The Charlotte News | November 19, 2015 by The Charlotte News

Charlotte News

The

Charlotte’s award-winning community newspaper

Volume lVIII Number 9

The VoIce of The TowN

Thursday, NoVember 19, 2015

Honoring

Old Lantern in the hot spot 1 New cookbook from Thompson’s Pointer 1 Schools merge as Act 46 rolls out 9 Parenting pitfalls and pleasures 12 Brought to you free through the generous support of our Donors, Advertisers and Volunteers.

PHOTO: ALEX BUNTEN

tHe Honorable

The TheCharloTTeNews.org

Vol. 58, no. 9 November 19, 2015

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

Old Lantern under fire from neighbors Carrie Fenn CONTRIBUTOR

Editor’s note: Charlotte is a town filled with innovators and entrepreneurs. With our new column, Keeping Company, Carrie Fenn will dig into the Charlotte business community to discover the joys and challenges of being a Vermont business owner. Climate-change activist, author and Middlebury College professor Bill McKibben, pictured here with Emilie Krasnow of Charlotte, spoke to an audience of over 200 people at the Old Lantern on Nov. 13. His talk was sponsored by the Charlotte Land Trust as a way of introducing people in this area to the impact of global warming and to the work of McKibben’s group, 350.org. PHOTO: COURTESY

Charlotte Land Trust hosts talk with Bill McKibben Ruah Swennerfelt CONTRIBUTOR

What a lucky Friday the 13th it was! It was wonderful to be at the Old Lantern with several hundred Charlotters, many known to me. During the evening I had one of those “moments” when I truly felt at home in Charlotte. There was a feeling of festivity, warmth and caring in the room as we celebrated the Charlotte Land Trust with delicious refreshments. After an hour of delightful conversations and taking a gander at the

photographs of some of Charlotte’s conserved land, it was time for the CLT program to begin. Kate Lampton began by sharing a story of recently seeing a flock of turkeys feeding in one of the Charlotte conserved spaces on her way by one morning. She reflected that she might not have had as many opportunities without the benefits of conserving land, especially if it had instead been developed. She thanked the many people in the room who had conserved land or had contributed financially to help with the projects. She noted that the Charlotte Conservation Fund, which is renewed (as a commitment from the town) every ten years, was up for renewal vote at Town Meeting in March. According to the CLT, the fund has been central to the success of land preservation in Charlotte since see land trust, page 12

the appeal On November 4, 2015, Charlotte residents packed into Town Hall to hear an appeal requested by Adrian and Allison Wolverton, of Greenbush Road. Joining them as interested parties in the appeal regarding changes to the business practices of the Old Lantern owned by Roland and Lisa Gaujac, were Michael and Karen Frost and Justin and Maura O’Dea Wygmans, also of Greenbush Road. Frank Tenney, chair of the Zoning Board of Adjustment, opened the meeting by explaining that this would be a hearing of an appeal of Charlotte’s zoning administrator’s determination that a change from hosting catered events to using a full-service kitchen for on-site food preparation does not constitute an alteration or expansion in the pre-existing, non-conforming use of the Old Lantern Barn. According to Charlotte Land Use Regulations, an alteration or expansion of the existing business would require the Gaujacs to “seek and obtain a conditional use permit in order to continue their present operations.” Mr. Tenney made it clear to the Wolvertons and the meeting

Think outside the stack (of pancakes)

Jackjumping in Vermont

Katie Webster’s debut cookbook sheds light on the myriad gastronomic possibilities of pure maple syrup

Take a downhill ski, attach a seat, point it down a snow-covered hill, sit down, grab the seat, take off, and you’re jackjumping

Geeda Searfoorce

Lee Wiseman

THE CHARLOTTE NEWS

CONTRIBUTOR

What Vermont pantry staple plays a vital role in revolutionizing the link between cooking and health? Chef, food blogger, photographer, and part-time Charlotter Katie Webster definitively answers the question in her debut cookbook, Maple: 100 Sweet and Savory Recipes Featuring Pure Maple Syrup, published by Quirk Books this October. Brimming with unique, everyday and special occasion recipes featuring pure maple syrup, and accompanied by beautiful rustic color photography, the book aims to offer novice and seasoned cooks a whole new way of looking at this familiar ingredient, highlighting its benefits beyond the palate. A New England Culinary Institute graduate and contributor to Eating Well, Fitness, and Parents magazines, Webster has amassed a treasure trove of cooking videos, original recipes, and upbeat, accessible food writing at her food blog, Healthy Seasonal Recipes. But for her first

Tight turns, roostertail stops, hair-raising speeds, dramatic spills—like learning to ride a bike, the skill of jackjumping comes quickly and easily. And it’s seriously fun. Face-hurts-from-smiling-somuch kind of fun. Like riding a rocket sled with power steering. Jackjumping is a Vermont tradition, probably an outgrowth of early FrenchCanadian loggers who would bring their own jumpers to work and ride down the logging roads back home at day’s end. The sport spread through the state in the early 1900s with lots of enthusiasts building their own or buying manufactured versions of which there have been several through the years. Dan Cole recalls his father and uncle entering jackjumper races down Howard Street in Burlington in the 1930s and still has that jumper. Charlotte boasts a clustering of avid jackjumper enthusiasts, myself included, stemming in part from a Richmond welder

Katie Webster’s new cookbook taps into why maple is healthier, environmentally friendly, and a sublime addition to diverse and delicious dishes. book, she became drawn to focusing on this one ingredient that is such an important part of her and her family’s life. “We are backyard sugar makers,” Katie says, “and whenever we boil, so many friends come over to help. I always try to serve up a maple feast for everyone. One of the first years we sugared I experimented see maple, page 5

attendees that the issue at hand was only whether improvements made to the kitchen constituted a change or alteration in the business that the Old Lantern has been engaged in. That’s the technical and somewhat dry explanation of the Wednesday night hearing. Truth be told, this was the kind of meeting one sees in horror movies of old. There were no pitchforks or burning torches, but the packed room was full of impassioned people on both sides, although the crowd did seem to sway in favor of the Gaujacs. Here’s the lay explanation as to what went down that night.

lOve is in the air? The Notice of Appeal, as filed by the Wolvertons’ lawyer Michael J. Harris of the Burlington law firm Collins, McMahon & Harris requests that the ZBA reverse the zoning administrator’s determination that on-site food preparation does not change or alter the business conducted by the Old Lantern. The appeal then goes on to say in a lot of legal language that the on-site food preparation is causing smoke and odors where none existed previously. The appeal also contends that the Old Lantern is operating as a restaurant and that the increased noise from the new business practices exceeds 70 decibels, to the extent that during a recent ceremony every word of the wedding vows could be heard from 1,000 feet away.

see Old lantern, page 7

Dan Cole’s antique jackjumper. They are now made with modern skis. PHOTO: DAN COLE named Jeb Bush, who designed and built a number of jumper frames in the 1970s (you attach your own seat and ski), which many of us adopted and which are still built on request by his son Chelsea. Jeb would organize after-hour forays to Mad River Glen—jumpers walk onto the slope from Route 17, the driver then meeting at the bottom entrance to ferry us back up. Lincoln Gap is also an excellent jackjumping destination. And here in Charlotte we have Mt. Philo. What a gift! It’s really a jackjumper’s dream come true, with steep drops and a narrow winding course, always over too soon. And then it’s trudge, trudge, trudge back up for just one more run. This proves that jackjumping is good for your health. The connection to Vermont ski areas evolved through lift operators who, like the early loggers, built their own and would jackjump down after work. This led inevitably to organized races that were see JackJumping, page 4

2 • November 19, 2015 • The CharloTTe News

Our story, our town Here you find me hacking out an editorial missive on the Sunday before deadline like a revisionist historian—cutting, spinning, copying, pasting, what sometimes feels like wasting my time. Why isn’t writing easier? Why aren’t the letters lining up right? What’s that paragraph doing there? What does it matter anyway? Why do Charlotte’s stories matter? Equally, why do any small town stories matter? Rather than let our minds slough across a barren landscape that is the hopelessness of writer’s block, let’s waltz matilda over a few fortuitous events of the past weeks and see if we end up back in the present any better off. It was quite the fortnight (yes, people in the UK use this phrase to denote a period of two weeks). I’ll focus on three events: 1) attending the Vermont Creative Network Summit, 2) receiving a substantial donation toward building a searchable archive for The Charlotte News, and 3) attending the Vermont Humanities Council fall conference. On Nov. 4, Alex Aldrich, director of the Vermont Arts Council, paced back and forth in a classroom at the Vermont College of Fine Arts eliciting ideas from the “thought leaders” in the crowd about how to build an advocacy network for the creative industries. The ideas were diverse and piquant, but it was the way they were documented that caught my eye. Artist Angelique McAlpine animated the ideas of the audience as they came up in a mural at the front of the room. It was beautiful. It was a story of ideas—of the network as it formed—in colors, drawings and choice words. It was easy to see the progression for point A to B. It was engaging. If only all organizations had a deft-handed artist to document their every move. The Charlotte News doesn’t document every idea that crops up in town, but we do our best to keep track of the ones that would be of interest to the community. And we’ve been doing this for nigh on 60 years. More than anyone else, we have been that artist giving life to the comic strip that is our small, rural town. Since I started this job and Brett showed me the fine work he’d done on the hardcopy archive, I’ve pined for a searchable

The Charlotte News Angelique McAlpine brought ideas to life in the first session of the Vermont Creative Network Summit, Montpelier. PHOTO: PETER WEYRAUCH

digital archive—to give local issues historical context, to keep the memories of locals alive, to know where we came from and better reflect on where we are going as a community. I’ve almost finished a year at the paper now, and just last week this dream lurched out of the shadows thanks to a loyal reader’s generous donation. We probably won’t hire McAlpine, but we will hire someone similar with a digital touch. It’s going to be quite the mural when it’s complete, and we hope to have participation from the whole community in building our story. Watch for details here. However, when I tell people the size of our humble town, the usual retort is: “So, do you cover dog poop complaints and the like?” Funny? Yes. True? Not really. This brings us back to the central question—why do our stories matter? Sure, we cover small town stuff, but it matters to someone, right? I like to think that all stories matter to someone, especially if told the right way. Delegates at the recent Vermont Humanities Council fall conference had a similar dilemma on their minds. As you may remember, this newspaper was a partner in the VHC Vermont Reads program this year with the Charlotte Library. Charlotte was one of 119 towns in Vermont to read Haroun and the Sea of Stories by Salman Rushdie. The central question in this conference and in the imaginative and entertaining book was “Why do stories matter if they aren’t even true?” Both are fine questions, regardless of whether stories are true or untrue (think of a rumoured dog poo). Why, indeed,

do stories matter? Is it only for silliness and children’s entertainment (think the Brothers Grimm and Disney)? Is it to stretch the bounds of the imagination like science fiction (Ursula K. Le Guin, Orson Scott Card)? Is it to put events in historical context as a journalistic article might do (local newspapers and academics)? It’s for all those reasons and more. They are what connects humanity, what it means to be human. They represent rites of passage, cultural connections, respect, appreciation, intrigue, regardless of their truth. But really they are just words, sequence of letters on the page. It’s what we do with them that brings them alive. Undertaking this archive project is our humble offering to the community—telling all of our stories, the stories that matter—in hope of bringing our town’s modern historical mural into the light. Thank you, dear reader, for taking this editorial journey to the end. We appreciate your support and hope you’ll stay engaged as we work to paint a proverbial mural, build a digital archive and make part of our town’s history accessible to all. Sidenote: I’m growing a moustache for Movember. If you’d like to help change the face of men’s health, head over to my Movember page at mobro.co/albunten and donate what you can. It all goes to a good cause. Alex Bunten Editor in Chief

The Charlotte News is a nonprofit communitybased newspaper dedicated to informing townspeople of current events and issues. It serves as a forum for the free exchange of views of town residents and celebrates the people, places and happenings that make the Town of Charlotte unique. Contributions in the form of articles, press releases and photographs pertaining to Charlotte-related people and events are accepted and encouraged. For submission guidelines and deadlines, please visit our website or contact the editor at news@thecharlottenews.org. The Charlotte News is published in Charlotte by The Charlotte News, Inc., a Vermont domestic 501(c)(4) nonprofit corporation. Distribution is made every other Thursday to all households and businesses in Charlotte and to more than 50 outlets in Shelburne, Hinesburg, North Ferrisburgh, Ferrisburgh, Vergennes and Burlington. The Charlotte News relies on the generous financial contributions of its readers, subscriptions and advertising revenue to sustain its operations.

Editorial Staff news@thecharlottenews.org / 425-4949 Editor in chief: Alex Bunten Assistant editor: Geeda Searfoorce Contributing editors: Edd Merritt, Ruah Swennerfelt, Carrie Fenn, Jorden Blucher Copy editors: Beth Merritt, Leslie Botjer, Vince Crockenberg Outwater intern: Kali Adams

Business Staff ads@thecharlottenews.org / 802-343-0279 Business manager: Shanley Hinge Ad manager: Monica Marshall Circulation group: Valerie Lebensohn

Board Members Co-presidents: Tom O’Brien & Vince Crockenberg Secretary: John Hammer Treasurer: Patrice Machavern Board members: Bob Bloch, Carol Hanley, Michael Haulenbeek, Gay Regan, Louisa Schibli

Contributors Elizabeth Bassett, Jorden Blucher, Nicole Conley, Aidan Devine, Carrie Fenn, Tess Foley-Cox, Henry Kramer, Mark McDermott, Lily Menk, Kerrie Pughe, Mary Recchia, Ruah Swennerfelt, Mary Van Vleck, Lee Wiseman, Margaret Woodruff CoRReCtion: In the Nov. 9 issue our contributors were incorrectly listed. Bradley Carleton, Georgia Edwards, James Hyde, Margaret Woodruff, Mary Recchia and Peter Hiser were missing from the list.

News from The News Rising staR, Raising the baR

On the Cover

Job oppoRtunity

Members of the Charlotte Fire Department Color Guard— (from left) Skip Lucia, Andrew Haigney, John Snow and Stu Melvin (Rob Mullin not pictured)—retiring the colors after the Veteran’s Day memorial event at the Senior Center. PHOTO: ALEX BUNTEN

Next Issue Deadlines

Charlotte News Editor Alex Bunten with Lt. Governor Phil Scott (left) and Vermont Business Magazine publisher John Boutin accepting the Rising Star award. The award was given to 40 young Vermonters selected by a panel of judges for their commitment to business growth, professional excellence and involvement in their communities. “It was a great honor to be selected,” Alex said. “I couldn’t have got this without the team and board at The Charlotte News and the Friends of the Charlotte News. Thanks for all your hard work and commitment to our community.” PHOTO: VERMONT BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Are you creative and self-motivated? Do you like a varied work schedule? Are you good with computers?

Next publication date: Thursday, Dec. 3 Contributions deadline: Monday, Nov. 23 by 5 p.m. Advertising deadline: Friday, Nov. 27 by 5 p.m. Letters due: Monday, Nov. 30 by 10 a.m.

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The CharloTTe News • November 19, 2015 • 3

The staff and board of The Charlotte News wishes everyone a happy and healthy Thanksgiving holiday. Thank you for all your support. Gobble, gobble.

Some of the board, staff, and friends of The Charlotte News gathered in headquarters with contributions for the Charlotte Food Shelf, a resource open to all community residents. “Thanksgiving is about celebrating food, family, and fellowship,” says Editor in Chief Alex Bunten. “We are so grateful to be a part of this community and want to serve our neighbors in any way we can.” Look for opportunities to join The News in this endeavor in the next several issues leading up to the holidays and into the New Year. See page 15 for details from the Food Shelf about what, where, and when to drop off items and help a neighbor in need.

4 • November 19, 2015 • The CharloTTe News

JackJumping

continued from page 1

held even back in the 1950s in Manchester and later spawned the World Jackjumping Championship held every March at Mt. Snow, now in it’s 36th year running. Bolton Valley held sponsored jackjumper races in the ‘80s, Mad River Glen had races as part of its winter carnival, and even Smuggs had jackjumper races in the past. Meanwhile ski areas like Jay Peak, Bolton, Sugarbush, and Smugglers Notch slowly opened up to general use by jackjumpers for the price of a lift ticket. What a deal! These days I’m good for one or maybe two runs on Mt. Philo, but I can go all day at Sugarbush. Or so I thought. Last spring David Watts and I were jackjumping at Sugarbush when we were abruptly refused further lift use. The lift inspectors, part of the Vermont Passenger Tramway Division of the Vermont Department of Labor, told ski areas that they were not in compliance with a 2012 law requiring prior permission by the lift manufacturers before allowing jackjumpers on their lifts. This is, of course, absurd, since jumpers typically weigh 25 pounds or less and are hand

carried. The law actually refers to carrying devices like bicycles or hang gliders on ski lifts—larger items that are hung directly on the lift chair. Nevertheless, the new Division Director J. Stephen Monahan chose to include jackjumpers, an apparent policy shift from previous years, leaving only Jay Peak and the yearly Mt. Snow contest as open for “legal” jackjumping at Vermont ski areas. We were robbed! The Vermont Passenger Tramway Division also has a five-member Vermont Passenger Tramway Board (bureaucracy abounds) that meets four times a year and has the authority to reverse this misguided policy decision. A small group of us enthusiasts have attended the last two board meetings, proposing just such a variance, so that ski areas that choose to allow jackjumping no longer have to get prior permission from Dopplmeyer and POMA, the lift manufacturers. But we have failed so far, mostly due to resistance on the part of the two ski industry representatives on the board. In fact the director himself, who also sits on this board, supports the variance, but so far we’ve been outflanked twice on technicalities. The next board meeting is in December and we’ll try again. It’s not clear why the two ski area reps

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Steve Mann of Charlotte and Silas Towler of North Ferrisburgh enjoying a day jackjumping at Sugarbush before the change in policy about carrying jackjumpers on lifts. PHOTO: LEE WISEMAN (managers of Stowe and Killington) are opposed to this minor, and I dare say, quite unreasonable rule change, but one of them has a long history of opposing jackjumping at ski areas. By law, jackjumpers on lifts are considered “foot traffic,” so the operators are obliged to slow the lift way down for loading and unloading. This can cause backups at busy times and unhappy managers. Admittedly, there’s not a lot of money to be made from lift sales to jumpers, who are notorious cheapskates. (Jackjumper enthusiasts tend to wear outfits that make snowboarders look well dressed.) Most jumpers are built with salvaged, orphaned skis and homemade seats—from luxurious tufted cushions to ratty foam with duct tape trailing behind. Maybe we’re just not pretty enough to deserve access. Lift safety issues have been raised, but since jumpers are required to use a tether as well as hold on manually, it’s just a non-issue. Meanwhile we have Mt. Philo. A downhill skier in Vermont might dream

of growing up in Stowe or Stratton. For a jackjumper, Charlotte is where to live. And it has previously spawned a Mt. Snow World Champion, Ethan Bond-Watts, as well as close seconds by Craig Bunten and several other strong Charlotters like Steve Mann, David Richardson, Sean Hirten and Tucker Bond-Watts. I won in the seniors division in 2012—largely because I was the only senior to compete that year. Regular winter visitors to Mt. Philo have, I’m sure, become used to seeing jackjumpers zipping by. It’s a mecca for the sport—and local attempts at organized races are rumored. I encourage everyone to try out this fun sport and take advantage of our hill. It’s easy to do and really fun. To try it: flag down a jumper as we zip past, or contact the editor or me, as many of us own more than one jumper that we’re happy to lend and do a little teaching. Mostly, though, pray for snow this winter, and wish us luck at the next Tramway board meeting (and at the 2016 Mt. Snow World Championship).

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The CharloTTe News • November 19, 2015 • 5

Weekly Challenge: Eyes: “It was the eyes, chocolate brown and always searching, that warned me to …” Finish the scene. alternates: Persist: Write about a character who persists—and succeeds—despite the doubts and jeers of others. (Think the Wright brothers.) Focus the story on how the character moves forward with an idea. Or General: Send us your best work of any category or type that you’ve created in or out of school. Due Dec. 4

What is Vermont? Aidan Devine Grade 6 What is Vermont? A walk in the woods through the valley along the stream into the unknown field An endless expanse of grass grab a milkweed pod watch the seeds fly Across the unknown field an endless expanse of grass a cool breeze Leaves flutter down This is what Vermont is Vermont is... Nature

Gate Lily Menk Grade 8 She slipped out of the gate and started to run. What was she running from? She wasn’t sure. Everything? Nothing? How about all of the above. All she knew was she needed to get out of there, fast. She stumbled and slipped in the first snow of fall but somehow managed to run until the screams of her mother in her head faded into the distance, replaced by the sound of her boots in the snow and the wind in her ears. She stumbled to a stop, holding her sides as she caught her breath. She looked around, the beat-up neighborhood that she had lived in all her life had now been replaced by a frosted clearing adorned with trees and a snowy hillside to her left. The mumbles in her ears were now slowly coming back as they had all her life. She needed to distract herself, she thought. She made her way towards the base of the hill, all the while planning out her new life in the forest. She was not going back there. Her childhood hadn’t exactly been ideal; her father had left when she was just a baby, and her mother’s

boyfriend wasn’t what you would call a father figure. She rubbed a fresh bruise on her arm; she could still hear the yelling that was associated with it. She reached the peak of the hill, and the sight before her swept her out of her thoughts. A campsite-like village spread out in front of her, smoke billowing up from the tents, and the smell of hot chocolate seemed to warm her body, even though it was currently the middle of November. A boy stood at the entrance to the village, smiling warmly at her, his blond hair complementing his tall stature and soft features. He made it way up to her, sticking out his hand in a sign of welcome. “Jack” was all he said, but it was enough. “Kate,” I said. Maybe I was finally home.

All the Pressure Henry Kramer Grade 6 Here I am, sweat dripping across my face, waiting for the referee to blow the whistle. Because I know when he does blow that whistle, a giant hunk of disappointment will either be on me or off me. More to the pressure is the fact that all my relatives are watching me, staring me down, all eyes on me like a hawk. But then I think if do save this, it’s for them. But as soon as all these thoughts finally settle down, I hear the sound of the whistle. The kicker approaches the ball which is only 10 feet ahead of me; he winds up. But I know a trick. I look at his eyes and see he is looking down at the bottom corner of the net. I quickly and swiftly throw my body at the corner, and I can feel the ball hit my hands. As soon as it hit my hands, I feel a screaming pain. I have pulled my hip flexor. It hurts so much I can barely stand, but that is not the worst part. The ball hasn’t rolled out of bounds. I can barely stand up so I look up. I can see the guy; he’s got the ball back and is about to rip a shot at the other corner. I dive and somehow save it. After that I am down on the ground. My coach helps me off the field. But everybody is cheering because they knew they have just witnessed an amazing play.

Trapped Tess Foley-Cox Grade 6 Trapped inside my own head right, left, backwards, forwards, up, down It’s a prison and I’m in for life Choices, choices, they define your life Everything’s on the line No mistakes can be made no time to decide and the clock is going Tick Tock, Tick Tock Time’s up Are you ready? Better be.

Maple

continued from page 1

with sap baked beans and sap braised pulled pork. I even made a maple bundt cake using pure maple sugar. I served it with warm bourbon apple compote. It was phenomenal! Over the years as we have made more and more maple syrup it has become our go to sweetener. I realized that it is such a diverse and well-loved ingredient that it maybe could be something to fill a whole cookbook with.” The resulting work features a wide range of recipes for every hour of the day. From breakfasts like Overnight Whole Grain French Toast Bake with Dried Apricots and Chevre to main courses like Maple Pork Loin Roast with Apple Chutney to appetizers, soups, and sides like Maple Cashew Chicken Satay, Sweet Potato and Peanut Soup, and Sweet and Sour Skillet Coleslaw, Webster’s book leaves no tree untapped. There are tips on making fruit- and spice-infused maple syrups, unexpected cocktail combinations like Maple Meyer Lemon Whiskey Sour, and—of course—a plethora of desserts like Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie that land just in time for holiday entertaining. Woven into the book is a narrative of how Webster has come to love backyard sugaring at her family’s home in Richmond every spring. But her emotional connections and memories associated with maple syrup are bolstered by a profound belief in the health benefits of sap as part of an overarching food philosophy. “I am first and foremost interested in making healthy food taste great and trying to do so with locally sourced and seasonal ingredients,” she says. “I belong to a CSA. I buy naturally raised meat and poultry directly from local farms and keep it frozen until I’m ready to cook it. And I have, in recent years, started to grow my own vegetables in the summer, too. That said, living in Vermont, with such a short growing season, it is challenging to eat local so I call myself a ‘pragmatic locavore.’ Which basically means I eat locally when possible, but I don’t make myself crazy if I can’t always be strict about it. As far as healthy eating is concerned, I try to stay away from fad diets and believe that everything in moderation is a-okay. I balance everything out with plenty of exercise and the majority of the time I eat whole foods and cook from scratch. I try to keep the grains we eat whole but I also make sure that I have a daily dose of something sweet so I never feel deprived.” The science behind maple’s use as an alternative to refined sugar as a sweetener is something Webster is eager to discuss. “Cup for cup it is healthier. Because maple syrup is minimally processed—it

Katie Webster is basically just concentrated sap from a maple tree—it still holds all of its naturally occurring trace micronutrients and minerals. It has more than 50 antioxidants in it and recent studies show that it has anti-inflammatory properties. Because it tastes sweeter than refined white sugar, you can use less of it to sweeten recipes, and it is lower on the glycemic index than corn syrup or table sugar, which means it will not cause the same blood sugar spike as these other sweeteners cause.” Webster’s book includes tips and “rules of thumb” for swapping maple syrup for refined sugar in many different recipes. Passion for maple’s role in sustaining health extends beyond the plate, bowl spoon, and cup and into the world around us. “Maple is not a cultivated crop so it is more earth friendly,” she says. “Proper management of the maple forest is in the best interest of the sugar makers, and making syrup doesn’t hurt the trees at all. Sugaring uses just a small percentage of what the maple tree has to offer and the landscape can remain wooded. Buying maple means you’re supporting small family-run businesses. Even the biggest operations are family run and/or they aggregate syrup from other small family businesses. This helps to keep the economy in rural communities stronger.” The book offers instructions on how to get started sugaring and steps for making your way from tap to stovetop. Webster, who has already started working on her next cookbook proposal, is thrilled that her enthusiastic exploration of maple syrup is out there in the world and making its way onto kitchen counters everywhere. “Really it’s been my hope all along that folks who pick up this book, leaf through the recipes, and then take it into the kitchen will learn what I have.”

6 • November 19, 2015 • The CharloTTe News

old lantern

continued from page 1

Some thingS change, Some thingS Stay the Same

The appellants contend that the Old Lantern ceased operations for six months during the transition to the Gaujacs’ ownership in 2006, which would violate conditions of the non-conforming use, although they provided no hard evidence to back this claim. The Frosts and Wygmans have both joined as interested parties to address concerns that the subdivision of 2003 should have triggered conditional use permitting. Their stance is that, while the Old Lantern operated just fine surrounded by over a hundred acres, once the property was subdivided and people built houses next to it, things couldn’t go on in the same way. And here is where things get a little tricky. Has the use changed, as the Wolvertons say? Or has it stayed the same but shouldn’t have been allowed to, as the Frosts and the Wygmans say? It’s a bit of a conundrum, surely.

Back to the meeting I know, you all just want to get to the good stuff, like the usual suspects shouting out of turn and the chair threatening to kick everybody out. It took a little while for things to ramp up, however. The Wolvertons’ lawyer started the questioning, treating the meeting as though it were a court of law. Chairman Tenney shut that down pretty quickly in the interest of time and asked Mr. Harris to please move things along. During a description of the kitchen improvements, which involved a new dishwasher and a free base sink, which Allison Wolverton claimed had not existed before (eliciting a cry of “That’s crazy!” from someone in the crowd), ZBA member Andrew Swayze had to remind audience members to please wait their turn to speak. Mrs. Wolverton’s complaints of the noise and smells emitted by the new exhaust system caused another outburst from someone in the audience, and there were several requests for the Wolvertons

and their lawyer to speak louder. Mr. Harris closed by saying that the new kitchen and subsequent licenses and permits issued by the State of Vermont had caused an increase in the number of events at the Old Lantern, although, again, Harris cited no hard evidence of that increase, at least in the public meeting. Liam Murphy, lawyer for the Gaujacs, then explained the history of the Old Lantern, which, as he stated, has been an event facility that has served food out of the kitchen since the 1960s. He noted that the space has been used continuously and that events had been held during the six-month period of supposed inoperation before the Gaujacs purchased the property. Lisa Gaujac said she could provide evidence with dates and receipts, if requested. She also explained the reason for the various changes to the kitchen, which required neither a building permit nor a change in the existing footprint. The addition of a deeper sink, an open floor trap and an exhaust range are all requirements that have been installed since the kitchen was originally built. The Gaujacs also replaced the existing 12-burner range with a newer model of the same size.

Perceptions seemed to play a big part in this meeting. There was quite a bit of focus on the notion that the Old Lantern, due to its permits and licenses, has turned into a “restaurant.” Perceptions seemed to play a big part in this meeting. There was quite a bit of focus on the notion that the Old Lantern, due to its permits and licenses, has turned into a “restaurant.” The appellants noted that the Gaujacs have had, on occasion, food-and-wine —and tastings designed for potential clients and open to the public. The Gaujacs claim this practice is in place to create a more festive atmosphere for the brides and grooms to be.

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Now owned and operated by the Gaujacs, The Old Lantern in Charlotte (above) has served food and hosted events since the 1960s. PHOTO: ALEX BUNTEN Various people then addressed the board to confirm that the Old Lantern has always been an event facility where food was prepared and served, that upwards of 60 events have occurred at the Old Lantern each year, that loud music has been played consistently over the decades (King Crimson and Ben Harper, to name a few) and that the classification of the Old Lantern as a “restaurant” on licenses and permits was a result of the lack of an “event facility” option on such documents.

“300 SteakS Burning” Adrian Wolverton asked for an opportunity to address the board. He described the impact of living near the Old Lantern—windows shaking from the loud music, the smoke and noxious fumes from “300 steaks burning,” causing his clothes and home to reek of smoke and grease. Mr. Wolverton also said he would welcome the approval of a conditional use permit for the Gaujacs if they were required to apply for one. The Wygmans in a memo to the ZBA dated November 3, 2015 also cited excessive noise. The memo states “Currently, we estimate that the Old Lantern hosts over 60 events per year, mostly on Friday, Saturday and Sunday afternoons and evenings. This is a great increase from the 5-10 events per year that occurred when we first purchased our property. Many of these events include an outdoor celebration. This expansion of use to outside the building is particularly incompatible with neighbors who are home on weekends and wish to utilize their yards for normal weekend activities, and is a new use for the facility. The celebration then moves indoors and is often accompanied by loud dance music. We have provided the Town with documentation that the Old Lantern exceeds 70 decibels at the property boundary on a regular basis. The Town Administrator also found that the Old Lantern noise was exceeding 70 decibels. We hear this music

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over our own outdoor speakers when we are on our back porch. We hear this music until 11 PM inside our home, even with all the windows closed. We avoid our home on most weekends, because we cannot enjoy our own property.” The Gaujacs said that they have recently begun to monitor decibels after a letter from Charlotte Zoning Administrator Jeanine McCrumb in June warned them they had exceeded the permitted 70-decibel limit. Since they began monitoring, decibels have not exceeded 65, according to Mr. Gaujac.

awaiting the deciSion Eventually, after many had the opportunity to recount the history of the Old Lantern and the fact that food and music had been consistently provided over the last several decades, the board felt it had enough information to reach a decision. The meeting was closed, and all concerned parties, which clearly goes well beyond those listed on the appeal, will await the decision. Because there are several legal considerations at work, the Frosts and Wygmans declined to speak on the record, and this reporter was unable to locate contact information for the Wolvertons, who moved to Charlotte in November of 2014. Carrie Fenn has been a Vermont business owner since 1994, when she co-founded Muddy Waters in Burlington. She also owned Fibonacci’s in Shelburne and the Old Brick Store in Charlotte. She currently partners with her husband, Peter, at Charlotte Real Estate, an independent real estate agency, and Fenn & Company, a design/build firm, both located in Charlotte. Carrie can be reached at carrie@thecharlottenews.org

The CharloTTe News • November 19, 2015 • 7

PROPERTY TRANSFERS A visit to the Shelburne Charlotte Garden Club

Oct. 19. Scott Orr and Stephanie MacQuinor to Harmony Property Management LLC, 2.1 acres with dwelling, 20 Baldwin Road, $90,000. Oct. 20. Peaceful Meadows Property Management Group LLC to Mucca Grasso Agricola LLC, 18.5 acres, land only, 3542 Hinesburg Road, $27,000. Oct. 28. Jonathan Couture and Kimberly Anderson to Thomas and Nancy Smith, 2.3 acres, land only, 240 Vineyard View Drive, $23,000. Oct. 28. Catherine Sisters to James T. Unsworth, 6.4 acres with dwelling, 159 White Birch Lane, $245,000. Oct. 29. Lake Champlain Waldorf School to Charlotte Ferry Properties LLC, 6.01 acres with buildings, 735 Ferry Road, $350,000. NOv. 2. Frederico and Shirley J. Sargent Trust to Karen Heidelmeier, .70 acre with dwelling, 210 Fields Farm Road, $338,000. NOv. 4. Lee and Marcie Fox to Matthew Weston and Amy Shore, 5.0 acres with dwelling, 577 One Mile Road, $410,000.

Get involved in town government The Selectboard is looking for interested citizens to fill the following vacancies: • • • • • • • •

appealing bonsai. When considering pruning these delicate organisms, Leavitt said “you should be able to see a bird fly through them.” Leavitt also provided cultural context for this ancient art, discussing its origins in China to its revered role in Japan today, where some bonsai competitions feature trees valued at 1.5 billion dollars. For more information about the garden club and when they meet, call Ann Mead at 985-2657.

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2016 Green-Up Weekend Coordinator—1 vacancy to plan for event on May 7 and 8 Planning Commission—2 vacancies with terms ending in April 2018 Energy Committee—1 vacancy with a term ending in April 2016 Community Safety Committee—1 vacancy with a term ending in April 2017 Recreation Commission— 1 vacancy with a term ending in April, 2017 Design Review Committee (Thompson’s Point)—1 vacancy with a term ending in April 2016 Charlotte Park & Wildlife Refuge Oversight Committee—1 vacancy Trails Committee—2 vacancies with terms ending in April 2016

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On Tuesday, Nov. 10, an ardent group of gardeners cultivated their interest in the art of bonsai at Pierson Library, with the help of Shelburne Charlotte Garden Club guest speaker Kristin Leavitt. After showing examples of her bonsai—the word means “little tree in a pot”—Leavitt offered helpful hints on how to care for specimens, from watering and fertilizing to situating them in auspicious locations and dealing with insects and diseases. The pot used is surprisingly one of the largest considerations for growing a proportional and

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8 â&#x20AC;˘ November 19, 2015 â&#x20AC;˘ The CharloTTe News

News From CVU

Back to the future: Tech integration at CVU â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hey kid, thumb a hundred bucks will ya, help save the clock tower?â&#x20AC;? So says Terry, a local citizen, to Marty who has traveled to the year 2015 from 1985 in the

film Back to the Future II. The not-yet-invented handheld tablet computer held in Terryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hand uncannily anticipated this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s launching of the CVU 1-1 program, in which all 9th graders were given their own HP Stream laptop computer for their use over the next four years. This is just one of many ways in which technology is being used to advance teaching and learning at CVU. From a management perspective, of course, choices in technology impact day-to-day organizational tasks and the ability to track school information from which data-driven decisions can be made. From an educational perspective, technology is used by teachers in the classroom to support learning goals, as tools that help students and teachers track learning outcomes and develop clear post-graduation plans, and help students master technology skills that allow them to pursue these goals. The rapid pace of technological change and questions regarding its real impact on learning and

engagement are some barriers to its incorporation in the classroom. One of the many jobs of CVUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tech integration specialist, Charlie MacFadyen, is helping teachers understand the learning opportunities offered by technology. Through workshops and classes, one-on-one support, collaborations with teachers and students, and coordination with sending schools to ensure that students arrive at CVU with similar tech experiences and skills, Charlie does a lot to make this happen. Technology is also used in a variety of ways by students to show evidence of their learning. In Spanish classes, students use VoiceThread to speak about paintings in Spanish and to practice a variety of

Good news: A voter registration drive organized by the Social Studies Department registered 150 students to vote.

skills. In science classes, students use probes and video to capture and analyze data and to think â&#x20AC;&#x153;out of the boxâ&#x20AC;? about how to express ideas. In a Current Issues class, students were tasked with creating an adâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;video, audio or animatedâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;for a political campaign, using tools such as PowToon and Audacity. The ability to flexibly use a variety of digital tools is increasingly important after graduation, as their use in evaluating and communicating with individuals who are transitioning to college, gap year and career settings is growing. Of great interest is the relatively new use of technology by students to regularly tackle some of the big questions in their lives, like where am I headed and how am I doing. This is done by providing them with open access to progress in their courses (through JumpRope, the newly adopted Web-based standards-tracking software) and Providing Repair, Refinishing, developing personalized learning plans or PLPs (through the Restoration and Transport expanded capacities of Naviance). Naviance has long been used at CVU to help students and George & Pam Darling families make informed decisions about college choices and P.O. Box 32 track the status of supporting Ferry Road, Charlotte, VT application documents. As one of the tools for PLPs, students will use Naviance to identify, trace and reflect on the variety gdarling@gmavt.net of school- and community-based experiences they participate in

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(i.e., â&#x20AC;&#x153;multiple pathways,â&#x20AC;? including traditional academic work, volunteer work, part-time jobs, conferences, workshops, internships, coursework that is online or at other educational institutions, or individual independent study) to learn more about their own capabilities, strengths and interests as they prepare for their post-secondary endeavors. Naviance is now being used to record this information and related artifacts (school work, journal entries, advisor notes, etc.) and serves as the focal point of conversations between students and their advisors, teachers, parents and school counselors that provide continuity throughout a studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s school experience. CVUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s goal, among others, is to produce students who are excited about their futures after high school. So, what is coming up? CVU is in the process of creating graduation standards that address technology skills. Rather than specifying technology standards and skills per se, CVUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s approach will be to house these standards within the process of learning. For example, one of the ways in which students are expected to demonstrate the standard of â&#x20AC;&#x153;clear and effective communicationâ&#x20AC;? is through the use of technologyâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the specific application isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t named, but the ability to use technology to communicate clearly and effectively is. Given the rapidly changing nature of technology, such an approach prevents the standards from becoming quickly obsolete. It should be noted that CVU also has courses in the business and practical arts departments, as well as in computer programming, where students dive heavily into technology itself. The Engineering, Robotics and Computer clubs also provide opportunities for those students who want to extend their use of technology.

CVU SChool Board CommUniCationS Committee Lia Cravedi, School Board director, Hinesburg, lcravedi@uvm.edu Susan Grasso, community member, Shelburne, malbec@comcast.net Kim Schmitt, School Board director, Shelburne, kschmitt@cssu.org

UpComing CommUnity eVent The CVU Refugee Outreach Club is teaming up with the Vermont Interscholastic Council to collect new or gently used winter coats, hats, mittens or boots for the Vermont Refugee Resettlement Program. Please drop off contributions at the main office at CVU or the lobbies at the local elementary schools in our district by Dec. 10.

The CharloTTe News • November 19, 2015 • 9

Act 46: From word to reality Vermonters react as Essex Junction, Essex Town, and Westford merge into one school district Geeda Searfoorce THE CHARLOTTE NEWS

In the wake of the recent school district unification in Essex Junction, Essex Town, and Westford, legislators and citizens are, in equal measure, rallying around and decrying the merits of Act 46, the education reform bill that was signed into law six months ago by Governor Peter Shumlin. The unification was the first under the new law and reduces the number of school boards from five to one and superintendents from two to one. The one unified district will serve 10 schools in three communities. Across the state, conversations around the topic have accelerated, as the hotly contested bill comes closer to impacting schools and students. Governor Shumlin, at a press conference lauding the consolidation, said, “The message here is simple: Act 46 is working. Communities around Vermont are having important conversations about how to improve educational quality for their kids because of this law, not despite it. Given the 20 percent decline in school enrollment over the last 20 years, it is clear we need to adapt to preserve the high-quality education we value. Vermont communities are answering that call with local decisions, not prescriptions from Montpelier.” But the impact on local control is a prevailing reason why the bill has garnered detractors as well as advocates, primarily as it relates to school choice and property tax implications. Lieutenant Governor Phil Scott distills the crux of the argument against the law as it stands. “Most now realize Act 46 is far from perfect,” he says. “And the Legislature has an obligation to clarify its intentions for local boards, parents, and property tax payers.” Scott points out that the bill does not provide immediate tax relief, and its interpretation by the State Board of Education opens the door for mergers to inhibit school choice for some districts. “I believe the best way to address the situation is for the Legislature to come back in January and make absolutely clear that the law allows districts with choice to preserve that option if they elect to merge with other districts,” Scott says. “That is how Act 46 was presented, and it’s their obligation to make sure Vermonters get what their legislators voted for. The Legislature should also be prepared to offer clarity in other areas as this necessary conversation moves forward and find ways to provide property tax relief for overburdened taxpayers.” Vermont House Speaker Shap Smith, remarking on the voter support for school district unification in Essex Junction, Essex Town and Westford, placed this merger in an historical context, which is part of a larger conversation about how to develop our education system to reflect the needs of the future, rather than be beholden to the past. He says, “I am pleased that these communities will build a unified system that focuses on equity, efficiency, and academic opportunity. More and more Vermonters are calling for administrative efficiency and educational opportunity over the 19th Century standard of arbitrarily drawn districts. There is a growing base of support for change, with community conversations taking place all across the state. Today’s votes are proof that neighboring towns

can form partnerships to make education governance reform successful. We must continue the good work of creating 21st century school districts so communities, administrators, and teachers can help students achieve success. If more communities follow suit, I am confident Vermont’s education system will be made stronger for the future.” Larger conversations about our state’s changing demographics and transportation infrastructure come to bear on the needs of the educational system as well, and the legislature’s return in January may be marked by a shift in assessing the dovetailing of each of these issues. For more information, please see the Agency of Education’s website at education.vermont.gov/laws/2015/act-46 and CSSU’s link to study committee activities at cssu.org/domain/513.

Board’sCorner Update from CCS

What is our current cssu structure? Chittenden South currently operates as a supervisory union comprising five neighboring towns: Charlotte, Hinesburg, Shelburne, St. George and Williston. Each town functions as an independent school district. Charlotte, Hinesburg, Shelburne and Williston each operate PreK-8 school systems. The CVU district is also a member and provides grades 9-12 for the entire community. St. George is the exception. St. George is currently under contract with Williston to send its students K-8 to Williston Schools, and grades 9-12 students have school choice, although most elect to attend CVU.

What Would consolidation mean under act 46?

Frequently asked questions about Act 46 Mark McDermott CONTRIBUTOR

During the past legislative session the Legislature passed Act 46. This act will have some impact on the way schools are governed across the state. This set of questions is meant to be an introduction to Act 46.

What is act 46? Act 46 is the common name for a piece of education legislation (H. 361) passed by the Vermont legislature in 2015.

What does act 46 require of local school districts and supervisory unions?

With the passage of Act 46 supervisory unions and districts are mandated to study how they may become more efficient, equitable and sustainable through consolidating and forming fewer school districts statewide.

What is the cssu act 46 committee? It’s a voluntary committee to which each local school board (Charlotte, Hinesburg, Shelburne, St. George and Williston) voted to appoint one or more local representatives. By law, Act 46 committees are tasked to study the various consolidation options available under the act. Specifically the CSSU Act 46 Committee has been charged with the following: exploring the benefits and challenges of forming a unified school district among the five towns that currently comprise the Chittenden

Privacy & Quality Construction

South Supervisory Union, engaging the community at large in this study to determine whether formation of a single district should be presented to the voters for approval, and completing a written report for submission to the Vermont State Board of Education. This 12-member committee includes representation from all CSSU member communities.

Consolidation involves merging all of the districts in the supervisory union into a single supervisory district. The significant differences introduced by consolidation would be governance by a single board of directors, replacing the current sevenboard structure, and a single budget that includes all proposed expenditures and revenues and results in the same school tax rate for every town, only varying by the influence of the Common Level of Appraisal. It does not mean consolidation or closing of schools.

What Would a consolidated school board look like and hoW Would it be formed?

This is one of the issues to be discussed by a committee of citizens and board members from all towns. The options include but are not limited to the following: a board with proportional representation based on population, similar to the CVU board now; a fully at-large board, where a board of a certain size is elected from a ballot regardless of town designation (though a candidate has to be a resident of the new consolidated school district); or a mix of town representation and at-large representation.

Where can i find more information? More information can be found online at act46.cssu.org. In addition, a community forum will be held in the CCS library on December 1 at 7 p.m., immediately following a meeting on the school budget.

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RegionalBites by Edd Merritt

Archie’s to re-open with “a plumb” Charlotte restaurant owner Dick Hess, who turned Archie’s Grill on Shelburne Road into a popular eating spot before it closed last year, has decided to head west, across Route 7, and reopen. Hess started Archie’s in 2010. It soon became a famous burger stop with Hess behind the counter, always cheerful and willing to give his recommendation of the day. He had to close because of health issues. Dick will continue in an advisory capacity to the new owners, Tim Williams and Doug Nedde. Although the menu may incorporate a few minor changes, “overall the plan is to remain true to the original Archie’s,” Williams said in a Burlington Free Press article on November 13.

Neighboring Fiddlehead Brewery raises money for the hospital Fiddlehead Brewery, just across the Charlotte line in Shelburne, raised more than $40,000 for the University of Vermont’s Children’s Hospital according to an article in Sunday’s Burlington Free Press. Owner Matt Cohen and his staff offered a special benefit beer release on its Mastermind Double IPA, giving 25 percent of its can sales and 66 percent of its on-premise pint sales to the hospital. The Cohens feel especially grateful to the hospital for its care of their son, Noah, who is 9 years old. The money they raised will go toward such things as critical treatments, healthcare services, pediatric medical equipment and charitable care. Fiddlehead has been recognized for its social concern over the course of its relatively short lifespan, having partnered with Charlotte’s Nordic Farms in investigating the usefulness of mixing its used grains with cow manure to produce an organic fertilizer.

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10 â&#x20AC;˘ November 19, 2015 â&#x20AC;˘ The CharloTTe News New solar iNstallatioN oN Ferry road

PHOTO: ALEX BUNTEN

Bullrock Deutsche-Eco Solar, based in Shelburne, has announced that construction is underway on two more solar fields: a 689 kW field, located on the site of the former Waldorf School on Ferry Road in Charlotte, and a 603 kW field in Barre. Construction on both fields will be completed this month. Bullrock Deutsche-Eco Solar has already constructed more than 10 solar fields in Vermont over the past year and plans 15 more projects in the coming year. Its CEO is Gregg Beldock of Charlotte.

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Farm bill grants available for managing wildlife habitat Vermont landowners are reminded that November 20, 2015 is the application deadline for a federal program that provides financial assistance and expertise to landowners seeking to employ wildlife-habitat conservation practices on their properties. Funded through the USDAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Environmental Quality Incentives Program covers habitat work, from managing forests for game populations to restoring field and wetlands for songbirds. Landowners who apply for the program now will be eligible to begin the process next spring, when a Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department biologist will visit properties and provide guidance on suggested habitat improvements. The biologist will also work with landowners to find contractors to carry out the approved habitat upgrades to be funded by the program. Dave Adams, the wildlife biologist who oversees the program, said â&#x20AC;&#x153;We work with you to develop goals and then provide the planning, funding and expertise.â&#x20AC;? For more information or to apply, visit vtfishandwildlife.com.

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The CharloTTe News â&#x20AC;˘ November 19, 2015 â&#x20AC;˘ 11

CHARLOTTE CONSERVATION CURRENTS Holiday dĂŠcor â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a bittersweet invasion Mary Van Vleck CONTRIBUTOR

Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s note: After a short hiatus, we are happy to welcome Conservation Currents back to The News. The column is written by members of the Charlotte Conservation Commission, working to educate and build interest in conservation issues affecting our town and the surrounding area. If you have a specific question youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like them to address, please email your query to news@thecharlottenews.org. November has arrived, and with it our holiday season is now just days away. In preparation for Thanksgiving, many of us venture into the woods and fields, searching for plants to decorate our tables and doorways. One of the most spectacular and sought after plants is the colorful Oriental or Asian bittersweet vine (Celastrus orbiculatus), which, after growing all summer long, produces a profusion of brilliant orange fruits with yellow-orange hulls. With the orange and yellow side by side,

these vines are truly spectacular, and for years people have picked or purchased them for the holidays. As our climate continues to warm, there is more bittersweet around than ever. It thrives in all the New England states, south to Georgia and west to Michigan and Illinois. This plant is a close relative of our native bittersweet (Celastrus scandens). It was imported from Asiaâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;a native of China, Korea and Japanâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and is not a â&#x20AC;&#x153;nativeâ&#x20AC;? here but rather an â&#x20AC;&#x153;exotic.â&#x20AC;? And because it reproduces rapidly and outcompetes our native plants, it is considered â&#x20AC;&#x153;invasive.â&#x20AC;? So how to tell the difference? The leaves of the native and the Oriental bittersweets closely resemble each other, but once the flowers and fruit appear, you can distinguish the native from the exotic quite easily: the fruits of the Oriental bittersweet are located in the leaf axils, where the leaves attach to the stem, whereas the

We can work to limit the spread of Oriental bittersweet, but we will never eradicate it entirely. flowers and fruit of the native bittersweet are clustered at the tips of the branches. So whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the problem about that? When we pick Oriental bittersweet and bring home those colorful vines, we help this plant to spread. Even when we are careful, the fruits have means of getting back into the ground, where new plants inevitably sprout. Many seeds inevitably drop off when transported from one place to another, and if the vines are left outside, on a door wreath for example, the birds

The prolific and fast growing Oriental bittersweet in this mature ash (right) could smother or topple it by the increasing weight of the vine. Note that the bittersweet retains its yellow leaves while the ash leaves have fallen. PHOTO: MARY VAN VLECK

will come and pluck off the fruit. They digest the flesh around the seed and then defecate the still-viable seeds wherever they fly next. In the fall, the Oriental bittersweet becomes increasingly obvious once the native trees have dropped their leaves because, like many invasive plants, it keeps its now bright-yellow leaves longer than do our native plants. It forms great mats along the forest floor, crowding out other plants there and depriving others of light; and being prolific climbers, it climbs into any nearby tree, encircling the trunk and branches, reaching to the tree tops. As they grow, these circling vines will strangle a tree or branch, and when they get large and very heavy, branches will break or entire trees will topple over under their weight. The vines also grow from one tree to the next, forming a formidable network of tangled branches, a real challenge for any logger or anyone working in the woods.

So this is a real dilemma: we can work to limit the spread of Oriental bittersweet, but we will never eradicate it entirely. In time we can hope that no one will sell it. It may become illegal to sell once its invasive qualities are more broadly acknowledged. In the meantime, as you decorate your homes for Thanksgiving, if you decorate with bittersweet, please remember that you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to add the vines to your compost piles nor should you toss them in the woods. The best of all choices might be to burn it or add it to your garbage where it should do no harm in a landfill, but even that may prove a poor choice over time. If you wish to learn more, there is plenty of information on the Web. In the meantime, we wish you a joyous and colorful holiday season. Mary Van Vleck is a new member of the Charlotte Conservation Commission. She lives in the Common Pastures Cohousing community on Greenbush Road.

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12 • November 19, 2015 • The CharloTTe News

Quietly making noise

I’m supposed to be the adult Jorden Blucher CONTRIBUTOR

Editor’s note: “Quietly Making Noise” will take over where “Humbled Parent” left off and be cultivated by Jorden Blucher. As a stay-at-home father of two boys, the column will explore Jorden’s

own experience looking down the rabbit hole of parenting but also will invite guest contributors. How do you deal with tantrums? What do you feed your children? Do they forage for themselves? How do you explain the unexplainable? Perhaps you are raising girls, your kids are older, or the age gap is larger. Submit a question, topic, essay or interview request to jorden@thecharlottenews.org. You can also weigh in on The Charlotte News Facebook page. Luke and I are in the basement playing with the wooden train track he and his brother constructed a few days earlier. One section continually falls over, and I move some pieces around to make it more sturdy. Luke warns me that Noah is going to be really mad. I don’t listen. I should have. Early one morning a few days later,

Land TrusT

continued from page 1

the fund has been central to the success of land preservation in Charlotte since 1996. As of 2014, it had helped conserve 1,687 acres, using $1,397,951 to leverage $6,653,189 of grant money from other sources. Conserving agricultural land has helped young farmers afford to farm the land. And conserving forestland has helped preserve some important wildlife corridors and habitats. It was clear that the crowd was very supportive of CLT’s efforts on behalf of Charlotte. Jessie Price then introduced Bill McKibben, the speaker of the evening. We were reminded that Bill had written The End of Nature, published in 1989 and the first book about climate change for the general public. This landmark work, translated into 24 languages, started the journeys of many of today’s climate activists. Since then Bill has written many books about the plight of our planet— and all that dwell therein. More important, he has inspired people all over the world to work for a reduction of carbon

Noah comes down into the basement to play trains. Immediately he sees that the track has changed and begins to cry. It is the latter part of the school week so his coping skills are low, and to compound the situation his mom worked late the night before and was not able to be home for bedtime. The latter always upsets the balance of the house. I quickly offer to help change the track back, but it’s too late. He no longer hears me and begins to take out his frustration by wrecking the track. I take Luke upstairs to have breakfast. Noah follows crying and tries to rip up some of Luke’s schoolwork. I lose my cool, snatch the papers out of his hand and yell at him. I’m supposed to be the adult in this situation, but I’m not doing a very good job of holding it together. My coping skills, it seems, erode by the end of the week as well. Getting upset with Noah and yelling accomplish getting my heart rate up, causing Noah to dig his heels in more, and scaring Luke, who at this point is covering his ears and hiding behind the plant in the corner (something I did as a kid when there was yelling). If I’d just taken the papers out of his hand and said nothing and gone about the morning, the situation would have defused a lot faster. That’s not what I did, and now I feel horrible that Luke is clearly scared and the morning has crumbled so quickly. However, my stubborn, prideful self causes me to stand my ground. I should just stop and give Noah a hug and admit I lost my temper. That’s what will work, but instead I continue to

be an ass. I called my mom to see if I had tantrums that were as colorful as Noah’s are. She said she couldn’t remember, though she did say that I stood at the top of the stairs and screamed when I was mad. “We just ignored you when you did that,” she told me. Recently my wife and I decided to have a code word for those times when one of us is getting out of line. “Coconuts” is what we are supposed to say, the idea being that this will cause the other person to take a step back. It has been working with mixed results. What we really need to do is re-read the book called If I Have to Tell You One More Time. In it the author talks about how bad behavior is often just attention-seeking behavior, which is what was clearly going on with Noah on this morning. In hindsight I should have just started putting the track back together the way he had it. The remainder of the morning is a roller coaster, but I manage to keep calm and use phrases like, “When you leave your bike there, then I am not going to help you put it away.” Emphasizing the when and the then (we also learned this from the book) lets children know what the consequence will be and gives them a chance to make a choice. This works better than giving a command. By the time we head off for school everything is back to normal.

dioxide emissions, a major contributor to climate change and the unstable weather that comes with it. Bill began by reflecting on the fiveday climate walk in 2006 from Ripton to Burlington that he and a handful of Middlebury College students organized. My husband, Louis Cox, and I were on that walk for the whole five days, camping out in farm fields at night and stopping for talks along the way. In Charlotte on Sunday we talked with a large crowd at the Charlotte Senior Center, and Bill gave the sermon at the Congregational Church to a standing-room-only crowd. Each day a few more people joined the walk. By the time we walked into Burlington, we were 1,000 strong—the biggest climate rally to date in the United States! From those beginnings grew the 350. org movement. Three hundred and fifty parts per million of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is thought to be the maximum for a sustained, healthy planet that supports life as we know it. We have now surpassed that, and it’s time to keep the remaining fossil fuels in the ground and reduce our carbon dioxide emissions. Bill shared photos of people across the globe rallying with “350” signs. In fact, he told us that there have been such public demonstrations in every country except North Korea! What began with a handful of people right here in Vermont has grown to a world-wide movement to save life on Earth. Bill’s style of talking is down-to-earth,

warm and friendly. But don’t be fooled by his sweet demeanor. He was arrested in front of the White House for encouraging President Obama to deny Trans Canada building an oil pipeline down the center of our country (and the president recently nixed the project). Recently Bill was arrested for an act of civil disobedience at an Exxon gas station in Burlington. There he chose to bring attention to the fact that Exxon has known for many years about the risks of climate change and the part burning oil plays in it and chose to lie about that knowledge and wage a massive campaign of disinformation. He said we must each do all we can to stop the continued burning of fossil fuels, encourage our governments and institutions to divest from fossil fuel investments, and promote the continued production of renewable energy. He warned us of the devastation that will occur if we don’t change our global emissions immediately. In December representatives from more than 200 countries will meet in Paris to craft agreements about what each country can do to lower its emissions. All eyes will be on the outcome of that meeting, hoping for some meaningful changes that will happen sooner rather than later. He closed his talk with hope that immediate concerted action can reverse the climate change trend, not without some pain but with the possibility that life will once again flourish.

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The CharloTTe News • November 19, 2015 • 13 Volunteer….make a dIfference!

Out-Doors

Join the group of coaches and team helpers who have already helped create a positive experience for your children. We had such a successful soccer season this fall because of our coaches; let’s continue the success during the basketball season!

Stick season – get outdoors! Elizabeth Bassett THE CHARLOTTE NEWS

In November our desire for daylight collides with growing darkness that stretches to over nine hours each day. Clouds often hide the sun. Add hunting to the mix—deer rifle season is two weeks and three weekends between November 14 and 29—and it takes some thought to get fresh air and exercise. Choose outings with an eye to safety and wear bright orange for good measure. Shelburne Farms. Safe during rifle season and a beautiful place to walk anytime. Ten miles of trails snake over hills, through woods and across open fields on the 1,400-acre working farm. Check in at the Welcome Center, open between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Dogs on leash are permitted through the end of March. shelburnefarms.org Burlington’s non-profit Intervale Center was created to restore to fertility one-sixth of open land in the city. Its motto: Good Food Can Change the World. The Intervale hosts a hive of organic farms, community gardens, the wood-chip fired McNeil Electric plant, and a wood depot that diverts scrap, wood and brush from the landfill. Walk on dirt roads and paths as well as one short, marked trial, the Calkins Trail. The Intervale is located on Intervale Road at the north end of North Prospect Street. intervale.org In the midst of hunting country, Green Mountain Audubon in Huntington posts 250 acres of hills and river valley terrain. Five miles of trails wind through a range of natural communities, from hemlock swamp to northern hardwood forest. Beaver can make trail maps obsolete overnight. The Sensory Trail is designed for those with visual impairments. vt.audubon.org Red Rocks Park in South Burlington hugs the shoreline and bluffs above Lake Champlain. Four miles of trails thread through hemlock and pine forest opening to spectacular views of Shelburne Bay, the broad lake and the Adirondacks. Winooski Valley Park District (wvpd. org) manages 16 parks in seven area towns, and all properties are posted. Parks are open from dawn until dusk. Don’t dally after dark as gates are locked at

night. Dogs must be leashed at all WVPD properties. Please clean up after pets. Colchester Pond is a WVPD property in the far northern reaches of the town. The 2.5-mile trail on 182 conserved and forested acres encircles the pond. Closer to home, Burlington’s Ethan Allen Homestead hosts nearly three miles of walking in the Winooski River delta, including boardwalks through wetlands and riverside trails. These trails connect to the Intervale. UVM Natural Areas dot the map of northwest Vermont and include Pease Mountain in Charlotte, Shelburne Pond, East Woods in South Burlington, and Colchester Bog. Properties are posted and dogs are permitted on leash. At UVM Natural Area East Woods in South Burlington, a one-mile, un-blazed trail rolls through mixed hardwood and conifer forest to the banks of the Potash Brook. In the late 19th century two rail lines briefly crossed in these woods. Hemlocks, white pines and hardwoods tower overhead, muting the rush of traffic on nearby Route 7 and I-189. Colchester Bog is a spectacular UVM Natural Area. The walk is short, over floating boardwalks, but bog scenery is unusual and worth a look. A bog evolves where no fresh water flows, and unusual flora, like carnivorous pitcher plants, sundews and Venus flytraps, thrive. Combine this short visit with a walk on the Causeway, the old railroad bed that extends miles into Lake Champlain. For other ideas consult Local Motion’s Trail Finder. A comprehensive catalog of trails across the region for walking, biking and cross-country skiing can be found at trailfinder.info. Local Motion is a member-supported nonprofit dedicated to promoting people-powered transportation and recreation for healthy and sustainable Vermont communities. If you are stuck inside with low energy, looking out at a gray landscape, take heart! The National Mental Health Association finds that an hour’s walk in winter sunlight is as effective as two and a half hours under bright artificial light, an often-used cure for seasonal affective disorder. Even watery winter sunshine filtered through clouds can improve mental health. Research reveals what our mothers knew all along: exercise and fresh air work wonders to keep us healthy!

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Youth programmIng

Recreation News Nicole Conley CONTRIBUTOR

Youth BasketBall InformatIon Kindergarteners: Practice will be on Saturday mornings from 8 – 9 a.m. (if we have enough players). 1st - 2nd graders: Co-ed teams will practice 1-2 times a week (dependent on coaches and gym space). 3rd - 6th graders: Teams will practice twice a week with games on Saturdays. Games will be played against teams from local towns. Any 6th-8th grader who attends CCS try-outs and does not make a team may sign up for recreation basketball. We could have a 7/8 rec team if there are enough players and a volunteer coach. First practice will be the week of November 30; basketball ends February 13. Registration forms can be found on our town website or stop by the Town Hall and fill one out. The fee for registration after November 13 is $60 (unless 6-8th grader); subtract $5 if you don’t need a T-shirt.

Fall indoor and outdoor programs are posted on the Charlotte town website under the “recreation” tab. If your child is interested in music, we have afterschool piano lessons that will take place on Tuesdays and Wednesdays starting in January. Once again the Town of Charlotte will be offering Celtic dance lessons. Give your child the opportunity to move and enjoy the lilt of Scottish Highland and Irish Jig music. Placement depends on age and experience. This winter we will also be hosting the American Red Cross Babysitter Certification Program. Registration for our winter programs is now open.

adult programmIng Indoor Pickle Ball, Wednesdays, 6 – 8 p.m., $10 per class, at CCS. Early Morning Boot Camp, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 6 – 7 a.m., $10 per class, at CCS. Mat Pilates, Fridays 6 – 7 a.m., $8 per class, at CCS. You can find additional information on all of our programs as well as registration forms on our town website at charlottevt.org under the ‘Recreation’ tab or contact Nicole Conley by email at Recreation@townofcharlotte.com or by phone 425-6129, ext.204.

14 • November 19, 2015 • The CharloTTe News

News from the Charlotte Library Margaret Woodruff CONTRIBUTOR

Literacies: November is a month for literacy. Whether this is due to (usually) gray days when we just want to curl up and read a book or some larger purpose, a number of “literacy events” dot the calendar. The entire month is designated as National Novel Writing Month— “nanowrimo” for those in the know. November is also Family Literacy Month, a chance to enjoy reading by and with all members of the crew at your house. In addition, this week, Nov. 16 to 22, is Agricultural Literacy Week. All of this literacy buzz prompted some ruminating about “literacies” in general and those promoted here at the Charlotte Library. In our humble 2400-square-foot space, you can access information on just about anything. Our staff can help you find everything from sheet music for old band music to details about the latest bandwidth. From the comfort of your couch, you can look up the latest legal terms or research recipes, download audiobooks and trace your ancestry. All of these activities fit under the literacy umbrella we strive to keep open as we promote the basic, information, health, financial and civic/ social literacies that make up our library. And if you want to check out Charlie and the Chocolate Factory or Traction Man or Clarice Bean to share with your family, you can do that too.

Upcoming @ the library Don’t forget to check for details on our website, charlottepubliclibrary.org. And sign up for our e-newsletter to stay on top of all the library news by zipping us an email at charlottelibraryvt@ gmail.com. Calendars and program information are also available at the circulation desk. On display at the library: “Shoes for M.” These collage postcards by Marcia Vogler represent three years’ communication between the artist and her friend struggling with breast cancer.

tUesdays it’s time for story time! Preschool Lunch Bunch, Tuesdays 12:15 to 1:15 pm. Please bring a packed lunch. (For children ages 3 to 5 who can enjoy story time with or without a guardian.) Early Elementary Story Time (kindergarten and 1st grade), Tuesdays 3:15 to 4:15 p.m. Extend the school day enjoying books, songs, poems and crafts. Students ride the blue bus to library. Thursday, Nov. 19, 7:30 p.m.: Library Book Discussion. Just in time for the chilly days, Cold Comfort Farm, the comic novel by Stella Gibbons. Friday, Nov. 20, 3:15 p.m.: Lego Club for 1st-3rd Grades. Explore the world of Legos with

build challenges and DIY time, too. Take the blue bus from CCS. Call to register. Monday, Nov. 23, 10:30 a.m.: Vacation Day Workshop: Scribble Bots. Come and make a tiny, wriggling, writing robot! Grades 3 and up. Wednesday, Dec. 2, 3:15 to 4:15 p.m.: Tinker Belles Afterschool Program. See how women are putting S.T.E.A.M. into action on the job. For 3rd-5th graders. (Program full) Wednesdays, Dec. 2 and Dec. 16, 5 p.m.: Knit Some Mitts. A chance to work on your mitten or other cozy project for the library mitten tree or as a holiday gift. Happy Thanksgiving! The library closes at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 25, and re-opens at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 28.

RegulaR libRaRy HouRs Mon, Wed: 10 a.m.–7 p.m. Tues, Thurs, Fri: 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Sat: 9 a.m.–2 p.m. Website charlottepubliclibrary.org

christmas trees Cut your own at

Dave Russell’s Christmas Tree Farm Starksboro, Vermont Experience an old New England tradition with a horse drawn sleigh ride. Choose your tree to be cut then enjoy hot chocolate in the cabin. Or select one of our hundreds of trees in the WALK-IN lot. Baling, warm wishes and help are always included. Open WEEKENDS starting Friday, November 27th (the day after Thanksgiving) thru Christmas 10am - 4pm Week days by appointment (802)453-2208 Therussellfarm@gmail.com 1248 Vermont RT116 Starksboro, Vermont

The CharloTTe News • November 19, 2015 • 15

Food Shelf News Kerrie Pughe CONTRIBUTOR

The Food Shelf received a call recently from a neighbor suffering from a debilitating illness. This neighbor wanted to thank us for providing the nutritional drinks so helpful during this difficult time. Please help us to continue to help our neighbors like this. Would you consider the Food Shelf in your giving plans this year? Donations “in honor of” make great gifts for many on your list…teachers, co-workers, family members. The Crosswinds neighborhood families recently presented a generous check to the Food Shelf. They had collected food shelf donations in lieu of their holiday neighborhood gift exchange. Thank you to William Posey and Kathleen Posey Jtten, David Hurwitt, John Kovac, Jeanne Ladue-Sudbay, Myron and Lenore Sopher, Rex and Lell Forehand, and Heather and John Dwight. What a wonderful and generous idea!

Holiday baskets Mark your calendars for Friday, Nov. 20, from 8 to 10 a.m. We’ll be setting up Thanksgiving food baskets at the Charlotte Congregational Church and will need your help. Be sure to mark your calendars for Friday, Dec.18, from 8 to 10:30 a.m. for the holiday baskets setup. The Charlotte/ Shelburne Rotary will be supplying each family with a turkey, and the Charlotte Central School staff and families will start each basket with fresh and non-perishable food. All are welcome to join us for these busy and festive projects. No need to sign up to volunteer, just show up! Call 425-3252 if you have questions.

tHank you Thank you to the Harvey family for the donation of an entire deer, professionally packaged! Thank you to Bill Kallock and Suzy Hodgson, members of the Charlotte Energy Committee who have been working with the Food Shelf to help families save energy and stay warmer during the coming winter months. Weatherization supplies such as door sweeps, insulation foam and rubber weather stripping, as well as water-saving showerheads, were made available through a grant from the Energy Committee. Our Lady of Mount Carmel and Charlotte Congregational Church children’s religious education classes held a non-perishable food drive to help stock shelves with healthy, basic food preferred by kids. Thank you to all our young volunteers. We would once again like to thank participants in the Crop Hunger Walk and the Church World Services for sending 25 percent of the funds raised in our community to help alleviate hunger and poverty in our community. The community gardens have been harvested—the potatoes, carrots and fall beans are a great fresh addition to the shelf food. Thank you to all the community garden volunteers who planted, tended and harvested this year. Thank you to Kathleen and Jim Manchester, Nancy Wood, Eileen Curtis, and Diane and Emile Cote for your continued financial support. And thank you to John Calcagni for the pet-sign drawings.

WisH list We need snacks for kids such as raisins and other dried fruits, Goldfish, rice cakes, peanut butter, crackers and pretzels.

looking for volunteers We are still in need of additional volunteers—can you help us? We need substitutes to help us with the Wednesday evening and Thursday morning food distributions. Please call Nancy at 425-6116 if you can help.

donated food drop-off locations All non-perishable food donations may be dropped off at the Charlotte Library, the Charlotte Congregational Church vestry,

Holiday giving

Lell Forehand presents Karen Doris of the Food Shelf the donation collected from the Crosswinds neighborhood families who gave donations in lieu of exchanging holiday gifts. PHOTO: COURTESY Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church (main entrance) or at the Food Shelf during the distribution mornings. We request that all fresh foods be dropped off at the Food Shelf by 7:30 a.m. on the Thursday distribution mornings or before the Wednesday distribution hours. The Charlotte Food Shelf is located on the lower level of the Charlotte Congregational Church vestry. Distribution days/times are posted in this newspaper and on the bulletin board in the Charlotte Congregational Church Hall. You may also call the Food Shelf number (425-3252) for a recording of the distribution times. We are open 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 Cindi at 425-3234. For more information, call Karen at 425-3252 or vvisit our website at https://sites.google.com/site/ charlottefoodshelfvt/.

food sHelf distribution dates Saturday, November 21 Thanksgiving baskets distribution 8:30–10:30 a.m. Wednesday, December 2 5–7 p.m. Thursday, December 3 7:30–9:30 a.m. Saturday, December 19 Holiday baskets distribution 8:30–10:30 a.m. Wednesday, December 30 5–7 p.m. Thursday, December 31 7:30–9:30 a.m. The Charlotte Food Shelf is located on the lower level of the Charlotte Congregational Church vestry.

16 • November 19, 2015 • The CharloTTe News

Senior Center News

Mary Recchia CONTRIBUTOR

A very hAppy ThAnksgiving To All! A reminder that the Senior Center will be closed after the luncheon on November 25. See you all back here on Monday, Nov. 30. Please look for the Winter Program of events and activities in this issue of The Charlotte News. Here are a few highlights to get you going. A new session of Pilates with Phyllis Bartling begins on Thursday, Dec.2, from 8:30–9:30. This is not your granddaughter’s Pilates class! This mat Pilates class is designed for folks 55 years and older to be challenging and safe. Pilates specifically targets the core muscle groups— including the lower abdominals, lower back and gluteals—to improve balance, strength and posture. Exercises are done on the floor on mats (a small rolled-up towel to put under your head is a good idea). Registration required. Fee: $42 per session. Yes, you can learn the true Yang family style of Tai Chi famous for its myriad benefits to health and wellbeing. John Creech has been studying and practicing tai chi for 10 years and invites you to come learn and practice together on Thursday mornings from 10 to 11. The flowing movements and postures will increase flexibility, improve balance and strengthen core muscles. Practitioners cultivate a deeper sense of relaxation,

dishing iT ouT

increased energy level and a real sense of confidence and presence. Registration necessary. Fee: $42 per session. Chair Yoga with Tiny Sikkes continues on Monday mornings from 9:30–10:30 with a new session beginning on Dec.7. This is a great class if you are concerned about adapting in a standard class. Using chairs for balance and for all seated postures, this class makes yoga accessible to those who are challenged by balance or the ability to get on the floor or have physical limitations. We cover the full range of yoga postures and benefits while sitting comfortably in chairs—improving breath capacity, strength and flexibility. Registration required. Fee: $60 per session. Gentle Yoga with Jean White also continues on Monday mornings from 11 a.m. to noon. Learn classic yoga postures in a gentle way—perfect for beginners, those with injuries or even experienced students just wanting a relaxed pace and easy style. The tone of this class is one of encouragement, compassion and patience, using yoga philosophy as the basis for treating yourself kindly. You’ll improve your strength, balance, flexibility and breathing. Most of all you’ll learn to relax, release negativity and feel a great sense of peace come into your day. Poses are adapted to meet individual needs and all fitness levels. Please bring a blanket and yoga mat. Registration required. Fee: $60 per session. “Celebrating the Season” will be the theme of this Poem in Your Pocket gathering on Monday, Dec. 7, from 1 to 3 p.m. Bring along a favorite poem you have written, a book of poetry you enjoy or a literary journal that rekindles the spirit of the season and join Jim Lovejoy for another wonderful afternoon of poetry reading. No fee.

Scenes from the serving line at the Senior Center Thanksgiving meal. They often serve over 100 people at the annual event. PHOTO: COURTESY

A collecTion of lecTures, performAnces And speciAl evenTs showcAsing The diverse inTeresTs of our communiTy

Wednesday afternoon beginning at 1. No registration or fee. dec. 2: AnnuAl Tree decorATing The smell of balsam, seasonal desserts and songs in the air will be the backdrop for you to catch some holiday spirit. All hands will be needed to steady the ladders and help fill the large tree with our handmade ornaments while Orchard Coral encourages a sing-a-long as Carlanne Herzog tinkles the ivories.

cards. The focus of the presentation will be on the development of the basic structure of the sleigh, its decoration and its use across northern Europe and its development in Canada and the United States. Profusely illustrated with photographs of some of the most renowned sleighs in European museums and those still used by those who love sleighing as a form of sport or relaxation.

Café Offerings

dec. 9: moscow To minneApolis: sleighs And sleighing from europe To AmericA wiTh k en wheeling

Monday Munch: Every Monday we serve lunch beginning at 11:30 a.m.— always a treat featuring homemade soup, salad, bread and desserts. Wednesday Luncheon: Every Wednesday beginning at noon. Enjoy homemade entrées with salad and dessert.

This will be a trip through the countries in the Northern Hemisphere where the sleigh was the major form of winter transportation and where it developed into the high-style sleigh so popular on Christmas

Reservations for Wednesday lunches are necessary and can be made by calling the Senior Center at 425-6345. Reservations are not required for the Monday Munch. A $4 donation is requested.

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The CharloTTe News • November 19, 2015 • 17

Puzzles

State CHampS! CVU Women’S Volleyball team

“perpetual.” “I am grateful for what I am and have. My thanksgiving is —Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862)

Edd Merritt Sports Roundup This is the last year for volleyball as a club sport Beginning in 2016, men’s and women’s volleyball will become varsity sports at CVU. The Vermont Principals Association announced that the three-year trial run is over starting in 2016. About 500 students throughout the state participated this year, according to an article in the Burlington Free Press. The CVU women won their third straight state championship, while the boys lost in a close final match to Essex. CVU coach Gino Johnson says he hopes to see high school volleyball programs grow as a result of elementary and middle school teams and through clinics sponsored by the Green Mountain Volleyball Association.

Addie Toensing selected for a top equestrian clinic Addie Toensing was one of only 16 equestrians out of more than 200 applicants who were selected to attend a three-and-a-half day training session sponsored by the Emerging Athletes Program (EAP) at Otterbein University in Westerville, Ohio. She will work with several of the country’s top clinicians while riding and caring for a horse. Having begun her riding with Charlotte’s Mindy Hinsdale, Addie has moved through a series of trainers. She will be closely monitored and evaluated during all phases of the national training sessions for her riding skills (flatwork and jumping) as well as her stable management. Addie will have to carry out barn chores, and her progress will be measured through written tests. Her final day includes a National Cup-style competition involving four teams of four riders each. One of the finalists will become the United States Hunter Jumper Association’s EAP National Champion. Addie is the daughter of Karla and Brady Toensing of Charlotte.

CVU runs among top-10 schools in New England Sophia Gorman must have honed her cross-country skills running up and down the Demeter Trail in Charlotte. If so, it paid off as the CVU junior finished in eighth place among 250 runners from throughout New England over Thetford Academy’s five-kilometer course. She led the Redhawks to a 7th place among 30 teams in the New England championships. Four other teammates—Jennifer Ireland, Meara Heininger, Haley Harder and

Willow Bertrand—helped the Redhawk cause. With the exception of Harder, all will be back next year. Junior Tyler Marshall, as he has been doing most of the year, led the CVU men to a top-10 place among teams. Marshall finished 16th among individuals, the second fastest Vermont runner, and the team claimed the tenth spot. Like their female counterparts, the Redhawk men will lose only one of their six New England runners to graduation.

Olivia Hagios, Louisa Loucheim, Catherine Berg and Sophie Kehr. Among the CCS boys, Mathew Servin paced the team overall with a 20th place finish. Henry Bijur, Will Patton and Riley Marchand were among the top 100 finishers. Jacob Russell, Sam Holmes, Caleb Knox and Ben Fox came in with the second pack. CCS boys finished 10th among 13 schools with complete teams.

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Malin Sigler also a crosscountry champ Malin Sigler, a Charlotte student at Mater Christi School, won the Vermont 6th grade Middle School cross-country championship run at the Trapp Family Lodge on Nov. 1 and placed 7th among all grades. A good number of CCS runners also competed. In the overall standings, Malin was one place ahead of CCS’ Chloe Silverman and three ahead of Isabelle Mittlestadt. Other CCS girls among the top 25 finishers were Sadie Holmes, Finn Mittlestadt and Taylor Vincent, plus a following group from CCS that ended among the top 100 runers: Alyssana Lasek, Dicey Manning, Evelyn Emmons, Elizabeth Haigney,

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Across 1. Santa’s present carrier 5. Physics calculation 9. Goes with Saxon 14. S-shaped molding 15. Chip in? 16. Fabric 17. Part 18. Back of the house 19. Rumba relative 20. Start of a house? 23. In-flight info, for short 24. Consume 25. Jane Eyre, e.g. 28. It’s always sold in mint condition 30. Appear 32. “We __ family” 33. Gas used in welding 35. Wolf, coyote, fox, dog family 37. House plan related 40. Maids 41. Actress Bloom 42. Alter, in a way 43. Not just “a” 44. “Indian Idol,” for example 48. Italian town 51. Absorbed, as a cost 52. Can you dig it? 53. House to love 57. “Home ___” 59. Young salmon 60. Bachchan, for one (var.) 61. Danger 62. HOMES part 63. Whine 64. Add color to 65. Red or whitetail? 66. Potato, slangily

Down 1. Cold dessert 2. Short-eared rabbit 3. Abdominal 4. Fall (over) 5. “Besame mucho” singer 6. Concerning 7. For men only 8. Balkan native 9. Knight’s “suit” 10. Civil rights org. 11. Equestrians’ field day 12. Court ploy 13. “Walking on Thin Ice” singer 21. “Six Feet Under” subjects? 22. What a house stands on 26. Fleshy seed covering 27. “Waking ___ Devine” (1998 film) 29. Microsoft support rep 30. Nee Al (anagram) 31. Gut areas 34. Carve in stone 35. Horse move 36. God of war 37. “The ___ have it” 38. Butting equipment 39. Snigger maker 40. “Bingo!” 43. Backgammon impossibility 45. Attach a hose 46. An alloy 47. Supposed, for Shakespeare 49. Building style 50. Refine, as metal 51. Eagle home 54. Didn’t dillydally 55. Ending with hard or soft 56. Shakira’s don’t lie 57. Appropriate 58. Orchid arrangement

Crossword and sudoku by Myles Mellor. answers to our puzzles Can be found near the Classifieds.

18 • November 19, 2015 • The CharloTTe News

Community Events

Public Meetings November 19 – December 3, 2015

Selectboard: Nov. 23, 7 p.m. Planning Commission: Nov. 19, 7 p.m.; Dec. 3, 7 p.m. CCS School Board: Dec. 1, 6 p.m. CVU School Board: Dec. 2, 5:30 p.m. Zoning Board: Nov. 22, 9 a.m.; Nov. 24, 7 p.m. Conservation Commission: Nov. 24, 7 p.m. Meeting times are subject to change. Check the town website for more info: charlottevt.org

Have your say

Charlotte Events (or featuring a Charlotter) THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19 Meeting: Planning Commission, 7 p.m. Charlotte Town Hall. Info: charlottevt.org. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20 Event: Vermont Comedy Divas, featuring Josie Leavitt. Doors 7:30 p.m., show at 8 p.m. Magic Hat Artifactory, 5 Bartlett Bay Road, South Burlington. $25. Over 21 only. “Divas Do Good” show to benefit survivors of domestic abuse. Proceeds from Magic Hat beer sales will be donated to Women Helping Battered Women. Info: 658-2739 or magichat.net. Play: Transitions… 8 p.m. Flynn Center for the Performing Arts, FlynnSpace, 153 Main St., Burlington. Info: flynntix.org. See Saturday, November 21 for details. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21 Play: Transitions… 8 p.m. Flynn Center for the Performing Arts, FlynnSpace, 153 Main St., Burlington. $25, $21 for students. Fourteen women—all facing abrupt shifts in their lives—come together in seven different scenarios. Devised by Seth Jarvis and developed with 11 local theater luminaries, Transitions… is an experiment in collaboration and an exploration of life’s upheavals and moments on the precipice of change. Info: flynntix.org. SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22 Play: Transitions… 8 p.m. Flynn Center for the Performing Arts, FlynnSpace, 153 Main St., Burlington. Info: flynntix.org. See Saturday, November 21 for details. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24 Meeting: Zoning Board of Adjustment, 7 p.m. Charlotte Town Hall. Info: charlottevt.org. Meeting: Conservation Commission, 7 p.m. Charlotte Town Hall. Info: charlottevt.org. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27 Holiday Craft Fair: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Masonic Hall on Middle Rd., Bridport. Free. Over 50 crafters with handcrafted, quality merchandise at country prices. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 28 Holiday Craft Fair: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Masonic Hall on Middle Rd., Bridport. Free. See Friday, November 27 for details.

| Selectboard MeMberS |

Craft Fair: 26th Annual Women’s Festival of Crafts. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Memorial Auditorium, Burlington. Free. Browse through over 80 craftswomen’s booths to find just the right handmade jewelry, artwork, pottery, food products, greeting cards, clothing, recycled and upcycled items, housewares, aromatherapy, herbal products, and more. Charlotte artists Mary Anne Gatos (Mantis Pottery) and Barbara Hoke will be participating. Info: womensfestivalofcrafts.com. SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 29 Craft Fair: 26th Annual Women’s Festival of Crafts.10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Memorial Auditorium in Burlington. Free. Info: womensfestivalofcrafts. com. See Saturday, November 28 for details. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2 Film: Architecture + Design Film Series: Matisse: From Tate Modern and MOMA, Seventh Art Productions. Doors open/reception begins at 6 p.m., film begins at 6:30. Contois Auditorium, City Hall, Burlington. Charlotte sponsors include Vermont Eco-Floors and Artisan Engineering. Info: adfilmseries.org. Event: Annual tree decorating at the Charlotte Senior Center. 1 p.m. Fill the tree with handmade ornaments and sing along with Orchard Coral and Carlanne Herzog. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3 Film: The Merchants of Doubt documentary with discussion following. 7 p.m. Charlotte Congregational Church. Presented by Transition Town Charlotte. The 90-minute documentary exposes a concerted strategy to create doubt about the facts of climate change through the use of pundits-for-hire who present themselves as scientific authorities. Based on the book by Naomi Oreskes. Refreshments will be served. For information contact Ruah Swennerfelt at ruahswennerfelt@ gmail.com. SUNDAY, DECEMBER 6 Concert: Annual Messiah Sing, 4 p.m. Charlotte Congregational Church. $12 adult, $40 for a group of 4. CCC invites the community to their fifth annual sing-along performance of Handel’s Messiah, featuring musicians from the Vermont Symphony, the Burlington Chamber Orchestra and four professional vocalists, accompanied by a chorus of audience and choir members. Info: charlotteucc. org or contact the church office at 4253176 or charlotteucc@gmavt.net.

Around the Area THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19 Musical: I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change. 7:30 p.m. Shelburne Town Center stage, 5420 Shelburne Road. $15. Shelburne Players’ fall musical comedy by Joe DiPietro and Jimmy Roberts. The longest running revue in off-Broadway history exposes everything you’ve secretly thought about dating, mating and romance but were afraid to admit. Info: shelburneplayers.com or 343-2602. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20 Event: Young Writers Project coffeehouse. 6 p.m., music, free snacks, 6:30 p.m. open mic. Maglianero Café, 47 Maple Street, Burlington. Middle and high school poets, storytellers, and musicians take to the stage for an open mic. Difficult topics welcome, but imagery and language should be something you would feel good about sharing with your 12-year-old cousin. Open mic participants get free YWP swag! Open to all ages. Art Opening: Furchgott Sourdiffe Gallery: “Passages: a group exhibit,” featuring the work of Adelaide Murphy Tyrol along with 15 other artists. Public reception 5:30–7:30 p.m. 86 Falls Rd, in Shelburne Village. Gallery hours are Tuesday-Friday, 9:30-5:30 and Saturdays 10–5. Exhibit shows through Jan. 30, 2016. Info: 985-3848 or joan@fsgallery.com. Plays: This is Not a Good Time by Jessie Raymond and The Varieties of Romantic Experience: An Introduction by Robert Cohen. 7:30 p.m. Middlebury’s Town Hall Theater, 68 South Pleasant St. Middlebury. $15. Two new plays by local playwrights, directed by Douglas Anderson. Info: 802-382-9222 and townhalltheater.org. Also see Saturday, November 21. Musical: I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change, Shelburne Town Center stage, 5420 Shelburne Road. See Thursday, November 19 for details. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21 Opera: Middlebury’s Town Hall Theater live broadcast of Lulu, Alban Berg’s tragedy of a sexually irresistible woman who destroys the lives of everyone around her. 12:30 p.m. Free pre-show talk by Greg Vitercik at 11:45. Tickets are $24/$10 students. Approximate HD runtime: 267 min. Info: 802-382-9222 and townhalltheater.org.

Chair, Lane Morrison, 425-2495 Matthew Krasnow, 922-2153 Carrie Spear, 425-4444 Jacob Spell, 425-6548 Fritz Tegatz, 425-5564 Selectboard Regular Meetings are usually at 7 p.m. in the Town Hall on the second and fourth Mondays of each month. If you would like to bring an issue to the attention of the Selectboard, contact the board chair or administrator Dean Bloch at 425-3071, ext. 205.

| ccS School board | Chair, Mark McDermott, 425-4860 Vice Chair Erik Beal, 425-2140 Kristin Wright, 425-5105 Clyde Baldwin, 425-3366 Susan Nostrand, 425-4999

| cVU School board-charlotte | Lorna Jimerson, ljimerso@wcvt.com Lynne Jaunich, lmjau@gmavt.net

| Planning coMMiSSion | Administrator, Jeannine McCrumb, 425-3071; jeannine@townofcharlotte.com Chair, Jeffrey McDonald, 425-4429 Vice Chair, Peter Joslin Members: Gerald Bouchard, Paul Landler, Charlie Pughe, Donna Stearns, Marty Illick

| Vt goVernMent | vt senate (cHittenden district) Tim Ashe, D/P-Burlington, 318-0903, tashe@leg.state.vt Philip Baruth, D-Burlington, 503-5266, pbaruth@leg.state.vt.us Virginia “Ginny” Lyons, D-Williston, 863-6129, vvlyons@leg.state.vt.us Michael Sirotkin, D-South Burlington, 999-4360, msirotkin@leg.state.vt.us David Zuckerman, P/D/W-Hinesburg, 598-1986, dzuckerman@leg.state.vt.us verMont House Mike Yantachka, D-Charlotte, 425-3960, myantachka.dfa@gmail.com

| U.S. goVernMent | u.s. senators Patrick Leahy, 863-2525, leahy.senate.gov Bernie Sanders, 862-0697, sanders.senate.gov us congressMan Peter Welch, 652-2450, welch.house.gov

The CharloTTe News • November 19, 2015 • 19

Classifieds

Around Town Society). Cole received it at the Veterans Day celebration at the Senior Center from Ceal Moran, host of Vermont Genealogy Day on August 9.

Congratulations to Sheila Burleigh of Charlotte who received recognition from the Excellence in Education Foundation for her teaching and coaching at South Burlington High School over the past 40 years. Her basketball teams have been Division I state champions several times and have won 588 games over that period. She has also coached field hockey and taught physical education, receiving praise from her colleagues for being one of the top teachers in the field. Miles Heller, a trustee for Excellence in Education presented her with the award at a South Burlington High School in-service program. Sheila is the fourth educator to be recognized by the foundation, including, among others, Eddie Krasnow of Charlotte for founding and directing the Access Program at CVU. to Erin Zubarik of Charlotte whose poem titled “Who am I?” appeared in the Young Writers Project section of the Nov. 13 Burlington Free Press. Responding to the question “Who will you be when you’re 35?” Erin says it is tough to know who you will be when you don’t know who you are. It must become clear only with time. “So who am I? I guess I don’t really know. Maybe 20 more times around the sun will shine through the clouds which are so gray and reach me where I sit today.” to its president Dan Cole and the Charlotte Historical Society who received a free

TownBites by Edd Merritt

State Treasurer’s Office fall promotion of unclaimed property The State Treasurer’s Office is currently holding approximately $71 million in unclaimed financial property. The office is now in the midst of its fall outreach campaign, and State Treasurer Beth Pearce is encouraging Vermonters to check for their names in the unclaimed property database, which Vermonters may search by going to MissingMoney.Vermont.gov Unclaimed property includes misplaced savings or investments, forgotten insurance policies, abandoned security deposits, estates and even uncashed tax refunds or paychecks. Financial property becomes “unclaimed” after a business or nonprofit entity loses contact with a customer for a period of years. The property is sent to the State Treasurer’s Office to protect the funds and centralize efforts to locate the property owner. There is never a charge to claim funds through the Treasurer’s office. Vermonters should be cautious of companies that claim they will locate and recover lost property for a fee. Vermont law forbids such businesses, known as asset locators, from charging more than 10 percent of the value of the unclaimed property for their services. The law further requires that asset locators post a bond of at least $10,000 with the Treasurer’s Office and send the office a copy of any agreement or contract along with a notarized “notice to claimant” form.

Sympathy

to Bryan LaBarge for his successful completion of basic military training from The United States Air Force on Oct. 15, 2015. In addition to his Certificate of Training, Bryan was awarded the Honor Graduate Ribbon for his outstanding performance in physical training, war skills, military studies, and drill performance. Only 10% of graduates achieve this honor. Bryan also received the Warhawk Fitness Excellence Award for his dedication to physical fitness and esprit de corps. Bryan will complete his training in firefighting at the Goodfellow Air Force Base in Texas. Bryan is a volunteer firefighter and lieutenant with CVFRS. He is the son of Robin Simpson and stepson of Gordon Troy, and son of Tom LaBarge of Colchester.

genealogy membership for a year in the Vermont Genealogy Library (also known as French-Canadian Genealogical

Now it’s bears and brownies—what’s next? It does not seem all that long ago when then-Charlotte resident John Sortino went from selling Teddy Bears on a Church Street cart to helping Vermont Teddy Bear Company grow into the nation’s largest producer of hand-crafted teddies. What started as bears now includes brownies. Vermont Teddy Bear Co. purchased Vermont Brownie Company, producer of the famous Dark Chocolate Chevre brownie. Bill Shouldice, president and CEO of Vermont Teddy Bear, said his company was attracted to the brownie folks because “our values align.” Both support the local community through the use of local ingredients, local designs and local labor. Shelburne’s Shawna Lidsky, who started the brownie works in 2008, said, “Bears and brownies. I could not think of a better combination!”

Rotary turkeys for Charlotte families A turkey is an iconic part of Thanksgiving celebrations, and for years Charlotte Shelburne Rotary has ensured that needy families in Shelburne, Charlotte and Hinesburg have a turkey for their holiday feast. This year, in cooperation with the food shelves in the three towns, as well as Shelburne Market and Lantman’s in Hinesburg, the Rotary Club is providing 120 turkeys for local families. The local grocery stores provide the turkeys at cost, Rotary pays the bill and helps to coordinate delivery to the food shelves, and food shelf volunteers put the turkeys into the arms of grateful families. On November 21, families in Charlotte will come to the Charlotte Congregational Church where brightly decorated boxes (the result of the artistic work of Charlotte Central School students) will be filled to

is extended to family and friends of Jean Fuller Rixford of East Highgate who passed away October 29 at the age of 89. As a youngster, Jean lived in Burlington and summered with her parents at their cottage on Thompson’s Point in Charlotte, where she was an active club member and avid tennis player and swimmer. The family asks that, in lieu of flowers, a memorial donation may be made to St. John’s Episcopal Church, Highgate Falls, VT, to the Vicar’s Fund or the Alzheimer’s Association. is extended to family and friends of Carmelita Rose Berg of North Attleboro who passed away November 4 at the age of 60. She was the daughter of Rita St. George and Rita’s late husband, Richard, of Charlotte. She was a 1973 graduate of CVU. Her surviving family includes three siblings: Richard St. George, Candice Boyce and William St. George, all of Charlotte, and she was the sister of the late Richarda St. George. The family asks that, in lieu of flowers, donations in her memory be made to the American Lung Association, 260 West Exchange Street, Providence, RI 02903 or to lung.org. overflowing with everything needed for a Thanksgiving feast, plus special boxes of baking supplies, all packed to meet the needs of families of different sizes. Rotary is donating 25 turkeys to the Charlotte Food Shelf. Charlotte Shelburne Rotary Club member Tod Whitaker coordinated the turkey project this year, working with Food Shelf Coordinator Karen Doris in Charlotte and the grocery store staffs.

Winter driving conditions on the way – winter tires and safe speeds critical The Vermont Agency of Transportation would like to remind motorists that now is the time to start preparations for winter driving, which demands slower speeds, slower steering and slower braking “The first storm of the year is when we typically see a lot of easily preventable crashes,” says Todd Law, state maintenance engineer at VTrans For the best traction possible in winter conditions VTrans recommends winter rather than all-season tires. Even fourwheel-drive won’t stop you any faster without winter tires. Snow and ice falling from a vehicle creates hazards for you and other drivers, so remove snow and ice from windows and lights and from the roof of your vehicle. Slow down. Posted speed limits are for dry pavement. Be patient and accelerate and decelerate slowly to avoid skids on a snow- or ice-covered roads. It takes longer to slow down on an icy road, so reduce speed early and slowly when approaching stop lights and stop signs and bridges, which freeze before roads do. Finally, buckle up. And put the phone down.

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