is the clay-based soil around CVU that inhibits drainage.

Athletic Director Dan Shepardson would like to see it happen. He had coached soccer there and knows firsthand the difficulty with natural turf. He says that between the large size of the school, the limitations of soil-based fields and the population the school serves, it ought to done. Yet, he also recognizes the expense involved.

Having played high school sports before the advent of artificial turf, this author knows the ins and outs of slips in the mud. Our greater impediment, though was slipping on fish flies in the outfield.

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12 • May 30, 2018 • The Charlotte News

Conservation Currents

Garter snakes in your garden

Susan Blood When I was growing up near Buffalo, New York, I had a friend who loved snakes, and we would spend time looking for them in my yard. When we found one, we would carefully pick it up, admire it and then let it go on its way. I loved the way their skin felt—so smooth and cool. And while they would flick their tongues at us, I can’t remember ever being bitten.

Fast forward to when we first moved to Vermont with our young boys. One of our favorite outings was to catch and release garter snakes that were sunning themselves next to the entrance of the Flying Pig Bookstore when it was on Ferry Road. We would be summoned by Josie or Elizabeth to come quickly with our bucket!

I hadn’t thought about snakes for a long time once the calls from the Flying Pig ceased, but last summer I saw a bunch of baby snakes and a few larger ones as well.

This year we have a good size garter snake that seems to be hanging around our yard under a tree where I have an old pallet and some rocks that I’ve meant to move. Now I’m wondering if I should leave them, so I don’t disturb its home!

I realized that, despite being happy and excited whenever I see a garter snake, I don’t know much about them. I imagine many of you are in the same boat.

Chances are if you see a snake in your yard or out in nature in Vermont, it’s a garter snake. To make an identification, look for its yellowish stripes: one down

the center of its back and one on each side.

The background color for these stripes is a combination of green, black or brown. Its head is often solid brown or green with a yellow lower jaw. Adults are between two and three feet long and about one inch in diameter.

There are other snakes in Vermont, but only one is dangerous—and that is the timber rattlesnake. According to a Middlebury website about snakes, none have ever been seen in Charlotte. If you happen to see one, stay away and please report all sightings to Vermont Fish & Wildlife. This species is endangered, in part because until 1971 they were bountied, and Vermont has a plan to help their population recover. Take a minute to watch the video called Rattlesnake Research in Vermont for a closer look.

Let’s get back to garter snakes and ask: What do they eat? They are carnivorous, like all snakes, and usually eat their prey live. A good meal for a garter snake might be an earthworm or a slug. If they are lucky, they might catch a frog, toad or even a rodent. Of course, whatever they’re eating is swallowed whole, head first, and then digested in their stomachs. All snakes also need water, and so chances are good they will live close to a water source.

Where do they live? Because, like all reptiles, snakes cannot regulate their body temperature, they have to move from warm sunny spots to cool underground burrows.

But they can be pretty flexible, living in fields, woodlands, marshes and, of course,

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Some common garter snakes found in Vermont. in gardens!

In places with cold winters, like Vermont, snakes hibernate together in dens or other protected spaces. I have no idea how they find these communal hibernating places, but apparently they will travel quite far to stay cozy over the winter with their fellow snake friends.

Where do baby garter snakes come from? When spring comes and the snakes are leaving their hibernation places, female snakes will give off pheromones to attract males, and they mate with several males before becoming pregnant. In fact, one could see a mating ball, which is many male snakes trying to mate with one female. Once the female snake is pregnant, the eggs gestate in her lower abdomen. She gives birth to live young in litters averaging about 25 baby snakes!

Stock images

Once they are born, they are on their own.

Snakes do not do any parenting.

If your reaction to garter snakes is more along the lines of “Aack, stay away from me!” please remember that they are far more afraid of us that we might be of them.

Chances are, after being spotted, they will slither off to find a more peaceful place to rest.

Hopefully, now when you see a garter snake in your garden you’ll be able to appreciate them a little more. And my contact information can be found on the town website should you need assistance with garter snake relocation services!

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The Charlotte News • May 30, 2018 • 13

Outdoors

The good, the bad and the ugly Elizabeth Bassett

Good news!

By the time the ink dries on this issue of The Charlotte News, hiking in Vermont’s higher elevations will be open for the season. The Green Mountain Club (GMC), steward of Vermont’s Long Trail, offers numerous walks, hikes, paddles, birding and workdays in our region through the upcoming hiking season. A June sampling: June 2: Birding at Winooski Valley Park District and Spring Trail work June 3: Moderate 8-mile hike from Lincoln Gap to Cooley Glen June 9: Camel’s Hump Loop, 6.8-mile difficult hike June 10: Sterling Pond, 9.6-mile difficult hike GMC educational workshops range from Yoga for Hikers, Women’s Intro to Backpacking Weekend, Birding on the Long Trail, Wild Edibles of the Northeast, Solo Wilderness First Aid, Hunting Wild Mushrooms and more.

A full menu of Green Mountain Club offerings is at greenmountainclub.org.

More good news In recent weeks several Charlotters have spotted bats flitting across the evening sky on the Charlotte-Hinesburg Road in Hinesburg. An estimated 90 percent of Vermont’s little brown bats have succumbed to white nose syndrome, a lethal fungal infection. If you are interested in monitoring local bat colonies, contact Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department, (802) 786-0098, to learn more.

Not so good news The causeway in Colchester, the rail line-turned-recreation trail that runs from Colchester to South Hero, suffered devastating damage during a May rainstorm. As a result the causeway beyond its first bridge as well as Local Motion’s popular bike ferry are closed for the season.

Local Motion and the Town of Colchester are seeking the estimated half-million dollars to restore the causeway.

Not at all good news: emerald ash borer The emerald ash borer (EAB) has been detected in Vermont. This invasive green insect arrived from Asia to Michigan in 2002 and has now spread to 30 states where it has destroyed tens of millions of ash trees. Recently, Charlotte Tree Warden Mark Dillenbeck spoke to a gathering at the Charlotte Library. The assembled learned that ash trees comprise about five percent of Vermont woods and forests, and

all local species are vulnerable to EAB. About 700 ash trees populate Charlotte’s many miles of right of way. While the town is considering removing these trees preemptively, the Vermont Land Trust reports that in locations that have had EAB infestations for many years, one to two percent of ash trees prove to be resistant.

VLT reminds us that healthy, intact forests can be resilient and that ours have responded to two previous epidemics, the blight of the American chestnut in the early 1900s and Dutch elm disease mid-century.

In response to those losses other species have filled in our woods. Oaks now tower where elms one stood, and silver maples have replaced elms in floodplain forests.

Owners of “specimen” ash trees—those that are large and have significant value as landscape plants (shading the house in summer, for example)—may choose to inoculate their trees with systemic insecticides. This is an expensive and toxic solution but, to date, the only one likely to be successful in sparing damage to the trees. Application should be done every two years.

Charlotte has a team that will monitor the proximity of the borer and prepare the town’s response. Contact Charlotte’s Tree Warden Mark Dillenbeck with questions or concerns.

Ugly news: garlic mustard Road Commissioner Jr Lewis and his team have made a significant difference against wild parsnip that is spreading across our landscape. The sap of wild parsnip can cause second-degree burns on exposed skin. A drive from Charlotte into neighboring towns in July confirms that Jr’s mowing has helped reduce the spread of this invasive. Thank you, Jr! Unfortunately, garlic mustard is also stealing across our town. Currently its white flowers tower over our roadsides.

Why should we care about garlic mustard?

If you love spring wildflowers—bloodroot, trout lilies, trillium, spring beauties, Dutchman’s breeches, hepatica and more— it matters to you. Garlic mustard crowds out these spring ephemerals and young oaks trees as well. Each garlic mustard plant is capable of producing up to 7,900 seeds in its flowering year. Seeds remain viable for four to seven years. If you have garlic mustard on your property, pull it up, making sure to remove its long white root as the plant can re-sprout from remaining root fragments. At the very least, cut or mow before the plant goes to seed and place in a black plastic bag, as the flower will continue to develop seeds even after it has been cut or pulled.

Meanwhile, enjoy spring in the outdoors!

Email your news announcements to

news@ thecharlottenews.org

Classifieds Reach your friends and neighbors for only $7 per issue.

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

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14 • May 30, 2018 • The Charlotte News

Shopping for a Graduate?

PASTOR

continued from page 5

Visit These Fine Merchants!

“I’m a pastor,” I replied, “and John the Baptist is one of my heroes.” This led to a conversation about Buddhism and Christianity and enlightenment and ... life.

From there I went to the Conservatory of Flowers where I saw a fanged plant and marveled with the other viewers at the tiny orchids and enormous palm fronds. I took a Lyft from there clear across town to a tiny little shop in North Beach where they sell obscure brands of blue jeans. I met the owner who opened the place 27 years ago. “What made you decide to do this?” I asked him. “I had no idea what to do with my life,” he told me, “but I have always loved blue jeans and I like talking with people, so I put those two things together and it became this place.”

It’s a wonderful place, by the way— AB Fits it’s called. And the owner, Howard, not only sells blue jeans but makes them now, too.

I had a small rock in my pocket, as I often do. I’m one of those people who collects little bits of the world as I wander through it. I took it out and was rolling it around in my hand while Howard was telling me about his life. He noticed this and asked me, “Are you done with that yet?”

Done with a rock, what a funny notion!

“I might be, why? Do you need it?” I asked him.

“No, but just up the hill there’s a tree, and if you go around the back of it you will see that there’s a box that someone attached to the tree and you can take a rock or leave a rock,” he explained with the charming enthusiasm of a person who loves his neighborhood and the people in it.

And so I did. I went up the hill, and I left my rock, from Dorset, Vermont, and took a new rock. Then I started wandering around, down alleyways where I saw laundry hanging from lines.

I saw an enormous church and was drawn there. Inside a wedding was going on! On

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a Friday afternoon in San Francisco, two people were getting married. I arrived right at the “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give you” part, and so we all shook hands and smiled. There’s nothing quite like a wedding to make everyone happy.

It had been a long day. I was tired and still kind of on East Coast time, so I called the last Lyft of the day and headed back to The Parsonage. Each driver I had met throughout the day had a good story—and this one was no exception.

It was a woman in her late 50s who had left an abusive marriage in L.A. with a small amount of money and a boatload of fears to start a new life for herself and her daughters. She shared with me how much she loves her work, how she meets people from all over the world, how much she loves driving the hills of San Francisco. She was radiant; her joy at having rediscovered herself and living a satisfying life filled the car.

You know this world, it really is so beautiful. This city, with its hilariously steep hills and gorgeous architecture, with its close proximity to the ocean, its impressive parks, tech culture, rich history, is a city filled with beautiful humans. And I met a handful of them yesterday: Vince, in the museum, who shared with me his Buddhist vision for a meaningful life; each of the Lyft drivers, who shared with me a small part of the stories of their lives; Howard, who shared with me the story of his passion for an item of clothing and how it changed his life; Simone and her kids, all of whom didn’t fit in in the traditional school system for one reason or another. We hugged, we smiled, we shared stories, us humans. I got a new rock. It was a day! Filled to the brim not so much with buildings or roads or sand and water, but with humans. People like us, who love where they live and have profoundly beautiful stories, each and every one.

The trick, the trick, my friends, is in taking the time to listen, in giving another person the space to tell you the story of who they are. You might even get a new rock out of the deal! Amen.

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1/23/18 3:49 PM

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The Charlotte News • May 30, 2018 • 15

Charlotte Senior Center News Carolyn Kulik

SENIOR CENTER DIRECTOR

How is Charlotte like Utah? Both have snowbirds.

There is Snowbird, a ski area in Little Cottonwood Canyon, outside Salt Lake City; and in Charlotte and environs we have our snowbirds flying back from points south.

Now is a great time for everyone to reconnect and catch up on winter stories.

Those who stayed behind were certainly not holed up. There are Senior Center folks who enjoy the winter season and who may also fly off to travel or babysit grandbabies all across the country. The record, however, is held by one set of grandparents who flew to Qatar to grand-baby sit for three weeks. Amazing!

Another season is upon us as spring has just barely come and is almost gone. This issue has an insert of the Charlotte Senior Center summer schedule. In case the insert looks a little overwhelming to start with, here is a brief summary of the truly impressive number classes and activities many of which are free.

Potpourri

Once again, our friendly, helpful and very knowledgeable neighbors across the street at the Charlotte Library will be coming by to present some free courses. In June, an iPhone Series of three sessions will be given by Tech Librarian Susanna Kahn. A July Book Group and a different August Book Group will be led by Library Director Margaret Woodruff. And both Susanna and Margaret will team up again in mid-July for the oneday, inter-generational baking project, Bake for Good, in conjunction with King Arthur Flour.

Other ongoing courses with no fees include: Mindfulness, Spanish Conversation, T’ai Chi Practice, Strength Maintenance, Friday Morning Arts Group, Friday Writers Group, Mahjong and Duplicate Bridge.

Art

In the Art section, there are two new courses: Collage Experiences, with Linda Finkelstein, who showed her work in April at the Senior Center; and Poetry By Heart, with Ginger Lambert, who will teach

memorization techniques. Lynn Cummings, our (almost) resident watercolor instructor, is back to teach Watercolor Gone Wild! which will incorporate some unique materials and processes.

The Center hosts monthly art shows, along with artist’s receptions. The June Art Exhibit: Group Show has five artists from the advanced oil painting class at the Shelburne Craft School. Each has a distinctive style, from classic to contemporary. The artists are Jane Guyette, Diane Lavallee, Sid Miller, Fred Morgan, Deborah Boutilier Paolantonio and Suzie Quinn. The artists’ reception is on June 8, from 6–8 p.m.

Since the Center is utilized for many classes and events, the best times to see the art shows are Tuesdays after 2:30, Wednesdays after 3 p.m, and Thursdays and Fridays after 12:30 p.m. Call the Center during the week to check on availability on Sundays.

Health & Exercise

To stay in shape and keep healthy, there are our popular exercise classes that have very modest prices of between $7 and $10 a class: Fitness At Any Age, Pilates, Dance: Moving Better, Chair Yoga, Gentle Yoga and Yang Tai Chi Chuan. As you can see, there is a wide choice of activity levels.

On Thursday, June 7, from 2–7 p.m., the Senior Center is happy to host the American Red Cross blood drive. Come by and give blood, while you enjoy the comfortable atmosphere, great snacks and friendly folks.

Events

New this summer are a Tour of the McNeil Generating Station on June 6 and a Tour of the Clemmons Farm Barn House with Susan Crockenburg on June 22. Our next-door neighbors, the Charlotte Volunteer Fire Department, will host Center visitors in July to see their equipment and gear and to learn about their procedures for fire and rescue. (Please register for these events.)

SENIOR CENTER MENUS Monday Munch

Wednesday Lunch

11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.

No reservations required.

All diners eat at noon.

Reservations required.

June 4 French onion soup Wedge salad Magic cookie bars & ice cream

May 30 Three cheese pizza Greek salad Homemade dessert June 6 Roasted curried cauliflower salad with chicken Birthday cake & ice cream

June 11 Spring vegetable & chicken soup Green salad Homemade dessert

June 13 Do-it-yourself BLTs Molded cottage cheese salad Homemade dessert

Thursday - Men's Breakfast 7:30–9 a.m.

Reservations required.

June 14 – Menu and Topic - TBA Suggested donation for all meals: $5 coordinated by Susan Hyde.

In July, the AARP Driver Safety Class returns, with AARP volunteer instructor Baird Morgan to help you improve your driving and perhaps qualify for a discount on insurance. As well, the Hour-Glass Youth Theatre comes to us at the Center to perform Shakespeare’s As You Like It in the Great Room for no charge.

And mark your calendars for August 17, when the season winds down with the Senior Center’s not-to-be missed BBQ Celebrating Summer, masterfully coordinated by Sukey Condict.

Beginning again in June are the very popular Dream Day on Lake Champlain boat trips with Al and Nancy Martin; Birding Expeditions, with Hank Kaestner; and multiple trips with Kayaking for Women,

But don’t wait for the BBQ— why not stop in for lunch on a Monday or a Wednesday?

Or you can always come by just to have a look at our lovely space, find out about volunteer opportunities or view the current art show. Whether you are active, contemplative, artistic or just love the camaraderie of a good game—or great food—the Senior Center has something for you

haphazard way of dealing with it. I have long eschewed gas-powered mowers for the old-fashioned, nonmotorized push mower.

The issue with this type of mower is if the grass gets longer than three or four inches—so easy to do if you miss a week of mowing—then the mower doesn’t actually cut the grass, it just sort of bends it back.

Then once the mower moves to different spot, the grass bounces right back to its full height of utterly un-movable.

I have struggled with this situation for three years now, since I decided to save money by not paying a lawn service $40-55 a week to mow my lawn. Naively, I enter every spring thinking if I can just stay ahead of it, everything will work fine. And then something happens during the first weeks of the grass-growing season—work,

chemo, rain, pathological fear of bugs, etc.

Now it’s almost June and my grass is six inches tall.

I ventured into the garage to see what I had that might help me get the lawn shorter so the mower stood a chance. I love that I approach lawn cutting in stages, in three-inch increments to be exact. My plan was to use the double-edged weed cutter while the weed whacker battery was being recharged. Problem was, I couldn’t find the charging base, having cleaned the tools and chargers over the winter and put them someplace that seemed intuitively smart.

But was not.

After 20 minutes of swinging metal at the dandelions I realized I was losing the battle and decided I had to replace the charger. I did, but it was the wrong size. Back

Did you make it to the Senior Center’s annual plant sale this past Saturday? There was an amazing quantity and variety of all kinds of greenery at great prices.

If you missed this one, be sure to mark your calendar for the same time next year!

Leavitty The weather has been decidedly delightful of late.

My tulips, slow at first to announce themselves, are hanging on longer than usual, making me happy every Josie Leavitt day. I love spring and its bursts of life everywhere I look. Flowers that were not there when I went to bed are waving hello in the morning breeze while I have my coffee. I love these flowers.

What I don’t like is the grass that comes with the springtime weather. I have a large lawn. Unlike most of you, I have a very

to the weed cutter tool. Have you ever tried to cut your back yard with an eight-inch piece of metal that you swing in an arc? I could hear the dandelions laughing at me.

Truthfully, this column would have been finished hours ago if I hadn’t followed so many internet rabbit holes about cordless mowers. I know some of you might be shaking your head right now, saying either hire someone or get a gas-powered mower and make your life easier. I know that’s what I should do, but I don’t like gas-powered mowers and I hate spending money on my lawn. Plus, if I didn’t mow the yard, honestly, I’d never walk around the entire house, and that seems important to do on occasion.

I pick up the new mower Monday. I’ll let everyone how that works out.

Th

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Visit www.cswd.net/hinesburg or call us at (802) 872-8111.

We have created a special page on our website to keep you up to date.

Learn more about our decision, the next steps, and your options for recycling and waste management:

All 6 of our other Drop-Off Centers are open to the public, and our staff stand ready to serve you with a smile.

CSWD Hinesburg Drop-Off Center to close december 2 In order to support the Town of While we’re closed, we encourage Hinesburg as they construct the you to visit our Williston Drop-Off new Town Garage, we will be clos- Center at 1492 Redmond Rd., just ing the CSWD Drop-Off Center at 1.5 mi. from Mountain View Rd. 908 Beecher Hill Rd. Our most spacious facility, WillisThe last day of operation will be ton accepts more materials than Saturday, December 2nd. any other Drop-Off Center. In addition, we have made a number of We understand the impact that recent improvements to make the this may have on many of you, and facility easier to use. we want to make everyone aware of your options.

While there, ask our staff about the gift card raffle. It’s free!