Bar res F i r st I n habit ant s Page 13

July 20August 2, 2017

Before Barre Was Barre

Photo by Rick McMahan

IN THIS ISSUE: Early Barre:

Pg. 4 Sandy Pitonyak
Leaves City Hall
Welcome to Wildersburgh, Vermont by Carla Occaso

WILDERSBURGH (BARRE) The story of early settlers evokes
Pg. 10 Country Store images of a grand frontier adventure and hardscrabble gumption.
First named Wildersburgh, land that is now Barre was granted
Owners Need Help in 1780 to William Williams a signer of the Declaration of
Independence and 60 other men. Most of those men lived in other
states and would never see an inch of the 19,900 acres of land. But
Pg. 12 The Mystique of one by one, various people traveled in family groups to the untamed
Our Cemetaries land to form a settlement.
This area of primeval forests, granite hills and green valleys was not
inhabited except by roving bands of Indians until 1788, said historian
Pg. 15 Poet Wayne Burke Carroll Fenwick, Jr. in an address given at the location of the first
frame house to be built in Barre (on Richardson Road).
The Bridge spent some time in the Vermont History Center and the
vault at the Barre city clerks office to piece together a story on the first
CAR-RT SORT
through Vermont, thereby introducing him to his future home. But
soon after marriage, children came along and the Gouldsburys stayed
in Massachusetts.
The Gouldsburys had nine children before they bushwhacked up
to their wilderness homestead. John and Rebeckah had moved from
Massachusetts to Hartland, Vermont, to stay with Gouldsburys
mother and other relatives before heading into the great unknown.
Gouldsbury and family then made the big move to Wildersburgh in
1788. The children would have ranged in age from 11 to 28, so it is
possible at least a couple of spouses, even babies, joined the group.
How they got there, whether on foot or horseback is not known,
but according to William J. Wilgus in his Transportation in the
Development of Vermont, travel in this area was rough. Wind,
current and the tides, domestic animals and man himself were the

Permit NO. 123

Montpelier, VT

settlers before Barre was Barre. only means by which persons and property were moved from place
PRSRT STD

U.S. Postage
PAID

One of the original men to lay claim to a land parcel was John to place.
Gouldsbury, originally from Massachusetts. Evidence of Gouldsburys According to an entry in The Gazetteer, a historic collection of
family and descendents abound in land records, town meeting documents collated and published by Abby Maria Hemenway, The
notes, diaries, letters, bibles, newspaper stories and military records settlers traveled by marked trees, carried corn on their backs, or, more
so a glimpse into their life is accessible. Diving into their story gives an frequently drove an ox with a bag of grain balanced across his neck...
idea of what life may have been like for settlers in general. Several maps of New England are kept in the History Center making
Gouldsbury had married records of the routes used
Rebeckah Hastings in by Native Americans and
Massachusetts in 1759. European military.
This was the same year Conveyances at that time
Gouldsbury was also an would include, drag
active soldier in the French stoneboat sledge, cart
and Indian War, fighting on wooden disks called
under British Major wheels, raft, dugout and
General James Wolfe in the canoe. And, in one of
Montpelier, VT 05601

Battle of Quebec. Several these manners, the family

records of Gouldsburys traveled on pathways and
military service survive. unruly streams, according
P.O. Box 1143

This service may have to Wilgus.

The Bridge

caused him to travel from

Massachusetts to Quebec FIRST FAMILY Descendents of John and Rebeckah Gouldsbury commemorate the Continued on Page 14
spot of their family home on Richardson Road in 1969. Photo from the Times Argus.

We're online! montpelierbridge.com or vtbridge.com

PAG E 2 J U LY 2 0 AU G U S T 2 , 2 017 THE BRIDGE
T H E B R I D G E J U LY 2 0 AU G U S T 2 , 2 017 PAG E 3

HEARD ON THE STREET

Program to Enhance Police and Youth Relations
MONTPELIER In partnership with the Dairy Crme
and Norwich University, the Montpelier Police Department
is pleased to announce a new community relations program.
This program is designed to enhance community safety and the
relationship between MPD officers and the youth population in
the City of Montpelier. Officers will be on patrol this summer
looking for kids practicing safe habits. This also includes just
being good citizens willing to lend a hand to others.
The department is encouraging kids to be safe by doing some
of the following: wear their seatbelts, wear their bicycle helmets,
cross in the crosswalks or sometimes just doing good deeds. If
you are caught, you will be rewarded with a free ice cream cone
token redeemable at the Dairy Crme, and a Caught You! card
printed by Norwich University.
The Montpelier Police Department would like to thank the
Dairy Crme and Norwich University for their generous support
of this program. Without their support, this program would not
be possible.
The Montpelier Police Department would like to wish you all a
safe and enjoyable summer.
Guy Rouelle joins DuBois & King as a Senior
Airport Planner
RANDOLPH DuBois & King consulting engineers
announce that Guy Rouelle has joined the firms Airport
Engineering group. Mr. Rouelle has 33 years of aviation
experience and previously served as director of the Vermont
Agency of Transportation Aviation Program, managing the 10
state airports. He is a master flight instructor, served in the U.S.
Army Aviation and the U.S. Air Force and is a Department of
Defense Air Traffic Control Examiner. He lives in East Calais
and works out of the firms Randolph headquarters.
Founded in 1962, DuBois & King provides multidiscipline
engineering services from offices in Randolph, South Burlington,
Brandon and Springfield, Vermont and Bedford and Laconia,
New Hampshire.
Duo Caught On Camera Vandalizing And Stealing
MARSHFIELD Police report that on the nights of May
21 and 30, two young men committed vandalism and theft on
School Street. Dylan Holmes-Sanborn, 18, from Marshfield
and an unnamed 16-year-old from Cabot were charged with
unlawful mischief and petit larceny.
According to the Vermont State Police report, on various
dates between May 15 and May 30, State Police in Middlesex
received complaints about vandalisms occurring in the area,
to include vandalism to the Waste Water Treatment Facility,
two vehicles and items being stolen from one of the vandalized
vehicles. With the help of staff at the town clerks office in
Marshfield, surveillance footage captured the incidents on
camera. Subsequent to the investigation, Holmes-Sanborn and
the 16-year-old juvenile were arrested for unlawful mischief
and petit larceny. Both parties have been issued a citation and
are scheduled to appear at the Washington County Superior
Court. Holmes-Sanborn will appear at the Criminal Division on
TUNBRIDGE To see or not to see? Finally an answerable
August 10 at 8:30 a.m. and the juvenile will appear at the Family
Division on August 24 at 12:30 p.m.
Russians Beautify Montpelier
MONTPELIER The Parks and Tree Board prepared for
three volunteer groups during mid-July. The International
Volunteers for Peace group was to arrive July 9 and stay for three
weeks. A group of 35 Russian university students are focusing
on environmental sustainability. They are to be working with us
around the city, engaging in projects such as planting, raking and
mulching. Also, a group from National Life offered help as well.
Worthen Block by James Secor
Selected Best in Show at Wood Art Gallery
MONTPELIER Artist James Secor of Montpelier won the
Best in Show award for his artwork Worthen Block currently
on exhibit as part of the Summer Juried Show at the T. W. Wood
Gallery at 46 Barre St. Jurors for the exhibit were August Burns,
Ellis Jacobson and David Schutz. Secor said, I was drawn to the
Worthen Block fire escape stairs while walking around Barre.
The sharp angles made me want to sketch, and then paint, the
scene. He continued I'm delighted to be a part of this show and
such a vibrant art community in Central Vermont. To have my
painting named best in show is icing on the cake.
Secor grew up in Kentucky and he moved to Montpelier in
2012. His work has been shown throughout Vermont and the
Northeast. Secors paintings are colorful and layered. Though his
sketches are done on-site, he primarily develops his works in the
studio, allowing color and compositional choices to be intuitive
and inventive, rather than reflective of reality.
The exhibit includes 28 works by 23 Vermont artists in pastel,
acrylics, oils, photography, collage, mixed media and a three-
dimensional piece. The Juried show runs through Friday,
September 8. Gallery hours are Tuesday-Saturday 12 to 4 p.m.
and by appointment.
Also on exhibit at the gallery is a member show of the Essex Art
League through July 28. Works from the T.W. Wood permanent
collection will also be showing. The T.W. Wood Gallery is
located at the Center for Arts & Learning at 46 Barre St.
Hamlet:
Ghosts! Revenge! Ennui! Comedy!
question! The Chelsea Funnery presents William Shakespeares
Hamlet. Actors age 8 to 12 use movement, puppetry, inventive
staging and song. They bring alive the doubts, questions,
ponderings and action of a community mad with grief, power
and love. Villains usurp the throne, ghosts cry revenge, young
lovers are torn apart and clowns bury the dead in this timeless
tale.
"Each year audience members come up to us after the show
sharing how they secretly never liked, or got, Shakespeare until
they came to see our actors perform, Director Kailie Larkin said.
Hamlet will be performed outdoors Friday, July 21 at 6 p.m.,
and Saturday, July 22 at 5 p.m. at the Tunbridge School on
Route 110. Rain location is at the Chelsea Town Hall. More
information at www.thechelseafunnery.com.
Man Jailed For Aiming Gun at Woman
CALAIS On July 17, Troopers from the Middlesex Barracks
were advised of an incident that occurred on Blackberry Ridge
Road in Calais. The victim was traveling on Chapin road in the
area of Blackberry Ridge road when she was confronted by Kyle
Pirtle, 57, of Calais, who threatened the victim and pointed a
firearm in her direction. Pirtle was arrested and transported to the
Middlesex Barracks for processing. He was lodged at Chittenden
Regional Correctional Facility. Bail was set at $2,500.
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This is the Place to Find Montpeliers Summer Construction Info.

Important information regarding Makeover Montpelier:
Some sidewalk work will take place until 11 a.m.
Shoppers will always be able to access their favorite downtown businesses
There is plenty of evening parking in lots behind City Hall and Positive Pie off of Main
Street and next to Julios Cantina off of State Street.
The community is invited to like the Makeover Montpelier Facebook page to stay informed Mark these pages for up-to-date construction information:
of weekly construction updates, contest details and giveaways planned for #Makeover City Website Page:
Montpelier Mondays. The more you shop and eat downtown during the makeover, the http://www.montpelier-vt.org/923/2017-Construction-Communications-Homepag
better chance you have to win one of the many prize packages. Makeover Montpelier Facebook Page:
Montpelier Alive is working with the VTrans outreach coordinator to ensure good https://www.facebook.com/makeovermontpelier/
communication with our local businesses, the community and visitors alike. Montpelier Alive Facebook:
Look for weekly updates released every Thursday. https://www.facebook.com/MontpelierAlive/

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Summers Height: A Rainbow Of Glory

W
alking a dirt road on the way to pick chantrelles,
stars of roadside chickory declare azure blue
while a catbird in the viburnum tangle achieves
operatic glory! And tonight, a rainbow holds out hope for
summer weather ahead, berries, fruits and nuts for the bears,
and plenty of insects for this year's crop of young birds!
Photo by Marichel Vaught
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PAG E 4 J U LY 2 0 AU G U S T 2 , 2 017 THE BRIDGE

After Over 44 Years, Sandy Pitonyak Leaves City Hall

by Carla Occaso

MONTPELIER Sandy Pitonyak, a longtime of us realize the amount of extra time and effort that
municipal employee with the city of Montpelier, worked she puts into her job. There are many times that I've left
her last day as executive secretary to the city manager with Sandy still at her desk to work just a few minutes
June 30. Filling her position is Jamie Granfield, who had more. There are many other times she's come in on
worked as office assistant and accounts payable manager. weekends or evenings to catch up. This is in addition to
Granfield sounded excited and honored to be named to the outstanding work she does during the week and the
the post. Those are hard shoes to fill, Granfield said, fact that she is perhaps the City's best Public Relations
expressing admiration. Officer. ...
Pitonyak started working in City Hall part-time as a clerk I would like you to read this letter as part of your
while still in high school in 1971. Her mother, Arlene Mayor's report and will close with a friendly word of
Houghton, also worked for the city. After graduation warning. I hired Sandy away from Public Works to work
from Montpelier High School, Pitonyak started full-time with me in the Lister's Office, I hired her away from the
as a clerk-typist I in the department of public works. Lister's to work in the Manager's Office; and although I
Her supervisors must have noticed her hard work and feel a certain amount of allegiance to the City, I'll hire
promoted her to clerk-typist II. Then she was promoted her away from the City if I ever get the opportunity.
to clerk-typist III. In 1977, she became a secretary- Pitonyak has weathered some challenges as well. Most
stenographer I in the lister's office. Each promotion memorable was the flood of 1992. Water filled the bottom
brought with it a higher work level and pay grade. floor where the planning, zoning and development
One of her first tasks was to help Beryl Ingersoll, offices were located. Pitonyak remembers being told to
secretary to the city manager, proofread the code of stay home the first day of the flood, but returning the
ordinances. They typed final copies on a typewriter and next day to an unpleasant environment. The basement
duplicated them using a mimeograph machine. But soon had flooded through a tunnel connecting the Montpelier
came the technological revolution. Computers showed Fire and Ambulance Department. Pitonyak helped with
Jamie Granfield, left, became the executive secretary to City Manager
up one day and the workers had to transition from using William Fraser effective July 3. Outgoing executive secretary Sandy the emergency recovery.
typewriters and Wite-Out. Pitonyak, right, has worked for the city since 1971. Photo by Carla We were right back here the next morning. They needed
We all went to a work-related class in Burlington, Occaso us in here to start helping and get things cleaned up. We
Pitonyak said. They returned to find computers on their were in the hall with tables. It smelled like gas from the
desks. We had to teach ourselves the word processing program. I remember trying to get generators it was awful. Cold and damp. When that was all done I said, I hope I never
council packets out with that thing, and it was like, Help!. But she managed and now have to go through that again, Pitonyak said.
marvels at how far technology has come in City Hall. Now we livestream our meetings. We Pitonyak had also developed long-term friendships, such as with Jane Aldrighetti,
download things. That is how far it has come, Pitonyak said. administrative assistant to the Assessor's Office and others. Pitonyak mentioned, on a
Pitonyak, then Sandra Houghton, was first hired by Michael Pitonyak, then public works personal note, how they have gone through life experiences together. First they were young
director (and much later, her husband). But Michael Pitonyak left City Hall after around and single and hung out together at night at popular stomping grounds in the 1970s and
a year to take a position with a construction company, leaving Sandy Pitonyak to work for 1980s Van Horns (now the abandoned Trading Post) or Jack's Back Yard in Barre.
Public Works Director Steve Gray. William B. Hayden, who was then lister, asked Sandy to Aldrighetti had this to say, She has been a wonderful friend and co-worker and I will miss
work for him when there was a vacancy in his office. Hayden brought her with him when her very much. The office will not be the same without her. We are like family and I truly
he moved to the city managers office. She worked for Hayden for nearly 10 years and won wish her the best as she begins this new chapter in her life!
his appreciation.
Longtime co-worker Tom McArdle, director of the Department of Public Works, recalled
When Hayden left his post as city manager in 1982, he left a parting letter to The Honorable the old days as well. McArdle said, I've just started my 36th year on April Fool's Day.
Charles B. Nichols, Jr., Mayor of Montpelier that read: Pitonyak and McArdle remembered businesses that used to line State and Main, such as
As time grows short and I only have one more day to serve as Montpelier's City Manager, I Seivright's Pharmacy and City Boot. They also remembered the smell of coffee at the A&P
find that there are many loose ends that need attention. One of the items that I feel I must and the delicious treats at Paul's Home Bake Shop. A lot of stores have come and gone,
comment on is the job performance of the City Manager's secretary, Sandra Houghton. The McArdle said.
City is fortunate to have many excellent employees, but Sandy is the best I've had the pleasure McArdle further mentioned the void Pitonyak will leave when she departs. It is hard to part
to work with in my career with the City or anywhere else. I'm sure that Sandy's excellent with her institutional knowledge, that hard working work ethic . . . I don't think the work
performance is no news to you or the other members of the Council, but I don't think any ethic is the same. And, although he is in public works and she is in the city manager's office,
they all work together. There is a lot of collaboration in a small town. A lot of back and forth
between departments in the manager's office.
Throughout this time came the many unexpected life events through which longtime city
workers supported and helped each other. We've been through a lot as a family here. If it
wasn't for these people ... Pitonyak said, trailing off.
Pitonyak has worked with 10 mayors, 56 council members and five city managers. However,
she has worked the longest with City Manager William Fraser.
A quietness fell over Pitonyak when The Bridge asked about working with Fraser, as if, perhaps,
there was too much to say, or not a good way to characterize a professional relationship that
spans more than two decades. I've worked with Bill 22 of my 44 years with the city half
of my employment here. He's been awesome, she said.
Fraser had this to say of her, What can I say about Sandy? Its almost unthinkable that she
held down the fort at City Hall for 44 years! During the 22 years that Ive worked with her,
she has maintained her nice disposition, steady work ethic and dedication to the city. The
residents of our community have been fortunate to have been greeted and served by someone
as professionally competent and personally warm as Sandy. She made going to work a great
experience for me each day, I will miss her, the entire city staff will miss her and the residents
of Montpelier will surely miss her.

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T H E B R I D G E J U LY 2 0 AU G U S T 2 , 2 017 PAG E 5

Montpelier Newcomer Caledonia Spirits still busy in the

Northeast Kingdom by Michael Bielawski

HARDWICK Caledonia Spirits may be moving its primary
distilling operations over to Montpelier, but its still got a lot
happening back in the Northeast Kingdom where its original
facility remains, in the town of Hardwick.
A lot of what happens does not take place at any distillery
at all, rather its the harvesting fields of rye and barley at
Thornhill Farm in Greensboro, its the grinding of mills of
Elmore Mountain Bread and its smoking barley in small huts
for added flavor.
Todd Hardie, founder of Caledonia Spirits in Hardwick, has
recently hit a big checkpoint in the marathon process towards
Caledonias newest creation, a rye whiskey.
Still years away from any commercial release, this year was
nonetheless an important checkpoint in the process. On
Thornhill Farm, Hardie has 29 acres of rye and 18 acres of
barley which have just been sealed up in white-oak barrels to
become the next great whiskey Vermonters will enjoy years
from now.
Were fulfilling our mission to take care of Vermont, to
employ Vermont people, with good jobs, said Hardie.
Caledonia Spirits is a substantial employer in the Northeast
Kingdom, around 40 working local and out of state, and
products are shipped around the nation and as far away as
East Asia.
The whiskey-making process is one of many steps. After
harvest, there is smoking barley for five hours, then they must
mill the rye and barley at Elmore Mountain Bread, and then
they get to make the whiskey at the Hardwick distillery.
Hardie smokes the barley in a hut on his farm using apple and
cherry wood.
Barley is the portal for getting the smoke into whiskey, he
said.
The number of community players is many. Over at Elmore
Mountain Bread, Andrew Heyn makes the mills to mill this
flour for their bread as well as the whiskey.
Hardie said he is happy to continue working with Caledonia
in this capacity.
I turned it over to Ryan Christiansen (the new owner) and
team two years ago, so I could become their farmer, he said.
He said his family came over to the states about 200 years
ago from Scotland, and all throughout their family farm has
always been called Thornhill, including the one in Scotland
which started in 1888.
This is a 129-year family tradition for me, he said. And Im
just carrying it on, its in my genes. I realized a couple of years
ago that I had no choice, its genetic, and this is how we make
agriculture work, we give value to the gain.
Hardie said the techniques and enthusiasm, all the way from
prepping the soil in the fields to the aging process in the
barrels, it all accounts for the finished product.
The whiskey has got vital energy, when you have that kind of
care, taking care of the land, spreading manure, growing green
manure crops, picking rocks, doing cover crops, harvesting it,
drying it, cleaning it, really taking care of it. The result is the
whiskey is good.
Hardie spoke very highly of Caledonias new owner
Christiansen, who is now overseeing the big move to
Montpelier. Its not yet clear the fate of the Hardwick location.
He is the distiller, I am learning distilling from Ryan, and its
a beautiful partnership, he said.
Caledonia Spirits is opening up a 30,000-square-foot riverfront
distillery on Montpeliers Barre Street in spring 2018.
Michael Bielawski is a freelance reporter for The Bridge. He can
be reached at bielawski82@yahoo.com.

CVHS Walk for Animals Raises Over $60K

MONTPELIER This year's Walk for Animals was on June 3 and was the best ever with lots of family-
friendly and dog-friendly fun for everyone, raising over $60,000 that will help save over 1,000 animals
at Central Vermont Humane Society. The top adult fundraiser raised over $3,500, and this year many
kids raised funds, including the winner for Top Team. Team Natalie and Chloe, two young teenagers,
raised over $1,000 for animals.
These contributions go directly to save animal lives, said Executive Director Laurie Garrison. Central
Vermont Humane Society provides exceptional care and finds new loving homes for over 1,000 animals
a year, and this event helps make that all possible. Among the animals cared for this year alone included
a litter of nine motherless puppies, an injured kitten who was abandoned in a box in the middle of the
road and a dog who needed a leg amputation. Garrison notes Every day CVHS makes decisions to go
the extra mile for animals, the support of our community for this event enables CVHS to continue to go
that extra mile.
An enthusiastic crowd of people and their dogs walked through Montpelier and past the State House.
There were three new contests for dogs. Top prize in the costume contest went to a dog dressed as M&M
candies. Other exceptional costumes included a lobster, a lion, a sailor, a foursome dressed in patriotic
garb and more. Prizes were also awarded for Best Kisser and Best Trick. For the humans, prizes were
awarded to the top three adult fundraisers, the top three child fundraisers and top fundraising team.
People who adopted their dogs were given a special ribbon and everyone wore theirs proudly.
One of the attendees summed the day up best: My family and I had so much fun at this event. The fact
that it all helps save animals makes the entire day special.
Central Vermont Humane Society gives special thanks to lead sponsors 802Cars and One Stop Country
Pet Supply, along with the hundreds of walkers, fundraisers and volunteers who made the event such a
success.
Courtesy photo
PAG E 6 J U LY 2 0 AU G U S T 2 , 2 017 THE BRIDGE
A Message From City Hall
This page was paid for by the City of Montpelier.
Community Hard at Work and Play
B
etween the alternating rain and sun,
work crews from Pike Construction,
DuBois Construction, the City and
others have been diligently working to repave
roads, repair sidewalks and replace water/
sewer lines. We are all starting to see the
positive results. For some residents, however,
the noise and disturbance of overnight work
has been a real burden. We acknowledge
that, thank them for their forebearance and
ask them to hang in there. We have less than
two weeks remaining of scheduled night
time work.
We also thank Montpelier Alive, the many
volunteers and contributors, the Citys Police,
Fire and Public Works departments and all
who helped make the July 3rd Celebration
and National Lifes Do Good Festival such
wonderful successes this year. Events like
these are what help keep Montpelier the
vibrant community that it is.
City Council Leadership
While a lot of visible work is happening
around the community, the City Council
has been very hard at work. In addition to
their normal workload and decision making
responsibilities, the Council has taken on
three key leadership efforts all of which are
time consuming and require much thought
and consideration. These involve a retreat
process, goal-setting and planning and
zoning work.
Retreat
After a tumultuous and divisive year, the
City Council devoted three sessions totaling
10 hours to reflecting on how they interact
with themselves, staff and the community.
The purpose of this work was to make
sure they were delivering the best possible
governance to Montpeliers residents. The
results of the process were sets of group
behavioral norms, policy development
processes, communication standards and
council meeting guidelines. The citys
management staff held a three-hour retreat to
review these outcomes and offer suggestions.
The results were policies adopted at the July
12th Council meeting. I have edited these
for space, the full report is on the citys web
site.
Group Norms
Be fully present
Save communications outside this room
for breaks
Speak our truth, in a respectful manner,
using our finest and kindest words
W hen we express dissent, we communicate
why
Listen for understanding, and if we
wonder, ask
Respect others and allow them to talk
without interruption
Focus on the issues, dont personalize
discussions
Come prepared
W hen a Council member feels someone
isnt following the group norms, use this
language: we have all agreed to group
norms
Support innovative thinking
Assume best intentions
We will monitor our group airtime and try
to stick to substantive issues
Dont pigeon-hole one another and dont
assume that previous perspectives represent
current opinions
Its okay to express uncertainty
Advocate for and defend the legitimacy of
by William Fraser, City Manager
city government
Acknowledge that government processes
can be messy and be flexible and open to
the imperfection of our processes
Avoid making personal attacks on other
council members and city staff at meetings
and with media. Focus on ideas, not
people
Policy Development Process
Policy issues are identified by staff, City
Manager, public, Mayor, etc.
Issues are filtered within framework of
goal-setting process and City Manager,
working with the leadership team, decides
which are important enough to bring to
Council.
Council, honoring staff expertise, decides
which warrant further work, with a
willingness to say no.
With non-budgeted requests from the
public, we will maintain consistent
communication approach about how the
budgeting process/cycle works.
City Manager supervises research/analysis,
brings results and recommendations to the
Council
Council makes policy decisions.
City Manager implements policy decisions.
There is continual two-way information
flow about implementation, evaluation
and assessment and review.
Communication Guidelines
Communications Between
City Council and Staff
Councilors inform the City Manager
whenever they speak with any staff
member.
Councilors may ask for info from staff
and convey public opinions to staff, but
not in a way that conveys pressure or
implies a directive: councilors will not use
their position of authority to influence
outcomes.
Councilors may contact city staff for
needed services (as any citizen would).
Councilors may find it helpful to contact
City Manager for advice, before contacting
staff.
If city staff reach out to councilors with a
problem, the best approach is to convene
a small meeting with the City Manager
(three way conversation).
Manager will include all the rest of the
Council in communications raised by any
councilor about substantive policy issues.
Check who is being cced before sending
sensitive emails
Good practice: please dont reply all but
do encourage responses to City Manager
in emails.
Emails regarding city business are public
records: dont put anything in writing
that you would not want to see in the
newspaper.
W hen staff sends a memo, the City
Managers cover memo should indicate
clearly whether he endorses it or not, and
also whether there is other staff dissent.
Council members and City Manager
should always feel comfortable contacting
one another, at any time: however,
Councilors and city staff will not expect
one another to respond to emails after
hours or on weekend, unless there is an
emergency.
Reply to one anothers emails when there
are requests for actions, even if the response
is that no action can be taken in the short
run. Mark urgent if it is. Mark no need
to respond if it is informational. Mark as
no need to read/respond except during
working hours if appropriate.
Direct emails from a Councilor to the
City Manager should get a response,
even if cced on a forward to staff.
Requests for time above City Managers
capacity can be discussed with the
Mayor.
Council Internal Communication
Individual councilors may call and meet
with up to two other councilors about a
given issue or to educate themselves about
an issue.
We encourage out-of-meeting
communications with one another as long
as we dont break open meeting laws.
Councilors will lead with an intention of
personal support, even when we disagree
about issues.
Designing and Conducting Effective
Meetings
City Managers Role
Track upcoming issues/agenda items
Debrief each meeting with staff: look
ahead at upcoming two to three meetings
and how to prepare
Discuss upcoming Council meetings with
Mayor at weekly meetings
Draft agenda and order of items and
discuss with Mayor
Send out to Council Friday night
Write cover memo to highlight key issues
Challenge: short turn around on late-
breaking issues. In these cases, Manager
tries to frame these on cover sheet
Council needs preparation time
Protect City Councils time by not allowing
people to present unless they are prepared,
have a specific request and have made the
request in time. They need to be prepared
with full information and there should
have been time staff to do their research
about the item
Let folks know ahead of time if it is highly
unlikely that Council will be able to
act so they can choose not to present, if
appropriate
Provide pre-meeting material, including:
Weekly memo giving heads-up about
coming issues
City Managers report
Thoughtful memos clarifying difficult
issues
Mayors Role
Run effective meetings that dont waste
peoples time, and respect the public
Act as time manager, while being
respectful
Councilors Role
Ask clarifying/factual questions of staff
ahead of the meeting
Meeting Guidelines
Require people to fill out a cover
form when requesting time on the
agenda with complete info by Wed. or
Thursday.
Cover form should identify a specific
request
For complicated issues, supplement
cover form with memo from
Manager.
Staff can direct public to read-ahead
materials, including making hard
copies of packet available in city clerks
office.
Consider establishing a set time per
speaker, eg: no more than 10 minutes
Save easier items for the end, but do
consent agenda early
Front-load more challenging items and
most time-sensitive issues.
Councilors can move to place
individual items in the consent agenda.
Questions about consent agenda
items should be asked by individual
councilors before the meeting.
Staff should add key words to the top
of cover sheets as a quick guide to
Councilors being asked to digest a lot
of information.
Staff should be time sensitive in
presentations: assume that councilors
have read material, do not go over it
all in detail.
Goals & Priorities
Next months article will detail the goals
process and results. In brief, the Council
has identified the following as key policy
areas:
Affordability
Good Governance
Public Safety
Economic Development
Housing
Quality of Life
Infrastructure
Environment
Zoning & Master Plan
The Council has been spending two hours
per meeting taking public comments and
reviewing the draft zoning document.
At a recent meeting, a resident through
legal counsel raised a concern about the
adoption process of the current Master
Plan. (A valid Master Plan is required
in order to enact zoning changes). The
Council took these concerns seriously
and received legal advice that the Master
Plan was valid but may be open to
challenge if taken to court. The Council
has made clear that they want all of these
processes to be proper and, therefore, are
considering their options with regard to
the Master Plan and Zoning adoption
processes. They are expected to make a
decision about this on July 26th.
Thank you for reading this article and
for your interest in Montpelier city
government. Please feel free to contact
me at wfraser@montpelier-vt.org or 802-
223-9502 with questions or comments.
T H E B R I D G E J U LY 2 0 AU G U S T 2 , 2 017 PAG E 7

Murder Victim Cindy Cooks Boyfriend Flees Across The

Country With Her Car, Credit Cards by Carla Occaso

MIDDLESEX Major Glenn Hall, commander of the Vermont State Police Criminal
Division, announced on July 13 the identity of a deceased woman found down an embankment
in Middlesex. She is Cindy Cook, age 59, of Barre.
Cooks body was found around 6 p.m., July 12, by a woman walking her dog on Brook Road.
I think the dog probably smelled something off the side of the road, Hall said during a press
update at the Middlesex State Police barracks. He later said it is not known how long she had
been dead, but the body was in a state of decomposition that indicated it had been there for
at least several days.
Hall said evidence pointing toward the cause of death was collected from the scene, but he is
not prepared to give details as the investigation is underway. An autopsy was conducted on the
morning of July 13 at the office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Burlington. Cause of death
is pending at this time.
Her boyfriend, Randal Gebo, 61 of Barre City, has not been named as a suspect, but authorities
in several different states are searching for him in connection to the crime. He has her car and
her credit cards and has been using them as he flees across the country. Evidence shows he has
been in the area of Perry, Oklahoma on July 15 and Buffalo, Wyoming on July 16. Gebos
Facebook page states he is from Spokane, Washington. Arrest warrants have been issued on Gebo Randal Gebo
for aggravated vehicle operation without owner consent and fraudulent use of a credit card and
possession of a credit card issued to another.
Police have also executed a search warrant in Cooks Barre apartment. Cook was last known to
have been in contact by a family member on July 3. That family member started calling police
when she hadnt heard from Cook in several days, Hall said.
Detectives with the Vermont State Police Major Crime Unit are asking for the publics help
spotting the car and in connection with activity at the Shady Rill Campground in Middlesex.
If you recently frequented or went camping at the Shady Rill picnic area located on Shady Rill
road near the Wrightsville Reservoir off Vermont Route 12 in Middlesex between approximately
Monday, July 3 to Thursday, July 6, investigators would like to speak to you. Please call 802-
229-9191 to reach VSP Major Crime Unit investigators.
As to whether the situation poses a danger to the public, Hall said on July 14, "We have a
homicide. We have not made an arrest ... Everyone should be vigilant and report suspicious
behavior." LOOKING FOR THIS CAR A likeness of Cindy Cooks car, a 2009 MINI Cooper
This homicide investigation is being led by the Vermont State Police Major Crime Unit along Clubman station wagon, cream colored, with a black top and black stripes on the
with detectives from the Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Washington County States hood, bearing Vermont registration GBH823, has gone missing. Police are asking
for the public to call 802-229-9191 if seen.
Attorneys Office and with assistance from local law enforcement, specifically the Barre City
Police Department.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Vermont State Police at 802-229-9191.
Vermont State Police Information Officer told The Bridge that as of the 4 p.m. July 19, he had
not received any new information.

Police seek information from people who were at Shady Rill July 35.
PAG E 8 J U LY 2 0 AU G U S T 2 , 2 017 THE BRIDGE
Fairmont Farm Wins Top Vermont Dairy Award
EAST MONTPELIER Fairmont Farm has been selected as the 2017 Vermont Dairy
Farm of the Year.
It stood out among this year's nominees for a number of reasons, including its efficiently
managed herd, sustainable conservation practices and early adoption of new technology. It
also was recognized for its commitment to educating the public about agriculture through
farm tours, 4-H and summer daycamps for kids.
The enterprise, which includes two East Montpelier farms and one in Craftsbury, is
owned by Richard and Bonnie Hall and their nephew Tucker Purchase. The Halls' two
oldest children, Ricky Hall and Clara Ayer, also work on the farm, which has 30 full-time
equivalent employees. Their youngest daughter, Isabel, a sophomore at U-32 High School,
helps out when not at school.
About 85 percent of their herd, which numbers 1,600 head, are registered Holsteins.
They raise all their own replacements using top genetics and an extensive embryo transfer
program.
Their rolling herd average is 28,560 pounds, well above breed average, with 3.5 percent
butterfat and 3.1 percent protein. They ship their milk to Agri-Mark/Cabot Creamery,
earning premiums and numerous awards for quality milk over the years.
The farmers were early adopters of no-till cultivation, a method of growing crops with
minimal soil disturbance. They currently plant 1,550 acres of corn, including 700 acres of
BMR varieties (a highly digestible brown midrib corn), averaging 18 tons of silage per acre
and 2,300 acres of hay, yielding 12 tons per acre. The forage-to-concentrate ratio of the
TMR (total mixed ration) they feed their herd is 60 to 40 with 70 percent of the forage
from corn silage and 30 percent from haylage.
In 2016 they began using a pipeline system to transport manure to several fields where it is
spread or injected directly into the soil as a way to protect water quality, improve soil health
and reduce fuel consumption. For other fields they are moving manure by semi-tanker
and off-loading it into a "Frac" (mobile holding tank) to keep the trucks off the cropland
to minimize soil compaction. They also are trying different cover crop mixes, including
adding peas and triticale to seedlings, to increase first-cut yields.
The Vermont Dairy Farm of the Year award is presented annually by University of Vermont
Extension and the Vermont Dairy Industry Association to an exemplary dairy farm. The
winner is honored at an awards banquet at Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield,
Massachusetts, in September, and at the Vermont Farm Show in Essex Junction in January.
Other finalists for this year's award, listed alphabetically, were Copperhill Farm in Fairfax
and Magnan Brothers Dairy in Fairfield.
T H E B R I D G E J U LY 2 0 AU G U S T 2 , 2 017 PAG E 9
Discovering Watershed Passages Through Time and Space
by Ned Swanberg, Montpelier
Essay
MONTPELIER From the bridge near my home, I could drop a Pooh
stick into the water of the North Branch below, and watch it float away.
Launched with a special sort of twitch, the stick would swirl away downstream,
pulled by gravity ever lower, until it finally reaches the ocean. Today, the stick
would travel in a giant spiral: First, south on the North Branch, then west on
the Winooski River, north through Lake Champlain and the Richelieu River,
then finally east on the Saint Lawrence River to the Atlantic. Reverse that path
and you have my current watershed address.
Last year, I moved from Sharon to Montpelier. In the process, I moved from the White River
watershed to the Winooski River watershed. However, the watershed once was the same in
both places.
How can an entire watershed change? Theres a clue right nearby if you know how to read
soils. Just up the valley at the community garden on Elm Street, we have been working hard
to break up the clay, build up the soil carbon, and moderate the soil. But how did those dense
chunks of clay get there?
For over two million years, continental glaciers came and went across New England. The
most recent glacial advance plowed over our northern New England mountains and eventually
pushed up the piles of gravel that form Cape Cod and Long Island. The rock of our mountains
(and its rubble) is composed of light-weight things like oxygen, silicon and aluminum. And
after the glacier pulverized the trees, soil, and mountain rocks, the smallest particles that
washed out from the melting glaciers were the aluminum silicates we know as clay.
When clay has been thoroughly mixed into water, it takes weeks or months to settle out. Clay
is electrically charged, and it readily stays suspended in the charged ions of water.
Across New England, many places were under water as the glacier melted. Enormous lakes
filled the valleys, and the still waters of the long, cold winters allowed the clay to settle out. The
dense clay in the Elm Street community garden was once at the bottom of a lake.
If we could go back in time, a little over 12,000 years, we would see the glowing blue face
of the continental glacier looming over the north edge of Montpelier. But looking around,
we would find there still wasnt much dry land. In fact, the clay-charged meltwater was high
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enough to cover the stone fire tower in Hubbard Park. The vegetable garden
too would have been deep under the turquoise water and covered in clay.
The glacier was still thousands of feet thick, and the water flowed away where
it could. If we had launched a fresh Pooh stick, maybe a willow wand, it would
have floated south down the Stevens Branch toward Barre. Today that river
flows the other way.
The spillway for that body of water, Lake Winooski, was through the Williamstown Gulf
along Route 14. At the bottom of the cascade our willow wand would float onto enormous
Lake Hitchcock and continue languidly down the White and Connecticut River valleys. The
stick would pass right through Sharon as part of the watershed where I used to live.
Not so long afterwards, the glacier melted back near Jonesville, opening a way for water to
flow west through the ramparts of the Green Mountains. The lake level dropped hundreds
of feet, but most of Montpelier was still under water, now as part of Lake Vermont. With this
new route, the water flowed slowly, and remarkably, up the Huntington River and Hollow
Brook toward Hinesburg. To mark the arrival of this new but lower lake, we could, with a
ceremonial flippy-twist, launch another Pooh stick and watch it float westward and then,
spinning like Eeyore, drift off south over Albany, New York, following the Hudson River
valley to the sea.
For a few thousand years, most of western Vermont was under vast Lake Vermont, which was
roughly double the size of current-day Lake Champlain. Eventually, as the last of the great ice
rotted, a new pathway squeaked open north of the Green Mountains. The very landscape was
so pushed down by the weight of millions of years of glacial ice, that ocean water flooded into
the valley to form the Champlain Sea. At least briefly (in geological terms), Vermont had a
legitimate ocean coast, and small beluga-like whales. Montpelier itself emerged from the mud
as part of the completely different St. Lawrence River watershed.
Curiously, without going anywhere, my community garden has been in three different
watersheds. I know my watershed address today, and how I connect hydrologically to the
world. But, if you happen to have an old watershed address for Montpelier, and a time
machine, you might still find your way here.
PAG E 10 J U LY 2 0 AU G U S T 2 , 2 017 THE BRIDGE

Country Store Owners Explore the Problem of Finding

Good Help by Nat Frothingham; photos by Michael Jermyn

T
h e labor market is stumping even the experts. The unemployment rate is near a 16-year Theyre making too much on unemployment, Kane said. Its equal to $20 an hour. I think
low, and employers are fretting about their inability to find reliable workers. That shortage they have to be stricter about it.
of workers should prompt an increase in wages. Remember that supply and demand curve: Sometime recently, Kane hired a young woman who had to have her cell phone with her at
When the demand (for workers) exceeds the supply, prices should rise. Yet wages have stubbornly all times. Finally Kane asked her, Please put your phone into the basket until your break.
resisted the pressure. But she couldnt do it, he said.
New York Times, July 15 But despite the overall picture of finding really good workers, Kane did recently hire a young
Bill Kane at the Upper Valley Grill & Store man who works for him right now. Kane would offer him more hours if he could. Three
Bill Kane has been the longtime owner of days a week, if Im lucky, he said about this standout young man. Hes always working. He
the Upper Valley Grill & Store. works at Walmart. He works side jobs.

He got started when his brother suggested Jessica Waters and Zach Kirkpatrick at the Woodbury Village Store
he take a look at a building in Groton. Our next conversation
But it was just a shell, Kane said. was with Jessica Waters,
But his brother advised, Get it started. who along with her
You can go back to your other work. husband Zach Kirkpatrick,
That was 25 years ago. have been running the
Woodbury Village Store
Part of the Stores success has been its for a little more than a
location a five-minute drive away year (since April 2016 to
from the Groton State Forest, a popular be exact).
destination for camping, hiking and
swimming. The Grill & Store is a The Woodbury Village
convenient stopping place about 20 miles Store has attracted quite a
from Montpelier going east on Route bit of media attention both
302, 16 miles from Wells River and 29 near and farther away.
miles from St. Johnsbury. Both Jessica and Zach are
The Grill & Store is a relaxed and extremely forthright about
comfortable stopping point on the way to the personal circumstances
and from Maine. in their lives that prompted
them to look for a country
Theres the kitchen and grill with a wrap- store and eventually buy
around counter with 12 to 15 stools. If the Woodbury Country
youre hungry for a country meal, there's Store.
a solid menu of buffalo crispy chicken,
homemade soups and sides, three-bean Whats personal is this: Zach Kirkpatrick is contending with Lymes Disease. Sometimes hes
salad, baked beans and pie for dessert. pretty much disabled from it. But when hes feeling good, hes at the store, working. And
when hes not feeling good home is just upstairs over the store. So he can come and go and
And the store is a general store thats got be involved to the extent that he can.
what general stores have in stock meat,
cheese, beer, soda, bread, newspapers, Where are the customers coming from? I asked Jessica.
an ATM machine all the necessaries Far and wide, she answered. Of course theres Hardwick 10 miles roundtrip. And Cabot.
anyone might need to equip a country Then there are people who work in Montpelier but live locally. They will phone from work in
place. Outside, theres ample room for parking and for cars, trucks, snow-machines, two the afternoon, call in an order and it will be ready when they get to the store.
pumps, one for regular gas and one for diesel.
On the day I visited, the Village Store was humming with activity.
When Bill and I sat down to talk we explored a problem that he and other owners and
people in business are facing in finding good help. Its a general store. Its got pretty much everything.
We started by talking about the highs and lows of customer activity in a typical business year. Beer and wine and cigarettes, of course. But also chips, jams, peanut butter, sweatshirts, hats,
dog food, cards, homemade cookies, ice cream, juice, soda, hunting and fishing licenses,
It was early June, when we first talked and Kane said, Low is right now. In Kanes business candy, milk, cheese, eggs. Theres a meat case and a cheese case, also potatoes and asparagus,
low begins with mud season in March and April and mud season can sometimes last into and charcoal and matches.
May.
The list of sandwiches is close to phenomenal. What about the Maple Magic sandwich.
Fathers Day is typically the kick-off, said Kane about his summer season and Fathers Day Consider whats in that sandwich: ham and turkey in a grilled bun with these things added:
this year fell on June 18. maple, mayo, a sweet and spicy mustard. Also grilled apples topped with smoked maple
During the low season, Kane hires three part-time employees and himself. cheddar and bacon. Thats just one of the many sandwiches on offer: Yum.
But when things get going in the summer, and with foliage season in the fall, with hunting It was lunchtime. Parked outside was a Fish & Wildlife truck. A young farmer with three
season after that then in winter when snow-machining is big, Kane hires as many as 10 kids had just come through the door. Also parked outside was a UPS truck. It wasnt there to
employees (five full-time and five part-time.) deliver a package. It was there because the driver wanted lunch.
Kane and I next talked about the hiring process. Have you noticed a change lately? I asked We get a lot of government workers and road crews, Jessica said.
him. The Woodbury Village Store, Jessica advised me, is open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Yes, lately, he said, over the last four years. If we had the staff, Jessica said, we would stay open longer.
Kanes been doing what hes always done before in reaching out for good help advertising When she pondered the question of getting good summer help, Jessica said, I wouldnt say
in local papers like the Caledonian-Record in St. Johnsbury and in the free paper in Wells the people arent there. The people are out there, she said. But I have high standards. I
River called The Bridges. would rather have nobody than somebody.
Before things started to change about four years ago, I had a big file of applicants, Kane I asked Jessica if she had reached out effectively in letting people know she was looking for
said. But not anymore. help.
And Kane has had lots of people working for him including employees who have ended up Im good at that end of things, she said. She has taken advantage of the job board at the
in jail. Also other employees who have worked out well, who sometimes were so timid when Culinary Institute. Also she has used Craigslist and shed taped signs on the door.
they started out they wouldnt say boo to anyone. But over time they blossomed and by
the time they were done, they wouldnt stop talking. Im working 70 to 80 hours a week, she reported. And its been a strain on me. I have to
run here and back. There are so many things I want to do. We lost a full-time person about
It used to be, Kane said, that if you didnt work, you didnt have cash. But that appears six months ago.
to have changed and Kane has been told that many kids today, get money from their parents.
That didnt happen in my day, he said. Last year, she said, we had a kitchen manager hired. Two weeks before we opened, he was
offered a job he could not refuse. We are willing to pay good money for someone to run the
Then hes noted that many kids when theyre applying for their first job,want big dollars, kitchen.
want the top dollar $14 to $15 bucks an hour.

Got a news tip? We want to know!

Send it to us at: editorial@montpelierbridge.com
T H E B R I D G E J U LY 2 0 AU G U S T 2 , 2 017 PAG E 11

Breaking ground on July 13 on a new, six-unit housing project located on Maple Lane off
Barre Street and opposite Charles Street in Montpelier were these four people. Pictured
from left to right are Chris Lumbra, City of Montpelier building inspector, Steve Ribolini,
property developer and owner of SR Services, Catherine Klarich, property manager for
Morningstar Properties and Mike Lajeunesse, building contractor. The project will consist of
two buildings with three units in each building. Each unit will have two bedrooms.

City of Montpelier
Police Media Log
From July 1016
A noise complaint was reported on State Street. A group of people and their dogs were
being loud. Upon Police arrival, the group was informed of the complaint and they moved
along.
Suspicious Event: Someone reported they were followed from the highway.
Police stopped someone on Main Street for defective equipment on their vehicle. During
the stop, the operator was found to be suspended civilly. A warning and traffic violation
were issued respectively.
A bicycle patrol was conducted throughout the downtown area, to include the surrounding
neighborhoods. Several parking violations were detected and several motor vehicle stops
were initiated. Bar checks were also conducted.
Someone reported a child was left in a vehicle on Main Street.
Police stopped a vehicle for cell phone violation.
A purse was left on a table at the Do Good Fest. It was left with the information booth
and was subsequently claimed.
A dog complaint was received concerning an incident on Hubbard Street and First Avenue.
A person was approached for intoxication on National Life Drive. They were not lodged.
Police had a special assignment/detail on National Life Drive.
Larceny was reported from building on St. Paul Street.
Police responded to a report of disorderly conduct on Mechanic Street. The complaint was
not able to be substantiated and no further action was taken.
Police responded to a report of drug possession at Green Mount Cemetery.
Someone reported ongoing noise disturbances during early morning hours on Barre Street.
WCAX joined Montpelier Police Department for an interview and ride-along for ice cream
card program.
Report of deer struck by car at the intersection of Elm Street and Gould Hill Road. Officer
unable to locate.
Travis L. Worthington (38) of Montpelier was cited for criminal refusal, operating under
the influence of intoxicating liquor or other substance. Worthington was cited to appear
in Vermont Superior court.
Police spoke with a cyclist about obeying rules of the road.
Someone reported a dog left in a vehicle on State Street.
Police responded to a report of dog tied to bench on sidewalk near Aubuchon hardware.
Dog was found not in distress, it was in the shade, with water. The owner was contacted
and the dog was removed.
Suspicious people were reportedly on Barre Street.
There was an untimely death at Grandview Terrace.
Brian LaFrance (49) of Plainfield was arrested for driving with a criminally suspended
license. LaFrance was cited to appear in Vermont Superior Court.
Ordinance Violation: There was a report of skateboarders on the sidewalks on State Street.
Someone reported a possible restraining order violation through social media.
Police booted a vehicle in Jacob's Lot.
Police attended a training at Belknap Road for firearms qualifications.
There was a mental health issue on Elm Street. Police and a screener from Washington
County Mental Health assisted an individual experiencing a crisis.
A runaway child at Lague Drive was turned over to Department of Children and Families.
PAG E 12 J U LY 2 0 AU G U S T 2 , 2 017 THE BRIDGE
The Mystique of Our Cemeteries
story and photos by Dot Helling
M
y first encounter with a cemetery was at age 5, when
we were laying my father to rest. He was buried in a
beautiful, serene setting, a cemetery where now you
need a computer- generated map to locate the graves.
I'm not aware of any such expansion occurring in Vermont
cemeteries. Vermont is dotted with small cemeteries. Private
cemeteries have as few as one or two graves. The City of
Montpelier has three recognized cemeteries: Green Mount, the
Elm Street Cemetery and St. Augustine Catholic Cemetery.
The Plainmont Cemetery and Poplar Hill Cemetery are located
in North Montpelier.
Montpelier's largest cemetery is the Green Mount Cemetery,
established in 1854 and consisting of 35 acres with over 12,000
graves. Elm Street is Montpelier's oldest cemetery, containing
400 graves. In the early 1800s it replaced the old Davis Pitch
Cemetery, located west of the North Branch falls.
Elm Street was a burial ground for soldiers of the Revolutionary
War and their families. It is maintained by the city. Many
stones are missing or in disrepair, but its grounds have the
most beautiful snowball bushes (also known as viburnum or
hydrangea) in the city.
My favorite Montpelier cemetery is St. Augustine, in the hills
above North Street. It serves as a shortcut for walkers to and
from Murray Hill. It has a unique city view and a drop dead
view of Camel's Hump. It is a great spot for viewing fireworks
and a full moon. Best of all, you can walk your dog there and sit
for hours in stillness. There is at least one bench for those who
fear treading on sacred ground. And there is an old mausoleum
plus uncounted family plots, with family names that have
defined Montpelier, such as Theriault, Guare, Cody, Heney,
Goodrich, Tomasi and Giuliani.
Pretty little Cutler Cemetery on the County Road just over
the line in East Montpelier, across from Vermont Compost,
consists of primarily war graves. First used in 1820, Cutler
contains approximately 1,140 graves. The cemetery was named
after Amos Cutler, a survivor of the Revolutionary War.
North Branch Cemetery sits in Middlesex on Bolduc Road just
off Route 12. This cemetery was established in 1805 along the
banks of the North Branch and contained 100 graves. Fourteen
of those graves were swept down the river in the flood of 1927.
Seven of the bodies were recovered and, in 1934, when the
Army Corps of Engineers built the Wrightsville Reservoir, the
cemetery was moved to its current location on higher ground.
The number of cemeteries in surrounding communities
surprised me. For instance, Middlesex has 10, the largest
being the Middlesex Center-Lewis Cemetery, with over 1,000
graves. The remains of Patty Huntsman rest on a knoll with a
breathtaking view of the valley below and of Camel's Hump.
The smallest recorded cemetery in Middlesex is the private
Macy Cemetery, with two graves. A small cemetery exists off
Bear Swamp Road in Middlesex, where the bodies of Irish
immigrants who died of typhoid are interred. In Middlesex
village there is a 250-grave site just off Gallagher Road called
the Middlesex Village Cemetery, which was established in
1801.
Other nearby communities with several recognized cemeteries
include Berlin (10), Barre (10), Calais (12), and East Montpelier
(18). Worcester only has two: Worcester Mountain Cemetery
and Worcester Village Cemetery. They are connected and
located just north of the village on Route 12.
These facts come from the Vermont Old Cemetery Association
website, which cites a number of cemeteries that lack location
coordinates and an unnamed and abandoned cemetery of 10 to
15 gravesites in Calais.
Hope Cemetery in Barre, Berlin Corners Cemetery in Berlin,
and Montpelier's Green Mount are the largest in Central
Vermont, each with thousands of graves. Another favorite of
mine is Black Cemetery in Berlin. It dates back to 1810 and
contains 120 graves, but is in poor condition.
Why visit cemeteries? According to writer Alice Levitt, The
world is a cemetery. She describes Hope Cemetery as a
museum lusty and continental, and Montpelier's Green
Mount as the dark horse of Vermont's mega-cemeteries.
Green Mount is built on an angle with an English feel.
Hope Cemetery is a fitting tribute to the stonecutters and
artisans who are interred there, with many monuments of
their own creation and located in the Granite Capital of the
World. Also notable are the stones and monuments, such as
a basketball, which preserve the hobbies, interests and stories
of the deceased. Green Mount includes plots for family pets,
cremated remains, mausoleums and private woodlots. If you
haven't seen the memorial to Ned the Dog, search it out. It
enshrines the decedent's beloved and trusty spaniel.
Speaking of pet burials, many of us have pet cemeteries in our
fields or backyards. Mine includes the remains of my beloved
cats Bunky, Maxi, Gwinny and Mitzi, and also Juju Emery and
ashes of my soulmate dog, Smoochie. It soothes me to have
them close and in view of my kitchen window.
Hope Cemetery and Green Mount are identified as two of
the 15 Vermont cemeteries that give goose bumps and can
be creepy to wander in. (From an article by freelance writer
Kristin Grimes written for Biggam, Fox & Skinner.) Hope can
be haunting, given its cemetery art and symbolism. At Green
Mount, legend has it something very bad will happen to anyone
who sits in the lap of the statue of Black Agnes. Black Agnes
was constructed in 1897. The large statue is titled Thanatos,
which means death in Greek and is the grave of Jonathan
Erastus Hubbard. The stories of what will happen if you sit on
Agness killing lap vary, but none has a good result.
Cemeteries are sacred. When Tropical Storm Irene hit and
washed out the Woodlawn Cemetery in Rochester, carrying
caskets and old bones dating back into the 1800s down the
river, there was a cross reaction between science fiction curiosity,
morbidness and pain. Serious effort went into recovering the
scattered remains, including identifying them and attempting
to return them to their resting sites. The remains of one
woman's grandmother were found five miles down the river
at a golf course. Many remains were never found or identified,
leaving survivors without closure.
Cemeteries offer us a myriad of emotions and experiences,
even if you don't believe in burial. Whether you go to visit a
loved one, study the history captured by the monuments, or
simply take in the spirituality of the place, they are places of
fascination. Cemeteries can be beautiful meditative venues
as well as rich sources of architecture, history and genealogy.
We are blessed in Vermont to have such places for personal
reflection and memorialization.
T H E B R I D G E J U LY 2 0 AU G U S T 2 , 2 017 PAG E 13

The First Inhabitants Before the Time Barre was Barre by Will Kyle

BARRE With the Barre Heritage Festival around the corner, its a good time to look six fluent speakers of the Abenaki language in Vermont, but that number has now grown.
back and celebrate Barres history. For many people, that means looking back over 200 The artistic traditions of the Abenaki, such as motifs in pottery, have been one of the
years to when the town was officially founded. How about looking back over 10,000 years? better preserved aspects of pre-contact Abenaki culture, and have developed in interesting
The people native to the area, the Abenaki, are a community that has lived in the central ways in later centuries.
Vermont area ever since their ancestors first migrated here several thousands of years ago. Artistic traditions like storytelling, singing and dance are major components of our
Thirty people, give or take, are American Indian and Alaska Native alone in Barre (City culture and our education, Sheehan told me.
and Town) taken together according to the Vermont Census. More Abenaki people might Sheehan is glad to see the culture constantly developing, but along with others, he worries
identify as being of two or more races, and they arent included in that number. about some traditions being lost with time unless care is taken to preserve them. Modern
I spoke to Josh Jerome, the executive director of the Barre Heritage Festival. He had not powwows come from older festival traditions, but have become more representative of a
heard of any Abenaki involvement with the festival this year, nor was he aware of any Pan-Indian culture.
Abenaki presence being associated with the festival since it began. Each tribe is mostly independent, each with their own constitution. A chief and a tribal
However, Jerome was eager to encourage council are elected by the people to
Abenaki people to get involved. Part of guide the tribe.
his job is to help groups to raise money I talked to George Larrabee, a member
and awareness for themselves. of the Clan of the Hawk tribal council
The festival invites vendors from and a historian who Longtoe called
around Vermont as well as musicians a granddaddy of the Native living
and groups who want to take part in tradition to learn more about the
the parade and more. A handful of daily Abenaki lifestyle in historical and
restaurants in the community will be prehistoric times.
doing a special for the week focusing In the spring, people would plant crops
on the culinary traditions of a specific in fertile floodplains at their villages.
ethnicity. Unlike the large monocrops of today,
Jerome said that he welcomes the farms were planted with what are
Abenaki community and any ethnic known as the three sisters, corn,
community to participate because the beans and squash. The three plants
festival is a celebration of diversity together provide for a very nutritious
as well as an opportunity for us as plant-based diet. Corn provides a
Vermonters to look back at our heritage structure for the beans to climb, beans
and honor our traditions and to create offer nitrogen to the soil that the other
a sense of community. plants use, and the squash acts as a
If youre talking about the heritage of barrier to block potential weeds from
Central Vermont, youre talking about the sun as well as deterring pests with
the heritage of the Abenaki people. its prickly hairs and acting as a living
The community lives within the area of Wabanaki, which translates to the Dawn Land. mulch to keep the earth moist.
Wabanaki is an area ranging from the Canadian Maritimes and part of Quebec Province Abenaki people counted 13 months, one for each moon in a year. Sogalikas, the sugar
south to Massachusetts. Wabanaki, the Dawn Land, is bordered to the East by the maker moon, occurring in April, was when people would boil the maple sap they had
Atlantic Ocean, known as Sobagw in the Abenaki language, and to the West by Lake tapped in March.
Champlain and the St. Lawrence River. Summer and spring were a good time for fishing. When fish were moving into shallow
The homeland of Western Abenaki tribes, which includes the Missisquoi, the Koasek, waters or upriver to spawn in the early spring, people would follow them upriver. People
the Nulhegan, and the Elnu tribes, largely corresponds to the area of Vermont, New living near the coast or near large lakes would go to the edge of the water to hunt fish and
Hampshire and part of the Quebec province South of the St. Lawrence. the water mammals who were there for the same reason.
The Missisquoi tribe, located mostly in the Missisquoi Valley near lake Champlain, is the Many people would hunt migrating birds in the fall and spring. Fall was also a good time
largest tribe today. Archaeological records show that large communities of Abenaki people to hunt freshwater eels.
also lived in the valley before European contact. The Koasek tribe is the second most Leaving some old people, young people, and some others in villages, many people would
populated tribe in Vermont, and it is located in the Connecticut River valley. break up into familial bands to hunt in the winter.
Since Barre is located relatively high in the Green Mountains and far from a major source They pursued deer, moose, beaver, bear, elk and the now uncommon eastern caribou and
of water, it is unlikely that people built large permanent settlements there before Barre. bison. Once they hunted enough animals in one area, they would move on to where more
However, people had almost certainly lived there in smaller numbers. animals could be found, leaving behind enough animals that the animal populations were
I spoke with Roger Longtoe Sheehan, chief of the Elnu Tribe of the Abenaki, to find out able to reproduce and recover.
more about the heritage of the Abenaki, and how people would have lived in Barre before An Abenaki fathers hunting grounds would be passed on to his son.
European-Americans settled down.
Many Abenaki people had well-developed skills in bird calls and animal calls, Larrabee
The rivers were your main highways, Sheehan said. People passed through the area of said. The skill of listening was also very important to them, because they had to be far
Barre often because of the Winooski River, one of the largest rivers in Vermont. more sensitive to the natural environment.
Not only was the Winooski a good source of water both for the bands of people hunting Barre has a long and rich Abenaki heritage. Abenaki people have lived in Barre for
and for the animals they were hunting, but it was a major artery of travel for crossing the thousands of years before it was called Barre and continue to live there today.
Green Mountains.
Winooski means onion land for the wild onions growing on the banks of the river.
Large numbers of people lived in settlements at the base of Winooski watershed on the
shore of Lake Champlain, in the Chittenden County area. Archaeological evidence also
shows that people had large settlements in Middlesex and Montpelier. Barre is less than a
days walk from both Montpelier and the Connecticut River.
Some villages were permanent, while in other cases people might move their settlements
based on the time of year and their specific situation.
Anyone travelling between the Connecticut River Valley and Lake Champlain for
festivities, trade, family visits or any other reason would likely either use paths established
by the river, or travel on the river with a canoe.
People of different areas traded with one another for varieties of seeds, foods, raw
materials, tools, pottery, clothing, jewelry and more.
Sheehan says that before and after European contact, people were all over the place
trading, and making war. People also moved around a lot because of their lifestyles,
which were adapted to the seasons and more mobile than most lifestyles are today.
Much of Abenaki history has been passed down through oral traditions. Were kind of
lucky, Sheehan said, because a lot of it was being written down 200 years ago. Thats
how weve kept things for ourselves, through traditional stories. Also lucky because
people have been trying for 500 years to colonize us.
A major problem in Vermont today is that people barely know anything about the Abenaki
and their history. Abenaki history is just starting to be taught in schools since state
recognition was won for the Elnu and three other major tribes in 2011 and 2012.
Sheehan has also noticed these days that more Abenaki people are teaching Abenaki
culture to their children and within their community. Ten years ago, there were only about
PAG E 14 J U LY 2 0 AU G U S T 2 , 2 017 THE BRIDGE

Early Barre: Welcome to Wildersburgh, Vermont Continued from Page 1

A map in the Gouldsbury Family collection has this note: The Goldsburys (SIC) and other
early Barre settlers came by the Old Blaze Trail up through Brookfield, and along the Old Coos
Road into Barre.
This trail goes along Berlin Pond, which records state are how the Gouldsburys traveled part of
the way.
The story goes that the family
camped by Berlin Pond near a stream.
They had scooped water out with a
bucket the night before, and when
they looked at it in daylight it was
full of fish. This must have been an
encouraging sign if they wavered on
whether the area would be able to
support them.
Jonathon Sherman of Barre both from Massachusetts, wanted to name the town after their
former towns. As the matter seemed to lie chiefly between these two, it was proposed that it
should be decided between them by boxing, the Gazetteer states. The two men eagerly agreed.
The terms were set that they should fight across a pole; but if one should knock the other down,
they might then choose their own mode of warfare. So the whole town meeting reconvened to
Smiths barn (located on the site of the former Bond Auto that is now OReillys) to duke it out.
The floors were made of newly laid rough hewn hemlock planks. There, the combatants advanced
upon each other, and soon Thompson, by a well-directed blow, brought his antagonist to the floor,
and, springing upon him, at full length, began to aim his heavy blows at his head and face; but
Sherman, being more supple, avoided them, and they generally fell harmless on the floor, except
peeling his own knuckles. During this process, Sherman was dexterously plying his ribs from
beneath, when Thompson was soon heard to groan, and his blows became palsied and without
effect. Sherman then rolled him off, and, springing upon his feet, exultingly exclaimed There,
the name is Barre, by God!

Then it was time to set up house. The next day Sherman went to Dr.
Whether the Gouldsburys camped Robert Paddock, the towns first
out and built the log cabin upon first doctor. Sherman asked the doctor to
arrival after a long trip, or whether remove hemlock splinters from his
Diary from the Gouldsbury family collection some of them went in previous years back and posterior he got during the
to ready the land and build the shelter fight. Paddock was an eyewitness and
is not known. However, it was customary for the husband and father to go to the claim a few gave this account to a writer for The
years before bringing the whole family. This was called the pitch. They would often first clear a Gazetteer while still living.
few acres and build an old-fashioned log cabin. The Town Clerks Version Highest
Then more people joined them. By 1790, 16 families had set up housekeeping according to the Bidder
1790 U.S. Census, and, by 1793, citizens had their first recorded selectboard meeting in the town In the very first town meeting minutes,
that included a warrant article to rename the town. written in eighteenth century script
Changing The Name To Barre and kept safely in a vault in the Barre
City town clerks office, the account
Two stories, both historically authentic, exist about how Barre got its name. One is from the signed is as follows: On September 3, 1793,
meeting minutes of the very first meeting of the board of selectmen. The town clerk recording the inhabitants of the town of
the minutes was a man named Joseph Dwight. The other is from an eyewitness account by the Wildersburgh qualified by law to vote Then Governor Deane C. Davis at the Gouldsbury
towns first doctor to a contributor to The Gazetteer. Both sources are considered authentic. So the met at Calvin Smiths house. There homesite in 1969. Photo from the Times Argus.
question is, did the board of selectmen make up a story in their minutes? Or did the towns first they voted in Asaph Sherman to be
doctor make up a story? Both? Neither? In any case, here are both stories on who won the privilege moderator. They also voted to petition
of changing the name from Wildersburgh to Barre. the general assembly to alter the name of the town of Wildersburgh. The person who would
Dr. Robert Paddocks Version The Fight choose that name is the man that will give the most toward building a meeting house in town.
That man was named as Ezekiel Dodge Wheeler, who, the minutes state, offered 64 pounds lawful
According to the Gazetteer of Vermont, the name Wildersburgh was unpopular with the
money. He named it Barre.
inhabitants, so townspeople took up the topic at a town meeting held at Calvin Smiths house in
1793. The meeting being opened, freedom was given for anyone to present the name he chose, The next year, after the first town meeting, John Gouldsburys son William Gouldsbury married
and the choice was to be decided by a vote of the town. So what happened is, after several names Bathsheba Walker. Bathsheba made quite an impression because she arrived on horseback with the
were suggested, two men emerged as contenders. Captain Joseph Thompson of Holden and towns only glass window pane among her belongings. She dressed in a scarlet cloak and wore a
stovetop hat. The window pane survived, and is housed in the Vermont History Center.
William then built the first frame construction house. This home survived until it burnt to
the ground in 1966. A Barre-Montpelier Times Argus story of the time states, It was a refuge
for tramps and derelicts for a number of years until the windows were all broken. A few years
T H E B R I D G E J U LY 2 0 AU G U S T 2 , 2 017 PAG E 15

later, in 1969, the Barre Historical Society and

Rebeckah Hastings chapter of the Daughters
of the American Revolution organized a
formal event commemorating the Gouldsbury
family and one of the first settlements in Barre.
They had a granite marker made and placed
near the original homestead.
Cora B. Hawes organized the event, which
was a grand affair with Governor Deane C.
Davis greeting the crowd and historian Carroll
Fenwick offering an address. Many Gouldsbury
descendents from all over attended. A granite
marker was placed near the spot.
The Barre we have today now celebrating
its deep and storied heritage started off on
a very interesting foot and never veered from
that winding path.
Thank you to Marjorie Strong, assistant librarian
at the Vermont History Center in Barre, and to Marjorie Strong, descended from a branch of
Carol Dawes, town clerk for the city of Barre, the Gouldsbury family,
for invaluable assistance in researching this story.
PAG E 16 J U LY 2 0 AU G U S T 2 , 2 017 THE BRIDGE

At the Barre Opera House:

Stories of the Stars Art
BARRE Now through August, the Barre Opera House features a
playful, cosmic art exhibit by Calais resident, Kelley Hunter. Poster-
sized images from Hunter's recently published Planetary Gods and
Goddesses Coloring Book, shown both in black-and-white and as
colored by participants in local workshops, introduce viewers to our
expanding solar system. Recently astronomers have been discovering
many small, icy planetoids in the far solar system, near and beyond
Pluto. Many are being named for indigenous creator gods from cul-
tures around the world. "I am excited to show people, especially kids,
about our new solar system neighbors and their stories from around
the world," said Hunter, an internationally-respected astrologer and
mythologist.
"The sky is reflecting our increasing awareness of global inter-

Celebrate relatedness." The lobby gallery is open weekdays, 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m..
Pick up a free illustration to color, bring it back and add your image

Barre!
to the show. A Meet-and-Greet with the Artist will be held on Friday,
August 11 from 2:30-4:30 p.m. Coloring books and pages will be
available, and are carried by local area bookstores and online.
For more information, contact Helia Productions, 802-456-1078,
kellhunter@earthlink.net.

Mark Barry Shows Paintings at

Central Vermont Medical Center Gallery
BERLIN Artist Mark Barry is exhibiting his paintings at Central unusual artistic vision.
Vermont Medical Centers first floor art gallery. The show, titled Eating, Barrys greatest gift is the happiness with which he endows his images.
Playing, Dancing, Squeezing, Loving, runs from now until August 4, This is not a mindless, silly happiness but springs from a deep appreciation
2017. of life. Whatever Barrys people do cook soft crabs, play with the dog,
Barrys paintings came to the attention of gallery director Maureen Burgess read quietly, have a night out, kiss one another, take a bath Barry has
when he exhibited last summer at the Bennington Museum. I instantly them do it with a loving sense of the gift of time.
loved Barrys work and pursued him Artist Mark Barry
to exhibit at Central Vermont Medical
Center because his work boldly and Barry was born in Worcester,
colorfully celebrates life, Burgess said. Massachusetts and received his bachelor
Fortunately he visited the hospital and of fine arts from the Swain School of
agreed to show his paintings. Design (now UMass at Dartmouth)
in 1981. He studied on the graduate
Barry is a colorist someone who level at Brooklyn College and Johns
loves color, paints color in large blocks Hopkins University. Barry and his
and compels us not just see, but to stay wife Sandra, also an artist, moved to
and see his paintings. Vermont from Maryland a few years
Sure enough, these are representational ago. This is Mark Barrys first exhibit
paintings, a man on a bicycle, another in central Vermont. He has exhibited
man on the floor taking a photo his oil paintings, painted ceramics and
of his dog, a couple dancing in the etchings in venues across the country
kitchen. These are much more than since 1981. His work is in the collection
your standard representational painting of the Baltimore Museum of Art, the
because once drawn into them, we see Baltimore Sun and numerous corporate
things that are silly, enchanting, a little and private collections. Barry is also a
odd, playful. contributing writer for ionarts, a blog
The late John Dorsey, a longtime for music, arts and literature. You can
Baltimore Sun critic, wrote the find him at markbarry.blogspot.com
following comment about Barrys Dance by Mark Barry and also on Instagram.
T H E B R I D G E J U LY 2 0 AU G U S T 2 , 2 017 PAG E 17
Meet Poet Wayne Burke
BARRE Little about Wayne Burkes early
life suggested that one day he would seize
upon writing and poetry with the discipline
and passion he brings to that craft today.
In an interview with The Bridge, Burke
now 63 who lives in Barre described
his present commitment to poetry: I write
every day now and for the past five years Ive
written four poetry books with another on the
way. In addition to his four books, Burke has
also published as many as 200 poems in small
magazines.
Burke related the story of his transformational
life journey from a broken family in a rough,
depleted mill-town in the northwest corner of
Massachusetts to his life today as a working
writer and poet.
Not once wrote Burke in an Authors Note
thats part of his second book of poems called
Dickhead Not once as a kid growing
up in a small mill-town in the hills of North
Berkshire County did I think of becoming a
poet.
Instead his youthful ambition was to become
a sports star. I wanted to become a Major
League baseball player, and if I could have hit
a curveball with more facility than I showed,
I might have become one. Or maybe not: I
had a lot of other things beside baseball on my
mind in adolescence.
Wayne Burke was born and grew up in
Adams, Massachusetts, once a thriving
textile manufacturing town whose population
peaked in 1910 at 13,026. Then over time as
the mills shut down, the population of Adams
declined to 8,485 in 2010.
As to his family both of Burkes parents
died before he was three years old and young
Burke was raised by his grandparents, Edward
V. Burke and Rose T. Burke.
Edward Burke was proprietor of Burkes Inn
down the street from the family house. By the
time Wayne came along the inn was starting
to go downhill and eventually became a
neighborhood drinking place.When Burke
was 10, his grandfather died, leaving his
widow, Waynes grandmother, his other three
siblings, and his father brother his uncle.
My uncle lived with us, Burke said. He
was violent. He gave us the belt. You couldnt
follow any of his rules because his rules
changed depending on his moods.
Burkes grandmother tried to stop the
beatings. But there was little she could do
outside of pleading, Burke said. Theyre just writer. That was in my head, and he met
children, she would say, Leave them alone. another student at Ottawa who appreciated
If you were to pick up a copy of Dickhead,
Burkes second book of poems, you would
soon figure out who Dickhead was. Dickhead
was the young Wayne Burke, at home, at
school, in the streets, getting into trouble,
getting shamed, judged, punished with the
belt, and feeling lost, confused, belittled and
wanting payback and revenge.
Some of the smoldering anger Burke felt as
a child and youth gets expressed in the first,
short poem in Dickhead.
A guy on the street
who looks like me
I clench my fists
In case he tries to
get tough.
Variants of this voice pervade Burkes poems
a voice that is both in combination and
by turns wary, defiant, raw, often ironic,
profane and almost always combat-ready.
Remembering what school was like, Burke
said, Academically, I was out of place
socially, as well.
As a kid whose father had died, Burke felt like
a nobody. When youre a fatherless child, he to classes.
said, you just get pushed along. Nobody pays
much attention to you.
by Nat Frothingham
Wayne Burke.
Photo by Michael Jermyn
But if young Burke knew what is was like to
be shunned, he hung onto memories of not
being shunned as well.
He got attention for playing football,
basketball and baseball in high school.
Even today, he has a very strong memory of a
high school teacher who praised his writing.
And if he had a belt-wielding uncle who was
a sadist, he had another uncle his mothers
brother who was a town selectman. He
was the one that got us jobs. He was in the
pipefitters union. He got Burke a job in the
highway department one summer. Years later,
Burke dedicated his second book of poetry,
Knuckle Sandwiches to Uncle Earl for his
unconditional and unwavering support.
After graduating from high school, Burke
made a number of attempts at higher
education. He was admitted to UMass
at Amherst and played football without a
scholarship. I got lost in the shuffle, he said
about his experience at UMass, a university
with 30,000 students. But it was not all
negative. Burke had started writing and got
some encouragement from a grad student and
a professor.
Burke took another stab at higher education
when he attended Ottawa University in
Ottawa, Kansas. He had been recruited by
Ottawa to play football there when still in
high school. But he was no longer a football
player, he said. Instead, he wanted to be a
In Ann Arbor, Michigan, Burke was a fry
his writing.
After UMass and Ottawa, Burkes next
stop was Framingham State College in
Framingham, Mass. that he described as a
commuter school with 5,000 to 10,000
students.
It was at Framingham where Burke met the
celebrated poet, Alan Dugan, who showed
up at a guest lecture series. Dugan, who was
a winner of the National Book Award among
other honors became a poet-in-residence at
Framingham State and he and Burke became
friends and drinking buddies. Dugan wrote
this appreciation of Burkes poetry:
Burke is a tough young poet, who like all
the rest of us, has learned some lessons from
William Carlos Williams but without imitating
Williams. Burke writes the language of where he
came from with respect for it, and more power
to him.
UMass, Ottawa, Framingham Burke never
felt that he fit into any of these colleges.
When asked why he left Framingham, he
said, Academically it was an extension of
high school. I wasnt really interested in going
His college career might have ended when
He can weigh the seriousness of serious things.
At the dinner table
my sister threatens suicide:
pot roast again
He can cause us to wonder about the future.
Im the Lone Ranger
after Tonto died
after Silver ran off
after the mills shut down
and the welfare state came around
and chain stores and malls moved in
and Mom and Pops moved out
and nobody knew their neighbors anymore
and heroin became the new
pot
Im not writing for any particular audience,
Burke says about his poetry. And about his
use of frank language, he offers no apologies.
The language he uses he uses because its the
most appropriate to the subject he is writing
about.
almost by accident he discovered Goddard Showdown
College. As I lifted weights in the cellar
One night Burke ran into a cousin he described I listened to the floor boards overhead
as the original hippie. It was this cousin who creak
from the weight of my Uncles feet
sold him on the idea of going to Goddard
I thought of my fist
College. I was attracted to the place, Burke
said, because there were no tests, no exams. landing SPLAT in the middle
You structured your own curriculum. That fit of his fat face.
me, I thought. His days as boss man
Were past
Burke felt that the academic side of Goddard and he knew it too;
wasnt all that different from other colleges. and one morning, in the kitchen
But socially Goddard was, in Burkes as I combed my hair,
words, An education I couldnt have gotten which I had let grow long
in many other places. he asked when
At Goddard, Burke came to know one or two I was going to get a haircut
college teachers who criticized his poetry, even and I said never
perhaps shook him up a little. and he flinched
like he d been slapped
College teacher and poet Michael Ryan told
and stared
Burke his poems were all on the surface.
black-eyed
According to Burke, Ryan said, I needed to
with the glare that used to
submerge I needed to go deeper.
pin me to the floor like a rabbit
And Burke remembers another teacher but this time I glared back
writer Jack Pulaski. When you did merit his and we stood
praise, that was a high point. That built up with the sun burning the roof above
your confidence. But when he came down and the years piled up between
hard, Burke said, Yes, it hurt. us;
and then he turned his head
Burke graduated from Goddard with a
and with a sick smile
bachelors degree in 1979.
fled
During all the years that Burke was trying to
out the door
get traction at college and afterwards, he was
as gutlessly
working both in New England and away from as every other bully
New England. whoever ran.
Wayne Burkes Books of Poetry
cook, machine shop operator, store clerk. In
Words that Burn (2013); Dickhead
Wyoming, he was a roughneck on an oil rig.
(2015); Knuckle Sandwiches (2016); A Lark
He picked oranges in Florida. In Boston, he
Up the Nose of Time (2017)
was a janitor, cook and security guard.
Back in Vermont, Burke worked as a laborer These books by Wayne Burke are available
and truck driver. He also tried substitute from Phoenix Bookshop, 191 Bank Street,
teaching. For nine years he was on the staff Burlington, (802) 448-3350. Or from
at a crisis house for people who were mentally Bareback Press, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
ill with such disabilities as schizophrenia, L8G-4W3 or barebackpress@gmail.com.
depression and various bipolar disorders. He
lived at the crisis house and said bluntly about
the experience: I liked some of it. Plenty of it,
BE SEEN!
I didnt like. Eventually he left. I was really
burned out, he said.
At age 57, Burke found out he had arterial
BE HEARD!
heart disease. That led to a triple bypass
operation from which he has recovered.
In recent years, Burke has essentially divided
his time between working in a nursing home Advertise in The Bridge:
as a licensed practical nurse and his writing
and poetry. Rick: 249-8666
Burke writes about what he sees and has seen,
lived through and experienced. He can call up Michael: 223-5112 ext. 11
the darkness. He discusses sex. He can bring a
rick@montpelierbridge.com
smile to your face with three lines about a dog.
What kind of greeting
michael@montpelierbridge.com
Is that
The cold tongue of a dog
PAG E 18 J U LY 2 0 AU G U S T 2 , 2 017 THE BRIDGE
C a l e n d a r o f E ve n t s
Community Events
Events happening
July 20 to August 5
THURSDAY, JULY 20
Mental Health Crises and Services in
Washington County- What Do We Have?
What Do We Need? Forum will include
individuals who have received services or
response to crisis situations and community
providers. 6:308 p.m. Brown Public Library, 93
S. Main St., Northfield. Free. www.wcmhs.org
kirkp@wcmhs.org
Miss Jubilee's Curious Bingo Night. Benefit. 9
p.m. Charlie Os, 70 Main St., Montpelier.
FRIDAY, JULY 21
Church Sale. July 2122. Many special items,
new items, collectibles, household items,
pictures, books, gardening items, jewelry,
canning jars and more. Baked goods. 9 a.m.4
p.m. Waterbury Center Community Church,
Rt. 100, Waterbury Center (next to Cold
Hollow Cider Mill). 244-8089
Summer Preview Day at Johnson State.
Student panel discussion, lunch, a campus tour
and the opportunity to talk with representatives
from JSCs admissions, financial aid, student
life, first-year experience and advising offices.
10:30 a.m.2 p.m. Johnson State College,
Johnson. Pre-register: www.jsc.edu/summer-
preview. 635-1219.
HOWLfest. July 2123. Over 60 summer
activities for all ages. Enjoy a weekend of games
and activities, wellness programming, live
music, kids crafts, educational walks, wilderness
camping, and local food! From morning yoga
classes to intergenerational relay races, geology
talks to lantern making, from mountain biking
to bluegrass music, and survivalist training
to midnight hikes to the pool; this festival
will boast a multitude of programs for all
ages and cater to all interests, opening up the
park to brand new activities and experiences.
Headlining bands include Stone Cold Roosters
Friday night and Mal Maize Saturday night.
Gates open at 3 p.m. on Friday, 7 a.m. on
Saturday, 7 a.m. on Sunday, and the festival
closes at 4 p.m. on Sunday. This is a green event
so community members are encouraged to walk,
however free parking and a shuttle is provided
at the High School, and parking will be allowed
at the park for $15 a day. Hubbard Park, 400
Parkway St., Montpelier. COST: Day Pass
Friday/Sunday: $5 Adult, $3 Kid, $10 Family
Day Pass Saturday: $10 Adult, $5 Kid, $20
Family; Full Weekend Pass: $20 Adult, $10 Kid,
$40 Family; Camping per night: $20
Adamant Co-op Friday Night Cookouts. Grill
items, seasonal salads, decadent desserts, tons of
ambiance. 5:307 p.m. Adamant Co-op, 1313
Haggett Rd., Adamant. $10. Call for menu
items: 223-5760.
SATURDAY, JULY 22
Hike Mt. Abraham with Green Mountain
Club. Warren. Moderate to Difficult. 5.2 miles
round trip. 1600 ft. elevation gain. Via the LT
from Lincoln Gap. Contact Steve and Heather
Bailey at 1-609-424-9238 for meeting time and
place.
HOWLfest. See listing under July 21
Church Sale. See listing under July 21
American Red Cross Blood Donation
Opportunity: Barre. 10a.m.3p.m., Price
Chopper, 168 Ames Dr., Barre. redcrossblood.
org 1-800-RED CROSS
Butterfly Feeder & Bee Hotel Workshop.
Workshop #1: Build a better world for butterflies
with flowering plants in your yard and also
by building a butterfly feeder. Workshop # 2:
Bee hotels are homes for the calm and gentle
solitary bees, not honey bees. 11 a.m.2 p.m.
North Branch Nature Center, 713 Elm St.,
Montpelier. $20 per workshop; $25 for both.
www.northbranchnaturecenter.org
Secret Garden Talk and Tea. Talk by Don
Avery of Cadys Falls Nursery. Rain or shine.
Some walking and standing. A delicious tea
follows the talk. 14 p.m. 2749 E. Orange Rd.,
E. Orange. 439-5338. blakemem.org
SUNDAY, JULY 23
The Winooski Pedal and Paddle. A
combination cycling and paddling event that
is sure to be fun for the whole family! Travel
through some of the most scenic areas of the
Valley on the 7-mile loop course connecting
the cities of Burlington and Winooski. 9:45
a.m.4:30 p.m. Fore more info. and to register:
www.winooskirec.com. 777-1621. http://www.
winooskiriver.org/winooski-pedal-and-paddle.
php.
HOWLfest. See listing under July 21.
MONDAY, JULY 24
Free Skin Cancer Screening Clinics. With Dr.
Ovleto Ciccarelli. Early skin cancer warning
signs can appear on hard-to-see areas of the
body, or in areas that might be difficult to find
for the elderly or people living alone. Gifford
Health Center at Berlin. For appt.: 728-2430
Working with Sitting Practice. A class to
cultivate a deepening of meditation practice.
By allowing some of the habits of our
character along with some assumptions and
misunderstandings of meditation to fall away,
we can find more warmheartedness, ease, and
connectedness in our practice. 67:30 p.m.
Hunger Mountain Coop, Montpelier. Free.
TUESDAY, JULY 25
Bike Northfield to Randolph Loop with Green
Mountain Club. Difficult but all on paved
Performing Arts THEATER,
DANCE,
STORYTELLING, COMEDY
Through July 23: Lost Nation Theater presents Around the World in 80 Days. Jules Vernes classic
adventure novel comes to life onstage in a zany, hilarious, 5-actor quick-change comedy version by
Mark Brown. Thurs.Sat., 7:30 p.m.; Sun., 2 p.m. City Hall Arts Center, Main St., Montpelier.
$2530. 229-0492. lostnationetheater.org
July 2122: The Chelsea Funnery presents Hamlet. Students create a captivating, heartfelt and
even funny portrayal of Shakespeares epic, all without sets or shoes! July 21, 6 p.m.; July 22, 5 p.m.
Tunbridge School, Rte. 110. Rain location: Chelsea Town Hall. By donation. TheCheseaFunnery.com
July 22, 23, 29, 30: The Wind in the Willows. A production for the young and the young at heart.
Sat., 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.; Sun., 2 p.m. QuarryWorks Theater, Adamant. Free; donations welcome. http://
quarryworks.org/
July 22: DreamCycle. An inventive circus experience that leads you on an adventure through a
new, yet strangely familiar world. Acrobats, jugglers, and aerialists are woven into the fabric of a
dream as fears tiptoe across the narrowest wire. Featuring graduates of Circus Smirkus. 2 p.m. and 7
p.m. Highland Center for the Arts, 2875 Hardwick St., Greensboro. Adults $25; students; $5 EBT
cardholders. 533-2000. highlandartsvt.org
July 22: Kathleen Kanz Comedy Hour at deMena's. Stand up comedy. 8 p.m. 44 Main St.,
Montpelier. $5. Adult content.
July 23, 30: Bread and Puppet Sunday Performances. Every Sunday through Aug. Honey Lets Go
Home Theater Presents: Dignity Milk, cantastoria and Post-Apocalypse For Empire. 3 p.m.
Bread and Puppet Farm, 753 Heights Rd., Glover. Suggested donation $10, no one turned away for
lack of funds. For more info.: breadandpuppet.org
July 26: DreamCycle by Cirque Us! An inventive circus experience that leads you on an adventure
through a new, yet strangely familiar world. Acrobats, jugglers, and aerialists are woven into the fabric
of a dream as fears tiptoe across the narrowest wire. 7 p.m. Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center, 122
Hourglass Dr., Stowe. $25 advance; $30 day of. 760-4634. sprucepeakarts.org.
July 2829: Anything Goes! Slams. Everyone's invited! Two great slams coming right up where
not only poets, but musicians, comics, magicians, choral groups, bands, have 5 minutes on stage to
perform original work or covers. wowing the judges, chosen at random from the audience, who will
determine the winner of a very modest prize.
July 28, 7 p.m.: Bookstock at Artistree, 2095 Pomfret Road, South PomfretSign up at6:45 p.m.
July 29, 6:30 p.m.: Aldrich Memorial Library, 6 Washington St., Barre (use rear door). Free pizza
at6 p.m.; sign up at6:30 p.m.
AUDITIONS
July 25: Auditions for Sense & Sensibility, Fall 2017 at Lost Nation Theater. Lost Nation Theater
is seeking Actor-Movers age 15 and up for roles in language-rich and physically-challenging, nearly
dance-theater adaptation of Jane Austens classic Sense & Sensibility as adapted by Kate Hamill. The
project requires actors with both strong verbal skills, facility with comedy/style, drama and who can
move & balance well. Prepare 2 contrasting monologues and 16 bars of a song (optional) no longer
than two total minutes. Bring a headshot and resume. All roles open. By appt., 58 p.m. 39 Main St.,
Montpelier. Sign-up: info@lostnationtheater.org. More info: http://lostnationtheater.org/auditions-
and-employment.html
roads. About 40 miles. Bike Rt. 12A south,
stop for lunch at the Randolph recreation area,
and return via Rt.12 with a break stop at the
WEDNESDAY, JULY 26
Barre Heritage Festival. July 2630. Music,
Country Store. Meet at 10 a.m. Contact George arts, activities throughout Downtown Barre. See
Plumb at 883-2313 or plumb.george@gmail.com full schedule at barreheritagefestival.org
to confirm.
Build a Better World! Summer Reading
American Red Cross Blood Donation Program for Kids. Budding Builders with
Opportunity: Hardwick. Noon5:30 p.m. Cassie Bickford. Try your hand at engineering!
Knights of Columbus, 206 VT Rte. 14S, Build a suspension bridge and experiment with
Hardwick. redcrossblood.org. 1-800-RED weights to see how sturdy you can make it. 10
CROSS a.m. Jaquith Public Library, 122 School St.,
Tilted Scales Book Presentation & Fundraiser Marshfield. 426-3581. jaquithpubliclibrary.org
for J20 Defendants. Community discussion
Authors at The Aldrich: Adam Krakowski.
about how activists can strengthen their
ability to navigate criminal legal charges. This
Genre: food history. Author of Vermont Beer:
History of a Brewing Revolution and Vermont
presentation and discussion are based on the
Prohibition: Teetotalers, Bootleggers, and
ideas in the recently published book, A Tilted Corruption. 6 p.m. Aldrich Public Library, 6
Guide to Being a Defendant. 79 p.m.; potluck Washington St., Barre.
67 p.m. Unitarian Church, 130 Main St.,
Montpelier. http://tiltedscalescollective.org/ The Waterbury Historical Society
and Vermont Humanities Council Annual
Picnic and program meeting.
Program is Vermont Musical
Ladies by singer and research
Linda Radike and Arthur
Zona. Picnic/potluck 6 p.m.;
program 7 p.m. Hope Davey
Park, Maple St., Waterbury
Center.
Dream, Girl Documentary.
Dream, Girl showcases
the stories of inspiring and
ambitious female entrepreneurs
and the risks they take to
achieve their dreams. Doors
open 6 p.m.; film 6:30 p.m.
Q&A follows. Big Picture
Theater, 48 Carroll Rd.,
Waitsfield. Adults $10;
students $5. Benefits the
Vermont Womens Fund.
vermontcf.org/dreamgirl-
waitsfield.
Painting by John Weaver,
member of the Paletteers
of Vermont. Part of the
new work by the Paletteers
on display at The Aldrich
Library in Barre.

T H E B R I D G E J U LY 2 0 AU G U S T 2 , 2 017 PAG E 19
Live Music
VENUES
Bagitos. 28 Main St., Montpelier. Open mic every
Wed. Other shows T.B.A. bagitos.com.
Charlie Os World Famous. 70 Main St.
Montpelier. Free. 223-6820.
Every Tues.: Karaoke, 9 p.m1 a.m.
July 21: Julia Kate (solo folk) 6 p.m.; Hungry
Jack/Tsunamibots (surf punk) 9 p.m.
July 22: Mister Burns/Rap Night Crew (hip hop)
9 p.m.
Juy 28: Chicky Stoltz (solo acoustic) 6 p.m.; Jon
Hatchett Band (honky-tonk) 9 p.m.
July 29: Wes Hamilton (folk) 6 p.m.; Drunk & In
the Woods (R & B) 9 p.m.
Espresso Bueno. 248 N. Main St., Barre. 479-0896.
Free/by donation unless otherwise noted. events@
espressobueno.com.
July 21: Brock Mac (folk/blues/modern alt) 7:30
p.m.; Bishop LaVey (acoustic alt-punk) 8:30 p.m.
Sweet Melissas. 4 Langdon St., Montpelier. Free/
by donation unless otherwise noted. https://www.
facebook.com/sweetmelissasvt/.
Whammy Bar. 7 p.m.; Fri. and Sat., 7:30 p.m. 31
County Rd., Calais. Thurs., Free. whammybar1.com.
Every Wed.: Open Mic
July 20: The Zookeepers
July 21: The Shugarmakers
July 22: Blackwater Trio
SPECIAL EVENTS
July 20: Brown Bag Summer Concert Series:
Dana & Susan Robinson. Free live and local
music! Noon. Christ Church courtyard, 64 State
St., Montpelier. http://www.montpelieralive.com/
July 20: Jaquith Library Summer Concert
Series: Dave Keller Band. Food truck on site:
Caja Madera. 6:30 p.m. Old Schoolhouse Gazebo,
122 School St. RM 2, Marshfield. Free. 426-3581
July 21: Michael Arnowitt. Jazz duo with vocalist
John Wilson. 710 p.m. Tap 25, Main Street,
Stowe
July 21: House Concert (Vermont Italian Opera
Intensive). A house concert of Italian arias and
songs, by the participants of the Vermont Italian
THURSDAY, JULY 27
Barre Heritage Festival. July 2630. Music,
arts, activities throughout Downtown Barre. See
full schedule at barreheritagefestival.org
Stop Putting it Off! Advance Directives for
Health Care Workshop. Have you executed an
Advance Directive for Health Care? Or has it
been over 3 years since you last updated it and
all your family contacts have changed or are
deceased? Have you registered it so that someone
can find it and follow your personal wishes at a
time of crisis? Do you have a Vermont specific
document? 1:303:30 p.m. Montpelier Senior
Activity Center, 58 Barre St., Montpelier. Free.
223-2518
La Soiree Sucree. French dessert competition,
tasting and French-Canadian music by Va-et-
vient. 58:30 p.m. Old Labor Hall, 46 Granite
St., Barre. Adults $15 at door; $10 advance; kids
under 12 $6. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/la-
soiree-sucree-tickets-35917986665
FRIDAY, JULY 28
Barre Heritage Festival. July 2630. Music,
arts, activities throughout Downtown Barre. See
Calendar of Events
Opera Intensive. 7 p.m. Private residence: 310-
9802 for directions and reservations. Free
July 21: Music in the Alley Series: Night Tree.
This six member group includes the cello, baritone
saxophone, cajn, accordion and dueling fiddles.
69 p.m. Axels Gallery & Frame Shop, 5 Stowe
St., Waterbury. 244-7801. AxelsGallery.com
July 22: Contra Dance at Brookfield Old Town
Hall. With guitarist Pam Bockes, fiddler Susan
Reid and caller Larry Becker. 7 p.m. 32 Stone Rd.,
Brookfield. $5; kids under 18 free.
July 22: Christine Malcolm Band. With songs
about small towns, big hearts, broken dreams and
the endurance of hope and love her songs are rich
in harmonies and steeped in a local Vermont style.
8 p.m. Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center, 122
Hourglass Dr., Stowe. $20 advance; $25 day-of.
Sprucepeakarts.org
July 23: 9th Annual Calais Concert Features
Anna and Elizabeth. The collaboration between
Anna Roberts-Gevalt and Elizabeth LaPrelle spans
worldsbetween their homes in Brooklyn and
rural Virginia; between deep study of mountain
ballads and explorations into the avant garde.
Hear guitar, banjo, fiddle and the uncanny blend
of their voices in close harmony. 4 p.m. Old West
Church, Calais. $15 (A portion of the proceeds
will benefit the Vermont Folklife Center.) 223-
1015.
July 23: Levitt AMP St. Johnsbury Music Series:
Psychedelic funksters Evolfo return with opening
act Electric Sorcery. Food vendors and beer tent.
47 p.m. Dog Mountain, St.. Johnsbury. Free.
concerts.Levitt AMP.org/stjohnsbury
July 23: Concert: Scenes & Arias (Vermont
Italian Opera Intensive). A semi-staged
concert of scenes and arias, by the participants
of the Vermont Italian Opera Intensive. 4 p.m.
Waterbury Congregational Church, 8 N. Main
St., Waterbury. Free.
July 25: Randolphs 6th Annual Summer
Concert Series. Tim Brick (country). Families
bring lawn chairs and picnic blankets for an
evening of fun, food and music. Food by the
Orange County Sheriffs Department. Food,
5:30 p.m.; music 6:30 p.m. Gifford Park, Rt. 12,
Randolph.
July 26: Middlesex Bandstand Concert Series.
Chad Hollister. 6:308:30 p.m. Middlesex
full schedule at barreheritagefestival.org
Adamant Co-op Friday Night Cookouts. Grill
items, seasonal salads, decadent desserts, tons of
ambiance. 5:307 p.m. Adamant Co-op, 1313
Haggett Rd., Adamant. $10. Call for menu items:
223-5760.
SATURDAY, JULY 29
Barre Heritage Festival. July 2630. Music,
arts, activities throughout Downtown Barre.
Saturday's festivities include parade, car show,
kids zone, fireworks and more. See full schedule
at barreheritagefestival.org
Hike Stowe to Waterbury with Green
Mountain Club. Moderate to difficult. 8 miles.
Start up Stowe Pinnacle, continue up to the
Skyline trail, over to Hunger Mtn. and down the
Waterbury Hunger Mtn. trail. A car spot will
be needed. Contact Steve and Heather Bailey,
1-609-424-9238 for meeting time and place.
Hardwick Household Hazardous Waste
Collection Event. Clear out all hazardous waste
from your home. Look for labels like: caution,
hazardous, poisonous, danger or warning. 9
a.m.1 p.m. 155 Creamery Rd., Hardwick. $20/
Bandstand, 465 Shady Rill Rd., Middlesex (next
to the Rumney School).
July 26, Aug. 2: Capital City Band Concert.
Come enjoy a picnic with neighbors or meet
some new friends while enjoying this delightful
Vermont musical tradition. Or, bring an
instrument and play along with the band. Every
Wed., through Aug. 16, 78 p.m. State House
lawn, Montpelier. 456-7054.
July 27: Brown Bag Summer Concert Series:
Green Mountain Swing. Free live and local music!
Noon. Christ Church courtyard, 64 State St.,
Montpelier. http://www.montpelieralive.com/
July 27: Jaquith Library Summer Concert
Series: Kick em Jenny. Food truck on site:
Woodbelly Pizza. 6:30 p.m. Old Schoolhouse
Gazebo, 122 School St. RM 2, Marshfield. Free.
426-3581
July 27: Anna & Elizabeth. Nationally touring
Anna & Elizabeth gather songs and stories
from archives and visits with elders. They bring
these songs to life in performance with sparse,
atmospheric arrangements using guitar, banjo,
fiddle, and the uncanny blend of their voices in
close harmony. 7:30 p.m. Old Meeting House,
1620 Center Rd., E. Montpelier. $20 advance; $25
at door. 249-0404. sevenshea@gmail.com
July 2830: 14th Annual Manifestivus. Uplifting
international music festival that catalyzes a
movement of personal evolution through music,
art and culture. Stellar lineup, a diverse array of
food to suit every palate, and works from artists
showcased throughout the festival grounds in
a family-friendly environment. Camping, kids
activities, art, vendors. 234 Pransky Rd., Cabot.
$80 weekend pass; children 12 and under free.
Additional fee for car camping. Tickets, lineup
and more info.: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-
manifestivus-2017-tickets-32024412881
July 28: Jazzyaoke. Sing the standards to a live
six-piece jazz band; all lyrics provided. 7:3010:30
p.m. Highland Lodge, 1608 Craftsbury Rd.,
Greensboro. $5. 322-4456; info@wooo.tv. wooo.
tv
July 29: Best of the WORST. SONG. EVER. (aka,
The Stupid Bowl) Celebrate Buenos 10th
anniversary, and vote with your dollars for (or
against) your least favorite pop songs over the
decades. Half of all proceeds benefit The Old
carload for in-district residents; $100/carload for
out-of-district residents. 229-9383. cvswmd.org
Homemade Pie Sale. During $3.50 per slice
includes beverage. 11 a.m3 p.m. During Barre
Heritage Festival. First Baptist Church, 24
Washington St., Barre. Proceeds benefit the local
Circle Womens Shelter.
SUNDAY, JULY 30
Barre Heritage Festival. July 2630. Music,
Labor Hall. Tented event on Main St. for the
Heritage Festival! 7 p.m. Espresso Bueno, 248
N. Main St., Barre. Free. 479-0896. events@
espressobueno.com. espressobueno.com
July 30: The Hot Sardines. Classic jazz. 7
p.m. Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center, 122
Hourglass Dr., Stowe. $30 unreserved outdoor
seating. Sprucepeakarts.org
Aug. 1: Randolphs 6th Annual Summer Concert
Series. The Bear Mountain Jammers (New
England-style country). Families bring lawn chairs
and picnic blankets for an evening of fun, food
and music. Food by the Randolph Center Fire
Department. Food, 5:30 p.m.; music 6:30 p.m.
Gifford Park, Rt. 12, Randolph.
Aug. 2: Mary Chapin Carpenter. Five-time
GRAMMY Award-winning singer-songwriter
and Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee
performs. 7:30 p.m. Spruce Peak Performing
Arts Center, 122 Hourglass Dr. Stowe. $2085.
Sprucepeakarts.org
Aug. 3: Brown Bag Summer Concert Series: Dan
& Willie Lindner. Free live and local music! Noon.
Christ Church courtyard, 64 State St., Montpelier.
http://www.montpelieralive.com/
Aug. 3: Jaquith Library Summer Concert Series:
Capitol Jazz Quartet and Central Vermont Jazz
Ensemble. Food truck on site: JDK BBQ. 6:30
p.m. Old Schoolhouse Gazebo, 122 School St.
RM 2, Marshfield. Free. 426-3581
Aug. 4: Friday Night Fires: Chris Killian and
the Vermont Brigade. 79 p.m. Fresh Tracks
Farm Vineyard & Winery, 4373 VT-12, Berlin.
freshtracksfarm.com
Aug. 5: Bluegrass Concert Benefitting Twin
Valley Senior Center. Cold Country Bluegrass,
a long time Central Vermont Bluegrass Sextet,
performs. With Sky Blue Boys. 79 p.m. Plainfield
Town Hall Opera House, Rt. 2, Plainfield. Free;
donations benefit Twin Valley Senior Center.
Aug. 5: Music For a New World: Burlington
Civic Symphony. A light summer concert of
music inspired by and composed in the United
States with some of our favorite pop selections
and familiar staples of the classical repertoire. 8
p.m. Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center, 122
Hourglass Dr., Stowe. $20 advance; $25 day of.
Sprucepeakarts.org
arts, activities throughout Downtown Barre. See
full schedule at barreheritagefestival.org
Hike Camel's Hump with Green Mountain
Club. Duxbury. Difficult. 12.4 miles. Early Bird
outing. Via Bamforth Ridge trail. From the River
Road parking lot/trailhead, well follow the LTS
to the summit, have lunch, then return by the
same route. Meet at Montpelier High School
parking lot at 6 a.m.. or the trailhead no later
than 7 a.m. Contact: Morgan Irons at morgan.
irons@myfairpoint.net or 223-7044.
PAG E 2 0 J U LY 2 0 AU G U S T 2 , 2 017 THE BRIDGE
Visual Arts
EXHIBITS
Through July 22: The Fronts SHOW 18. Part of
Vermont Arts 2017, a project of the Vermont Arts
Council. The show presents the latest works of the
collective gallerys Vermont-based contemporary
artists. Light refreshments and drinks served.
Gallery hours: Fri., 58 p.m.; Sat., 11 a.m.8
p.m. 6 Barre St., Montpelier. http://www.
vermontartscouncil.org/explore-vermont-arts/
vermont-arts-2017
Through July 26: William Ruthenberg. The
exhibit of 38 paintings includes scenes with
historic buildings and barns in an around Bethel,
and landscapes from travels around the world.
Gifford Gallery at Gifford Medical Center, 44 S.
Main St., Randolph. 728-7000.
Through July 28: Essex Art League Member
Show. The goal of the Essex Art League is to
support the appreciation and creation of art among
artists and within Chittenden County. Center for
Arts & Learning, 46 Barre St., Montpelier. www.
twwoodgallery.org, twoodgallery@gmail.com.
262-6035
Through July 31: From Generation to
Generation We Are Here! The Jewish
Community of Greater Stowe (JCOGS) Holocaust
memorial exhibit. The exhibit highlights a very
special collection of photos, narratives and
documents belonging to JCOGS members or their Masters of Fine Arts 2017. Helen Day Arts
families. JCOGS, 1189 Cape Cod Rd., Stowe.
253-1800.
July 2631: Paletteers of Vermont. Works in Latest group exhibition of the collective gallerys
numerous media. Opening reception: July 26,
5:307 p.m. Aldrich Public Library, Milne Room, artists. Part of Vermont Arts 2017, a project of the
6 Washington St., Barre.
TUESDAY, AUG. 1
Bike Orange to Groton with Green Mountain
Club. Difficult. About 30 miles. Via Rte. 302.
We may take a side dirt road part of the way.
Enjoy delicious ice cream in Groton. Meet at
the Orange Recreation area just up on the right
off the Reservoir Rd. Contact George Plumb for
meeting time at 883-2313 or plumb.george@
gmail.com.
WEDNESDAY, AUG. 2
Evening Hubbard Park Hike with Green
Mountain Club. Montpelier. Moderate. 4-5
miles. Well hike from after work until sunset
along some of the less-traveled trails. Bring a
light dinner or snacks, water and headlamp.
Contact co-leaders: Phyllis Rubenstein, Phyllis@
More calendar events and listing details at
www.montpelierbridge.com
Calendar of Events
Through Aug. 4: Mark Barry, Eating, Playing,
Dancing, Squeezing, Loving. Paintings. Barry
celebrates life with paintbrush in hand. The
Gallery at Central Vermont Medical Center,
Berlin. 279-6403 or moetown52@comcast.net.
Through Aug. 15: Summer in Abruzzo. Works by
Jeneane Lunn & James Lund. Painting in pastels
or pastel pencils and watercolors. On display at the
Morse Block Deli, 260 N. Main St., Barre
Through Aug. 18: Elise Whittemore, Specimens.
Woodblock prints. The Common Space Gallery at
the River Arts Center, 74 Pleasant St., Morrisville.
www.riverartsvt.org.
Through Aug. 18: Katie Loesel, Geology in the
Anthropocene. Abstraction and color to explore
ideas of geological history, microscopic surfaces
and rocky formations. River Arts Center, 74
Pleasant St., Morrisville. www.riverartsvt.org
Through Aug. 24: Three New Shows at Studio
Place Arts. Opening reception: July 20, 68
p.m. SPA, 201 N. Main St., Barre. 479-7069.
studioplacearts.com
Main floor: Ten. This group show includes
artwork inspired by the various objects
described the old counting nursery rhyme,
One, two buckle my shoe, counting to ten.
Second floor: Road Trip: Life through the
Windshield by Aaron Stein; Assemblages and
constructions.
Third floor: Trash Mounds by Grace Amber;
Installations
Through Aug. 26: The Best of the Northeast
Center, 90 Pond St., Stowe. 253-8358.
July 28Aug. 26: The Front presents SHOW 19.
membership of Vermont-based contemporary
Vermont Arts Council. Opening reception: July
PhyllisRubensteinLaw.comcastbiz.net or 802-
793-6313 or Charlene Bohl,CharleneBohl.
comcast.net or 229-9908 for meeting time and
place.
The Power is in Your Hands. You will be shown
hand yoga postures (Mudras) to help strengthen
and open lungs. 5:307:30 p.m. Hunger
Mountain Coop, Montpelier. $10 members; $12
non-members.
Authors at The Aldrich: Kekla Magoon. Genre:
childrens and young adult fiction. Author of
Shadows of Sherwood and X. 6 p.m. Aldrich
Public Library, Milne Community Room, 6
Washington St., Barre. 476-7550
A Cardboard Boat Regatta with Jennifer
Barlow. Families gather to build a boat out of
cardboard and duct tape. Then we all launch our
boats. Prizes. All ages. 6:458 p.m. Jaquith Public
28, 58 p.m. The Front, 6 Barre St., Montpelier.
ww.thefrontvt.com; info@thefrontvt.com
Through Aug. 31: Hannah Dennison, Moving
Paint, Moving Bodies. Dennison is a dance artist
and director of Cradle to Grave Arts. Chelsea
Public Library. 685-2188.
Through Aug. 31: Kelly Hunter, Stories of the
Stars Art. Playful, cosmic art exhibit of poster-
sized images from Hunters recently published
Planetary Gods and Goddesses Coloring Book,
shown both in black-and-white and as colored by
participants in local workshops. Meet-and-Greet
with the artist: Aug. 11, 2:304:30 p.m. Barre
Opera House. 6 N. Main St., Barre. kellhunter@
earthlink.net.
Through Sept. 8: T.W. Wood Gallery Annual
Summer Juried Show. Works of 23 Vermont
artists in watercolors, oils, pastels, acrylics, collage,
digital and photographs. T.W. Wood Gallery, 46
Barre St., Montpelier. 262-6035. twwoodgallery.
org
Through Sept. 29: Ed Epstein and George
Kurjanowicz, A Path Well Traveled.
Multidisciplinary artist Ep Epstein and sculptor
George Kurjanowicz. These artists present a strong
and dynamic narrative of portraiture, landscapes,
and organic sculptural forms. Governors Gallery,
Pavilion Building, State St., Montpelier.
Through Sept. 29: Hunter Eddy, Bridging
Worlds. Paintings. Eddy has studied the
techniques of traditional painting and drawing
from the Renaissance and is inspired by the
mastery of Caravaggio, Czanne and Sargent.
Supreme Court Gallery, State St., Montpelier.
Through Sept. 30: Patrick Dunfey, Large
Paintings on Paper. Opening reception and
talk: Aug. 5, 46 p.m. White River Gallery @
BALE, 35 S. Windsor St., South Royalton.
Library, 122 School St., Marshfield. 426-3581.
www.jaquithpubliclibrary.org
FRIDAY, AUG. 4
802 Reptiles with Kevin Clarkson. Live, hands-
on reptile educational program. There will be
friendly snakes and lizards of various species for
all to hold, take pictures with and learn about.
All ages. 6:458 p.m. Jaquith Public Library,
122 School St., Marshfield. 426-3581. www.
jaquithpubliclibrary.org
Send your event listing to
calendar@montpelierbridge.com.
Deadline for print in the
next issue is July 27
Through Oct. 6: Connection: the Art of Coming
Together. A survey of contemporary Vermont art
organized by artist networks rather than aesthetics
or media. Mon.Fri., 8 a.m.4:30 p.m. Vermont
Arts Council Gallery, 136 State St, Montpelier.
Through Oct. 9: Social Justice in Race, Gender,
Immigration, and the Environment. Each
wall In the upstairs gallery will be devoted to one
of four above issue areas, with both 2- and 3-D
artwork exploring each question from a variety
of perspectives. The exhibit includes twenty-one
Vermont artists working in a variety of media,
including clay, paper, painting, stone, assemblage,
metal, photography, and drawing. The downstairs
area will feature a large selection of photographs
of recent marches, vigils, and demonstrations
by Terry J. Allen, displayed along with posters,
banners, and signs from those events. Goddard
College, Eliot Pratt Center, Plainfield.
July 22Oct. 21: Exposed. Curated by Rachel
Moore. Exposed is in its 26th year, with outdoor
sculptures sited throughout the village and on the
recreation path. Opening reception: July 22, 4
p.m. Exhibit is throughout the village of Stowe.
http://www.helenday.com/exposed2017
SPECIAL EVENTS
July 23: Caspian Arts 2017 Studio Tour.
18 artists, 14 studios in Greensboro, Glover,
Hardwick and Craftsbury. 11 a.m.5 p.m. Maps
and info. at Millers Thumb Gallery, 14 Breezy
Ave, Greensboro. caspianartsvt.com
July 26, Aug. 2: Wednesday Night Live: Art
Tent. A number of fun and creative activities for
the community, including making tissue paper
flowers, beaded bubble wands, foam printmaking
and more. 5:307:30 p.m. 257 Portland St.,
Morrisville. 888-1261. www.RiverArtsVT.org.
T H E B R I D G E J U LY 2 0 AU G U S T 2 , 2 017 PAG E 21

Weekly
ARTS & CRAFTS
Beaders Group. All levels of beading experience
welcome. Free instruction available. Come with
a project for creativity and community. Sat., 11
a.m.2 p.m. The Bead Hive, Plainfield. 454-1615.
Tuesday Night Knitters. Every week except for the
1st Tuesday of each month. All levels encouraged!
A small but dedicated group of knitters invite you
to share your projects, questions and enthusiasm for
the fiber arts! At the Cutler Memorial Library, 151
High Street (US Route 2), Plainfield. 454-8504,
www.cutlerlibrary.org.
Drop-in River Arts Elder Art Group. Work on art,
share techniques and get creative with others. Bring
your own art supplies. For elders 60+. Every Fri.,
10 a.m.noon. River Arts Center, 74 Pleasant St.,
Morrisville. Free. 888-1261. riverartsvt.org.
The Craftees. Crafts social group led by Nancy
Moran every Fri. Bring craft and potluck. 10
a.m.2 p.m. Barre Area Senior Center, 131 S. Main
St., #4, Barre. $3. Register: 479-9512
BICYCLING
Open Shop Nights. Volunteer-run community bike
shop: bike donations and repairs. Wed., 46 p.m.;
other nights. Freeride Montpelier, 89 Barre St.,
Montpelier. 552-3521. freeridemontpelier.org.
BOOKS & WORDS
Lunch in a Foreign Language. Bring lunch and
practice your language skills with neighbors.
Noon1 p.m. Mon., American Sign Language;
Tues., Italian; Wed., Spanish; Thurs., French.
Kellogg-Hubbard Library, 135 Main St.,
Montpelier. 223-3338.
English Conversation Practice Group. For
students learning English for the first time. Tues.,
45 p.m. Central Vermont Adult Basic Education,
Montpelier Learning Center, 100 State St. 223-
3403.
Ongoing Reading Group. Improve your reading
and share some good books. Books chosen by
group. Thurs., 910 a.m. Central Vermont Adult
Basic Education, Montpelier Learning Center, 100
State St. 223-3403.
BUSINESS, FINANCE,
COMPUTERS, EDUCATION
One-on-One Technology Help Sessions. Free
assistance to patrons needing help with their
computers and other personal electronic devices.
30 min. one-on-one sessions every Tues., 10 a.m.
noon. Waterbury Public Library, 28 N. Main St.,
Waterbury. Free. Registration required: 244-7036.
Calendar of Events
262-6288 or justbasicsinc@gmail.com.
Plainfield Farmers Market. Every Fri. through
Oct. 6. Locally raised produce and meats; baked
goods; maple syrup; crafts; Japanese tea tasting.
4-7 p.m., Mill Street Park, Mill Street, Plainfield.
Capital City Farmers Market. Every Sat.
through Oct. 28. Shop from 50 local farmers and
producers each week in downtown Montpelier.
CCFM is a producer-only market meaning
everything being sold is grown or made by each
vendor. Featuring regular live music, vendor
demonstrations, and local chef run cooking demos.
9 a.m.1 p.m. 60 State St., Montpelier. www.
montpelierfarmersmarket.com
HEALTH & WELLNESS
Turning Point Center. Safe, supportive place
for individuals and their families in or seeking
recovery. Daily, 10 a.m.5 p.m. 489 North Main
St., Barre. 479-7373.
Sun.: Alchoholics Anonymous, 8:30 a.m.
Tues.: Making Recovery Easier workshops,
67:30 p.m.
Wed.: Wits End Parent Support Group, 6 p.m.
Thurs.: Narcotics Anonymous, 6:30 p.m.
Al-Anon. Help for friends and families of
Alcoholics.
Sun.: Trinity Church, 137 Main St., Montpelier
(back door) 6:157:30 p.m.
Tues.: Bethany Church, 115 Main St.,
Montpelier (basement) noon1 p.m.
Wed.: Bethany Church,115 Main St.,
Montpelier (basement) 78 p.m.
Thurs.: Bethany Church, 115 Main St.,
Montpelier (basement) noon1 p.m
Sat.: Turning Point, N. Main St., Barre, 5 p.m.
(child friendly meeting)
Bone Building Exercises. Open to all ages. Every
Mon., Wed. and Fri. 7:30 a.m. and 9:15 a.m.
Twin Valley Senior Center, 4583 U.S. Rte. 2, E.
Montpelier. Free. 223-3322. twinvalleyseniors.org.
Tai Chi for Seniors. Led by trained volunteers.
Advanced class: every Mon. and Fri., 12 p.m.
Beginners class: Tues. and Thurs. 1011 a.m.
Twin Valley Senior Center, 4583 U.S. Rte. 2, E.
Montpelier. Free. 223-3322. twinvalleyseniors.org.
Living Strong Group. Volunteer-led group.
Sing while exercising. Open to all seniors. Every
Mon., 2:303:30 p.m. and every Fri., 23 p.m.
Montpelier Senior Activity Center, 58 Barre St.,
Montpelier. Free. Register: 223-2518. msac@
montpelier-vt.org.
Sex Addicts Anonymous. Mon., 6:30 p.m.
Bethany Church, 115 Main St., Montpelier. 552-
3483.
Type 2 Diabetes Self-Management Program.
Education and support to help adults at high risk
of developing type 2 diabetes adopt healthier eating
and exercise habits that can lead to weight loss
and reduced risk. Every Tues., 10:3011:30 a.m.
Kingwood Health Center Conference Room (lower
level), 1422 Rt. 66, Randolph. Free. Register: 728-
St., Randolph. Free. No registration required. 9 a.m.1 p.m. ARCC, 540 North Main St., Barre.
Open to all regardless of where you are in your $3 per carload. 229-9383 x106. For list of accepted
weight loss. items, go to cvswmd.org/arcc.
Wits End. Support group for parents, siblings,
children, spouses and/or relationship partners of
RESOURCES
someone suffering with addiction whether it is
to alcohol, opiates, cocaine, heroin, marijuana or
Onion River Exchange Tool Library. More
than 100 tools both power and manual. Onion
something else. Every Wed., 68 p.m. Turning
River Exchange is located at 46 Barre Street in
Point Center, 489 N. Main St., Barre. Louise:
Montpelier. Hours are Wed. and Thurs., 10 a.m.2
279-6378.
p.m. For more info. or to donate tools: 661-8959 or
HIV Testing. Vermont CARES offers fast oral info@orexchange.com.
testing. Wed., 25 p.m. 29 State St., Ste. 14 (above
Rite Aid), Montpelier. Free and anonymous. 371-
SOLIDARITY/IDENTITY
6224. vtcares.org.
NAMI Vermont Connection Recovery Support Rainbow Umbrella of Central Vermont. An adult
Group. For individuals living with mental illness.
Every Fri., 34 p.m. Another Way, 125 Barre St.,
LGBTQ group, meets every third Tues., 5:307
p.m. All LGBT adults and allies are welcome to
Montpelier. 876-7949. info@namivt.org attend for socializing, community building and
advocating for LGBT issues. MSAC, 58 Barre St.,
KIDS & TEENS
Montpelier. RUCVTAdmin@PrideCenterVT.org
Friday Night Group. Social gathering of LGBTQ
The Basement Teen Center. Safe drop-in space to
youth, ages 13 22. 2nd and 4th Fridays of the
hang out, make music, play pool, ping-pong and
month, 6:30 8:00 pm. Free pizza and soft drinks.
board games and eat free food. All activities are
Supervised by LGBT adults trained by Outright
free. Mon.Thurs., 26 p.m., Fridays 3-10 p.m.
Vermont. Unitarian Church, Montpelier. For more
Basement Teen Center, 39 Main St., Montpelier.
info, email Nancy: SaddleShoes2@gmail.com
BasementTeenCenter.org
Bowling. Rainbow Umbrella of Central Vermont,
Story Time and Playgroup. With Sylvia Smith for
story time and Cassie Bickford for playgroup. For
ages birth6 and their grown-ups. We follow the
an adult LGBTQ group, bowls at Twin City Lanes
on Sunday afternoons twice a month. For dates and
times, write to RUCVTAdmin@PrideCenterVT.
Twinfield Union School calendar and do not hold
org
the program the days Twinfield is closed. Wed., 10
11:30 a.m. Jaquith Public Library, 122 School St.,
SPIRITUALITY
Marshfield. Free. 426-3581. jaquithpubliclibrary.
org.
Story Time for Tots. For infants through pre-K
Christian Science Reading Room. You're invited
to visit the Reading Room and see what we have for
aged kids, every Thursday through August 24th your spiritual growth. You can borrow, purchase or
from 10:30 to 11 am at the Cutler Memorial simply enjoy material in a quiet study room. Hours:
Library, 151 High Street (US Route 2), Plainfield. Hours: Hours: Wed.Sat., 11 a.m.2 p.m.; Wed.,
454-8504, www.cutlerlibrary.org 57:15 p.m. 145 State St., Montpelier. 223-2477.
Lego Club. Use our large Lego collection to create A Course in Miracles. A study in spiritual
and play. All ages. Thurs., 34:30 p.m. Kellogg- transformation. Group meets each Tues., 78 p.m.
Hubbard Library, 135 Main St., Montpelier. Free. Christ Episcopal Church, 64 State St., Montpelier.
223-3338. kellogghubbard.org. 279-1495.
Dads & Kids Playgroup. Playtime and free dinner. Christian Counseling. Tues. and Thurs. Daniel
Every Thurs., 57 p.m. For Dads and their children Dr., Barre. Reasonable cost. By appt. only: 479-
ages birth5. Family Center of Washington 0302.
County, 383 Sherwood Dr., Montpelier. fcwcvt.org
Prayer Meeting. Ecumenical and charismatic
Drop-in Kinder Arts Program. Innovative prayer meeting. Every 1st and 3rd Thurs., 6:308
exploratory arts program with artist/instructor p.m. 8 Daniels Dr., Barre. 479-0302
Kelly Holt. Age 35. Fri., 10:30 a.m.noon. River
Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. For those
Arts Center, 74 Pleasant St., Morrisville. 888-1261.
interested in learning about the Catholic faith, or
RiverArtsVT.org.
current Catholics who want to learn more. Wed.,
Teen Fridays. Find out about the latest teen books, 7 p.m. St. Monica Church, 79 Summer St., Barre.
use the gym, make art, play games and if you need
to, do your homework. Fri., 35 p.m. Jaquith
Register: 479-3253.
Deepening Our Jewish Roots. Fun, engaging text
Public Library, 122 School St., Marshfield. 426-
study and discussion on Jewish spirituality. Sun.,
3581.
4:456:15 p.m. Yearning for Learning Center,
Read to Me & Creativity. For kids in Montpelier. 223-0583. info@yearning4learning.
Kindergarten3rd grade, every Sun. through org.
Aug. 20, 12 p.m. (before the library opens to
the public). Cutler Memorial Library, 151 High

FOOD & DRINK

Community Meals in Montpelier. All welcome.
Free.
Mon.: Unitarian Church, 130 Main St., 11
a.m.12:30 p.m.
Tues.: Bethany Church, 115 Main St., 11:30
a.m.1 p.m.
Wed.: Christ Church, 64 State St., 11 a.m.12:30
p.m.
Thurs.: Trinity Church, 137 Main St., 11:30
a.m.1 p.m.
Fri.: St. Augustine Church, 18 Barre St., 11
a.m.12:30 p.m.
Sun.: Last Sunday only, Bethany Church, 115
Main St. (hosted by Beth Jacob Synagogue),
4:305:30 p.m.
Lunches for Seniors. Mon., Wed., Fri., Noon.
Twin Valley Senior Center, 4583 U.S. Rt. 2, E.
Montpelier. $4 suggested donation. 223-3322.
twinvalleyseniors.org.
Feast Together or Feast To Go. All proceeds
benefit the Feast Senior Meal program. Tues. and
Fri., noon1 p.m. Live music every Tues., 10:30
11:30 a.m. Montpelier Senior Activity Center, 58
Barre St., Montpelier. Seniors 60+ free with $7
suggested donation; under 60 $7. Reservations:
7714.
Tai Chi for Falls Prevention. With Diane Des
Bois. Beginners and mixed levels welcome. 2:15
p.m. Barre Area Senior Center, 131 S., Main St.,
#4, Barre. Free. Register: 479-9512.
Overeaters Anonymous. Twelve-step program for
physically, emotionally and spiritually overcoming
overeating. Two meeting days and locations. Sat.,
8:309:30 a.m. at Episcopal Church of the Good
Shepherd, 39 Washington St., Barre. 249-3970.
Every Mon., 5:306:30 p.m. at Bethany Church,
115 Main St., Montpelier. 223-3079.
Tai Chi Classes for All Ages. Every Tues. and
Thurs., 1011 a.m. Twin Valley Senior Center, Rte.
2, Blueberry Commons, E. Montpelier. Free. 223-
3322. twinvalleyseniors@myfairpoint.net
Mooditude Support Group. A professional and
peer-led support group, not a therapy group. For
people with depression, bipolar disorder, seasonal
affective disorder, dysthymia etc.). Every Wed., 45
p.m. Bethany Church,115 Main St., Montpelier.
(downstairs at end of hallway). Free. 223-4111 or
522-0775.
Weight Loss Support Group. Get help and
support on your weight loss journey every Wed.,
67 p.m. Giffords Conference Center, 44 S. Main
Do What You Do Best.
Bookkeeping Payroll Consulting
802.262.6013 evenkeelvt.com
St., (US Rte 2), Plainfield. 454-8504, www.
cutlerlibrary.org.
Mad River Valley Youth Group. Sun., 79 p.m.
Meets at various area churches. Call 497-4516 for
location and information.
MUSIC & DANCE
Barre-Tones Womens Chorus. Open rehearsal.
Find your voice with 50 other women. Mon.,
7 p.m. Capital City Grange, Rt. 12, Berlin.
BarretonesVT.com. 552-3489.
Dance or Play with the Swinging Over 60 Band.
Danceable tunes from the 1930s to the 1960s.
Recruiting musicians. Tues., 10:30 a.m.noon.
Montpelier Senior Activity Center, 58 Barre St.,
Montpelier. 223-2518.
Monteverdi Young Singers Chorus Rehearsal.
New chorus members welcome. Wed., 45 p.m.
Montpelier. Call 229-9000 for location and more
information.
Ukelele Group. All levels welcome. Thurs., 68
p.m. Montpelier Senior Activity Center, 58 Barre
St. 223-2518.
Barre Rock City Chorus. We sing songs from
the 60s80s and beyond. All songs are taught by
rote using word sheets, so ability to read music is
not required. All ages welcome; children under
13 should come with a parent. Every Thurs.,
6:308:30 p.m. Church of the Good Shepherd, 39
Washington St., Barre.
Gamelan Rehearsals. Sun., 79 p.m. Pratt Center,
Goddard College. Free. 426-3498. steven.light@
jsc.edu. light.kathy@gmail.com.
RECYCLING
Additional Recycling. The Additional Recyclables
Collection Center accepts scores of hard-to-recycle
items. Mon., Wed., Fri., noon6 p.m.; Third Sat.,
SPORTS & GAMES
Roller Derby Open Recruitment and
Recreational Practice. Central Vermonts
Wrecking Doll Society invites quad skaters age
18 and up. No experience necessary. Equipment
provided: first come, first served. Sat., 56:30 p.m.
Montpelier Recreation Center, Barre St. First skate
free. centralvermontrollerderby.com.
YOGA & MEDITATION
Christian Meditation Group. People of all faiths
welcome. Mon., noon1 p.m. Christ Church,
Montpelier. 223-6043.
Awakening the Heart of Compassion. A
meditation practice and study program withMaggie
McGuire, Ph.D. Every Wed. through Aug.
30. Join the course at any time. 5:307 p.m.
Wellspring Center, 39 Church St., Hardwick.
Free; donations accepted. For more information:
wellspringinsight@gmail.com
Zen Meditation. With Zen Affiliate of Vermont.
Wed., 6:307:30 p.m. 174 River St., Montpelier.
Free. Call for orientation: 229-0164.
Montpelier Shambhala Meditation. Group
meditation practice. Sun., 10 a.m.noon; Wed.,
67 p.m; learn to meditate free instruction
the 1st Wed. of the month. New location:
5 State Street, 2nd floor, Montpelier. info@
montpeliershambhala.org, www.montpelier.
shambhala.org
Sunday Sangha: Community Ashtanga Yoga.
Every Sun., 5:407 p.m. Grateful Yoga, 15 State
St., 3F, Montpelier. By donation.
Send your event listing to
calendar@montpelierbridge.com.
Deadline for print in the
next issue is July 27
PAG E 2 2 J U LY 2 0 AU G U S T 2 , 2 017 THE BRIDGE

Classifieds
HELP WANTED
FULL TIME BEAUTICIAN/ New Construction
HAIR DRESSER WANTED
Full time station available for rent at Bella
Renovations
Capelli Al Sole Salon in our beautiful new
location on the Barre-Montpelier Road
Woodworking
(13 Overlook Drive, Berlin, next to AT&T
Wireless). Please stop by or call Lori
General Contracting
Bisson at 223-0033 or 461-6093.

Text-only classifieds
are 50 words for $25.
Call 249-8666 or 223-5112 ext. 11

223-3447
clarconstruction.com

Design & Build

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gendronbuilding@aol.com gendronconcrete.com
T H E B R I D G E J U LY 2 0 AU G U S T 2 , 2 017 PAG E 2 3

Curbing Distracted Driving is a Year-long Effort

by Patricia Jacobs, president, AT&T New England

Opinion
A s we approach the busy summer travel months, its important to remember
that our efforts to make our roads and highways safer must continue.
AT&T launched its It Can Wait distracted driving campaign back in 2010.
Since then, theyve had the opportunity to host dozens of school assemblies across
Vermont to raise awareness about distracted driving and talk to thousands of local
drivers of all ages about their driving habits.
Over the years, we have found that the best way to educate people about the dangers of distracted
driving and help them break out of the habit is two-fold: 1) provide drivers with convenient, user-
friendly tools that help them resist the urge to glance at their phones while behind the wheel;
and 2) encourage everyone in the community from elected officials and policymakers to law
enforcement officers to concerned parents, teachers and friends to talk openly about the issue.
The tools are simple. In every electronics store, there are countless hands-free devices, Bluetooth
speakers and mounted phone cases. These accessories, combined with a mobile apps will,
when active, automatically block incoming notifications sensing that the car is in motion. With
the right tools, drivers can stay connected without ever having to take their eyes off the road. quickly glance at their phones on occasion. Others say theyre trying to stop, but claim that
While many of us have hundreds of phone numbers, email addresses and
Facebook friends in our smartphones virtual rolodexes, AT&T research found
that most smartphone users have a significant amount of their interactions with
just five people. Our study also found those five people are genuinely capable of
influencing and changing behavior. When it comes to distracted driving, more
than 80 percent of drivers said they would immediately stop using their phone
while driving if someone in their top 5 friends list asked them to.
We urge everyone to start using that influence. Remind your friends and loved ones that they are
more important than any text message, Facebook post or email.
Since launching the It Can Wait campaign, AT&T has conducted a number of surveys
and behavioral studies in an effort to fully understand the issue of distracted driving. They
found that even though nearly 99 percent of drivers understand that texting while driving is
dangerous, nearly 70 percent do it anyway. Some say they do it because they think theyre better
at multitasking than their peers. Some say they only use their phone at red lights, or they only
distracted driving is a compulsion even addicting.

The second step can be a bit more complicated, but its incredibly important. Every one of Put simply, distracted driving is a bad habit, and bad habits are tough to break. But if we work
AT&T's distracted driving studies since 2010 have gleaned a common result: Drivers together and keep communicating our concerns with the people we love we can make an
especially young drivers are significantly more likely to change their behavior if a friend or a impact.
loved one asks them to.

Marijuana Not Safe by Martha Hafner, Randolph Center

A Opinion
re Vermonters a breed worth fighting for? Should we simply stand by and
watch as marijuana and other addictive drugs steal the hearts and minds
of our people, especially our young? Should we allow legislators to legalize
marijuana and add to the already slippery slopes of drug addiction issues we
already face?
In an earlier letter to the editor, Ive commented about the need to protect our
states most valuable natural resource the minds of our youth. I also pointed to the need to
protect our highways from drivers who are high with no roadside tests currently available to assist
officers in holding drivers accountable for driving under the influence. We need to be heralding,
that there should be designated drivers at any pot parties, too. This message will focus on the
taxpayers lament and lessons from Colorado.
There is a steep cost to all of the drug issues Vermont currently faces. Someone told me
$85 million, but that seems low to me. Add it up jail costs $55-70,000 per year for each
incarceration male/female. Then add the legal fees, safe harbor homes, counsellors for mental
health, and job placement. Then theres the DCF expenses for neglected children, their court
costs and social workers. Then theres the medical costs with added ER visits and rehab expenses.
Of course there's police legwork. Don't forget the business and neighborhood expenses of stolen
goods. Theres also lots of volunteer hours and community donations to rehab efforts. Im sure
theres more.
Marijuana can be addictive. Its not as safe as many would have us think or as safe
as it was 30 years ago. THC content is three times as potent. The brain isnt fully
developed until we reach 25 years of age. Marijuana can interfere with the brains
nerve cells, leaving permanent damage to the developing brain. It interferes with
muscle responses, concentration and other critical skills for driving and other skills
requiring focused attention. Fourteen percent of all fatal auto accidents involve
marijuana in the blood stream. Do we really want to see these numbers accelerate as well as opioid
deaths that jumped from 100 to 149 from 2015 to 2016?
Colorado has four years of legalization. There is a short clip (28 seconds) of reports from their
governor and the mayor of Denver at www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNerBOFuXZk. They report
the following: Now they lead the nation in teen usage. Edible marijuana is marketed to their
children. Marijuana traffic deaths have increased 62 percent. At one hospital, 50 percent of
newborns had marijuana in their system. New finances for school programs have been diverted
to regulation of the pot industry. A Colorado mother shares the horrors of her 14-year-old sons
psychotic and violent outbreaks due to his marijuana addictions in a video letter to Governor
Scott (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_XuL3psDhc). She also describes the effects of
international cartels that have moved into her community that was rated the sixth most desirable
community in the US to live. Now they have moved in to grow marijuana to ship it overseas and
exchange it for heroin.

Do we really need one more addictive influence legalized? Be informed. Share your concerns. Fight for Vermont. Contact hafhilltop@gmail.com for more
information.

The Bridge publishes every first and third

Thursday of the month, except in July when
we only publish on the third Thursday.
Our next issue comes out August 3
Opinion Student Voices
Montpelier High School social studies teacher
Heather McLane assigned her students to
write paragraphs sharing their opinion about
an issue that they have studied, support their opinion with a bit of
evidence and include a call to action. Below are some of the results.

WE
Poetry
by Miles Launderville

WANT Marijuana U nfortunately for our school system, many students are largely
misinformed of the dangers of marijuana and alcohol use.

YOU! & Alcohol

Only 35 percent of Montpelier High School 12th graders think
that they are at risk of harming themselves if they binge drink on
Ballet Book Suspect weekends. Of these same 12th graders, only 21 percent think that
they are at risk of harming themselves if they smoke marijuana regularly. This does not reflect
(what the salesperson Volunteer Opportunities well on our education system, which lacks drug education. People under 25 are actually at great
whispered) with The Bridge risk of brain damage if they smoke marijuana regularly, as anyone under 25 has a developing
brain. It is truly unfortunate that our school system has no drug education program and until it
does, I urge parents to do their own research and inform themselves and talk to their children
keep an eye * Write News Stories, about drug and alcohol use.
on the Interviews or Profiles
by Anja Samsom

Distracted M
suspect * Take Photos
any people die each year due to distracted driving. A law
* Edit/Proofread
with the was passed that makes using a cellphone while driving

Driving
* Design/Layout illegal, but many people still do it. In 2009, according to the
ballet book * Mentor Young Writers Vermont State Police, 5,500 people in the U.S. died in crashes
in his * Day-of-Publication Help that resulted from distracted driving. People should adhere to
the law and stay off their devices. The law clearly states that A person shall not use a portable
hand electronic device while operating a moving motor vehicle, but many people still do. I cant count
Interested? Call Marichel the number of times that I have seen people driving with their phone to their ear, or looking
at 223-5112 ext 12 down on their phone. According to the Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles, the penalty for
or email texting while driving is $156 for the first offense, and $329 for the second offense, which seems
by Reuben Jackson, host of Friday Night
like it would be enough of a punishment for breaking this law. If people wont put their phones
Jazz on Vermont Public Radio marichel@montpelierbridge.com down to save money, they should at least put down their phone to avoid becoming a murderer.
Put down your phone when driving and remind others to do so, as well.
PAG E 24 J U LY 2 0 AU G U S T 2 , 2 017 THE BRIDGE
Bridge Community Media, Inc.
P.O. Box 1143, Montpelier, VT 05601
Ph: 802-223-5112
Editor & Publisher: Nat Frothingham
Managing Editor: Carla Occaso
Design & Layout, Calendar Editor:
Marichel Vaught
Copy Editing Consultant:
Larry Floersch
Proofreaders: Garrett Heaney,
Intern: Will Kyle
Sales Representatives: Michael Jermyn,
Rick McMahan
Distribution: Tim Johnson, Kevin Fair,
Daniel Renfro, Anders Aughey
Board Members: Chairman Donny Osman,
Margaret Blanchard, Phil Dodd, Josh Fitzhugh,
Martin Hahn, Irene Racz, Ivan Shadis
Editorial: 223-5112, ext. 14, or
editorial@montpelierbridge.com.
Location: The Bridge office is located at the
Vermont College of Fine Arts,
on the main level of Stone Science Hall.
Subscriptions: You can receive The Bridge by
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Copyright 2017 by The Bridge
To Mayor John Hollar and the City Council
Members by Joe Castellano, Montpelier
Opinion
I m writing this letter to both you and the city councilors
to express my dismay after attending last Wednesday
nights (July 12) lengthy city council meeting.
Over the past several city council meetings, it seems like
the clearest and strongest arguments have been advanced
by a number of Montpelier residents, including (Paul)
Gillies, that a new master plan should be adopted. There are a variety of
different reasons (legal concerns, the spending of time and resources on
re-adopting a master plan only to have to re-do the master plan within
the next 12 months, and the fact that zoning is supposed to follow the
master plan and not the other way around) for the city council not to
consider re-adoption. And I feel that by pursuing re-adoption, the city
council is going to leave the city vulnerable to legal challenges on a
number of different fronts.
And the time frame given by both (Planning Director) Mike Miller and
City Manager Bill Fraser is not realistic. Any readoption would have to
be approved by the regional planning commission. Given the significant
legal requirements to correctly and legally re-adopt the master plan, the
city council should just start a new master plan.
And although I may not have made my point as well as I would have
liked, readopting the 2015 master plan is similar to being told by your
mechanic that he can fix your 15 year old car with 350,000 miles on
it to keep it running, but that the repairs would only keep it running
for a year or so and that it will cost you $4,000 to fix it. I think that
most prudent people would at that point decide to purchase a new car
instead, rather than wasting the $4,000 to keep it going.
Quibble With Con With The Wind
by Andy Leader, North Middlesex
Opinion
I won't argue pro or con with David Kelley's opinion
piece, "Con With The Wind" (June 15), but I do have
some quibbles.
First, his comment that Vermont was "blessed to be
bypassed by the industrial revolution" is only partly
true. In fact, Windsor County and other Vermont
manufacturing centers were, one might say, instrumental in powering
the industrial revolution for more than a century. Precision Valley,
as the Springfield/Windsor region is known, was so important to
the production of machine tools during World War II that the U.S.
government ranked it as "the seventh most important bombing target
in the country," according to Wikipedia.
During the 1800s, the Robbins and Lawrence factory in Windsor was a
major arms producer for the U.S. Mexican war, the Civil War, and other
military engagements. Both the Winchester and Smith and Wesson
firearms companies can trace their origins to that factory.
Rocque Long
Painting
Insured
RecyclE 30+ years professional
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local references.
802-223-0389
I was dismayed, then, that during the straw vote
that only two of the council members voted in favor of
putting zoning on hold and to start the new master plan.
And as a taxpayer, Im incensed that re-adopting the
flawed 2015 Master Plan is even an option. One of the
concerns is that we have momentum with zoning and
that we cant hold up zoning. To both of those concerns, I say that
we have zoning in place that is working and that new zoning can and
should wait. As far as the three to four projects that Mr. Miller alluded
to that are waiting for new zoning, I feel that if the developers dont
want to wait, they should apply to build now under current zoning
regulations. I dont think that the city should be held hostage by some
developers who might stand to make more profit with different zoning
in place.
Regarding the new master plan, I was also stunned to find out that
the person trusted with hiring and vetting the consultant for the job
failed to correctly define the scope of work to the consultant. My
understanding of this dilemma is that the consultant, although being
paid most of the funds, is not going to provide us with the plan we were
hoping for unless the city pays them more money (at least $10,000 to
$30,000 more). This is a failure of Mr. Millers fiduciary responsibility
to the citizens of Montpelier. At this point, having seen how he has
handled zoning, thus far, I have little confidence that he will perform
adequately enough to provide the city with a new master plan. I also feel
that he is misleading the City Council, Mayor Hollar and Bill Fraser.
As many of us have implored you over the past few months, please work
on a new master plan first and then work on new zoning regulations.
Second, it has become fashionable to assume a negative
connotation for the adjective, "industrial," as applied
to wind turbines in Mr. Kelley's piece. Industry and
brilliantly inventive machinery have helped greatly to
make our country prosperous and egalitarian (relatively,
of course), and to keep us free. Woody Guthrie's motto,
famously emblazoned on his guitar, was "this machine kills fascists."
The same might be said of the United States' industrial core.
Finally, I find it irksome that Mr. Kelley, like others who oppose
Vermont wind turbines, seems particularly upset that a private, "multi-
billion dollar industry" seeks to make money from its investment. We
don't, and must not, live in a moral vacuum. However, we in the
U.S.A. should be aware that the chance to make money is a driving
force behind many of the life-enhancing accomplishments of a
dynamic society. I believe all Bridge readers are beneficiaries of that
dynamism.
Tell them
you saw it in
The Bridge!
T H E B R I D G E J U LY 2 0 AU G U S T 2 , 2 017 PAG E 2 5

Editorial
Light at the End of the Tunnel
by Nat Frothingham

A
fter what has been a long, often confusing, also an exhausting and controversial process paragraph.
involving the City of Montpeliers master plan and its proposed new zoning regulations, In planning and zoning, dreams and goals come first, then action. A new vision for this City begins
there may be light at the end of the tunnel. with a duly-adopted plan. Its a statutory requirement. The Council should suspend action on the
First, a little history. bylaws now, direct the planning commission to hold open public hearings to determine what the
In November 2010, the City of Montpelier won approval for its new municipal or master plan. public wants and desires, adopt a new plan with the requisite public notice and hearings before the
new plan is finalized, and then look at these bylaw proposals and how they fit with elements of the
Since 2010, the Citys planning commission has been hard at work writing completely new plan.
zoning ordinances or regulations.
Finally Gillies suggests that the immense work of the planning commission in writing new
But wait a minute. The 2010 master plan under then-current Vermont law expired after five zoning ordinances has not been a waste of time.
years and the City of Montpelier readopted that 2010 master plan in 2015.
He writes.
Here things get sticky.
While the process has been upside down, the exercise of drafting the bylaws is not lost. The vision
It turns out to put it bluntly that the City of Montpelier failed to include in the re-adopted of the City that the bylaws reflect, if the Council agrees it is appropriate, provides a foundation on
Master Plan a number of critical items that state law requires. which to build a plan. It invited public consideration of whether that vision of the City is appropriate.
Some of the missing items are these. In recent weeks, many Montpelier citizens have wondered why the Planning Commission and
First, basic information such as current numbers for Montpelier's population, housing, the Council would patch up what has been justly called the obsolete 2010 master plan just
economic data, and the like. to get it readopted. Why continue to work on zoning bylaws that may or may not reflect the
current pulse of the city?
Second, a missing land use map with all the required and updated research data and this
gap is large. Instead, lets take things in the right order: write a new plan, see that the zoning regulations
follow directly from that plan. Once those tasks have been completed, everyone in the city we
Third, not even the 2010 dates in the 2010 Master Plan were changed to 2015 thats suggests
care about so deeply will be well-served.
how much is missing from the re-adopted plan.
The deficiencies are indeed serious according to Montpelier attorney and planning expert Paul
Gillies. As part of a very recent (June 26,2017) letter from Gillies to Mayor John Hollar, Gillies
writes that the City acted as if re-adoption complied with state law but it did not.
Gillies goes on to say the following: The 2015 plan, because it was not re-adopted in accord
with Vermont state law, is of questionable authority on its own.
During a recent (July 12) City Council meeting, Mayor Hollar agreed with Gillies and
suggested a logical path forward.
First, suspend for the moment any further activity in writing and revising the new zoning
regulations.
Second, if not immediately, then as soon as possible, start with a fresh sheet of paper and put
together a completely new Montpelier Master Plan that conforms to Vermont state law.
Third, once that new Master Plan is in effect, go back to the zoning regulations and make sure
they follow directly from the new Master Plan.
Toward the end of his June 26, 2017 letter to Mayor Hollar, Paul Gillies writes a clarifying

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PAG E 26 J U LY 2 0 AU G U S T 2 , 2 017 THE BRIDGE
Central Vermont Council on Aging Grateful
to Age Out Loud Community Partners
Editor:
On Friday, June 9, the Central Vermont Council on Aging
held its first major fundraiser at the Barre Opera House.
Age Out Loud was an evening of personal comedic
storytelling and music created around humorous themes
involving aging and families. This event also included
a silent auction and the seventh annual Art of Creative
Aging exhibit in the theater lobby. The purpose of Age
Out Loud is to raise funds and awareness for Central
Vermont Council on Agings mission to support central
Vermonters to age with dignity and choice.
This very funny show featured award winning Moth
storytellers, Susanne Schmidt and Kevin Gallagher,
the blues and folk band, The Brevity Thing (all from
Say It Forward Productions), as well as East Montpelier
storytellers, Willem Lange and Nona Estrin. It was a really
fun evening for a great cause!
We could not have made this event a success without the
support of our many sponsors and auction donors from
the central Vermont community, especially the artists who
donated their paintings and photos for our art exhibit and
auction. Special thanks goes to our major sponsors, Thom
and Karen Lauzon, Tender Loving Homecare & Nursing,
Burlington Free Press, Eternity Web Design, Hannaford
Supermarkets, Jack F. Corse, Inc., National Life Group,
The Gary Residence, Times Argus, Washington Electric
Co-op, and Westview Meadows. We also thank Say It
Forward Productions and the staff at the Barre Opera
House for all their help and support.
We are so fortunate to be part of a giving and involved
community that cares about supporting the growing
numbers of aging persons and caregivers in our communities!
Thank you!
If you, a family member or a neighbor need assistance,
you may call the Central Vermont Council on Aging at
(800)642-5119 for information, options and available
services to assist aging persons.
Mary Hayden
Director, Development and Communications
Central Vermont Council on Aging
The Importance of Bees
Editor:
It was National Pollinator Week (June 19 to 23) a week
dedicated to celebrating bees and other pollinators that
make our foods, farms and flowers possible. And we need
to do more to protect these pollinators.
Environment America launched the Bee Friendly Food
Alliance to unite chefs and restaurant owners in Vermont
and across the country to save the bees. After all, who
knows better than chefs and restaurateurs: no bees means
no food.
Bees pollinate many of the foods we enjoy, everything
from strawberries to almonds to avocados. In fact, the
state fruit of Vermont, the apple, relies on honey bees and
wild bees for pollination. Unfortunately, bees are dying
off at alarming rates with significant consequences for our
environment and our food supply.
From pie shops and breweries, to fine dining establishments,
chefs and restaurants are hard at work this Pollinator Week
raising awareness and educating customers about the vital
role that bees play for our food supply and the need to save
them.
Nicole Larson, Environment America Campaign Coordinator,
Washington D.C.
Letters
Drivers Too Distracted To Obey Law
Editor:
Vermont's hands-free driving statute, signed into law by
Gov. Peter Shumlin and made effective October 1, 2014,
reads in part, "a person shall not use a portable electronic
device while operating a moving motor vehicle in a place
open temporarily or permanently to public or general
circulation of vehicles." That sounds clear enough to me.
Apparently not clear enough, however, for the disturbing
number of drivers I see daily thumbing or talking on their
smartphones, as nonchalant as those who routinely fail to
stop at the four-way in my neighborhood where children
walk to school.
Last fall the New York Times ran the headline, "Biggest
Spike in Traffic Deaths in 50 Years? Blame Apps." A three-
month nationwide study conducted by Zendrive of three
million anonymous drivers ranked Vermont highest for
distracted driving despite the fact Vermont's hands-free
law was already in effect during the study. Clearly, many
drivers in the Green Mountain State view the law the way
some view speed limit signs: as a suggestion.
Distracted driving and distraction in general is
emerging as a permanent condition of modern life. Mobile
devices, used responsibly, are tools something put away,
like a hammer or hairbrush, when the task is finished. But
for some people, it seems, smartphones function more like
IV lines a 24/7 digital drip from which users cannot
separate themselves for more than a few minutes. (Just this
evening on the bike path, I had to clap my hands to get the
attention of an oncoming cyclist whose face was buried in
his phone.) This inability to detach let's just call it an
addiction gets behind the wheel with them. We have
seen already in the news the tragic outcomes that can result.
I hope the policing of Vermont's hands-free law begins to
catch up with drivers' casual dismissal of it. It should not
require more lives sacrificed to distracted driving to finally
drill into our heads the truth of our fragility. Unless you
have an emergency, please put away the phone when you
are on the road. Whatever you might think is important,
it can wait.
Jeff Euber, Montpelier
Trash Tramps Put Prize Money Toward Butt
Receptacles
Editor:
On July 11, nine volunteer Trash Tramps set a new record
by collecting 3,200 cigarette butts (along with 10 bags of
litter) in downtown Montpelier in one hour! These and
all the butts that the Tramps collect during their weekly
outings go to Terra-Cycle in New Jersey for recycling.
As a result of winning $1,000 in the "green" category in
Montpelier's recent parade competition, the Tramps are
able to purchase nine additional Sidewalk Buttlers to join
the six currently mounted in downtown Montpelier. Many
thanks to all those who voted for the Tramps on July 3 and
to all those who have joined the Tramps since our founding
in September 2015.
All adults are invited to come on Tuesdays for fellowship
and a stroll while sprucing up the Capital City. Materials
are supplied. We gather shortly before 2 p.m. at 58 Barre St
(the combined home of the Recreation Department and the
senior center). Trash Tramps founder Anne Ferguson (aka
Eileen Dover) is happy to answer any questions. Please send
questions to her via: StoryWalkVT@yahoo.com
Nancy Schulz (aka Sister Sludge), Montpelier
Gov. Scott: Wear Your Helmet
Editor:
The problem with Governor Scott's approach regarding
on this matter prior to the parade as well as his response
to concerns raised afterwards as reported by the Times
Argus/Rutland Herald last Thursday, and also this reply
of yours, is it appears he has been mostly if not solely
focused on what is technically legal and otherwise
permissible in certain special circumstances. There does not
seem to have been any consideration given to the example
being set, not only for members of the general public who
ride motorcycles, but more importantly, for children of all
ages, including teenagers and so on. If the governor can ride
a motorcycle without wearing a proper helmet, then there
could be those who might figure that they do not need to
wear one either, whether when riding a bicycle or engaging
in any number of different risky activities or sports, no
matter what their parents instruct or others advise. They
might not fully appreciate or completely understand the
difference between the governor only doing so during a
parade while going slowly and what they might be doing
elsewhere. Although it might not have been obvious or clear
enough when I raised my concerns regarding this matter
earlier, this is the point that I was attempting to make in
my initial, brief, communication on the subject. Consider
how extremely tragic it would be if the rather poor example
set by the governor during the parade last week begins to
help fill hospital emergency rooms with more head trauma
cases and the morgues with more fatalities as a result. Let us
hope not. However, the fact remains that such injuries and
deaths can *possibly* be preventable if proper head gear is
worn instead. It is ironic that, although wearing helmets are
not required by law when riding bicycles on public ways, the
governor chose to wear one when participating in a cycling
event. This, of course, was a wiser and safer choice. While
it might not technically be required by law for one to wear
proper headgear during a parade, as I have tried to point
out within this lengthy missive, it would be both better as
well as wiser to do so. If not for oneself, then at the very
least, there should be serious consideration given towards
the example one will be setting for others, most especially
our youth who can be easily influenced by someone in high
political office, like the governor. Thank you in advance for
any consideration given to the concerns being stated within
this reply of mine.
Morgan W. Brown, Montpelier
What Do You Think?
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respond to? We welcome your letters
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Bridge reserves the right to edit and cut
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Deadline for the next issue is
July 28
T H E B R I D G E J U LY 2 0 AU G U S T 2 , 2 017 PAG E 27

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