Connecting Montpelier and nearby communities since 1993 | JUNE 2127, 2012

IN THIS ISSUE
SUMMER EVENTS !

Berlin Pond Perspectives

Illustration for the Central Vermont Chamber Music Festival

A comprehesive local guide

C.18
PHOTO BY ANNIE TIBERIO CAMERON

THANK YOU AND GOODBYE Local writer pays homage to Ray Bradbury

5
THE LIFE AND TIMES OF LOL A Montpeliers beloved lady turns 100

Citizens React to the New Rec Use of Montpeliers Water Supply

by Bob Nuner

67
SHHH . . . SUSHI ! Local chefs take their rolls on tour

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ome folks want to be out on the water; others savor the idea of a place relatively unblemished by human contact. A recent Supreme Court decision that barred Montpelier from prohibiting recreational use of Berlin Pond has raised debate about who uses the area for what, and who is in charge of regulating that use. For over 100 years, the 275-acre natural water body has provided water to the city and, more recently, parts of Berlin. The city purchased camps and farms in the watershed a century ago, retiring them from development. Irish Hill and the ponds watershed is surrounded by town forests of Northfield and Berlin, with conserved lands owned by Williamstown and Montpelier. Montpelier resident Tom Slayton has been a frequent visitor to Berlin Pond for years and has written about the pond for The Bridge in the past. He says, There must be two dozen places within a half hours drive that allow recreation on the water. Berlin Pond, on the other hand, is unique in this area. Its untrammeled, undeveloped. . . . Ive seen dozens, scores, maybe hundreds who enjoy it because of its unblemished state. Slayton is concerned about the effects on wildlife of boats on the pond. Ive seen a bald eagle over that pond, he says. I dont think Ill see one if they put in a boat access. Cedric Sanborn, owner of R&L Archery in Barre, disagrees. He says hes seen eagles in his back yard, less than 100 yards from his house. His view, as a sportsman, is that

wildlife adapt: Theres loons on every single pond in the state of Vermont, and you can go out kayaking. . . . The loons, with their young, will swim up to you. Theyve acclimated. They used to be pretty elusive, and if you bothered them, they left the nest. It is actually because of Sanborn that the pond is now open. He was moved, after years of conversation in his store about the pond, the Vermont constitution and public-trust doctrine, to kayak there with his wife one Labor Day. You could call it our one event of civil disobedience since the 60s, and we went away and never went back and never intended to. But, he continues, the City of Montpelier slapped us hard with a criminal trespass, did the fingerprint and the whole thing, so they maintained their role as a bully and keeper of the pond. The citys criminal suit against Sanborn was dismissed by the states attorney, however, and a subsequent civil suit eventually resulted in the Supreme Courts decision supporting Sanborns right to go out on the water. Consulting naturalist and nature guide Bryan Pfeiffer of Plainfield is torn when it

comes to the courts decision. On the one hand, he says, Any self-respecting Vermonter who values our independence and our citizen check on government should congratulate Cedric, because he felt strongly enough about this, and he got an opinion [from the Supreme Court], and I think it was the right opinion. . . . I just dont think the city council was ready for this; they should have been. From a naturalists perspective, Pfeiffer notes, There can be no arguing that people on the shoreline and boaters on the pond wont change the place. Although he doesnt think that increased use will lead to the local extinction of any species of wildlife, the extinction of experience, or loss of serenity on the pond, is inescapable, he says. Is that what we want? he asks. We dont open every mountain in Vermont to skiers, we dont open every trail to ATVs. So might we leave just a few ponds in Vermont without boats for anglers or even bird watchers along every inch of shoreline? Pfeiffer is concerned about the lack of see BERLIN POND, page 4

Dear Readers,
Change is afoot! (Not to worry: its modest.) Were advancing our publication schedule for for our usual first-Thursday issue, July 5, to the week prior, June 28. So theres only a week between this paper and our next one on the 28th; then three weeks til our regular thirdThursday issue on July 19. Happy Fourth of July! Bridge staff

The Bridge P.O. Box 1143 Montpelier, VT 05601

PAG E 2 J U N E 2127, 2012

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J U N E 2127, 2 012 PAG E 3

Groups Raise Concern About Possible Tar-Sands Pipeline

STREET

HEARD ON THE

ith summer solstice come late evenings and deeply familiar smells and sounds. Yet, once in a while, that priceless experiencethe mysterya question you can not begin to answer. We were walking at dusk on the path up to the squash patch, through a bit of shrub and small trees, the last rays of sun just leaving, when right in front of us at knee level were 60 to 80 hovering insects, round, flatish, like so many pea-sized hover-craft, yellow with black edges. As we looked down on them, the wings were invisible in motion, the bodies seemed totally round. Bee? Fly? Beetle? Where to start? Went back every evening since, but like all ephemeragone! Nona Estrin

Nature Watch

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From left: Ben Walsh of VPIRG; Charlie McKenna of the Sierra Club; Curtis Fisher, regional executive director of the National Wildlife Federation; Sandy Levine of CLF; Dan Jones, chair of the Montpelier Energy Committee (at lectern); David Ellenbogen of the Sierra Club; David Stember of 350VT.org; and Johanna Miller of VNRC. Photo courtesy Roger Crowley/National Wildlife Federation.

in Our Upcoming Issues!

June 28: SPECIAL 4th of July preview!
advertising deadline: Friday, June 22

everal environmental and climate-action groups in a June 19 press conference in Montpelier highlighted the potential threats posed by a plan that could bring tar-sands oil through New England, including the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont. The advocates say the plan is unsafe and that a tar-sands oil spill could harm Vermonts waterways, wildlife and tourism economy. Tar-sands oil is a thick substance containing sand, clay, water and a thick form of petroleum called bitumen. It exists in deposits around the world and is being heavily developed in Alberta. A new report, Going in Reverse: The Tar Sands Threat to Central Canada and New England, outlines an array of threats associated with the controversial tar sands, often referred to as the dirtiest oil on the planet, including unique corrosive properties that the U.S. federal government is currently studying to better understand whether the highly corrosive, lowgrade petroleum can be safely transported. The groups expressed concern that these proposals are being advanced by the same pipeline company responsible for the largest tar-sands spill in U.S. history, which resulted in severe pollution of the Kalamazoo River near Marshall, Michigan, in 2010. In late May, Enbridge, the Calgary-based energy company, announced it would seek to reverse the flow of its west-flowing, 62-year-old pipeline in order to bring oil east, from Sarnia, Ontario, to Montreal. The environmental groups believe reversing a Canadian section of the pipeline so that it flows to the east strongly suggests that another reversal of another pipelineone that runs through New England todayis in the works, one that would allow that oil to continue into the United States and run through New England. Such a plan, known as the Trailbreaker project, was floated in 2008 and then shelved by Enbridge and the Portland-Montreal Pipeline Company. It would have enabled tar sands to flow through Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire to Portland, Maine, for export. That plan would have reversed the flow in an existing pipeline that runs through the following towns: Jay, Troy, Newport, Irasburg, Barton, Sutton, Burke, Victory and Guildhall. Tar sands is the oil that would run through the highly controversial Keystone XL Pipeline, proposed to run from Canada through the United States to the Gulf of Mexico. These companies have had a certain amount of trouble persuading Nebraskans and Texans to let their tar-sands sludge endanger those states, said Bill McKibben, president and co-founder of 350.org. My guess is that here in Vermont people will be at least as wary. We know that the carbon it contains makes another Irene that much more likely by warming the atmosphere. Its a bad bargain all around for Vermont.

July 19: mailed issue

advertising deadline: Friday, July 13

August 2: nonmailed issue

advertising deadline: Friday, July 27
Contact Carl or Carolyn: 223-5112, ext. 11, ccampbell@montpelierbridge.com or carolyn@montpelierbridge.com

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Maps, Rules and Racks for Bicyclists

P.O. Box 1143, Montpelier, VT 05601 Phone: 802-223-5112 | Fax: 802-223-7852 montpelierbridge.com; facebook.com/montpelierbridge Published every first and third Thursday
Editor & Publisher: Nat Frothingham General Manager: Bob Nuner Production Manager: Marisa Keller Sales Representatives: Carl Campbell, Carolyn Grodinsky, Rick McMahan Graphic Design & Layout: Dana Dwinell-Yardley Calendar Editor: Dana Dwinell-Yardley Bookkeeper: Kathryn Leith Distribution: Kevin Fair, Diana Koliander-Hart, Daniel Renfro Web Master: Michael Berry Advertising: For information about advertising deadlines and rates, contact: 223-5112, ext. 11, carolynatthebridge@yahoo.com or ccampbell@montpelierbridge.com Editorial: Contact Bob, 223-5112, ext. 14, or editorial@montpelierbridge.com. Location: The Bridge office is located at the Vermont College of Fine Arts, on the lower level of Schulmaier Hall. Subscriptions: You can receive The Bridge by mail for $50 a year. Make out your check to The Bridge, and mail to The Bridge, PO Box 1143, Montpelier VT 05601.
Copyright 2012 by The Montpelier Bridge

he Vermont Bicycle and Pedestrian Coalition (VBPC) publicized a statewide bicycle map, Vermont Bikeways: the Vermont State Roads & Trails Bike Map, created in conjunction with Champlain Colleges graphic-design students and the Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing. Bulk copies of the free maps are available from greg.gerdel@state .vt.us., individual copies through vermontvacation.com/bikemap or 800-VERMONT. The maps publishers seek improvements and comments for future editions; feedback can be submitted at vermontvacation.com/feedback. The VBPC reminds that cyclists must not ride two abreast in Burlington, and that they are obliged to observe stop and slow signs held by flaggers in construction zones. VBPC also notes that the Vermont Agency of Transportation has funding available for municipalities to purchase bike racks, but applications are due June 29. For applications, contact jon.kaplan@state.vt.us or 828-0049.

Award for Breast Care Program Brings Funds to CVMC

he Central Vermont Medical Center (CVMC) Breast Care Program has won a $49,000 award from the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Vermont/New Hampshire Affiliate to assist in providing screening, early detection, diagnostic services and post-surgery support and services to uninsured or underinsured women. CVMC is collaborating with Peoples Health and Wellness Clinic in providing early detection and mammogram services, and the grant will cover expenses of monthly free womens clinics for up to 50 women. Theresa Lever, project director, noted that the award also has enabled the Breast Care Program to start a new program of free occupational therapy services for all women diagnosed with breast cancer. The Komen affiliates 20th 5K Vermont Race for the Cure takes place July 28 at Hildene in Manchester, Vermont. first item by Jake Brown; other items by Bob Nuner

PAG E 4 J U N E 2127, 2012

THE BRIDGE
and Montpelier owns the lands adjacent to the road. For now, no one seems to be clear about who is the appropriate overseer. Its been reported in some of the local press that the Supreme Court said, Come on in; the waters fine, Gentile says. Thats not what the Supreme Court said; thats what the headline said. So people are getting sensational over this issue and trying to have people draw sides instead of coming to good science and coming up with a good solution. Gentile bought his farm house 25 years ago for its serenity and seclusion. Sympathetic with those whod like to boat on the pond, hes also concerned about overuse. When he bought the property, perhaps four or five cars would park at the north end for what he calls soft recreation: walking, jogging, bird watching. Now, he says, there are apt to be 15 cars, and the road sees 50 to 100 joggers, bikers, strollers, walkers and birders every weekend day. There seems to be this, Oh the elitist pond-ers on the pond [attitude], Gentile says. Well, first of all, were not elitist, and second of all, most of [the land owners] are Vermonters; were not from out of town. . . . Some of these farms have been here forever. Weve been paying a ton of taxes, and we value the land, maybe more so, because of its situation. Now some people will say, Oh your lands worth more now. If you can start boating and fishing here, it drives up your property [values]. Everyone wants to be on the pond now that its open. And my sense is, no, there are a lot of people that dont want it open because they value the serenity. So in my eyes, the value has gone down, not up. Like Pfeiffer, Gentile is looking for clarification from Montpelier and Berlin: I think its going to take a while to determine it, and its going to take probably an action, and I dont know where that action comes from, to prompt officials. For his part, Sanborn questions Who is Montpelier? Who in Montpelier has determined that no one should have access to the pond? Sanborn cant imagine that there arent Montpelier residents whod like to use Montpelier land to launch a kayak onto their drinking water: Its public land. Whos saying no?

BERLIN POND, from page 1

regulation following the Supreme Court decision. Whats most vexing now is that the Supreme Court opened the gate, but theres no gate-keeper . . . theres no infrastructure to handle whats happening at the pond right now. . . . The real problematic thing right now is, the gate has been opened, but theres no means for people to use the place responsibly, because theres no boat ramp, theres no parking. They need to move on that. Phil Gentile would agree. Gentile, who lives in view of the pond, demonstrates where boats have launched at the culvert on the ponds south end. He explains that the state owns the water coming through the culvert, Berlin owns the road containing the culvert,

Berlin Pond: Will Recreational Use Affect Water Quality?

potential mitigation requirements of any recreational activity on water-supply reservoirs should be identified and publicly evaluated. In the evaluation, utility- and customer-determined acceptable levels of risk should be given the highest consideration. No recreation should be permitted on finished-water reservoirs under any circumstances. So hows a public-works guy to deal with it? Our plan right now is filtration and disinfection, said Todd Law, Montpelier publicworks director. The concern of the Public Works Department, Law said, is that the new use on Berlin Pond will increase turbidity, which will bring silt into the water piped into Montpelier. The silt contains, among other things, bacteria and giardia. Montpeliers existing filtration system is up to the increased use it appears to already be encountering, Law said. But he also has concerns that boats may introduce the invasive zebra mussels, which could fill and restrict the pipe, which could make it a little difficult for us to get water to the plant, he said. Increased silt in the water means increased use of the citys filtration system, including a process called back-flushing which removes built up sediment with pressurized water. Additional back-flush means use of more electricity and waste water, he said. Law said the city has seen a little change since the pond has been opened up for more use, but nothing real significant. Right now, concerns are couched in terms of possibility but not experience. For example, Law said, You hate to throw the terrorism trump, but if something was to be put into that water, we wouldnt be able to know. In his next sentence, though, Law averred, Our drinking water quality is excellent. The increased silt and sediment will put a little more emphasis on our processes, Law said, but he did not anticipate increased water rates. David Mears, commissioner of the Department of Environmental Conservation, is not at all worried about the zebra mussels that Law mentioned. Zebra mussels typically come in the ballast water in large vessels, he said. Those are not likely to be on Berlin Pond. While invasive species are a concern now that nonmotored and electric-powered engines are allowed on Berlin Pond, the main priority is drinking-water quality, Mears said. But Mears appeared to have full confidence in Montpeliers advanced filtration system. I would expect that the water-supply treatment system that the city has would be more than capable of dealing with any contamination based on those activities, Mears said. Theres no threat to Montpeliers water supply based on the limited use [currently allowed on Berlin Pond]. Still, while only limited recreational use is allowed on the reservoir (boats are not supposed to travel over 5 mph, nor can they have a combustion engine), it is not clear who is monitoring the area to make sure the law is actually followed. Law said the Montpelier police go up there to try to restrict some of the use and protect that pond once a day, as does the public-works crew. In addition to its daily check, Law and his crew also walk the ponds perimeter once or twice a year to pick up trash; they have found waste oil and other potentially contaminating trash, he said. Montpelier Police Chief Tony Facos said that the police have been patrolling the area randomly, but with some regularity. He reported, As far as I know, there have not been any citations for unlawful trespass . . . which is good. He mentioned the need for education, and said that though the use regulations have changed, we still own the land and are concerned from a water-protection standpoint. . . . Thats still going to be an ongoing process as far as next steps. As for invasive species, one already exists in Berlin Pond, according to Ann Bove, aquatic biologist at the Department of Environmental Conservation. The highly invasive aquatic plant Eurasian water milfoil had already made its way to Berlin Pond long before the recent ruling allowing boats, she said. The concern at this point is further spreading it either by introducing yet more or by motorboats chopping up the existing plants, thereby further spreading them. Certainly the threat is there, Bove said. Many water-body associations work hard to educate the public about invasives. Its a matter of implementing safety . . . there are many things recreational users can do to prevent the spread of aquatic invasives. . . . We recommend if boating from lake to lake within a five-day period [that] equipment be dried out completely or power-washed with hot water, or you dry your equipment, she said. Some organisms you can see, others you cant see.

PHOTO BY ANNIE TIBERIO CAMERON

by Cassandra Hemenway Brush

ow that Montpeliers drinking water source is open for limited recreational use, the big question is: Is the water safe to drink? The answer, according to people whose job it is to assure water quality, appears to be probably. My idea is, it is safe, said Mike Wichrowski, land and facilities administrator at the Department of Fish & Wildlife. But I cant point to something scientific. Wichrowski said hes mostly involved in providing public access to fish and wildlife properties, managing over 175 public-access areas for fish and boating in Vermont. While game wardens do check that boaters have proper fishing licenses and dont catch what

theyre not supposed to, it is the state police who are the law-enforcement agency responsible for making sure people follow the limited-use rules intended to keep the water safe for drinking. While people on the ground here in central Vermont have positions both for and against the recreational use of Montpeliers drinking water supply, the American Water Works Association (AWWA) has a very clear view. In the very first paragraph of its Statement of Policy on Public Water Supply Matters, AWWA says: The [AWWA] supports the principle that water of the highest quality should be used as the source of supply for public water systems. Accordingly, the risks and

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THE BRIDGE

J U N E 2127, 2 012 PAG E 5

A Tribute to Ray Bradbury, 19202012

by Brett Campbell

n 1990 I wrote the first and only fan letter I have ever writtento author Ray Bradbury. I wrote him about how much I admired his work and how helpful his book Zen in the Art of Writing was to me as an aspiring writer. I never expected a reply, only an opportunity to tell a brilliant and influential writer what his works meant to me. However, an envelope soon appeared in my mailbox with the return address of Ray Bradbury Enterprises. I opened it with shaking hands, hoping for a personal response, but at the same time quelling my excitement with the thought that the envelope at best contained a form letter, which might have read: Mr. Bradbury thanks you for your letter, but if he answered all his mail he would not have time to write his stories, or something like that. Instead, featured on green stationary with a graphic design by his friend and Halloween Tree illustrator Joseph Mugnaini, was a typed and signed personal response from Mr. Bradbury, in which he wrote that my letter to him was one of the finest, warmest, most loving letters that he had ever received and that he was very grateful for it. His gratitude could not have matched my own. I then sent him a Christmas card to thank him for his letter. To my surprise, I soon received a signed Christmas poem from him. I began happily going broke buying frames for his letters. This exchange began a pen-pal friendship with one of my principal idols and mentors. For several years, I exchanged letters and birthday greetings with Mr. Bradbury. He was kind enough to sign my 40th-anniversary edition of The Martian Chronicles. He once graciously telephoned me from Los Angeles to thank me for the drawing I sent him for his birthdaya scene from his time-travel story A Sound of Thunder. It was a brief conversation but one that I will cherish for the rest of my life. For the ensuing seven years, I sent him

Essay

birthday gifts of illustrations I drew, inspired by his stories. He was always kind enough to mail me a thank-you for each one. I was able to inform him in 1991 that I had sold a horror novella to a publisher. He was genuinely excited for me. I subsequently had to tell him that said publisher pulled up tent stakes and skipped town, with no forwarding address. He was very generous to point out that the main thing was that I had been given a contract for a sale, and this was all the more reason to keep writing. Several years later, I published a shorter horror story. He had invited me to send him my first published story, so of course I did so. One of my most prized letters from him reads, Dear Brett: Thanks! Loved your story! . . . Bravo! Onward! He was gracious. It wasnt a good story. I made a lot of mistakes. But at his kind encouragement, I am moving onward with my writing. A struggling writer cannot ask for a more blessed experience. My story may not have been the greatest. But it was read by Ray Bradbury. Who could ask for more than that? Ray is gone now. But his works will live forever. There has never been, nor will there ever be, another writer like him. His philosophy of life was as wise as it was simple: Do what you love, and love what you do. And he lived by these words throughout his entire life. Of the many books Ive read about writing, his Zen was one of the few that used such words as zest and gusto. He undeniably lived and wrote with both. I am grieved by his death and will miss him deeply. He explored our foibles and faults, our potentials and possibilities, like no other modern American author. With his passing, golden ages of science fiction and American literature come to a close. I am honored and grateful that this great writer and fine man took the time to correspond with me for several years, and that he had the generosity to encourage my as-

Ray Bradburys thank-you letter, illustrated by Joseph Mugnaini, to Brett Campbell for an illustration Campbell did for Bradbury. Image courtesy Brett Campbell. pirations. His life and his death both have taught me that I must write morewith zest and gusto. So I have oiled up my old portable SmithCorona, and I keep a laminated copy of his loved your story letter propped up near it, as I dream my own dreams and tell my own stories and pound the keys. From now on, I will treat two words in this letter as his final words of instruction and encouragement to me. Keep going! he wrote. I will, sir. I will. And thank you. Brett Campbell is a writer and educator. He lives in Montpelier.

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PAG E 6 J U N E 2127, 2012

THE BRIDGE

Lola Aiken, Centegenarian!

Lolas landmark birthday has sparked, among other things, a legislative resolution and a reception at the State House on Monday, June 25 at 1:15 p.m. in the governors reception room (with George Aikens portrait fittingly hanging just outside). Governor Peter Shumlin will read a proclamation and a reception will follow at 1:30 p.m. Friends have asked that people not bring cards (it becomes too much for Lola to reply to each card, and reply she will!) but rather bring a rose of any color in hopes of accumulating at least 100 roses. Afterward, Lola will distribute the roses to her favorite places in town, including the Gary Home, where she lives, and the Coffee Corner, where she spent so many hundreds of mornings. Lola Pierotti, child of Italian immigrants, was born in Montpelier in 1912. She was valedictorian of her high-school class and was known as a ferocious athlete. Indeed, she willed to her graduating class my belligerent approval of athletics and kindly appreciation of athletes. It appears that over her long lifetime, Lola expanded that appreciation to include politicians. These days, Lola more often speaks about George Aiken as the husband and love of her life than in his political roles. She still calls him The Governor, though, and does often speak of the fact that he was approached frequently and would always stop and listen to people on the street, particularly children. He loved the little kids, she said in her room at the Gary Home, which is decorated with pictures of herself and her late husband. He was wonderful. The word wonderful comes up a lot when Lola talks about her husband. And it gets spoken with such love that it never loses its meaning. She started working in the Vermont Secretary of States office in 1940, and it wasnt long after that that she was asked to move to Washington D.C. to work as the administrative assistant to George while he

Above, the Aikens and Mike Mansfield, U.S. Senate majority leader from 1961 to 1977. Top right, Lola and George at their wedding in 1967. Bottom right, Lolas end table, where she looks at pictures of her husband and letters from days past almost daily. Facing page, Lola today, at 99. Wedding photos courtesy of Lola Aiken; others by Cassandra Hemenway Brush.

by Cassandra Hemenway Brush

ermonts grande dame, Lola Aiken, turns 100 on June 24. Many people who live to see a century have been blessed, over the course of their lives, with good physical health, mental acuity, strong social support and often a religious community as well. Lola has all of those factors, plus the distinction of being universally loved. In the course of researching and interviewing for this story, when I told people I was writing about her, everyone would reply by exclaiming, Lola! I love that lady, and go on with their own story of how they knew her and how shed touched their lives. In this

reflection on the life of Lola Aiken, I have talked to a handful of her close friends, and of course, the lady herself. When friends think of Lola, they consider her political history as both longtime administrative assistant and then (after 27 years) wife of George Aiken, Vermont governor from 1937 to 1941 and republican senator in Washington D.C. from 1941 to 1975. But those close to Lola also think of a woman who befriends almost everyone she meets; a powerful force in Vermont politics who backed people she liked more often than along party lines; and a person filled with stories and firsthand knowledge of many historical events, not to mention having had a long-spanning

career when most women didnt have careers. Mostly, though, friends talk about a vivacious, warm, vibrant woman, who, although she turns 100 in just a few days, has the health and energy of someone much younger. Eight years old when women got the right to vote and having lived through six wars and been heavily involved in the political process during the civil rights movement, Vietnam, Watergate and the Cuban Missile Crisis, Lola is still known for her political acumen. She also has the distinction of being the first woman to join the venerable early morning movers and shakers hangout at Montpeliers Coffee Corner, which she attended up until last year.

30 Years in Central Vermont

THE BRIDGE
was senator. She made the move in 1941 and worked with George for the next 27 years. She became known for getting his office in shape, supervising 11 people, making the otherwise intimidating senatorial office a place that welcomed all Vermonters, and for running a harmonious and efficient office. She also became known for her social skills and her ability to befriend people of all political persuasions. The most remarkable thing about Lola is shes always been clear in her convictions, and shes never made an enemy in her life, said David Kelley, whose grandfather, Levi Kelley, served as Vermont state treasurer during Georges time as governor. She can disagree with anybody and never leave anything but friendship behind. I think its one reason why she was such a great success in Washington; she was good friends with Bobby Kennedy; she was good friends with Richard Nixon and Hubert Humphrey. . . . Washington can be intimidating for someone from a small town in Vermont, but it was never intimidating in Governor Aikens office because of Lola, Shes a real social butterfly. Thats always been one of her strengths, said longtime friend and Montpelier lawyer Dot Helling. She was [Georges] social connection. Though she is physically little, those who have written about Lola often refer to her large spirit. In a collage of her high school years it is written, Good things come in small packages. In one of the many articles written immediately after her surprise marriage to George, reporter Barbara Kober wrote about how George thought of Lola Pierroti as a skinny little rabbit when he first met her. But nobody mentions Lola without also referencing her huge smile, massive spirit, generosity with warmth and praise, and the fact that her small frame belies her powerhouse of a personality, even as she approaches her centennial birthday. Georges first wife, of 52 years, Beatrice Howard Aiken, died in 1966. A year later, he and Lola shook up Washington when they were married in a private ceremony one June morning. He was 74; she wasnt telling her age; and the press dealt with the marriage as the romance of the decade. To this day, Lola says the whole thing came as a surprise to her. Some of the men said Lola, he wants to marry you. I said, I dont think thats true. They said Oh yeah, its true, she said. Lola Gets George, read the headline from the July 6, 1967, issue of Roll Call. He Proposed 30 Years Later: Sen. Aiken and Lola are Capitol Hills Love Story of the Year, reads another headline. Lola Aiken Trades Payslips for Cowslips says another, referring to the fact that she stopped receiving pay after the wedding ceremony so there would be no conflict of interest in having the senators wife on the payroll (although she kept doing her job). The former nurseryman also planted cowslips for his new bride at their then-new home in Vermont. The couple had 17 good years together before the governors death in 1984. Since then, according to Helling, Lola has served on many boards, including 18 years at Champlain College, and has received many awards: from Champlain College (which named a hall after her), Norwich University, the University of Vermont, the Vermont Historical Society, Home Health and Hospice, and many more for her many years of community service. She has also been heavily involved in the Kellogg-Hubbard Library. Walking five miles a day well into her 90s and socializing with far greater zest than most 30-year-olds, Lola is still in demand for appearances, openings and parties. She holds court much like royalty but with an authentic love for the people who surround her, be they the staff and residents at the

J U N E 2127, 2 012 PAG E 7

Profile

Gary Home, the many close friends who come to visit her, or the kitchen staff who line up at NECI on Main to serve her the latest specialty andmore importantlygreet her with a kiss. For their generous help and support in putting this article together, we give special thanks to Dot Helling and Lynda Royce, and to Joan Houghton, manager of the Gary Home, as well as to Lola Aiken herself for good-naturedly enduring a lot of questioning.

Snippets of Lola: Friends Memories

Jimmy Johnston, longtime friend and former finance chairman for Jim Jeffords and longtime funeral director in Montpelier: first met Lola in 1978. . . . I was Jim Jeffords finance chairman for seven terms in congress. . . . I was doing a fundraiser in Putney, and she and Senator Aiken were the guests of honor. After the governor died, she moved back to Montpelier and joined my 7 a.m. coffee group. She came in and we invited her to sit with usseven men. She was the first woman in the group. She sat with us for years. . . . The highlight of the day was flipping for coffee. The loser paid for the coffee. That was the highlight of the day. . . . My wife and I and David Kelley and his wife sent her up in a hot air balloon [for her 90th birthday]. Shes been a close friend of many years and was also helpful in my running of Jeffords campaigns.

was a movie starring Kevin Costner about the Cuban missile crisis called Thirteen Days. . . . It was great seeing that movie, she was there, and such a part of it and she knew so much about what was going on. Lynda Royce, good friend and fellow Italian whose mother grew up with Lola: ola is a very, very sassy lady. . . . She calls me up every day to ask me how Im doing. I have to have surgery she remembers that. Shes just a very sassy ladyand I mean that in a good way. Shes just classy and sassy. Shes not your little old dowdy lady. I just love her. I just love her. She dresses beautiful. Shes just wonderful, but wonderful is so generic I hate to use that term.

Shoe Horn; she told everyone, Im Dots chaperone. . . . Im here to catch her if she falls down. State Senator Vince Illuzzi, R-Essex/Orleans: was born in Montpelier and grew up in the BarreMontpelier area, so Ive known Lola for most of my life. My father worked as a granite sculptor, and Lola had close ties to the granite workers. When I got married in 2000, it was on the same day that Jim Jeffords kicked off what was to be his last reelection bid. Although Lola was the honorary chair of that campaign and was scheduled to introduce him at the kickoff event, she blew him off and came to our wedding instead. Lola always has had a big presence in central Vermont, and she was Georges eyes and ears for that region of Vermont when he was in Washington. And as George got older, she became his spokesman and his protector. When I entered politics in 1980, she gave me a few campaign tips that she told me served George well. One was to always keep an eye on the electric utilities, and the other was to always work with the Democrats because you cant get anything done with just one party on most issues.

David Kelley, longtime friend whose grandfather, Levi Kelley, worked with then-governor George Aiken as the state treasurer: ola and I used to go to the movies every Friday night. Lola and I were movie fanatics. . . . We were discussing movies no matter what was playingwe saw some terrible movies, but we saw some great movies too. . . . There

Dot Helling, longtime friend and Montpelier lawyer: met Lola at the Coffee Corner. I came in one day and she said, You should be sitting here. So I came and sat with her. [Later] we went to Charlio Os to listen to Rusty Romance. . . . We started doing things together. It was great. I had knee surgery in 2008. Lola came every day in the morning with coffee and at noon brought lunch. I hung out with her in the afternoon. When I was ready to go out, Lola was my chaperone. We were going to a shindig at the

compiled by Cassandra Hemenway Brush

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PAG E 8 J U N E 2127, 2012

THE BRIDGE

Crosswalk Controversy and Berlin Pond Discussion

by Steven M. Cliche

he June 13 city council meeting began with Montpelier resident Diana Wright calling for an end to the new sounds of the crosswalk signal located at the intersection of State and Main Streets. Local business owner Stephanie Johnson echoed the sentiment, declaring that shed have to move her business if action was not taken. Cool Jewels owner Willis Backus also briefly testified, likening the commanding voice to something out of George Orwells novel 1984. The city has received a large amount of complaints in recent days about the volume level and overall harsh nature of the signal. When first installed, the signal emitted a low-frequency beep every seven seconds in order to help those with visual impairment find the corner. When the button was pressed by those wishing to cross, a human voice repeatedly issued a firm Wait command until it is safe to walk. When it was safe to cross, it

Council

then emitted a Walk command in the same voice. City Manager William Fraser explained that the signal was updated in order to comply with federal regulations. Councilor Tom Golonka called the signal, Out of character for Montpelier, and recommended that it be suspended until the sound could be made more pleasant. Members of the council argued this was not an option, since it would leave those who are visually impaired without a cue to cross. Councilor Angela Timpone then called for members of Montpeliers visually impaired community to be invited to the next council meeting in order to discuss the benefits of the new signal. The council decided on leaving the signal as is until further information can be gathered, but to keep it on a low volume setting. The signal has since been adjusted somewhat. [See page 14 for more information from Fraser about the signal and regulations.]

The council also moved to release an official statement regarding its continued efforts to regulate Berlin Pond. The agenda set the discussion about the press release near the end of the meeting, but about halfway through, Mayor John Hollar decided to move it up. When Hollar asked if there was any discussion on the matter, the council was silent. Nobody in the audience said a word, perhaps because anyone who would have been there to speak their mind on it hadnt come yet, as the agenda item had been set for later. The council then voted very quickly to put out the press release. In recent weeks the city has been cracking down on those seeking to use the pond recreationally. The brief document repeats the councils decision to meet jointly with the Berlin select board, though no date appeared to have been set. The statement also contains the councils decision not to seek additional help from the legislature or the Agency of Natural Resources on further regulation of the pond. The decision to release the statement was met with no comment from council or from those in attendance. Asked after the meeting why the council

hadnt set a date for the joint council meeting with Berlin and why the council was not going to seek help from the legislature or petition the Agency of Natural Resources, Fraser said that the joint council meeting day is to be set at the next city council meeting (June 27) and that the city has to play the hand its been dealt when it comes to Berlin Pond. Asked for further elaboration, Fraser deferred to the mayor, who said essentially that the city has approached the Shumlin administration about its options for Berlin Pond and has been met with a very cold shoulder. Essentially the city has been told that if they plan to seek legal action, they will lose. To quote Hollar: Uniformly from the administration, we have been told we will receive no legal support in returning things to the way they were before the decision. [The administration sees] no scientific basis as to why there should be further regulation. Furthermore, Hollar said, It seems that many in the administration would like to see the pond completely opened up. [See page 1 for story on Berlin Pond, and page 14 for more information from the city manager.]

Tell them you saw it in The Bridge!

Advertise! 223-5112

THE BRIDGE

J U N E 2127, 2 012 PAG E 9

The Secrets of Himitsu Sushi

by Sylvia Fagin

lmost every day of the week, Nate Kulchak and Megan Dolan load a portable sushi case, coolers of fish and vegetables, and a dizzying array of knives, chopsticks and tiny dishes into the back of their jeep. Where are they going? Its not quite a secret. Kulchak and Dolan are the proprietors of Himitsu Sushi, a traveling sushi establishment that lands in a different central Vermont town each day of the week. Moving from Morrisville to Waitsfield to Montpelier to Stowe, the pair bring fresh and unique tastes to diners across the region. Himitsu means secret in Japanese, and while they dont want to keep their restaurant secret from the public, Kulchak explains how the concept fits their business. We thought it would be fun to do a dinner-club sort of a thing, he says. In each town, Himitsu takes over a restaurant that would usually be closed that evening. In Montpelier, Himitsu lands at Kismet every Wednesday night from 5 to 9 p.m. Since their start in October of last year, Himitsu has found a loyal following of sushi lovers. While some restaurateurs might balk at the idea of traveling from place to place each day, theres a method to their madness. We definitely enjoy bringing sushi to a lot of small communities, rather than just one, Kulchak says. Plus, the pair have a goal of finding a home-base location somewhere in Vermont. Moving around is a form of market research, Dolan says: We get to know each community and their business owners. The jurys still out, however, about where that home base might eventually be, Kulchak says. For now, Kulchak has found a way to express the skills and creativity he has learned in his 15-plus years of sushi experience. Rolling sushi was his first, and has been his only, job. Kulchak apprenticed with a Japanese sushi

Food

chef at a restaurant in his native Idaho for five and a half years, and managed a sushi restaurant there before moving to the Caribbean island of St. John, where he started his own sushi restaurant, Happy Fish. It was there that he and Dolan met; she was the bar manager, and they hit it off. After a few years, the pair left the island, returned to the States and started scheming. Just a year later, Were doing what we wanted to do, essentially, Dolan says. Our goals were to be self-employed, be booked every night and have the weekends off. We set small goals for ourselves, and weve met them. And after the stress of running a restaurant and managing a dozen staff, this is a breath of fresh air, Kulchak notes. Each hosting restaurant usually provides a bartender, and occasionally Dolans brother will help with bussing tables, but Kulchak and Dolan are Himitsus only employees. Its fresh air for diners, too, who are responding with enthusiasm. In Montpelier, Kulchak has introduced a menu of starters and creative maki rolls. Appetizers include standards like edamame, miso soup, wakame salad and vegetable tempura. The tempura, hearty slices of carrot, sweet potato and zucchini, are dipped in a vegan, gluten-free batter and fried to a golden crisp. Everything we do at Kismet is or can be gluten-free, Kulchak notes. Maki refers to the seaweed-wrapped rolls of rice, fish and vegetables. Himitsus KB roll is quite popular, Kulchak says. Its a combination of spicy salmon and tempurafried cilantro, topped with mango, jalapeno, and ponzu sauce. The Jackie B, a roll of spicy tuna and yellowtail topped with seared tuna, avocado and sriracha, is another customer favorite. The menu boasts over a dozen creative maki combinations. Himitsu was serving a prix-fixe tasting menu at Kismet but has transitioned to this new menu due to customer demand. Kulchaks creative, molecular-gastronomy-

Himitsu Sushi proprietors Nate Kulchak and Megan Dolan in front of Kismet restaurant in Montpelier, Himitsus weekly Wednesday evening location. Photo by Sylvia Fagin. inspired offerings are still available to catering customers. For Kulchak, bringing the culture of sushi to Vermont as just as important as introducing the tastes. The culture of sushi is one of patience and dedication, he says. Essentially, youre doing the same thing day in and day out, so you have to set goals to make each piece of sushi better than the last. It takes self-motivation. You can always learn something new, about fish species or about preparation. Kulchak also notes that his years of experience give his sushi many subtle differences that add up to a huge difference in flavor. In a lot of places, I can bring something new, excite people and educate them, he says. Dolan reports that customers think Himitsus sushi rolls are really creative, recalling one customer who said, I cant believe we had the best sushi in Vermont in Morrisville! Find Himitsu Sushi: Monday at the Bees Knees in Morrisville Tuesday at American Flatbread in Waitsfield Wednesday at Kismet in Montpelier Friday at the Stowe Mountain Resort farmers market for lunch and at the Black Cap in Stowe for dinner You can also visit them on Facebook. Sylvia Fagin writes about food and agriculture in Vermont. Visit her blog, Aaar Naam ~ Come Eat, at sylviafagin.wordpress.com, or follow her on Twitter: @sylviafagin.

entry athrop Carp David L

229-0921

Framing to Finish Design Energy Mindful

PAG E 10 J U N E 2127, 2012

THE BRIDGE

elmore roots fruit tree and berry nursery

is the capital for edibles just 19 miles north of the capital! Blueberries, pears, kiwis, grapevines, elderberries. Organically grown. SunFri, 9:305; closed Saturdays | 802 888 3305 or fruitpal@elmoreroots.com

Central Vermont Food News

Tiny Bites

couple of years ago, Calais-based Bohemian Bread expanded from traditional woodfired bread into Sunday morning pastries; now theyre expanding further, into coffee roasting. Robert Hunt and Annie Baskt of Bohemian Bread recently purchased a Diedrich coffee roaster and, after several months of experimentation, have released No. 7 Dark Roast, the first in their new line of Coffeevore blends. Theyre roasting in small batches, so every bag is as fresh as possible. Find Bohemian Coffee Roasters No. 7 Dark Roast at Hunger Mountain Coop and at the Bohemian Bakery Caf in East Calais, Sundays from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. You can also visit their website, bohemianbread.com.

V J
HOLLISTER HILL FARM
Delighting localvores since 2001 We oer the best RAW JERSEY MILK around Always delicious naturally raised BEEFALO beef, PORK and
POULTRY

isit the 14th Annual Stowe Food and Wine Classic, June 22 to 24, to try wines from around the world and the best food Vermonts chefs have to offerall to benefit Copley Hospital and the Vermont Foodbank. Wine tastings and benefit auctions fill the weekend, along with cooking demonstrations and wine seminars at various Stowe locations. Find the entire schedule of events at stowewine.com. une begins the harvest season in earnest, and Ariels Restaurant in Brookfield offers an affordable way to enjoy the seasons bounty in a beautiful setting. Sunday Farm Suppers begin Sunday evening, June 24, and continue weekly through the summer. Each week, chef Lee Duberman prepares a different three-course menu featuring products found within 10 miles of Ariels. The prix-fixe menu is just $25, with both meat and vegetarian selections. Reservations are strongly recommended; call 276-3939. For more information about the restaurant, visit arielsrestaurant.com.

New to the store are

FARMSTEAD CHEESES, and wonderful ORGANIC FRUITS & VEGETABLES in season

Just ask our loyal customers!

Bring the family to visit the farm HOLLISTER HILL FARM 2193 Hollister Hill Rd. Marshfield, VT 454-7725 hollisterhillfarm.com Open daily, 9 am5 pm www.hollisterhillfarm.com

ast month, Stuart and Margaret Osha, owners of Turkey Hill Farm in Randolph Center, surprised many when they announced that theyre transitioning away from full-time farming and into a life that looks a little more like retirement, as they said in a letter to friends. Theyll stop milking cows and producing their creamy yogurt, but theyll continue as chapter leaders for the Weston A. Price foundation, and Margaret will continue to offer cooking classes. Clark Parmelee, a Randolph Center native and dairy-farmmanagement graduate of Vermont Technical College, will take over Turkey Hills raw-milk operation. Visit turkeyhillfarmvt.com to learn more about the changes and about upcoming classes, including The Herb Garden on Saturday, June 23, which will discuss choosing, growing and preserving culinary herbs.

T J

eatime in the garden, anyone? The Tea Garden at Inky Dinky Oinkink, located on Adams Mill Road in Stowe, will open for the season on Thursday, July 5. The garden offers panoramic views of Mount Mansfield, and the menu features specialty teas from the Vermont Liberty Tea Company, along with sweet and savory platters. Try lemon-ginger scones served with rose-geranium jelly, flourless chocolate cake accompanied by Cream Earl Grey apricot ice cream, or curried chicken salad with local chvre. The Tea Garden is open Thursday to Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. by reservation; call 253-3046. Learn more at oinkink.com oin Vermont authors Bill McKibben and Ben Hewitt and Hinesburg farmer Rachel Nevitt for Food Security in an Age of Climate Change on Saturday, July 7. A seated fund-

raising dinner featuring local foods will begin at 5:30 p.m. ($50 per person), and an open reception/discussion begins at 7 p.m. ($5 suggested donation), all at the Capitol Plaza Ballroom. The event is part of the yearlong celebration of the 25th anniversary of Food Works at Two Rivers Center, a Montpelier-based nonprofit committed to building lasting food security. Visit foodworksvermont.org for details or to make online reservations. compiled by Sylvia Fagin; send food news to sylviafagin@yahoo.com

ROCK WALLS, STONE STEPS, PATIOS, PATHS...

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Summer Events!
PHOTO BY ROBERT EDDY

Your local guide to Vermont arts and culture, food, outdoors, family fun and much more. Looking for something to do? Look inside.

Nature events at North Branch Nature Center

Suzanne Vega at Goddard College Central Vermont Chamber Music Festival in Randolph

Contemporary Dance & Fitness at Montpeliers Third of July

Circus Smirkus around the state

SPECIAL PULLOUT SUPPLEMENT TO THE BRIDGE

JUNE 21, 2012

PAG E C . 2 S U M M E R E V E N T S G U I D E , J U N E 21, 2 012

P U L LO U T S U P P L E M E N T TO T H E B R I D G E

indicates FREE or by-donation event

ANIMALS

THURSDAYS: Green Mountain Dog Club Monthly Meeting. Learn about the club and events. All dog lovers welcome. Fourth Thursdays, 7:30 p.m. Commodores Inn, Stowe. 479-9843 or greenmountaindogclub.org. JUNE 23: Horses, Herd and Leadership Demonstration With Lucinda Newman, certied equine guided educator. Learn how horses nature, herd dynamics and energetic cues can teach you how to lead change and have leadership presence at this active demonstration. Saturday, June 23, 10 a.m.noon. Horses & Pathnders, Moretown; contact Hunger Mountain Coop for carpooling info. Free for co-op member/owners, $10 nonmembers. Register at 223-8004, ext. 202, or info@hungermountain.com. JULY 1215: Four Days of Dog Shows Conformation classes for AKC breeds; companion events, obedience and rally for purebred and mixed-breed dogs. Ice-cream social, barbecue and live music by Cold Country Bluegrass. ThursdaySunday, 8:30 a.m. 6 p.m. Tunbridge Fairgrounds. Schedule at greenmountaindogclub.org. Register for barbecue with Deb, bretlyn@madriver.com. Presented by the Woodstock Dog Club and Green Mountain Dog Club. JULY 21: Low-Cost Rabies Vaccine Clinic Dogs must be on leashes and cats in carriers. Saturday, July 21, 23:30 p.m. Central Vermont Humane Society. $10 per vaccine per animal. cvhumane.com. AUGUST 11: Pet First Aid and CPR Class Get Red Cross certied! Learn animal handling, restraint, pet rst aid and CPR using realistic animal mannequins in a hands-on course. Saturday, August 11, 8:30 a.m.12:30 p.m. Central Vermont Humane Society. $100. 476-3811 or cvhumane.com/petrstaid. AUGUST 22: Dog Days of Summer Bring your dogs for a swim in the Montpelier pool! Wednesday, August 22, 57 p.m. Montpelier public pool. Admission by donation to Central Vermont Humane Society. cvhumane.com.

ART & CRAFT

SATURDAYS: Beaders Group All levels of beading experience welcome. Free instruction available. Come with a project for creativity and community. Saturdays, 11 a.m.2 p.m. The Bead Hive, Plaineld. 454-1615. THROUGH JUNE: Art at Coffee Corner Paintings by Sylvia Walker and Annie Limoge. 83 Main Street, Montpelier. 223-2906. THROUGH JUNE: Montpelier Scenes at Green Bean Art Gallery Photographs by Ron Lay-Sleeper. Capitol Grounds, 27 State Street, Montpelier. curator@capitolgrounds.com. THROUGH JUNE: Spring Bloom at Blinking Light Gallery Watercolors, oil paintings and pastels by Northeld artist Kathrena Ravenhorst-Adams. 16 Main Street, Plaineld. info@blinkinglightgallery.com or blinkinglightgallery.com.

THROUGH JUNE: Sticks and Stones at OMaddis Deli & Cafe Sculptural basketry by Tamara Wight. 7 South Main Street, Northeld. 485-4700. JUNE 22 & 23: Photography Workshops with Bryan Pfeiffer Point-and-shoot workshop on Friday: learn your cameras buttons, dials and menus. In-depth session on Saturday: learn strategies and camera settings for sports, wildlife, grandkids, owers, landscape, macrophotography and your own creative aspirations. Friday, 69 p.m., First Baptist Church, Montpelier; $15; dailywing.net. Saturday, 9 a.m.1 p.m, $45; register at 454-5640 or bryan@wingsphotography.com. JUNE 28: Intro to Zentangle Learn this relaxing, meditational method of creating beautiful images from repeated patterns. Increase your focus, attention and relaxation while learning a simple, powerful procedure that frees your inner artist. Thursday, June 28, 6:309 p.m. The Drawing Board, 22 Main Street. $20 materials fee. Sign up in advance. 223-2902 or drawingboardvt.com. JUNE 29JULY 1: Vermont Quilt Festival New Englands largest and oldest quilt festival. Exhibits, merchants mall, quilt appraisals, classes, lectures, free gallery talks and vendor demos. FridaySaturday, 9 a.m.6 p.m.; Sunday, 9 a.m.3 p.m. Champlain Valley Expo, Essex Junction. $12 adults, $10 age 65 and older, free for children under 14. vqf.org. JUNE 30: Funeral Lights A multimedia art installation by Amy Knigbauer & Knayte Lander, appearing one night only. Saturday, June 30, 811 p.m. 7 Baird Street (garage 1), Montpelier. Free, but tickets required: get them at Buch Spieler in Montpelier and Nutty Stephs in Middlesex. THROUGH JULY 6: Re Count and Re Connect at Vermont College of Fine Arts Works by Kim Goertner Darling, Sabrina B. Fadial, Diana Gonsalves, Susan Sawyer and Sumru Tekin. College Hall, 36 College Street, Montpelier.vcfa.edu. THROUGH JULY 6: Anatomy of Light at Central Vermont Medical Center Photographs by Andrew Kline. Lobby, 130 Fisher Road, Berlin. cvmc.org. THROUGH JULY 7: Art at Studio Place Arts Sc-EYE-nce, a science and visual arts fusion; Live Art, works by Nicholas Heilig; and Digital Topographies, works by Karolina Kawiaka. 201 North Main Street, Barre. 479-7069 or studioplacearts.com. JULY 11 & AUGUST 8: Quilting Group Working meeting of the Dog River Quilters. Lets quilt together! Second Wednesdays, 5:30 p.m. Community room, Brown Public Library, Northeld. Jean, 223-7984. JULY 14: Wear Your Art A simple silk-screening workshop, creating designs from templates. Bring items to print and a simple design on paper. Saturday, July 14, 9 a.m.noon. The Drawing Board, 22 Main Street. $35 materials fee. Sign up in advance. 223-2902 or drawingboardvt.com. THROUGH JULY 28: Art at Contemporary Dance & Fitness Studio Pastels of Italy and Vermont by Jeneane Lunn. 18 Langdon Street (third oor), Montpelier.

THROUGH JULY: Curves, Naturally! at Governors Gallery Quilted ber art by Greensboro artist Judy B. Dales. Above, Garden Pearls. 109 State Street, fth oor. Reception June 27, 35 p.m. Photo ID required for admission. 828-0749.

THROUGH SEPTEMBER 2: Red Fields & Yellow Skies at Chandler Gallery Group show by 12 state- and nationally renowned artists. Above, one of Kathleen Kolbs logging works. 7173 Main Street, Randolph. 431-0204 or outreach@chandler-arts .org.

Get Tested!!

Find out where you can get a free anonymous HIV test. Be informedght HIV Stigma! Join us at our table on State Street & Elm Street from 11:30 to 1:00 on Wednesday, June 27.
www.HereInVermont.com The Vermont People with AIDS Coalition

FOUR DAYS of DOG SHOWS

Woodstock Dog Club & Green Mountain Dog Club

An Ofcial American Kennel Club Event

Thursday, July 12Sunday, July 15

At the TUNBRIDGE FAIRGROUNDS Show Hours: 8:30 a.m. 6 p.m.
****

SUBMIT YOUR CALENDAR EVENT!

Send listings to Dana at calendar@montpelierbridge.com.

Conformation Classes for AKC Breeds Companion Events, Obedience and Rally for Purebred and Mixed Breed Dogs
**** Ice Cream Social on Thursday BBQ & Cold Country Bluegrass Band on Saturday
Preregister with Deb Jones

at bretlyn@madriver.com

visit greenmountaindogclub.org

For further information

P U L LO U T S U P P L E M E N T TO T H E B R I D G E
THROUGH AUGUST 1: Art at Gifford Medical Center Photographs by Bruce Small of West Brookeld. 44 South Main Street, Randolph. 728-2324 or giordmed.org. THROUGH AUGUST 24: Wowie Maui at Kellogg-Hubbard Library Watercolors, oils and acrylics by Jeanne Evans. 135 Main Street, Montpelier. 223-3338. THROUGH SEPTEMBER 21: Textures of the Earth at Tulsi Tea Room Photos by Christian Tubau Arjona, a Spanish artist living in Vermont. 34 Elm Street, Montpelier. Reception June 26, 57 p.m. 223-0043.

S U M M E R E V E N T S G U I D E , J U N E 21, 2 012 PAG E C . 3

TUESDAYS: English Conversation Practice Group For students learning English for the rst time. Tuesdays, 45 p.m. Central Vermont Adult Basic Education, Montpelier Learning Center, 100 State Street. No meetings July 24 and 31. Sarah, 223-3403. WEDNESDAYS: Authors at the Aldrich Vermont authors from diverse walks of lifeincluding gardener Ed Smith, cartoonist Je Danziger, science writer Sue Halpern and historian Paul Hellertalk about their books. Wednesdays, 6 p.m., through August 22 (no event July 4). Aldrich Public Library, Barre. Complete schedule at aldrich.lib.vt.us. THURSDAYS: Ongoing Reading Group Improve your reading and share some good books. Books chosen by group. Thursdays, 910 a.m. Central Vermont Adult Basic Education, Montpelier Learning Center, 100 State Street. No meetings July 26 and August 2. 223-3403. JUNE 21JULY 14: Summer Book Sale High-quality books at low prices, organized by subject. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier. All proceeds benet the library. 223-3338. JUNE 2526: Visiting Writers Series at Goddard Mitch Horowitz, vice-president and editor-in-chief of Tarcher/ Penguin Books, talks about how to get published, and novelist Kathryn Davis reads from, talks about and signs her books. Horowitz on Monday, 10 a.m.noon.; Davis on Tuesday, 78:30 p.m. Goddard College, Plaineld. Free. goddard.edu. JUNE 23AUGUST 7: Author Readings and Signings at Bear Pond Books Featuring Kate and Richard Russo, Alison Bechdel (June 26) and Chris Bohjalian (August 7), plus poetry by Jane Shore (July 17) and a new book of Vermont swimming holes by Dave Hajdasz (July 3). Russos Saturday, June 23, noon; other readings Tuesdays, 7 p.m. Bear Pond Books, 77 Main Street, Montpelier. Free. bearpondbooks .com/author-events or 229-0774. JUNE 27JULY 7: Visiting Writers at Vermont College of Fine Arts Richard Bausch, Maureen Freely, Kathleen Graber, Michael Hemery and Ron Charles give readings and oer lectures and informal talks. College Hall, Vermont College of Fine Arts, Montpelier. Schedule at vcfa.edu/node/2734. JULY 19 & AUGUST 16: Clean Slate Quiz Assemble your best small team, and enjoy food and drink service outside on the patio while you play a dynamic trivia game! 7 p.m. both nights. Clean Slate Cafe, 107 State Street, Montpelier. Free. 225-6166 or playtrivia@gmail.com. JULY 20 & AUGUST 23: Extempo: Live Original Storytelling Tell a 5-to-712-minute, rst-person, true story from your own life! Sign up in advance, and come with your story already practiced to deliver it smoothly without the use of notes. No theme. 8 p.m. both nights. July 20: the Blue Barn, 117 West County Road, Maple Corner (Calais). August 23: Tulsi Tea Room, 34 Elm Street, Montpelier. Free to participants; $5 otherwise. 223-0184 or extempovt.com. JULY 2728: Heritage Days Book Sale Books and audio-visual materials for all ages at rock-bottom prices. Friday, 8 a.m.4 p.m.; Saturday, 7:30 a.m.2 p.m. Aldrich Library lawn, 6 Washington Street, Barre. Rain or shine.

ACTIVISM

JULY 19 & AUGUST 16: Meeting on Disability Issues Share stories and concerns. Third Thursdays, 13 p.m. Vermont Center for Independent Living, 11 East State Street, Montpelier. 639-1522 or 229-0501 (both are also V/TTY numbers). SATURDAYS: Weekly General Assembly for Occupy Central Vermont Saturdays, 35 p.m. Outside City Hall, Montpelier; rain location Kellogg-Hubbard Library. Agendas and locations at occupycentralvt .org. Heather, bettypageturner@gmail.com.

CIRCUS

BICYCLING

ALL SUMMER: Weekly Rides at Onion River Sports Cyclocross cruise, cycling 101, mountain bike ride, Onion River Racing Wednesday Night World Championships and Onion River Racing Thursday Night Nationals. Come in proper physical condition depending on ride, bring water and a snack, and dress appropriately for weather. Complete schedule at onionriver.com. ALL SUMMER: Touring Rides with the Green Mountain Bicycle Club Many rides of varying distance and challenge all over Vermont. Complete schedule at thegmbc.com. MONDAYWEDNESDAY: Open Shop Nights Have questions or a bike to donate, or need help with a bike repair? Come visit the volunteer-run community bike shop. Mondays and Wednesdays, 57 p.m. Tuesdays, 68 p.m. Freeride Montpelier, 89 Barre Street, Montpelier. By donation. 552-3521 or freeridemontpelier.org. THURSDAYS: Mountain Bike Race Series at Millstone Casual and fun mountain bike races. For racers of all ages and abilities. Barbecue follows. Benets the Millstone Trails Associations capital campaign for the proposed Barre Town Forest. Thursdays, 5 p.m., June 28August 2. Millstone Hill, Websterville. $10 adults, $8 Montpelier Area Mountain Bike Association (MAMBA) members; $8 kids 12 and under, $6 MAMBA kids. 229-9409 or events@onionriver.com. FRIDAYS: Onion River Sports Friday Night Fix Get to know your bike and learn a dierent element of maintenance with shop mechanics. 6 p.m.; June 29 and August 3, at x; July 13, ladies night. Onion River Sports, Montpelier. onionriver.com. JULY 78: Cannondale Demo Days at Millstone Trails Representatives from local bike shops, including Onion River Sports, set riders up with free demos of 2013 models. Saturday and Sunday. Millstone Hill, Websterville. $8 entry fee. onionriver.com. JULY 28: Onion River Century Ride Pedal 111, 68 or 35 miles to benet the Kellogg-Hubbard Library, followed by a barbeque and celebration. Voted best century ride in Vermont by Vermont Sports readers. Saturday, July 28, 8:30 a.m. $50 before July 20, $65 after; or raise pledges and receive Darn Tough socks or a ride jersey. Register at 2233338, tinyurl.com/onionrivercentury or at the library. AUGUST 18: Third Annual Ride the Realm Bike Ride Green Mountain United Ways 50-kilometer ride along the Connecticut River. Saturday, August 18. Starts and ends at St. Johnsbury Academy. 745-0101 or gmunitedway.org. Register by August 1 and receive a free T-shirt.

JULY 1AUGUST 19: Circus Smirkus: Topsy Turvy Time Travel Vermonts acclaimed traveling youth circuswith nine Vermonters in the ring this yearcelebrates its 25th anniversary with blasts from the past and fun from the future. Above, Maia GaworSloane of Richmond on wire. August 1516, 2 and 7 p.m., Montpelier High School. $20 adults, $16.50 kids 212, free for kids under 2. More shows in Greensboro, Essex, Manchester, Brattleboro and Hanover, New Hampshire; complete schedule at smirkus.org.

DANCE

BOOKS & WORDS

ALL SUMMER: Lunch in a Foreign Language Bring lunch and practice your language skills with neighbors. Noon1 p.m. Mondays, Hebrew. Tuesdays, Italian. Wednesdays, Spanish. Thursdays, French. Fridays, German. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier. 223-3338.

JUNE 28: Third Annual Pie and Poetry With Vermont Poet Laureate Sydney Lea and poets Angela Patten and Jim Schley. Readings followed by pie and beverages. Above, locals at the 2011 Pie and Poetry events. Thursday June 28, 78 p.m. Old Town Hall, Brookeld. Free. JULY 2 & AUGUST 6: Classic Book Club First Mondays, 6 p.m. Cutler Memorial Library, Route 2, Plaineld. Free. Daniel, 793-0418. JULY 9: Annual Poetry Slam with Geof Hewitt Participate in or watch a poetry competition for all ages. Prizes. Monday, July 9, 79 p.m. Old Town Hall, Brookeld. Free. JULY 14: Talk Nerdy To Me Are you a self-identied expert? What gives you a nerd-on? Sign up in advance to share your nerdy passion via PowerPoint! Drink beer, eat good food and learn about a broad assortment of topics through the eyes of those to whom they are most nerdily dear. Saturday, July 14, 7 p.m. Espresso Bueno, 136 North Main Street, Barre. Free. 479-0896 or genuineadventures.com/talk-nerdy-tome.html. JULY 16 & AUGUST 20: Plaineld Book Club Third Mondays, 6:30 p.m. Cutler Memorial Library, Route 2, Plaineld. Free. 454-8504 or cutlerlibrary.org. JULY 19 & AUGUST 16: Third Thursday Travel Talks Third Thursdays, 6:30 p.m. Cutler Memorial Library, Route 2, Plaineld. Free. 454-8504 or cutlerlibrary.org.

WEDNESDAYS: Ecstatic Dance 79 p.m. First and third Wednesdays, Worcester Town Hall, corner of Elmore Road and Calais Road; fourth Wednesdays, Plaineld Community Center. $5$10 donation. Fearn, 505-8011 or fearnessence@gmail.com. SATURDAYS: Contra Dances All dances taught; no partner necessary. All ages welcome. Bring soft-soled shoes. First, third and fth Saturdays, 811 p.m. Capital City Grange, 6612 Route 12 (Northeld Street), Berlin. $8. 744-6163 or capitalcitygrange.org. JUNE 2530: Dear Pina A dance/theater tribute to German choreographer Pina Bausch, featuring many central Vermont dancers and choreographers. MondaySaturday, 7 p.m. Breeding Barn, Shelburne Farms. $15 Monday and Tuesday, $25 WednesdaySaturday.Tickets at ynntix.org. hannahdennison.org. JULY 27: Square Dancing with Jennifer Steckler and Her Majestys Streak-o-Lean Dare to be square at this dance that welcomes both beginners and experienced folks. Friday, July 27, 8 p.m. Old Town Hall, Brookeld. $5 suggested donation. JULY 28: Connect the Dots Dance Val Medve and Martha Kent call English and Scottish country dances to tunes by Carol Compton and Joanne Garton, then, after a potluck supper, Medve calls traditional New England dance to the Homegrown Chestnuts house band. No experience needed. Saturday, July 28. English/Scottish, 2:305:30 p.m.; traditional dance, 7:3011 p.m. Capital City Grange, 6612 Route 12 (Northeld Street), Berlin. $10 English/Scottish, $18 traditional, $15 both. Val, 899-2378, Martha, 879-7618, or Merry, 225-8921. AUGUST 1: Dance Festival: BYU Idaho Dance Alliance Brigham Young Universitys 33-student touring dance group. Wednesday, August 1, 7 p.m. Barre Opera House, 6 North Main Street. Free. Tickets at 476-8188 or barreoperahouse.org. see SUMMER EVENTS, page C.4

Summer is a time to Renew, Revise, Refresh

Wilderness Programs for Adults in Northern Vermont
vermontwildernessrites.com
Fran Weinbaum, Guide & Life Coach fran@vermontwildernesrites.com 802-249-7377
Artwork by Heron Dance Art Studio

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Saturday, July 7. Dinner, 5:30 p.m.; discussion; 7:30 p.m. Capitol Plaza Ballroom, 100 State Street, Montpelier. Reservations required for dinner; discussion open to the public, $5 suggested donation. 2331515 or foodworksvermont.org. JULY 11: Midsummers Eve Wine-Tasting Benet Sample local table wine, fruits and cheese, tour gardens, browse a silent auction, and listen to live music. Benets Rhythm of the Rein therapeutic riding program. Wednesday, July 11, 58 p.m. Lakeview Inn, Breezy Avenue, Greensboro. $5 suggested donation. 426-3781 or rhythmoftherein@aol.com.

indicates FREE or by-donation event

SUMMER EVENTS, from page C.3

Sunday, July 29, 15 p.m. Milarepa Center, Barnet. Free. 633-4136 or milarepacenter.org

FESTIVALS

FILM

JUNE 2224: Village-building Convergence Transition Town and Occupy Vermont team up to host the Village Gathering, a skill-share workshop weekend on creating community resilience with hands-on projects and discussions. Live music by One Over Zero and Kris Gruen on Saturday night. Twin Pond Retreat, Brookeld. By donation. Complete schedule at vbc-vt.org. JUNE 23: Reach Fest 2012: A Celebration of Time and Talents Reach Service Exchange Network celebrates community. Demos of members skills and talents, live music, food, awards and rae. Find out more about Reach and register on-site. Saturday June 23, 14 p.m. Trinity Church, 137 Main Street, Montpelier. Free. JUNE 23: Rockre Daylong, family-friendly, cultural solstice festival with nonstop live performances and entertainment among the old quarries. Unveiling of Millstone Hills cultural heritage trail, temporary art installations, live music by local artists emceed by Robert Resnik, bonres, rewalk and sky lanterns at dusk, and more. Saturday, June 23, 211 p.m. Millstone Hill, Websterville. Advance: $15 individual, $40 family; day of: $18 individual, $45 family. Tickets at 479-1000, 476-8188 or barreoperahouse.org. Schedule at rockrevt.com. JUNE 24: 10th Annual Strawberry Festival Horsedrawn wagon rides, strawberry picking, storytelling by Simon Brooks, kids crafts, music by Black Jack Crossing and Haywire. Organic food concession, strawberry shortcake and wood-red pizzas. No pets, please. Sunday, June 24, 10 a.m.4 p.m. Cedar Circle Farm, 225 Pavillion Road (o Route 5), East Thetford. $5 per car. 785-4737 or cedarcirclefarm.org JULY 21: ReUse Fair Artists and craftspeople display recycled and repurposed wares, plus live music, tag sale, activities and food. Benets Planting Hope and ReSOURCE. Saturday, July 21, 10 a.m.3 p.m. Vermont College of Fine Arts green. plantinghope@gmail.com. JULY 2022: SolarFest A three-day, family-friendly festival that combines world-class entertainment with workshops in renewable energy, sustainability and community engagement. FridaySaturday. Tinmouth. Complete schedule at solarfest.org. JULY 2429: Druid Festival Explore magic, healing, ceremony, and the spirit of nature. Workshops, food, sacred land, compassionate community and the annual Lughnasadh Harvest Festival! Family-friendly event. Come for ve days, the weekend, or just for the ceremony Saturday night. TuesdaySunday. Dreamland in Worcester. $30/day adults, free for children; optional meal plan. Register with Fearn, fearnessence@gmail.com. JULY 29: Milarepa Festival Day Featuring the Drepung Monks Tibetan Cultural Pageant, a performance of ritual chanting and dance by monks from one of Tibets great monastic universities. Refreshments served. Families welcome.

JULY: Sci-Fi July at the Savoy Theater Every weekend in July. 26 Main Street, Montpelier 229-0509 or savoytheater.com.

FOOD

MONDAYS & THURSDAYS: Summer Events at Nutty Stephs Bacon Thursdays, 6 p.m.midnight: Mary Go Round on July 5, mustache night on July 12 (above, a previous years revelry), beach party on July 28 with the Concrete Rivals. Teacher Appreciation Mondays: free chocolate bar to all educators (recent paystub and photo ID required). Nutty Stephs, Route 2, Middlesex. nuttystephs.com. SATURDAYS: Capital City Farmers Market Vegetables, milk, cheese, eggs, meat, maple syrup, ne crafts, prepared foods, plants and more. Live music all summer. On June 28: demo with David Moyer of the Vermont Foodbank on stretching your food dollars. Youth market on August 18. Saturdays, 9 a.m.1 p.m. 60 State Street (corner of State and Elm ), Montpelier. Through October 27. Carolyn, 223-2958 or manager@m ontpelierfarmersmarket.com. SUNDAYS: Gospel Brunch: A Community Meal All-you-can-eat buet of fresh fruit, bread, salmon and local meats and cheeses. Mimosas and other drinks available for purchase from both Red Hen and Nutty Stephs. Sundays, 10 a.m.2 pm. Nutty Stephs and Red Hen Baking Company, Route 2, Middlesex. $10 adult, $5 children 12 and under. nuttystephs.com. JULY 7 & AUGUST 3: Food Fundraisers for Montpelier Food Pantry Ice cream and other goodies on July 7, burgers and sausages on August 3. Benets the Montpelier Food Pantry. Saturday, July 7, and Friday, August 3, 11 a.m.5 p.m. Montpelier Shaws. justbasicsvt.org. JULY 7: Food Security in an Age of Climate Change An evening with Bill McKibben, Ben Hewitt and Rachel Nevitt, hosted by Food Works at Two Rivers Center. Local-foods dinner, followed by discussion.

JULY 12AUGUST 22: Meat and Dairy Classes with Rural Vermont Learn how to handle and prepare farm-fresh meat and poultry and how to make yogurt, ice cream, cheeses and more from raw milk. Above, a goat cheese workshop. Workshops in North Clarendon, South Wheelock, Faireld and Shelburne. Complete schedule at ruralvermont.org. $20$40 sliding scale. Register at 223-7222. JULY 19: Summer Cooking for Well-Being Understand which foods match this season and your constitution, explore the role of mindfulness in healthy digestion, create menu plans, taste samples, and take home recipes. Thursday, July 19, 67 p.m. Hunger Mountain Coop, Montpelier. $8 co-op member/owners, $10 nonmembers. Register at 223-8000, ext. 202, or info@hungermountain.com. JULY 22: Rural Vermont Raw-Milk Ice-Cream Social Bring the family and and join raw-milk enthusiasts for an evening of homemade ice cream, music, guest speakers and a celebration commemorating Rural Vermonts 50th dairy class. Sunday July 22, 6:308:30 p.m. Flack Family Farm, 3971 Pumpkin Village Road, Faireld. Free. Rain or shine. 223-7222 or ruralvermont.org. AUGUST 7: Cheese Tasting With Leslie Polubinski. Taste local and global cheeses paired with honey, jams, and a variety of area farm and food products. Tuesday, August 7, 78:30 p.m. Old Town Hall, Brookeld. Free, but RSVP required: 276-3535 or girard745@yahoo.com. AUGUST 14: Wild Edibles Slideshow and Discussion With Annie McCleary of Wisdom of the Herbs School. Learn about Vermonts wild bounty and how to use what nature oers. Tuesday, August 14, 67:30 p.m. Old Town Hall, Brookeld. Free.

Free Community Meals For All in Montpelier

MONDAY 11 a.m.1 p.m., Unitarian Church, 130 Main Street TUESDAY 11:30 a.m.1 p.m., Bethany Church, 115 Main Street WEDNESDAY 11 a.m.12:30 p.m., Christ Church, 64 State Street THURSDAY 11:30 a.m.1 p.m., Trinity Church, 137 Main Street FRIDAY 11 a.m.12:30 p.m., St. Augustine Church, 18 Barre Street SATURDAY Second Saturdays only, 11:30 a.m.1 p.m., Trinity Church, 137 Main Street (hosted by folks from Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church and First Baptist Church) SUNDAY Last Sundays only, 4:305:30 p.m., Bethany Church, 115 Main Street (hosted by Beth Jacob Synagogue)

SUBMIT YOUR CALENDAR EVENT!

Send listings to Dana at calendar@montpelierbridge.com.

P U L LO U T S U P P L E M E N T TO T H E B R I D G E
AUGUST 19: Market Day in Brookeld Produce, meats, and cheese for purchase, along with prizes, surprises and a silent auction to benet Old Town Hall renovations. Sunday, August 19, noon4 p.m. Old Town Hall, Brookeld. Free. Presented by Floating Bridge Food & Farms Co-operative and Brookeld Community Partnership. AUGUST 28: Theres More to Tea than Tetley With John McConnell of Vermont Liberty Tea Company. Tuesday, August 28, 78:30 p.m. Old Town Hall, Brookeld. Free.

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festival, rae, dog show, duck race, games, historic displays, food, reworks and more. Encampment schedule at worcestervthistoricalsociety.org. Parade questions and sign-up: Michelle, 223-4206. Food vendor questions: Audrey, 223-5985, or Judy, 223-8635. Schedule at marsheld.lib.vt.us. 426-3581 or jaquithpubliclibrary@ gmail.com. JUNE 25JULY 27: Summer Fun at the Waterbury Public Library A musical story time, nature walks and owls, a theater performance and summer reading, plus crafty afternoon on Tuesdays in July and a circus-themed Independence Day oat. Complete schedule at waterburypubliclibrary.com. Waterbury Public Library, 28 North Main Street, Waterbury. Free. 244-7036. JUNE 20JULY 25: Traveling Summer Story Time Kellogg-Hubbard Librarys story time comes to your community. Berlin Firehouse, June 20; East Montpelier Firehouse, June 27; Worcester Town Hall, July 11; Rumney School, July 18; Maple Corner Community Center, July 25. All programs 10:30 a.m., except Worcester 11 a.m. 223-4665. JULY: Where is Waldo in Montpelier? Search for the iconic character in a striped shirt and black specs hiding in 20 downtown businesses to win prizes. July, all month. Visit Bear Pond Books or the Kellogg-Hubbard Library in Montpelier to get started. JULY 6: Self Defense for Teens and Tweens Learn basic moves to keep you safe on the streets. Wear loose, comfortable clothing you can move around in. Everyone under 18 will need to have a parent/guardian sign a waiver. Friday, July 6, 3 p.m. Aldrich Public Library, Barre. JULY 12: Kids Author Reading: Jennifer Gennari Vermont College of Fine Arts grad Gennari presents her novel, My Mixed-Up Berry Blue Summer, the story of a 12-year-old pie-baking Vermonter whose family experiences bullying after Vermonts civil-union law passes. Thursday, July 12, 4 p.m. Bear Pond Books, 77 Main Street, Montpelier. Free. 229-0774. JULY 19: Whats New and Hot for Kids Summer Reading Local authors Jo Knowles, Kate Messner and Linda Urban read from their new books, share their favorites and share the experience they have in using books to talk with kids. Thursday, July 19, 4 p.m. Bear Pond Books, 77 Main Street, Montpelier. Free. 229-0774. JULY 19: Caps for Sale Performance by the PuppeTree. Thursday, July 19, 6 p.m. ReSTORE, 30 Granite Street, Barre. Free. 477-7800. JULY 19AUGUST: Camps at the Woods at Wihakowi Camp Allegro, traditional summer camp for girls age 813; two theater camps for kids in grades K6 and 612; and Summers End, youth empowerment conference for age 1524. Complete schedule at 877-966-3588 or stayinnvermont.com. JULY 20: No Strings Marionettes presents Jack and the Beanstalk Family-friendly traditional puppet theater. Friday, July 20, 79 p.m. Old Town Hall, Brookeld. Free. nostringsvt.com. JULY 25: Story Tour: Fun, Fantastical Tales from Around the World Annie Hawkinss stories captivate and delight all ages. Wednesday, July 25, 78:30 p.m. Old Town Hall, Brookeld. Free. AUGUST 5: Kids Movie and Popcorn Party Bring the whole family for Up, the 2009 Disney-Pixar lm about the adventures of an elderly man and a young stowaway who y to South America by oating in a house. Sunday, August 5, 35 p.m. Old Town Hall, Brookeld. Free.

KIDS & TEENS

GARDENING

JUNE 23: The Herb Garden Learn how to choose and grow herbs, make a simple herb vinegar and learn to preserve herbs for year-round culinary use and warming wintertime teas. Saturday, June 23, 10 a.m.noon. The Farmers Kitchen at Turkey Hill Farm, Randolph Center. $25, includes handouts and recipes. 728-7064 JUNE 23: Growing a Summer Tea Garden Learn about easy-to-grow plants that oer medicinal qualities, add beauty to the garden and make delicious benecial teas. Samples provided. Saturday, June 23, 34:30 p.m. East Warren Community Market, 42 Roxbury Mountain Road, East Warren. $10 plus $5 materials fee. Register at 552-0727, rebeccad@vtherbcenter.org or wildheart wellness.net. JUNE 27: Plant It And They Will Come: Gardening with Native Plants Learn simple and eective techniques for creating better wildlife habitat and feeding stations. Come prepared to get a little dirty. Saturday, June 27, 57 p.m. North Branch Nature Center, 713 Elm Street, Montpelier. $15 nature center members, $20 nonmembers. 229-6206. JUNE 27: Learn About Container Gardening with Ed Smith Wednesday, June 27, 7 p.m. Jaquith Public Library, Marsheld. Free. 426-3581 or jaquithpubliclibrary@gmail.com.

HERBS

JUNE 28: Herbal First Aid Kit With Marie Frohlich, health coach. Learn how to create your own herbal rst aid kit for the summer. From bee stings to sunburn, all you need are a few herbal essentials. Thursday, June 28, 5:307 p.m. Hunger Mountain Coop community room, Montpelier. Free. Register at 223-8004, ext. 202, or info@hungermountain.coop. JUNE 30JULY 30: Summer Herb Workshops at Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism Learn about treating sleep issues with herbs, making your own ower essences, fermented foods and health, sexual health, drawing herbs, and growing and wildcrafting herbs. Sleep June 30, ower essences July 15, fermentation July 16, sexual health July 23, drawing July 28 and growing/wildcrafting July 30. 250 Main Street, Montpelier. $10$18. More info at 224-7100 or vtherbcenter.org.

INDEPENDENCEDay festivities in our next DAY Look for previews of all local Independence
issue, June 28. JULY 3: Montpeliers Independence Day Celebration Parade, performances, food and celebrations of all kinds, Volunteers needed: contact Paul at volunteer@montpelieralive.org. JULY 4: Worcester: Celebrating The 150th Anniversary of The Civil War Civil War encampment, parade, chicken barbecue, strawberry

ALL SUMMER: The Basement Teen Center Cable TV, PlayStation 3, pool table, free eats and fun events for teenagers. MondayThursday, 36 p.m.; Friday, 311 p.m. Basement Teen Center, 39 Main Street, Montpelier. 229-9151. MONDAYS: Youth Group Games, movies, snacks and music. Mondays, 79 p.m. Church of the Crucied One, Route 100, Moretown. 496-4516. TUESDAYS: Cub Capers Storytime and Songs For children age 35 and their families. Tuesdays, 9:30 a.m. Childrens room, Bear Pond Books, 77 Main Street, Montpelier. 229-0774. TUESDAYS: Morning Playgroup Storytelling inspired by seasonal plants, fruits and herbs with in-house astrologer Mary Anna Abuzahra, plus crafts, games and activities. Walk follows. All ages welcome. Tuesdays, 10 a.m. Tulsi Tea Room, 34 Main Street, Montpelier. Free. tulsiteallc@gmail.com. TUESDAYS: Second-Language Story Time Tales in American Sign Language, plus monthly special events with native speakers. Tuesdays, 3 p.m. Cutler Memorial Library, Route 2, Plaineld. Free. 454-8504 or cutlerlibrary.org. THURSDAYS: Nature Hikes with Onion River Kids First and third Thursdays, 3:30 p.m. Through August. Location may vary, call 223-6025 for details. SUNDAYS: Story Time at Onion River Kids Outdoor adventure tales and childhood classics. Sundays, 10:30 a.m. 7 Langdon Street, Montpelier. 223-6025. ALL SUMMER: Events for Teens and Kids at the Aldrich Library Free lunch every day MondayFriday, no-obligations teen book club on Mondays, Wednesday teen game nights, crafts and events for kids on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Lunch, noon; crafts, 1 p.m.; teen events, 5 p.m. Lunch and crafts through August 17; no lunch July 4. Aldrich Public Library, Barre. 476-7550. JUNE 22AUGUST 3: Library Events for All Ages at the Kellogg-Hubbard Library Participate in the summer reading program Dream Big, learn about the night sky, hear nocturnal legends, make a fairy door, or check out the legendary tie-dye party and stued-animal sleepover. Kellogg-Hubbard childrens library, Montpelier. Complete schedule at the library, or at 223-4665 or kellogghubbard.org. JUNE 2330: Kids Library Activities in Williamstown Reading with childrens author Amy Sprague; stories, critters, crafts and snack with Bill Palin; and puppet performance of The Elves and the Shoemaker by Traveling Storytellers & Company. Reading June 23, storytime June 27, puppets June 30. Ainsworth Public Library, Main Street, Williamstown. Schedule at 433-5887 or ainsworthpubliclibrary.wordpress.com. JUNE 25JULY 30: Library Events for Kids in Marsheld Dream big: read! Learn about dreams, stars and plants, and nocturnal animals with nighttime-themed crafts and activities during weekly storytimes and special programming. Storytime on Mondays, 10 a.m. Jaquith Public Library, Marsheld.

see SUMMER EVENTS, page C.6

Community Herb Workshops

at Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism
Herbal Support for the Musculoskeletal System with Rebecca Dalgin, VCIH Graduate Wednesday March 21st, 6-8 pm

250 Main Street, Suite 302, Montpelier

Pre-registration required for all workshops. Contact 224-7100 or info@vtherbcenter.org. For workshop details and descriptions, visit vtherbcenter.org

Techniques and Tips for Successful Plant Propagation with Joann Darling, Gardens of Seven Gables Wednesday March 28th, 68 pm Herbal Medicine Making with Betzy Bancroft, VCIH Core Faculty Monday April 2nd, 68 pm Secrets of Our Cycle two-part series with Abigail Houghton, VCIH Graduate Mondays April 9th and 16th, 68 pm

HEADING OUT?
Tell them you saw it in The Bridge!

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Thursdays, 6:30 p.m., July 5August 9. Old Schoolhouse Common gazebo, 122 School Street, Marsheld. Free. Schedule at marsheld .lib.vt.us. 426-3581 or jaquithpubliclibrary@gmail.com. THURSDAYS: Ukulele Group All ages and abilities welcome. Second and fourth Thursdays, 68 p.m. Montpelier Senior Activity Center, 46 Barre Street, Montpelier. 223-2518. SATURDAYS: Norwich Universitys Summer Carillon Concert Series Bring a picnic and a lawn chair for free outdoor concerts on Norwichs 47-bell Charlotte Nichols Greene Memorial Carillon. Rain or shine. Demo and tour of bell tower follows. Saturdays, 1 p.m., July 7August 4. Free. Diana, 485-2318 or dweggler@norwich.edu. SATURDAYS: Dan Boomhower at Cider House Restaurant Piano tunes. Saturdays, 6 p.m.close. Route 2, Waterbury. 244-8400. SATURDAYS: Shape-Note Sing Ian Smiley leads tunes from The Sacred Harp. All welcome; no experience necessary. First and third Saturdays, 6:308 p.m. Tulsi Tea Room, 34 Elm Street, Montpelier. By donation. Ian, 229-4008 or vtshapenotesingers@gmail.com. SUNDAYS: Music at Skinny Pancake Old-time session with Katie Trautz and friends, followed by live music on the patio. Sundays. Session, 46 p.m.; concert follows. 89 Main Street, Montpelier. Complete schedule at 262-2253 or skinnypancake.com.

indicates FREE or by-donation event

SUMMER EVENTS, from page C.5

MUSEUMS

ALL SUMMER: Sullivan Museum Tol ko Po Russky, Pozhaluista (Russian Only, Please), chronicling the history of the Russian school at Norwich University, 19682000. Norwich University, Northeld. Through January 2013. 485-2183. JUNE 2130: The History of Goddard College Photographs, lms and archival documents from 1969 to 1979, curated by Goddard sta member and alumnus Dustin Byerly. Pratt Center Library, Goddard College, 123 Pitkin Road, Plaineld. Through June. 454-8311 or goddard.edu.

JULY 26: Opening of New Galleries at the Vermont History Center Check out The Emergence of the Granite City: Barre, 18801940 in the Barre Heritage Gallery and Icons, Oddities & Wonders in the Special Collections Gallery. Refreshments served, accompanied by Scottish, Italian and French music. Above, an odddity on display. Thursday, July 26, 57 p.m. Vermont History Center, 60 Washington Street, Barre. Jackie, 479-8514.

MUSIC

ALL SUMMER: Music at Bagitos Live local music nearly every night, plus Irish/Celtic session on Saturdays, blues jam on Wednesdays, Sunday brunch with music and open mics. Most shows 68 p.m. 28 Main Street, Montpelier. Complete schedule at 229-9212 or bagitos.com. ALL SUMMER: Music at Big Picture Theater Valley nights on Wednesdays, plus other special events. 48 Carroll Road (just o Route 100), Waitseld. Most shows by donation. Complete schedule at 496-8994 or bigpicture theater.info.

ALL SUMMER: Music at Charlie Os Live local music Fridays and some Saturdays; karaoke on Tuesdays. 70 Main Street, Montpelier. Complete schedule at venue or call 2236820. ALL SUMMER: Music at Fresh Tracks Farm Live local music most Fridays, 69 p.m., plus parties, fundraisers and other special events. 4373 Route 12, Berlin. Complete schedule at 223-1151 or info@freshtracksfarm.com. TUESDAYS: Waterbury Community Band Concert in the Park A varied program of marches and other concert band selections. Good neighbor benet concert, at Waterbury Congregational Church on August 16, 3:30 p.m. Tuesdays, 7 p.m. Concerts alternate between Rusty Parker Memorial Park in Waterbury (June 26) and Waterbury Center Park (July 10). Free. Through July; no concerts July 3 and 17. Bill, 223-2137 or info@waterburycommunityband.org. TUESDAYS: Gazebo Concerts in Stowe Featuring the Michael Arnowitt Jazz Trio on July 24, Dave Keller and the Dave Keller Band on July 31, the Waterbury Community Band and the Morrisville Military Band on August 7 and Banjo Dan and the Mid-Nite Plowboys on August 14. Tuesdays, 7 p.m., July 24August 14. Helen Day Memorial Building lawn; rain location: Stowe Community Church. Free. TUESDAYS: Summer Music from Greensboro Chamber music concerts. Tuesdays, 8 p.m., July 17August 14. Church of Christ, Wilson Street, Greensboro. $20 per concert, $85 season ticket; free for youth under 18. 533-2301 or summermusicfromgreensboro@gmail.com. WEDNESDAYS: Middlesex Summer Concerts Featuring, in order of appearance, the Heckhounds, the Onion River Jazz Band, Jenni Johnson, the New Nile Orchestra, the Anthony Santor Quartet and the Doug Perkins Bluegrass Unit. Bring a picnic. Wednesdays, 6:30 p.m. July 11August 15. Martha Pellerin-Andy Shapiro Memorial Bandstand (next to Rumney School), 433 Shady Rill Road, Middlesex. Free. 229-0881. WEDNESDAYS: Capital Band Concert Bring a lawn chair or blanket and enjoy live music with your neighbors. Want to play along? Bring your instrument, music stand and a chair. Wednesdays, 7 p.m. State House lawn near the Pavilion Building. Free. Through August 15; no concert July 4. WEDNESDAYS: Summer Concerts in Barre Robert Resnik and Marty Morrissey, the Green Mountain Swing Band, Patti Casey and Bob Amos, the Dave Keller Band, the Michael Arnowitt Jazz Trio, Sherris Jubilee and more entertain locals in a weekly outdoor concert. Wednesdays, 78 p.m. Currier Park; rain location Universalist Church, 19 Church Street. Free. Through August 22; no concert July 4. Schedule at thebarrepartnership.com. THURSDAYS: Brown Bag Concert Series in Montpelier Hourlong lunchtime performances by KT and the Trailblazers, the Dave Keller Band, Green Mountain Swing, the Starline Rhythm Boys, Long Shot Music and Patti Casey, the Great Brook Blues Band, and more. Thursdays, noon, July 12August 30. Christ Church courtyard, State Street, Montpelier. Free. Schedule at montpelieralive.org/brownbag. THURSDAYS: Music at Neci on Main Thursdays, 69 pm. 118 Main Street, Montpelier. No cover. Complete schedule at 223-3188 or necidining.com. THURSDAYS: Free Summer Concert Series in Marsheld Local tunes by Cold Country Bluegrass, Michael Arnowitt and the ImproVisions Jazz Quartet, Dana and Susan Robinson, Atlantic Crossing, and the Michele Fay Band. Bring your chair or blanket and a picnic. Food available for purchase.

JUNE 2223: Sixth Annual Carolan Festival A gathering for people who play, listen or dance to the music of Turlough OCarolan, Irish harper and composer, 16701738. Opening theater/concert piece on Friday by Patrick Ball (above); on Saturday, open and small sessions, music and dance performances, potluck supper and evening country dance. Rain or shine. Friday, 7 p.m., Old Meeting House, 1620 Center Road, East Montpelier. Saturday, 10 a.m. 9 p.m., Mallery Farm, 108 Norton Road, Worcester. Friday: $15 advance, $20 at door; Saturday: $10 individual, $15 family, $5 o with Friday ticket stub. Tickets at Bear Pond Books in Montpelier, 229-9468 or carolanfestvt.com.

East Calais, VT
2 GILBERT & SULLIVANS!
PIRATES OF PENZANCE
June 28, 29, 30; July 5, 6, 7, 11, 12, 13, 14 7:30 p.m.

YEOMEN OF THE GUARD

July 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28 7:30 p.m.

$20

$10 children 12 and under

TICKETS :

LOCATION, RESERVATIONS & INFORMATION :

501 Blachly Road, East Calais 456-8968 www.unadilla.org

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JUNE 22 & 24: Green Mountain Opera Festival: La Bohme Friday, 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, 3 p.m. Barre Opera House, 6 North Main Street. $25$70. Tickets at 476-8188 or barreoperahouse.org. JUNE 29: The Kind Buds in Concert Acoustic guitar jam duo inspired by musician and songwriter Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead. Refreshments available. Friday, June 29, 710 p.m. Old Town Hall, Brookeld. $5. thekindbuds.com. JUNE 29JULY 8: Vermont Symphony Orchestra Outdoor Summer Concerts The orchestra promises musical smiles with a humor-themed program, performed in outdoor settings across the state. All concerts start at 7:30 pm.; gates open 55:30 p.m. for picnicking. $31$35 adults; prices vary for children. June 29 at Sugarbush Resort; July 7 in Randolph; July 8 in Stowe: tickets and complete schedule at 800-876-9293, ext. 10, or vso.org. JULY 37: Vermonts Own 40th Army Band in Concert Featuring the concert band, the Liberty Belles woodwind quintet, the Green Mountain Show Band, a big-band ensemble, and the Power of 10 power rock show band. July 4, 8 p.m., in Jeersonville; July 6, 7:30 p.m. in South Royalton; additional performances around the state. Free. 338-3480 or vtguard.com/band. JULY 4: Bob Murray, Jeremiah McLane and Susannah Blachly Music that springs from the musicians personal truths. Part of the Straord UU Concert Series Wednesday, July 4, 7:30 p.m. Straord UU Church, corner of Justin Morrill Highway and Route 132. $15 suggested donation. 765-4295 or straorduuchurch.org. JULY 5AUGUST 15: Adamant Music School Concerts and Classes Piano concerts, master classes with Andr Laplante, John OConor and Menahem Pressler, and granite sculptures and paintings on display. Concerts: $10 adults, $6 seniors and students; $50/day master classes. Complete schedule at adamant.org or 223-3347. JULY 6 & AUGUST 3: Coffeehouse Enjoy live music and share your own. Fellowship, potluck snacks and beverages. First Fridays, 79 p.m. Trinity United Methodist Church, 137 Main Street, Montpelier (park and enter at rear). Free. Dick, 244-5191, 472-8297 or rawilburjr@comcast.net. JULY 8 & AUGUST 12: Shape Note/Sacred Harp Sing No experience needed. All welcome. Second Sundays, 57 p.m. Plaineld Community Center (above the co-op). By donation. 426-3849 or 426-3850. JULY 8AUGUST 15: Craftsbury Chamber Players Concert series in Hardwick and Burlington, plus special preseason bluegrass concert with Kenji Bunch. Bluegrass July 8, 7 p.m., Craftsbury Common; free. Thursdays, 8 p.m., July 12August 16, Hardwick Town House, 127 Church Street; $22 adults, $20 seniors, $8 students. Schedule at craftsburychamberplayers.org/concerts or 800-639-3443. JULY 11: Movement of the People: The Fela Kuti Project Thirteen-piece Afrobeat band. Come for dancing. Cash bar. Wednesday, July 11; doors open at 7 p.m, show at 8 p.m. Goddard College, Plaineld. $10 adults, $5 kids. Tickets at the door and cash only. goddard.edu. JULY 12: The Attic Series presents Tympanon The trio performs tunes and songs of Quebec and France Thursday, July 12, 7 p.m. Reach oces, 138 Main Street, Montpelier. $10 suggested donation. Reservations recommended; Susan, 2291403 or hendrixddle@gmail.com. JULY 19 & AUGUST 16: Songwriters Meeting Meeting of the Northern VT/NH chapter of the Nashville Songwriters Association International. Bring copies of your work. Third Thursday, 6:45 p.m. Catamount Arts, St. Johnsbury. John, 633-2204. JULY 20: Ron West Tribute Concert Honor the memory of one of Vermonts nest ddlers. Guest performers include Adam Boyce, Sarah Hotchkiss, John Mowad,

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Mark Sustic, the Sap Run Fiddlers and many more. Dancing and refreshments. Friday, July 20, 8 p.m. Canadian Club, Route 14, Barre. $8$10 suggested donation. 877-343-3531 or vtddleorchestra.org. Hosted by the Vermont Fiddle Orchestra and the Northeast Fiddlers Association. JULY 23AUGUST 4: Lyra Summer Music Workshop Performances by faculty and student string players and pianists. Concerts July 23, 27, 29 and August 2, 7:30 p.m.; and August 4, 1 p.m. Chandler Music Hall, 7173 Main Street, Randolph. $10$15 suggested donation. Schedule at lyrasummermusic.com. AUGUST 24SEPTEMBER 1: Mozarts Magic Flute Opera presented by Echo Valley Community Arts. Set design by local artists Nicholas Hecht and T. Adam Smith. August 24, 26, 31 and September 1, 8 p.m. Sculpture Building, Goddard College north campus. Naomi, 225-6471.

OUTDOORS & SPORTS

JULY 24: Mantra Music Performance Before the concert (above, band members), try yoga with Anjali Budreski or a healing summer meal with Lisa Mas. Tuesday, July 24. Yoga, 5 p.m.; meal, 6 p.m.; concert, 7 p.m. Goddard College, Plaineld. JULY 28: Worst. Song. Ever. Perform a cover version of a bad pop song. Bring your own musical instrument(s) or sing it a cappella. Sign up in advance. Audience voting and prizes for best, worst and more. Part of the Barre Heritage Festival and Homecoming Days. 7 p.m. Espresso Bueno, 136 North Main Street, Barre. Free. 4790896 orplaytrivia@gmail.com. JULY 29: Goddard College Concerts: Suzanne Vega Since the 1980s, Vegas neo-folk style has ushered in a new female, acoustic, folk-pop singer-songwriter movement including Tracy Chapman, Shawn Colvin and the Indigo Girls. Sunday, July 29; doors open at 7 p.m. Outdoors at Goddard College, Plaineld. $25 in advance. wgdr.org. AUGUST 1112: Vermont Philharmonic Orchestra Summer Pops Concert Featuring Adam Laurence Herskowitz, tenor, and the Vermont Philharmonic Chorus. Saturday, 7:30 p.m. Barre Opera House; Sunday, 4 p.m., Moose Meadow Lodge, Duxbury. vermontphilharmonic.org. AUGUST 1826: Central Vermont Chamber Music Festival Performances by the LARK Quartet, the Sixth Floor Trio and festival artists, plus a Breakfast with Bach featuring Sounding Joy!, a childrens concert and more. Chandler Music Hall, 7173 Main Street, Randolph; and other Randolph-area locations. Free$25. Tickets and schedule at 728-6464 or centralvtchambermusicfest.org. AUGUST 18: 10th Anniversary of Godstock Performances by local Christian artists. Worship, music and fun for the whole family. Bring a picnic or buy refreshments. Saturday, August 18, 10:30 a.m.10 p.m. Green Mountain Community Alliance Church, Route 100, Duxbury. 244-7418 or underoneroofministry.com. AUGUST 2425: 16th Annual Used Musical Instrument Sale Sell your instrument or get a new one to benet Central Vermont Share the Musics music scholarship assistance to local individuals. Drop o instruments Friday, 47 p.m.; sale Saturday, 9 a.m.2 p.m. Bethany Church, 115 Main Street, Montpelier. 229-0295, 2294416, cvsm@comcast.net or sharethemusicvt.org.

ALL SUMMER: Outings with the Montpelier Section of the Green Mountain Club Hike, walk, paddle and bike your way around Vermont with other local outdoor enthusiasts. Complete schedule at gmcmontpelier.org/events. ALL SUMMER: Montpelier Rec Department Swimming lessons, camps for kids, tae kwon do, kayaking, paddleboarding, adult coed kickball and more. 55 Barre Street, Montpelier. Complete schedule at 225-8699 or montpelierrec.org. SATURDAYS: Roller Derby Open Recruitment and Recreational Practice Central Vermonts Wrecking Doll Society invites quad skaters age 18 and up to try out the action. No experience necessary. Equipment provided: rst come, rst served. Saturdays, 56:30 p.m. Montpelier Recreation Center, Barre Street. First skate free. centralvermontrollerderby.com. SUNDAYS: Coed Adult Floor Hockey Equipment provided. Sundays, 35 p.m. Montpelier Recreation Center, Barre Street. $5. 363-1531, bmoorhockey@gmail.com or vermontoorhockey.com. JUNE 23: Standup Paddleboard Free Demo Day Fun, easy and great exercise. Experience paddling from a whole new perspective. All boards and equipment provided. Saturday, June 23, 14 p.m. Wrightsville Beach. Free. Weather permitting: contact Clearwater Sports at 496-2708 or clearwatersport@madriver.com if questionable. JUNE 24: Vermont Paddleboard Festival Try out more than 50 models of paddleboards from 12 manufacturers and check out clinics and classes, a paddleboard yoga demo and races. For all experience levels and abilities. Sunday, June 24, 11 a.m.4 p.m. Waterbury Center State Park. $5, benets Friends of the Winooski; plus $3 day-use park fee (no fee with state parks pass). vtpaddlefest.com.

JUNE 30AUGUST 22: Summer Events at North Branch Nature Center Learn more about bird banding, bioluminescent creatures and plants, ferns, bumblebees, moths, butteries, katydids (above) and more. Lots of outdoor exploration and hands-on discovery. Complete schedule at northbranchnaturecenter.org. North Branch Nature Center, 713 Elm Street, Montpelier. Free$15. 229-6206. JULY 2: Better Birding with Bryan Pfeiffer: Solving Shorebirds Sandpipers and plovers will soon be moving south. Learn to identify and enjoy them. Bring your binoculars. 6:308 p.m. First Baptist Church, School Street, Montpelier. $10. vermontbirdtours.com. JULY 3: Montpelier Mile One-mile race through historic downtown Montpelier to kick o Montpeliers Independence Day festivities. All ages welcome. see SUMMER EVENTS, page C.8

MORE Community Herb Workshops!

at Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism
Sexual Health for Herbalists and (other) Health Care Providers with Dana Woodruff, community herbalist/educator Monday, July 23rd, 68pm Cost: $12/$10 members, ORE hours accepted

250 Main Street, Suite 302, Montpelier

Pre-registration required for all workshops. Contact 224-7100 or info@vtherbcenter.org. For workshop details and descriptions, visit vtherbcenter.org

Drawing Herbs: A Botanical Exploration with Jesse LoVasco, family herbalist Saturday, July 28th 10amnoon Cost: $12/$10 members Growing & Wildcrafting Herbs for Your Home Apothecary with Larken Bunce, core faculty/co-director VCIH Monday, July 30th, 5:308pm Cost: $12/$10 members

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P U L LO U T S U P P L E M E N T TO T H E B R I D G E
TUESDAYS: Medicare and You New to Medicare? Have questions? We have answers. Second and fourth Tuesdays, 34:30 p.m. Central Vermont Council on Aging, 59 North Main Street, Suite 200, Barre. Free. Register at 479-0531. JUNE 29: The Intention of Dreams: A Presentation of Archetypal Dreamwork With Sue Scavo and Bill St. Cyr of North of Eden. Learn how understanding the intention of dreams can help you live in the full radiance of physical, psychological and spiritual health. Friday, June 29, 5:307:30 p.m. Hunger Mountain Coop community room, Montpelier. Free. Register at 223-8004, ext. 202, or info@hungermountain.coop. JUNE 30: A Workshop In Risking the Growthful With Sandra Lucas, gestaltist and transformational life coach. Explore the barriers to risking through gestalt experiments with imagery, metaphor, poetry, visualization and dialogue. Saturday, June 30, 12:30 p.m. Hunger Mountain Coop community room, Montpelier. $10 co-op member/owners, $12 nonmembers. Register at 223-8004, ext. 202, or info@hungermountain.coop.

indicates FREE or by-donation events

SUMMER EVENTS, from page C.7 $5$20; benets the Montpelier Rotary Club. Registration opens at 3:45 p.m. day of race. Preregister at Onion River Sports or 2299409, events@onionriver.com, or onionriver.com. AUGUST 1415: Long Trail Bound Educator Summit Educators of all grade levels, formal and informal, learn about the natural history of Vermonts Green Mountains, develop their outdoor leadership skills, connect with other educators and become familiar with the newly launched Long Trail Bound activity guide. Tuesday, 10 a.m.7 p.m.; Wednesday, 8:30 a.m.4 p.m. Green Mountain Club visitor center, Waterbury Center. $100, includes materials and meals. Register by July 31 at 241-8323 or green mountainclub.org. AUGUST 25: Hiking and Yoga A moderate three-hour hike, followed by an hour of hatha yoga with Leo Leach. All experience levels welcome. Saturday, August 25, 15 p.m. Green Mountain Club visitor center, Waterbury Center. $12. Register by August 11 at 241-8323 or green mountainclub.org. JUNE 30 & JULY 78: Hiking and Drawing Workshops with John Geeza Learn how to express the connection you feel with nature in visual form. Geared to those who have had some experience in drawing and painting, but also open to beginners. Saturday, June 30, 9 a.m.5 p.m.; July 78, 9 a.m.4:30 p.m. Green Mountain Club visitor center, Waterbury Center. $30 oneday wokshop; $185 weekend workshop. Register at least one week in advance at 241-8323 or greenmountainclub.org. johngeeza.ca.

SUNDAYS: Deepening Our Jewish Roots Fun, engaging text study and discussion on Jewish spirituality. Sundays, 4:456:15 p.m. Yearning for Learning Center, Montpelier. Rabbi Tobie Weisman, 223-0583 or info@yearning4learning.org.

THEATER

SALES

JUNE 30: Float-Building and Tag Sale for Planting Hope Plan for Montpeliers Independence day parade. Saturday, June 30; Tag sale, 9 a.m.3 p.m.; oat-building starts at 1 p.m. Clothes Pin Factory, 1 Granite Street, Montpelier. JULY 37: Summer Sale at the Trinity Community Thrift Store Tuesday, 11 a.m.5 p.m.; ThursdaySaturday, 10 a.m.4 p.m. 137 Main Street, Montpelier. 229-9155.

SPIRITUALITY

ALL SUMMER: Christian Science Gods love meeting human needs. Reading room: TuesdaySaturday, 11 a.m.1 p.m.; Tuesdays, 58 p.m.; and Wednesdays, 57:15 p.m. Testimony meeting: Wednesdays, 7:308:30 p.m., nursery available. Worship service: Sundays, 10:3011:30 a.m., Sunday school and nursery available. 145 State Street, Montpelier. 223-2477. MONDAYS: Christian Meditation Group People of all faiths welcome. Mondays, noon1 p.m. Christ Church, Montpelier. Regis, 223-6043. WEDNESDAYS: Zen Meditation Wednesdays, 6:307:30 p.m. 174 River Street, Montpelier. Call Tom for orientation, 229-0164. WEDNESDAYS & SUNDAYS: Shambhala Buddhist Meditation Instruction available. All welcome. Wednesdays, 67 p.m.; Sundays, 10 a.m.noon. Program and discussion follow Wednesday meditation. Shambhala Center, 64 Main Street, Montpelier. Free. 223-5137. With Zen Aliate of Vermont. THURSDAYS: Science of Mind Principles Study group for inquiring minds of all faiths. First and third Thursday, 68 p.m. Universal Rivers of Life, 28 East State Street, Suite 4 (second oor), Montpelier. 223-3427 or robin@universalrivers.com. THURSDAYS: Ecumenical Group Songs of praise, Bible teaching, fellowship. Second and fourth Thursday, 79 p.m. Jabbok Center for Christian Living, 8 Daniel Drive, Barre. Free. 476-3873.

JUNE 21AUGUST 18: Summer Shows at Lost Nation Theater Romantic musical comedy I Love You, Youre Perfect, Now Change; cutting, poignant parenting comedy God of Carnage; and Into the Woods Jr., a one-act version of Stephen Sondheims musical by youth theater camp students; plus camps, cabarets, and special performances. Complete schedule at lostnationtheater.org. Lost Nation Theater, 39 Main Street, Montpelier. Thursdays and Sundays, 7 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays, 8 p.m.; occasional 2 p.m. matinees on weekends. General prices: $25 Thursday, $30 FridaySunday, $10 age 611, $5 discount for students and seniors. Tickets at 229-0492 or lostnationtheater.org. JUNE 22JULY 8: Avenue Q at the Valley Players This puppet-based play that deals with adult themes won the Tony Triple Crown for best musical, best score and best book. Come see what the fuzz is all about. FridaySunday, 8 p.m.; 2 p.m. matinee July 8. Valley Players Theater, Waitseld. Tickets at 583-1674. valleyplayers.com. JUNE 23: The Madness of Engleburt Spyglass Theater performs a series of improvisational skits, with pieces based on character, specic problems and audience suggestions. Fresh, energetic and hilarious. Refreshments served. Saturday, June 23, 7:30 p.m. College Hall gallery, Vermont College of Fine Arts, Montpelier. $5 suggested donation. 223-1010. JUNE 28SEPTEMBER 9: Summer Shows at Unadilla Theatre Two Gilbert and SullivansPirates of Penzance and Yeomen of the GuardShakespeares Henry IV, Part I, Athol Fugards Road to Mecca, Samuel Beckets Happy Days, Tom Blachlys Scattered Showers and David Lindsey-Abaires Kimberly Akimbo. Most shows ThursdaySaturday, 7:30 p.m., with some exceptions; complete schedule at unadilla.org. 501 Blachly Road, East Calais. $20 adults, $10 children 12 and under. Tickets at 456-8968. JULY 58: Peter Pan at Chandler An all-star cast of more than 125 youth and teens from central Vermont and the Upper Valley present a fully staged production of this beloved family musical. ThursdaySaturday 7 p.m.; Sunday 2 p.m. Chandler Music Hall, 7173 Main Street, Randolph. $18 adults, $12 students; plus 6 percent tax. Tickets at 728-6464 or chandler-arts.org. JULY 7AUGUST 25: Phantom Theater Performances and Events Dance performances, one-act plays, stunt comedy, author readings, workshops, theater, poetry and more. Edgcomb Barn, 970 Dump Road, Warren. Schedule at phantom theater.info. Tickets at 496-5997. JULY 12AUGUST 19: QuarryWorks Theater This summers oerings: Smokey Joes Caf, July 1222; The Ugly Duckling, July 28August 5; and The Importance of Being Earnest, August 919. ThursdaySunday, 7:30 p.m.; 2 p.m. matinees Saturday and Sunday. Duckling Saturday 2 and 5 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m. Quarry Road, Adamant. Complete schedule at adamant.org. Free, but space is limited: reservations at 229-6978. JULY 1322: Summer Pride at Chandler Festival Dramatic readings of the plays Still Fighting It, The Homosexuals and The Childrens Hour, followed by discussion between the audience and cast and a reception. FridaySunday, 7:30 p.m. Chandler Music Hall, 7173 Main Street, Randolph. Advance: $17 adults, $12 students; day of: $20 adults, $15 students; three-play pass: $34 adults, $24 students. Schedule and tickets at 728-6464 or chandler-arts.org.

YOGA

MONDAYS: Sliding-Scale Yoga Classes With Lydia Russell-McDade. Build strength and exibility as you learn safe alignment in a nourishing, supportive environment. Each class weaves in inspirations from nature and Tantric philosophy. Mondays, 5:306:45 p.m. Plaineld. $5$20 suggested donation. saprema-yoga.com. TUESDAYS: Rhythmic Flow Vinyasa With Lori Flower. Outdoor practice if weather permits. Tuesdays, 67:15 p.m. All Together Now, East Montpelier.Through the summer. $5$15 suggested donation. 324-1737 or sattvayoga. wordpress.com. JULY 12 & AUGUST 9: Partner Yoga Playshop Class outdoors if the weather is nice. Two Thursdays, 5:307 p.m. All Together Now, East Montpelier, $8$18 suggested donation. 324-1737 or sattvayoga.wordpress.com.

WELLNESS

THURSDAYS: Free HIV Testing Vermont CARES oers fast oral testing. Thursdays, 14 p.m. 58 East State Street, suite 3 (entrance at the back), Montpelier. vtcares.org.

JULY 14 & AUGUST 11: Acro Yoga With Lori Flower. Above, acrobatics in action. Two Saturdays, 11:30 a.m.1:30 p.m. River House Yoga, Plaineld. 324-1737 or sattvayoga.wordpress.com. JULY 1 & AUGUST 4: Plant Spirit Yoga Retreats With Lydia Russell-McDade. Practice plant spirit yoga and meditation and outdoor plant journeying in woods and gardens. Organic lunch. Intermediate yoga; no experience with meditation or plant spirit medicine required. July 1, Metta Earth, Lincoln; August 4, Twin Pond Retreat, Brookeld. $60$120 sliding scale. Registration required: lydia_dragony@hotmail.com. saprema-yoga.com.

Borrowed Time Books

USED, COLLECTIBLE AND OUT-OFPRINT EDITIONS

Montpelier Senior Activity Center

A Place For Healthy Aging & Lifelong Learning
MSAC open July 5 MSAC tours July 513
Drawing by Gossens Bachman Architects

Look for us back at 58 Barre Street in July!

Great Reads at Great Prices

CARDS AND PRINTS, TOO

At GRAKLES 166 N. Main St., Barre Tues.Fri. 105 Sat. 93

Books to Sell?
Contact us at borrowedtimebooks@yahoo.com

with Jan Ghiringhel

mmer Floral Arran ital the Most from Your Dig with Yana Poulson Getting ory Pastels Cameron Introduct Camera with Annie Tiberio h Sylvia Kingsbury li Ballroom Dancing wit

NEW (3 in the evening!) : Su

Sept. Classes! Register Now for July ging

50 or older and w? seeking something ne

THANK YOU to all our friends and donors who have

supported us during the Renovation Project!

Sociodrama with Herb Pro

pper

Visit us or see website for tour schedule, membership application, registration form with fees, complete activity listings, full newsletter and calendar.

802-223-2518 msac@montpelier-vt.org www.montpelier-vt.org/msac msacblog.wordpress.com

THE BRIDGE

J U N E 2127, 2 012 PAG E 11

Classes

WRITING

OUTDOORS

WILDERNESS RETREATS FOR ADULTS What in your life is calling you? A Womens Quest in the Wilderness, July 714; Wilderness Rites of Passage for Men and Women, July 21-29. Both in Northern Vermont. For information and registration contact Fran Weinbaum, vermontwildernessrites.com, fran@vermont wildernessrites.com or 249-7377. TWO-DAY WORKSHOP: EQUINE-GUIDED EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP PRESENCE Friday and Saturday, June 29 and 30. Get a framework, tool kit and laboratory of experiences for your own authentic professional leadership. No horse experience necessary; all activities are ground-based. Horses & Pathnders Center for Equine Guided Education, Leadership and Coaching in Moretown. Registration and info at 223-1903, info@horsesandpathnders.com or horsesandpathnders.com.

WRITING COACH Are you struggling with beginning, continuing, nishing? Do you need tools and rules to keep you working from concept to completion? Art really is long, and life really short. WRITE NOW is what we have. Thirty years writing and coaching writers in all genres. Free consultation. tamarcole21@gmail.com, 225-6415.

PAINTING & PRESSURE WASHING Interior and exterior painting, metal roof painting, pressure-washing and decks. Free estimates. Frank DeSalvo, 752-9470. TRUCK FOR HIRE Call T&T Repeats, 224-1360.

THRIFT STORES

T&T REPEATS Bikes, name-brand clothes, small household furniture and more. 116 Main Street, Montpelier, or call 224-1360. TRINITY COMMUNITY THRIFT STORE Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10 a.m.4 p.m.; Saturdays, 11 a.m.5 p.m. Trinity United Methodist Church, 137 Main Street (use rear entrance), Montpelier. 229-9155 or tctsvt@yahoo.com.

SALES

Classifieds
SERVICES
HOUSE PAINTER Since 1986. Small interior jobs ideal. Neat, prompt, friendly. Local references. Pitz Quattrone, 229-4952.

WANT TO HAVE A GARAGE SALE, BUT DONT HAVE THE TIME? Make it easy. Call T&T Repeats for pick up, purchase, and more, 224-1360. FABULOUS NEIGHBORHOOD YARD SALE Saturday, June 23, 8:30 a.m.1 p.m. Includes 18 individual houses on Towne Street, Sunset Avenue and North College Street. Antiques, books, camping/shing gear, electronics, furniture, household items, linens, musical instruments, paintings, plus-size clothing, rugs. Directions: From Upper Main Street, past curve and old grey NECI building, Towne Street is rst street on left. Follow signs.

Love Playing Piano

ages 4 to 104
Nicholas Mortimer loveplayingpiano.org | 595-1220

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THE BRIDGE

Cooking With Cassandra

Rediscovering Duck Eggs
by Cassandra Hemenway Brush

rowing up on a Yankee homestead, we ate chicken, duck and goose eggs daily. They were all terrific, and I dont remember noticing a difference, except duck eggs come bigger than chicken eggs, and goose eggs are even bigger than ducks. Its been over 30 years since I had unlimited access to any eggs other than chicken, though, so when 13-year veteran Union Elementary School teacher Melissa Pierce offered me half a dozen of her duck eggs, I accepted. First of all, theres a marked difference between eggs from truly free-range birds and those from the supermarket. In fact, Mother Earth News conducted studies on pastureraised eggs versus commercially farmed eggs, and, according to an article in its October/ November 2007 edition, found that pasture raised eggs may contain one-third less cholesterol, one-quarter less saturated fat, two-thirds more vitamin A, two times more omega-3 fatty acids, three times more vitamin E and seven times more beta carotene. So its no wonder that the things taste better than the pale, watery versions produced by conventional farming practices. When Melissa told me that duck eggs also contain more protein than chicken eggs and therefore make for better baking, I was sold. First, though, I visited her farm, where it all happens. As it turns out, Melissa and her husband, Chris, only built their homestead a year and a half ago; it features a gorgeous timber-frame house, solar power and a solidly built barn originally intended for their four alpacas. They wanted the alpacas for their fiber and as pets for their two children, age 2 and 6. A fellow organic farmer suggested they get a couple of ducks to eat the slugs and snails that cause meningeal worms in the alpacas, rather than resorting to medicines. Its a way to organically take care of our alpacas, she said. So they found two Peking ducks for free and housed them with the alpacas. That winter, she happened upon a nest in the hay and found some eggs. Very quickly, she said, we discovered what a good food source they are. To be clear, it is the eggs the Pierces use as a food source; they do not raise meat animals out of respect for their 6-year-old daughter, Sommerset, who has refused meat since her infancy. All 52 of the Pierces animals are pets, including the wide variety of ducksIndian Runners, Peking, Swedish and Campbellsas well as a couple of chickens, some geese, the alpacas, a dog and

North Branch Omelets 2 duck eggs 1 tablespoon milk Pinch salt Whisk well to combine. Pour mixture into preheated nonstick pan and use chopsticks to break up egg mixture into fine curds. Stop moving mixture when most of egg proteins are coagulated. Let outside layer completely coagulate and then add toppings of choice. The Pierces like diced prosciutto, red or green peppers, sharp cheddar, scallions, mushrooms and bacon crumbles. I used goat cheese and ramps (leeks would work well, too). Roll up onto plate, and enjoy! a cat. The omnivores in the family get their meat, along with organic vegetables, from their in-laws, next door. After the first two ducks, the Pierces became collectors, including, among a long list of birds, Chester the Gander, who only recently realized that hes a goose and not a person. All of this is just to be sustainable, Pierce said, None of this is money making. For us its the whole farm-to-table coming to life. Under the auspices of their official name, North Branch Alpaca Farm, the Pierces now sell eggs to Birchgrove Baking, which particularly likes to use them in its yellow cake (because the yolks are so vibrant); in addition, the Pierces eggs can be bought at Hunger Mountain Coop and the Uncommon Market. This spring, the Skinny Pancake created a special called Quackos Rancheros based on the Pierces eggs. Curious about the Pierces claim about duck-egg superiority in baked goods, I experimented with muffins. Although the duck eggs are larger, I swapped out the two chicken eggs for two duck eggs. The result was magnificent. Firm, moist and incredibly flavorful carrot muffins disappeared within a day. So, although you might be tempted to consider a duck egg the equivalent of one and a half chicken eggs (which it roughly is), I recommend trying out an even trade at first. I also tried the omelet recipe Melissa emailed me, and it was incredible. It came to her from a chef friend at NECI and includes toppings flexibility to account for personal tastes. Send me your stories and recipes at cassandrabrush@gmail.com. To find more recipes featuring seasonal foods, check out cooking withcassandra.com.

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THE BRIDGE

J U N E 2127, 2 012 PAG E 13

Hands-On Gardener
What Else Can Go Wrong?
by Miriam Hansen

t has been an exceptionally early spring, and the garden is thriving. Mid-May I discovered that snails were using my monkshood as a condo/cafeteria. Id never noticed them before, because the monkshood never looked eaten. But when I checked the hidden lower leaves, I saw the damage and figured that explained why they dont flower that abundantly in the fall. Mornings found me out with a yogurt container of soapy water harvesting and drowning hundreds of snails! Good to know where they hang out. For something tastier than garden snails, weve begun harvesting Chinese cabbage, tatsoi and broccoli. The peas we planted in March are flowering abundantly and producing pods. Cherry tomatoes have set in the greenhouse, and everything is the right deep vivid green, sturdy, and setting fruit or abundant leaves. But it has taken some doing. The past couple of weeks Ive been puzzling and (yes, I admit it) freaking out over a problem with the horse manure we gleefully forked in all over the top third of the garden. After a series of Ph tests, conversations with state soil and plant extension agents and some major sleuthing, we determined that the problem was the amount of sawdust in the manure. We had assumed that the manure our neighbor brought us last fall was aged. When he later explained that part of the pile was probably only about three weeks old, we realized that the sawdust he uses for bedding was not broken down. Even though there was no danger of burning the plants with excess ammoniathe pile sat out over the winter under a tarpthe danger came from all that sawdust tying up (sequestering) the nitrogen in the soil. The soil microbes were working on breaking down the abundant surface area of the sawdust, and that was tying up the nitrogen in the soil. Plants had all the classic symptoms of nitrogen deficiencyyellow leaves, poor to no growth and leaves striped with purple. In some cases, healthy, stocky seedlings just withered, turned yellow and died. With a lot of timely advice from the state soil and plant extension agents, we side dressed with compost and Pro Booster, (10-0-0), an organic source of nitrogen, and most of the plants slowly turned green and recovered. We have cover-cropped the upper part of the garden, where we turned in most of the manure, with Canadian peas which fix and increase nitrogen, and we will put our meat chickens up there to fertilize and increase nitrogen as well. Were hoping that by next year that part of the garden soil will be in great shape. In the 35 years weve been buying, begging and bartering for chicken, cow, horse and pig manure, we have never encountered a problem. Live and learn. Apparently there are many potential problems, and some of them are becoming more common. One hazard we learned about and are grateful to have avoided is the possibility of introduc-

ing herbicides into our soil. Apparently, if herbicides are used on the plants horses are fed, they dont harm the animals but pass through their systems and can be toxic to crops. I was relieved that none of my crops showed distorted or twisted leaves. From now on, I think Ill compost any manure I import from outside. It is a safer way to deal with it, even if it does require that extra step. Ill also ask as many questions as I can about what the animals are being fed. While most of our broccoli and cauliflower are large and healthy, some broccoli have developed miniature heads prematurely, a process called buttoning. Buttoning can be caused by nitrogen deficiency, early exposure to low temperatures or prolonged drought. Interestingly, we only had enough row cover for half of that broccoli bed. The broccoli that buttoned is mostly in the part of the bed that wasnt covered. I suspect the row cover mitigated some of the stress and gave those plants a better growing environment. Ive yet to find a crop that does not benefit from early covering, and its the only surefire way to protect from flea beetles. While flea beetles are among the earliest pests, they have been quickly followed by the usual cabbage moths, cucumber beetles and ubiquitous snails. Sluggo for snails, BT for cabbage moths and cabbage loopers and Captain Jacks for the cucumber beetles have beaten them all back. Spinosad, the active ingredient in Captain Jacks Brew, is described as a fermented bacteria found only in the ruins of a rum distillery in the Caribbean. It is manufactured by Dow, and they claim it works for all beetles. It did not work for flea beetles but seems to be protecting the squash from striped cucumber beetles. I got bitten by a cat about a week ago and, between IV antibiotics, a brief stay in hospital and a longer sojourn with my leg up on a pillow, I left my husband to make the pest-control decisions. When we recently discovered that rotenone is no longer available as an organic, all-purpose insecticide, we purchased Bonides pyrethrin, another broad-spectrum botanical insecticide that we use only in extremis. Hundreds of cucumber beetles swarming the zucchini and summer squash convinced my husband to spray the pyrethrin. By the next day the population was down in the single digits! The great thing is that with time, care and patience, plants do recover from most of these setbacks and eventually produce and grace our tables with delicious meals! Tonight well have a stir-fry with asparagus, broccoli, tatsoi and scallions, all straight from the earth to the sink to the wok to the table! Life doesnt get much better than this. Happy gardening! Miriam and her husband, David, live in East Montpelier, where they grow most of their own vegetables, berries and meat on less than 1/4 of an acre. Your questions and comments are welcome. You can reach Miriam at freshair460@gmail.com.

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PAG E 14 J U N E 2127, 2012

THE BRIDGE

A Message from City Hall

This page was paid for by the City of Montpelier.

Odds and Ends

Budget Study Committee: The city council has asked interested citizens to perform some comparisons between Montpeliers services, costs, staff sizes, etc., and those of other comparable communities. Although this sort of work is often done by city staff, it was felt that additional sets of eyes would be helpful. The council has not asked these citizens to make budget decisions and has not turned over any authority to this committee. The official charge for the committee is, The committee will be charged with comparing the costs and effectiveness of Montpeliers municipal services with those provided by comparable communities. The committee is authorized to make any recommendations it believes are appropriate related to its charge. The committee is requested to supply a report to the city council by September 17, 2012. During an annual goals session held at a regular council meeting on May 9, the topic of budget and taxes was one of the first items considered. The council discussed various strategies for looking at the citys cost of services and decided to create a study committee. They asked me to place an advertisement for volunteers. I prepared an ad which reflected their conversation. The council made clear that they would appoint all who volunteered at their meeting on June 13. I arranged a brief orientation meeting for everyone who submitted their name. This meeting was held on June 12, the night before the official appointments. This meeting was included in the citys weekly calendar of meetings. It lasted an hour and was limited to review of the open meeting law, the public records law, the Americans with Disabilities Act and logistic arrangements for booking rooms, posting notices, requesting information and the like. The group identified some information and documents which might be helpful to them and arranged to meet again for their first working meeting. The council formally appointed the committee and adopted the official charge on June 13 as expected. State and Main Intersection Signals: The city installed new updated pedestrian signals in the center of downtown. The new signals are designed to improve accessibility for visually impaired people. They have a variety of settings. Unfortunately, during an adjustment, the audio volume was set way too high. This created a huge outcry of justifiable complaints about disruption. On behalf of the city, I sincerely apologize for any problems this may have caused. During the past week, the city has continued to make adjustments. All settings are now at the minimal levels permissible to still accomplish the benefits they are designed to achieve. The cross signal has reverted to the familiar bird chirp. The installation of these signals prompted a lot of questions. The rules and guidelines for these sort of signals are found in the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), which is a Federal Highway Administration publication. Uniform traffic-control devices (signs, signals, pavement markings, etc) are a federal requirement for the safety, convenience and benefit of all highway users. Like all other states, Vermont adopted the MUTCD as the standard for our highway systems. The terms in the MUTCD include guidance and should and shall conditions, wherein the shall conditions are required. The 2009 edition is the most current. The MUTCD adopted the ADA Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG). The MUTCD includes both rules and guidance. The Main and State pedestrian system installation incorporates both optional and required elements. You can visit the online version at mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/pdfs/2009r1r2/part 4.pdf. There are two portions to this system. The crossing lights and related audio signals and the buttons with the locator tones. The crossing light systems are now mandated. The locator tone buttons are currently recommended but are in the draft rules and expected to be mandated this year. Given the citys stated commitment to accessibility, we chose to install them now rather than waiting for the mandate. There are multiple tones which, we understand, have been confusing to some people at first, but they are all designed to assist people with visual impairments. The locator tone (now a faint constant click) is for the purpose of assisting a visually impaired person with finding the button to push so that they may safely cross the street. For fully sighted people, try closing your eyes at the intersection and finding the button to push. You will quickly note that the click is your best indicator of the buttons location. Once the button is pushed, there is a sound which provides immediate feedback to the person. This tells the visually impaired person that the push-button signal worked (remember, they cant see the little light that comes on) and lets them know that it is not yet safe to cross. We have been using a voice signal saying, Wait. That has been adjusted to sound only once instead of repeated times. The next sound is the notice to cross which is, again, a chirp. This tells the person that it is safe to cross the road. The chirp tone changes to a beep tone during the cross cycle. Again, remember that blind people cant see the numerical countdown, so the change in tone alerts them that the time remaining to cross the road is dwindling down. It also creates an auditory guide so that the person can find the other side of the road rather than wandering into the middle of the intersection. Contrary to rumors, Montpelier is not the first city in Vermont to install these. Burlington has had six of these signals (including locator tones) for some time located in the central downtown. Barre is installing them now as part of their downtown project. They are in Winooski and Essex and, we believe, Brattleboro. As time progresses, we will see (and hear) these signals almost everywhere. District Heat This project continues to move forward. The state has placed a purchase order for the main boilers and is proceeding with plant design. The citys engineers are designing the distribution (piping) system which will run through the downtown. The route has been finalized and will be designed in segments so that it can be shortened in order to stay within budget if necessary. The current schedule for the city is: Design 80 percent completed with cost estimates by August 17, to be reviewed with the council at its August 22 meeting. Final design completed by September 13 with the council authorizing the release of bids at the September 19 meeting. Bids due on October 18 with the date for the council to award bids at November 14 meeting. Construction is slated to begin in the spring, with the system fully operational by October 1, 2013. We are working diligently with potential private users of the system. The sooner that the city receives customer commitments, the easier and less costly it is to design those users into the system. Customer commitments also allow the city to accurately assess the long-term financial viability of the project. Interested building owners can contact the citys Planning and Development Office at 223-9506. Streetlighting Changes A council-appointed committee has recommended changes in street lighting that will save the city about $20,000 per year. One change is in the style of lighting. The committee recommends that the city convert to the more energyefficient LED fixtures, which also provide better lighting. They also recommend removal of a large amount of streetlights throughout the city. There will be plenty of public process and an opportunity to offer comments about specific lights targeted for removal. If you are interested in the streetlights in your neighborhood, stay tuned and watch for notices about this effort. Changes at City Hall June 30 will mark the last official day for both City Treasurer Charlotte Hoyt and Assistant City Manager Beverlee Hill. Both are retiring from full-time city employment. No need to say goodbye, however, as both will be returning in part-time roles with slightly different responsibilities beginning August 1. In the meantime, the search for a new assistant city manager has begun. Key responsibilities for the assistant manager will be communications, project management, ADA compliance, community services, economic development and general management assistance. Thank you for reading this article and for your interest in Montpelier city government. Please feel free to contact me at wfraser@montpelier-vt.org or 223-9502 with questions or comments.

by William Fraser, city manager

his issue of The Bridge is being published on the first official day of summer! I hope everyone has a great season and gets a chance to enjoy the sunshine and warm weather. Both are always welcome here in Vermont. A few issues have recently popped into the forefront of public awarenessthe use of Berlin Pond, the citys Budget Study Committee and new pedestrian signals at the State and Main intersection. Berlin Pond: Most people are aware of the recent Vermont Supreme Court decision that determined that the City of Montpelier did not have authority to regulate the use of the water at Berlin Pond. Since that decision, there has been a flurry of activity, with many opinions offered. As a result of that decision, the city council officially approved the following statement: The Montpelier City Council is continuing to evaluate risks and options associated with recreational use of Berlin Pond. The mayor and city manager have spoken with the commissioners of both Fish and Wildlife and Environmental Conservation. The citys central interest is in the continued safety and security of the water supply which serves both Montpelier and Berlin, including the Central Vermont Medical Center. The city understands that significant conservation and recreation interests also exist. The city council has made the following decisions: The city will continue to post all city-owned property surrounding Berlin Pond and will continue with active enforcement and education efforts. The council will meet jointly with the Berlin select board to discuss matters of mutual interest, including Montpelier and Berlins property, Mirror Lake Road, enforcement and potential regulation. The council is actively seeking additional information about the filtration limits of the water treatment plant, the impact of human activity on water quality, substances which might place the water supply at risk, federal surface-water protection requirements, best practices for surface-water source protection and, particularly, the potential impacts of zebra mussels and other invasive species on the water-supply system. Based on present information available, the council will not file a petition with the Agency of Natural Resources for additional restrictions on use of the waters or seek additional authority through the legislature for regulation of the pond.

THE BRIDGE

J U N E 2127, 2 012 PAG E 15

A Solstice-Themed Celebration on the Rocks

developed among the old quarries of Barre Town. In an ambitious undertaking, the Millstone Trails Association is promoting a variety of entertaining activities that begin with a bike ride Friday evening, include a concert of well-known regional performers and culminate in a lantern launching Saturday night. Couture says that Friday evenings event will be for bike riders, because the normally open bike trails will be closed the next day for the main events walking public. There will be an evening trail ride guided by one of the major trail builders, with a bonfire to follow. Saturday opens casually at 2 p.m., with an open-house atmosphere, trails open for walking, with new historic signage, sculptors working the quarry walls, and performances at three satellite stages adjoining the trail. Toward late afternoon, the Millstone Hill Touring Centers main lodge will host the main stage event, emceed by Vermont Public Radios Robert Resnick and featuring continuous performances by Bow Thayer, Bread and Puppet, Catamount Pipe Band, Deb Flanders, Kristina Stykos, Michele Choiniere, Pete Sutherland, Revels North, Scott Campbell, Wind that Shakes the Barley, and Arthur Zorn. At the main stage area, therell be food by chef Craig Lucarno, or guests may bring their own picnics. The performances will last from 5 until 9:15 p.m., after which attendees may walk the mile trail to the grand lookout to see the launching of the floating lights on the quarry. The trail will be lit with luminaries and by a dozen bonfires on the grout piles surrounding the area. At the end of the evening is a sky lantern launch finale. The whole event is part of Millstone Trails Associations efforts to preserve Millstone Hills historic quarries, and to raise $100,000 to purchase 400 acres of old quarry lands for the Barre Town Forest, which would hold the land as a public space for uses such as nature walks and bike trails. For more information on the fiery fun, visit rockfirevt.com. Bob Nuner

ierre Couture is the driver behind an upcoming fiery entertainment event planned for the evening of Friday, June 22, and the afternoon and evening of Saturday, June 23. Its called RockFire, and its taking place along the trails that Coutures organization, Millstone Trails Association, has

Dear Pina Performance Features Local Dancers

nternationally known modern dance choreographer Philippina Pina Bausch was born in Germany in 1940 and died in 2009. She began her international experience studying at Julliard under such noted dance names as Jos Limn and Paul Taylor, moving on to perform with the Metropolitan Opera Ballet Company and, with Taylor, at the New American Ballet, among others. Cradle to Grave Arts is the creation of Hannah Dennison of Chelsea, Vermont, originator and director of Dear Pina, a dance-performance homage to Bausch. The evening of dance will feature original music composed by Dave Severance, choreography by Hannah Dennison, Amy LePage and Hanna Satterlee, costumes by Marz Black, and lighting by Stefan Jacobs. Numerous central Vermont dancers out of a cast of 30 (and one tall, dignified couple) will participate in this program that runs from June 25 through June 30 presented on the dirt floor of the Breeding Barn at Shelburne Farms. The dance program has been under development since early in 201l. Dancers from the area include Abby Pepin of Middlesex, Amy LePage of Montpelier, Avi Waring of Wolcott, Candace Fugazy of Northfield, Erica Hunter of Moretown, Fabio Nascimento of Montpelier, Hanna Satterlee of Montpelier, Heather Bryce Labor of Plainfield, Jill George of Roxbury, Kaitlyn ODonnell of Montpelier, Tracy Martin of Warren, and Willow Wonder of Montpelier. For more information and tickets, visit hannahdennison.org and flynntix.org. Bob Nuner

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PAG E 16 J U N E 2127, 2012

THE BRIDGE

Tech Check
Why is E-mail from Your Internet Service Provider Bad?
den for many, especially when youre dealing with the safety issues that everyone faces. Its important to have as much control over your e-mail as possible, and following my recommendations here are an important step in that direction. The Financial Gamble that is Facebook Ive been very public about my feeling that Facebook is overvalued. $100-plus billion for a business that has such small (proportional) revenue doesnt make sense to me. This is the Internet, and assuming that Facebook has time to grow into a behemoth that will justify that valuation ignores the history of the Internet. After all, Facebook dethroned MySpace, which everyone assumed was the be-all, end-all of social. It will happen to Facebook, someday, too. Now that theyre public, it will be interesting to see if they can react as quickly to change as they have in the past. Sure, Mark Zuckerberg maintains a controlling stake in the company, but he now has more investors and a board of directors to answer to. Some have speculated that were in another bubble of overvalued tech stocks, much as in the late 1990s. Unfortunately, Im one of them. Im afraid that things will change dramatically as of Facebooks first earnings report. At such a large valuation, Facebook will be under great pressureand great expectationsto start making money. A public company of their size wont be able to ramp up the revenue as quickly as a small, private one could. Im afraid this will leave many investors disappointed. This disappointment may drag down the whole sector. It could even hurt the entire economy. If theres anything rosy in this its that Im not a licensed or accredited anything when it comes to investing. I might be wrong, and part of me hopes I am. Either way, it will be exciting to watch what happens with Facebook over the next three to six months. The stock symbol is FB if youd like to check it out. Jeremy Lesniak founded Vermont Computing (vermontcomputing.com) in 2001 after graduating from Clark University and opened a store on Merchants Row, Randolph, in May of 2003. He also serves as managing editor for anewdomain.net. He lives in Plainfield.

by Jeremy Lesniak

uppose you want to switch Internet service providers (ISPs), but youve given out your ISP e-mail address for years. Maybe youve even used it professionally. If you stop paying the provider, they wont keep your e-mail addresstheyll just close it. Any e-mails to that address will bounce, and the sender wont know what your new e-mail address is. Its for this reason that Ive seen people continue to pay an ISP monthly for months, even years. The ISPs know this, and its the reason they want you to use their e-mail system. They want to make it difficult for you to switch, knowing that this will mean additional funds for them. There are lots of e-mail alternatives. I suggest one of the big threeYahoo, Hotmail or Gmail. I suggest exploring all three, maybe even creating an account on all three. At the end of the day, I wouldnt say one is better than the other. If youre already using the e-mail from your ISP, you might be thinking that youre trappedthat you missed the boat. Thats not the case! The best thing to do is follow this plan: select a new system, decide on a date when you will stop using your ISP e-mail, add a signature to your ISP e-mail reflecting the upcoming change of address and, finally, hold firm on that date. Two or three months is usually an adequate window. And thats it. E-mail can be very useful, but the ubiquity of e-mail has become a bur-

ADVERTISE
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advertising deadline: Friday, June 22

in Our Upcoming Issues!

July 19: mailed issue

advertising deadline: Friday, July 13

August 2: nonmailed issue

advertising deadline: Friday, July 27
Contact Carl or Carolyn: 223-5112, ext. 11, ccampbell@montpelierbridge.com or carolyn@montpelierbridge.com

THE BRIDGE

J U N E 2127, 2 012 PAG E 17

THE REAL ESTATE PAGE

REAL ESTATE INSIGHTS
F
inally! There is an optimism in the early summer air about the real-estate slump being over in central Vermont. Buyers have a solid choice of inventory in the marketplace. They hope to find a suitable destination so they can lock into historically low (less than 4 percent interest) fixed rate mortgages, knowing that they wont last forever! Local lenders indicate they have adequate funds to loan to qualified buyers. Appraisers are getting some current sales under their belts, to more fairly evaluate what is happening in todays market, not last summers. Sellers are beginning to see decent, and, in some cases, competing, offers on their properties. Hallelujah! My advice to buyers: If you find a house that suits your needs, located in the setting that you like and in the town that you want, make your best offer first. Either the seller will give it serious consideration, or they wont and you can move onto the next without feeling badly that someone elses offer was accepted instead of yours. Hopefully the days of humiliating low-ball offers are gone and behind us for many years to come . . . and good riddance. Lori Pinard

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Location, Location!
Charming updated antique country East Montpelier cape on 3 acres. New: Concrete foundation, wiring, septic and more! Possibility to share horse barn. $246,000. Please call Marlene at McCarty Real Estate, 802-2299479.

Spacious Ranch Move Right In!

Clean, charming ranch in Barre. Fresh paint, hardwood oors, 2 decks, 3 bedrooms, full bath. Located on .32 acres with views, walk- out basement. $114,995. Call Steve Ribolini, 229-8334. Spacious 4-BR, 2-ba ranch on 0.64+/- acres on Dunpatrick Circle, Montpelier! Fully equipped kitchen. Family room. Oversized, direct-entry 2-car garage. Rear deck with woodlands views. Dead-end street edge-of-the-city location. $229,900! Lori Pinard, Century 21 Jack, 223-6302, ext. 326.

Nice Family Home

In Montpelier; 3+ bedrooms, 2 baths, new custom kitchen, many improvements, pellet replace insert, large nished family room in basement, approximately acre. $239,000 negotiable. Matt, 223-5583.

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$259,000. 2 bathrooms. 2-car garage, deck. New roof. One block from College of Fine Arts Green. Walk to work, schools, stores, restaurants. Hardwood oors. Quiet street. 4edwardsstreet@gmail.com, 4edwardsmyblog.wordpress.com.

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You Are Invited to Join Us for Lunch

Monday, July 9 Speaker: Sjon Welters, Center for Natural Living Monday, July 16 Speaker: Carolyn Crowley Meub, Pure Water for the World

at the Montpelier Rotary Club

Rotary meets most Mondays (except holidays) at 12:15 p.m. at the Capitol Plaza Hotel, 100 State Street, Montpelier.
Monday, July 23 Speaker: Jessica Edgerly, Suncommon Corp., Alternative Energy Sys-

Completely Restored Farmhouse on 20 Acres

Woodbury: Gorgeous post and beam barn overlooks the swimming pond and organic gardens. New standing seam roof in 2007; new plumbing, electrical and insulation; new Marvin windows on the rst oor; granite countertops in the kitchen; wide-plank oors, ceramic tile, and beautiful nishes throughout make this home a comfortable place to spend your days.

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For more information, call Rotary President Lindel James at 229-5050.

Advertise! 223-5112

PAG E 18 J U N E 2127, 2012

THE BRIDGE

Editorial
Wireless: What if Its Not Safe?

Michael Arnowitt Planning Birthday Gala

he Bridge sponsored a public discussion at Montpeliers Kellogg-Hubbard Library on Wednesday, July 13, about the current local deployment of smart meters by Green Mountain Power Corporation (GMP). As the public meeting progressed, it became clear that theres relatively little known for sure right now about the possible negative health impacts of wireless technology. Some research has been done in the United States about the possible ill effects of wireless technology. But can we trust research that is now 25 years old and that was conducted before the huge expansion of wireless use, including cell towers, cellphones, wireless Internet connections and the like? The wireless skeptics at the public discussion compared U.S. research to European research, and this challenged us to take a serious look at possible technological drawbacks to cellphones, wireless connections and so-called smart meters. In the United States, we have sometimes failed to protect public health because we have been overly permissive. Take the example of Rudolph Diesels engine. It was patented in 1892 and it improved energy efficiency from a steam engines 12 percent to 26 percent. But late last week, a body of World Health Organization experts said there was sufficient evidence that exposure to diesel exhaust causes lung cancer. Thats not all: according to a report by the American Cancer Society, there is limited evidence that diesel exhaust increases the risk of bladder cancer. Higher cancer rates have been noted among railroad and heavy-equipment operators working in the vicinity of diesels. It took over 100 years to have public authorities making these public-health findings about the ill effects of diesel exhausts. At the smart-meter forum, Janet Newton, of the EMR Policy Institute, highlighted a difference in attitudes toward research into health and wireless technologies in the U.S. versus European countries. It appears that the American approach to technology and safety questions is based on risk/benefit analysis, whereas European approach embraces the precautionary principle. Broadly speaking, the American approach to safety questions is, Lets assume its safe. If we eventually find out that its unsafe, well deal with it then. But we are free to embrace the alternative by insisting, Lets be sure this new technology is safe. Janet Newton asked if this difference in research emphasis between the United States and Europe (and elsewhere) might be attributed to differences in how health care is handled here. In this country we employ the private insurance model. Most European countries employ the state-funded health-care model. Its not hard to draw an inference that Europeans might fund more research into the possible ill effects of technology because they want to cut back on public health expenditures. But there are no such incentives in the United States, with its private insurance model. The economic impacts of the wireless industry are enormous. A 2008 report by the trade group CTIAthe Wireless Associationnoted, Consider that by 2016, the value of the combined mobile wireless voice and broadband productivity gains to the US economy$427 billion per yearwill exceed todays motor-vehicle manufacturing and pharmaceutical industries combined. Thats a hint of the economic importance of the wireless technologies to our economy. Wireless-technology skeptics suggest that the industry has no incentive to study potential problems. Thats understandable, but that absence of study appears to have blocked a thorough understanding of risks. If the industry cant be expected to pay for the scientific investigation of the possible health hazards of its technology, then the Environmental Protection Agency, the Center for Disease Control or the various state departments of health and human services need to find the political backbone to take up the slack, find the money and conduct the needed studies that will address the current public questions of possible risk. Its not acceptable for cellphone or smart-meter advocates to blandly say, Oh, well, there might be risks. But we dont know.

ts not often at The Bridge that we enthusiastically promote a concert with a performance date that is more than six months into the future. But in this instance, we do just that. Here is a wonderfully ambitious idea for a gala and glorious birthday concert with full orchestra that will honor classical music and recognize the many contributions of Michael Arnowitt as he turns 50. But it will only materialize if we join Michael in making it happen. Imagine a concert with Michael playing the piano and conductor Scott Speck leading a full orchestra at the Barre Opera House on Sunday afternoon, January 6, 2013. The major piece on the program is Brahms great Piano Concerto no. 2, which Arnowitt says he has always dreamed of performing. In a recent letter to close friends, Michael said that Brahms has always been my favorite composer. Michael described the Piano Concerto no. 2 as one of the very best, with its uplifting French horn opening and beautiful slow moved cello melody, and joyful finale. Another featured piece will be the Prokofiev Concerto no. 2 in G Minor. Michael will play the first movement. He described the Prokofiev Concerto as a powerful, deep piece with an absolutely amazing piano cadenza you must hear. I cant wait to perform it live. Michael will also play two of his own compositions: a new classical composition for three cello soloists and orchestra called Haiku Textures, and the up-tempo jazz tune Bulgarian Hoedown in a special arrangement he is making for jazz violin, piano, bass, drums and orchestra. For almost 30 years, Michael has been making music in Vermont and has been a musical force in our community. Not only has he shared his talent, but he has also provided performing opportunities for Vermont musicians, both professional and amateur. We warmly encourage lovers of music and admirers of Michael Arnowitt offer their financial and volunteer help so that this spirited and magnificent concert idea can go forward. Nat Frothingham

A Sonnet for Betty at 80

crowd of friends and admirers gathered at a supper event on June 16 at the Montpelier Elks Club to honor longtime Montpelier resident Betty Blouin (below, with her neighbor Maayan) on her 80th birthday. As part of that event, Montpelier resident Ben Scotch read out loud a sonnet he had written for Betty for her birthday. See a family laden down with woes. See a tear, a fading of the goal See a pain of body or of soul See the places where our Betty goes. On a wintry day with howling gale Or ninety in the shade, two flowers show: One in hand, the other is her glow. Her faiths so strong, her life a loving tale. And theres no missing Bettywho would try? One one, you say, well I count five. Hither and thither, wherever hopes alive There you ll see her, joining Earth and sky. We glory with you on this miraculous day, A life well lived: You help, you give, you pray.

Great News for the Senior Center

reat news from the Montpelier Senior Activity Center (MSAC): A just-announced gift of $36,000 from the National Life Charitable Foundation (to be paid out over three years in installment checks of $12,000 a year) takes the current capital campaign for construction costs for the newly renovated 58 Barre Street senior center over the top. Counting an earlier gift in 2011, total National Life support of the new senior center comes to $39,000. Construction costs for the center added up to some $1.8 million. Fire insurance, grants, an endowment contribution and loans covered most of the costs, but a $200,000 capital campaign was established to fill a remaining gap. Campaign expenses brought the total need to $215,000. Not to overlook all of the important smaller gifts, but the other larger gifts were these: Community National Bank: $30,000 over three years Vermont State Employees Credit Union: $10,000 Merchants Bank: $10,000 over three years Montpelier Foundation $10,000 Vermont State Buildings and General Services Grant: $8,000 The MacLeay Foundation: $7,500 With the end of construction in sight and with plans for the MSAC to move into the new space at 58 Barre Street as soon as Monday, June 25, theres an optimistic feeling of rebirth and celebration in the air. Anyone who is still planning to make a contribution in the closing days of the capital campaign is encouraged to do so now. According to MSAC director Janna Clar, theres one more hill to climb. The center still needs to raise some $80,000 to fully cover expenses for kitchen equipment, audio-visual systems, window coverings, shelving, tables, chairs and other furnishings. As the new center opens, it makes sense to furnish and equip the new space so that it can be fully operational. Lets celebrate together the successful completion of the new center and make certain that it has what it needs to deliver on its immense promise. Please make out a check payable to MSAC Equipment Fund and send your tax-deductible contribution to MSAC, 58 Barre Street, Montpelier, VT 05602.

VTrans Honored for Post-Irene Recovery Achievements

he post-Irene performance of the Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) has won the state transportation agency a regional award in the Americas Transportation Awards competition. Winners of regional awards across the country will go on to compete for a national grand prize as determined by a panel of experts. A second national prize is the peoples choice award, which is presented to the transportation project that receives the most online votes. (Online voting begins September 5.) These words describe what was achieved in Vermont through the Tropical Storm Irene recovery project: When Irene hit Vermont in late August of 2011, it caused massive destruction to homes, highways, bridges, rail lines, and just about every other possible aspect of infrastructure. Almost every east-west and north-south corridor suffered damage. Nearly 330 road segments and 36 highway bridges were closed while 11 communities were left without access to the road network and emergency services. Experts estimated more than $500 million in damages. Vermont Agency of Transportation organized its entire network, beginning work on the total 558 miles of repairs needed in the states transportation system. [The agency] kept the public informed through an emergency call center, regular updates through social media, a Google Damage Map, and other means. With help from neighbors, VTrans put the state transportation network back together in just 123 days. The Bridge salutes the Vermont Agency of Transportation, including everyone who was involved in the stupendous 123-day task of restoring Vermonts roads, highways, bridges, rail lines and the like after Irene struck.

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Dont Abandon the Cause of Reproductive Freedom

by Dianne Richardson

fter reading Peggy Munros War on the Sisters, in the May 17 Bridge, I can no longer procrastinate on telling this story. I am about to enter old age; I dont have the same worries I had as a young woman, but I do not want to abandon women who grew up not knowing what it means not to have reproductive freedom. I was born into an Irish, Catholic, Barre family in 1954. I can remember asking my mother, when I was only 4 or 5, You didnt want as many children as you had, did you, Ma? and she answered, No, I didnt. So my next question was, How many children did you want? She answered, Five. I was her sixth child! Later she said that it wasnt just the number of children she had, it was also the number of years between children that was a problem for her.

She seemed to have a hard time coping with training more than one child at a time. Consequently, my oldest sister and my thirdoldest sister were taught to cook when they reached the appropriate age. The second and fourth daughters, including me, were made to clean, which didnt require as much attention or training, as we were near in age to the other girls. The other girls also cleaned, but they got more attention then we got. My mother was overwhelmed by the many needs of her children, and she coped by ignoring some and doing her best for the others. As a senior in high school, I volunteered to be a Planned Parenthood peer counselor. It required the most intensive short-term train-

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ing I had entered into in my life. I learned more anatomy and physiology than I had in high school, and I received training in the various forms of birth control available at the time. I needed to be able to answer a variety of questions asked of me as I interviewed girls and young women during their appointments at the Barre Clinic. During one of those sessions there was a description and discussion of the rhythm method and its many pitfalls. It was mentioned that it was the preferred method of Catholics and that it was the least effective method to prevent pregnancy. It didnt take me long to find out my mom had tried to use it. I asked her how she tried to figure out when she was ovulating. She had

no idea how to use the method, really. So I asked, Why did you think it would work? Then she explained that when she asked her doctor, he told her to talk to her priest! A short time later, my mom and I watched a movie about Margaret Sanger together. Sanger was the founder of Planned Parenthood. She saw women suffer illness and death as the results of illegal abortions and die as a result of too many pregnancies. My mother told me she thought too many pregnancies caused her mothers early death at age 38. I came to a swift conclusion: Moms fear of overreproduction was linked with her fear of an early death, and she had nine children! I had no children. As I look back on my life, I am glad I the ability to choose. I am proud not to have contributed to overpopulation, a problem that, I believe, one day will overwhelm us and cause our extinction.

Excerpts from the MHS Senior Speech

by Gabriel Sheir
eighbors, faculty, students and the class of 2012, it is an honor to speak this evening. Theres a quote from a Paul Simon song saying, The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls. Im not sure how true that statement is, but I can attest to the fact that the words of the prophets are definitely not written in our bathroom stalls here at MHS. Often graffiti offers a certain insight. In 1968, statements appeared on the walls of Paris, France, during the general strike when students and workers stood together, united towards the dream of a new France. Their graffiti speaks the idealism of youth. Yet idealism transcends youth. The graffiti of Paris speaks of a future that is malleable, a future that is in our hands. For one exhilarating Gabe Sheir on graduation day. Photo by Alex month, the walls of Paris became a celebration of life and possibility. The mood could Clark.

be summed up in one phrase, The future only contains what we put into it now. . . . Near the Eiffel Tower was spraypainted, No forbidding allowed. In life, we will always encounter walls. Thats a fact. There will be people or institutions that hinder us. It is and always has been up to us whether we let them stop us. Look no further than our own state. Vermont has always walked its own path with idealistic zeal for the betterment of all. Vermont has never forbidden anyone from trying to make it a better place. When slavery was the norm, Vermont was the first state to declare slavery morally unacceptable and ban it outright over 70 years before the Emancipation Proclamation. In the span of the last four years our state has become the first state to legislatively pass same-sex marriage and is currently creating a health-care system that leaves no one behind. . . . As young people and as Vermont-

ers, were proud of our idealism. It defines us. The idealism of Montpelier High Schools class of 2012 is best summed up by Robert Kennedy himself: Some men see things as they are and ask why. I dream things that never were and ask, Why not? Why? has become a cry of naysayers, of cynics and of people living in another time. Why not? will live on as it has for decades as people very much like us have stood up for their ideals and, despite the odds, have done the best they could and have never given up. Our future only contains what we put into it now. Gabe Sheir, who served as a high-school stringer for The Bridge, was senior speaker at the Montpelier High School commencement exercises on June 15. In the fall, he will be entering the honors college at the University of Vermont.

Why the Philosophical Exemption Is a Public Menace

by David Dobbs

arly this year, I read with pleasure that the Vermont Senate had passed a bill eliminating the so-called religious and philosophical exemption to Vermonts requirement that children get the standard childhood vaccines before entering public school. Good, I thought, the state leading the nation in rational marriage and healthcare policy will lead too in rational vaccine policy. The existing religious and philosophical exemption allowed parents to opt out of a key public-health measure based on fears, not facts. Eliminating it would stop us from a slide back toward disease and death. My pleasure proved premature: The House rejected that sensible bill and passed a far softer one placing only light, ineffective limits on exemptions. In the end, neither bill cleared both houses or reached the governorleaving Vermont with a policy that has already opened the door to deadly, preventable diseases. Vermonts vaccination rates for the standard childhood diseasessuch as measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus and even poliohave already dropped low enough to allow the return of whooping cough and measles. My childrens school here in Montpelier had at least one whooping cough case just this past winter. We presently lag all other New England states in vaccination rates of preschool children. If rates drop

further, more Vermonters will get sick, and some of the most susceptible will die. Such deaths are not pretty. If you want to see what whooping cough looks like, search YouTube for clinical cases pertussis. I doubt youll be able to watch till the end. Homeopath Charlotte Gilruth, in one of two opinion pieces she wrote for these pages [February 16 and June 7, 2012], said she simply didnt believe that these diseases would return if vaccination rates drop. This is not a matter of belief. The evidence stands stark before us in history and in brutal reallife experiments now being conducted courtesy of exemptions in other states. The history first: Before childhood vaccines took hold in the U.S. in the 1950s, German measles (rubella) disabled 20,000 newborns a year, polio paralyzed 10,000 children, measles killed 3,000 people of all ages and whooping cough killed many thousands. Tetanus and diphtheria infected fewer but killed them more reliablyand horribly. Today, dropping vaccination rates in some states are pushing us back in time. Between 1996 and 2003, measles/mumps/rubella (MMR) vaccine rates in the U.S. fell from 92 percent to 82 percent, and measles cases shot up from about 125 in 1996 to almost 1,500 in 2003. By 2010, with MMR and other vaccination rates dropping under 85 percent in some places, measles and pertussis killed scores in communities with low vaccination rates. In California in 2010, 9,154 people got

whooping cough, and 10 infants died. This year whooping cough cases in Washington State multiplied tenfold through early May, to 1,284. The standard childhood vaccines pose only very modest health risks (for example, 1 in 15,000 children may experience convulsions; others will suffer flu-like symptoms) and virtually no risk of death. They can virtually eliminate the covered diseases from the population. But they work only if we consistently vaccinate upwards of 90 percent of children. Not every person vaccinated develops immunity, and a few people have rare medical conditions that preclude vaccinations, while others dont respond or cant get them because theyre newborns, have an autoimmune disease, or are receiving cancer or other treatments that weaken immune systems. These peoples very lives depend on the herd immunitywhich most certainly does exist, demonstrated by many peer-reviewed studiescreated by vaccinating others. Vermonts philosophical exemption compromises that vital goal. I can understand parental worries. I didnt much like watching my three children get their shots. But for a passing pain, they protected both themselves and others the baby boy our neighbor is having next week;

my neighbor two doors down whos been fighting cancer for three years; the kids in their school who cant get vaccines for legitimate medical reasonsfrom infectious diseases that we know damned well kill people and know damned well how to stop. Wed be crazy not to. Id be remiss to turn my kids into infectious agents instead of a barrier against their own and others disease. Id be ashamed to look at my neighbors knowing I put their lives at risk. Infectious disease is not about peoples worries and feelings. Its about bacteria and viruses, data and immunology, and a publichealth shield that can be forged only with high rates of vaccination. Every piece of evidence, every principle of medicine, and the entire history of infectious disease dictate that we should end Vermonts religious and philosophical exemptions. These diseases kill, unless we stop them. Vaccines do. David Dobbs, a Montpelier resident of 20 years, writes on science and medicine for the the Atlantic, the New York Times Magazine, Nature, National Geographic and other publications. He has no financial or other ties to pharmaceutical or other industries that stand to profit from vaccination programs.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Send letters and opinions to editorial@montpelierbridge.com.

PAG E 20 J U N E 2127, 2012

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