Connecting Montpelier and nearby communities since 1993 | JUNE 720, 2012

IN THIS ISSUE
PL AY PREVIEW

Whats Next?

Interviews with Area High-School Grads

I Love You, Youre Perfect, Now Change

10
ILLUSTRATION BY TIM NEWCOMB

WAITING FOR ACCEP TANCE Weighing in on the college wait list

7
SO LONG, MR. PRINCIPAL Profiling Peter Evans

8
CITY WATER AT RISK ? Council discusses Berlin Pond

by Bob Nuner and Cassandra Hemenway Brush

9
PRSRT STD CAR-RT SORT U.S. Postage PAID Montpelier, VT Permit NO. 123

ost Vermont high-school students go on to college after graduation, but not all. Others go into the trades, take a gap year or join the military. The Vermont Department of Education reports that in 2009, 67.8 percent of Montpelier High School (MHS) students went on to higher education; at Barres Spaulding High School, 53.4 percent; and at U-32, 65.6 percent. Statewide, 61.1 percent of students go on to college, and 38.9 take another path. Of course, the number varies: at some schools it drops below 30 percent and at others it rises above 70 percent. But either way, though college is clearly the top choice for Vermont students, it is not the only one. In addition, Stephen Magill, Vermont Department of Education data-analysis director, pointed out, The opposite of graduating is not necessarily dropping out . . . some stay in school and graduate later. And none of the above statistics count Vermonts rapidly growing homeschooled population. By pressing students onto a college path, some observers wonder, are we shortchanging students whose future plans might not include a baccalaureate degree? Can we create preparation options that truly open all doors for all students? wrote Catherine Gewertz in Education Week in her article College for All Campaign Getting a Second Look. So it appears that educators themselves are looking at the variety of options for bright futures. Wanda Arce, director of research at the Vermont Student Assistance Corporation (VSAC) shared data showing that 80 percent of college students go to four-year schools, 12 percent attend two-year schools and 3.4 percent earn a certificate; another 4.4 percent take only one class. Of students who dont attend college, 66 percent work either full or part time. Another 7.6 percent go into the military, a tiny percentage (1.3) participate in an apprenticeship (an even tinier number, 0.9 percent, become homemakers) and 17 percent take a gap year before college, while another 7 percent take time off with no plans to continue school. A huge variety of factors come into play as teens segue into adulthood, the most prominent being money. A quick visit to the VSAC website shows that four-year public colleges can cost up to $126,167 and four-year private colleges go up to over $300,000. VSAC offers services to help students and parents save for these expenses and figure out how to finance them, but the numbers can be daunting, to say the least. Read on to find out what a selection of our current graduates have planned for their time after high school and how they navigate the complexity of this charged time in their lives.

Engineering: Moving Mountains Before MHS senior Joshua Crane heads west to the University of Colorado (UCOL) to study engineering, he plans to spend the summer hiking the White Mountains and vacationing in Maine, and hopefully theres a job in there somewhere. I applied to about six colleges, Crane said. I got accepted to University of Pittsburg and UVM, but the University of Colorado has the best engineering program . . . and the best mountains. Located in Boulder, UCOL sits at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. Crane said his parents have worked hard to save money for college, and theyre going to be able to help out a lot. Hell be leaving on August 21 to start college life. I knew from the beginning I would be going to college, he said. The majority of my friends are going to college. Crane took some AP classes, and some of the credit will carry over to UCOL. It gives me some freedom. I got some requirements out of the way. Its nice that my high school offered that, he said. Biology: Saving on a Degree MHS senior Corey Evans plans to major in biology at University of Vemont this fall. Im hoping to find a more narrow focus and specialize in some sort of biology I find more interesting. Hopefully see GRADS, page 4

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

PAG E 2 J U N E 720 , 2012

THE BRIDGE

Thanks, Community Partners! M

A-1 Graphics Adamant Music School Annie Tiberio Cameron Associates in Pediatrics Barre Technical Center, Adult Education Program Bear Code Bear Pond Books Bear Swamp Veterinary Clinic Berlin Elementary School Berlin Health and Rehabilitation Berlin Veterinary Clinic Birchgrove Baking Black River Design Bolton Valley Resort Brian Prendergast Capitol Plaza Hotel and Conference Center Carriveaus Service Center Central Vermont Humane Society Central Vermont Medical Center Central Vermont Memorial Civic Center DevSupport, LLC DeWolfe Engineering Associates Dr. Lindsay Herbert, DMD Dr. Richard Herbert, DMD EarthWalk Vermont Erin McDermott Essential Early Education Program Family Center of Washington County First In Fitness Fletcher Allen Childrens Hospital Freelance Automotive GNI, Global News Intelligence Gossens Bachman Architects Governor Shumlins Ofce Green Mountain Orthopedics Green Mountain Power Green Mountain Self Advocates Green Mountain Transit Agency Guitar Sam Headwaters Construction Kellogg-Hubbard Library Liliane Savard, DPT Lois Morse, LMFT Madtech Sound Reinforcement and Recording Services Main Street Middle School Mark Moody Miriam Bernardo Montpelier Fire Department Montpelier High School Montpelier Mud Montpelier Parks Department Montpelier Public Schools Montpelier Recreation Department National Life Group National Wildlife Federation Neighbor-to-Neighbor Americorps New England Culinary Institute Northeld Police Department Northstar Fireworks Norwich University Onion River Cable Access Operation Military Kids Paul Perley Cellos Plaineld Health Center Prevent Child Abuse Vermont Price Chopper Slope Style Ski and Ride Sugarbush Resort TD BankNorth The Times Argus The Bridge The Point Independent Radio The Return House Tom Stuwe, DVM Trinity Church Thrift Store Union Elementary School Uttons Automotive Vermont Agency of Transportation Vermont Center for Independent Living Vermont Dept. of Buildings & General Services Vermont Dept. of Fish & Wildlife Vermont Dept. of Labor Vermont Dept. of Motor Vehicles Vermont Grocers Association Vermont Humanities Council Vermont Secretary of State Vermont Sports Magazine Vermont Violins Washington County Mental Health Washington County Sheriffs Department Washington County States Attorney Washington County Youth Services Bureau WGDR Yestermorrow Design Build School Youth Build

ontpelier High School and Main Street Middle School thank the following businesses, organizations, and individuals for mentoring and supporting students in the Community Based Learning program. Your dedication and effort have given more than 80 young people the chance to explore personal interests, learn about career paths, and apply classroom learning. You have shown our youth that they are valued and respected and you have helped to instill in them a sense of community pride and civic responsibility.
Additionally, the Montpelier School District thanks the following businesses, organizations, and individuals for assisting students and teachers in the Service Learning program. Your partnerships and support have enabled more than 600 K12 students to broaden their classroom learning and experience citizenship rsthand by addressing community needs and providing service.
Allen Lumber American Legion, Post 3 Auburn Wintersong Audra Brown Barry Estabrook Black River Design Casella Waste Management Center for Sustainable Systems Central Vermont Solid Waste Management District Chittenden Solid Waste District City of Montpelier Community Connections Deb Markowitz Efciency Vermont Foley Distributors Food Works at Two Rivers Glenn Moore Grow Compost Guys Farm and Yard Kellogg-Hubbard Library Lisa Ransom Montpelier Conservation Commission Montpelier Parks Department Montpelier Planning Commission Montpelier Public Schools Montpelier Recreation Department Moretown Landll North Branch Nature Center Steve Frey The Nature Conservancy Tom Badowski United States Geological Survey Vermont Agency of Natural Resources Vermont Compost Company Vermont Energy Education Program Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post 792 Winooski Valley Conservation District

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J U N E 72 0 , 2 012 PAG E 3

STREET
E
Carr Lot Progress
xcavators and workers have been busy at the Carr lot in downtown Montpelier over the last few weeks remediating soil contamination at the site. Contaminants include polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), hydrocarbons, and metals, including lead and mercury. Much of the contaminated soil was first mixed with calcium sulfate, which stabilizes the lead, preventing it from leaching out. The most heavily contaminated soil has been removed from the site and trucked to a special chemical-services landfill in New York at a cost of hundreds of dollars per ton, while moderately contaminated soil went to the lined Moretown landfill. Lightly contaminated soil remains at the site, to be covered by geotextile fabric and 6 inches of crushed stone. Eventually, after the completion of planning, testing, mapping, permitting, excavating, stabilizing, backfilling and attendant expenses in a process going back to 2003, the Environmental Protection Agency will allow the site to be used as a parking lot. Other purposes would require new permits if the soil below the geotextile layer would be disturbed. For now, remediation is almost complete, freeing owner Alan Carr to consider the options. Bob Nuner

HEARD ON THE

uch a year for butterflies! The bumper crop of red admirals are still flying, and tiger swallowtails and others are on the wing. Some of these butterflies are just in time for phoebes and other birds desperately trying to keep up with hungry mouths, in a year scarce of black flies and mosquitos. At night, peepers are singing along with toads, two events which, until recent years, were separated by weeks. And egglaying turtles, giant silk moths and fireflies didnt wait for June this year! Sandy Levine reported seeing fireflies at 1,200 feet on May 27; we had them at 1,000 feet the next night. Its all happening so soon! Nona Estrin

Nature Watch

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in Our Upcoming Issues!

June 21: mailed issue & summer events calendar! June 28: SPECIAL 4th of July preview!
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Play Ball!

his summer marks the 10th summer that the Vermont Mountaineers have played baseball on Elm Street at the Montpelier Recreation Field. Built in the early 1940s as a WPA project, this ball park has played host to thousands of baseball players of all ages, including players who have gone on to the top ranks of Major League Baseball. The Mountaineers maintain a volunteer-based, community-oriented baseball program. More than 150 fans volunteer to fill 30 jobs for each of the 21 home games in June and July. Averaging upward of 1,200 fans per game, the Mountaineers have an eight-season attendance record of more than 250,000. The economic impact to the central Vermont area by the Mountaineers is estimated to be about $500,000 per year. Throughout the year, the Mountaineers organization donates thousands of dollars worth of services and goods to youth groups, schools and other nonprofits, and community-action programs. During the season, the Mountaineers help charities raise money through programs at the ballpark. The Mountaineers organization has also partnered with the Montpelier High School Community Based Learning program to enable specialneeds students to become volunteers for parking and other game-day functions. Each summer the Mountaineers operate four or five week-long baseball camps for local Vermont children age 6 to 17. Mountaineers coaching staff and players provide general baseball instruction in all aspects of the game. During a 10th-year celebration ceremony this summer, the Mountaineers will honor 46 local businesses that have been decade-long sponsors. The Mountaineers annual operating budget is $275,000, and, historically, half of the annual budget has come from sponsorships. The Mountaineers lease the field from the city and have made about half a million dollars worth of improvements over the past nine years. Future plans include more capital improvements at the rec field, such as increased seating and new and accessible restroom facilities. Drainage issues at the ball field have also been targeted as a top priority. The Mountaineers first home game of the season is scheduled for June 9 at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $5 for adults (or $4 in advance), $3 for kids, $4 for seniors or $10 for a family. Visit vermontmountaineers.com for a full schedule. Richard Sheir

July 19: mailed issue

advertising deadline: Friday, July 13
Contact Carl or Carolyn: 223-5112, ext. 11, ccampbell@montpelierbridge.com or carolyn@montpelierbridge.com

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New Candidate for Senate

ontpelier resident Jeremy Hansen has announced that he will run as an independent for state senate in Washington County. A self-described political moderate, Hansen is an assistant professor of computer science at Norwich University. He says, The system we have now does not allow for easy and ongoing participation by all citizens. He wants to empower voters to put a better finger on the pulse of what is going on in the legislature by holding regular public meetings and creating an online discussion and voting platform. He plans to start building the tech side of the system in July. Hansen advocates for a direct democracy, in which a legislator serves the desires and opinions of his or her constituents regardless of personal views. If he is elected, Hansen proposes to sign a contract with Washington County voters to step down from office if the citizens vote that he has failed to represent them. He mentions sustainable local agriculture and early childhood education as issues he is particularly interested in. Hansen, 34, has never held a public office. He grew up in Wisconsin and moved to Vermont two years ago. He and his wife and two young children currently live in Montpelier but will soon move to Berlin. Nat Frothingham and Marisa Keller

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

Free Cookies!

elebrate New England Culinary Institute (NECI) Day on Friday and Saturday, June 15 and 16, with a free Vermont Crunchy Cookie. The original recipe was created by NECI chef/instructor Dan Tabor. He and NECI students at La Brioche Bakery and Caf will prepare thousands of the cookies to give out to visitors. Montpelier locations are La Brioche, NECI on Main, Dewey cafeteria at Vermont College of Fine Arts and National Life cafeteria. June 15 was declared annual NECI Day in 2002 by then-governor Jim Douglas in celebration of NECIs 25th anniversary. For more information, visit neci.edu. Marisa Keller

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THE BRIDGE
Automotive Tech: Taking Time for Hands-On Learning BTC senior Sean Warren is ready for a break. The weekend after graduation, hell head to New Jersey, where his dad has found him a job. Hell save for a year or so, he says, then go to technical school in Ohio. With his longtime interest in NASCAR, hell study how to build high-performance engines and racing chassis, while continuing his studies about basic automotive technologies. To round out his studies, he may continue with studies of diesel technology. Warren says hes always had a desire to be able to say, I built that motor. He was handing wrenches to his dad from a young age. Asked about his life before BTC, he says, Its not really different. U-32 is a great school, great teachers; youre not left behind. Im not book smart at all. Im more: If I see it, then I know how to do it. Im more of a visual learner. I didnt get bad grades at U-32, but I wanted to learn more about automotive and have my last year have not too much homework, have kind of an easy senior year. For now, hes had enough of studying, and will use his time to set by some cash, maybe buy a nice car for transportation [to and from school].

GRADS, from page 1

by sophomore year I can find out what I want to do. He works at Shaws and will pick up more hours over the summer, but other than that he has no summer plans. Evans chose UVM because of the cost, he said. Like many graduates, With college being so expensive now, cost is a big part in where I decided to apply. Evans has taken three AP courses as a high-school student, but the one in biology helped solidify my interest in biology. Evans plans to explore his longstanding interest in science in depth, eventually hoping to get an internship in the field hes been interested in since eighth grade. Filmmaking: College Required Ive been interested in film since I was 13, and my father showed me The Godfather, MHS senior Julian Kasow said. Kasow will be attending Columbia College in Chicago this fall to study film. Columbia was a pretty easy choice to make, he said. In fact, it was his top choice out of the three colleges to which he applied. Hes already written several screenplays, and he considers that his forte. His grandparents and parents have all been saving money to pay for him and his younger sister to go to college, so, Kasow said, he feels fortunate that he hasnt had to think about the complexities of how to fund an expensive postsecondary education. Kasows AP English teacher, Sara Squier, included filling out a college application as part of her curriculum, he said. She shepherds everyone in class to completing an application, he said. You really have to go to college for some kind of viable career option, he added. That wasnt always the case. . . . I know people who dropped out of school and got grunt-level jobs. [But] is $10 bucks an hour what you want to be doing forever? Kasow is seeking odd jobs for the summer, anticipating the need to be able to afford subway fare and movie tickets. Construction and Guard: An Alternative Education Jess Franklin graduates from Barre Technical Center (BTC) the day the office building her class built leaves by truck for Safeline, a domestic-violence organization in Chelsea. Says Franklin, who came to BTC for her final year, I

Jess Franklin

hate regular classes. I hate sitting and listening to a teacher talk for hours, and I had really horrible grades in all of the things I did in regular classes, so I just finally made the decision last year to get out, and Im doing awesome, straight As. . . . I love it. But shes not heading straight into construction. Recently, her thoughts turned to military service: Ive a friend whos in the Guard, and his sergeant started talking to me about it, and I went up and had a meeting with him yesterday, and Im 85 percent sure Im going into the Guard. I want to do it, she continues. Ill drive the Humvees, the Mack trucks, the oil tankers, and Ill be stationed right out of Berlin. . . . I was going straight into the trades, but . . . I have my whole life to do construction. Im young now; why not do something good? For Jess, the military is, quoting her friend, not a choice; its a calling. And you dont just choose to join the military; you pretty much are military. But shes glad she went to BTC. Its not an alternative to learning; its an alternative to lectures, she says. Ive learned more this year than I probably have in high school. . . . We are learning things that are actually useful. And I feel like, sitting in class and learning about, Jenny has three strawberries and Timmy has four, if they put them together and cut them in half, how many will that make? Who cares? . . . Problem solving is a lot different here than it is in classes . . . its really a good program. Its something Ill always have.

Sean Warren The gap year is about taking a year off from school, and saving some money, Warren says. And he wants to be sure that automotive is what he really wants to do, he says, because he doesnt want to waste money on a school that isnt ultimately right for him. Cosmetology: Burlington Bound BTC senior Kaylee Wells will head for Burlington and await her 18th birthday this summer, at which time she can apply for her cosmetology license and find work. Like Jess Franklin, she admits of her time in high school, I was just getting by. Once I joined the tech center, it was total turnaround. I like coming to school now. Im happier. Nothing against Spaulding [High School] itself; I wasnt happy. Of her years at BTC, she says, I kind of did a 180. My personality changed. I became more confident, because I was happy with what I was doing. . . . Being separated from a place I didnt want to be, being in a place I did want to

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THE BRIDGE
too young and so had to give up the job, even though it was what I wanted to be doing. Her course work at U-32 has given her credits that help her get into college, and shes taken some culinary-related classesone of which, Food for Entertainment, she lightly mentionsbut she maintains that most of her cooking experience has come from the work world. So, for the next year, shell move to Albuquerque, New Mexico, find an apartment with a friend, and get some food-industry experience working in restaurants. Asked about financial aspects of her decision, she says that her mother is a professor at the University of Delaware, which is a member of a 400-school consortium of which Johnson & Wales is also a member, so she will be able to attend Johnson & Wales for free. Theater: From U-32 to Times Square For many in the area, U-32 is known for its arts education programs, so, for Claudia Smith, it was the right place to be as she pursues a career in the performing arts: I am moving to Manhattan and going to school for musical theater in Times Square, Circle in the Square Theater School. For Smith, it has always been clear that that was what she wanted to do. I never didnt think that I was not going to be doing it. She says that she auditioned at four schools and was accepted by three, and Circle in the Square was my first choice, and has been ever since I saw Wicked, which was in eighth grade, but they gave me a big financial package as well.

J U N E 72 0 , 2 012 PAG E 5
Asked about U-32s role in her studies so far, she notes its theater program, and her parents have always known of her interest, so they supported her in that environment. Smith says she always did Stage 16 in middle school, with plays in class and theater improvisation games, and then Stage 32 in high school, which required auditioning for plays. Liberal Arts: All About Atmosphere and Aid For U-32 senior Rose Wunrow, college was a foregone conclusion. She started visiting colleges, tagging along with her older brother, when she was a freshman, so she got a chance to visit a large number of schools. Of the 15 to which she applied, she received acceptances from eight. Of her decision, she says, A lot of it was atmosphere. It came down to Williams College and Swarthmore College. She went to accepted-student days at both, and Swarthmore struck her as having a really down-to-earth and liberal and open environment. She thinks she will focus on English and history and pursue a writing career. Asked about the role of finances in her decision-making, she says she was able to consider all eight accepting colleges because they all gave me really strong financial aid packages, so, logistically, it came down to which ones I was able to visit. Because some of them were in Minnesota, Iowa, and kind of out of the way . . . it came down to the ones in the New England area that I really knew more about, she says. Swarthmore and Williams dont give out loans; theyre all grants, so the financial aid they gave me was pretty significant compared to the other schools.

beit changed my outlook on a lot of different things. Of her decision to attend BTC, she says, I always was interested in [cosmetology], but I never thought that I would actually go ahead and do it. . . . I guess it wasnt something I had my heart set on at first; I just kind of did it, but then once I started it, I cant picture myself doing something else. Wells will move to Burlington, because theres more of a money base there. Once she gets her license, shell continue cosmetology classes, perhaps specialize, and eventually move to New York or Massachusetts, where, she says, I can make more money than I would in Vermont. Culinary Arts: Restaurant as Classroom U-32 senior Phoenix Haynes is taking a year off before attending Johnson & Wales University in Denver. Shes pursuing a career in the culinary arts and has already gained experience, having worked in a Montpelier restaurant. Unfortunately, she says, she discovered that she was

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PAG E 6 J U N E 720 , 2012

THE BRIDGE

Peter Evans: 10 Years of Engagement at MHS

by Nat Frothingham

hat a good match this has been, said Peter Evans, reflecting on 10 years as Montpelier High School principal. Evans leaves this June. I had plenty of time to reflect on this, he said. I made the decision pretty much over last summer, and I announced it in November. Evan remembers when he was first interviewed for MHS principal. Hed looked at the data and knew that MHS was already a strong school with a fine reputation. If he was appointed, it wouldnt be his task to bring a school from failure to success; his job would be to make a good school better. Soon after he came aboard, Evans became absorbed with raising the level of student engagement in learning. Even though kids were doing well academically, Evans said, they werent engaged deeply in learning. . . . I heard this from teachers, he continued, about not just watching kids climb the academic ladder but finding ways to get students deeply invested in learning. Evans wasnt talking about kids who were having trouble; he was talking about the successful kids. Were they engaged? he asked. What does engagement looked like? These questions led Evans to pursue a doctoral dissertation at UVM that he began in 2001 and completed in 2007.

Profile

Evans research had him talking to students about the different learning experiences they have in school and outside. What Evans learned from the two or three academic authorities whod made student engagement the center of their studies was that when youre deeply engaged, You lose track of time. Youre immersed, so you connect with all of the different factors. To get to this plateau, youve got to have time and the opportunity to pursue something at a high level of intensity. Evans explained, Thats when intellectual curiosity takes over. At that point the student arrives at an understanding of making sense of things at a deeper level. Evans offered examples: One student worked on legislation requiring deposits on new tires at point of purchase to pay for responsible disposal. Another, with a passion for biology, studied microbial mass in puddles. As Evans described the students conversation, He went on for at least an hour and a half. I didnt even prompt him. It just went on and on. A third student was involved in a summer environmental watch involving an endangered species. I think it was turtles, Evan remembered. This third student too, experienced deep involvement with learning. Over 10 years, Evans has observed positive change. When he started, it was pretty routine to sign a drop-out form permitting a

student to quit. We just didnt have a range of programs. We werent trying to keep kids in school and meet their needs. I think thats changed. As Evans leaves, MHSs graduation rate (about 90 percent) is high and its drop-out rate is less than 2 percent. But theres little room for complacency. Evans says Vermonts graduation rate is 75 to 78 percentNo. 2 in the nation last year. However, while 70 to 75 percent of MHS graduates continue their education after high school, Evans said, Vermont as a whole ranks 46th in students going on to higher education. Evans, along with other Vermont educators, is baffled about the low number of graduates continuing and worries about kids who quit with just a high-school diploma. He agrees they may work in trade or serviceindustry jobs, but at fairly low wages. A high-school diploma by itself isnt going to do it, he insists. Evans spoke with pride about the way the MHS faculty has worked together, and with Peter Evans, who is leaving Montpelier High equal pride about students who, in increas- School after 10 years as principal. Photo couring numbers, pursue community learning. tesy Peter Evans. Today, three MHS staff help students find and then succeed in community-based learning projects. newal continues. Hell continue teaching Montpelier folks expect it all, Evans at St. Michaels College, and at UVM hell said. They want high-school students to be continue working with teachers preparing to challenged intellectually in an academically become principals. Having studied pottery rigorous setting. They want students to be in art school, hell devote more time to that. engaged with the community. . . . Were He has land, cuts wood, is a justice of the doing that now. . . . Its one of the wonderful peace and serves on Northfields board of qualities of this school. Its not either/or. civil authority. Evans involvement with reform and re-

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THE BRIDGE

J U N E 72 0 , 2 012 PAG E 7

Top Colleges Fill Their Wait Lists but Dont Use Them
by Colette Kelly

The Waiting Game

ACCESSORIES FOR HOME, SELF AND SPIRIT

he college admission wait list put Carl Vitzthum in limbo: he was not in, but he hadnt been rejected, either. He was simply on hold. But May proved a disappointment for Carl and every other high-school senior wait-listed at four elite colleges. Princeton University, Stanford University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) placed thousands of students on their wait lists this year and admitted none, a highly unusual confluence. Brown University also plans not to use its wait list, according to Tanya Caldwell of the New York Times. Vitzthum, a high-achieving student at Montpelier High School (MHS), found out in late March that Princeton had placed him on its wait list. He heard from three other colleges on the same day. I was rejected from the other three, so honestly the wait list news wasnt all that bad, he wrote in an e-mail. But Vitzthum wanted to know for certain where he would go to school in the fall. I would not consider myself a wait list sort of guy, Vitzthum wrote. I really wanted to be done with the whole college application process, which is long and fraught with uncertainty. However, Vitzthum decided to stay on the Princeton wait list. He wrote a letter to the university and waited for about a month, enrolling at Colby College in the meantime. In early May, he received a letter from Princeton saying that the wait list was closed and that the university would admit none of the waitlisted applicants. Princeton, Stanford, MIT and Brown experienced a leap this year in the number of admitted students choosing to enroll, causing havoc for admissions departments. Although MIT has not released specific admissions figures, Stanford and Brown both overenrolled their incoming freshman classes by 50 to 60 students. Princeton overshot its target class size by as many as 65. This means that 65 students going to Princeton this fall dont have a bed. We have bed space for 1,300 students, and we cant go over, said Princeton dean of admission Janet Rapelye, quoted by Catherine Duazo of the Daily Princetonian in an article this March. Alyssa Johnson-Kurts, an equally driven senior at U-32, was wait-listed at both Smith College and Colby College. She became one of the few students accepted into an elite college from its wait list. I was very disappointed when I found out I hadnt been [directly] accepted to Smith, she wrote in an e-mail. If previous years were any indication, her chances of getting in were slim: last year, Smith did not accept any students from its wait list. But Johnson-Kurts decided to hold out. I knew I wanted to stay on Smiths wait list, because not being accepted made me realize how much I wanted to attend, she said. She sent Smith a package with a letter to the admissions department, a recently published piece of writing and an updated transcript. Johnson-Kurts received a phone call from Smith admissions on the morning of May 2, the day Smith opened its wait list. She had been accepted. I was ecstatic, she said. Colleges maintain wait lists as insurance against the unpredictability of the number

of accepted students who choose to enroll. Admissions officers refer to this figure, the percentage of admitted students who decide to attend, as the yield, a term that brings to mind crops as much as high-school seniors. Based on years of statistics and experience, colleges predict the yield for the upcoming year and use it to determine how many applicants to admit. According to Lissa Knauss, a guidance counselor at MHS, the number of applicants colleges admit really varies from year to year. You never really know what your yield is going to be, said Geoff Sather, another MHS guidance counselor. Sather says the explosion in applications after the introduction of the online Common Application in 1998 made historical figures less reliable. Many elite colleges, such as Columbia University, started using the Common Application in the last few years, causing a spike in applications. The number of applicants at Princeton has doubled since 2004. The news that Princeton, Stanford, MIT and Brown overenrolled their incoming classes highlights the complexities of guessing how many admitted students will accept offers of admission. Its kind of a crap shoot, Knauss said. Colleges predict the yield based on past figures. Sometimes, they have to scramble. Elite institutions like Princeton and Stanford admit many, in some cases thousands, more students than their target size for the incoming freshman class, like airlines overbooking flights. If their predictions are accurate, the fraction of those admitted students who actually enroll matches the target size for the incoming class. If fewer students enroll, they use the wait list to fill open spots. This year, the opposite occurred. MIT admitted 1,620 students this year to achieve a target class size of 1,130. But the school had an unprecedented, recordbreaking increase in yield, over 70 percent this year, filling every place in the class of 2016. This is the first time in seven years that MIT has not used its wait list. So why do colleges maintain such large wait lists in addition to overbooking the incoming class by hundreds of students? Colleges like to err on the safe side, Sather said. But that isnt the only reason why colleges place so many applicants on wait lists. Its a prestige thing, Sather said. Although an elite institution may not have accepted a student, the student can still claim I was wait-listed. Being wait-listed at a top school can be source of pride, or even hope, for both the student and the students high school. At MHS, students continue to hope. According to Knauss, roughly the top 10 percent of each class considers attending elite colleges like Princeton or Stanford. She does not expect the increasing yield and low waitlist acceptances to discourage students from applying. But she believes the students have realistic goals: I dont see kids wildly reaching for schools. Sather agrees. Kids are getting more and more realistic, he said. The system has been crazy for a while. If I had gotten into Princeton, I would probably have ended up going, said Vitzthum. But he looks forward to attending Colby College this fall as a presidential scholar.

Gifts for Grads, Dads & Weddings

Wooden bowls made in Vermont Clocks, Picture Frames, and great decor for a new home Great gifts at great prices!
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9 LANGDON STREET 229-2777 OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK

Summer Camps
Licensed Child Care Program State subsidy is available upon request
Kindergarten 12 years old Weekly Monday Friday June 18 through August 17 7:30 drop off, 4:45 pick up Half days or full days Montpelier Recreation Field Special Trips Weekly & Swimming Every Day Other Summer Opportunities
MRD offers a wide variety of summer programs, camps, tennis lessons, swim lessons, and special events. For more information, please call our office or visit us online.

Summer Day Camp

MONTPELIER RECREATION DEPARTMENT

Resident Fees: $120.00 per week/first child (5 full days) $70.00 per 5 half days/first child (a.m. or p.m.) $105.00 per week/additional child $60.00 per 5 half days/additional child Non-Resident Fees: $160.00 per week/first child (5 full days) $100.00 per 5 half days/first child (a.m. or p.m.) $140.00 per week/additional child $90.00 per 5 half days/additional child Lunch Program TBA; open registration for all weeks.

225-8699 www.montpelierrec.org

MONTPELIER RECREATION DEPARTMENT

Summer Camps!
Yes Soccer Camp
Sharpen your soccer skills. Ages 514 MondayFriday, August 6August 17 57 years, 3 pm4:30 pm 814 years, 3 pm6:00 pm Montpelier Rec. Fields One week: 57 years $80 (before July 25) 814 years $115 (before July 25) Two weeks: 57 years $153 (before July 25) 814 years $208 (before July 25)

Fishing Camp

Learn the fundamentals of fishing with Stowe Fly Rod Shop. Trips to Wrightsville Reservoir. Ages 612 July 23July 27 MondayFriday, 12:30 pm4 pm Montpelier Rec. Fields Resident $165, non-resident $175

Challenger British Multisport Camp

Teen Adventure Camp

Teamwork, hiking, whitewater kayaking and much more. With Vermont Youth Adventures. Ages 1316 July 9July 13 MondayFriday, 9 am5 pm Montpelier Rec. Fields Resident $230, non-resident $250

Learn new British sports and new skills! July 16July 20, MondayFriday Half-day camp (ages 512, 9 am12 pm), $122.00 Full-day camp (ages 712, 9 am4 pm), $192.00

Tell them you saw it in The Bridge!

For more information, contact us at 225-8699 or montpelierrec.org.

PAG E 8 J U N E 720 , 2012

THE BRIDGE

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J U N E 72 0 , 2 012 PAG E 9

Council Discusses Consequences of Recreational Use of Berlin Pond

by Steven M. Cliche

ensions ran high at the May 23 city council meeting as a packed house of both Montpelier and Berlin residents gathered to hear what they hoped would be an answer to the concerns raised by the Vermont Supreme Courts decision that Montpelier does not have the authority to restrict recreational activity on its water source, Berlin pond. Mayor John Hollar prefaced the meeting by suggesting that the issue would likely not be solved in the near future and that they were simply there to look at ways to go forward. Attorneys Glen Howland and Paul Guiliani were invited to speak first on the subject. We are looking at complete, uncontrolled access, regardless of trespass, Howland said of those who had used the pond in recent days. We must step up our efforts to enforce the no-trespassing ordinance. We must simply outlast them. Howland suggested the enforcement

Council

as the quickest and least expensive answer to the problem. Trespassing around the pond is considered a criminal misdemeanor and is punishable by up to three months in prison or a $500 fine. Howland also brought up the instances of vandalism that had occurred in the short amount of time since the decision had come down, which include defaced signs and a broken drainage culvert that many people had been using as a way to launch their boats. Doug Hill, a longtime resident from Berlin Pond, spoke on the influx of anglers that he says left the area in complete disarray. He voiced his frustration with what he sees as a lack of timely response by the Montpelier City Council and the police department. I do not see any willingness to fix the problem, said Hill. Just go up there and start writing tickets. However, there was concern among the council about the ability of the Montpelier Police Department to properly patrol the

area. The council called on Police Chief Tony Facos, who noted that in order for the department to enforce the law, it would require the help of both the Berlin Police Department and Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department. Facos suggested that further dialogue was necessary with Berlin Police Chief William Wolfe in order to increase the capacity to patrol the pond. The meeting then heard testamony from Director of Public Works Todd Law on the lack of capacity of the Montpelier Water Treatment plant to handle the increased turbidity that could result from use of the pond. The subject of increased chlorination was suggested, to which Law warned of a greater chance of disinfectant byproduct. Law also warned that an oil or antifreeze leak from a car parked on the bank of the pond would be considered an emergency situation, because the plant is not built to handle such things. He also suggested that although there was currently no zebra mussel or milfoil problem within the pond, such a problem could severely impact the plants capacity to filter water. The council decided to green light Facos on enforcing the no-trespassing ordinance,

much to the delight of the crowd. There was also the suggestion of a joint council meeting between Berlin and Montpelier to further discuss options for protecting the pond. The public will be welcome to attend this meeting. Long-term solutions seem to include the reworking of laws and how they read, which can take a considerable amount of time, leaving some residents worried that the shortterm solutions may not work until further restrictions are in place. Howlands call for Montpelier law enforcement to outlast those who wish to use Berlin Pond recreationally remains to be seen. Other residents are worried that the pond may already be a lost cause. Berlin resident Cathy Hartshorn voiced her concern that when it comes to the risk of zebra mussels, milfoil and pollution, the actions of the council may be all for naught. The floodgates have opened, she said, There have already been so many boats [on the pond] that it may already be too late. For the residents of Montpelier and Berlin, it seems the future of Berlin Pond could be murky.

Art Walk June 8!

Tell them you saw it in The Bridge!

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I Love You, Youre Perfect, Now Change Opens at Lost Nation Theater
by Bob Nuner

urning from history to comedy, Lost Nation Theaters second production of the season previews Thursday, June 7, and opens Friday, June 8, with a reception, and runs for three weekends, Thursdays to Sundays. The shows cast of four actor/singer/dancers is directed by Tim Tavcar and comprises Lost Nation veteran Shawn Sturdevant, Vermont favorites Taryn Noelle (a lead in numerous Vermont musical productions) and Natalie Miller (who just finished producing Burlingtons comedy festival), and Kansan Michael Karracker, whos worked with Sturdevant in other venues. The comedy, directed by Tavcar in a vaudevillian style, enjoys musical direction by Nancy Hartswick, a set by Casey Covey, lighting by Mark Evancho and costumes by Charis Churchill. Its a popular show that ran for 12 years after it opened in the mid-90s, totaling 5,003 performances off Broadway. The show exploits the ample opportunities to skewer the subjects of love, singleness and marriage in a fast-moving collection of 18 skits and songs. The overarching theme, if there is any, says Tavcar, is the things people face in interpersonal relationships from the early dating days through marriage, through growing old and having kids, through old age . . . so its a continuum. Tavcar notes that the original run was only surpassed by The Fantasticks in duration. As to the vaudeville style, Tavcar says, We built a false proscenium for the set, and then the stage floor is painted like boards, and weve lined the perimeter with [contemporary] footlights, so theres this whole construct of walking into another old theater, and the style is extremely presentational. Presentational, to Tavcar, means played to the audience as much, if not more as [an] interior scene, and its very up, with a ratio of 15 to three upbeat songs to ballads. Its almost all big . . . things that end full-out to the audience, he says. Tavcar notes that while the songs about

the universalities of coupledom may take a jaundiced view of relationships, its a view that incorporates events that most people have been through and relate to. He mentions that, in the course of the off-Broadway run, the show eventually came to accommodate audience members who would propose marriage at the performances, even while the show examined the perils and foibles of relationships. Technically, the production will incorporate projections, fast scene changes courtesy of Chaplin-esque stagehands that are part of the show, and a scrolling screen in the proscenium that announces scene titles.

Shows are at 7 p.m. Thursdays and Sundays and 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, except the last Sunday, June 24, at 2 p.m. and a matinee Saturday, June 9, at 2 p.m.

Taryn Noelle and Michael Karraker in Marriage Tango. Photo courtesy Lost Nation Theater.

Book Review: What is a Thought?

by Cassandra Hemenway Brush

n the childrens book What is a Thought?, by local authors Amy Kahofer and Jack Pransky, PhD, of Moretown, the authors use rhyme and colorful illustrations (by T.M. DuSablon) to introduce to young children the concept that thoughts are a lot and that we can control them but they can also control us. This seemed like both an intriguing and massive undertaking to me, so I was curious when I delved into this book with my 5-year-old how it would go over with her. As an adult reader, I loved the book. But my young child did not. After reading it to a couple of other children, it flopped over and over again. I think the reason might be because the book, while noble and useful particularly for children struggling with behavioral issuesand with such wonderful

notions as Pushing and grabbing/Are just thoughts in our head./What if something else/Could be thought of instead? is also very abstract from a childs perspective. There were wonderful moments throughout the book. I particularly loved how the authors handled fear: When monsters and creatures/Come out of the dark and the blue/The secret to know is,/Theyre just made-up thoughts, too! What a great way to ease a childs fear of the darkand all the other monsters that lurk in all of our minds! However, Im not sure it reads in a way that children can hear. It runs longit was only by being particularly persistent that I was able to get through the whole thing with my fidgeting kindergartener. If the concept were introduced through the story of a particular child, I suspect it might draw children in much more quickly and keep them there.

A great feature included in the book is a CD with lesson plans, and plentiful suggestions at the back of the book for parents and educators as to how to use it. It is likely that this book might be more appropriate for behaviorally or socially challenged children who need particular extra care and support with this lesson. Perhaps it is more useful for a psychologist or teacher to use for a specific purpose than as a generally fun storybook for the whole population. In either case, I laud the authors for braving such a complex subject in simplified childrens language. Although I fully support the theme of the book (in the authors words, We can stop for a moment and decide if we really want to believe our bad thoughts and act on those negative feelings . . . or not! I have to conclude that it does read like an adults idea of an important lesson more than as a compelling story.

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Upcoming Events
FRIDAY, JUNE 8
Spring Bird Walk: Middlesex Notch Explore for spring migrants and breeding species, such as warblers, orioles and tanagers. Binoculars available for loan. 78:30 a.m. Call North Branch Nature Center for meeting location, 229-6206. $10, free for nature members.

work, accompanied by original music from July 26 Movement, in this live performance piece. 68 p.m. Alumni Hall (corner of East State Street and College Street), Vermont College of Fine Arts. Bach to Summer: Monteverdi Music School Faculty Recital Faculty perform music of Bach, Beethoven, Devienne and more Bach. 7:30 p.m. Unitarian Church, 130 Main Street, Montpelier. By donation.

Empowering Your Intentions: Going Beyond Hopes and Wants With Fred Cheyette. Learn how to set intentions in a way thats empowering for both the big issues and the everyday stu. 67:30 p.m. Hunger Mountain Coop community room, Montpelier. Free. Register at 223-8004, ext. 202, or info@hungermountain.com.

SATURDAY, JUNE 9

Ride As One: Sensing Our Way On the Path of the Horse Intro to bareback horsemanship, employing somatic horsemanship practices without coercion, force, bits, tack or tools. For beginners to seasoned equestrians. 10 a.m.5 p.m. Horses & Pathnders, Moretown. $95 per person, $170 for two; includes snacks, beverages and lunch. Register at 2231903 or info@horsesandpathnders.com. horsesandpathnders.com. Summer Time Concert in the Park Danielle Young performs contemporary Christian music for all ages. Bring a picnic and chair or blanket. 46 p.m. Rusty Parker Memorial Park, South Main Street, Waterbury. Rain location: Green Mountain Community Alliance Church, Route 100, Duxbury. Bill, 371-7969 or srbr@underoneroofministry .com.

SUNDAY, JUNE 10

Montpelier Art Walk View Vermont works, including ne art, photography and sculpture, meet the artists, and check out a demo of lathe-turned wood bowls and a roaming performer from Circus Smirkus. Above, Old Glory on the North Branch, photograph by Ron Lay-Sleeper, showing at Green Bean Art Gallery. 48 p.m. Downtown Montpelier. Free. For complete schedule and list of venues, pick up a guide at many downtown locations including the Uncommon Market, or visit montpelieralive.org. Rock On For Nature: NAP/ECO Benet Celebrate another year of learning outdoors with the Great Brook Blues Band, the Flying Purple Guitar and a silent auction. Benets outdoor education partnership between North Branch Nature Center and Union Elementary School. 58 p.m. North Branch Nature Center, 713 Elm Street, Montpelier. By donation. 229-6206. Cut-Continuity Brian Zeigler cuts up three of his large collages to create new

Vermont Craft Beer and Artisan Cheese Tasting Tasting and sipping experience guided by Je Roberts. Silent auction of donated art, crafts and other intriguing items. Benets the Blinking Light Gallery. 35 p.m. Kate Smiths barn, Jake Martin Road, Marsheld. $30. Tickets at 454-7119 or jhrabin@pshift.com. Shape Note/Sacred Harp Sing No experience needed. All welcome. 57 p.m. Plaineld Community Center (above the co-op). By donation. 426-3849 or 426-3850. Event happens every second Sunday. Village Harmony Alumni Concert and Folk Dance Sixteen college-age Village Harmony veteran singers perform music from South Africa, the Balkans and Ukraine, contemporary shape note songs, and renaissance motets. 7 p.m. concert; 8:3011 p.m. folk dancing. Fritzs Barn, 693 McCrillis Road, Marsheld. $10 adults, $5 students and seniors, $20 familes; benets the Jaquith Public Library. 426-3210. Concert repeats Tuesday, June 19.

Better Bugging: Insect Inspiration with Bryan Pfeiffer The season of glittering wings begins. After having warblers dart away from you, youll love it when butteries, dragonies and other spectacular insects perch at your feet! Above, a regal fritillary; photo by Bryan Pfeier/Wings Photography. 6:308 p.m. First Baptist Church, School Street, Montpelier. $10. vermontbirdtours.com. Meditation Group People of all abilities and experience levels welcome for meditation and discussion based on Adyashantis writings and talks. 6:308 p.m. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier. Sherry, 4793223, or sherry@easeoow.com.

TUESDAY, JUNE 12

MONDAY, JUNE 11

Human Trafcking in Vermont: Context, Signs and Local Response Options For service professionals. An overview of all aspects of human trafcking in Vermont: what it looks like, legal options, local services and how to respond. 10 a.m.noon. Room 10, State House, Montpelier. Free. humantrafckinginfovt.eventbrite.com.

Bike Ride with the Green Mountain Club, Montpelier Section Moderate 25-mile ride through South Hero and the Champlain Islands. Bring water and lunch. Helmet required. Call leaders Mary Garcia, 229-0153, or Mary Smith, 505-0603, for meeting time and place. Workshop on Starting Your Own Business Learn how to start your own business and write a business plan. 9 a.m.noon. Community National Bank, Barre. $40 individual, $45 for two. Register at vtsbdc.org (click on Training). Heather, hgonyaw@vtsbdc.org. Sponsored by the Vermont Small Business Development Center. Medicare and You New to Medicare? Have questions? We have answers. 34:30 p.m. Central Vermont Council on Aging, 59 North Main Street, Suite 200, Barre. Free. Register at 479-0531. Event happens every second and fourth Tuesday.

see UPCOMING EVENTS, page 12

SURVIVORS OF SUICIDE Facilitated by Cory Gould. Third Thursdays, 56:30 p.m. Board room, Central Vermont Medical Center, Fisher Road, Berlin. Karen, 229-0591. DIABETES DISCUSSION GROUP Focus on self-management. Open to anyone with diabetes and their families. Third Thursdays, 6:30 p.m. The Health Center, Plaineld. Free. Don, 322-6600 or dgrabowski@the-health-center.org. MENS GROUP Men discuss challenges of and insights about being male. Thursdays, 6:158:15 p.m. 174 Elm Street, Montpelier. Interview required: contact Neil Davis, psychologist-master, 223-3753. DIABETES SUPPORT GROUP First Thursdays, 78 p.m. Conference room 3, Central Vermont Medical Center. 371-4152. OVEREATERS ANONYMOUS Twelve-step program for physically, emotionally and spiritually overcoming overeating. Fridays, noon1 p.m. Bethany Church, 115 Main Street, Montpelier. 223-3079. NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND, MONTPELIER CHAPTER First Saturdays. Lane Shops community room, 1 Mechanic Street, Montpelier. 229-0093. FAMILIES OF COLOR Open to all. Play, eat and discuss issues of adoption, race and multiculturalism. Bring snacks and games to share, and dress for the weather. Third Sundays, 35 p.m. Unitarian Church, 130 Main Street, Montpelier. Alyson, 439-6096 or alyson@suncatchervt.com.

Support Groups
HURRICANE IRENE SUPPORT GROUPS Share your story, listen to others, learn coping skills, build community, and support your neighbors. Refreshments provided. In Berlin on June 20, 5:30 p.m., Berlin Elementary School, 279-8246. In Waterbury on fourth Thursdays, 6 p.m., St. Leos Hall, 279-4670. In Randolph on Mondays, 11 a.m.noon, Ayers Brook Center, 35 Ayers Brook Road, 279-7697. In Rochester on Mondays, 5:306:30 p.m., Rochester High School library, 222 Main Street, 279-7697. TURNING POINT CENTER Safe, supportive place for individuals and their families in or seeking recovery. Alchoholics Anonymous, Sundays, 8:30 a.m. Making Recovery Easier workshops, Tuesdays, 67:30 p.m. Wits End Parent Support Group, Wednesdays, 6 p.m. Narcotics Anonymous, Thursdays, 6:30 p.m. Open daily, 10 a.m.5 p.m. 489 North Main Street, Barre. 479-7373. KINDRED CONNECTIONS For anyone aected by cancer. Get help from Kindred Connections members who have been in your shoes. A program of the Vermont Cancer Survivor Network. Call Sherry, 479-3223, for more information. vcsn.net.

BEREAVEMENT SUPPORT GROUP For anyone who has experienced the death of a loved one. Every other Monday, 68 p.m., through August 20. Every other Wednesday, 1011:30 a.m., through August 15. Central Vermont Home Health and Hospice, 600 Granger Road, Barre. Ginny, 223-1878. BRAIN INJURY SUPPORT GROUPS Open to all survivors, caregivers and adult family members. Evening group facilitated by Marsha Bancroft; day group facilitated by Kathy Grange and Jane Hulstrunk. Evening group meets rst Mondays, 5:307:30 p.m., DisAbility Rights of Vermont, 141 Main Street, Suite 7, Montpelier, 800-834-7890, ext. 106. Day group meets rst and third Thursdays, 1:302:30 p.m., Unitarian Church, 130 Main Street, Montpelier, 244-6850. GRANDPARENTS RAISING THEIR CHILDRENS CHILDREN First Wednesdays, 10 a.m.noon, Barre Presbyterian Church, Summer Street. Second Tuesdays, 68 p.m., Wesley Methodist Church, Main Street, Waterbury. Third Thursdays, 68 p.m., Trinity United Methodist Church, 137 Main Street. Child care provided in Montpelier and Waterbury. Evelyn, 476-1480. HURRICANE IRENE SUPPORT GROUP FOR RECOVERY WORKERS Get peer support and help processing emotions, strengthen relationships and learn coping skills. Every other Monday, 3:30 p.m. (next meetings June 11 and 25). Unitarian Church, 130 Main Street, Montpelier. 279-4670.

LIVING WITH ADVANCED OR METASTATIC CANCER Second Tuesdays, noon to 1 p.m. Cancer Center resource room, Central Vermont Medical Center. Lunch provided. 225-5449 WRITING TO ENRICH YOUR LIFE For anyone aected by cancer. Third Tuesdays, noon to 1 p.m. Cancer Center resource room, Central Vermont Medical Center. 225-5449. BEREAVED PARENTS SUPPORT GROUP Facilitated by Central Vermont Home Health and Hospice (CVHHH). Second Wednesdays, 68 p.m. CVHHH, 600 Granger Road, Berlin. Jeneane Lunn, 793-2376. CELIAC AND FOOD ALLERGY SUPPORT GROUP With Lisa Mas of Harmonized Cookery. Second Wednesdays, 4:306 p.m. Conference room 3, Central Vermont Medical Center. lisamase@gmail.com. CANCER SUPPORT GROUP Third Wednesdays, 6 p.m. Potluck. For location, call Carole MacIntyre, 229-5931. MAN-TO-MAN PROSTATE CANCER SUPPORT GROUP Third Wednesdays, 68 p.m. Conference room 2, Central Vermont Medical Center. 872-6308 or 866-466-0626 (press 3). NAMI: CONNECTION A peer-led, recovery-oriented group for individuals living with mental illness. First and third Thursdays, 67:30 p.m. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier. 800-6396480 or connection@namivt.org.

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UPCOMING EVENTS, from page 11

Central Vermont Adult Basic Education Volunteer Info Session Current and prospective volunteers: nd out about volunteer opportunities and share experiences. Light refreshments. 56 p.m. Barre Learning Center, 46 Washington Street. Gale, 4764588. Renewable Energy Workshop With Colin Sorenson from Local Energy. Discuss your renewable energy options and learn about state and federal incentives and local initiatives that promote renewable energy. 67 p.m. Hunger Mountain Coop community room, Montpelier. Free. Register at 223-8004, ext. 202, or info@hungermountain.com. Waterbury Community Band Concert in the Park A varied program of marches and other concert band selections. 7 p.m. Rusty Parker Memorial Park, South Main Street, Waterbury. Free. Bill, 223-2137 or info@waterburycommunityband.org. Concerts continue every Tuesday (except July 3 and 17) through July, alternating between Rusty Parker Park and Waterbury Center Park. Scrag Mountain Music: Very Open Rehearsal Hosted by the Warren Public Library. Light refreshments served. 7 p.m. Warren Town Hall. scragmountainmusic.org.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13

Digital Download Wednesdays Confused about how to work your e-book reader? Get one-on-one help and see a demo on how to download your favorite books. 10:30 a.m.7 p.m. Waterbury Public Library. Sign up for a 30minute session at 244-7036. Good Beginnings of Central Vermont Annual Meeting Noon2 p.m. 174 River Street, Montpelier. 585-7953. Hike with the Green Mountain Club, Montpelier Section Moderate early-evening hike up Hunger Mountain from the Middlesex Trailhead. 5.8 miles round-trip. Return under nearly full moon. Meet at 4 p.m. at Rumney School. Charlene Bohl, 229-9908 or charlenebohl@comcast.net. Vaccines: Safe and Effective? Part 2 With Charlotte Gilruth, certied in classical homeopathy. Become an informed health-care consumer. View the lm Shoot em Up: The Truth About Vaccines and discuss little-publicized vaccine risks and alternative ways to build immunity.

5:307:30 p.m. Hunger Mountain Coop community room, Montpelier. $5 member/owners, $7 nonmembers. Register at 223-8004, ext. 202, or info@hungermountain.com. Montpelier Memoirs: A Staged Reading Participants in a memoir-writing class at the Montpelier Senior Activity Center read selections from their work. Live music, art exhibit and refreshments. 5:30 p.m. Montpelier Senior Activity Center, 46 Barre Street, Montpelier. Free. 223-2518. Luxuriously Healthy Hair: Simple Hair Care Recipes With Joann Darling of Gardens of Seven Gables. Learn how to make your own herbal shampoos, hair rinses and scalp treatments for natural health. 68 p.m. Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism, 250 Main Street, Montpelier. $10 VCIH members, $12 nonmembers; $6 materials fee. Register at 224-7100 or info@vtherbcenter.org. Barre Technical Center Awards Celebration For graduating students from Barre Technical Center, including students from Cabot, Harwood, U-32, Montpelier, Twineld and Spaulding high schools. 6:30 p.m. Auditorium, Spaulding High School, Barre. 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. 7 p.m. State House lawn near the Pavilion Building. Free. Concerts continue every Wednesday through August 15. Summer Concerts in Barre: Spaulding High School Jazz Ensemble 78 p.m. Currier Park; rain location Universalist Church, 19 Church Street. Free. thebarrepartnership.com. Concerts continue every Wednesday through August 22. Summer Film Series: Beauty and the Beast Live-action original black-and-white lm from 1946, directed by Jean Cocteau. With subtitles; for all ages. 7 p.m. Jaquith Public Library, 122 School street, Marsheld. Free. 426-3581 or jaquithpubliclibrary@gmail.com.

Beating the Sugar Blues With Marie Frohlich, health coach. Learn about alternative herbal sweeteners and sugars for healthy living. Recipes, samples and handouts to get you through summer sweet-tooth cravings. 5:307 p.m. Hunger Mountain Coop community room, Montpelier. $10 member/owners, $12 nonmembers. Register at 223-8004, ext. 202, or info@hungermountain.com. Ukulele Group All ages and abilities welcome. 68 p.m. Montpelier Senior Activity Center, 46 Barre Street, Montpelier. 223-2518. Event happens every second and fourth Thursday. Writing for Personal Peace: Making the Deep Narrative Introspective and Spiritual With Glennie Sewell. Explore core beliefs driving the narrative of your life. 79 p.m. Tulsi Tea Room, 34 Elm Street, Montpelier. $35. Registration required at 223-0043. Ecumenical Group Songs of praise, Bible teaching, fellowship. 79 p.m. Jabbok Center for Christian Living, 8 Daniel Drive, Barre. Free. 476-3873. Event happens every second and fourth Thursday.

FRIDAY, JUNE 15

THURSDAY, JUNE 14

Conversation on Aging Wanda Craig of the Central Vermont Council on Aging leads a community discussion on issues of aging. 45 p.m. Montpelier Senior Activity Center, 46 Barre Street, Montpelier. Free. 223-2518. 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. Through July 7. Reception Friday, June 8, 68 p.m. 479-7069 or studioplacearts.com. 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.

Spring Bird Walk: Sparrow Farm Explore for breeding birds, such as American bittern, bobolink and alder ycatcher. Binoculars available for loan. 78:30 a.m. Call North Branch Nature Center for meeting location, 229-6206. $10, free for nature members. Free Cookies for NECI Day Get a NECI-created Vermont Crunchy Cookie at all New England Culinary Institute outlets. In Montpelier: La Brioche, NECI on Main, Dewey Hall cafeteria and National Life cafeteria. neci.edu. Event continues Saturday, June 16. Scrag Mountain Music: The Madrigal Project A multimedia performance featuring music by George Crumb and poetry by Federico Garca Lorca. 8 p.m. Old Town Hall, Stone Road, Brookeld. By donation. scragmountainmusic.org. Concert repeats Saturday, June 16, and Sunday, June 17. Extempo: Live Original Storytelling Tell a 5-to-7-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. Espresso Bueno, Barre. Free to participants; $5 otherwise. 4790896 or extempovt.com.

Art & Exhibits

BLINKING LIGHT GALLERY Spring Bloom, watercolors, oil paintings and pastels by Northeld artist Kathrena Ravenhorst-Adams. 16 Main Street, Plaineld. Through June. info@blinkinglightgallery.com or blinkinglightgallery.com. CENTRAL VERMONT MEDICAL CENTER The Anatomy of Light, photographs by Andrew Kline. Lobby, 130 Fisher Road, Berlin. Through July 6. cvmc.org.

CONTEMPORARY DANCE & FITNESS STUDIO Pastels of Italy and Vermont by Jeneane Lunn. 18 Langdon Street (third oor), Montpelier. Through July 9. GIFFORD MEDICAL CENTER Photographs by Bruce Small of West Brookeld. 44 South Main Street, Randolph. Through August 1. 728-2324 or giordmed.org. GODDARD COLLEGE The History of Goddard College, 1969 1979, photographs, lms and archival documents, 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. GREEN BEAN ART GALLERY Montpelier Scenes, photographs by Ron Lay-Sleeper. Capitol Grounds, 27 State Street, Montpelier. Through July 1. Reception during Art Walk, Friday, June 8. curator@capitolgrounds.com. K MUELLER STUDIO & GALLERY Travel photos by Iain Wallace and a retrospective of Jim Wallaces photos. 15 State Street, room 301, Montpelier. Open during Art Walk: Friday, June 8, 48 pm.

Coming up on June 21: SUMMER EVENTS CALENDAR!

We are compiling a comprehensive special guide to area summer events. Send listings to calendar@ montpelierbridge.com. Deadline is Friday, June 15.

Theater
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST JR. More than 40 students from Green Mountain Performing Arts musical theater program bring the classic Disney musical to life. Left, Kelty Edraney rehearses for her role as Belle. June 16, 1 p.m. Harwood Union High School. $8. greenmountainperforming arts.org. MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING Shakespeare in the Hills new youth acting troupe presents Shakespeares classic battle-of-the-sexes comedy. June 810, 7 p.m. Haybarn Theatre, Goddard College, 123 Pitkin Road, Plaineld. $5 adults, $3 children and seniors. Tickets at 4549334. shakespeareinthehills.com. I LOVE YOU, YOURE PERFECT, NOW CHANGE A musical comedy detailing the trials and tribulations of relationships. Below, the four cast members. Through June 24. Lost Nation Theater, 39 Main Street, Montpelier. Thursdays and Sundays, 7 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays, 8 p.m.; 2 p.m. matinee June 9 and 24. $25 Thursday, $30 FridaySunday, $10 age 611, $5 discount for students and seniors. Tickets at 229-0492 or lostnationtheater.org.

CHANDLER GALLERY Red Fields & Yellow Skies: The Art of the Landscape, group show by 12 state- and nationally renowned artists. Above, Cadium Fields, by Petria Mitchell 7173 Main Street, Randolph. June 16September 2. Reception and artist roundtable Saturday, June 16, 47:30 p.m. 431-0204 or outreach@chandler-arts.org. COFFEE CORNER Paintings by Sylvia Walker and Annie Limoge. 83 Main Street, Montpelier. Through June. 223-2906.

KELLOGG-HUBBARD LIBRARY Wowie Maui, watercolors, oils and acrylics by Jeanne Evans. 135 Main Street, Montpelier. Through August 24. 223-3338. OMADDIS DELI & CAFE Sticks and Stones, sculptural basketry by Tamara Wight. 7 South Main Street, Northeld. Through June. 485-4700. QUENCH ARTSPACE Landscapes and kimono paintings by Montpelier artist Frank Woods. 4403 Main Street, Waitseld. 496-9138.

TULSI TEA ROOM Works in colored pencil by Corrina Thurston. Above, Sea Turtle. 34 Elm Stree, Montpelier. Through June 14. Reception during Art Walk, Friday, June 8. VERMONT COLLEGE OF FINE ARTS Re Count and Re Connect, works by Kim Goertner Darling, Sabrina B. Fadial, Diana Gonsalves, Susan Sawyer and Sumru Tekin. College Hall, 36 College Street, Montpelier. Through July 6. vcfa.edu. VERMONT TECHNICAL COLLEGE Green Mountain Rug Schools annual student and teacher exhibit of nished rugs and hooked pieces. Friday, June 8, and Thursday, June 14, 10 a.m.6 p.m. Judd Gym, Vermont Technical College, Randolph Center. 272-1011 or greenmountainhookedrugs.com.

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J U N E 72 0 , 2 012 PAG E 13

SATURDAY, JUNE 16

Free Cookies for NECI Day See Friday, June 15, for description. Bike Ride with the Green Mountain Club, Montpelier Section Easy ride on the Northern Rail Trail from Lebanon, New Hampshire, toward Grafton. Group decides distance; 50 miles max. Helmet and windbreaker required. Bring water and lunch or money to buy it. Meet at 8:30 a.m. at the Berlin Park and Ride. Steve Lightholder, 479-2304 or steve.lightholder@yahoo.com. Early Summers Wild Bounty A walk in the forest and eld at this time of year yields a bounty of wild ingredients to use in culinary delights. Wild plants are more nutritious than their cultivated cousins. No weeding necessary! 10 a.m.noon. The Farmers Kitchen at Turkey Hill Farm, Randolph Center. $25, includes handouts and recipes. 728-7064. Equine-Guided Father/Daughter or Son Day Fathers and their children take a break from everyday surroundings, engage in directed equine-guided activities and play on level ground with each other. No horse experience necessary; all activities are ground-based. Ages 10 and up. 10 a.m.4 p.m. Horses & Pathnders, Moretown. $185 per pair; includes snacks, beverages and lunch. Register at 223-1903 or info@hors esandpathnders.com. horsesandpathnders.com.

12:30 p.m. Hunger Mountain Coop community room, Montpelier. $10 member/owners, $12 nonmembers. Register at 223-8004, ext. 202, or info@hungermountain.com. Moon Group With Mary Anna Abuzahra. Track the moon cycle in your astrological natal chart, gain self-awareness and learn a helpful way to study astrology. 2 p.m. Private oce, 34 Elm Street, Montpelier. $10$20. Preregistration required; contact Mary Anna, 272-0827. Event repeats July 14, August 11 and September 15. Shape-Note Sing Ian Smiley leads tunes from The Sacred Harp. All welcome; no experience necessary. 6:308 p.m. Tulsi Tea Room, 34 Elm Street, Montpelier. By donation. Ian, 229-4008 or vtshapenotesingers@gmail.com. Event happens every rst and third Saturday. Contra Dance All dances taught; no partner necessary. All ages welcome. Bring soft-soled shoes. 811 p.m. Capital City Grange, 6612 Route 12 (Northeld Street), Berlin. $8. 744-6163 or capitalcitygrange.org. Event happens every rst, third and fth Saturday.

MONDAY, JUNE 18

Learn about Homeshare Now One-on-one appointments with program sta of Homeshare Now. Learn how you can nd someone safe and compatible to share your home, saving time and money and improving your quality of life. 10:30 a.m.12:30 p.m. 46 Barre Street, Montpelier. Free. Sign up at 223-2518. Plaineld Book Club 6:30 p.m. Cutler Memorial Library, Route 2, Plaineld. Free. 454-8504 or cutlerlibrary.org. Event happens every third Monday.

TUESDAY, JUNE 19

Scrag Mountain Music: The Madrigal Project See Friday, June 15, for description: note change in venue. Reception follows. Above, members of the ensemble. 8 p.m. Unitarian Church, 130 Main Street, Montpelier. By donation. scragmountainmusic.org. Concert repeats Sunday, June 17.

SUNDAY, JUNE 17

Vermont History Expo Musicians, authors, genealogists, crafters and other professionals oer workshops, parades, Civil War reenactments, performances and demonstrations. Over 100 local historical societies and 50 museum and heritage organizations expound on the theme of Vermont in the Civil War. Above, photo by Jack Rowell. 10 a.m.5 p.m. Tunbridge Worlds Fairgrounds. 479-8505 or vermonthistory.org/expo. Event continues Sunday, June 17. Poets and Writers Reading With Charles Barasch and Diane Swan. Open reading follows. 11 a.m. Cutler Library, Route 2, Plaineld. Free. 454-8504 or cutlerlibrary.org. Event happens every third Saturday. Relax and De-Stress With Food and Massage With Sarah Shapiro of Greenheart Massage and Lisa Mas of Harmonized Cookery. Learn how massage and food choices can support deep relaxation. Practice massage, taste samples and take home recipes. Find ease in your body and improve your digestion.

Hike with the Green Mountain Club, Montpelier Section Moderate 8-mile hike on Killington to Pico Camp and Churchill Scott Shelter. Contact leader Ken Hertz, 229-4737 or kenneth.hertz@myfairpoint. net, for meeting time and place. Contact Improv Class and Jam Learn to cultivate your awareness and listening skills, nd ease in your movements and safely move with other people. Accessible to all levels of skill and mobility. 1011 a.m., class; 11noon, open jam. $5$10 sliding scale class and jam, $3$5 jam only. Contemporary Dance and Fitness Studio, 18 Langdon Street (third oor), Montpelier. 318-3927. Vermont History Expo See Saturday, June 16, for description. Market Day Floating Bridge Food and Farms Co-ops rst farmers market of the year. Live music, picnicking and swimming in Sunset Lake. Farm-fresh lunch available. Noon4 p.m. Old Town Hall, Brookeld. Free. oatingbridge foodandfarms.com. Scrag Mountain Music: The Madrigal Project See Friday, June 15, for description: note change in venue. Reception follows. 8 p.m. Warren Town Hall. By donation. scragmountainmusic.org.

Winooski River Sojourn Paddle almost the entire length of the Winooski river. Evening talks by Vermont river scientists, historians and naturalists on the natural and human history of the watershed are open to the public. June 1924. Paddle for one day or all six. Register at 882-8276 or winooskiriver.org. How To Apply Horse Sense to Lead Change With Lucinda Newman, certied equine guided educator. Learn how horse leadership parallels human self-leadership and impacts social dynamics, and how you can apply these core elements to leading change in your life. Dress for the weather. 56:30 p.m. 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. Washington County Stamp Club Meeting Buying, selling, swapping, conversation and new summer auction. Doors open at 6:45 p.m.; meeting at 7:30 p.m. First Baptist Church, School Street, Montpelier. Free. 223-2953. Waterbury Community Band Concert in the Park See Tuesday, June 12, for description; todays concert at Waterbury Center Park. Village Harmony Alumni Concert See Sunday, June 10, for description; note change in time and venue. 7:30 p.m. Unitarian Church, 130 Main Street, Montpelier. Suggested donation $10 adults, $5 students and seniors. 426-3210. Songwriters Showcase in Adamant Featuring original music by Karl Bissex, Kevin Macneil Brown, Brian Clark, Ben Koenig, Jessamine Levine, Erika Mitchell and Linda Young. 7:30 p.m. Adamant Community Club. By donation.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20

Mindful Business Success Circle Networking Group For service professionals and small-business owners working to make a dierence in their communities and the world. Thirty minutes of optional sitting meditation, followed by an hour of networking and one-on-one connection with peers. 10:45 a.m.12:30 p.m. Shambhala Center, 64 Main Street (third oor), Montpelier. Free. RSVP at 225-5960. Event happens every third Wednesday. Enjoy the Wonders of Fungi With Eric Swanson of Vermush. See Swansons recent pictures and projects and learn how to culture and grow mycelium into fungi. Everyone will bring home their own oyster mushroom spawn. 57 p.m. Hunger Mountain Coop community room, Montpelier. $10 member/owners, $12 nonmembers. Register at 223-8004, ext. 202, or info@hungermountain.com. Using Essential Oils for Summertime First Aid Support Learn how essential oils are a great addition to your rst-aid kit, whether for cuts, blisters, bruises, bites, stings or repellents.

see UPCOMING EVENTS, page 14

Thursday, June 28 Miles and Murphy (jazz guitar duo) NUTTY STEPHS CHOCOLATERIE Route 2, Middlesex. All shows 710 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 229-2090 or nuttystephs.com. Every Thursday Bacon Thursdays, hot music and live conversation, 6 p.m.midnight SKINNY PANCAKE 89 Main Street, Montpelier. 262-2253 or skinnypancake.com. Every Sunday Old-time sessions with Katie Trautz and friends, 46 p.m. (intermediate to advanced players welcome to sit in) Sunday, June 10 Laura Mae Socks and Jon Bertrand (country/ Cajun) Sunday, June 17 The Concrete Rivals (surf/rock)

Live Music
BAGITOS 28 Main Street, Montpelier. All shows 68 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 229-9212 or bagitos.com. Every Saturday Irish/Celtic session with Sarah Blair, Hillary Farrington Koehler and Benedict Koehler, 25 p.m. Every Wednesday Acoustic blues jam with the Usual Suspects Friday, June 8 Poor Howard (blues) Saturday, June 9 The Wild Things with Je Parry Sunday, June 10 Sunday brunch with Gabe Sequiera, 11 a.m.1 p.m. Tuesday, June 12 Open mic (second and fourth Tuesdays), 79 p.m.

Thursday, June 14 Je Parry and Alison Porter Friday, June 15 Bad Mr. Frosty presents Scott Graves Saturday, June 16 Clancy Harris Sunday, June 17 Sunday brunch with Art Herttua, 11 a.m.1 p.m. Thursday, June 21 Big Hat, No Cattle BIG PICTURE THEATER 48 Carroll Road (just o Route 100), Waitseld. Most shows by donation. 496-8994 or bigpicture theater.info. Wednesday, June 20 Valley Night with Folk by Association Thursday, June 21 Dr. Sketchys Beach Blanket Bingo and Solstice Party CHARLIE OS 70 Main Street, Montpelier. 223-6820. Every Tuesday Karaoke

Friday, June 8 The Wards, Astrocat and Kikis Lost Nation (punk rock) Friday, June 15 Spit Jack (punk rock) Saturday, June 16 Torpedo Rodeo and the Icepicks (surf) CIDER HOUSE RESTAURANT Route 2, Waterbury. 244-8400 Every Saturday Dan Boomhower (piano), 6 p.m.close FRESH TRACKS FARM 4373 Route 12, Berlin. 223-1151 or info@freshtracksfarm.com. Friday, June 8 Colin McCarey, 69 p.m. Friday, June 15 Folk by Association, 69 p.m. NECI ON MAIN: THE CELLAR 118 Main Street, Montpelier. All shows 69 p.m., no cover. 223-3188 or necidining.com. Thursday, June 14 High-Low Jack (old-time/vintage/Celtic)

SUBMIT YOUR EVENT!

calendar@montpelierbridge.com.

PAG E 14 J U N E 720 , 2012

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UPCOMING EVENTS, from page 13

67:30 p.m. Aldrich Library, Barre. Sherry, 479-3223, or sherry@easeoow.com. Edible Herb Walk with Annie Reed Ever wonder what you would do if you were stuck in the woods with nothing to eat? Learn about edible plants on a solstice evening plant walk. For children and adults of all ages. 6:30 p.m. Jaquith Public Library, 122 School Street, Marsheld. 426-3581 or jaquithpubliclibrary@gmail.com. Village-building Convergence Kickoff with James Howard Kunstler The novelist and author of the peak oil classic The Long Emergency talks about how resource scarcity will compel us to reorganize life dierently in the U.S. 7 p.m. Unitarian Church, 130 Main Street, Montpelier. vbc-vt.org. Capital Band Concert See Wednesday, June 13, for description. Summer Concerts in Barre: Starline Rhythm Boys See Wednesday, June 13, for time and location information. Ecstatic Dance Freestyle boogie with DJ using Gabrielle Roths mediative dance form, 5Rhythms. 79 p.m. Worcester Town Hall, corner of Elmore Road and Calais Road. $5$10 donation. Fearn, 505-8011 or fearnessence@gmail. com. Event happens every rst and third Wednesday, and fourth Wednesdays at the Plaineld Community Center.

THURSDAY, JUNE 21

Central Vermont Community Meeting on Disability Issues Discuss Medicaid and Medicare and make birthday cards for the 22nd birthday of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Light refreshments provided 13 p.m. Vermont Center for Independent Living, 11 East State Street, Montpelier. Alaina, 800-639-1522. Event happens every third Thursday. Celebration of Student Achievement at Central Vermont Adult Basic Education 57 p.m. Montpelier Learning Center, 100 State Street. Science of Mind Principles Study group for inquiring minds of all faiths. 68 p.m. Universal Rivers of Life, 28 East State Street, Suite 4 (second oor), Montpelier. 223-3427 or robin@universalrivers.com. Event happens every rst and third Thursday. Bookmaking at the Drawing Board Make a book to record your summer trips and events. Bring items to decorate the cover, if you like; everything else provided. 69 p.m. The Drawing Board, 22 Main Street, Montpelier. $35 materials fee. Register at 223-2902. drawingboardvt.com. Third Thursday Travel Talk 6:30 p.m. Cutler Memorial Library, Route 2, Plaineld. Free. 454-8504 or cutlerlibrary.org. Event happens every third Thursday. Songwriters Meeting Meeting of the Northern VT/NH chapter of the Nashville Songwriters Association International. Bring copies of your work.

6:45 p.m. Catamount Arts, St. Johnsbury. John, 633-2204. Event happens every third Thursday. 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. Clean Slate Cafe, 107 State Street, Montpelier. Free. 2256166 or playtrivia@gmail.com. Village-building Convergence: Summer Celebration Potluck Community celebration with a potluck, music, performances and bonre. 7 p.m. All Together Now, East Montpelier. Events continue June 22 and 23; see the June 21 Bridge calendar for more details or visit vbc-vt.org.

REGISTER AHEAD FOR:

Vermont Boating Safety Course Everyone age 1138 is required to take this course before operating a motor boat in Vermont. Learn about safety equipment, navigation rules and Vermont boating laws. Bring lunch, paper, pencil and a 36-inch-long piece of soft 5/16-inch-thick rope. 9:30 a.m.2:30 p.m., July 1 and 2. Groton State park nature center. Free; registration required by June 22. Jim, 479-2400 or 584-3878.

calendar@montpelierbridge.com

SUBMIT YOUR EVENT!

Weekly Events
ACTIVISM
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.

CRAFTS

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.

FOOD

BICYCLING

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. Weekly Rides at Onion River Sports Come in proper physical condition depending on ride, bring water and a snack and dress appropriately for weather. Helmets required. Anyone under 15 must be accompanied by an adult; anyone under 18 must have a signed parental permission form. Mondays Cyclocross Cruise, 6 p.m., 1- to 2-hour, moderate, casual cyclocross ride, climbing and descending beautiful dirt roads Tuesdays Cycling 101 with Linda Freeman, 5:30 p.m., all levels welcome Wednesdays Mountain Bike Ride, 5 p.m. or 6 p.m., intermediate to advanced rides on dierent area trails each week; for carpooling and more information, e-mail kip@onionriver.com Onion River Racing Wednesday Night World Championships, 5:30 p.m., fast ride with town line sprints and competitions for bragging rights, route announced at ride time; onionriverracing.com Thursdays Onion River Racing Thursday Night Nationals, 5:30 p.m., pace is zone 1 and 2, no-drop ride, route announced at ride time; onionriverracing. com.

Capital City Farmers Market On June 9: tasting and demo of fresh salads and dressings with NECI and live music by Phineas Gage. Vegetables, milk, cheese, eggs, meat, maple syrup, ne crafts, prepared foods, plants and more. Live music and demos all summer. Saturdays, 9 a.m.1 p.m. 60 State Street (corner of State and Elm ), Montpelier. Through October 27. Carolyn, 223-2958 or manager@montpelierfarmers market.com. Gospel Brunch: A Community Meal All-you-can-eat buet. 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.

GAMES

Apollo Duplicate Bridge Club All welcome. Partners sometimes available. Fridays, 6:45 p.m. Bethany Church, Montpelier. 485-8990 or 223-3922.

HEALTH

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.

crafting and more for youth age 1017), third Fridays, 69 p.m. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier. Free. 2234665. Youth Group Games, movies, snacks and music. Mondays, 79 p.m. Church of the Crucied One, Route 100, Moretown. 496-4516. Story Time and Playgroup Story time: for children age 06. Playgroup: story, art, song, nature activities and cooperative games. Dress for the weather. Story time: Mondays, 10 a.m. Playgroup: Wednesdays, 1011:30 a.m. Jaquith Public Library, 122 School Street, Marsheld. 426-3581 or jaquithpubliclibrary@gmail.com. Summer Storytime With Bill Palin. Stories, critters, crafts and snack, Wednesdays, 10 a.m. Ainsworth Public Library, Main Street, Williamstown. June 1327. 4335887 or ainsworthpubliclibrary.wordpress.com. 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. 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. 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. Story Time at Onion River Kids Outdoor adventure tales and childhood classics. Sundays, 10:30 a.m. 7 Langdon Street, Montpelier. 223-6025.

SPIRITUALITY
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. 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, 2230583 or info@yearning4learning.org. Christian Meditation Group People of all faiths welcome. Mondays, noon1 p.m. Christ Church, Montpelier. Regis, 223-6043. Shambhala Buddhist Meditation Instruction available. All welcome. Sundays, 10 a.m.noon, and Wednesdays, 67 p.m. Program and discussion follow Wednesday meditation. Shambhala Center, 64 Main Street, Montpelier. Free. 223-5137. Zen Meditation Wednesdays, 6:307:30 p.m. 174 River Street, Montpelier. Call Tom for orientation, 229-0164. With Zen Aliate of Vermont.

SPORTS

KIDS & TEENS

BOOKS

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.

indicates new or revised listing

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. Story Time at the Waterbury Public Library On hiatus: summer storytime starts June 25. Mondays, age 1836 months. Wednesdays, age 018 months. Fridays, age 36 years. 10 a.m. Waterbury Public Library. Free. 244-7036. Library Activities for Kids Story time, Tuesdays, Wednedays and Fridays, 10:3011:30 a.m. Crafts, rst Tuesdays, 3:30 p.m. Games, second Tuesdays, 3:30 p.m. Lego club, third Tuesdays, 3:30 p.m. Teen Advisory Group meeting, fourth Tuesdays, 3:30 p.m. Chess club, Wednesdays, 5:30 p.m. (call Robert, 229-1207, for info) Young Adult Nights (games, movies, food,

LANGUAGE

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, 2233403. 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.

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. Coed Adult Floor Hockey Equipment provided. Sundays, 35 p.m. Montpelier Recreation Center, Barre Street. $5. 363-1531, bmoorhockey@gmail .com or vermontoorhockey.com.

YOGA

MUSIC

Sing With the Barre Tones Womens a cappella chorus. Mondays, 6:30 p.m. Alumni Hall (second oor), near Barre Auditorium. 223-2039 or rjmorgan1956@comcast.net.

Sliding-Scale Yoga Classes With Lydia Russell-McDade. Weaving in seasonal poetry and myth, these intermediate-level classes help you build strength and exibility while learning safe postural alignment. Mondays, 5:306:45 p.m., River House Yoga, Plaineld. $5$20 suggested donation. sapremayoga.com. Rhythmic Flow Vinyasa With Lori Flower. Outdoor practice if weather permits. Tuesdays, 67:15 p.m. All Together Now, East Montpelier. Through the summer; no class June 12 or 19. $5$15 suggested donation. 324-1737 or sattvayoga.wordpress.com.

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Classes
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.

essary; beginners welcome. Instructor Ellie Hayes has been practicing and teaching tai chi since 1974. For info and to preregister, call Ellie at 456-1983. Registration deadline Sunday, June 10.

SERVICES

WRITING

HOUSE PAINTER Since 1986. Small interior jobs ideal. Neat, prompt, friendly. Local references. Pitz Quattrone, 229-4952. PAINTING & PRESSURE WASHING Interior and exterior painting, metal roof painting, pressure-washing and decks. Free estimates. Frank DeSalvo 752-9470

NORDIC TRACK SKIER In good condition. $60. Call 371-9152.

THRIFT STORES

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.

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.

STUFF FOR SALE

Classifieds
REAL ESTATE
ARTIST, MUSICIAN SPACE Studios available this spring in assorted sizes at 46 Barre Street (site of Monteverdi and Summit School). Reserve your space and become a part of the Montpelier areas center for the arts, learning and music. For details, call Paul Irons at 2232120 or 461-6222.

ENTERTAINMENT CENTER Solid cherry, 3-piece, wall-unit entertainment center, (holds up to a 42-inch TV). Intricate carving on all sides. New $5,000, asking $1,600. Excellent condition. Total height is 8 feet, 3 inches. See it at T&T Repeats, 116 Main Street, Montpelier, or call 224-1360. TWO BEAN BAG CHAIRS With zippered 100-percent cotton covers. Comfy and in good shape. $50 for both. Call 223-4865. FLATSCREEN TV & CD/DVD PLAYER HDMI atscreen TV and Memorex DVD/CD player. 19 inches. $120. Call 223-4865. BEHRINGER KEYBOARD Ultra-slim 25-key USB MIDI controller keyboard with internal audio interface, includes software and carrying case. Nearly new, used only once. $90. Call 223-4865.

Love Playing Piano

ages 4 to 104
|

loveplayingpiano.org

TAI CHI

SUMMER CLASS IN HWA YU STYLE TAI CHI Begins Monday, June 11, at 64 Main Street, Montpelier, third oor. No prior experience nec-

Moving to Burlington?
Consider Burlington Co-Housing a diverse multi-income, multi-generational community in a great location (near Centennial Woods, UVM, the hospital, and free downtown shuttle). The East Village Co-housing community values sustainability, and offers the privacy of your own home, extensive common space and many other activities. For info, see www.bcoho.org.

ESCAPE NEXT WINTER!

Mature, responsible couple looking to rent furnished home or apt with 2+ bdrms from Oct. 2012 thru Feb 2013, in Montpelier. Fly south and enjoy the winter while we take good care of your home. Contact Benjamin at slosheri@gmail.com.

Available: 3 bedroom, 1.5 bath townhouse, +1100 square feet

of living space, front porch, sunny back deck, and full basement: $314.900. For info about the unit, contact Don Schramm, 802-3992493 or Chet Bielawski, chetbie@aol.com.

Since 1972

Montpelier Notice

City of Montpelier

Repairs New floors and walls Crane work Decorative concrete Consulting ICF foundations
114 Three Mile Bridge Rd., Middlesex, VT (802) 229-0480 gendronbuilding@aol.com gendronconcrete.com

Notice of Availability of Statement of Activities for Public Review and Comment

The City of Montpelier is considering making an application to the United States Department of Rural Development for a Housing Preservation Grant. Grant funds would be used to fund the Citys home renovation loan program. The Statement of Activities for the project will be available for review by the public at the Department of Planning and Community Development Ofce on June 9, 2012. Any comments regarding this application should be delivered to the Planning and Community Development Ofce by June 25, 2012. For more information, please see our website: montpelier-vt.org.

Healthy Aging & Lifelong Learning

New classes include: Digital Photography, Floral Arranging, Intro to Pastels, Ballroom Dancing Ongoing classes include: Painting, Qi Gong, Spanish, Writing, Poetry, Latin, Aerodance, Line Dancing, Living Strong Exercise, Tap Dance, 9 dierent Yoga, Water Aerobics, Rug Hooking

at Montpelier Senior Activity Center Register Now for JulySept. Classes

On-site games/groups (free): Billiards, Bridge, Mah Jongg, Knitting. Off-site discounted activities: Swimming and Gym at First in Fitness, Bowling. Call, email or stop by to become a member if youre at least 50 (dues $10$40 depending on residency) and register for classes. See website for application, registration form with fees, class listings, full newsletter and calendar. montpelier-vt.org/msac, msac@montpelier-vt.org, 223-2518.

back Were moving treet! to 58 Barre S

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The Montpelier School Pages

These pages were paid for by the Montpelier Public Schools and compiled by Richard Sheir.

Thank You to Retiring Staff

Jon McDonaldUnion Elementary For me, it is hard to imagine teaching physical education to elementary students, applying structure and rules to unfettered energy. I would apply a physics analogy about harnessing the direction of energy if one came to mind. Jons job requires the patience of a saint; fortunately, its a trait he contains in abundance. He has worked wonders for years and years of Union students. Britt Nielsen and Nancy Thein Union Elementary Britt and Nancy teach ELL at Union Elementary. Year after year they are presented a veritable United Nations platter of languages without knowledge of many of them. Yet, year after year, they turn out students who become capable of learning in English. They made a movie about Anne Sullivan that won an Academy Award for Anne Bancroft for her portrayal from the Broadway play that won a Tony for Anne Bancroft as well. Britt and Nancy are not in Anne Sullivan territory, but their job is really tough to do. Alexis Murphy-EgriMain Street Middle School For a lesser person, being the choral teacher at Main Street Middle School could be the job from hell: the music teacher for students living in an age of beats and rhymes with scant melody. Alexis makes it work. She not only teaches melody, but, even more impressive, gets a group of kids at the age when they aggressively struggle to be individuals to actually see the value of harmonizing together. Thats no easy task. middle school successful for all and to prepare all for the rigors of the seventh/eighth experience. Nicks contribution has been the extra touch that makes Main Street less foreboding and less overwhelming and more human for our sixth-graders. The work of our instructional assistants isnt in the limelight as it should be. Nick and the others do a great jobjust ask any teacher. When asked, they go on and on about it. Karen SmerekaMontpelier High School I asked a Montpelier High School student how she would summarize Karen Smereka in one sentence. Her studied response was As a teacher . . . think a female Tom Sabo. I thought long and hard about whether Karen would find that to be a compliment. Tom has been Vermont Teacher of the Year and has long been a widely popular MHS teacher. I believe that students comparison is a high compliment and speaks volumes about the strength of MHSs science program to have had both on board as colleagues. scratch the schools student sports safety program, which is designed to prevent injuries before they happen. It is truly a thankless task coordinating a wide range of competitive athletic opportunities for an extremely small student body. Its a scheduling nightmare. Jody and David McGraw Montpelier High School I debated whether to do them together or separately. David is part of Montpelier High Schools excellent science department and Jody is part of the schools very strong math department. Their tribute is that students dont refer to them collectively, though everyone knows they are married. Each has a distinct teaching style apart from the other. Each is quite effective in his/her realm. They are a team, before and after school . . . and beyond. Jessica Littlesuperintendents office The superintendents office is divided into only six divisionscurriculum/instruction/assessment, business, facilities, information technology, food services, and support services. Jessica holds up support services, one-sixth of the districts administrative structure. Her powers and influence are vast and in the background. Her position is like the offensive lineman in football. If you dont hear her name called, thats probably a good thing. The staff at the three schools cant do their jobs effectively unless Jessica has set the groundwork for doing so. You dont hear a great deal of praise for Jessicas work because it is like clockwork that is taken for granted, which is high praise.

Neil RosenbladMontpelier High School Neils crown accomplishment is the creation and perpetuation of the Unified Sports Program, which has been in existence for over 15 years. It pairs disabled and nondisabled students in five athletic endeavorssoccer, bowling, basketball, snowshoeing and bocce. I would maintain, for a number of reasons, that the nondisabled actually benefit more from Unified Sports. Neils program changes lives and is not soon forgotten by both disabled and nondisabled participants. Allison Reillysuperintendents Nick FischerMain Street Middle office School Devin WendellMontpelier High Allison is an important component in the Nick is an instructional assistant in all three School districts business office. Her work makes the sixth-grade classes at Main Street Middle An athletic coordinator/trainer at Montpelife of her boss, Cynthia Rossi, far easier. AlSchool. His job is to make the transition to lier High School, Devin helped set up from lison handles the districts accounts receivable, the student activity accounts and insurance and benefits for the district, as well as the Peter EvansMontpelier High School dreaded other duties as assigned. I keep up n conjunction with the release of the movie Bully, I was invited to sit on a panel to discuss with the school board meetings, and it is a the issue. I was asked a direct question about bullying at Montpelier High School. The tribute to Allisons diligence that I cant ever fact that there was nothing to say on MHS bullying is a direct tribute to Peter Evans. Its not remember Cynthia stumbling on insurance the result of MHSs zero tolerance policy on bullying. The schools culture of mutual respect and benefitsthe linchpin of union negotiamakes bullying a nonissue at my school. The establishment of a culture of mutual respect tions with teachers, year after year. Cynthias begins in the principals office. Peter Evans has set high expectations for his students in terms preparation is due to Allisons diligence. of civility. Every day, collectively, we rise to meet those expectations, and, individually, we are the better for it. His retirement leaves large shoes to fill. Richard Sheir Gabe Sheir, Montpelier High School student council vice-president

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The Montpelier School Pages

These pages were paid for by the Montpelier Public Schools and compiled by Richard Sheir.

Congratulations, Class of 2012!

Gabriel Allen Skidmore College, environmental studies Kyle Anderson Andresen University of New Hampshire Samuel Angell workpermaculture
. . . In addition to the education and guidance I received from the wonderful teachers and staff, my time in the Montpelier school system has given me a strong sense of community through the schools connections to Montpelier. One of my fondest memories from elementary school is of Dairy Day. Every year our teachers would herd my whole grade (60 to 70 screaming kidsquite an accomplishment in and of itself) down to the State House lawn, where we would mingle, play games, such as the burlap sack race, and learn about cows. I remember Dairy Day so vividly because I learned from it; now I know how to milk a cow. This is a great example of what the MPS system does well: we get lots of opportunities to go into the community and learn. Weve taken class field trips to composting centers, and the IBM facilities, and, in about a week, the senior class will go to Waterbury to help in the cleaning efforts. Carl Vitzthum, valedictorian

Mary Cain Salve Regina University, marketing Marley Carlomagno Loyola New Orleans, vocal performance classical Dakota Cooke Castleton State College, music Michael Cossett work William Cox not available Joshua Crane University of Colorado, engineering Colby Cunningham University of Vermont, undeclared Matthew Dowling Siena College, physical therapy Corey Evans University of Vermont, biology Qiying Feng University of Vermont, education Jay Flanagan Colby Sawyer College, physical therapy Jessica Franklin National Guard Stasia Furber Wheaton College, undecided/psychology

Daegan Goodman St. Michaels College Chloe Gordon University of Delaware Jaye Grundy Gettysburg College, biochemistry Sara Grundy Wesleyan University, biology Ryan Harrington Johnson State College, journalism/political science Anna Hartman Mt. Holyoke Evan Hollar Vassar College Emily-Amber Holmes Lock Haven University, English/writing Brittney James full-time mother Jarred Julian automotive technical school Julian Kasow Columbia College of Chicago, film Zion Keck Michigan State University Briana LaPan work/college courses Grayson Lavigne work Joel Mensah Clarkson University, engineering Armin Milak University of Vermont, business Kyle Moriarty workGreen Mountain Self Advocates Jordan Mureta University of Vermont, undeclared Cyndric Mygatt work and CCV/MIT distance courses, environmental science/business Elizabeth Nye College of St. Joseph in Vermont Arlo Patterson Regis College, undeclared Kyle Pembroke St. Michaels College

Natalie Powell Cornell College (Iowa) Doryana Robins St. Michaels College Naomi Rodriguez work/college courses Benjamin Rose Penn State University, engineering Patrick Schlott Vermont Technical College Gabe Sheir gap yearKey Largo, Montego, to Kokomo
. . . For the past 12 years the Montpelier community has supported and nurtured my graduating class and for that I would like to say thank you. Our school is often praised for its high level of education, and we owe a lot of that to the community behind us. From the support shown at sporting events to taking a student under its wing for an internship, the community is always there. Whenever the strengths of Montpelier High School are discussed, one of the first ones mentioned is the support we get from our town. For the past 12 years we have been the benefactors of this amazing support, and for that we would like to say thank you. Joshua Crane, valedictorian

Valeshka Anlyan Hunter University of Vermont, early childhood education Walter Baldwin Castleton State Sky Baumgardner Sandoval Green Mountain College Andrew Becker Case Western Reserve University, chemistry Ashley Benedict not available Andrea Blanchet University of Vermont, education/social services Grace Brigham Endicott College, communications Rhye Brittenham San Francisco Art Institute, photography Andrew Brooks Johnson & Wales University, culinary arts

. . . I have lived in Montpelier and have attended the local schools here for my entire life, and it has been such an amazing experience. The inspiring people and supportive community make Montpelier a wonderful place to grow up. Throughout my school career all of my teachers have been able to challenge me intellectually while still making the material interesting, which is no easy feat. However, what really stands out about the staff in the Montpelier school district is their commitment to their students. On numerous occasions teachers have rearranged their schedules just to give me the additional help that I need, whether its asking last-minute questions on the morning before an exam, scheduling after-school review sessions or agreeing to meet with me during one of their planning periods. Without their determination to see me succeed, I know I would never have been able accomplish all that I did. Chloe Gordon, valedictorian

Jesse Smith work Morgan Southgate Hampshire College Alexander Storey Castleton State College Jessica Sweeney St. Michaels College, undeclared Amelia PanPan Thomas American University Lauren Tomasi Sacred Heart University, exercise science Aysha Tuthill Barre Technical Center Carl Vitzthum Colby College, biochemistry Ryan Wells gap year/work

PAG E 18 J U N E 720 , 2012

THE BRIDGE

Sponsored by: Century 21 Jack Associates, 223-6302

THE REAL ESTATE PAGES

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

integrated handsomely from field or quarried stone
call Padma 456.7474 ~ earthwiseharmonies.com

Inside Design
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Please check with your local lumber company, big-box store, kitchen design center, etc, and then come see us.
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by Alisa Darmstadt

ROCK SOLID GRANITE, LLC

Your kitchen countertop specialists
553 N. Main Street, Barre VT Call for an appointment: 454-8333

veryone who has too much room at home, raise your hand! Thats what I thoughtmost people have the opposite problem of not enough space. While feeling cramped at home is no fun, there are advantages to small-space living. There is less to clean and maintain, you are forced to reduce your belongings to the ones that matter most, and your home can be intimate and cozy. However, making a small space work, both functionally and aesthetically, requires some careful planning. There are some basic design principles that can help small spaces feel bigger. Most people think that darker wall colors make a space feel smaller, yet this is not necessarily true. Contrast makes a space feel smaller while continuous use of one color will make a space feel larger. The type of color matters as wellcool colors appear to recede, while warmer colors advance. Simpler patterns, less clutter, and well coordinated art and accessories will also enlarge a room. Light is a great friend in making spaces larger. Window coverings must be pulled off the glass in the day for maximum natural light. An interior window or set of transoms will help light flow from one space to another. Be sure each room has an adequate amount of artificial lights via fixtures and lamps. Finally, hang mirrors. They reflect light and bounce it around the room, especially when placed to catch natural light from a window. They can also serve as a faux window to bring light to far reaches of a room. While new upholstered seating tends to be wider, deeper and plusher than ever before, you can find small-scale sofas and chairs to suit your space. Avoid tall backs, huge rolled arms and piles of pillows for back cushions. Inquire about apartment-sized sofas, which are typically 6 to 8 inches smaller than regular sofas. Club, barrel and slipper chairs are all good choices in small spaces. Dining

chairs with upholstered seats and backs are useful tucked in a corner or at a desk; they can then be pulled up for gatherings. Instead of a coffee table, consider pairing two square tables. Upholstered ottomans serve as both foot rests and table tops. All of your occasional tables should provide some kind of storagedrawers, cupboards or a shelf for baskets. Ottomans and antique trunks are useful as tables; they can also store bedding, if the space doubles as a guest room, or paperwork, if a home office is nearby. Take advantage of vertical space by reaching shelving to the ceiling or ringing the room with a single, high bookshelf just below the ceiling. In bedrooms, select dressers that are taller rather than wider. Platform beds are excellent choices because of all their built-in storage. Forgo head- and footboards. Instead, create the effect of a headboard by accenting the wall with peel-and-stick wall decals, hanging drapes there or using framed art as a substitute. Or, if you have nice windows, use those as your headboard. A trunk or blanket chest at the foot of the bed provides storage and some definition to that space. A nightstand should offer storage opportunities just like the end tables in a living room. You can even use a small dresser or desk here and get extra use out of it. You may not have room for a chaise lounge, but how about one of those upholstered dining chairs? If you like a television in your bedroom, attach one to the wall to free up floor and dresser space (this is a great idea in living rooms, too). One useful piece of furniture anywhere in your home is a narrow sofa table. While these are typically placed behind sofas to hold lamps and other accessories, they can also be used as desks, serving buffets, hall tables and television stands. Placed behind a sofa in an open living space, they can serve many purposes from one spot. Tables with leaves are invaluable furniture purchases as well. Secretary desks (where the front folds down) are great clutter hiders as well as extra serving surfaces for parties. We all dream of more space, where we can spread out. But living in a small space forces us to simplify, organize and be clever. And there are advantages to thatwe can free up time and energy for other pursuits. So, sort your belongings down to what you really need, decorate smart and control clutter. Who knows? You may find you like living large in a small space. Alisa Darmstadt is an interior decorator and the owner of At Home Designs. She works out of her home in Middlesex and can be reached at 223-2900 or athomedesignsvt.com. She welcomes questions, suggestions and service inquiries.

Andy Plante (802) 223-5409

1991 Ward Brook Rd Montpelier, VT 05602

Design Installation Maintenance Stone Walls Walks Patios Veneer Sheds/Barns Fencing Lattice

Transplanting Pruning Hedges Trees Shrubs Perennials Vegetable Gardens Lawns

IRONWOOD LANDSCAPE

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THE REAL ESTATE PAGES

Sponsored by: Century 21 Jack Associates, 223-6302

Cascading Waterfall
Massive stone grist-mill. Comfortable, charming Marsheld historic river home is spacious and well cared for with hardwood oors and natural woodwork. Sunroom, beautiful perennials, end of road . . . $174,900. Marlene at McCarty Real Estate, 229-9479.

INVEST-igate This One!

3-Bedroom, 2-Bath
960 sq ft house built in 2002. Purchase, rent, and rent-toown options available for qualied candidates. Take a virtual tour at exactbuilt.com/apt.htm. 899-1147.

Charming Old Cape

3 blocks from State House; acre of land, backs up on hundreds of acres of undevelopable forest. 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, huge kitchen. Open house Saturday, June 16, 11 a.m.2 p.m. $279,000. 279-5816.

Mixed-use building in the Central Business I zoning district in downtown Montpelier. 3 residential apartments and one oce/retail storefront. Great natural light and mostly exposed wood ooring. $269,000. Lori Pinard, Century 21 Jack Associates, 223-6302, ext. 326.

Montpelier 3-Bedroom
$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.

FREE Real Estate Listing!

For all for-sale-by-owner properties. Includes a photo.
LAST CHANCE for this special offer! Contact Carl, 223-5112 or ccampbell@montpelierbridge.com
Spacious Stone Home
Three-bedroom, one-level living on 3.4 acres in East Montpelier . . . Location . . . LOCATION! Master bedroom with walk-out and bath, replaces. BB hot water heat. Quality. In-ground pool, wonderful meadow with VIEWS! $325,000. Marlene at McCarty Real Estate, 229-9479.

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.

A Million-Dollar View
For only $199,500! 2-BR 1.75-ba upstairs at condo at Murray Hill. Bright, open layout. Hardwood ooring. Fireplace. Covered deck. Garage plus storage room. Assn tennis courts and pool. Immediate occupancy! Lori Pinard, Century 21 Jack Associates, 223-6302, ext. 326.

Clean-out and truck for hire. Call T&T Repeats at 224-1360.

NEW CONSTRUCTION RENOVATIONS WOODWORKING GENERAL CONTRACTING

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PAG E 20 J U N E 720 , 2012

THE BRIDGE

THE GOOD NEWS: We have the best Maple Creemees! THE BAD NEWS: Summers short! Summers
Try our unique Maple Creemee frozen pies . . . only $8.35 Bulk Dark Maple Syrup: Bring your own container, $4.50/lb Everything else Maple for Central Vermont folks or your out-of-state guests. Shop Local at Morse Farm!
1168 County Road, Montpelier morsefarm.com 802-223-2740 NEW Summer Hours! 8 am8 pm, seven days a week ,

200 Years of Maple Experience

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Editorial
Bridge to Host Smart Meter Debate

Letters
Help Fight Invasive Plants To the Editor: I am in seventh grade at Main Street Middle School, and I am studying Japanese knotweed and Japanese barberry in science class. Knotweed is identified as a large perennial with tall, bamboo-like stems and heart-shaped leaves. Barberry is a spiny, redberried shrub. Both knotweed and barberry can spread anywhere and can take over the plants that we enjoy. They take over other plants because they are so powerful. They grab the soil from other plants and destroy them by growing in their space. They are found on flat land and by rivers. We can remove barberry when it is raining. We can pull it up, then throw it in the trash. But do not throw it back on the ground or in the river. We want to remove it because there are more ticks around this plant than around other plants. The ticks spread Lyme disease, which can be dangerous. We can remove knotweed by stomping on it a lot and by using weed killer. Remember to put it in the trash so it does not spread. I hope you will all help find these invasive plants. When you do, please help the environment by getting rid of them. Thank you so much for reading this. Brooke MacDonald-Powden, Montpelier Groundwater Management Guidebook Available To the Editor: In recent years, The Bridge has covered groundwater issues, in particular a couple of different proposals to commercially withdraw and bottle water from a spring in East Montpelier. There is now a guidebook available to help Vermont towns understand the options they have for managing and protecting their groundwater. The book, Municipal Planning for Groundwater Protection: Act 199 and Local Options for Groundwater Management, is free and can be quickly downloaded from the VNRC website, vnrc.org. (Click on the link on the lefthand side of the page.) The easy-to-digest, 25-page guide, written for the layperson, summarizes what the 2008 groundwater law, Act 199, means to municipalities and, therefore, to Vermonters. Among other things, it outlines several new ways that municipalities may protect groundwater and offers draft groundwatermanagement language for town plans and bylaws. We hope this guide is helpful. Jake Brown, government affairs and communications director, Vermont Natural Resources Council

ecently, two Green Mountain Power (GMP) officials who are promoting so-called smart meters and two citizens with concerns about possible health and safety impacts of these devices met for a discussion in The Bridge office. Dorothy Schnure and Joanne Heidikamp represented GMP. Raising concerns about health and safety issues were Janet Newton, head of the EMR Policy Institute, and Ray Pealer, a Calais resident who has protested the use of wireless technology in the Calais Elementary School. Toward the end of the meeting, I put this question to the discussion participants: Based on your knowledge and understanding of the health and safety issues, would you say that installing smart meters in Montpelier is responsible? Schnure and Heidikamp said that, in their judgment, the installation of smart meters was responsible. Newton and Pealer said that, in their judgment, the installation of smart meters was not responsible. Clearly, there is a wide range of perspectives on the advisability of installing smart meters in Montpelier. According GMP, installation of smart meters in Montpelier is currently going forward and they expect completion in two or three months. Because of the controversy, The Bridge is sponsoring a public discussion about smart meters. This discussion will include two representatives from Green Mountain Power and two representatives with health and safety concerns about smart meters. Allen Gilbert from the Vermont American Civil Liberties Union will talk about smart meters and personal security issues. The smart meter discussion is set for Wednesday, June 13, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in the Hayes Room, Kellogg-Hubbard Library in Montpelier. In this issue, we are publishing three commentaries about smart meters as part of our opinion pages. We invite you to read these opinions, printed on pages 22 and 23. For further information about smart meters from GMP, including information about opting out of smart-meter installation, visit greenmountainpower.com. For further information from the EMR Policy Institute, visit emrpolicy.org.

A Berlin Pond Alert

s many people know already, a recent Vermont Supreme Court decision has had the effect of opening up Berlin Pond to a range of new recreational uses. Because Berlin Pond is the water supply for the entire City of Montpelier, it has traditionally enjoyed special protections. Now, however, in the wake of the courts decision, it appears that these protections no longer exist. Now, distressingly, The Bridge has received a recent report from people who live near Berlin Pond and who have observed a number of troubling circumstances since the decision was announced. According to the report: Wildlife including many species of birds (bald eagles, loons and Canada geese) have had their habitat severely disturbed in the relatively short period of time since the Supreme Court decision came down. After only a first weekend of new uses, the water quality of Berlin Pond has already been compromised from trash that includes soiled baby diapers and food wrappers. The report claims that trash in the pond [exceeds] the sum of trash on Berlin Pond over the past eight years. According to the report, in addition to the trash, people have been seen blatantly urinating from both boats and from shore into the pond. And there have been illegal combustion engines on the pond, which spill petroleum into the water. The report cites the value of Berlin Pond as a nature preserve. Berlin Pond has been untouched for over 100 years. During this time many fragile and difficut-to-find species have flourished in this safe habitat. The pond draws hundreds of birders each year from all over New England who are afforded a chance to witness some of the species here. These circumstances should be of interest to anyone who values the pond as a pristine recreational resource and to anyone who cares about the purity of Montpelier water supplies. [Editors note: See page 9 for a report on a recent city council meeting on this issue.]

Host Chinese Students for Two Weeks

his summer our local communities will be visited by a group of ninth-grade students from China, here on a language and cultural exchange. These students will be housed in pairs with area families. They will spend daytime hours at Montpelier High School, along with a group of our local students, and evenings and weekends with their host families. This will be the second of these exchanges coordinated locally by Community Connections; last summers host families reported it to be an incredible experience! Host families are kept connected by a daily e-mail update announcing optional gatherings for evening and weekend activities such as Mountaineers games, musical events and potlucks. The dates for this summers visit are June 27 to July 9. If you are interested in learning more about being a host family, please contact Bill Merrylees at Community Connections, 223-3456 or bmerrylees@u32.org.

One-Night-Only Circus Presentation

Using Seat Belts and Highway Safety

his word from the Governors Highway Safety Program: In the first five months of 2012, Vermont roadway deaths, at 30, are running higher than for the same period in 2011. Vermont highway safety officials are reporting an unusually high number of persons who have been recently killed in crashes who were not wearing a seat belt. Vermont Public Safety Commissioner Keith Flynn estimates than more than 90,000 motorists each day in Vermont are driving without a seat belt. Hes convinced that using seat belts saves lives, and in a recent press release he made this comment: The single most important action you can take when you get into your car or truck is to take a few seconds and click on your seat belt.

Volunteer Opportunities

isa Osbahr from the American Cancer Society is putting out a call for volunteers to support the June 22 to June 23 overnight Central Vermont Relay for Life. To volunteer please call the American Cancer Society Volunteer Committee at 496HOPE or e-mail centralrermontrfl@gmail.com. Montpelier Alive is seeking volunteer help for the citys annual July 3 Independence Day celebration. To volunteer, visit montpelieralive.org or contact executive director Phayvanh Leukhamhan at 223-9604 or director@montpelieralive.org.

he versatile Rob Mermincircus master, clown and founder of the international youth performing and touring company Circus Smirkus, pictured above outside the first Smirkus tent in 1987will appear in a one-night-only presentation, Circle of Sawdust, at Lost Nation Theater in Montpelier on Wednesday, June 20, at 7:30 p.m. The presentation will include Circus Tales of Mud, Myth, Magic & Mayhem, as told though personal anecdotes and film clips on circus history. Mermin ran off to join the circus as a teen in the 1960s. Over the next 40 years Mermins circus adventures took him clowning with tent shows in Wales, mule wrangling in Lapland, riding with the Magyars in the Hungarian State Cirkusz and, for three years, appearing with the famous Benneweis Circus Building in Copenhagen and entertaining royalty in circus palaces of Europe and Russia. Mermins appearance will feature the first public launching of his new coffee-tablesize, 180-page book, written with Rob Gurwitt. The new book, with full-color photographs, is titled Circus Smirkus: 25 Years of Running Home to the Circus. Mermin will sign copies of the book after the show.

PAG E 2 2 J U N E 720 , 2012

THE BRIDGE

Smart Grid Panel Gets Lots of Questions, Has Few Answers

by William Boardman

enerally supporting the installation of smart meters in every Vermont home and business, a five-person panel in Woodstock recently offered a variety of vague reassurances that implementing the so-called smart grid would be a good thing for everyone. But when an audience of about 30 people questioned the panel about security, privacy, cost and threats to human and nonhuman health, the panel had little to offer. Kevin Jones, leader of the smart-grid project at Vermont Law School, started the evening by describing how the smart grid could lead to his vision of an energy-efficient future, in which we all drive electric cars and use much less fossil-fuel energy. He touched briefly on cost savings and data security in the new system but skipped past health issues without expressing an opinion. Jones acknowledged that people are concerned by the possible impact of increased and cumulative exposure to the electromagnetic radiation (EMR) emitted by smart meters with unknown effects on human DNA, the human nervous system or cancer production. He said the best way to deal with such concerns was to opt out of having a smart

meter in your home or business. State Senator Dick McCormack (D-Windsor) reinforced the opt-out option, directing attention to the recently enacted legislation that requires utilities to provide customers with written notice prior to installation; allows a customer to choose not to have a smart meter installed, with no cost to the customer; and allows customers who already have smart meters to have the utility remove them, at no cost to the customer. CVPS meter engineer Rick Hackett also spoke hopefully of future benefits of the smart-grid system that CVPS expects to have installed statewide by the end of 2012. He noted that the company is currently giving customers 45 days notice before installation, while offering reassurance that the privacy of personal data is protected by law and that security of the system would be very tight. He downplayed health concerns, saying that smart meters gave off less EMR than cellphones. Although Hackett acknowledged that fiber optic cable was his companys first choice for connecting smart-grid substations

Opinions

to the main data center, he suggested that wireless connections to the smart meters was more cost effective and that he was not aware of any smart meters that communicate with fiber. (The Vermont Electric Cooperative (VEC) is aggressively collaborating with telecommunications providers to replace that communications medium with fiber optic lines, according to its CEO, David Hallquist, in a letter in January 2011.) Attorney James Porter of the Vermont Public Service Board, which is charged with regulating electric utilities to serve the public interest at a profit, suggested the smart grid would be good for Vermont and would allow customers to take charge. He referred to a Vermont Department of Health study relating to smart meters and noted that the health agency found everything to be within federal standards. In response to a question from the audience, he acknowledged that those standards have not been updated since 1986 but added that the standards are reviewed periodically and the feds have seen no need to change them.

He also acknowledged that the 1986 standards are concerned only with thermal effects of EMR, the most familiar form of which is microwave cooking. The federal standards do not assess cellular electric charges, DNA impact, brain tumors or any other impact besides thermal. Addressing that point, McCormack acknowledged the limited value of current science relating to smart meters and EMR, saying, What we got was not persuasive. That was why, he noted, the legislature did not ban smart meters. The legislature did, however, require the health department to submit an updated version of its original report by January 15, 2013. Near the end of the meeting, Hackett underscored the uncertainty of the benefits of smart meters. He explained that significant savings will only show up if people accept smart meters, learn the technology and adapt their behavior to take advantage of it. Sustainable Woodstock, a local nonprofit organization, sponsored the two-hour forum, which ended before all the audience questions could be asked. Local news media did not cover this event, but WCTV8, the local community TV channel, plans to broadcast the full forum in the near future.

Smart Grid: A Better Energy Future for Vermont

by Dorothy Schnure

ver the next few months, Green Mountain Power (GMP) will be installing new advanced meters on homes and businesses in the Montpelier area. These meters are just one facet of an exciting system upgrade that will allow for the reduction of greenhouse-gas emissions and incorporation of more local renewable sources of electricity. Well also be able to identify problems sooner and respond faster. The result is better reliability for our customers, with new opportunities for managing costs. Why are we doing this? The electric grid as it exists today is an engineering marvel that powers the economy and enables many of the comforts and conveniences of modern life. Its 99.97 percent reliable and very efficient. But people are demanding more and more from the grid every dayplugging in an increasing number of computers, highdefinition TVs, cellphones, and electric cars. To keep up with demand and prepare for the future, most of Vermonts electric utilities are installing technologies that will keep the grid operating more intelligently and efficiently than ever. The upgrades include the installation of new sensors and controls. This will keep the GMP control room continuously informed about equipment malfunctions, changes in demand, and problems caused by storms, animals or falling tree limbs. Were already using this information to keep little problems from turning into big ones, and when the upgrades are complete we expect the number and duration of power outages to decrease. In addition to the upgrades to our transmission lines and substations, we are installing new advanced meters throughout our service area. The new meters are the same size as your current meter and will be placed in the same location. These new meters have the ability to alert us immediately if your power goes out, so we can start to make repairs even if youre not home to report the problem to us. Eventually, your meter will let you to see how much electricity your home uses on a daily, or even hourly, basis. If you want to, you will be able to use this information to make changes that reduce your carbon footprint and save you money. In the future, Green Mountain Power may

have rates that reward you for running your dryer or dishwasher at times when demand on the system is lower. Concerns have been raised recently about radio frequency (RF) output from the new meters. The scientific community, including health experts at the state, national and international level, has found that there is no scientific basis for health concerns. Peerreviewed studies conducted by a wide variety of experts show that the RF from smart meters is a tiny fraction of the RF emitted from Wi-Fi routers, baby monitors, cellphones and many other widely used devises. Typically, the meters will transmit every six hours for a few seconds at a time. Because these new meters enable customers and utilities to reduce the use of fossil fuels at hours of peak demand, they are part of a system that will help to make the world healthier for everyone. Weve also been asked how well use the

information collected by the new meters. Protecting customer information has always been central to our operations, and we will continue to treat your information in a confidential manner. Smart meters will simply tell us whether you are using power and how much you are using. We wont know what you are using it for, control how you use it or sell your information to anyone. The information will only be used to inform how we operate the grid, bill you for service, and help Efficiency Vermont provide energy efficiency services to you. The cost of implementing these upgrades is not expected to have a noticeable effect on our rates. Over the first five years, cumulative rate increases related to the project are expected to total less than 1 percent. Due to operation and maintenance savings made possible by the upgrades, over the life of the project we expect our rates to be lower than they otherwise would have been.

Smart grid upgrades have been implemented across the United States, with more than 30 million new meters installed so far. The upgrades have already proven their worth, as utilities around the country are reporting that after the unusually heavy storms of the past year theyve been able to restore power to customers faster than they would have been otherwise. Customers are also reporting satisfaction at having information that allows them to reduce their carbon footprint and take advantage of lower rates at off peak hours. When GMPs upgrades are fully implemented, well be sharing similar success stories here in Vermont. You can find more information at greenmountainpower.com. Dorothy Schnure is corporate communications manager for Green Mountain Power.

Why Opt Out of a Wireless Smart Meter?

by Janet Newton

reen Mountain Power, Central Vermont Public Service and Burlington Electric Department are now deploying wireless smart meters around the state. However, it seems many of their customers are still unaware of what they are and why there is so much controversy. Smart meters are a new type of electric meter that closely track energy usage. Most of Vermonts utilities chose a wireless mesh option. These wireless meters send usage data from one meter to another, down the street, until they reach one of the collectors located in each neighborhood. What few realize is that wireless meters emit levels of radio frequency (RF) radiation that concern many independent scientists. They warn that long-term exposure to these kinds of electromagnetic fields increases the risk of serious short- and long-term health issues. Recently the American Academy of Environmental Medicine released a position paper calling for immediate caution for wire-

less-meter installations. The paper states, More independent research is needed to assess the safety of smart meter technology, as patients are reporting to physicians the development of symptoms and adverse health effects after smart meters are installed on their homes. Immediate action is necessary to protect the publics health. In areas where wireless meters have already been deployed, thousands of health complaints have been reported, with symptoms including migraines, ringing in the ears, heart and circulatory issues, difficulty sleeping, depression and memory loss. Utilities downplay the RF levels emitted from wireless meters. Current advertising campaigns compare wireless meters to cellphones and other household devices, asserting that the meters emit much less radiation than what we are already exposed to on an everyday basis. Independent expert Daniel Hirsh, professor of nuclear policy at the University of California, Santa Cruz, examined the evidence and determined that, on the contrary, wireless meters emit 50 times more whole-

body RF exposure than a cellphone. The Vermont Department of Health has also misinformed the public about wireless smart-meter RF emissions. William Irwin, chief of radiological services, has stated that wireless meters only send a signal a couple times per day. However, his statementseemingly in defense of the industry he is charged with regulatingignores that meters operating in a mesh network are constantly chattering. In fact, wireless meter designers have acknowledged that their meters can transmit RF over 13,000 times per day. Measurements taken by independent investigators have shown that wireless meters, even as far as 30 feet away, can emit RF levels comparable to having a cellphone tower nearby. Studies on populations that live near cell towers consistently show an increased risk of cancer and neurological illnesses. Utilities have repeatedly claimed that the meters comply with Federal Comunications Commision (FCC) requirements. But the FCC guidelines were adopted in 1996, based see NEWTON, page 23

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J U N E 72 0 , 2 012 PAG E 2 3

Getting to Yes Through No

by Josh Schlossberg, Ben Graham and Jennifer Steckler

e all want a better world. Whether your concern is jobs and the economy, clean air and water, health care, or climate change, most Vermonters (and Americans) will probably admit theres room for improvement out there. So how do we make sure were doing all we can to create the kind of world wed like to live in? Many of us working for changewhether we consider ourselves volunteers, activists, professionals, or just concerned citizenstend to choose one of two general approaches: either were for something or were against something. Pro versus anti. Yes versus no. The pros, or yeses, are individuals trying to model the changes they want to see in the world by living them in their own lives, doing their best to set an example for others. They are willing to go out on a limb and experiment with their own ways of life, even if it means doing without certain conveniences and luxuries. Some yeses might include those doing permaculture or many in the Transition movement. Unjustly called nave or unrealistic by some, the yeses instead are made up of many of societies visionaries and trailblazers. While the yeses incubate the positive solutions for the future, sometimes these

folks will not directly challenge the current systems they want to replacesome of which may be actively preventing their own new models from taking root. On the other end of the spectrum, the antis, or nos, are exceptional at pointing out the problems with our current failed systems and skillful at dissecting the specific aspects that are unworkable and simply must go. These folks possess the rare courage to speak truth to power and to take sometimes unpopular stands to honestly confront often overlooked issues. The nos tend to make up the majority, though not all, of the protest movements. While nos are sometimes unfairly labeled complainers or naysayers, in reality they are often patriots and heroes, with the guts to engage in the conflicts that are often unavoidable when confronting those wielding power and influence. However, it can often be the case that the antis tend not to focus as much on the on-theground solutions that might take the place of the systems they wish to dismantle. So which side is better? Pro or anti? Yes or no? In our opinion, neither of these perspectives are wrong. Both approaches are essential catalysts for a shift in our culture

Opinions

and society. Yet each alone is incomplete. Unless they operate in unison, they can be self-defeating. So how do we unite the yeses and the nos into a powerful and productive movement for positive change? How do we get to yes through no? Thats exactly what Transition Town Montpeliers fourth annual Village-building Convergence (VbC)June 20 to 24 in Montpelier and Brookfieldis all about. Lets join together to say no to economic collapse, climate change, naturalresource depletion and fossil-fuel dependence and yes to local economies (food, building, arts), community-scale renewable energy, conservation and efficiency, and a new way of life. Visit vbc-vt.org for schedule and information. Kicking off this years VbC is our keynote speaker, James Howard Kunstlernationally renowned author of the peak oil classic The Long Emergency, novelist and social commentator. Kunstlers talk will cover the convergence of resource scarcity with financial disorder and how these conditions will compel us to reorganize life differently in the U.S.in particular: more local, smaller scale, with agriculture closer to the center of economic activity.

The next day we will take time to decompress and connect with a Summer Celebration at All Together Now in East Montpelier, including a potluck, music, dancing and bonfire. From June 22 to 24 Transition Town will join with Occupy Vermont organizers to hold the Village Gathering, a weekend of workshops, skill-shares, discussions, networking and celebration at Twin Pond Retreat in Brookfield. Saturday workshops will have a sustainability focus, including creating edible forest gardens, beekeeping, root cellaring and natural building. Sunday workshops will be interspersed with workshops relevant to the Occupy movement, such as teach-ins on economic injustice and grassroots organizing, including a discussion on finding the overlap between the Occupy and Transition movements. Its not enough to plant a garden in your backyard. Its also not enough to march in the streets waving signs. Genuine and lasting change requires both pointing out whats wrong and then creating a model of the changes wed like to see in the world. We hope you will join us at this years Villagebuilding Convergence and join with us on the path to yes through no. Josh Schlossberg, Ben Graham and Jennifer Steckler are organizers of the Village-building Convergence.

Derailing the Vaccine Machine

by Charlotte Gilruth
I want to sell drugs to everyone. I want to sell drugs to healthy people. I want drugs to sell like chewing gum. Henry Gadsen, former Merck CEO profitable on the planet through a relentless marketing plan that has convinced Americans to consume about 50 percent of global prescription-drug sales, though the U.S. population is less than 5 percent of that of the world. The overarching strategy is to identify, even invent, illnesses and broaden their diagnoses; create a high level of apprehension in the public about these ailments through public health announcements, testimonials by physicians and patients, and direct advertising and educational programs; and then roll out specific drugs as solutions. Conditions that have been positioned in this way include depression, menopause, cholesterol and blood-pressure levels, irritable bowel syndrome, and social anxiety disorder. Millions of newly classified patients are medicated on risky drugs, a significant number experiencing grave side effects much worse than their original symptoms. Makers of drugs like Crestor, Paxil, Premarin, Vioxx, wireless smart meters illegal within their jurisdictions. All the while, utilities have steadfastly denied any connection between the installation of wireless meters and the hundreds and hundreds of health complaints that arise as soon as installations take place. Many scientists and academics have written to government agencies in charge of the decision to deploy wireless smart meters to alert them of the possible dangers in such a widespread public exposure to RF, urging commissions in charge of overseeing utilities to exercise more precaution. Utilities and regulators may sound reassuring, but many experts in the field are not so sure wireless smart meters are good for you. The good news is that the Vermont legislature and the Public Service Board have required utilities to allow customers who may share these concerns to opt out of the wireless smart-meter installation programs and to do so for free. We encourage you to inform yourself and make your own smart meter decision. Janet Newton is president of the EMR Policy Institute. and Lotronex have strongly resisted efforts to ban the medications, going so far as to cover up evidence of their dangers. Every major pharmaceutical company has recently been convicted of fraud, making it difficult to trust their products. Vaccine companies follow the same general blueprint. In Mercks marketing of Gardasil, their vaccine against HPV (human papilloma virus), Merck promoted school-entry mandate legislation by serving as an information resource, lobbying legislators, drafting legislation, mobilizing female legislators and physician organizations, conducting consumer marketing campaigns, and filling gaps in access to the vaccine. Legislators relied heavily on Merck for scientific information, according to a May 2012 American Journal of Public Health article. State-mandated vaccine programs for entry to daycare and school are guaranteed profitmakers for pharmaceutical companies whose profits are eroding as generic versions replace their now off-patent blockbuster drugs. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the Federal Drug Administration work hand-inglove with the vaccine industry to promote vaccines and fast-track their approval. The CDC spends $300 billion yearly on vaccine promotion, and only $20 million on testing vaccine safety, though numerous risks are listed on package inserts. Epidemics were never on the average Vermonters radar before the beginning of this year, yet suddenly the media was full of alarmist messages about our states low immunization rates threatening a return of epidemics like polio and measles. A false dichotomy was delineated between public health through higher immunization rates and parents rights to informed consent for medical procedures. The argument was that the unvaccinated endanger the rest of the herd by allowing an unprotected entry point of infectious microbes into the population. In fact, Vermonts immunization rates are not low. For the epidemic diseases of most concernmeasles, polio, whooping coughthere is about a 98 percent vaccination rate, from statistics posted on the Vermont Department of Healths own website. Representative Duncan Kilmartin (R/ D-Newport) told me he believed the low vaccine rates were just a scam by pharmaceutical companies. As for herd immunity, since 75 percent of the population is adults, most of whom are not current with their vaccines, we have never had vaccine-induced herd immunity! Still, we are not overrun by epidemics, besides cyclic outbreaks of pertussis (whooping cough), which is endemic even among mostly vaccinated populations. Unvaccinated children cant be blamed for pertussis outbreaks, CDC spokesman Jeff Dimond says: The numbers dont support that argument. Theres no cause and effect relationship there. A pattern identical to Vermonts has emerged in other states with philosophical exemptions: fear-based campaigns about the supposed threat to public health of unvaccinated children, and lobbying in legislatures to restrict or abolish exemptions. Washington State has already had limitations placed on its exemption, while the California legislature will probably soon pass a similar law. Outraged and determined Vermont parents have successfully blocked this steamroller, which was all too reminiscent of the hysteria campaign preceding the 2009 H1N1 pandemic that never was, when all citizens were admonished to, Just get the damn shot! This strategy does not fly well in Vermont, which was voted No. 1 healthiest state in 2010 and 2011: far from being a hotbed for an imminent onslaught of infection, our state has already achieved stellar public health. Charlotte Gilruth has been a board-certified homeopath since 1994. She has questioned vaccine safety since she was pregnant with her first child in 1976. She opposed S.199 as a member of the Vermont Coalition for Vaccine Choice. Sources include Selling Sickness: How the Worlds Biggest Pharmaceutical Companies Are Turning Us All into Patients; USA Today; the Associated Press; ageofautism.com; safeminds.org; the Nations Health.

ermonters who believe in parents right to choose or refuse vaccination for their children were blind-sided when they learned at the beginning of this year that a bill, S.199, had been proposed in the Senate to eliminate the philosophical exemption to vaccines. Though parents and advocates survived a three-month journey through the legislative process with exemption rights intact, we now understand that the whole process was business as usual for the pharmaceutical industry in general and vaccine companies in particular. Pharmaceutical corporationsworth $500 billion altogetherbecame the most

NEWTON, from page 22

on research published prior to 1986. The research studies used continuous-wave RF, not the kind of modern pulsed radiation that is emitted from smart meters. FCC guidelines are thermally based; they protect you only against short-term overheating or shock. Claiming that radiation levels fall within FCC guidelines says nothing about safety from the risk of long-term exposure. The public is most concerned about increased risk of cancer, miscarriage, birth defects, semen quality, autoimmune diseases, etc. In May 2011, the World Health Organizations International Agency for Research on Cancer classified all RF radiation as a Group 2B possible human carcinogen, in the same category as lead paint, exhaust fumes, and DDT. Wireless smart meters are reported to interfere with household electrical appliances, medical devices (such as pacemakers and insulin pumps) and home-security systems, causing them to malfunction. Because of all of this, over 50 California municipalities have taken action that make

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