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Charlotte News Thursday, May 30, 2019 | Volume LXI Number 23
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Vol. 61, no.23 May 30, 2019
Vermont’s oldest nonprofit community newspaper, bringing you local news and views since 1958
Charlotte Congregational Church works on moving forward after threats and fear
Chea Waters Evans
When Susan Cooke Kittredge, associate pastor at the Charlotte Congregational Church, sat down one week in February to write her sermon for that Sunday’s service, she didn’t anticipate the trouble that would follow. She sent a version of the sermon to local papers, and after it was printed in The Caledonia Record, an anti-abortion web site took note of it and published a commentary on the article on its site and Facebook page. (See page 2.) Soon after, a deluge of threatening emails began, and the final result was a call to the Vermont State Police and a police presence at the church on Easter Sunday. The topic of the sermon, Cooke Kittredge said, was her response to that week’s reading in church, which encouraged people to come down from “the seat of the scoffers.” Thinking about many people’s natural reaction to come at challenging issues from a place of cynicism, she said, led her to share her thoughts on abortion, patriarchy and reproductive rights. In her print editorial version of her sermon, Cooke Kittredge wrote, “What I have found inescapable in the discussion
about abortion is the inherent subjugation of women.” She went on to write, “There are women and men among us who have weathered the deeply personal storm of abortion. For some it was a thunderstorm, for others a hurricane.” The anti-abortion web site Lifenews. com picked up on Cooke Kittredge’s letter weeks later, on April 15, and posted an article on its website and Facebook page with the headline, “United Church of Christ Pastor Backs ‘Right’ to Abortion, Allowing Abortions Up to Birth.” Cooke Kittredge said the intention of her sermon was not to state an opinion on the issue but rather to open a discussion on the matter and encourage members of the congregation to wrestle with a difficult question. “I think I did not really express an opinion on abortion in the sermon,” she said. “They’ve twisted what I said.” CCC Senior Pastor Kevin Goldenbogen said church staff became aware of the situation with Lifenews.com when the person who administers the church’s Facebook page noticed that the church was suddenly receiving negative reviews. One Facebook user, Debra Price-Cruz, who is not a member of the congregation, and according to her Facebook profile lives in Louisiana, wrote on the CCC page, “Susan
Selectboard reviews library addition bids and draft MOA
Cooke Kittredge is a false teacher of Gods Word [sic]. She will be held accountable before God. She is misleading the congregation.” Lifenews posted a link to its article on its Facebook page, which was shared over 4,000 times and generated hundreds of comments. Donna Graci wrote, “First of all it’s the state of Vermont, so I’m not really surprised! Disgusted but not surprised!!” Another Facebook user, Steve Woody, wrote, “As smart and intuitive as women are...they’re not to hold positions of authority.”
Cooke Kittredge and Goldenbogen said that soon hundreds of emails, phone calls and letters started pouring in. Cooke Kittredge described many of the emails as “vitriolic, scathing” and said that many called her Satan. Many included threats to Cooke Kittredge and the church at large, which led church officials to contact the Vermont State Police, who decided to patrol the area with extra coverage and to have a cruiser stationed at the church for Easter services. In light of recent violent attacks on religious institutions and faith communities around the world, law enforcement agreed with the church that the threats should be taken seriously. VSP Lieutenant Bob Lucas is stationed in the Williston barracks, which oversees Charlotte coverage. He said he can’t comment specifically on procedures relating to these types of threats, though there are protocols in place. “We have a basic response to threats which takes into consideration what was said, how it was communicated, what the environment is like, and the likelihood of further issues arising as a result of this complaint, among see CHURCH page 5
Ash tree removal underway
Board approves Town Beach playground design, defers proposed beach access ramp Juliann Phelps
The special Selectboard meeting agenda for Monday, May 20 included reviewing a draft memorandum of agreement (MOA) and contractor bids for the Charlotte Library addition, approving the playground design at the Town Beach and addressing other agenda items carried over from previous meetings. The meeting opened with Town Administrator Dean Bloch reading the three bids received for the library addition: Bread Loaf Corporation: $1,066,200; ReArch Company: $889, 991; and Naylor and Breen Builders: $1,256,222. Selectboard member Fritz Tegatz said the library committee would evaluate the bids and “get it nailed down this week.” A recommendation will be presented at the June 3 meeting. Chair Matt Krasnow also presented to the Selectboard a draft MOA, an agreement among the Selectboard, the Charlotte Library Board of Trustees and the Friends of the Charlotte Library. Vice Chair Frank Tenney was the first to question item 1A: Raise up to approximately half of the cost of the
project in funding over the next two years (by 12/31/2020) through private donations and grants. He remarked, “My concern is of 1A. So that’s December 31, 2020, but they want it built by the end of 2020.” Krasnow responded that the cash donations will be “transferred to an account [Town Treasurer] Mary Mead manages, and funds will be blended in as costs incur.” He also said the issue was addressed in item 1C of the MOA. Selectboard member Louise McCarren asked the library how much they had raised to date. Library Board of Trustees Treasurer Nan Mason said, “We have $440,000 total cash and pledges received as of today and, of that, $250,000 in cash.” She explained that pledges are donations given over a three-year period. Library Director Margaret Woodruff responded that they were waiting to hear what the bids were so they know how much left they need to raise. Both Tenney and Assistant Town Clerk Christina Booher asked about funding additional costs related to construction. The Selectboard did not act on the draft MOA, with Tenney saying, “I’d like to see SELECTBOARD page 6
One day a week this month, Chris Fortin of Chris’s Lawn Care has closed Lake Road from Thompson’s Point Road north to Sentinel Cedar Lane to remove ash trees that will soon be fatally attacked by the emerald ash borer. Fortin expects the work will be completed, barring unexpected delays, in two more weeks. The borer has not yet been detected in Charlotte but has been confirmed present in Grand Isle, Franklin and northern Chittenden counties since at least October 2018. Photo by Vince Crockenberg
2 • May 30, 2019 • The Charlotte News
Town
Planning Commision slows pace on East Charlotte Village boundary discussion Action items include requesting traffic study in East Village
Juliann Phelps During the Thursday, May 16, Planning Commission meeting, five members moved the discussion around the East Charlotte Village (ECV) boundaries incrementally forward. Town Planner Daryl Arminius was tasked with reviewing current land use regulations to make they are “internally consistent” with regard to density for senior housing and affordable housing. He was also asked by the commission to submit a letter to the Selectboard requesting the Chittenden County Regional Planning Office (CCRPO) to conduct a traffic study in the East Village. Chair Peter Joslin asked commission members if they had gotten any further in
Editorial Trust women, summon the courage, commit to change The following is the editorial Susan Cooke Kittredge wrote that appeared in The Caledonia Record and sparked an onslaught of hate mail and threats from anti-abortion website readers.
terms of village boundaries. Vice Chair Charlie Pughe replied, “We stopped trying to figure them out. If the regulations [are consistent], all we are really talking about is commercial, which is a much smaller hurdle for us to look at.” Joslin noted, “We have land use regulations that make [density] increases possible, but for whatever reason it hasn’t happened.” He asked, “Is there something else needed?” As the commission continued discussing housing density, Pughe proposed a walking tour of the area. He also proposed inviting resident Peter Richardson to share his experiences. Previously Richardson participated in an affordable housing working group for the Town of Charlotte. The commission scheduled the site visit for June 20 at 6 p.m. with a follow-up meeting
at the Grange. The commission also finished reviewing and prioritizing a list of changes related to the Proposed Amendments to the Charlotte Land Use Regulations. Some of the higherpriority items included re-evaluating district boundaries, clarifying acceptable agricultural accessory businesses (Act 143) and considering a development review board. In other actions, the commission closed hearings on the final application for PC-1952-BA Plante-Shappy (a three-lot boundary adjustment for properties located at 1801, 1807 and 1555 Spear Street) and on PC-1957-SA Zins (a minor subdivision amendment for 1654 Prindle Road). The next Planning Commission meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. on June 6.
People of faith are obliged to wrestle with thorny contemporary problems; it’s in our job description. The issues that affect people in this country, in Vermont, and in our families, are ones of moral, ethical and religious significance. The conversation will only be enhanced by varied perspectives, and our own faith deepened by our questioning.
If you’ve been following the news of the Vemont Legislature, you know that one issue sparking contentious debate these days is abortion. This is a sensitive and very personal subject that evokes deep feelings for both women and men. I encourage all concerned to continue the conversation with their faith leaders, their loved ones, and health care providers. The fate of Roe v. Wade which, since 1973 has allowed women the right to choose an abortion, is uncertain, and many suspect that it may be significantly weakened or overturned. What may happen is that decisions about abortion will be remanded to individual states. States are therefore seeking to pass laws that codify and clarify their position on this issue. In the Vermont Legislature, an abortion rights bill (H. 57) was introduced. H.57 will ensure that Vermonters have access to safe, legal abortion, making no changes to the current policies affecting abortion access in Vermont. It simply codifies into law the abortion rights that Vermonters have had for 46 years. H.57 has passed in the House and is now in the Senate. The Senate recently overwhelmingly passed Proposition 5, a proposed amendment to the Vermont Constitution that would guarantee see EDITORIAL page 24
Correction The Charlotte Volunteer Fire & Rescue Service did not change its name to the Champlain Valley Fire & Rescue Service, as we mistakenly identified it in the May 16 Selectboard story. Our apologies to CVFRS, as well as to any of our readers who wondered how a name change for CVFRS had somehow managed to elude them. We also spelled Daniel Tuiqere’s last name in two different ways in the caption to the Little League photo on page one of the May 16 issue. It’s spelled correctly here. Our apologies, Daniel.
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 experiences of its residents. Letters and Commentaries Consistent with our mission The Charlotte News publishes letters to the editor and commentaries from our readers. All letters and commentaries are subject to review and approval by the news editor of the paper and to the following rules and standards: • Letters to the editor and commentaries should be emailed to news@thecharlottenews.org as attachments in .doc format. All letters and commentaries must contain the writer’s full name and town of residence and, for proofing purposes only, include the writer’s phone number. • Letters should not exceed 300 words, commentaries 750 words. • All published letters and commentaries will include the writer’s name and town of residence. • All submissions are subject to editing for clarity, factual accuracy, tone, length and consistency with our house publishing style. • We will make every effort to print each letter in its entirety and to preserve the original intent and wording whenever editing is necessary. We will confer with letter writers before publishing letters and commentaries that in our judgment require significant editing before they can be published. • The news editor makes the final determination whether a letter or commentary 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 Contributing Photographers: Lee Krohn, Elizabeth Bassett, Vera Maroney Business Staff Ad manager: Elizabeth Langfeldt (ads@thecharlottenews.org) Bookkeeper: Susan Jones (billing@thecharlottenews.org) Board Members President: Vince Crockenberg (vince@thecharlottenews.org) Vice President: Rick Detwiler Treasurer: Ted leBlanc (treasurer@thecharlottenews.org) Board members: Bob Bloch, Gay Regan, Louisa Schibli, Tom Tiller, Dave Quickel, John Quinney, Lane Morrison, John Hammer (emeritus) 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. 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 © 2019 The Charlotte News, Inc. Member of the New England Newspaper and Press Association and the Vermont Press Association.
ON THE COVER
Photo by Vera Moroney
The Charlotte News • May 30, 2019 • 3
Report from the Legislature It’s a wrap for 2019 The legislative session went into overtime last week with expectations that we would be able to not only finish a number of must-pass Mike Yantachka legislation, like STATE REP. the budget and revenue bills, the transportation bill and the clean water funding bill, but also two bills that were on the high priority list for Democrats: paid family leave and increasing the minimum wage. One thing that’s true of every legislative session I’ve experienced is that when it ends, we can look at a lot of legislative accomplishments as well as some significant disappointments. The inability to pass paid family leave and a path to a $15 minimum wage, two separate issues that became linked as they moved between the House and Senate, came down to a failure to agree between the two chambers. Both bills stalled in conference committees as the Senate refused to move on the House-passed family leave bill unless the House agreed to the faster schedule of minimum wage increases in the Senate bill. Attempts to reach a compromise agreement failed on Friday after House Speaker Johnson offered to the Senate negotiators a menu of six possible solutions that the House could accept. Even with a decision on Friday, the House would have had to come back the next week because the Republican caucus would not agree to suspend rules to allow immediate action on those bills. Without a positive response from the Senate, Johnson asked the Senate to send the budget and revenue bills, which had been agreed to in conference, back to the House for consideration. The House passed those bills as amended, and she asked for a motion to adjourn. Both bills will remain in conference and can be worked on over the summer to be taken up in January. To end on a positive note, here’s a recap of some of the important legislation that did pass this year. Economy • Broadband expansion. H.513 increases funding for the Connectivity Initiative and authorizes communication union districts and municipalities to form partnerships with pole-owning utilities to build fiber-optic networks in rural areas. •
•
Workforce development. H.533 promotes training opportunities for small businesses and adult workforce development, creates weatherization training programs, decreases barriers for new Americans to enter the workforce and creates a program to encourage members of the Armed Forces separating from active duty to relocate to Vermont. Child care. Included in the budget is $7.4M for child care assistance for both families and providers.
Around Town Edd Merritt
Congratulations to Courtney McDermott whose poem, “Self-acceptance,” appeared in the Burlington Free Press Young Writers Project on May 17. The author compares a personal existence to the beginning of spring. “It crept up slowly, I could barely hear its hollowed footsteps. It crept up as softly as April creeps up.” The author says about herself and the world, “You are not broken any more than a crocus just beginning to bloom is broken.” And as spring days last longer, so do our pleasures from other human beings. to Iris Lawson-Ryan for her picture appearing as “Photo of the Week” in the Burlington Free Press’ Young Writers Project. It is a color photo of an opening tulip, obviously a part of spring’s awakening.
Photo by Mike Yantachka
Climate Change • Weatherization. H.63 creates an allfuels efficiency program to target lowand moderate-income households for weatherization assistance. •
Transportation efficiency. Transportation bills H.529 and S.149 create a $1.2M incentive program for electric vehicle purchases and assistance for Vermonters to fix vehicles that fail emissions tests, allocates $500,000 for state fleet EV purchases, and provides money for EV charging stations and Park & Ride expansion.
Environment • Clean water. S.96 funds $50M for the clean water initiative. •
Plastic bags. S.113 bans merchants from providing plastic bags at points of sale and also bans Styrofoam containers, plastic straws and plastic stirrers.
Health • Tobacco. S.86, H.47 and H.26 combine to raise the age of buying tobacco products to 21, tax e-cigarettes and accessories at the same rate as tobacco, and prohibit internet sales of e-cigarettes. •
Toxic chemicals. S.49 sets limits on PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) in drinking water and monitoring standards for public water supplies. S.55 requires a business responsible for a release of toxic chemicals to pay for medical monitoring of exposed individuals.
•
Lead in schools. S.40 provides funds to test and remediate lead in school drinking water fixtures.
These are some of the major pieces of legislation that will stimulate economic development, help Vermonters reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and contribute to the health of Vermont children and families. I welcome your emails (myantachka. dfa@gmail.com), phone calls (802-2335238) or in-person contacts. This article and others can be found at my website, MikeYantachka.com.
to Melrose Huff for her piece in the March/ April issue of Vermont Magazine. Melrose wrote about the local Seguin Covered Bridge that crosses Lewis Creek. She says it was built originally in 1849, “possibly by Alanson Edgerton. . . a skilled builder of bridges.” A few years later, he also built the Quinlan Covered Bridge several miles downstream. Huff notes that an inspection by Vermont’s Agency of Transportation a little over five years ago showed damage in both vertical and overhead posts by carpenter ants and powder-post beetles, hence the more recent replacement of nearly half the support structure. However, the Town of Charlotte could not afford to move ahead immediately with the rehabilitation and had to put it on hold for a year, not starting the process until summer of 2016. Taking the bridge apart, the replacement crew found more damage that required a longer time to reassemble. In January of 2018, the neighbors gathered to celebrate the restoration. According to Melrose, the bridge should be preserved for up to 50 years. A Nebraska transplant, Huff lives in a house built originally in the early 1800s for mill workers in the plants that bordered Lewis Creek in East Charlotte. to Rick and Nancy Benson, owners of Little Garden Market in Charlotte, who were featured in the May 8 Seven Days in
an article about their second market venture, Gilfeathers in Ferrisburgh. The author of the piece, David Holub, said he was surprised when he first walked into the store at both the array and the quantity of items—fresh pies, shelves of wine, craft beer and cider, crackers, cheeses and locally laid eggs plus many other take-outs. Before coming to Charlotte 11 years ago, Rick cooked and worked around Vermont from the Noodle Room in Londonderry to Taste in Burlington. Gilfeathers was, for a number of years, the Ferrisburgh Bake Shop and Deli. The name Gilfeather comes from the state vegetable, the Gilfeather turnip (although a number of customers think it is Rick’s name). The Bensons have expanded their wine selection and the number of Vermont beers. They plan to sell more specialty groceries as well.
Town Bite Nordic Farms moves from milk to a variety of products
As a result of lowered milk prices, Nordic Farms could no longer be sustained as a single-product operation. Consequently, owner Clark Hinsdale put it on the market, and the land and buildings were picked up for multiple usage by the new co-owners. The Route 7 farm is conserved under the Vermont Land Trust and must be used for agriculture. Those agricultural products have now expanded to include growing grains for malt to producing 200 pounds per week of Pacific white leg shrimp in the old calf barns. Raising lamb for Juniper Restaurant located in Burlington’s Hotel Vermont, as well as market gardens for a variety of produce, and breeding turkeys are in the works. Slowfire Bakery in Morrisville plans to move to Nordic soon and begin baking in the main barn. Having had one of the early, computerized milking systems in New England, Nordic Farms is now taking a major step forward, following its place on the cutting edge of agriculture. Andrew Peterson, new co-owner of Nordic, who also owns Peterson Quality Malt, says that the farm will continue to be a step ahead of its historical base. “We want to give people an opportunity to see what they can make happen for 21st century agriculture in Vermont.”
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4 • May 30, 2019 • The Charlotte News
Obituary James Murray
born in 1990. In 1991, Jim, Kathy and Andrew moved to Charlotte, Vermont, where Jim worked for AON Insurance James (Jim) Murray died on April 21, Managers in Burlington for the past 27 2019, at the age of 63 at the McClure years, retiring in November 2018. Miller Respite House in Colchester after Jim was an intelligent, quiet and kind a short battle with metastatic melanoma. man. He had a great sense of humor Jim had been cancer free for 11 years until this recurrence in March. The cancer and was loyal and generous. He had a unique way of always getting was aggressive, and despite to the point. His wife and treatment, he passed from son were his home, and he this life only 47 days from loved them deeply. He had diagnosis. Jim faced his a special interest in military diagnosis, treatment, decline medal collection, primarily and death with remarkable from the Boer War, and made acceptance and courage. friends all over the world Jim was born on May 16, with similar interests. Jim 1955, in Glasgow, Scotland. loved reading, British history, He was the second child of James (Jimmy) Murray and James Murray traveling and movies. He was a man of incredible integrity Margaret (Greta) McInnes who always did the right (both now deceased). His one thing. sister, Irene, still lives in Glasgow. When Jim was 11 years old, his family made the Jim is survived by his wife, Kathy, decision to immigrate to Toronto, Canada. his son, Andrew, three cats that he Tragically, Jim’s father died months later patiently tolerated, his sister, Irene, and and his family returned to Glasgow over her husband, Tommy, his sisters-in-law, Barbara, Anne Louise, Jackie and Beth, the next few years. Jim stayed in Glasgow until graduating his brothers-in-law, Jack and David, and his niece, Orlagh. Jim also has much high school, working in the insurance extended family in Scotland. business. He returned to Toronto at age A memorial service was held at Our 18 and then moved to Boston in 1984, Lady of Mt. Carmel church in Charlotte continuing to work in insurance in both on April 27 at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, places. donations in Jim’s memory may be made While in Boston, Jim met his wife, to the Vermont Food Bank or the UVM Kathy. They married in 1986 and moved Cancer Center/Radiation Oncology. back to Toronto. Their son, Andrew, was
Town
If you want to be a reporter for your hometown paper, let’s talk Chea Evans NEWS EDITOR
Do you get excited over a municipal government meeting? Are you nosy about what’s going on with your neighbors? Do you like to write? Are you interested in what happens in your hometown? If so, I want to talk to you. The Charlotte News is looking for freelance writers and columnists to cover local news and events on assignment. Our goal over the next three years is to become recognized as the best community newspaper in the state. To do that, we need to hire more writers—including interns— and assign them to find and cover a wider range of local news and events. Journalism experience isn’t necessary, but good writing instincts, a willingness to learn and a curious mindset are. If you’re interested, please send an email along with a writing sample to
chea@thecharlottenews.org. If you don’t have a relevant writing sample, write one. Write a sample news story, 750 words or less, and send it in. I look forward to hearing from you.
Charlotte Planning Commission agenda Thursday June 6, 2019 At the Charlotte Town Hall – 159 Ferry Road Agenda is subject to change—check agenda posted on charlottevt.org Reasonable accommodation shall be provided upon request to ensure this meeting is accessible to all individuals regardless of disability. Times are approximate 7 p.m. Public Meeting Call to Order Approval of Regular Agenda Public Comment Period Review of the previous Planning Commission meeting minutes Consent Agenda 7:05 PC-19-55-SD Radimer – 2-Lot Minor Subdivision for the property located at 2012 Prindle Road. Project information is available at https://is.gd/hAJojC 7:25
PC-19-65-SD Stearns – 2-Lot Major Subdivision for the property located at 7427 Spear Street. Project information is available at https://is.gd/h9o7qj
7:45
PC-19-69-SA Daley – Minor Subdivision Amendment for a building envelope for the property located at 4224 Greenbush Road. Project information is available at https://is.gd/7kqfOL
8:00
Charlotte Land Use Regulations (LUR) – Review proposed changes, updates, and comments for the “Proposed Amendments to the Charlotte Land Use Regulations.” To review the current list of proposed changes, please visit https://is.gd/nmxdyd.
TBD Other business Upcoming agenda Adjourn Notice: To appeal any decision of the Planning Commission, interested parties must participate in the regulatory proceeding (24 V.S.A. section 4471). Reasonable accommodations shall be provided upon request to ensure this meeting is accessible to all individuals regardless of disability. Planning Commissioners: Peter Joslin (chair), Charlie Pughe (vice chair), Marty Illick, Gerald Bouchard, Dick Eastman, David Kenyon and Shawn Coyle Staff: Daryl Arminius, town planner; Lynn Monty, recording secretary
The Charlotte News • May 30, 2019 • 5
Town CHURCH continued from page 1 other criteria,” he said. Two factors went into increased VSP coverage on Easter, Lucas said. “It was determined to allocate initial resources to the area to give the community assurance that we take these threats seriously, and to insure that we had proper resources in the area if something was to have happened. Communal peace of mind was also a large factor, given the threats and acts we have also seen occurring at religious institutions and other public venues around the world.” Easter Sunday passed without incident, and in the weeks that followed, church administrators decided to hold a special meeting after church services on May 19 to allow members of the congregation to share their thoughts and feelings. Rick Kerschner, president of the Charlotte Congregational Church, said that 43 people attended the meeting after services that day, “which is huge for after church,” he said. “We needed time to process…we wanted to see what the congregation thinks at this point after all this has gone on.” Cooke Kittredge said that though not everyone agreed with the ideas she shared in her sermon, she received no pushback from church members on whether it was appropriate to share those ideas in the first place. “This is an unusually vibrant, healthy church,” she said, “It’s wonderful, but it’s not just a joyful, wonderful, welcoming community. It’s a place that wrestles with, and encourages one another to wrestle with, deep issues and with meaning. People are here because they want deeper meaning and purpose in their lives. So they’re willing to engage in these conversations, which is just wonderful.” What happens next, Kerschner said, will take time and thoughtful consideration, whether they decide to respond publicly to the online incidents or not. “Is it a platform to really say what we believe? Do we let that stand out there with half a million people? Is this an opportunity to do what Christ is leading us to do?” Regardless of how these questions are answered in the long run, Cooke Kittredge said it was a gift “to see how this community and the state police, the
Shelburne Police, all just came in and said, ‘We are here for you, whatever you need.’ People took it very, very seriously.” She said that Chris Davis from Charlotte Volunteer Fire and Rescue Services called nine other area fire departments to alert them to the situation and that the Shelburne Police patrolled near her house while her husband was out of town. Cynicism, she said, has not arrived at the church and that the packed house on Easter Sunday made her realize that “the safety of the congregation was the most important thing.” She said that she personally was not frightened, but that the police presence brought her comfort. “I think I was heightened, alert,” she said, “I didn’t want to look out in the congregation and see people who we don’t know, and wonder for one minute, who they are, or what they’re reaching in their handbag for.” Rev. Goldenbogen said, “The reason we were able to move through the hate mail and things is because we’ve got deep relationships in the congregation, and also in the wider community, and with our denomination in Vermont, which has been very supportive. So we can’t do what we do, and we can’t bring our faith into the public square, unless we’ve got a strong community here.” As part of a larger statewide effort since the incident, CCC officials, the state police and CVFRS met to discuss security protocols and went over a checklist of actionable items that the church can undertake to immediately increase security in both situations like this and in other, more general ways. With Vermont’s recent state Legislature passage and likely gubernatorial approval of a reproductive health law protecting state abortion rights and a state bill in Alabama that will severely restrict those rights, the topic of abortion and a woman’s role is a national conversation. The violence and threats associated with the issue, however, seemed far from home until now. “Who would think, in little Charlotte?” Cooke Kittredge asked. “Haven’t you heard people say that every time there’s a school shooting? Who would think that would happen here?”
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6 • May 30, 2019 • The Charlotte News
Town SELECTBOARD continued from page 1 see something with hard numbers.” Woodruff nodded in agreement and said, “Some disagreements were resolved; let’s see what the true costs are.” Town Beach playground The Selectboard also approved the contract for reconstruction of the playground at the Town Beach after a protracted discussion on the increased cost of the recommended design above the initial estimate of $75,000. Two designs were presented by Recreation Director Nicole Conley and Recreation Commission Chair Bill Fraser-Harris. The second recommendation was more expensive, but “the playground will satisfy the full age range,” said Fraser-Harris. Donors had previously asked that the design be more inclusive of more age groups. The Selectboard and Rec Commission discussed the pricing options of varying playground features as well as both designs. Krasnow said, “I am leaning towards the second design. It does reach all of the goals we arrived at.” He continued, “As far as playgrounds go, Burlington is breaking ground on an $800,000 playground that is universally accessible. It’s a big achievement to do this at this scope and for $90,000.” Fraser-Harris agreed, saying, “It’s now going to be a
corner-piece of the park for us to build on.... We believe it’s still very good value for the town to have a [nearly] 50 percent donation for a capital investment even at $90,000.” Tenney asked about the tennis courts. Fraser-Harris responded that they had been resurfaced this year and that discussions continue on a long-term plan for the courts. He said the funds to construct the playground would come from the current amount in the Rec Commission capital fund, anticipated FY20 budget allocation and the donors. The difference might be able to be made up by volunteer efforts, added Fraser-Harris. McCarren made the motion to accept the second, more expensive design, saying, “This is a good value for incremental money.” To which Conley replied, “This playground is a design that invites everybody and that is the best value. It’s unique, and there is a lot to it. However, I don’t know if we should be taking away from rebuilding tennis courts and other projects.” The Selectboard approved the Recreation Commission to spend up to $90,000 on the reconstruction of the playground. Beach access ramp After conducting a site visit to the Town Beach to see the location of the proposed beach access ramp, the Selectboard deferred the agenda item until June 10, citing the need for more information on
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A computer rendering of playground at Town Beach, by Pettinelli & Associates.
potential construction options. A temporary, dock-style ramp was proposed, along with a stone or wooden option. Tegatz proposed several improvements to the request for proposals (RFP) process, including providing the Selectboard with a “written commentary from the commission” and evaluating only what is listed in the RFP and to “not bring in other things.” The Selectboard also recommended that if the bid opening does not take place during a meeting to warn it according to town policy. The library addition came up again during discussion of the request for proposal process and purchasing policy. Resident Peter Trono expressed concerns about the process of drafting the RFP and the lack of interested bidders. He asked, “Do you think there is a need to compile better bid documents, and do research ahead of time?” Trono also proposed a committee to draft town RFPs. And, finally, speeding The Selectboard heard from residents about speeding concerns during the public comment portion of the meeting and proposed action items from previous road safety discussions. Resident Megan Price spoke about recent turtle crossings, thanked the Selectboard for moving the speed cart, and again asked for consideration of lowering the speed limit on Ferry Road. Booher shared her experience running on Ferry Road and concerns about cyclists and area bicycle tour companies. Mark Moser of Greenbush Road asked the Selectboard to reconsider his proposal of installing speed tables in the West Village. He said, “Let’s do something positive and take the responsibility of controlling speed out of
the hands of the drivers with these devices. They work really well; I recommend them in the village.” Proposed action items from the Selectboard included a few previous recommendations from residents. Krasnow asked Road Commissioner Jr Lewis for estimated costs of repainting existing fog lines and extending them in the east and west villages, as well as painting or repainting the speed limit on specific roads. Krasnow also proposed a “big welcoming sign” at both village designations, similar to what he observed in Jericho. Selectboard member Carrie Spear said she’d like to see more American flags strategically placed and recommended wearing safety vests while walking. She said, “We have a lot of children walk over to the store and maybe we could encourage them to wear something.” Tegatz said, “I wasn’t allowed to walk on certain streets because they are too fast.” He continued, “At the risk of controversy, do all town roads have to be suitable for children and pedestrians?” Other suggestions included conducting traffic studies and increasing road signage. Lewis expressed concern about “sign clutter” and said, “The state police wants us to put up a 50 mph sign on Ferry Road. I am not for putting up more signs.” The Selectboard motioned to go into executive session for a personnel issue. The next regularly scheduled meeting is June 3 at 6 p.m.
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The Charlotte News • May 30, 2019 • 7
Town Charlotte Beach opens
TOWN OF CHARLOTTE SELECTBOARD NOTICE OF CONTINUATION OF 1ST PUBLIC HEARING FOR PROPOSED TOWN PLAN Pursuant to 24 V.S.A. Section 4385, the Charlotte Selectboard will continue its first public hearing to receive public comments on a proposed amended Charlotte Town Plan, as submitted by the Charlotte Planning Commission, to be held on Monday June 10, 2019 at 7:40 p.m. at the Charlotte Town Hall, 159 Ferry Road. Public comments may also be submitted in writing in advance of the public hearing. The Town Plan includes development policies for the Town, and also provides a basis for bylaws and other municipal ordinances which implement the policies in the Town Plan. This amendment is intended to meet the standards of an enhanced plan as provided under Act 174 of 2016, which would accord the Town Plan “substantial deference” in Section 248 proceedings. The proposed Town Plan affects all land within the Town. The Table of Contents for the proposed Town Plan contains the following major topic headings:
Charlotte Beach archive photo from Aug. 2015
Nicole Conley CHARLOTTE RECREATION DIRECTOR
The Charlotte Beach opened Saturday, May 25. The beach is open to the community to enjoy the beautiful scenery and the amenities it offers. Weather permitting, beach attendants will be present from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. to open and maintain the facilities and assist with parking. Parking passes are required during the regular season (Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend). All season and day parking passes are available for purchase at the Charlotte beach during the beach attendant’s shift. Season Parking Pass Residents: $20 Nonresidents: $40 Additional pass: $5 **Please note: Additional parking passes must be purchased at the same time as the first pass is purchased. Daily Parking Pass Residents: $3 Nonresidents: $6 **We accept cash or check—we do not accept credit cards or foreign currency. Please help us enforce the beach rules listed below to create a fun and safe environment at our beach: 1. A current beach pass must be displayed at all times. The beach pass must match the license plate of the vehicle.
Photo by Lee Krohn
2. No parking is permitted on either side of Lake Road. 3. The Town of Charlotte does not employ lifeguards at the beach. Swimming is unsupervised and at the risk of the individual user. 4. Dogs and other pets are not allowed at the town beach or any facilities around it, which include the park area, tennis courts, playgrounds and ball fields. 5. Boats are prohibited in the swimming area. Please use the southern section of the beach front when launching small boats such as canoes and kayaks. 6. Open fires are permitted only in the picnic area barbeque grills. 7. Firearms and/or explosives are prohibited. 8. Please follow our carry-in/carry-out procedures to help minimize trash at our beach. Glass bottles are not allowed at the beach. 9.Tennis court facilities are available on a first-come, first-served basis for tennis, unless it has been reserved for a recreation program. Please allow rotation for the next players in line to use the court after one hour of play. The beach attendants have been trained to politely intervene if any of the policies are not being followed. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me. I look forward to another great summer at the beach!
1. .Charlotte Tomorrow 1.1. Vision and Goals Conditions 1.2 Future Land Use 1.3 Regional Context 1.4 Natural Resources 1.5 Lake & Shoreline 1.6 Agriculture & Forestry 1.7 Historical & Cultural Resources 1.8 Demographics & Housing 1.9 Economic Development 1.10 Utilities, Facilities, & Services 1.11 Transportation 1.12 Energy 1.13 Implementation
2. Charlotte Today / Community Profile 2.1. Natural Resources & Physical 2.2. Historic & Cultural Resources 2.3. Demographics 2.4. Housing 2.5. Economic Conditions 2.6. Utilities, Facilities & Services 2.7. Transportation 2.8. Energy 2.9. Existing Land Use
3. Charlotte Yesterday List of Maps List of Tables List of Figures Appendices (under a separate cover) The full text of the proposed Town Plan is available for review at the Charlotte Town Office during regular business hours (8 a.m. to 4 p.m.) and on the Town’s website: www.charlottevt.org.
8 • May 30, 2019 • The Charlotte News
Library News Margaret Woodruff
leave his village in Sudan at the age of seven and trek hundreds of miles by foot, pursued by militias, government bombers and wild animals, crossing the deserts of three countries to find freedom. When he finally is resettled in the United States, he finds a life full of promise but also heartache and myriad new challenges. Moving, suspenseful and unexpectedly funny, What Is the What is an astonishing novel that illuminates the lives of millions through one extraordinary man. Copies available at the library circulation desk.
DIRECTOR
KID PROGRAMS Preschool Story Time Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. in June Stories, songs and fun! Three to 5 years old with or without parent/caregiver. Citizen Science on Safari Thursdays at 3:15 p.m., June 6 & 13 Be a citizen scientist! You can make a difference by counting elephants, zebras, rhinos and more! Help scientists understand the diversity and dynamics of wildlife populations across Africa by identifying wildlife caught on camera. From our library in Vermont, we will learn how to classify and record animal images to assist conservation groups in South Africa. No previous knowledge necessary. 4th grade and up. Registration required. Drop-in LEGO Fun Thursdays at 10 a.m., beginning June 20 Try a challenge or build your own creation with other LEGO fans. Summer Reading Kick-Off with VINS Friday, June 28, at 1 p.m. A snake, an owl and a turtle will be visiting the library. VINS will tell us myth and legends about all three. All ages invited and no registration required. This program is made available through a generous grant from the Vermont Department of Libraries. ADULT OFFERINGS Library Book Discussion: The Contract Surgeon Thursday, May 30, at 7:30 p.m. This beautifully written historical novel from one of the West’s most popular
writers tells the true story of the friendship between Valentine McGillicuddy, a young doctor plucked from his prestigious medical career and newly married to serve in the army during the Great Sioux War, and the great chief Crazy Horse. Copies available at the Charlotte Library. “Chasing the Moon” Preview Wednesday, June 5, at 7 p.m. Join us for a preview of the American Experience series Chasing the Moon, a film by Robert Stone that reimagines the race to the moon for a new generation, upending much of the conventional mythology surrounding the effort. Our clip, “The Giant Leap,” covers Neil Armstrong’s historic moon walk and the events here on the earth that surrounded it. The entire series premieres on Vermont PBS July 9. Men’s Book Group: What Is the What Wednesday, June 12, at 7 p.m. What Is the What is the epic novel based on the life of Valentino Achak Deng who, along with thousands of other children —the so-called Lost Boys, was forced to
Mystery Book Group: A Beautiful Blue Death Monday, June 17, at 10 a.m. On any given day in London, all Charles Lenox, Victorian gentleman and armchair explorer, wants to do is relax in his private study with a cup of tea, a roaring fire and a good book. But when his lifelong friend Lady Jane asks for his help, Lenox cannot resist another chance to unravel a mystery, even if it means trudging through the snow to her townhouse next door. One of Jane’s former servants, Prudence Smith, is dead—an apparent suicide. But Lenox suspects something far more sinister: murder, by a rare and deadly poison. Copies are available at the circulation desk. Green Family: Small Steps, Big Impact Tuesday, June 18, at 7 p.m. Join Sarah Ringler and Amy Gianetti for a new take on green. Learn about what homemade and prepared products can help you and the earth, make up a sample to take home and try out some new ideas first hand.
you on a mission to reduce waste and spread good fun in the process? If so, we want you! We’re looking for friendly, enthusiastic, volunteer Waste Warriors to help bring our waste reduction mission to life at Charlotte community events. iLearning: iPhone & iPad Tips & Tricks at Charlotte Senior Center Wednesday, June 26, at 1 pm Bring your iPhone or iPad, preferably updated to latest iOS, for some hands-on learning with Charlotte’s tech librarian Susanna Kahn. Get tips on searching, organizing your apps, the share menu, helpful apps and more. There will be time for questions. This program is free. Registration is required. This programs meets at the Charlotte Senior Center. Charlotte Library Contact Information Margaret Woodruff, director Cheryl Sloan, youth services librarian Susanna Kahn, tech services librarian Hours Mondays & Wednesdays: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays & Fridays: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Reach us on the web at charlottepubliclibrary.org. Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/charlottelibraryvt. Follow us on Twitter & Instagram: @CharlotteVTLib.
Waste Warrior Training Wednesday, June 19, at 7 p.m. Are you a rampant recycler? Do you carry your banana peel home when you can’t find a compost bin? Are
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The Charlotte News • May 30, 2019 • 9
Food Shelf News Susan Ohanian The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls. –Pablo Picasso
The helping community Thank you to the Berkowitz family for their large donation of flavored coffee and after-school snacks. Thank you for the continued financial contribution from Anne Castle. Thank you to Gloria Gardner and Eileen Paragano for their donations in memory of James Murray. Thank you to Elizabeth Bassett and John Pane who donated in memory of Dr. Alexander Stevens, a longtime family friend. Thank you to Virginia Kleper, who donated in honor of Lady Mary Holmes’ 85th birthday. A big thank you to our U.S. Postal Carriers for their National Annual Food Drive to support local food shelves. Charlotte received a bountiful supply. John Lavigne, Ken Oboz and Bill Doris were drivers. Volunteers checking to make sure all items are well within the “use by” date before placing them on the shelves included Diane Cote, Nancy Bloch, Louise McCarren, Giles Anderson, Anne Marie Andriola, Cindy Tyler, Susan Ohanian and Karen Doris. A need Donations to help with monthly diaper purchases would be gratefully appreciated. Please note that specific sizes are needed,
Color Our World art kits.
and with tax exempt status, the Food Shelf does not pay sales tax. This means that monetary donations specifying “diapers” will go further than actual diaper donations (which create a storage dilemma when they aren’t the needed sizes). Tune in next month for an exciting announcement of joint projects from the Charlotte Congregational Church, the Library, the Grange and the Boy Scouts. Important Distribution Dates at the Charlotte Congregational Church Wednesday, June 12, 26, 5–7 p.m. Thursday, June 13, 27, 7:30–9 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 Pat Rodar at 425-3083 if you need assistance. We are available to all community residents. Privacy is very important and respected in our mission of neighbor helping neighbor. For emergency food call John 425-3130. For emergency assistance (electricity, fuel) call Pat at 425-3083. For more information call Karen at 4253252. Donations We are a volunteer organization, so all donations you make to the Food Shelf go directly for food or assistance to our local
Diane Cote and Giles Anderson check expiration dates, while Ann Marie Andriola puts an approved item on the shelf. Photos by Susan Ohanian
neighbors in need. Should you wish to honor someone with a donation, a special acknowledgement will be sent to that person. 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. Please check the expiration date. We request that all fresh foods be dropped off at the Food Shelf before the Wednesday distribution hours or before
7:30 a.m. on the Thursday distribution mornings. Baked goods for the Hunger is Hard (Baking is Easy) group can be dropped off on the Wednesday distribution dates by noon at the Congregational Church or at Holly Rochefort’s house at 86 Spear Street, where a bin sits on the porch. The Charlotte Food Shelf is located on the lower level of the Charlotte Congregational Church vestry. Distribution days/times are posted on bulletin boards in the Charlotte Congregational Church Hall, at the Charlotte Library and at the Charlotte Senior Center. You may also call the Food Shelf number (425-3252) for a recording of the distribution times.
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In the spirit of feeding the spirit as well as the body, Katherine Stockman donated a lovely basket of art kits for children and young adults to enjoy over the summer. The idea comes from Color Our World (COW), a grassroots organization that promotes the idea that self-expression should be a part of everyone’s life. COW designs art kits that are mobile and filled with crayons, colored pencils, markers, paints, colorful pipe cleaners, Wikki Stix, construction paper and more. COW has brought art supplies to six continents and 11 countries. Visit the COW website at colorourworld.org and learn more about the various ways people can get involved in this worthy endeavor:
10 • May 30, 2019 • The Charlotte News
Education A new program at CVU CVU students will experience a change in their schedules beginning on May 30. The RISE program starts then and runs through June 12. Peter Langella, CVU librarian, and Abbie Bowker, CVU art educator, worked over multiple years to put this in place.
Bonnie Birdsall DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL LEARNING & COMMUNICATION CHAMPLAIN VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT
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What is RISE? RISE stands for Reflective Interestbased, Student Experiences, a new program taking place during the last two weeks of school at CVU. It is focused on interest-based learning. Students will attend either two seminars a day, morning and afternoon, or a full-day seminar each day for the two weeks. In addition, some students designed independent learning experiences and they may be engaged in that work. Why RISE? This helps us create a fusion between conventional learning and personalization and flexible pathways. These are goals in our district and continuous improvement plan. Interest-based learning helps students better develop skills. Students are more intrinsically motivated when they can choose to learn about something. Research shows that students learn more deeply when they concentrate on one or two learning experiences. Students will focus on their part in their learning and their part in their community. As CVU Principal Adam Bunting said in a recent email to students, “Not only does RISE allow you to explore interests and pursue self-determined learning, but it also bolsters and personalizes your transcript (not a bad bonus!).” What do parents need to know? First, students still come to school each day. Attendance is mandatory, and this is a graduation requirement. RISE is an
intensive session and part of the academic school year. Students put in requests in the fall to express their interests. All student requests were honored, and they have been placed into one of their requested sessions. There is a total of 81 sessions. Students chose courses based on who they are as a learner. The seminars offered have three distinct independence levels. These three options provide access to a variety of learning experiences based on the readiness of the participants. • A structured experience will have a teacher administering the curriculum. • A guided experience will have a teacher well versed in the topic area helping a student co-design the curriculum. • An independent experience will have an adult to help students shape and access their learning, but the students would completely craft their experiences. Students who began their pursuit of an independent learning seminar now have plans in place and are on the cusp of doing interesting and innovative projects through that strand of RISE. What’s a typical day during RISE? RISE launches on May 30 and runs through June 12, which is the Exhibition Day. The school day runs from 9 to 3. The buses will run on the late-arrival schedule that has been followed each Monday throughout the year. The first seminar is from 9-11:30 and the second from 12:30-3. Lunch is offered in between, and there’s an advisory curriculum during that time frame. How is this connected to graduation standards? There is a focus on the graduation standards of “Self Direction” and “Responsible and Involved Citizenship” during RISE. All seminars connect back to either or both of these standards. Students’ reflections about the experiences, themselves as learners and members of the community will be a vital part of RISE. Each experience will be linked to one to three accountability measures: The Head, The Hand and The Heart. • The Head experiences focus on the pursuit of intellectual growth. Experiences linked to the Head will also appear on a revised transcript as one of the academic graduation
standards. • The Hand experiences explore the making and design of a product. • The Heart experiences deal with personal and community well-being. Every experience will be linked to the Heart, which will manifest itself on a revised transcript as one of the graduation standards under “Self Direction” or “Responsible and Involved Citizenship.” Descriptions about each seminar in the RISE catalog indicate which accountability measures connect to that seminar (http://bit.ly/2019RiseCatalog). Students will be assessed only on these skills and not discipline-specific standards. What are some examples of the seminars? Teachers have spent their own professional development time to take the titles and initial concepts and expand them into deep learning experiences for students. Here’s a sampling of some of the seminars offered in this year’s RISE Course Catalog (http://bit. ly/2019RiseCatalog): The Science Behind the Yellow Tape Voiced Passion = Action Cultural Immersion Natural Dye Foraging for Fiber and Textiles Sports Analytics Non-intimidating Fitness for Fun How will students show what they have learned? The different seminars will have different learning objectives based on the two main graduation standards. Each student will participate in an Exhibition of Learning Day on June 12. Every seminar will present to a larger audience. If people have two different seminars, they will demonstrate their learning for each seminar. The purpose of this day is to share and celebrate the learning from over the two weeks and build excitement within our community about the future potential of interest-based initiatives. The demonstration of learning will take different forms. Some may be performance based, some hands on, some exploratory, some informational and technical, etc. What do colleges/universities think of this experience? Almost 100 colleges, universities and technical programs were surveyed about interest-based opportunities for students. This includes a variety of institutions ranging from elite programs, to state and private institutions, and technical schools as well. They each indicated that some type of flexible learning enhanced an applicant’s candidacy. What can families do to support RISE? While RISE is underway and after it ends, ask your child: • How it’s going? • What are you learning? • What are you learning about yourself? • What type of seminar(s) might you choose next year now that you’ve had this experience?
The Charlotte News • May 30, 2019 • 11
Education Arches Christa Duthie-Fox, Teacher
Love and Hate Kate Silverman Love, a simple word. - Hate, just the same. Love, for a movie or for a hamburger. Hate, for a movie or for a hamburger. Love, for a person or for an animal. - Hate, for a person or for an animal. Love, one syllable, can say it in a blink of an eye. - Hate, say it in a blink of an eye, but will hear it with a flinch. Love, can’t always see it. - Hate, loudly expressed or buried down deep. Love, the way you show affection. - Hate, the negative feelings toward someone you dislike. Love, the way your heart skips a beat, without the dying part. - Hate, feeling like you’re dying, when it’s faced at you. Love, mushy gushy, or just knowing you can’t live without it. - Hate, wishing it wasn’t there, imagining life without it. Love, Hate, Different, yet so much the same.
Gothic arches, semi-circular or lancet, whose stability’s dependent upon the stone adjacent placed just so. Buttresses support. Rib vaults heighten, but lighten the load, pressing downward onto walls that want to push outward. Balanced forces, with sacred geometry. An architectural feat. Fighting On Maddy Bergeron Every day I struggle It’s hard to keep up with the rest I try but sometimes it just isn’t good enough One day I could just stop trying but I know I need to fight
CCS Welcomes Grandparents and Grandfriends
I need to go on Then someday I’ll be striding down the hall of fame still fighting on like the rest for them for myself for the world I’ll fight go on and... STRIDE DON’T.LOOK.BACK. Alden Looft Taking a hike through the woods and sleeping under the stars hiking into a cave seeing a face DON’T.LOOK.BACK. Running away while the screeches ensue brambles cut into your flesh as you do anything to get away DON’T.LOOK.BACK. Life is a crucial thing Dying is an unwanted thing Running is the saving thing DON’T.LOOK.BACK. Looking back would mean death
Reach the campfire, look around find a person sleeping Try to wake him up while you DON’T.LOOK.BACK. Run away at the last second Hear the sounds of screaming You start to sob as you just try to NOT.LOOK.BACK. A cabin ahead is your only hope Try to see it through your tears your life is depending on it as you DON’T.LOOK.BACK. You reach it throw open the door as you just manage to grab an old shotgun YOU.LOOK.BACK. The large black ball of terror leering at you through the shadows bloody from the other victim as you FIRE.YOUR.SHOT. As you advance upon the wounded face raise your rifle set the sight and you just END.IT.ALL.
News from the CCS PTO A message to our incoming kindergarten families
We would like to express a great big welcome to our newest families at CCS. It was great getting to meet you at last week’s kindergarten social, and we look forward to working with you during your time at CCS. The Parent Teacher Organization is a partnership between the parents and staff to enrich the lives of the students at CCS. You will get a weekly newsletter from the PTO highlighting upcoming activities specific to PTO happenings. Please contact us with any questions, concerns or ideas you may have. We believe in community and fostering good communication among everyone. We especially want to extend a special invitation to our spring Community Potluck/ Fun Run/Basket Raffle, that takes place on Thursday, June 6, starting at 4:30 p.m. at the field behind the school. See below for all the details. _________________ Dick Buchwald looks on as his granddaughter, Hazel, shows him her work during the Charlotte Central School Grandparents and Grandfriends Day on May 24. After coffee and a snack, grandparents visited students in their classrooms to see their cubbies, check out their desks and work on an art project together. Morning classroom time was followed by an assembly that featured songs and folk dancing. Photo by Carol Buchwald
In front of you, smoke is rising Use all your energy to NOT.LOOK.BACK.
Spring Community Potluck/Fun Run/Basket Raffle - June 6 Registration for Champ Run Please click on the following link to access the form for runner registration: gallery.mailchimp.com/ 19229b61860a823bff8c4aaa3/files/617f6fd1e51f-45f9-845e-d2ffc212727e/Champ_Run_ Registration_2019.pdf Basket Raffle Information Please keep an eye out for emails from Sarah Ringler, who is organizing the class basket raffles along with Amy Janetti. She has sent out detailed information to families on how to donate to your children’s class basket. Thanks in advance for your donations! Volunteer Below is a Signup Genius link to register for volunteer times at the event
for setup, registration, ticket sales and clean up. Please consider volunteering so that we can make this a successful event! https://www.signupgenius.com/ go/10C054DA9AD2CABFA7-2019 _________________
Schedule of Events 4:30-5:30 p.m. Middle Level Open House Podcasts, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, What’s Your Story, ISS Research Videos, and Omega Student Showcase on the Second Floor. Run Registration Opens in MPR/Basket Raffle Ticket Sales Begin 5:30-6 p.m. Fun Run—CCS Athletic Fields Corral start for K-2 grade runners/families, and 1-Loop / 2-Loop options for older runners. Registration required. 6-7 p.m. Potluck To make sure there is a variety of food for everyone, people are asked to bring the following item to share based on the first letter of your last name: A-G main course/ side dish; H-M salad; N-Z drinks or dessert. Compostable plates and tableware will be provided, but please bring your own serving utensils for your dish. 7 p.m. Basket Raffle Drawing—MPR Multiple baskets donated by classes at CCS. Contact us at ccspto@cvsdvt.org with questions. _________________ Reminder: CCS Night at the Ballpark with the Vermont Lake Monsters is Friday, June 14.
12 • May 30, 2019 • The Charlotte News
Education
School board discusses flag policy and innovation, among other topics
Flag raising In a previous meeting, the school board requested that the Policy Committee develop a policy regarding raising flags at schools across the district. Earlier this year, a studentled effort to raise a Black Lives Matter flag at Champlain Valley Union High School caused the school board to confront the fact that there was no current policy dictating which flags can be flown at CVSD schools. At issue during the policy discussion on May 21 was the idea that the new policy set before the school board applies only to flags at CVU. The remaining schools in the district are one middle school, one elementary school and three schools that have kindergarten through 8th grade students in the same building. Some school board members were concerned that the topics suggested by certain flags—Black Lives Matter and LGBTQ+ were among those discussed—would raise questions for young students who might not have the maturity to understand the nuances of what those flags represent. School board member Russ Caffry said he thought that whatever policy is developed should apply to all schools in the district. “We should be able to craft a policy which is going to be broadly applicable, as opposed to every time someone wants to fly a flag having to come and make presentations to the school board. It should ultimately be an administrative matter,” he said. Others thought an across-the-board policy didn’t consider younger students. Dave Connery said that, though he understands that middle schoolers are capable of developing opinions, their development is very different across age groups. Connery suggested leaving the policy as it
is currently written and approaching the issue for the younger students once it is tested with the high school students, suggesting that doing so would “limit [the] school district’s risk.” CVSD Human Resources Director Mark McDermott said that the current policy was developed after he studied “four or five” other policies from school districts and universities that have already handled this matter. “I did enough research to satisfy myself and am going to send it through one more time,” he said. School board member Angela Arsenault was worried that limiting students’ ability to raise a flag that represented a certain group would limit their constitutional right to free speech. In the end, Chair Lynn Jaunich suggested that the Policy Committee discuss the matter with the current K-8 principals before taking any further action. “I think it’s only fair to get their input before we impose something on them,” she said. If the committee is able to get principal input and come up with needed revisions before the board meets again on June 4, the school board will discuss the policy again and vote on it June 25. Otherwise, the discussion will take place June 25 and the vote will be held in September when school and school board meetings resume. Other matters The school board welcomed comments from three foreign exchange students who spent the year at CVU; all three students said they enjoyed their time in Vermont and meeting new friends. One mentioned how rural it is here compared to his home in Spain, and another was thrilled to be on the winning soccer team this fall. Jeff Evans, the director of learning and innovation, gave a presentation to update the school board on proficiency indicators that have been developed at CVSD schools in
We should be able to craft a policy which is going to be broadly applicable, as opposed to every time someone wants to fly a flag having to come and make presentations to the school board. It should ultimately be an administrative matter.
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Daniel and Cecile Moran to Mateusz and Nicole Kozlowski, 14.62 acres with dwelling, 276 Nature’s Way, $675,000.
April 29
Robert and Christine Brown to Chantal Roy-Hewitson and Nathaniel Thompson, 5.06 acres with dwelling, 366 Black Willow Lane, $989,000.
April 29
Stacey Sigmon to Robert A. Anderson, 6.31 acres with dwelling, 14 East Thompson’s Point Road, $112,500.
April 29
Terry Close to Terry Close and Jonathan Hart, .68 acre with dwelling, 1389 Church Hill Road, $142,900.
May 6
John P. Kennedy and Kerri Courtney to Matthew S. and Kathryn B. Jennings, 5.5 acres with dwelling, 197 Pease Mountain Road, $855,000.
May 9
Beverly B. Drumheller Revocable Trust to William Pendlebury and Mary Cushman, 10.10 acres with dwelling, 289 Upper Old Town Trail, $1,250,000.
May 13
Edward Havard and Rita Murphy to Champlain Housing Trust Inc., condominium, 559 Ten Stones Circle, $166,325.
May 13
Champlain Housing Trust Inc. to Jacob King and Kristen Rose, condominium, 559A Ten Stones Circle, $285,000.
May 15
Town of Charlotte to Kim Locke, 0.29 acre right of way, 95 Inn Road, $3,190.
May 15
Paul and Sarah Potter to Charles L. and Kimberly K. Feeney, 2.1 acres with dwelling, 249 Wexford Lane, $599,000.
May 22
Peter S. Gras to Jeffrey Irving Jr. and Jennifer Paronto, 1.22 acres with mobile home, 540 One Mile Road, $329,000.
”
Russ Caffry, School board member
recent years. He said that past grading and data collection from standardized testing scores didn’t give as complete a picture of student achievement as the current, more specific model of proficiency-based learning. By giving students specific learning targets and then measuring them as a whole, he said, educators are better able to understand “what students know, understood and can do.” He said the next step in maximizing CVSD’s usage of this data is to develop a system that works comprehensively across the district and integrates the information into one place. Chief Operations Officer Jeanne Jensen reported that the school district budget came in “favorable to budget” at the end of the year, with an approximate “slight surplus” of $406,736. Superintendent Elaine Pinckney reported that Innovation Grants issued by the school district for projects like CCS’s augmented and virtual reality programs, an interdisciplinary art installation at Williston Central School, and a therapeutic play environment created in Hinesburg by guidance counselor Vicki Nelson were all excellent examples of putting grant money to creative use. Out of $112,000 in requests, CVSD was able to award $58,000 in grants to educators who needed funds for projects that reached outside of regular classroom activity.
Likeness Only
Chris von Trapp, REALTOR®
April 24
“
Chea Waters Evans The Black Lives Matter flag issue and the aftermath of the controversy earlier in the year dominated the conversation at the Champlain Valley School District school board meeting on May 21. The meeting at CVU featured talks from current foreign exchange students, an update on proficiency indicators and a lengthy discussion about a comprehensive policy moving forward regarding flag raisings at district schools.
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The Charlotte News • May 30, 2019 • 13
Real Estate Spice up your home to list! Chances are you have heard that the real estate market is strong right now, and maybe you have been thinking it’s time to make the big move and list your home. You might Heather Morse even be watching CONTRIBUTOR the market and wondering what people are doing to make their homes stand out. There are a few inexpensive things you can do that will go a long way when putting your home on the market. First, finish all those “projects” you have been putting off. The missing trim in the corner of the bathroom, the loose knobs in the kitchen or the weather seal on the door that is falling apart. These all affect someone’s first impression of how well maintained your home is. Take some time to look around your house and think about the everyday wear and tear you have become accustomed to. I know I have a hard time seeing them in my own home, so ask your realtor if you need help. Curb appeal is huge. The front of your home will be essentially the cover to your listing as well as the buyers’ first impression when they pull into the driveway. It’s tempting when you’re thinking about moving to skip the weeding
and mulching this summer, but don’t. Buyers love seeing the potential, and some people have a hard time envisioning how nice a flower bed can look when maintained. Just like the inside, attend to any paint touch-ups and loose railings, and keep the walkways clean. When thinking about upgrades, think clean and simple. Chances are the next owner and you will have very different tastes. So if you decide to paint, avoid vibrant or very dark colors. Think clean and bright. This being said, painting can nicely update a home, but if you are not confident in your painting skills, this might be best left not done. A bad paint job is very noticeable, and most buyers will paint when they move in anyway. This goes back to first impressions; if they feel the finishes weren’t done well, they will be concerned about other parts of the home. Finally, clean and declutter like you have never done before! Do the towels always fall out in the bathroom pantry? Can’t open a couple drawers in the kitchen because they are too full? Here is your opportunity to get a jump start on packing and organizing. Everyone grows accustomed to having all their appliances on the counter and creams and makeup out in the bathroom. Try to keep those neatly stored away. You want buyers to be able to see how much space there is and not be distracted by the stuff. Don’t make it unlivable, but this is something else your realtor can help you with on a room-by-
room basis. When deciding what to do to your home to be ready to list, remember this is the first time someone is seeing your home; you get only one first impression, and you need to make it count. I wish you the best of luck with your sale and summer projects. Heather Morse is a realtor with Green Tree Real Estate and can be reached at heather@vermontgreentree.com.
If you decide to paint, avoid vibrant or very dark colors. Chances are the next owner will have very different tastes. Stock image
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14 • May 30, 2019 • The Charlotte News
Gardening
Horsford’s
Vera Moroney
A tree was planted the same year that Eileen Schilling and Charlie Proutt purchased Horsford Gardens & Nursery in 1985. Both the tree and Horsford’s have grown to delight gardeners, Horsford’s through the tenacious and dedicated attention of Eileen and Charlie, and the tree from being in the right location. Recently, on a cold spring day, Charlie provided a tour and history lesson. Horsford’s, founded in 1883 in the same location as today by Fredrick Hinsdale Horsford and Cyrus G. Prindle (of Prindle Herbarium at UVM), is Vermont’s oldest nursery. It has thrived when other Vermont nurseries have had mixed results, Charlie believes, because they grow the vast majority of their stock and plants. Perennials, shrubs and trees are overwintered at the nursery, and annuals are grown from seed in the greenhouses. This produces plants and trees with strong roots. When shopping, inspect the root systems of plants to make sure they are strong and healthy. Horsford’s will not disappoint. A visitor first has the delight of the display gardens and the seduction of the garden store. Both provide inspiration, and who knew we needed so much? The nursery was on the tour, abuzz with folks working and mountains of potting soil everywhere. Leo, a fixture of the nursery since the tree was planted and Eileen and Charlie bought the place, was busy with repotting clematis alongside
folks probably half his age. In another shed folks were repotting shrubs and mulching them with rice hulls. To this observer this was a labor of love more than a job. Thoroughly chilled, we went into the greenhouses where Eileen was hard at work. The greenhouses were built in stages. The first, made in England in 1893, is still in use. About 20 years ago a Lord and Burnham vintage 1956 greenhouse was salvaged from Worcester, Massachusetts, and integrated with the existing structures. Horsford’s uses integrated pest management practices in the greenhouses. Charlie was very expressive in discussing the beneficial insects released in the greenhouses to control (i.e., eat) pests. The landscaped display of plants was more than impressive. Warmed, Charlie then showed off the shrub area. Signs are made on site. The shrubs are so magnificent you could forgo annuals and perennial flowers and just garden with them. Even more impressive than the nursery activity, the greenhouses and the shrubs is the vast area west of the greenhouses, holding potted perennials, all neatly arranged on a ground cover awaiting adoption. Really, no gardener could resist taking a few home. Each year Charlie and Eileen have taken on a new project or expansion. The whole is way more than the sum of its parts!! Horsford’s, a Charlotte treasure, is well worth a visit.
The year of the tulip Vera Moroney Gardeners all know that gardening is inexplicable. A crap shoot. Look around this year, there is no way to explain the fantastic display of tulips. Everywhere…on Shelburne Road in front of businesses, in every garden. Many years we look dismally at the eaten and degraded stubs of plants. This author crabs that tulips are a bunch of worthless annuals. SO WHY?? Well, there is no real answer. There are many ideas for fall planting. Eileen Schilling at Horsford’s spreads crushed oyster shells. Others spread hot pepper flakes and plant Fritallas. Perhaps others do votive candles and music. It has been a cold spring (spring???) and that might have enhanced the blooms. Don’t know. But what a display.
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Page 14 August 17, 2017 Shelburne News
The Charlotte News • May 30, 2019 • 15
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16 • May 30, 2019 • The Charlotte News
Sports a year after the Redhawks won their first of nine state championships. Since then Dave’s teams have piled victory on top of victory, bringing him his 200th win two weeks ago against Mt. Mansfield. A 1994 graduate of CVU, Trevithick was in on the beginning of the program under its first coach, Brett Lewis and the able assistance of Ed Hart. Though short in stature by today’s standards, Dave was a capable stick handler and shooter. With three brothers having played for the Hawks, the Trevithick name soon became common in that sport’s conversations. Current CVU principal Adam Bunting and he were teammates.
Edd Merritt
CVU’s Sophie Dauerman tops the state high school tennis players
For the sixth straight year, the Redhawk women have placed a player atop the list of Vermont state tennis champions. The Joseph sisters (Kathy and Stephanie) had won five titles and Sophie, now a junior, has won this year. Playing at the Burlington Tennis Club, her closest match came in the semifinals against Woodstock’s Momo Biele, which required going to a third-set tie breaker before Sophie won 6-3, 4-6, 10-5 and moved on to overcome a freshman from Hartford, Phelan O’Keefe, in the finals 7-6, 6-3. As a result she was nominated for “Girls Athlete of the Week” in the May 28 Burlington Free Press.
Josh Ashooh pushes St. Johnsbury opponent hard for the men’s title On the men’s side, Redhawk Josh Ashooh won his first round match 6-0, 6-1 over his Essex opponent. He took a
Ultimate Frisbee has a disc drive
Ian Parent at the plate against Rice.
semifinal victory as well and faced St. Johnsbury’s Mate Koszo in the finals. Pushed by Josh, the championship match went three sets until Koszo came away victorious, 3-6, 6-4, 7-6.
Redhawk pitcher Ian Parent Gatorade player of the year
Gatorade named senior Ian Parent, CVU baseball pitcher, the state’s player of the year. This award, according to an article in the May 25 Burlington Free Press, is based
Photo by Al Frey
on “outstanding athletic excellence, high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the field.” In addition to his baseball prowess, Ian is a member of CVU’s Link Crew (a group of upperclassmen charged with orienting new students) and a volunteer for Special Olympics and Habitat for Humanity. Among his baseball achievements, Ian pitched a no-hitter against Rice earlier this month, throwing 103 pitches and batting in two runs himself. When not on the mound, Parent doubles as a first baseman.
Fourteen seasons as a high school coach turns your beard gray
Shelburne
Ultimate Frisbee is one of the newer sports at CVU, but the players have picked it up quickly. Based on what once was simply a toss-it-back-and-forth backyard game, it has become a competitive sport. Teams play on a field similar to a football field, and the object is to get the disc into the end zone without the opponents intercepting it or the offense dropping it. Players have to stop running when they receive a pass, but they can turn and throw it to any of the other receivers on the field. They cannot hold the disc for more than 10 seconds. If that happens, the offensive team turns over the disc and goes on defense. This transition happens often in a game. In addition to the rules, the game is played without referees, and it depends on fair play called by players. The Redhawk team has won 12 games this year plus the Capital Classic Tournament in Montpelier at the beginning of May.
Dave Trevithick took over as lacrosse coach of his alma mater, CVU, in 2005,
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The Charlotte News • May 30, 2019 • 17
Books
The wide world of sports
Great sports writing is about much more than just sports Katherine Arthaud I don’t know if I could call myself a sports fan. I’m not sure I am one technically. Probably not, actually. I have a son who would probably qualify as a sports fan. He played football briefly in high school, but has become an avid watcher of football games, college and pro. He does that fantasy football thing (so complicated I can’t even think about it without getting a headache), and during football season, he’s in front of the TV a lot with his friends, shouting. I enjoy going to football games—they’re quite spirited and festive—but honestly, though patient souls have tried to explain the rules of the game to me on several occasions, I cannot for the life of me understand them. Which of course undercuts my full enjoyment of the sport. But hey, the food is good, in moderation if possible. … Then there’s basketball and tennis. My son loves watching those too. He really follows what’s going on, knows the players, the rules, that kind of thing. Not me. Except for tennis. I know quite a bit about tennis. I play tennis, and I love watching it, especially in real life. Last summer I went to two days of the U.S. Open and saw Nadal, Federer and Keys play, among others. I swear it was like watching gods and goddesses on Mount Olympus. I was in awe. Does that make me a sports fan? Does anything about what I have just said make me a sports fan? I will leave that, Dear Reader, up to you to decide. As for playing sports, I do enjoy playing sports. Looking back over my life, I have, I realize, played a good number of them. Kickball, hopscotch, jump rope, field hockey, soccer, tennis, horseback riding, four square, crew, paddle tennis, squash, racquetball, ping-pong… (You may not agree that all the above qualify as actual sports, but as I am the writer of this article, I feel that for its duration, I am the decider about that; and I say that they are all sports. OK?) Anyway, right now I would say my main sport is tennis. I play a lot of it, and I love it. I have learned so much from playing this game: about myself, about sportsmanship, patience and focus…all kinds of things. One of the people who has taught me much about the game is Jake Agna (many of you probably know him), and we have had many conversations about the sport over the years, including discussions about his philosophy of teaching tennis to kids, which is really all about playing the game, loving the game, respecting the boundaries of the game and not worrying about technicalities. Jake happens also to be a big reader, and I tend to try and read books he recommends. Recently he told me about The Best American Sports Writing (edited by Jeff Pearlman), saying that it is really good, really well written and about more than sports. I went right out and bought it for my son (actually, for my other son—a moderate sports fan, I would say, and a college varsity sprinter) for graduation. I presented it to him, he thanked me then laid the book down on the kitchen counter. Big mistake. The minute he turned his back, I picked it up and started reading it. I am still reading it. Jake was right. It is phenomenal. And just as Jake said, the articles are not just about sports. One is about Mohammed Ali’s funeral. Another
is about a female long-distance runner who started running when her sons were toddlers to lose weight. In time she was doing marathons, and then ultramarathons: 50-milers, 100-milers and even-more-milers. Then she got MS, and…well, take it from me—these articles are riveting. One of the most powerful, “The Concussion Diaries” (Reid Forgrave, GQ) is about a football player, the son of a high school football coach, who started playing the game in third grade. “Zac was a thumper,” his father said of him. “Of all the boys, he was the one who wouldn’t show pain, who’d be fearless … He’d throw his heart into anything. He was the kind of guy I like on defense.” Zac learned to use his head as a weapon and, as he puts it, “learned to put my head down so I could have the edge and win every battle. Not only that, but I liked the attention I got from the coaches and other players.” He writes that he would get headaches during practice, but because of the reputation he was gaining with coaches and classmates of being “a tough nosed kid and a hard hitter,” he didn’t tell anyone about the pain. He wanted to prove himself to his dad and his older brothers, so he kept playing and hitting hard. His suicide, at age 24, was brought on by the hellish symptoms of CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy), a progressive degenerative disease of the brain found in people with a history of repetitive brain trauma. After his death, his family found Zac’s diaries and, with them, his instructions to them to print his story, post it on Facebook and “use the pain of his life and too early death to warn the world about CTE; get people like us, he said—football fans, football players, football lifers—to face the truth about people like him.” This article goes on to ask the question, What now? What now, with this immensely popular game? Adults who play football know about CTE and, one could argue, know what they are getting in for when they choose to play. But what about kids like Zac? “Can we really let kids keep doing this?” asks the author. “If so, how? Now what?” Mind-blowing article. Powerful, unforgettable and important, it doesn’t give answers but rather tells a riveting, tragic story and brings up some mighty difficult questions. Another article, “Cheers on a Soccer Field, Far from Las Vegas” (John Branch, New York Times), begins on the sidelines of a soccer field with the author watching his 12-year-old daughter and her teammates play a game. One of the girls on the team, “a quick and feisty forward who wears a long ponytail and jersey No. 8” has no parents at the game; they are in Las Vegas for a getaway weekend. As it turns out, their getaway weekend was the Harvest Music Festival, where a gunman opened fire from a hotel window onto the crowds below. Number 8’s mother was killed while her father attempted to help one of the wounded, and the author was called in to cover the story. In this short piece, a middle school soccer game is an entrée into a complex, devastating and heartbreaking realm. A 12-year-old girl racing across a soccer field, a mother caught in crossfire, and a community responding to a sudden, inexplicable tragedy. We live in violent
“
I presented The Best American Sports Writing to him, he thanked me then laid the book down on the kitchen counter. Big mistake. The minute he turned his back, I picked it up and started reading it.
”
times. We hear news of trouble and read tallies of victims, but seldom do we, can we, understand the profound ripple effects of such events on families and communities. Incredible journalism. I highly recommend this collection. Not a sports fan? Don’t let that stop you from trying this one. On another note, but in keeping with the same general theme, I have also been listening to Andre Agassi’s memoir, Open (read by Erik Davies). Does one have to be a tennis fan to appreciate it? I’m not sure, and since I am a tennis fan, I am probably not the best to say. I am loving this book. It’s very well written, very honest, engrossing. Time magazine said that it may be one of the best sports autobiographies of all time, “told in an arresting, muscular style.” I can’t stop listening to it. Amazing to read about a tennis phenom who achieved the sport’s highest honors while hating and resenting the game for its brutal and endless demands on his life and for the way he never really chose it. “But if tennis is life,” writes Agassi, “then what follows tennis must be the unknowable void. The thought makes me cold.” This book covers a lot. Childhood, marriage, hair
loss, fame, an overbearing violent father, wealth, emptiness, insecurity, passion, drive, resilience, perfectionism, fear, courage, losing, winning… I’m not sure how I missed this book when it came out 10 years ago. I had no idea it was so good. Though his name doesn’t appear on the cover or the title page, Pulitzer Prizewinning newspaperman J. R. Moehringer collaborated with Agassi on this memoir. Moehringer apparently insisted that he not be given credit on the book jacket. “The midwife doesn’t go home with the baby,” he said. “It’s Andre’s memoir, not our memoir, not a memoir ‘as told to.’ It’s his accomplishment, and he made the final choices.” Said Agassi, “A lot of the things that have been said about me aren’t true, and a lot of the things I used to say about myself aren’t true. Part of my story is something I’m ashamed of. …I knew in the book I had to expose everything. I think the reader can tell when you’re holding back, and I also wanted to see my own narrative come into focus. The truth is always surprising.” The truth is always surprising. That seems a good place to end. Till next time!
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18 • May 30, 2019 • The Charlotte News
Books Genevieve Trono There is nothing better than spring and summer book releases, and this year is no exception. As a book reviewer, I am lucky to be able to read advanced reader copies of many books sent to me by publishers and authors, which is definitely one of the perks of this hobby! Now that the countdown to summer is on (even though the weather doesn’t exactly seem like it), I thought it would be fun to put together a list of new book releases that I highly recommend. The Scent Keeper, by Erica Bauermeister The Scent Keeper was one of those books that just took me away from the very first page. The scenes are described so beautifully and I was able to picture everything so perfectly from Bauermeister’s incredible storytelling. The Scent Keeper is a coming-of-age
My 2019 summer reading list story with the element of incorporating the senses, in particular, the power of scent. The characters are raw and flawed, which I always find makes stories much stronger. There are hidden secrets, self-discovery and transformation, and the ending will leave you guessing but also feeling open to the power of your own imagination. When thinking of the genre this would fit into, it really is in the realm of its own. If you enjoyed Where the Crawdads Sing and The Great Alone, this would make a wonderful addition to your spring and summer reading list. The Scent Keeper takes you away into a place you probably haven’t traveled to before in your reading world, and I can’t wait to read what Bauermeister comes out with next. Mrs. Everything by Jennifer Weiner Mrs. Everything is the highly anticipated release from women’s literature legend Jennifer Weiner. The novel covers the life of two sisters, Jo and Bethie, as they struggle
to find their place and identity in an everchanging America. Weiner’s ability to transport you to a totally different time and place makes this book so engrossing. There is a Judy Blume vibe in her writing that brought me right back to one of my very favorite adolescent reading favorites, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. I loved the relationships and the powerful (and sometimes painful) issues that were covered. Weiner’s writing is always relatable, and she is a gifted storyteller. If you are looking for a book that will inspire a great conversation with a reading friend or are looking for your next book club pick, this is it! A Woman Is No Man by Etaf Rum This story follows three generations of Palestinian woman who live in Brooklyn and their struggle to break the mold that prior generations have set before them. We are lucky to live in a country where it’s easy for us to advocate and vocalize opinions, but it is easy to forget how many people still live in oppression. A Woman Is No Man is heartbreaking, and Rum’s writing gives a voice to the many women who are still struggling to find their own. This was an eye-opening read for me, and it also was a powerful reminder of how hard it can be to break the cycles that have been set in families and communities for generations. This story challenged me and opened my eyes to how important it is to remember where someone has come from because it makes a part of who they are today. It is never too late to change, but sometimes the discomfort can cause this to be a much harder road than any of us might originally anticipate. This book is a thoughtful and honest portrayal of a family and the power of self-compassion and perseverance and will stick with me for
years to come. Summer of ‘69 by Elin Hilderbrand In the reading world, Elin Hilderbrand is the queen of the beachbook genre, and every summer I look forward to her newest release. Hilderbrand has the ability to write stories that are engaging and also have deeply woven relationships and subplots. She is gifted at writing multidimensional, page-turning books that are perfect for bringing on your summer vacation or reading by the pool. And this summer, Elin is trying out something new. In pure Hilderbrand style, Summer of ‘69 brings a historical twist on your favorite Nantucket beach read. In addition to succeeding with her usual “style,” she takes on some of the issues of the times, including civil rights, women’s liberation and the Vietnam War. Layered and thought-provoking while also being super enjoyable to read, Hilderbrand nails the perfect beach read yet again! ------------------- Thank you for taking the time to read my recommendations. I hope they help inspire your own summer reading plans! As always, for more book reviews and suggestions you can check out genthebookworm.com See you next month!
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The Charlotte News • May 30, 2019 • 19
Outdoors
Walking the Camino Portugues, one slow step at a time Elizabeth Bassett
I recently walked the Portuguese Coastal Camino from Porto, Portugal, to Santiago de Compostela, in the Spanish region of Galicia. Slowed by the weight of my pack, I strolled at a stately pace for about 150 miles. Slow down with me now, for a few hundred words, to see what grows along the Camino. Camino is the historical name of a religious or spiritual journey on foot, bike or horseback to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela where, it is believed, remains of St. James have lain since the 800s. Over the centuries pilgrims have arrived from England, across Europe, and from the Middle East to venerate St. James. Today tens of thousands make the journey each year. We were warmly welcomed at churches, alberges, hotels and restaurants; several gardeners even plucked oranges for us as we walked by. Our journey began at the end of a Metro line near the northern edge of Porto. As we began walking north, the April sun hot on our backs, Atlantic Ocean waves crashed onto broad sandy beaches. We strolled over miles of boardwalk; when those ended we found our feet on cobblestones. These small, often decorative squares are beautiful in the plazas and sidewalks of Lisbon, but under foot for many miles, they provide a hard and lumpy surface. Arriving at our first overnight stop, a campground beside the beach, we cast off our shoes and massaged the bottoms of each other’s feet. Cars whipped past on narrow, cobbled roadways. On both sides of the road yearround crops of vegetables, in fields and hoop houses, filled the fertile floodplain. Laborers huddled against the wind as they pulled long rows of onions, twisting off the greens and leaving the bulbs to dry. Row upon row of leeks, new crops of lettuce, broccoli and kale, fava beans and potatoes stretched into the distance. We were not surprised to learn
Protea and orchids on grave.
Following the scallop shells
that Portugal is a net exporter of fruit and vegetables to the European Union. Home gardens were lush with Mediterranean plants: orange, lemon and fig trees; cascades of purple and white wisteria; enormous pots of orchids, calla lilies and alstromeria; and giant protea shrubs. Protea grow in a nearly endless range of colors; they are native to South Africa and proliferate in Hawaii. They also have a wide variety of forms. Thus, Carl Linnaeus named the genus Protea after the Greek god Proteus, who could change his form at will. In the days before Easter florists and family members heaped graves with cascades of orchids and alstromeria, protea, calla lilies, roses and birds of paradise. We strode over Roman Roads and between stone walls from the ancient province of Lusitania. As we moved north soil fertility declined and, while gardens continued to host a few citrus trees, the prevailing crops narrowed to potatoes, onions and kale. Lots and lots of potatoes and kale! You’ve heard of Portuguese kale and potato soup? After four days of walking in Portugal we boarded a barely sea-worthy boat taxi for a
five-minute crossing of the River Minho into Spain. Steering with one hand while rolling up the Portuguese flag and unfurling the Spanish banner with the other, our captain pointed his craft into the wind and sped across the channel. With some relief we stepped into Spain. We arrived on the eve of a national election—and into the fervor of another Spanish separatist region, Galicia. Vans with loudspeakers plied the streets, and Galician-speaking candidates rallied boisterous crowds in public parks and town squares. Billboards were plastered with photos of candidates and black-bordered announcements, like those used to announce a death, that proclaimed: Rest in Peace Spanish Democracy, 1977-2019. We read in The New York Times that the Galician separatist party was successful in gaining seats in Parliament. Galicia is called the Ireland of Europe not just for its abundant rainfall. A harsh, stony landscape replaces the rich farmlands farther south. Sheep scrounge in fields choked with invasive gorse and forests rise into the foothills. Citrus trees no longer sagged beneath the weight of their crop, and a nowfamiliar palette of vegetables filled most gardens: potatoes, onions and more kale. Lest we forget, Spain and Portugal are both home to robust wine industries. In addition,
Contemporary depiction of a pilgrim. Photos by Elizabeth Bassett
they produce sherry and port, respectively. Only when the landscape was at its most harsh did we not see plots of wine grapes— sometimes trellised high, sometimes low, and nearly always supported by the local material of choice, granite posts. For several days we circled an estuary where mussels, oysters and scallops are farmed on floating wooden platforms. Alas, it was time to point our feet inland, following the scallop shells that are the traditional markers of the Camino. One incarnation of St. James is as a pilgrim, a scallop shell prominently displayed on the front of his hat. Our feet eventually delivered us to Santiago. We celebrated with hundreds of others in front of the cathedral and we slept, for the experience, in cell-like rooms of a former monastery! By the way, why walk the Camino? For the experience! A wise decision.
Accidental Pastor I remember it like it was yesterday. Well, almost. Fourteen years ago Ellen Russell and I said yes to something no one else wanted to do, or at least that’s my Melissa O’Brien hazy recollection. We stepped up to the toddler plate and organized a playgroup for parents and babies at the Charlotte Church. Oy vey, we’ve come a long way. In two weeks her son, Zach, and my daughter, Coco, will graduate from eighth grade at CCS. Obviously we’re not the first parents in the history of the world to have seen our kids stretch from playgroup in the church’s lower level to podium in the school multi-purpose room, but still. It feels both impossible and also like it took forever to get here. And, in the parlance of the ever-popular texting symbol: My two other kids, Sam and Nate, are long gone from the Charlotte scene. They are both graduating from college next year. Sam took an extra few years to decide to go to college, so he’ll be 24 when he graduates; Nate went the more traditional route of school …
You’ve come a long way, baby
school … more school. In my early days post-college I was a teacher, and so my life was school … school … more school, with a small break until I became a student and earned a master’s degree, and then I really lost any semblance of reason or sanity and earned another master’s degree. As a pastor I’m still one of the lowest-paid people on the planet, so it hasn’t been for monetary advancement; it’s been for the love of learning, pure and simple. I have stayed a student for so long because as my time on this planet increases I realize how little I Coco Eyre know; my curiosity deepens and my hunger to explore, to learn, to wrestle with questions and ideas grows. I have always loved the culture of school life. As a kid I felt safe in a place where desks were in rows and one could feel a sense of accomplishment, having finished
one’s work in a timely manner. In fifth grade my output was so efficient, apparently, I earned the honor of tutoring other kids. I remember being given the privilege of going to the “big room”—a kind of all-purpose room with a kitchen and tables, lots of windows, the nicest room in an otherwise old and smelly building—to learn how to weave. No joke. There was a loom set up in there, and some of us were allowed to practice weaving on it. Maybe this was an early attempt to ward off kid burnout, I have no idea, but it was fun and Photo by Melissa O’Brien funny. Much later I became a teacher, so life seemed to have been leading me where I was headed all along anyway. Which, if I were chosen to give the commencement address for the CCS graduating class of 2019 and their parents, is basically what I would tell them: Your life is
constantly giving you clues as to where you should go with your time and energy. The best training you can possibly give yourself is to hone your ability to hear the sound of your very own heartbeat. School, no matter what the stage, is not a waiting room; life is not what happens when this thing you’re doing now is done. Learn to trust your gut and to enjoy the days you are alive. I’m pretty sure we had a lot of fun back in the playgroup days. We were tired moms— were we ever—but I remember laughing a lot with Ellen over the many strange realities of motherhood. To look at our kids now, all whacked out on teenage hormones, ready for the next thing, a little scared of the unknown … this is immense treasure and we know it; us parents know it. You can look at them and almost see the wings forming at their shoulder blades. No longer weighed down by a diaper full of pee, no longer attached to a binky, no longer needing us old folks all the time, eager to be free, these graduating kids of ours begin their trek further afield. Before long most of them will have a piece of paper in their clutches that gives them the freedom to operate a 3,000 pound box of metal in motion. Going, going … godspeed, kiddos. Text your mom often.
20 • May 30, 2019 • The Charlotte News
From the Archives 1958
The Charlotte News • May 30, 2019 • 21
Out Takes Edd Merritt Well I dreamed I saw the silver spaceships flyin’ In the yellow haze of the sun There were children cryin’ and colors flyin’ All around the chosen ones All in a dream, all in a dream the loading had begun We were flyin’ mother nature’s silver seed to a new home in the sun . . . “After the Goldrush” – Neill Young So, does the current state of the world mean we’re headed for the apocalypse? Quite a few songwriters have a vision for our earth that begins with an apocalyptic happening. Whether it’s REM’s “End of the World as We Know it,” Richard Shindell’s “You Stay Here,” the Talking Heads’ “Road to Nowhere,” Elvis Costello’s “Waiting for the End of the World,” Bruce Cockburn’s “Last Night of the World,” or back in the days of Harvard prof Tom Lehrer’s “So Long, Mom” or Crosby, Stills and Nash’s “Wooden Ships,” there are these and many more tunes that either comment on our “Eve of Destruction” or look toward a new beginning for this planet of which none of us has a clear vision. The writers may also believe there is a universe beyond our sun and there are planets or other types of solar systems, perhaps with terrestrial bodies, that hold forms of being different from ours, forms that have developed to exist on the resources of galaxies of which we know very little about. Tom Waits tells us the “Earth Died Screaming.” Perhaps it will, and these forms will hear that scream. They may know no more about us than we do about them, but their eye in the sky will be more cognitive than simply a weather report. So, how did I get on this happy topic?
Heading for the apocalypse Well, it was a memory of two science fiction novels from a number of years ago. The first was Walter Miller’s A Canticle for Leibowitz” (Bantam Books, 1959). Its plot is based on a world that was destroyed by a global nuclear war called the “Flame Deluge.” Its rebirth became known as the “Simplification.” When Miller tells the story, its title character has been dead for centuries, but prior to the deluge he was an electrical engineer who survived the war and was determined to preserve knowledge from the former era of his life. He hid his savings in a fallout shelter. They included some handwritten notes that resembled a shopping list for his wife, Emily. Leibowitz gained sainthood based in large measure on what was found centuries later when his shelter was discovered and those (Miller calls them the “learned”) who did not wish to follow the “simpletons” of the Simplification joined and were ordained as monks in the Holy Church. That’s “apocalypse A.” “Apocalypse B” is David Brin’s novel, The Postman (Bantam Books, 1985). Its plot rests on the travels of a man who survives a cataclysm that destroys much of the west coast of the United States. He finds and wears a postal uniform in order, at first, to keep warm, and he takes shelter in a postal van in which he finds a sack of mail that he brings along as he travels the area, using the mail to barter with the remaining inhabitants for food and shelter. The people desperately believe he is a real postman from before the bomb because they want the world to revert to its former self, a restored United States, and the letters contain information that deals with a pre-apocalyptic country. These two novels are science fiction stories that do not leave our current
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world as it is. The apocalyptic events change it dramatically. The most recent Atlantic Magazine (May) contains an article by David Epstein in which he talks about Paul Ehrlich’s 1968 bestseller, The Population Bomb (Sierra Club/ Ballantine Books) in which Ehrlich says that it is too late to prevent a “doomsday apocalypse resulting from overpopulation. . . The human population was growing exponentially; the food supply was not.” If you happened to notice a quote at the top of the Senior Center column in the May 2 Charlotte News, it was attributed to Donella Meadows. She and her husband, Dennis, were faculty at Dartmouth’s Tufts School and together wrote a book titled Limits to Growth (Potomac Associates, 1972). It was based on a study that followed Dennis’ graduate work with Jay Forrester at MIT in which he applied a computer formula to the world’s population and determined that at the current rate of growth, the earth would fail to be able to sustain humanity much longer. He and Ehrlich appeared to be on the same track.
These books describe apocalyptic visions that leave the people of the earth on a planet that is entirely different from the one we know, but they are, nonetheless, still on this earth in an orbit around our sun. They are not elsewhere in a universe that contains millions (if not more) possible settings for some sort of life or life-like forms. With space vehicles just now reaching elements of the universe we have never seen or traversed, it seems as though humanity will gain an understanding of what these solar systems produce, and they, in turn, will gain an understanding of us. As scientists and science-fictionists try to envision what it may be like—eyeballs in space, N.K. Jemisen’s Stillness, Terry Pratchett’s Disc World or something we cannot even picture—we must still rely on the human mind to conjure up what kind of place in the universe it may be—including black holes or elephants on a huge turtle’s back. Maybe it will go back in time to the days of my 1930s Ford coupe, mechanical brakes, rumble seat and all. The passengers, however, may have six arms and three noses.
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22 • May 30, 2019 • The Charlotte News
SENIOR CENTER MENUS Suggested donation for all meals: $5
Monday Munch
Wednesday Lunch
June 3
June 5
11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. No reservations required. Tomato soup, Cheddar cheese biscuits, Greek salad, Brownies & ice cream (soup and biscuits by Philo Ridge)
All diners eat at noon. Reservations required.
BLTs Homemade birthday cake & ice cream
June 12
June 10
Soup - Chef’s choice, Green salad Homemade dessert
Taco salad Strawberry rhubarb cobbler
Thursday Gents Breakfast
7:30–9 a.m. Reservations required.
June 13 Menu: TBA | Topic: TBA
(Keep up to date on menus with Front Porch Forum, as these sometimes change.)
Carolyn Kulik
SENIOR CENTER DIRECTOR
R“And so, with the sunshine and the great bursts of leaves growing on the trees, just as things grow in fast movies, I had that familiar conviction that life was beginning over again with the summer.” F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby At the Senior Center, the summer is definitely beginning over again with our new Summer Schedule inserted in this issue. In it are some returning seasonal favorites seen in the Outdoors section: Kayaking for Women (7 trips), Boating Lake Champlain with Al and Nancy Martin (6/20, 7/18, 8/15 & 9/5), and Birding Expeditions with Hank Kaestner (6/1, 7/17, 8/14). These activities all require registration, which begins on June 1. Cycling back this June is the popular AARP Smart Driver Class (6/21), a classroom refresher course that may enable you to receive an auto insurance discount; it provides drivers the opportunity to finetune driving skills and become safer and better drivers. Registration necessary. Fee: $20 ($15 for AARP members). Another popular returnee is the third annual Bake for Good (7/11), which connects seniors with young friends for a fun morning of baking rolls, eating and feeling a sense of accomplishment! Sponsored by King Arthur Flour, this event is free. There are also new carpooling trips that take advantage of the (hopefully) warmer weather: Shelburne Farm’s Sun to Cheese Tour (6/12), a daytrip to Middlebury College Museum of Art with lunch at the Middlebury Inn (8/9), visiting Lemon Fair Sculpture Park in Shoreham (8/17) and a tour to the Rokeby Museum in Ferrisburgh (8/28) that “brings the story of the Underground Railroad to life.” Please note that these all require advance registration and some have fees. To help kick off the start of summer, our Annual Plant Sale took place last weekend and was a great success—helped along by a sunny morning. A big thank you to coordinator Sukey Condict and the many
volunteers who contributed in a variety of ways, from digging up plants, potting, making signs, etc.—as well to as to the many people who came to enjoy the plant bargains. During the next three months, there is quite a wide variety of topics for the afterlunch Wednesday events: from Music of the 50s and 60s, to Japanese Ceramics, to Fun with Donkeys, to Downsizing, and much more. Be sure to plan ahead and reserve your meal beforehand. JUNE Wednesday Afternoon Events at 1 p.m. 6/5: Charlotte Central School Concert, directed by Monica Littlefield. Come listen to the 6th Grade Chorus perform in their last event. This enthusiastic group will perform a variety of songs they have learned this school year. 6/12: Sun to Cheese at Shelburne Farm, with Sandi Detwiler On this 2-hour tour, we first go to the Farm Barn to watch cheddar cheese being made, taste all the different Farm cheeses and visit the dairy to see cows, calves and the milking process. Please register and pay in advance. Cost is $20 per person, maximum is 11. 6/19: Music of the 50s & 60s, Oldies Revival, with Peter and Helen Rosenblum Join the musical fun as this Hinesburg duo strums and sings the hits that will forever live in our hearts and minds—from the romantic ballads of the Everly Brothers to the rockin’ rhythms of Chuck Berry. 6/26: iLearning: iPhone & iPad Tips & Tricks, with Susann Kahn Bring your iPad or iPad for some handson learning with Charlotte’s tech librarian, Susanna Kahn. Get tips on searching, helpful apps and organizing them, the share menu and more. Registration required. No fee. Held at the Senior Center. Courses Due to strong interest this year, the Book Discussion Group is being offered again for a new four-week session in July. The book is Walking Each Other Home: Conversations on Loving and Dying, by Ram Dass and Mirabai Bush, with discussion facilitated by Charlotte Library’s
Margaret Woodruff and Pam MacPherson. This group meets at 10 a.m. at the Senior Center, and there is no charge; however, registration is necessary. Dates: 7/10, 7/17, 7/24 & 7/31. Starting in June, there will be a monthly Book Discussion Group, Part II for those who have already participated in a previous four-week course based on Walking Each Other Home. This groups meets on the second Monday of the month from 9:30-11 a.m. on 6/10 & 7/8; on 8/12, only, it meets at 1 p.m. No fee. For those of you who are not “morning people,” Mindfulness Practice, with Jill Abilock, is returning for the summer in the afternoon at 2:30-3:45; a regular class is to be offered in the fall. It provides tools to help change how your experience things, increasing fulfillment and happiness, and reducing stress. This course welcomes walk-ins and is free. Begins on 6/5. French for Travelers and the French Conversation Circle, with Alysse Anton, will be taking a summer vacation but will return in the fall. It is possible that there will also be an Italian for Travelers class at that time as well. Please don’t forget all the wonderful exercise classes (Pilates, Yoga, T’ai Chi, Moving Better, Strength Maintenance) and activities (Mahjong, Duplicate Bridge, Sunday Games) that the Center offers on an ongoing basis. And did I mention the art courses and gathering of creative folk (Fiber Arts, Arts Group on Fridays, Writers Group, Shape-Note Singing)? You are always welcome to come and try something out—with no charge—to see if it’s right for you. Art News The June Art Exhibit features the colorful, abstract acrylic paintings of Robin Grace. She says, “I was born in Western Australia and throughout many changes, painting has always been a sustaining factor in my life. Color and the exploration of shape and line, along with gesture and music, are all part of my intuitive abstract paintings.” You are invited to the artist’s casual reception on June 9, from 3-4:30 p.m.; light refreshments will be served. When you plan to visit the show, please
note the best times to see art exhibits below since the Center’s exhibition space is used for many other events and classes. Call ahead to check if you can. Best times to see art exhibits in June are after 12:30 on Tues., Thurs. (except 6/13 and 8/18) & Fri. You might also catch a quick peek at about noon on Mon. and Wed. Please call the Center during the week to check on Sunday afternoon availability. Even if you are not ready to sign up for a class or to volunteer, stop in and say hello—we love to show people around. (We are probably not what you expected!) The Center is at 212 Ferry Road, Charlotte and is open M-F from 9-4. Or give us a call us at 425-6345. Residents from other communities are always welcome. Our mission is to serve those over 50. No membership fees. To learn more about the Senior Center, other courses, and our menus for the month, please visit our new website: CharlotteSeniorCenterVT.org. See you soon! ________________ Charlotte Senior Center (802) 425-6345 CharlotteSeniorCenterVT.org “Green was the silence, wet was the light, the month of June trembled like a butterfly.” - Pablo Neruda, 100 Love Sonnets
The Charlotte News • May 30, 2019 • 23
Sacred Hunter The intertwined depths of art and fly fishing Bradley Carleton The intrinsic values of fly fishing and fine art are intertwined to depths unimaginable to the untrained eye. The rhythm of motion in a perfectly thrown cast and the fluid stroke of a brush. The arcing line of a weight-forward fly line and the loading of a well-structured rod blank imitates the weight of paint on the brush as the artist transfers the subtle nuances of color to the canvas. The ethereal colors of the brook trout’s blue halos surrounding the burnt orange spots are reminiscent of a summer sunset on a palette of bluish-purple sky. It is no coincidence that the range of colors offer us proof of a Higher Power’s joy in creating scenes that draw awe and wonder from those of us lucky enough to still be walking on this earth. My wife, Katie, who is a remarkable artist, spends her days capturing these salutary moments of bliss. It’s no wonder that she has a love of fly fishing. For those of us who are fortunate enough to be blessed with the ability to notice and revel in the beauty of a present moment, fly fishing and art are the essence of natural connection. Sometimes I sit in the old worn leather chair in her studio and quietly watch her paintings evolve from thought, to spirit, to brush, to canvas. She is able to capture the essence of a feeling in the same way that holding a brook trout in my hand, as its colors sparkle in the sunshine, engages my deepest, most spiritual connection to our world. As we stand in the gurgling stream near our house at sunset, casting colorful flies into the dark blue waters below the frothy white falls, I watch her work her Sage fly rod with the same precision and rhythm that she bestows upon her brush in the studio. The fly line forms a beautiful U-shaped arc behind her and builds its speed as it whips toward the pool. The fly, an elk hair caddis with a rust-colored thorax, reaches the apogee of the arc, then slows down to land gently just below the tail of the froth. The fly spins on the rippling water as if it were alive and begins to drift downstream toward the slower water at the bottom of the pool. Katie is watching the imitation with the same focus and intensity that exemplifies her work in the studio. The timing is immaculate. As the voracious fish breaks the surface of the stream, Katie is leaning into the cast to engage the trout the moment that it opens its mouth to swallow the deceiver.
Brookie colors.
Photo by Bradley Carleton
The instant that the mouth closes on the fly, Katie lifts her rod swiftly but not so much that it pulls the fly out of its mouth. The rod bends at the tip and throbs with passion as the dynamic tension of the artist and her subject commune in a moment of metaphysical connection. Two spirits interlocking in a world separated by only water and air. The fish leaps into the air above, flashing its iridescent orange fins rimmed with white borders. For the moment, these two beings are enmeshed in the dance of life. The eternal struggle of mortality and all its wonder is represented by beauty and nature in this, the pinnacle of the present. She coaxes the brook trout to her side, tenderly slipping the net under its flanks, and raises it above the water. Extracting the fly from the side of the brookie’s mouth with as little discomfort as possible, Katie raises the aquiline wonder to her face and offers it a blessing, then returns the creature to the comfort of its world. For a moment, the brookie seems to pause and reflect on what just happened. Was that an angel that just held its body and released it? The next day, I rise early to go to work, and Katie is already in the studio working on a new painting. I notice the blue halos around the burnt orange spots on the flank of the subject that is being created out of oil and canvas and smile. 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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PAINTERS WANTED Local, experienced company with guaranteed inside work for a seasoned finish painter. Exterior painting positions available also. Salary is top end for this area. Yearround work for the most qualified. Call 355-0028
Clemmons Family Farm Opens Saturday, June 1 The Clemmons Family Farm reopens its beautiful space for the season starting this Saturday, June 1. 10 - 11:30 a.m. Tours of the Historic Barn House and its exhibits, featuring the new exhibit “Travels of the Intrepid Couple,” with photos, African art, curated documentation and audio-recordings of Lydia Senior’s wonderful storytelling. If you missed the exhibit we had at the Amy Tarrant gallery in Burlington over the winter, you’ll find some of it professionally installed at the Barn House! Registration is required. Learn more at: http://bit.ly/BarnHouseTours 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Behind the Authentica Gallery: Senegalese Sabar community drumming class. Sabar is a family of drums, a style of music, a dance, a culture and way of life in Senegal, West Africa. In this interactive community event, participants will learn basic beats, meanings and stories connected to the Sabar drum. Learn how various accompaniments communicate within these traditional rhythms to create a beautiful ensemble of interweaving roles,
inspired by spirit of togetherness that is at the core of Senegalese culture. These rhythms hold powerful and sacred spaces which can unlock the motivations and inspirations present within us, regardless of ethnicity, background, culture or experience. A sabar drum will be loaned to the first 20 participants to arrive for the engagement. Everyone else: Bring your own drum, or be ready to clap or just enjoy the rhythms and community. This one is GREAT for kidsplease come! Registration is required. Learn more at: http://bit.ly/CFFSabarDrums 4-6 p.m. Book presentation and discussion in the historic Barn House. Brooklyn journalist and author Shomari Wills will be at the Farm to read from selected parts of his new book, Black Fortunes: The Story of the First Six African Americans Who Survived Slavery and Became Millionaires. Q&A, discussion, refreshments and socializing to follow the presentation. Come meet the author and get a signed copy of his book before he moves to Hollywood to work with Stephanie Allain, producer of Dear White People, to adapt his book into a television mini-series! Registration is required. Learn more at: http://bit.ly/CFFBlackFortunes.
EDITORIAL 2
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reproductive liberty to all Vermonters. What I have found inescapable in the discussion about abortion is the inherent subjugation of women. The underlying assumption seems to be that women aren’t capable of making such deeply important decisions for themselves, that society must step in and direct women who, for whatever reason, are deemed unable to follow a morally acceptable path. Because reproduction is tangled with sexuality, an unexpected or unwanted pregnancy bears shadows of unchained lust and desire. This, of course, has been true for millennia, and though we may consider ourselves staunch
supporters of equal rights for women, we are not, I think, aware of the insidious ways the view of women as less than men has pervaded our culture and understanding. Sadly, our starting point seems to be that women aren’t trustworthy. We can go back to the Garden of Eden to see the church’s interpretation of Eve’s fallibility. In cultural, religious and state realms, women have been perceived as needing the restrictions of ruling authorities—that were historically male—to coerce their compliance in many areas. The underlying assumption has been that women cannot know what is best for their families, their children, their lives and their communities. There are women and men
among us who have weathered the deeply personal storm of abortion. For some it was a thunderstorm, for others a hurricane. All have been whipped and blown by the particularities of their own experiences. My guess is that whatever they decided, their engagement with God was tested. This isn’t an easy discussion. As many of us have been awakening to the idea of white privilege, so too must we examine our deep roots in patriarchy. We need to question our entrenched cultural distrust of women and summon the courage to face the answers and commit to change. My hope is that everyone will hold the questions in one hand and God’s hand in the other.
Dog license due Mary Mead
U.S. POSTAGE PAID MAILED FROM ZIP CODE 05482 PERMIT NO. 9
to be under your control, either on a leash or under direct verbal command when you are not on your own property. This is specifically stated in our Dog Ordinance. There is actually a fine for allowing your dog to be “at large”—$25.00 for a first offense— but more important, it’s just not safe for your dog. So, come in and register your dogs. The tags are purple stars this year, which seems to be important to some people. And please respect your neighbors and keep your dogs with you or on your own property and out of the road, safe from today’s traffic. Thank you! Mary A. Mead, clerk/treasurer mary@townofcharlotte.com 425-3071, ext. 200
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Annual dog licenses are due each year by April 1. We have our new licenses available each year by January 1. There are quite a few of you out there who have not registered yet—I know there are more than 380 dogs out there roaming around in the Town of Charlotte. The late fees at this point are $11 for neutered/spayed animals and $17 for intact males and females. If it is a new dog in town, the fees are $9 and $13, respectively. Payment is by check or cash plus we need an up-to-date rabies certificate. If you are renewing a license, you can give us a call to see what we have on file for the rabies information. Our office hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, and you are also welcome to register by mail. Just send us your payment and rabies certificate and we will send back your license and tag. We finally have nice weather, amazing but true, which makes for happy dogs and lots of spring smells, fun walks and things to explore. Even so, your dog needs