The Charlotte News | August 8, 2019 | Volume 62 No. 3

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The nonprofit community news source since 1958

Charlotte News Thursday, August 8, 2019 | Volume LXII Number 03

CharlotteNewsVT.org

Charlotte News

The

Vol. 62, no.03 August 8, 2019

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

A Q&A with the new ZA

Fallen landmark in Charlotte Park

Chea Waters Evans NEWS EDITOR

Daniel Morgan, the new town Zoning Administrator, comes to Charlotte with a fresh perspective, a cheeky attitude toward his local newspaper and a passion for philosophy and Vermont winters.

What do you think will be the most fun or interesting aspect of your work here in Charlotte? What appeals to you about working in a small community like this?

My favorite part of the position, and what gravitated me toward it initially, has been and always will be the incredibly talented people I get to work alongside here in Town Hall, and the equally exemplary citizenry of this fine Vermont township.

Answering the questions of students at Columbia University, Robert F. Kennedy said: “Frank as it is—and maybe it’s difficult to believe—I’d like to just be a good United States Senator. I’d like to serve.” Alan Seeger once wrote that “success in life means doing that thing then which nothing else conceivable seems more noble or satisfactory or remunerative.

And then being ready to see it through to the end.”

Frank as it is—I’d like to serve, and there could be no greater cause to see through to the end than that of the State of Vermont and the Town of Charlotte.

What do you anticipate will be the most challenging aspect of the job?

Dealing with the press, definitely—just kidding! I think the greatest challenges this position faces are in the same way its greatest opportunities. In John F. Kennedy’s book A Strategy for Peace, he wrote that “In my view the American purpose remains what it has been since the nation’s founding: to demonstrate that the organization of man and societies on the basis of human freedom is not an absurdity, but an enriching, ennobling, practical achievement. Our purpose is to demonstrate at home that this great democracy can solve its problems by the method of consent— by a system of freedom under law. With respect to the world outside, our purpose is not only to defend the integrity of this democratic society but also to help advance the cause of human freedom and world law—the universal cause of a just and lasting peace.” That is the great challenge we face here in Vermont, as well as across the nation—and more than ever, across the globe. In my new position, I hope to continue and protect that great legacy of American purpose and existence and to serve the citizens of Charlotte who all seek to do the same.

You don’t have to give me the whole lowdown of your resume, but I’m interested in recent job experience, where you’re from, etc.

I was born and raised in Burlington,

Daniel Morgan

Vermont, attended Burlington High School (Go Seahorses!) and graduated with a B.A. from the University of Vermont in politics and history. Throughout my academic career, I also studied at American University in Washington, D.C., and Newcastle University in Newcastle-UponTyne, England, United Kingdom. I lived and studied in England for around year and a half. Recently I’m back from the U.S. Army in Ft. Benning after being medically discharged.

Any personal details--pets, hobbies, family life--you care to share?

I can’t claim what I do is skiing as much as it is falling down the mountain, with as much grace as possible considering the sticks attached to my feet, but I have a true passion for Vermont winters. I’m a hockey player and a dog lover, and I’m perhaps most excited to meet all of Charlotte’s canine companions.

What have you heard, either from your new colleagues or from locals, will be the issue that takes up the most time or thought?

In the 21st century I think it’s fair to say that there is hardly a piece of life that is unaffected by government at some level. As a Zoning Administrator, I’m dealing with what is, at its very core, people’s quality of life—where they spend a great deal of their time. I think of what Whitman wrote: “Oh me! Oh life! of the questions of these recurring, Of the endless trains of the faithless, of cities fill’d with the foolish, Of myself forever reproaching myself, (for who more foolish than I, and who more faithless?)

Of eyes that vainly crave the light, of the objects mean, of the struggle ever renew’d, Of the poor results of all, of the plodding and sordid crowds I see around me, Of the empty and useless years of the rest, with the rest me intertwined, The question, O me! so sad, recurring— What good amid these, O me, O life?

see ZONING page 2

A massive oak tree on the Roberts Way trail in the Charlotte Park and Wildlife Refuge fell in late July after thunderstorms swept the area. Julian Kulski, a member of the Charlotte Park and Wildlife Refuge Oversight Committee, said the “landmark tree was estimated to be 58 feet high and measured 152 inches in circumference.”

Photo by Julian Kulski

Vandalism at Charlotte Beach again Almost two years after the last incident of vandalism at the Charlotte Town Beach, property was destroyed again.

Bill Fraser-Harris, chair of the Recreation Commission, posted on Front Porch Forum on Aug. 5 that “we had major vandalism at the upper ball field parking area. Both gateposts were chain sawed off, chain and lock stolen. WHY?” The vandalism was reported to the Vermont State Police, and Fraser-Harris said the police are investigating the matter. Dale Knowles, who does the town’s mowing, discovered the damage

when he went to mow the ball field on Lake Road.

The gate will be replaced, and FraserHarris said that security is now on the Recreation Commission’s agenda. He said security cameras are “to be discussed at [the] next rec. meeting, Tuesday, Aug. 13. We have had security cameras at the bathhouse before and given the value of the new playground we will certainly be aiming to protect it.”

Anyone with information about the incident can contact state police or the Recreation Commission.

Property tax rates set Mary A. Mead TOWN CLERK/TREASURER

The tax rate has been set for the July 1, 2019–June 30, 2020 tax year.

The municipal tax rate has been set at $0.2021 and our local agreement tax rate is $0.0005, giving a total rate of $0.2026. The State of Vermont education tax rates for Homestead and Nonresidential properties are $1.4831 and $1.6322 respectively. This results in a total tax rate of $1.6857 for Homestead properties and $1.8348 for Nonresidential properties. For comparison, this past year’s tax rates were $1.6856 for Homestead and $1.8067 for Nonresidential.

Tax bills should be going out sometime around the week of August 12.

Since the tax rate has been set, we know the amount due for your property if that is something you need to know before receiving your bill. Feel free to call

our office at 425-3071 or email mary@ townofcharlotte.com.

On another note, I am anticipating holding a tax sale this year as, unfortunately, there are properties with two years of taxes currently delinquent.

Don’t let yourself be in this group! Send in your payment or at least a partial payment and get yourself off that list, especially as we go forward into the next tax year.

2 • August 8, 2019 • The Charlotte News

Town Draft village wastewater ordinances unveiled at special Selectboard meeting Juliann Phelps The West Charlotte Village Wastewater Committee presented two draft wastewater ordinances to the Selectboard and members of the public during Monday’s special meeting solely devoted to the topic. The meeting was “intended as a work session and an opportunity for public input and comments,” said Selectboard Chair Matt Krasnow.

During the two-hour meeting, the Selectboard, the wastewater committee, and several members of the public interested in connecting to the village wastewater system discussed the proposed application and review process. In addition to the draft sewer allocation and sewer use ordinances, the committee submitted an allocation ordinance schematic, a connection and usage fee computation and a comparison of connection and usage rates.

Wastewater committee chair Dave Marshall primarily led the discussion, supported by Selectboard member Fritz Tegatz and Planning Commission Chair Peter Joslin who also members of the committee. Marshall explained that the three-part application process for connecting to the system would include a feasibility authorization, a sewer allocation authorization, and a connection authorization. Applications and forms for each step in the process would be reviewed first by the zoning administrator and then brought before the Selectboard for a vote. Krasnow summed it up as, “Three meetings. Three votes. Three stages of work that would go into an applicant connecting

this was “suchWhoasknew sexy idea? I wouldn’t be pushing this, but it’s really a central issue here.

”

Louise McCarren

to the existing municipal system.”

Selectboard member Louise McCarren opened her remarks by thanking the committee for their time and effort, joking, “Who knew this was such as sexy idea?”

McCarren provided feedback specifically around the term feasibility, noting that the definition was absent in the list of terms in the allocation ordinance. “I wouldn’t be pushing this, but it’s really a central issue here,” she said.

Selectboard members agreed that clarifying language regarding the terms feasibility and feasibility analysis should be added to the sewer allocation ordinance.

Selectboard Vice Chair Frank Tenney offered several rounds of feedback at different points during the meeting. He cited a few inconsistencies and asked the committee to review the proposed terms

to ensure they coincide with definitions in the town zoning regulations. “I want to make sure those terms are consistent,” he said. Tenney also requested the proposed community sewer service area map be reviewed against zoning bylaws.

The ordinance also includes a new provision under the first step in the application process: a reconsideration of an applicant who has no feasible onsite wastewater disposal or the option is maximized. Joslin explained, “We added a paragraph under feasibility, so if an applicant gets a negative determination, they can make their case to the Planning Commission and subsequently the Selectboard.”

He cited the recent wastewater estimate the Charlotte Health Center received as part of their research for a new location as part of the reasoning for including the provision.

“We came full circle on this. These are two businesses that we all agree are what we want in town. The Children’s Center wants to expand and they can’t; the health center wants to be here and in their case, it’s cost prohibitive.”

While other topics including satellite wastewater locations and home occupations in the rural district were discussed, the meeting wrapped up with a scheduled “work plan for the month” according to Krasnow. The topic would again be on the August 12 and 26 Selectboard agendas, and the West Charlotte Village Wastewater Committee is scheduled to meet on August 19 to incorporate the proposed changes from this and next Monday’s Selectboard meeting.

Planning Commission discusses Act 143 and ECV boundaries Juliann Phelps The August 1 Planning Commission meeting agenda was a continuation of several topics from recent meetings: Act 143 and accessory on-farm businesses and the East Charlotte Village (ECV) district boundaries. The commission also introduced its newest commission member, James Faulkner.

The invitation extended by the Planning Commission to the Selectboard to discuss Act 143 was a suggestion, said chair Peter Joslin. Only Carrie Spear was present from the Selectboard. The commission discussed the previous zoning administrator’s findings as well as whether a site plan review may be necessary for future on-site accessory agricultural businesses. Vice Chair Charlie Pughe suggested criteria that could trigger a site plan review, such as number of events, customers or square footage of the building. While Act 143 is an “act relating to municipal land use regulation of accessory on-farm businesses and to hemp cultivation,” it was noted in previous Selectboard meetings several aspects of Act 143 have shifted the responsibility to individual towns. Towns have the option to develop additional regulation related to site plan reviews and performance standards. Joslin proposed adding the topic to three upcoming meetings and inviting the

Selectboard “to see how to formalize the approach.”

The agenda item, next steps for the East Charlotte Village—view the deliberative information regarding the 2019 East Charlotte Village district boundary, opened with Joslin saying the commission needed to make some decisions about density and the proposed village and village commercial borders. Both Pughe and Ilick discussed aspects of identifying the number of projected build-outs. Pughe offered to figure it out by parcel and fix the proposed boundary map to reflect the planning changes discussed.

In other business, the commission heard from Sydney Spohn, representing Andrew Zins for a minor subdivision application for the property located at 1654 Prindle Road (PC-19-107-SD Zins). Spohn presented the application for a two-lot subdivision and requested a final decision. After discussing a related case in the Vermont Superior Court, Environmental Division regarding the appeal of a Planning Commission decision, the commission decided to continue the current application until the appeal is decided. “The issue of the open space is a critical one,” said commission member Marty Illick.

News Editor Note: This article was adapted from the Planning Commission draft meeting minutes posted on the town website.

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ON THE COVER

Spinnakers power the boats on the downwind leg during the 2018 Diamond Island Regatta. Photo by Rik Carlson

The Charlotte News • August 8, 2019 • 3

Town

Letter to the Editor

ZONING continued from page 1 What good amid these, O me, O life?

Answer.

That you are here—that life exists and identity, That the powerful play goes on, and you may contribute a verse.”

What do you think is a good path forward for Charlotte to maintain its rural character while at the same time supporting local businesses and encouraging people to move to town in order to maintain a robust population?

President Kennedy said we have the capacity to make this the best generation in the history of mankind or to make it the last. I think that we can make it the best generation, but I think it’s going to rest with those who are concerned, those who are educated and those who are trained but most of all, those who take interest in public affairs; whether they are going to participate, or whether they’re going to say, “This is some of the problem or responsibility of somebody else.” That will be the deciding factor.

All of us in Town Hall, and all of us in Charlotte, step up to that challenge every day.

When we look and analyze where our system of government originated, we think of the Greeks and what their idea really was of participation; of what Pericles said in his funeral oration: that

“we differ from other states and that we regard the individual who holds himself aloof from public affairs as being useless yet we yield to no one in our independence of spirit and complete selfreliance.”

I think that’s what gets to guide us. I think of the Greeks, and the word “idiot” coming from that individual who did not participate, who wasn’t actively involved.

One of my favorite quotes is from Dante, that “the hottest places in hell are reserved for those who, in time of moral crisis, preserve their neutrality.” Whether it’s in Zoning or Planning, or Wastewater, or Public Health, these are issues, perhaps hyper focused, sure, but part of broader ideals that affect all of us.

Sophocles once said, in speaking of an uninvolved community, “What joy is there and in that day that follows day, some swift some, slow with depth the only goal.” Really that’s what many of our fellow citizens—whether they’re in Charlotte or whether they’re in Burlington or whether they live rural Vermont experience daily—this invasive idea that there’s no future. The beauty, then, of working at the very ground level of democracy, is being able to take part in building this future, making it brighter.

These, I think, are our responsibilities— these are every citizen’s responsibilities, just as they are mine. If not now, when? If not us, who?

Welcome to

Book sale thank you In spite of record-setting heat, the 2019 Friends of the Library Books Sale was a big success. Books bought, ice cream, eats and drinks enjoyed, e-bikes tested, overall a great day!

It’s impossible to express how grateful we are for everyone’s participation in this annual event on the Town Green. The book donations were plentiful, thanks to generous community members, and meticulously sorted, thanks to the fastidious ladies and one gentleman, many of a certain age. Various library staff members and volunteers helped transport approximately 90 boxes of books to Goodwill. Almost 250 boxes of books were in the sale and more than half of the books sold.

Thanks to the many who lugged the boxes to the tent, to those who unpacked and arranged the books in an attractive display and to the many cashiers who did an excellent job. The Fire Department provided extra tables and chairs for the comfort of those enjoying the fine fare offered by lu˖lu ice cream, HOME pressed juices and Charlotte’s own Philo Ridge.

And for the third year running, two muscled men and their families appeared at the end to whisk the remainders back to the top

The

Charlotte News

floor of the library.

The first ever Fossil Free Jamboree added lots of excitement to the festivities.

The vitality and enthusiasm of the Energy Committee—along with those who donated their time and skills as well as cars, bikes and other equipment—made this a great addition to the Book Sale activities.

So, thanks to all of you who helped make this event possible. We are extremely grateful to the librarians for their patience while the library was under siege from book donations and for their participation in the process.

Back by popular demand, an ongoing sale in the library foyer. Already underway, it features a carefully chosen selection of fiction and non-fiction titles in excellent condition ready for your next read!

We encourage everyone to use the Vermont Tent Company for all your events.

They do a fantastic job! We are very thankful for their continued subsidy of the book sale.

Sincerely, The Friends of the Charlotte Library

Nan Mason, Beth Merritt, Carol Clay, Shanley Hinge, Laurie Hartman Moser, Missy Adams, Dana Murphy, and Martha Whitfield (ex officio)

PUBLICATION DATES August 22, 2019 Copy Deadline: Aug. 16 Ads Deadline: Aug. 16

TO ADVERTISE CONTACT ads@thecharlottenews.org

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4 • August 8, 2019 • The Charlotte News

Regional Bite Country singers, cars and Habitats Heritage Ford and Toyota, owned by the Machaverns of Charlotte, has hooked up with popular country and western singer Jamie Lee Thurston to promote affordable housing in the area through Green Mountain Habitat for Humanity. Habitat has a long history of building affordable houses in Chittenden County, having built 80 houses over a 35-year span in the region. Their partnership with Heritage continues that tradition. The group recently completed a three-bedroom house in Burlington’s north end with the financial and volunteer support of Heritage and its staff plus the usual labor from Habitat volunteers. As Jamie says on a TV commercial for the project, the more volunteers, the faster things go on the house. Habitat owners are required to contribute to their house’s construction through a minimum “sweat equity” of 250 hours as the house goes up.

Charlotte has seen houses off Albert’s Way north and Greenbush Road south as recent Habitat projects. In each build, a project manager is on site during the construction to guide its completion and

Around Town

Congratulations

—to Nathaniel (Than) Volk and Miriam Chaves Garcia who were married in Utah on May 10. Than is the son of Mary and Tim Volk. He grew up in Charlotte, attending Charlotte Central School and CVU. Miriam is from Irapuato, Mexico.

They live and work in the Salt Lake City area.

—to several individuals, businesses or locations in or connected to Charlotte that were listed among the many cited in an insert titled “Seven Daysies” in the July 31–August 7 issue of Seven Days. In Full Bloom is a florist shop on Shelburne Road in Shelburne that was voted Best Florist. It is owned and run by mother/daughter team, Kris Engstrom and Britta Johnson. Kris has sold flowers in the area for nearly 40 years.

Britta is a graphic designer by training and

teach volunteers in effective methods.

A special Habitat operation called “Women Build” occurred in July at sites in Milton and Convent Square, Burlington. Teams of women volunteers from Burton Boards, PC Construction, the UVM Medical Center and Polli Properties joined together to construct these homes (one a duplex) for three families.

Interested volunteers should contact Habitat at: vermonthabitat.org.

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gives their floral arrangements freshness and interesting composition. Mt. Philo State Park was voted the Best State Park in Vermont. Its 968-foot peak overlooks expansive views of Lake Champlain and the Adirondacks and is easily accessible by car or hiking path. The Old Lantern Inn and Barn was selected as one of the top six Wedding Venues in the state.

Sympathy

—is extended to family and friends of Edward H. Klumpp of Hinesburg who died July 29 at the Green Mountain Nursing Home, Colchester, at the age of 92. A woodworker whose business evolved into house construction, Klumpp and his wife, Janet, moved from South Newfane to Charlotte where he built several homes before opening an antique shop in North Ferrisburgh called Red Sled Antiques.

Mt. Philo Inn awarded certificate of excellence David Garbose

INNKEEPER AT MT. PHILO INN

The locally owned and operated Mt. Philo Inn is proud to announce that it has received the TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence. This celebrates hospitality businesses that have earned great traveler reviews during the past year.

TripAdvisor is a travel website that provides recommendations and reviews for hospitality businesses. The Certificate of Excellence is one of the highest honors awarded to hotels that have continually delivered a quality customer experience. It considers the quality, quantity and recency of reviews submitted by travelers on TripAdvisor over a 12-month period. This recognition helps travelers identify and book properties that consistently deliver great service and allows guests to feel more confident in their booking decisions.

Recipients must be rated among the top 10% of hotels from around the world.

“You can’t make up the wonderful words people have written about their experiences here,” said David Garbose, Innkeeper of Mt. Philo Inn. “Our 94% 5-star customer satisfaction rating affirms our general design principles emphasizing privacy, simplicity and comfort. It’s deeply satisfying to have created an environment

where travelers can consistently enjoy their visit to Charlotte. We’ve paid attention to everything our guests might need for either overnight stays or monthly rentals. It helps to have some of the best views in Vermont and a state park next door.”

About Mt. Philo Inn A boutique hotel in Charlotte, adjacent to Mt. Philo State Park, features four 2-3 bedroom suites, each with 2 bathrooms, spacious living rooms, porches and designer kitchens. Each unique suite includes 1,400 to 1,800 square feet of private living space, with panoramic views of Lake Champlain and the Adirondacks. Unlike typical B & Bs, Inn guests can expect complete privacy, while service is available 24/7. For more information, visit mtphiloinn.com.

The Charlotte News • August 8, 2019 • 5

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6 • August 8, 2019 • The Charlotte News

Local Events

We welcome appropriate community event listings with a maximum of 100 words. Print fees may apply to community events outside of Charlotte.

Email your events to ads@ thecharlottenews.org.

July - August

Charlotte Historical Society/ Charlotte Memorial Museum 215 Museum Road

The museum is in the center of the

early town in the former town hall near the intersection of Church Hill and Hinesburg roads. View 18th- and 19thcentury household articles, a collection of Native American baskets made in Charlotte, and early tools. Open every Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m., now through Labor Day weekend. Free. Accessible to the disabled.

Friday, Sept. 6

Auditions for Shelburne Players’ fall play “The Secret Garden” will be held at Shelburne Town Center activity room, 5420 Shelburne Road, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. and Saturday, Sept.7, 10 a.m ─ noon. Performance dates are November 15, 16, 17, 21, 22 & 23, 2019. For more information please email Sue Martin at suemartin455@ yahoo.com or Director Beth Curtis, bcurtis5440@yahoo.com and check our website at www.shelburneplayers. com for more details.

Library News Margaret Woodruff DIRECTOR

group for moms, featuring cyber conflicts, citizen scientists, found objects and more.

Expansion update: Charlotte Library Addition Thanks to the expertise and support from a number of people in town, the Library Expansion Project is moving ahead on pace. Our fundraising continues successfully, with $490,000 raised to date toward our $600,000 goal. The Library Building Committee has finalized the plans with the design-build firm and we plan to break ground in October. Please feel free to stop by the library if you’d like more details or would like to make a donation to this effort. Seventy percent of Charlotters hold library cards and we would love to have 70% of Charlotte households make a donation to the project!

Men’s Book Group: Boomerang by Michael Lewis Wednesday, Sept. 11, 7 p.m.

Michael Lewis’ investigation of bubbles beyond our shores is so brilliantly, sadly hilarious that it leads the American reader to a comfortable complacency: oh, those foolish foreigners. But when he turns a merciless eye on California and Washington, D.C., we see that the narrative is a trap baited with humor, and we understand the reckoning that awaits the greatest and greediest of debtor nations.

Found Object Display at the Library September is Vermont Archaeology Month and we are looking for your assistance with a backyard archaeology exhibit. Have you unearthed some interesting artifacts while digging a new perennial bed or discovered some longforgotten item in a barn? We would love to see them as we prepare for an exhibit of found objects from Charlotte homes. Please call the Library for details.

Take a bag if you need it June 17 to Aug. 18 The Charlotte Library, Spear’s Corner Store and the Charlotte Congregational Church (403 Church Hill Road) are partnering again this year to provide lunch for families with children and youth. Bags with lunch items will be available at the library, store and church for families to take. Vouchers are also available upon

request and good for a gallon of milk and loaf of bread from Spear’s Store. Don’t forget to stop by the Little Free Library at the Grange this summer to pick up a free book or two!

Make-a-Flashlight Thursday, Aug. 8, 10 a.m.

Become a “tinnovator” by re-purposing an old Altoids tin into a flashlight.

Soldering, circuitry and switches are all part of the fun! For ages 10 and up.

REGISTRATION REQUIRED: 425-3864 or info@charlottepubliclibrary.org.

Mystery Book Group: Christine Falls

by Benjamin Black Monday, Aug. 19, 10 a.m.

In the debut crime novel from the Bookerwinning author, a Dublin pathologist follows the corpse of a mysterious woman into the heart of a conspiracy among the city’s high Catholic society. Join us for a discussion of this quirky mystery by John Banville writing as Benjamin Black.

Coming in September: A new book

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Mystery Book Group: The Complaints by Ian Rankin Monday, Sept. 16, 10 a.m.

Nobody likes The Complaints--they’re the cops who investigate other cops. It’s a department known within the force as “The Dark Side,” and it’s where Malcolm Fox works. He’s a serious man with a father in a nursing home and a sister who persists in an abusive relationship, frustrating problems about which he cannot seem to do anything.

Then the reluctant Fox is given a new case. There’s a cop named Jamie Breck, and he’s dirty. The problem is, no one can prove it. As Fox takes on the job, he learns that there’s more to Breck than anyone thinks—dangerous knowledge, especially when a vicious murder takes place far too close to home. Copies are available at the circulation desk.

“Does Sugar Have a Spell on You?” Tuesday, Sept. 17, 7 p.m.

Eating sugar and refined carbohydrates disrupts our hormones and gut microbiome, creating inflammation and setting the stage for numerous chronic diseases including diabetes, heart disease, dementia and cancers. But breaking up is hard to do! Dr. Andrea Grayson of UVM Public Health Programs talks about our complicated relationship with sugar and refined carbohydrates. Come learn about how and why you just might want to try—even if you think you’ve got it under control.

Charlotte Library Contact Information: Margaret Woodruff, Director Cheryl Sloan, Youth Services Librarian Susanna Kahn, Tech Services Librarian

Purchase with your local mortgage professional!

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Reach us on the web: charlottepubliclibrary.org.

1-802-877-2721

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nbmvt.com 1-877-508-8455 NMLS #403372

Follow us on Twitter & Instagram: @CharlotteVTLib.

The Charlotte News • August 8, 2019 • 7

Rec News

Nicole Conley CHARLOTTE RECREATION

Fall soccer signups The soccer registration fee is $40 until August 19. After August 19 you will be charged a $15 late fee in addition to your registration. If your athlete needs a Charlotte rec T-shirt you can purchase one while you are registering. The season starts Saturday, Sept. 7 through Oct. 12. Final registration deadline is Friday, Aug. 30. Soccer practices will be set by the coaches based on their availability. Please make a note if there are certain days/times your child is unavailable to practice.

Volunteers needed!

Would you like to get involved but not sure how? Become a volunteer! Sign up for one of our volunteer opportunities: Soccer Coach, Field Painting, Annual Soccer Jamboree September 21. Please check off any of the volunteer options on your child’s registration form.

T-shirt sponsorships Do you want to support Charlotte Recreation but are unable to volunteer? Become a T-shirt sponsor and your company’s logo will be placed on the back of our rec T-shirts. These shirts are worn at all games and jamborees.

This is a great way to get your company name out there!

After-school piano lessons The Recreation Department is pleased to offer afterschool piano lessons at Charlotte Central School this fall for students in grades 2 and up. Lessons will be taught by Julie Holmes on Tuesdays and Mary Beth Bowman on Wednesdays after school.

Tuesdays, 9/3–12/17.

Time blocks: (1) 2–2:30, (2) 2:30–3, (3) 3–3:30, (4) 3:30–4, (5) 4–4:30, (6) 4:30–5.

Fee: Private lessons $390 Wednesdays, 9/4–12/18.

Time blocks: (1) 3–3:45, (2) 3:45-4:30.

Fee: Semiprivate lessons $338 Safe sitter courses Safe Sitter® prepares teens to be safe when they’re home alone, watching siblings or babysitting. The course offers four main content areas: Safety Skills, Child Care Skills, First Aid & Rescue Skills, and Life & Business Skills. Lessons are filled with fun activities and role-playing exercises. Teens will practice choking rescue and diapering. Register for one date that works best for your child. Register with the town offering the program. Grades 6-8.

Charlotte–Sat., Sept. 7, Williston–Fri., Oct. 18, Hinesburg–Sat., Nov. 2, Shelburne–Sat.,

RAISE YOUR HAND

New playground equipment at Charlotte Beach

Dec. 14.

Time: 9 a.m.–3 p.m.

Fee: $60 Resident; $65 Non-resident.

After-school tennis lessons The tennis program is open to grades 1–8; age groups will be split into time slots listed below. Tennis lessons will be held at the tennis courts at the Charlotte Town Beach. Please note: Depending on roster sizes, those in 4th and 5th grades may be assigned to either group.

Mondays and Wednesdays September 4–23 Grades 1–3, 3:30- 4:30p.m.

Grades 4–8, 4:30- 5:30p.m.

Cost: $75.

Driver’s Education The Charlotte Recreation Department will be offering a driver’s education program this fall by the 802 Driving School. The 8-week program will be taught by Joe Barch, who has over 15 years of experience teaching in the public schools.

September 9, 10, 11, 16, 19, 23, 26, 30 October 3, 7, 10, 14, 17, 21, 24 Time: 6:15–8:15p.m.

Location: Charlotte Central School Registration Fee: $690 Make-up Classes: 9/17, 9/25, 10/2, 10/16, 10/23.

Charlotte Recreation basketball The Charlotte Recreation basketball program provides a venue for athletes to learn and master basketball skills in a fun and positive environment. Winning is not the primary objective but rather development of sportsmanship, teamwork, respect for others, and discipline.

Practice and game information: The season starts the week of Dec. 9 and ends Feb. 8.

Practice will take place on weeknights 6–7:30 p.m. and/or Saturday 8 a.m.-12 noon. Times will be posted as coaches determine their availability.

Kindergarten: practice will be on Saturday mornings at 8 a.m.

1st–2nd Grades: teams will practice once a week with games on Saturdays at 9 a.m.

3rd–5th Grades: teams will practice twice a week with games on Saturdays.

All teams are dependent on roster size and volunteer coaches.

Registration: Sept. 16–Nov. 14. Fee: $50 Late Registration: After Nov.14. Fee: $65 Full and partial scholarships are available for all youth recreation activities. To register visit charlotterec.com. Questions? Email Nicole Conley Recreation@townofcharlotte. com.

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A group of hard-working volunteers put in some hours over the weekend to build a new playground at the Charlotte Beach.

Photo by Bill Fraser-Harris

Tom Tiller

Under beautiful, sunny skies a group of 25 volunteers worked last week to install new playground equipment at Charlotte Beach. Kids of all ages are going to love it.

The old playground equipment was nearly 35 years old and had entertained generations of children, but even a quick glance showed it had earned its muchdeserved retirement.

The centerpiece of the new set is a large play structure with a variety of slides, ladders, and a huge blue fish named Kahuna. There is an “Accelerator”, which will be fun for groups of kids, an all-new swing set, and a spider web-like climbing structure. Along with new equipment, the play area was redesigned to combine the formerly separate areas into one that everyone can enjoy. The design allows for playground additions in future years.

Lead by Bill Fraser-Harris, chair of the Charlotte Recreation Committee and

Nicole Conley, the Town of Charlotte recreation director, the group worked hard and had a lot of fun assembling and installing the structure. They mixed and poured about 40 bags of concrete, spread two tractor-trailer loads of playground wood chips, and did their best to make sure everything was assembled correctly.

Nicole, in particular, deserves a lot of credit for this new amenity--she advocated for a new playground for the past four years and will now get to enjoy it with her son Jordan, along with all the other kids, parents and grandparents in Charlotte.

Special thanks to Justin Mansfield and his crew from Pettinelli & Associates for providing the equipment and muchneeded technical direction. They were great to work with.

There are a few remaining details to wrap up before the equipment will be safe to use. Until then, please stay off the structure. A grand opening is expected in mid-August.

8 • August 8, 2019 • The Charlotte News

Music John Moses I’m writing from sunny and ever-so-shaky Los Angeles, California, although not too long ago I was biking around the Town Beach, devouring sandwiches from The Old Brick Store and concluding my scholastic career as a B-student at CCS and CVU. I loved every moment.

However, after nearly 22 years in Vermont I packed my bags and set sail due west for a life of fame and excess in Tinsel Town. That was six years ago.

While fame and excess have yet to come, I’m happy to report back: So far, so good.

In my time away, I’ve cluttered my apartment with vinyl records, tape cassettes and CDs and have been fortunate enough to find work in music, licensing by day and hosting a radio show on KCRW (a Los Angeles NPR affiliate) by night. My girlfriend, Alison, my cat, Dinah, and I are making a go working in “the biz”—we could use a lot more sleep, but at the end of the day it’s what we signed up for.

My radio show has been particularly rewarding. I’m usually on late at night during the weekends. I’ve enjoyed playing an array of musical genres and styles, all falling under an ethereal, hazy sonic umbrella, ripe for sitting at home alone with your headphones. Haunting the airwaves between the hours of midnight and 6 a.m., my program allows me to stay on top of music I love, discover music I didn’t know I loved, and connect with artists and listeners all over the world.

Perhaps more important, my work in radio has allowed me to reconnect with lifelong family friend and Charlotte News publisher Vince Crockenberg, who has offered me space to contribute a monthly column in the local paper and share with you some of the music I’ve been featuring on my show.

For better or for worse, through nepotism

Tunes to tune in to

“

Haunting the airwaves between the hours of midnight and 6 a.m., my program allows me to stay on top of music I love, discover music I didn’t know I loved and connect with artists and listeners all over the world.

”

John Moses

or professional merit (or a combination of both), I quickly accepted Vince’s offer and have since been stewing in a pot of literary limbo deciding what I should write about. I am eager to try my hand at this.

Here’s my plan. Each month I’ll put forward a gaggle of my favorite new artists, songs and albums and provide an accompanying playlist (available on The Charlotte News website) for those of you who would like to direct your eyes and ears toward the same material. I prefer to cover a number of songs rather than spend too much time on just one. With tens of millions of tracks spanning multiple eras and genres available at your fingertips, who has the time to dig into the minutia of just one piece of music?

Normally I won’t rant and ramble before diving into some new tunes, but I do want to explain where I’m coming from so we can best connect.

On that theme of connection and seamless segues: If you like the sound of music for a rainy day you might appreciate the newest single, “Kathy’s Song,” from London-based artist and melodic mellow-man Westerman.

Just as you guessed, “Kathy’s Song” is a cover from Simon and Gafunkel’s classic 1966 album Sounds of Silence and takes an ambitious step towards reworking their gentle acoustic guitar and soft-spoken story of longing for a lost lover into a soaring, plugged-in, synth-laden soundscape. With the help of fellow UK producer and frequent collaborator Nathan Jenkins (pka Bullion), Westerman elevates a beloved staple into a colorful, driving love letter forever finding its way to its final destination.

Perhaps that letter was sent 10,497 miles to Melbourne, Australia, arriving to a new home with the equally hypnotic vocalist and songwriter Lachlan Mitchell, aka Laneous.

Alongside musicians Paul Bender (bass), Simon Mavin (keys), Hudson Whitlock (drums) and Donny Stewart (vibes/ flugelhorn), his newest record, Monstera Deliciosa, nestles somewhere between the intimate tones of D’Angelo and the bustling jazzy grooves of Grammy-nominated and fellow Aussie artists Haitus Kaiyote. Songs like “I Wanna Be Your Girl” and “Not Quite Right” roll out the red carpet for the perfect moods to soundtrack your slow summer days. Their record is best consumed 11 tracks at a time and taken with a freshly cracked Citizens Cider.

When the sun sets on your refreshment for a night by the fire, consider stoking the flames and cue up “A Lot’s Gonna Change,” the opening track from the latest

E N RI C H TH E LIFE YO U LIVE O UTD O O RS

full-length effort by new folk songstress Natalie Mering, aka Weyes Blood. An ode to youthful wonder and its exchange for life experience and understanding, “A Lot’s Gonna Change” twists and turns and sparks the beginning of Titanic Rising, or what could be Weyes Blood’s most theatrical, dynamic and stunning album yet. Production and string arrangement from famed producer and Foxygen front-man Jonathan Rado lay the groundwork for Mering’s otherworldly vocals to fly across a canvas of grandiose ambience.

Moving forward, I’ll cover a lot more artists and sounds in detail. Between now and next month, be sure to check out the latest single, “Baby,” and perhaps finest work to date from fellow Charlotter Francesca Blanchard, harpist Lucy Roleff’s most recent album Left in an Open Room, and the cataclysmic sounds of Philadelphiabased composer and producer Damon Smith from his sophomore effort God of the Grid.

And, of course, if you crave more music you can catch me plaguing the airwaves during the witching hours on the West Coast and at an ungodly time in the morning on the East Coast.

Signing off,

John Moses To hear the music John mentions visit our website: CharlotteNewsVt.org/ living/arts-entertainment.

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The Charlotte News • August 8, 2019 • 9

On Books

Delights of summer reading part II

Katherine Arthaud A quick recap from Part I—along with my warnings on some dangers of summer reading, last time I recommended Richard Powers’ Pulitzer-Prize winning novel The Overstory, an “eco-epic” that’s inspiring and transforming. And on the lighter side, don’t miss Mrs. Everything (Jennifer Weiner) and Summer of ’69 (Elin Hilderbrand), both good reads.

I also recommend two novels by Sally Rooney: Normal People and Conversations with Friends. I read Normal People first, though it is the later of the two, and found it haunting and excellent, a page-turner.

It follows an unlikely friendship (or maybe it’s an unlikely romance) between Connell and Marianne, two very, very different types of human beings with very different backgrounds and sensibilities who somehow keep getting pulled back into relationship with each other.

Rooney’s writing is unusually insightful and intriguing. Here is a sample: “She sits at her dressing table looking at her face

Gardening

in the mirror. Her face lacks definition around the cheeks and jaw. It’s a face like a piece of technology, and her two eyes are cursors blinking. Or it’s reminiscent of the moon reflected in something, wobbly and oblique. It expresses everything all at once, which is the same as expressing nothing.

To wear makeup for this occasion would be, she concludes, embarrassing. Without breaking eye contact with herself, she dips her finger in an open pot of clear lip balm and applies it.” I could not put this book down. Brilliant writing.

Which is also the case with Conversations with Friends, the plot of which is emotionally tangled, textured and rich. The characters are, again, unusual, mesmerizing. Again, I didn’t want to stop reading. A good friend of mine did not like this book because (as she explained it) she didn’t like any of the characters, didn’t feel like any of them were good people.

I suppose she’s right on some level, but this didn’t bother me. Conversations with Friends (like Normal People) contains another friendship/romance hybrid, this time between two women, but that isn’t the only relationship going on. There is an affair, a marriage, a crush, some unrequited love and, again, a dose of that strangely inexplicable magnetism that seems to pull certain individuals inexorably toward one another, despite complications, obstacles and the desires, objections and distractions

of other people.

An inscription by George Eliot in Normal People says much: “It is one of the secrets in that change of mental poise which has been fitly named conversion, that to many among us neither heaven nor earth has any revelation till some personality touches theirs with a peculiar influence, subduing them into receptiveness.” Highly, highly recommend both books by Sally Rooney.

I have to also mention a novel that I just finished recently.

Disappearing Earth

by Julia Phillips takes place in Kamchatka (which I primarily remember from the game of Risk, which my sisters and I were obsessed with as children and which almost, one autumn, led to fratricide, just ask my sisters). Again, the writing is haunting but in a different way than with Rooney’s novels. In this book, it is somehow the places Phillips describes that are haunting. They kind of echo. The feeling in the air, the scenery, the temperature. It’s hard to describe.

The book begins with two girls—sisters, ages eight and eleven—at a beach…but not a beach like a Hilderbrand beach, not at

all: “Sophia stood to face the water. It was calm, barely touched by ripples that made the bay look like a sheet of hammered tin. The current got stronger as it pulled into the Pacific, leaving Russia behind for open ocean, but here it was domesticated.

It belonged to them. Hands propped on narrow hips, Sophia surveyed it, the width of the bay, the mountains on the horizon, the white lights of the military installation on the opposite shore.”

I found the writing to be exquisite, the scenery vivid and evocative, and the plot gripping, twisting, difficult. I don’t want to tell you too much. But something happens to those two girls, I will tell you that. And many interesting, sometimes eccentric characters enter the stream of the story, which is a mystery, really, that slowly unfolds as the pages turn. Fascinating landscape and culture. Stark. Harsh. Sad, but this book is not without hope. Highly recommend.

Okay, I see my word count is escalating.

Time to jump in the pool. Please remember to stretch during long sessions of reading, don’t stand up until your legs have fully woken, and don’t, for heaven’s sake, burn yourself in your deck chair.

There are so many books to read, so many pages to turn, you must keep yourself safe and healthy. Enjoy the summer and all its many delights! Till next time!

That’s disgusting

Vera Maroney YUK! This wet and warm weather has been a boon for our gardens…well, most of them. There are some plants that just are not suited to this weather. One is the tall bearded iris. Cranky would be a kind word to describe its attitude.

Tall bearded iris bloom in the spring, after the tulips and at about the same time as the peonies. They are showboats and prima donnas with their stunning blooms.

Tall beaded iris are different from Siberian iris, and their problems do not seem to plague the mid-size and Lilliput species.

The bottom line is that tall bearded iris do not like to be wet. They are a Mediterranean climate plant. Well, what are you doing here?

Rhizome rot can happen particularly after our cold wet spring. The remedy is to scoop out the rot with a spoon (it really stinks!) and drench with a 10 percent bleach solution. You can also dig up the plant and separate the new growth, drenching the tuber before planting.

Even more disgusting than rot is iris borer. The description from Schreiner’s gardens is the most accurate: “These ¼ inch-long larvae crawl onto the iris and up the leaves. Near the top they chew into the leaves and then down the rhizomes, where they gorge themselves until they reach a size of about 1 ½ inches in length.

Borer injury often appears as notched wounds on slimy wet looking areas on the leaves. Borers often will hollow out whole

rhizomes, causing the fans to collapse and the remaining tissue to rot.”

That is certainly a gardening upper. Now what do I do?

This is the time that the borers change into pupae and can be treated. A couple of options: systemic insect ides such as Imidaaclorid. Be sure to read the label.

Many gardeners use gloves and a pail diluted to the right amount and sponge the plants. An alternative is a 10 percent solution of Murphy’s Oil Soap, using the same gloves and sponge method.

As usual, the basics apply. Keep plants clean because the eggs of the iris borer are laid on or near the plant detritus on the ground. Damaged and infected plants need to be bagged and sent to the landfill.

When planting or transplanting iris,

choose a sunny, well-drained location. A slope or raised bed is a good location. Add sand, coarse hummus or gypsum to heavy soil. Plant the iris with the tops of the rhizomes exposed and the roots are spread out facing downward.

Iris need to be thinned every three-to-four years. It’s easy… just cut away the center rhizome and leave the smaller one.

It has been a difficult year for iris, but let’s stay with them through these hard times. iris borer

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10 • August 8, 2019 • The Charlotte News

Outdoors

There’s plenty going on in the outdoors, both good and not-so good Elizabeth Bassett

First some good news. The Island Line Bike Ferry is plying the Cut, 200 feet of open water between Mallet’s Bay and the open lake, allowing pedestrians and bicycles to travel from Colchester to the Champlain Islands. Years ago, trains rolled between Rutland and Montreal, crossing a swing bridge that opened to allow boat passage. When the tracks were ripped up, the bridge, too, was removed. In 2005 Local Motion, a Vermont non-profit that advocates for active transportation and safe streets, began ferrying bikers and pedestrians across this gap. Today the Bike Ferry runs for about 100 days each summer. (Round-trip passage on the ferry

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costs $8 for adults.) This year however, the Town of Colchester plans to rebuild the Causeway. The last day of ferry operation will be September 2. Go soon or you will have to wait ‘till spring.

Why take the Bike Ferry? The Causeway beckons from anywhere along the Burlington Bike Path—Overlook Park in South Burlington, Oakledge Park in Burlington, downtown, or Airport Park in Colchester. With beautiful views of water and mountains, the Causeway extends for a total of 10.9 miles; over the lake it sits on marble pilings. On the far side of the Cut the Champlain Islands stretch as far as you want to pedal. Fuel up on maple creemees in South Hero at either Allenholm Farm or Seb’s. The Island Line Trail map, available on the ferry, details a range of eating options within a five-mile radius of the ferry.

The Bike Ferry website notes, “little black creatures” scamper around the Causeway. These are mink, a semiaquatic species in the weasel family. Minks are larger and heavier than weasels, reaching up to 30 inches in length and weighing as much as 2.2 pounds; they also have webbed feet! Like weasels and otters, mink have the sharp teeth of a predator, enjoying a diet of fish, frogs and crayfish during summer months. Keep an eye out for them as you pedal.

Now for the not so good news: cyanobacteria in lakes and ponds.

Sometimes referred to as blue-green algae, cyanobacteria are not algae but photosynthetic bacteria that can occur in both fresh and salt water. Large accumulations are called blooms, some of which produce toxins when they die and break down. It’s not possible to tell by looking if toxins are present, hence the need for lake monitors.

Lake Champlain Committee, a

Burlington-based non-profit, trains monitors who test the water and report findings to the state.

“Monitors learn what to look for in cyanobacteria blooms,” says Sandi Detwiler who has monitored lake water off of Flat Rock Road on Thompson’s Point for about five years. “We file weekly online water quality reports with the Vermont Department of Health. If we see something unusual in the water we file a supplemental report.”

Cyanobacteria thrive in water with high amounts of nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen. The bacteria can multiply quickly to form dense populations, especially during warm, still days. Shallow, nutrient-enriched areas such as Lake Champlain’s Missisquoi Bay and St. Albans Bay are more vulnerable to blooms, but they can develop anywhere.

UVM Medical Center HealthSource notes that cyanobacteria are generally not harmful unless ingested. Dogs don’t understand that, and children are more likely than adults to swallow water while playing or swimming.

Cyanobacteria can form colonies that look like tiny fuzzy balls, streaks and striations, pea soup or spilled paint. They can make the water look blue-green, dark or bright green, turquoise, white, brown, red or purple. “This is the first summer that I have reported a low-level cyanobacteria event off of Flat Rock,” Sandi says.

“Recent hot, calm conditions are ideal for the bacteria to develop. Generally, when wind and wave action increase, the cyanobacteria are dispersed. After noting the cyanobacteria on a calm morning, I have found that by mid-afternoon the water was for clear and fine for swimming. I

Cyanobacteria advise folks to look carefully at the water before jumping in. Water that looks like pea soup could be unsafe,” Sandi says, “especially for dogs and young children.

Stay out of the water until it clears.”

Contact Lori Fisher at the Lake Champlain Committee, lakechamplaincommittee.org, to learn about the annual training for monitors.

On a more positive note, mark your calendar for early September to observe raptor migrations from Mt. Philo. One of the best locations in the state along this major migratory pathway, Mt. Philo is an excellent viewing point. Three groups of raptors—falcons, accipiters, and buteos— float by using air currents along the ridge of the mountain. While different groups fly at different times, some migrate as early as the first week of September.

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The Charlotte News • August 8, 2019 • 11

Town

New incentives make weatherization more affordable Jeff Buell

EFFICIENCY VERMONT

New funding and streamlined programs mean that for most Vermont households, $60 per month will pay for a comprehensive home weatherization project that will lower heating and cooling costs and make their homes more comfortable year-round. Moderateincome Vermonters who have long thought a comprehensive home weatherization project was too expensive for their budget now have reason to think again and take action.

Efficiency Vermont announced its plans for deploying an additional $2.6 million in available funding to make weatherization projects more accessible and affordable to moderate-income families. Efficiency Vermont hopes to double the number of Vermonters who enroll in the Home Performance with ENERGY STAR program and weatherize their homes by the end of 2020, saving families money and reducing annual greenhouse gas emissions by more than 750 tons a year.

The Home Performance with ENERGY STAR program provides incentives for customers who work with qualified contractors—members of the Efficiency Excellence Network (EEN)—to complete comprehensive projects designed to improve insulation, air sealing and ventilation systems.

The average project can save $500 a year in home heating and cooling savings for homes heated with oil.

“Comprehensive air sealing and insulation projects are the most cost-effective way to reduce heating and cooling costs, but the relatively high upfront cost of these projects—often several thousand dollars—has been a deterrent for many Vermonters who would like to participate,” said Efficiency Vermont Director Rebecca Foster. “With help from our partners, especially lenders and building contractors, we’re looking to knock those barriers down. For moderate-income Vermonters in particular, there has never been a better time to move forward with a project.”

Approximately 60 percent of Vermont families fall into the moderate-income range.

Moderate income, for the purposes of the program, is defined as total household income

that falls between 80–120 percent of area median income (AMI). Income limits vary based on county of residence.

Higher incentives and simpler structure The Home Performance with ENERGY STAR program is now based on project cost instead of incremental energy savings. While the cost of a project varies greatly based on the size, age and condition of the house, the majority of projects cost less than $8,000.

Moderate-income households will now receive 50 percent of their project costs back, up to $4,000, or up to $2,000 for higherincome households. Previously, average incentives for this program were $1,300.

Free financing Qualified customers can also obtain zero-interest financing through Efficiency Vermont’s Heat Saver Loan. Qualifying Vermonters will now be able to complete a comprehensive weatherization project for around $60 a month. Monthly payments could be even less for borrowers who choose a longer loan term.

Attic and basement rebates Customers who don’t wish to work with an Efficiency Excellence Network contractor can still receive rebates for air sealing and insulating their attic or basement. For moderate income customers, a $500 incentive is available per area, up to $1,000. Higher income households are eligible for a $250 incentive per area, up to $500.

All of the incentives announced will be available until the end of 2020, or while funding lasts. Incentive levels may be subject to change depending on customer demand. The program changes are effective immediately and will be retroactively applied to projects completed after July 1.

Efficiency Vermont was created by the Vermont Legislature and is regulated by the Vermont Public Utility Commission to help all Vermonters reduce energy costs, strengthen the economy, and protect Vermont’s environment. For more information, contact Efficiency Vermont at 888-921-5990 or visit efficiencyvermont.com.

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12 • August 8, 2019 • The Charlotte News

Into The Woods face painting.

Managing for carbon

Towards the end, the Charlotte-Shelburne-Hinesburg Rotary invites folks to temperate Ethan ll have a head to theTapper Little League field next forests to (like those in Vermont) it is estimated that up to 50-60% of a forest’s Penar will theeffects Fireof Station foronthe Rotary carbon is stored in its soils.

As the climate change our annual ood venand a chance prizes young forests sequester Interestingly, world Golf becomeBall moreDrop and more apparent, it is to win carbon more increasingly importanton to manage ourthe forests verything depending where numbered ballsrapidly than older forests (they grow faster), but older forests store to not just withstand these impacts, but to rgers and land. Proceeds from ticket salesmore helpcarbon fundthan younger forests. These help mitigate them. Vermont’s forests are a g animals many(orprojects throughseemingly the year. opposite facts have fueled divergent carbonRotary’s “sink,” capturing “sequestering”) management strategies; the former has been more carbon than they emit, and in the course ects, and

sequestration and storage in our forests? In a word, encouraging “diversity” --- many different ages, sizes and species of trees --- is a good place to start; more diverse forests generally store more carbon than less diverse forests. Vermont’s land use history has resulted in forests which generally lack diversity, old trees and soil carbon, as compared to the forests that probably existed here prior to European settlement. Active forest management can help forests regain these features more rapidly, increasing diversity while harnessing the sequestration benefits of young, fast growing forests and the storage benefits of old forests, all while producing an output of forest products. Retaining dead standing trees, a lot of dead wood on the forest floor, and “biological legacy” trees --- trees that will never be harvested --- in the course of forest management will further help our forests store more carbon. All of these features will also create more vibrant wildlife habitat, and forests which are resilient to the disturbances that may become more frequent as our climate changes.

Because of how important to climatechange mitigation our forests are, it is also important to protect their health so that they may continue to help us sequester and store

carbon, in addition to cleaning our air and water, and providing habitat and refugia for our wildlife, forever. Encouraging the resilience of our forests by managing for forest health, controlling invasive exotic plants and keeping forests undeveloped and unfragmented will help keep forests healthy, in turn helping them sequester carbon and mitigate the effects of climate change in the long term.

For more information on forest carbon storage see: Forest carbon storage in the northeastern United States: Net effects of harvesting frequency, post harvest retention, and wood products; a 2010 paper from Forest Ecology and Management by Jaren Nunery and William Keeton.

Vermont Forest Carbon: A Market Opportunity for Forestland Owners, a paper published in 2018 by The Spatial Informatics Group, the Carbon Dynamics Lab at UVM and the Vermont Land Trust, by William Keeton, William VanDoren, Charles Kerchner and Mackenzie Fuqua.

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The Charlotte News • August 8, 2019 • 13

Sports 7th Annual Diamond Island Regatta Aug. 17

Sports Report

Ian Parent reaches the bag in the state championship against Brattleboro.

Edd Merritt The fleet heads north into a stiff breeze during the 2018 Diamond Island Regatta.

Photo by Rik Carlson

Now in its seventh season, the Diamond Island Regatta, hosted by the Royal Savage Yacht Club (RSYC) and Point Bay Marina, will once again attract many of the fastest boats and best sailors from around Lake Champlain on Aug. 17.

As in past years, the event will be run as a benefit for the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum (LCMM) in Ferrisburgh. LCMM is dedicated to maritime education and the preservation and management of the lake’s historical shipwrecks and underwater cultural resources. Entry for the Diamond Island Regatta is free. Proceeds from the sale of race-themed merchandise, including T-shirts, to sailors and racing fans, and the sale of professional photographs of the boats taking part in the race, are used to offset an annual RSYC donation of $1,000 to the museum.

According to Wendy Friant, race director for RSYC, the event will be run again this year as a Clean Regatta, using a sustainability plan developed with the help of Sailors for the Sea. This non-profit organization promotes ways to improve the health of the planet’s waters, and the Clean Regatta program is designed to educate and mobilize sailors to protect the world’s lakes and oceans.

In its relatively brief history, RSYC’s Diamond Island Regatta has become one of the biggest sailing regattas on the Lake Champlain summer schedule. Last year, the event attracted about 30 boats. The race is part of the Lake Champlain Championship Series (LCCS), a series of races featuring boats from clubs in Vermont, New York and Quebec. Regatta results will count toward both the LCCS Cannon Series and the Champlain Series. Details and registration information for the regatta can be found at the Diamond Island Regatta website, http://rsyc.org/diamond-islandregatta/. You can learn more about the LCCS at http://www.lcchampionshipseries. org/.

Racers are invited to the RSYC-hosted breakfast ($5 suggested donation, to benefit

the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum) the day of the race at the RSYC tent at Point Bay Marina. Breakfast begins at 8:30 a.m., with registration from 8:30–9:30 and a skippers meeting at 9:30. The race gets under way at 11.

The awards ceremony will take place during the inaugural Taste of the Islands Dinner—fare with a Caribbean flair—also under the tent at 6 p.m. Visiting sailors are invited to join the evening festivities, paying the RSYC member price for dinner.

They can register for the dinner at the RSYC website: http://rsyc.org/diamondisland-regatta/.

The race is scored using the Lake Champlain PHRF ratings, which allow sailboats of all sizes and speeds to compete against one another. RSYC and Point Bay invite sailors to spend a day on beautiful Lake Champlain and experience the thrill of pitting their sailing skills against top competitors, all while helping a great cause.

The event will include separate classes for boats flying spinnakers and those using just mainsail and jib. All boats will sail the same course, chosen from among several options on the day of the race based on the wind direction and speed. The courses, all starting in Town Farm Bay, which sits between Charlotte and Ferrisburgh, range in length from 6.6 to 13.8 nautical miles, and can run from Charlotte and Essex, N.Y., in the north to Basin Harbor in the south.

Host Royal Savage Yacht Club (rsyc. org) is named for the schooner Royal Savage that served as Benedict Arnold’s flagship during Revolutionary War battles with the British on Lake Champlain.

Point Bay Marina is a full-service marina on Thompson’s Point Road in Charlotte (pointbaymarina.com).

This event is sponsored by Royal Savage Yacht Club and Point Bay Marina. The day-long event includes racing and Taste of the Islands award banquet.

S.D Ireland falls just short of American Legion Baseball finals

Going into the final double header against Brattleboro, S.D. Ireland needed only to win one to advance to the Northeast Regional Tournament. They did not manage it, falling 9-6 in the opener and 5-2 in the second game. They had reached the final by winning two Monday games, one a 6-1 defeat of the eventual champion Brattleboro. Their early wins hindered their final two games because they lost the strong arms of pitchers Ian Parent and Storm Rushford who had reached their pitch-count allowances and could not throw in the final two games.

Since many of the Ireland players were on the CVU state high school championship team, the close losses to Brattleboro Post 5 demonstrated just how competitive this age level can be.

The all-tournament team included the following Ireland players: Collin Vincent

Photo by Al Frey

at shortstop, Jacob Boliba in the outfield, and utility players Ian Parent and Aidan Johnson.

Shrine Maple Sugar Bowl goes to New Hampshire

The 66th annual Shrine twin-state football game went to the gang on the eastern side of the Connecticut River by a 21-9 score. New Hampshire’s rushers, led by Cameron Mann’s 137 yards on 16 carries, led the way. All told, the Granite staters ran for 249 yards to Vermont’s 180. Even though New Hampshire had a close 7-3 lead at halftime, they pulled away in the second session to reach the final 21-9 with five and one-half minutes to play in the game. Vermont actually moved the ball well late in the second half, going 65 yards in only four plays on one drive. Jake Baker (Burr and Burton) scored the single Vermont touchdown on a pass and run from the New Hampshire 40-yard line. Kicker Noah Crossman from Rutland hit a 25-yard field goal in the first half for the only other Vermont points.

14 • August 8, 2019 • The Charlotte News poor sleep; exercises to improve strength and endurance and to pace yourself; and tips for discussing pain. Pre-registration is required for the 6-week series. Signup deadline is 8/29. No fee.

Carolyn Kulik

SENIOR CENTER DIRECTOR

“I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection. ’Tis the business of little minds to shrink, but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death.” ~ Thomas Paine We are coming to the last few weeks of the Summer Schedule, and the Fall Schedule, covering September, October and Novemer, will be out at the end of this month. Meanwhile, Center participants are active—as usual —with all sorts of courses, activities, events and lunches on Mondays and Wednesdays. But things never really stop here—we just move into another season.

Health notes If you are reading this on Aug. 8, the Senior Center is having a Blood Drive with the American Red Cross from 2–7 p.m.

Walk-ins are welcome. And we have a comfortable space, friendly volunteers and great snacks.

It may seem a little early to take a look at the Fall Schedule, but there is an important course that has a signup deadline of August 29, which is not long after it is published.

If you have had chronic pain for more than 3–6 months, consider signing up for the Living with Chronic Pain Workshop that meets for 6 weeks on Fridays—a little later than usual from 3 to 5:30 p.m. It is taught by peer instructors through VT Blueprint for Health Self-Management Program. It is for those with musculoskeletal (neck, shoulder, back, etc.), neuropathic and post-stroke pain, fibromyalgia and more. The workshop benefits those with Crohn’s disease, IBS, diabetic neuropathy or severe muscular pain from conditions like MS. Learn techniques to deal with frustration, isolation, fatigue,

Courses Do you write? Memoir, short stories, poetry? Could you use some encouragement? The monthly Writers Group is waiting for you to bring your writing to share in a supportive atmosphere.

The plan is to meet 8/9 and every second Friday afternoon from 1–3. Please register to indicate your interest while this group is getting ready to fly. No fee.

In August have some fun with Collage Experiences taught by with Linda Finkelstein on Tuesdays mornings, 9:1510:45, on 8/13, 8/20 and 8/27. Aside from just being fun, collage can be a nonstressful way to enhance your creative, imaginative and problem-solving skills.

Engage with a variety of materials to create a unique composition. Each week, a theme will provide a framework to work with.

Registration required. Fee: $45 for the series.

August: Wednesday After-lunch Events at 1 p.m.

8/14: Downsizing with Suzanne Lourie Are you contemplating downsizing/ rightsizing? Even if a move isn’t imminent, simplifying your surroundings while keeping what you need or cherish most will allow you to live more comfortably in your home. We’ll explore how to navigate the process and prepare for this life transition.

8/21: My Affairs in Order with Rosemarie Cartularo If something should happen to you, could anyone step in and manage your affairs?

Most people have informed others about their wills and death arrangements, but what about your bank accounts, how you pay your bills, your investments, taxes, social security, pets, credit cards, doctors, dentist, mortgage and everything else? Organizing this information is essential, and Rosemarie will show you how to record crucial information.

8/28: Rokeby Museum Tour, Ferrisburgh, 1:30-3:30 p.m.

Meet at the Senior Center to carpool at 1 p.m. “The Museum brings the Underground Railroad vividly to life.” The visit includes a guided, 1-hour tour of the historic house

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SENIOR CENTER MENUS Suggested donation for all meals: $5

Monday Munch

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

No reservations required.

Wednesday Lunch All diners eat at noon.

Reservations required.

August 12

August 14

Corn, potato & tomato chowder Green salad Homemade dessert

Hearty chopped ham salad Homemade dessert

August 19

August 21

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Thursday Gents Breakfast

7:00–9:00 a.m. Reservations required.

August 8 and August 22 Menu: TBA | Topic: TBA

(Keep up to date on Menus at our website, CharlotteSeniorCenterVT.org, and on Front Porch Forum, as they sometimes change.)

with 200 years of domestic belongings.

On your own afterward visit the Free and Safe exhibit in the Welcome Center and some of the nine historic farm buildings with agricultural artifacts. Please register.

Cost is $9, checks payable onsite to Rokeby Museum. Maximum 12.

Art news The August Art Exhibit by Marni McKitrick, featuring her watercolors, mixed media and acrylics will be rescheduled for next spring due to the painting of the Great Room. After August 14, there will be pieces by different artists in various media.

The September Art Exhibit will be the 13th Annual Senior Center Community Art Show with works by multiple artists in a wide variety styles, from hyper realism to abstract. Mediums include watercolors, acrylics, oils, collage, wood and ceramics.

Consider contributing your own pieces; all mastery levels are welcome for those 50 and up. The limit is two art pieces no bigger than 2x3’—and the request is that it not have been shown previously at the Senior Center. Stop by to pick up the registration form soon as the deadline for registering is Friday, 8/23. If you have any questions, please contact Judy Tuttle at 425-2864 or jtuttle@gmavt.net. The drop-off date for

artwork that has already been registered is Wednesday, 8/28, between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. ~ The best times to see Art Exhibits ~ Tues. after 12:30, Wed. 9:30-11:00, Thurs. after 12:30, Fri. after 12:30.

Take a quick peek at noon on Mon. and Wed. Please call the Center during the week to check on Sunday availability.

Do visit our website, CharlotteSeniorCenterVT.org, for more details and menus. If you have questions or would like to register, please call 4256345, M-F from 9-4. We are at 212 Ferry Road, Charlotte, right across from the post office. The Senior Center’s mission is to serve those 50 and up. Residents from other communities are also welcome.

See you soon! ________________ Charlotte Senior Center (802) 425-6345

The Charlotte News • August 8, 2019 • 15

Clemmons Family Farm announces artist-in-residence violist Ashleigh Gordon Acclaimed classical Violist Ashleigh Gordon will be an artist-in-residence at the Clemmons Family Farm in August. Gordon will offer two family-friendly classical musical events showcasing Black history.

The first event is “A Little History,” which fuses together original music, poetry and Black history in an interactive educational workshop designed for children ages 10–13 years old and families on Saturday, Aug. 10, from 3–4 p.m. at the farm's Authentica Art Gallery. Participants will learn about historical and contemporary figures ranging from the poet Phillis Wheatley to former President Barack Obama. The second event, designed for adults and children 12 years and older, is a presentation entitled “Meet the Composers”, highlighted with live viola performances of musical excerpts on Sunday, Aug. 11, from 4–5:30 p.m. at the Historic Barn House. Events are free with pre-registration at http://bit.ly/CFFArtist-inResidenceAsheGordon. A $10 donation is suggested.

Classifieds Reach your friends and neighbors for only $12 per issue. (Payment must be sent before issue date.) Please limit your ad to 35 words or fewer and send it to The Charlotte News Classifieds, P.O. Box 251, Charlotte, VT 05445 or email ads@thecharlottenews.org.

About the Artist-in-residence: Ashleigh Gordon has performed throughout North America, Europe and Hong Kong, ranging from chamber and orchestral music settings to off-Broadway and new music productions. Passionate about contemporary music, Gordon performs regularly with Boston’s Callithumpian Consort, NYC’s ECCE Ensemble, and the Grammy awardwinning Boston Modern Orchestra Project.

Read more about Ashleigh at CharlotteNewsVT.org

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