the bridge, november 27, 2013

8/14/2019 The Bridge, November 27, 2013.

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Connecting Montpelier and nearby communities since 1993 | NOVEMBER 7–NOVEMBER 20, 2013

IN THIS ISSUETHE REFUELING OF

PLAINFIELD

5

DOWNTOWN

MONTPELIER

CONTRUCTION WOES

6

A DIFFE RENT STORY:

REPORT FROM

CITY HALL

8

HALLMITH ON PUBLIC

BANKS AND

ACCOUNTABILITY

9 T h e B r i d g e

P . O .

B o x 1 1 4 3

M o n t p e l i e r , V T 0 5 6 0 1

Sergeant Rachel Putney,

a flight medical aidman,

on the airfield at Camp

Humphreys in South Korea

getting ready to go on a train-ing flight for over water rescue.Photo courtesey of Rachel Putney.

Vermont Vets

P R S R T S T D

C A R - R

T S O R T

U . S .

P o s t a g e

P A I D

M o n t p e l i e r , V T

P e r m i t N O .

1 2 3

by Amy Brooks hornton

R achel Putney sits across from me in Norwich University’s Kreitzberg Library, her hugeblue eyes attentive and bright. She was early, neat as a pin, easy to talk to.

Her day began—and will end—in Randolph, Vermont, where she lives with herhusband of three years and 11-year-old son. But for the hours in between, she takes back-to-back classes at Norwich University as a biology major. She is almost 31. She’s been a medicalspecialist on the Iraqi front lines and the only female air medic for all of South Korea.

But that’s not enough for her.In 2009, Putney was medically retired from the military for posttraumatic stress disorder

(PSD) and depression. “hey can’t ever call me back up,” she explains. “I can’t ever doreserves or national guard.” he retirement furthered the psychological impact, sendingher into a depression since she “really liked being in the military, really liked flying in ahelicopter” as an air medic. “For the longest time,” Putney says, the PSD and subsequentretirement “was my fault. I wasn’t good enough. I wasn’t strong enough.”

Putney enlisted at age 18. Shortly after the September 11 attacks, she found out she waspregnant. She and her husband, also military, knew they would be deployed. Since he hadmore time in the military, they decided that she take leave to be with the baby. She took two

continued on page 4

Rachel Putney Mom, Norwich Student, Veteran

of Modern Conflicts



page 2 • November 7–November 20, 2013 THE BRIDGE

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THE BRIDGE November 7–November 20, 2013 • page 3

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Wellness Jamboree at City Hall

Saturday, November 9, Hunger Mountain Coop will host its 20th Annual Food & Well-ness Expo at Montpelier’s City Hall. he free event runs from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. he

co-op has again partnered with the Vermont Foodbank to hold a community food drive aspart of the event. Last year, attendees contributed hundreds of pounds of food to benefit thefoodbank. In exchange for food donations, donors receive a $5 off coupon for the co-op. heexpo features samples from local and regional farmers and food artisans, exhibitions andinformation by health care practitioners.

11th Anniversary Stuff-A-Truck Food & Funds Drive

J Michaels, of 1071 Frank-FM, Froggy 100.9 and 1450 WSNO, is hosting this year’scampaign to benefit the Salvation Army food drive. he 2013 “Stuff-A-ruck Get Off

Your Can our” starts in towns in the listening area, then wraps up for three final days at 802oyota, Scion/win City Subaru next to the Berlin Mall, with support from merchants, the

National Guard and others. he drive stuffs a trailer with nonperishable food and monetarydonations. For more information visit them on Facebook: facebook.com/SUFFARUCKor e-mail J at [email protected].

Got Transparency Tour Comes to Barre City

On hursday, November 14, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Alumni Hall, 25 Auditorium Hill, inBarre City, Vermont’s Secretary of State Jim Condos brings his 10-town “Got ranspar-

ency” tour. he event features discussions of “Vermont’s public records and open meetinglaws with municipal and state employees, citizens serving on local government boards and thegeneral public.” Quoting Condos, “It is important that the public know their rights when itcomes to attending meetings and access to records; an informed citizenry is what helps holdall elected officials accountable.” here will be a question-and-answer period following aninitial presentation.

Kellogg-Hubbard Goes Wireless

hanks to a recent fiber upgrade, funded by the state library system, Kellogg-Hubbard Li-brary has gone wireless, enabling the rearrangement of the library’s computers. Instead of

being concentrated on the first floor near the checkout counter, the library’s 10 computers arenow in five different locations on the building’s two floors. Library director Richard Bidnicksays that public reaction has been enthusiastic: “Our patrons, yes, they love it . . . it’s muchmore comfortable and private.” Now that library patrons are signing up online for healthinsurance under the federal Affordable Care Act, privacy has become a bigger issue, as thesign-up process often involves divulging private health and personal financial information.

Richard Bidnick Moves On

K ellogg-Hubbard Library trustees advise that Executive Director Richard Bidnick willleave November 29. He started in July of 2012. rustees list numerous initiatives he

has launched, including increased DVD film circulation, new video-conferencing facilities,preparation for the district heat hookup, monthly film discussions, more equitable fundingfrom surrounding towns, updated circulation policies, upgraded building maintainance andnew management accountability structures.

Pooches and Cool Cats Up for Adoption at CVHS

Central Vermont Humane Society (CVHS), currently caring for 79 animals, plans an Autumn Adopt-a-thon for Friday, November 15, noon–7 p.m., and Saturday, November

16, 10 a.m.–4 p.m., at their center (1589 Route 14S, East Montpelier). he adoption eventfeatures extended Friday hours to allow more time for prospective adopters to visit with ani-mals. “Many adult animals,” according to CVHS, “are overlooked in the rush for cute andcuddly puppies and kittens.” In light of that, CVHS will offer all adult animals at 50 percentoff. Animal profiles can be seen at CVHS’s website: cvhumane.com.

Health Care Forum at Church of the Good Shepherd

he Vermont Workers Center tells us of a universal health care forum at Church of theGood Shepherd in Barre, on December 3, from 5–8 p.m.. For more information, see

workerscenter.org.

Teachout Elected to VHS Board

W oden eachout of Middlesex has recently been elected to the Vermont Historical Soci-ety’s board of directors. Slow Democracy, a book coauthored by eachout and Middle-

sex resident Susan Clark, was published in 2012 by Chelsea Green Publishing.

VCFA Parking Plans Reconsidered

V ermont College of Fine Arts plans expanded parking by converting tennis courts adja-cent to College Hall to parking. hey received approval from Montpelier’s Development

Review Board, but neighbors filed a request for reconsideration of the decision, arguing thatthe application had flaws in the warning, didn’t constitute proper notice and didn’t properlynotify neighbors. On October 21, the board approved the neighbors’ request for reconsidera-tion and asked the college to reapply. he reapplication will also allow proposed changes inthe college’s master plan to be fleshed out further, and the college will have an opportunityto hold neighborhood meetings to explain proposed changes. he college has 60 days, fromOctober 21, to reapply for the zoning change.

Nature WatchR

elearning an in-between season. Brassy tamaracks begin to lose their needles. Bal-sam fir is at its most fragrant, as some of the older needles dry and fall to the ground.

Birds, from tiny ruby-crowned kinglets to Canada geese, are still pouring throughVermont, leaving colder weather and shorter days behind them. And sound, withoutleaves on the trees, is brought closer. he Vermonter train, as it announces its passagemidmorning and evening, sounds as though it has moved up the hill into East Mont-pelier! And the calls of geese above us are urgent and raw in the quiet of this Novembermorning. —Nona Estrin

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Who Is Skip Vallee?

by Ricka McNaughton

Editor’s Note: he following interview withRodolphe Vallee was conducted via e-mail, perhis choice, with some questions edited lightly forbrevity. he interview is solely a dialogue withVallee (unknown to many Plainfield residents),who speaks about himself and his actions. It’snot intended as a complete treatment of theissues or parties mentioned.

R odolphe “Skip” Vallee foundedR. L. Vallee, Inc., in 1989 and servesas chairman, CEO and owner. He

was U.S. ambassador to the Slovak Republicfrom 2005 to 2007 and has served as a major

Republicanfundraiser.He holds aBA in biol-ogy and anMBA fromthe Whar-ton Schoolof the Uni-versity ofP e n n s y l -vania. Heprevious lyserved asvice presi-dent of the Catalyst Waste-to-Energy Cor-poration and has been with Vallee Petro-

leum, Inc., St. Albans, since 1992.Vallee purchased two convenience store–

gas station properties in Plainfield, renovat-ing one of them and attaching a noncompeteclause to the other, which is for sale. Hiscompany owns 38 convenience stores–gasstations, with five in development, a numberof them in Chittenden County. He madeheadlines this past year for his efforts (along with other area gasoline sellers) to blockCostco’s plan to build self-serve pumps at itsColchester warehouse, citing traffic conges-tion issues and danger to nearby wetlands.Senator Bernie Sanders supported Costco’splan to bring competition to the regionalgasoline market, where prices have strucksome as artificially high. Vallee contendsthat he sells his gasoline in compliance withenvironmental regulations and that theCostco project doesn’t similarly comply. Helaunched a recent Youube video, then aV ad, criticizing Sanders for siding withCostco and thereby jeopardizing Vermont’senvironment. Last January, the District En-vironmental Commission granted Costco astate Act 250 land use permit to begin sell-ing gasoline in Colchester. Another criticalenvironmental ruling has since been issued.

Ricka McNaughton: he new Maple-fields looks pretty spiffy. What improve-ments are you especially pleased with? Any

lingering construction issues to deal with?Rodolphe Vallee: [here is new] desig-

nated parking, more rational car movementfor the gasoline and bathrooms one would beproud to show one’s mother-in-law. [hereare some] small punch-list items we hope tofinish before the snow flies.

RM: As you know, some Plainfielders hadstrong reactions to the noncompete restric-tions you placed on the Red Store property.Some feel that there are other ways the oldconvenience store space can benefit Plain-field. Many know you only as a man whollyunconflicted about exercising hard-nosedbusiness practices in other people’s townsin the pursuit of personal profit, [or some-

one who has]taken blunt-force politi-cal swings atSenator Ber-nie Sandersin the mediafor siding with Costcoon their bidto sell gas inColchester—in direct com-petition withpumps you

own in the area. You wield a new kind ofpower over Plainfield’s tiny business sector

in ways that impact the social fabric of thetown. Is there another side of Skip Valleeyou’d like people to know about?

RV: A tad off base. [Vallee was invited toelaborate but declined.]

RM: When you complete a new storedevelopment, how do you feel? Is it just an-other notch in your business belt, or do youenjoy getting involved in the engineeringissues, the aesthetic details, the challengesof the site?

RV: he pride is in seeing the reactionsof our customers to what we have done. Actual ly, you have a good insight. Besidesthe glow of a great customer reaction, I likethe creative design and zoning interpretationprocess that allows us to do things that oth-ers had not thought possible or were unableto envision.

RM: Do you have family in Vermont?How do you give to your own community?How do you count your successes in life?

RV: My entire family is in Vermont,mostly in Franklin County, where I grewup hunting and playing sports. I live inShelburne now, and our biggest contributionlocally, if that is your question, is my wife’srole as a Shelburne Museum board mem-ber. My largest statewide contribution wasnearly a decade of political work, striving tomake Vermont a better place. Success for me will be measured in what I have taught my

children.RM: I sensed awhile back, from stories in

the media, that you hoped you might turnthe Red Store space into a positive for Plain-

field. How’s that going?RV: Frustrating. I was very interested in

looking for a way to make the store a placefor the seniors’ center, but safety and otherissues, not easily solved in an old building,make that almost impossible.

RM: Regarding the Costco appeal, it’san easy matter for the media to dismiss theenvironmental claims of a person with busi-ness and political interests such as yours. Your recent video also feeds the perceptionaround Plainfield that you are mainly out toprotect your business turf, and not inciden-tally delighted to ally Bernie Sanders withbig business, for its sheer political currency. You’re a man with environmental bona fides.Briefly, is there anyth ing you’d care to add to

what broad-stroke reasoning you’ve of feredin the media, to further shore up your envi-ronmental stance on why Costco should notbe permitted to sell gasoline in Colchester?

RV: You would be the f irst reporter, otherthan a small quicky on WCAX, to reportthat the Vermont Agency of Natural Re-sources has now ruled a significant portionof the Costco site a Class II wetland. Costcois seeking a waiver from the setbacks re-quired from that wetland. I know of few evergiven. [Editor’s Note: According to WCAX,Costco’s attorney said the company will not dis-

pute the wetland classification ruling but wi llwork with regulators to address it.] You might

ask Bernie if he thinks that decades of settledVermont wetlands-buffer precedent shouldbe set aside for his corporate crony.

RM: o those on the outside, gas pricing

is a dastardly complex and suspicious globalbusiness. As a regiona l wholesaler, what prac-tical power do you have to make prices moreaffordable in this region? Could you con-sider using your market strength to benefitVermont consumers, in the same mannerCostco and Senator Sanders want to do? Isn’tthat a better way to corner the market?

RV: he most practical way to make re-gional prices more affordable is to facilitategetting western crude to eastern refineries.hat’s [worth] about 20 cents a gallon, basedon today’s spreads. he Portland PipelineReversal would be a good start. [Editor’sNote: Just a few weeks ago, the Portland(Maine) Pipe Line Corp. announced its deci-sion to surrender a permit to reverse the flow of

its 236-mile underground pipeline and bringin controversial tar sands oil from Canada toSouth Portland’s waterfront. Portland’s CEOissued a statement characterizing the move as a“good faith commitment” that they don’t havea pending or imminent tar sands project. heystill have the option to reapply.] Ask Bernie ifhe is for that. We are competitive in everymarket we are in. he sheer number of cus-tomers that come to our stores, for whateverreason, and oftentimes price show that Ver-mont consumers vote for their benefit withtheir feet (or at least their wheels.)

Cars and trucks fuel up at Maplefields winfield, formerly im’s Convenience Store. Photos by Amy Brooks hornton.

BESIDES THE GLOW OF A GREAT CUSTOMER REACTION,

I LIKE THE CREATIVE DESIGN ANDZONING INTERPRETATION PROCESS

THAT ALLOWS US TO DO THINGS THAT OTHERS HAD NOT

THOUGHT POSSIBLE OR WERE UNABLE TO ENVISION.




by Ricka McNaughton

A sk someone nearby to describe thishistoric, quaint, livably rural NewEngland town, population around

1,300, and hands down, one word will topthe list of adjectives for Plainfield: quirky. Itmight be better described as a place wherethe oft-opposing values of fierce individual-ism and a view to the common good actu-ally work pretty well together, allowing forcantankerous spells. Plainfield has had a lotof practice.

A formidable process of a ssimilation has,in the past few generations, remolded thetown character. In the late 1960s and early1970s, Plainfield, which had long beenstudded with family farms and businessesrelating to a rural community’s needs, be-came a magnet for invading Woodstockianthrongs. Some came to attend progressiveGoddard College, since converted to low-residency programs. Others were lured bythe prospect of back-to-the-land lifestyles. As small farms dwindled, the town saw

growth as a bedroom community: Mont-pelier, the state capital, is a 15-minute driveon a good day.

Plainfield today is not much higher onthe quirk-o-meter than the rest of Vermont.The town still has its age-of-Aquarius hold-overs and a visible new crop of dreadlockedyoung people. But there is also a signifi-cant conservative base, pre-Woodstock inlineage. Daughters and sons of invadingcounterculturists and urban refugees haveintermarried with children of bedrock localfamilies. They have produced hybrid off-spring with sturdy, twin worldviews. Themakeup of the business sector is likewisetwined.

Plainfield has an outsized number of entre-preneurs, artists, craftspersons and sought-after tradespeople working from home orshops strewn about the backroads and hills. Writers and musicians abound. he town isswimming in culture and know-how. Localfood production has proliferated. But thevisible commercial district is, itself, tiny.It’s arrayed along both U.S. Route 2 andthe more classic village center, accessed bya steep, downhill turn off the highway andacross the Winooski River, which meandersthrough town. Changes in the small businesssector generally set the populace abuzz.

A Renovated Convenience Store

and a Controversial Deed Re-

striction

One subject of buzz has been Peter Young,a resident of Plainfield. “I am particularlyinterested,” he said, “in encouraging thedevelopment of a culture of green entrepre-neurship in Plainfield and central Vermont, what I refer to as the Plainf ield renaissance.” A little more than a year ago, a vacated con-

venience store–gas pump combo property,known as the Red Store, came up for auc-tion. It sits on Route 2 and has long beenpart of the fabric of the local community,but the last owner ran into financial dif-ficulties. Young was front and center forthe bidding but was outbid by regionalgasoline–convenience store magnate R. L.“Skip” Vallee, a Shelburne resident.

Vallee had also recently purchased andhas now mostly renovated the only othersimilar property for several miles, the for-mer Tim’s Convenience Store at the eastborder of town. The previous longtimeowners were local people ready to bow out.

Then, Vallee offered the Red Store prop-

erty, purchased for $405,000, for resale atan initial price of $299,000, with a non-compete deed restriction attached—mean-ing the purchaser cannot use it for gas salesor as a convenience store operation. Someresidents were taken aback. But in the yearsince, the Red Store has not sold, and Valleemay rent. “I just had my New York architectup, and he took detailed measurements,” hesaid. “We are considering a mixed-use for-mulation, perhaps to include a laundromat,more residential . . . some gallery space.”

Vallee’s renovation of the former Tim’sConvenience Store, which he renamed Ma-plefields Twinfield, is a model of sparklingroadside convenience in a fairly tasteful,

Anywhere, USA mold. Vallee relocated thegas pumps from the front to the side of thebuilding to improve traffic flow and park-ing, and he’s taken obvious pains with thedetails and use of existing infrastructure.There’s an airy, well-scrubbed feel, with abank of tables near sunny windows wherepeople comfortably congregate. The storehas good coffee offerings and an eye-poppingcountertop featuring sugary baked goodson fancy platters under glass-domed covers.

Biofuels Come to Plainfield

Frustrated in his efforts to acquire theRed Store property, Young eventually pur-chased a former garage and auto-repairbusiness next door to the store. He then

installed entrepreneur Jim Malloy, owner ofBlack Bear Biodiesel. Young is the landlord,although, as he clarified, “Sometimes I referto Black Bear Biodiesel as ‘our business,’and in many ways, Jim and I work like part-ners, but I’m not one of the shareholders.”

Malloy described his operation. “he firstphase,” he said, “is a recycled vegetable-oil-processing facility used as the feedstock forbiodiesel production, and secondly we’ll offerbiodiesel distribution for the public [comingin April].” Over the past six months, Malloyhas partnered with nearly 85 restaurants.

Biodiesel is an efficient substitute fordiesel and No. 2 heating oil, created froman array of sources, including soy, algae,rendered animal fats and, in Black Bear

Biodiesel’s case, waste vegetable oil fromrestaurants. Young and Malloy also planto host a rotation of outdoor food ven-dors from April through October, includ-ing Noah Hahn (a Langdon Street Cafécofounder) with a coffee cart, Pete Colemanof Vermont Salumi, The Mad Taco, ArielZevon (founder of the former LACE—Local Agricultural Community Exchange)and Mo’s Backyard BBQ.

A Spate of New and Improved

Eateries

A few existing Plainfield’s eateries alsohave seen change. Last year, the tiny HestiaEspresso Bar quietly sl ipped into the former

Dancing Goat Café space, tucked away where locals in need of caffeination know where to find it.

Across Route 2 from the new Maplefields,Dudley and Janet Askew seasonally oper-ated the homey Maple Valley Café and GiftShop for decades. They recently sold thebusiness to Amanda and Jason Thompson,a young couple from nearby Woodbury. Amanda is the hands-on operator, with Jes-sica Conley as her baking and kitchen assis-tant. The Thompsons appreciate the legacyof the former owners and plan to continuethings much as they are, but will be openyear-round—a big change. Amanda said,“I’d love to offer an expanded to-go cooler

and eventually have a 100 percent [from]scratch kitchen. And I’d like to thank every-one in town for being so welcoming to us.”

Positive Pie restaurant in the lower vil-lage has just completed an upgrade of thepizza side of the operation, adjacent to itslight dining area. It now offers a creative-comfy menu fusion that taps locally sourcedingredients. It’s both a local hangout and atrendy destination eatery. Now and then,sun-glassed, high-profile personalities cometo relax unnoted (so they think). A veryPlainfield vibe.

Plainfield Renaissance

Some five years ago, Plainfield was thesmallest town in Vermont to receive a Cre-

ative Community designation through theVermont Council on Rural developmentand promptly set about sculpting its eco-nomic values and future. A few amongmany outgrowths include: new pedestrianfriendly sidewalks and landscaping, an in-formation kiosk and minipark, and newperiod-style, energy efficient streetlampsalong a previously dim walkway. heall-volunteer fire department recently cel-ebrated its 100th birthday with the erec-tion of a handsome granite commemo-rative marker. Selectperson David Stronghas spearheaded a staged restoration of theall-important but ailing town hall build-ing, destined for multiple public uses. Hereflected that “the restored global lighting

on the bridge – making something oldnew again – is symbolic of the spirit ofthe changes in Plainfield.” Selectperson Alic e Merrill noted, “We’re blessed to havesuch hard-working volunteers responsiblefor these [many] projects.”

Ideologies may be quirkily all over themap in Plainfield. But they are part of thefuel that, artfully blended, moves Plainfieldforward.

Freelance feature writer Ricka McNaughton,a Marshfield resident, lives within walkingdistance of Plainfield village. She previouslyworked for many years in nonprofit consumereducation and media relations in Montpelier.

The Refueling

of Plainfield New Businesses Bring Change to a Small, Diverse own

op: Locally owned and operated, Postive Pie is open for business in downtown Plainfield. Above: Jim Malloy, owner of Black Bear Biodiesel, and Scott Emery, facility manage r, in frontof the shop in Plainfield. Photos by Amy Brooks hornton.




by Bob Nuner

A s Montpelier’s district heat construc-tion winds down, reaction to the con-struction season among the city’s busi-

ness owners ranges from acceptance to anger.For a number of businesses, it’s been a badyear. Depending, in part, on the part of town,annual sales decline estimates start a round 10percent and get worse. Businesses in the vicin-ity of Langdon Street report sales declinesfrom 15 to 30 percent compared to 2012.

Bars like McGillicuddy’s and hree Pennyaproom saw lunchtime and afternoon tradeshrink, which they attribute to daytime con-struction activity, which not only precludedparking but, in some cases, made it difficultto access or even see the businesses (neitherof which are in buildings that will use dis-trict heat). It was particularly frustrating,says hree Penny aproom’s Scott Kerner, tohave inactive equipment parked in front ofthe establishment for days at a time, blockingparking and a view of the bar to those whomight otherwise have walked in for lunch ora pint. Kerner used social media to advertisethat the bar was open, but heard that peoplethought the place was closed. Nighttime was

less troublesome to the bars because con-struction had ceased, so patrons could relaxand converse without having to shout overmachine noise. o drown out the daytimeracket, bar owners kept the doors closed andran air-conditioning in the midst of balmySeptember.

Businesses that thrive on tourist brows-ing were hard-hit. Andrew Brewer, owner ofOnion River Sports, says that hard goods,such as bicycles, are planned purchases, sothe store did not suffer a decline in Octoberbike sales. But impulse shopping is easilythwarted, and sales of browsing items didfall. Sales declines at Onion River Kids andthe Shoe Horn were closer to a 15 percentloss in what should have been one of their

busiest times of year. Fred Wilbur, ownerof Buch Spieler, notes, “My business wouldbe down even if this wasn’t happening, butthere was much less traffic; not even curios-ity seekers. Part of it is that Langdon Streetcan be overlooked. It wasn’t even clear thatthere was pedestrian access.”

On the corner of Langdon and Main, Riv-endell Books saw a 30 percent drop in sales,and owner Rob Kasow says the trouble hasnot ended. “It’s horrible,” says Kasow. “I thinkthis project is a self-inflicted wound. It’s in-structive to note how Barre handled theirroad construction, where they did a marketingcampaign to urge people to continue to sup-port their downtown, and they provided sig-

nage and alternative parking and routes andmade it easier for people to get around dif-ficulties. In Montpelier, I always get the sensethat the body politic treats the merchantsas a nuisance or an obstacle that gets in the way of their world-saving exercises, and thus we are left to fend for ourselves . . . his wasabout environmentalism, but I don’t think alot of serious due diligence was done to theeconomics or the practicality of the project.

But my bigger concern is . . . it’s kind of likethe military in the Iraq War: here’s a verysmall percentage of people who are really pay-ing the price for this, and then everyone elseis just sort of out of sight; out of mind. hishas had a very detrimental economic impactto the businesses, particularly along LangdonStreet and around our corner.”

On State Street, however, Fred Basharalooks more benignly on the project. He’snegotiating to hook up to the district heatsystem and observed no shrinkage of bustraffic to the Capitol Plaza Hotel. Askedabout disruptions, he replied, “I haven’t re-ally noticed it . . . he construction crewshave been very well coordinated. I think theydid the best they could in a narrow situation,and they handled it very well. I think theKingsbury Group, even the Montpelier staffthat were working with them, were wonder-ful. Anything we had a problem—which wehad hardly any—the concerns were takencare of immediately.”

When he came into town a few nightsago to eat, his restaurant was full. Basharanotes he has two entrances to his property:State Street and aylor Street. Determinedcustomers find their way to parking and therestaurant.

Bob Watson, owner of Capitol Grounds,observes, “Our business had a new menu, which raised [our business] from a year ago. Ibelieve that business was down in general be-cause of construction. It [construction] has tohappen, but things have to be planned better.”

As to the project’s planning, opinions a remixed. While even some Langdon Streetbusinesses praised city staff, among thempublic works director odd Law and Bev

Pembroke Hill, and Kingsbury Construc-tion, others complained about lack of notice,rude flaggers, congestion and a forbiddingenvironment during peak tourist season.

Burr Morse of Morse Farm disputes sus-picions of buses avoiding Montpelier. Hehad the same amount of traffic as last yearand asserts, “All the buses have to stop atthe State House.” But that doesn’t meanthey stopped in the middle of town, where,Claire Benedict of Bear Pond Books notes,buses traditionally parked in front of DBank. “You know, when 60 to 80 people getoff a bus during tourist season, that affectsdowntown business,” she says. hose buses,bringing tourists into town for lunch andshopping (or not), make a difference.

As to the project itself, Assistant CityManager Jessie Baker says that current cus-tomers bring the system close to designedcapacity of heat to be purchased from thestate (when the system is fully operational), with 20 buildings owned by 15 customers.Baker notes, “After the first heating seasonand in future heating seasons we will do afull analysis of this to understand this usage.here are many factors that could effect this—weatherization in buildings, efficiency ofsystem, etc.”

Montpelier Cash Mob on Saturday, November 9in Support of Construction-Weary Retailers

Montpelier businesses, Vibrant and Affordable Montpelier (VAM) is sponsor-ing a cash mob for selected downtown retailers. VAM asks those who want

to give local merchants a pecuniary boost to meet on the State House steps onNovember 9, at 2 p.m., with $20 (or more) cash in hand. At that time, surprisedestinations will be revealed, and the mobbers will travel together to cash-mob ahandful of preselected reta ilers. To keep the event festive, mobbers will then gatherfor a special meet-and-greet at another surprise food, drink and music locationdowntown, where prizes will be raffled off to participants. For more informationcall Jane Kast at 223-1494 or Bob Gross at 223-6029.

The OngoingBarre Street

Culvert ProjectOn Barre Street, Paul Ibey wraps

up decades of service to areaauto owners and avers that the cu lvertreplacement project has cut traffic

for his fa ll oil-undercoating business.Ibey is cleaning his yard and closinghis Barre Street location and mustdecide whether to reopen elsewhere.Ibey’s business closure is not the re-sult of the Barre Street culvert proj-ect, but the road closure has, he says,further eroded his business.

Thomas McArdle, assistant di-rector of Montpelier Public WorksDepartment, says that the projectis currently dealing with complica-tions that include replacement of a water main, a pressurized sewer lineand a gravity-fed sewer line, beforeinstalling the box culvert, which iscurrently about half-cast at an off-site facility. Crane work to installthe replacement concrete box cul-vert is planned for the week begin-ning November 11. End and wing walls will be cast to protect banksadjacent to the stream and the newculvert, to direct water safely intoand out of the new culvert. Theproject, originally scheduled forcompletion by the end of Novem-ber, will now be reopened for trafficin early December, barring delaysdue to bad weather.

District heat construction continues on State Street, Montpelier. Photo by Amy Brooks horn-ton.

Downtown Montpelier

Construction Woes?Depends Who You Talk To




years. hey ended up divorced.It was “really hard to be a single mother in

Vermont with not a lot of educational back-ground,” Putney says. “I didn’t make a lot ofmoney. I didn’t have health insurance.” AndPutney felt she still had “stuff [she] needed todo in the military.” She reenlisted.

In 2004, while stationed at Fort Hood,

exas, her unit deployed to Iraq. Putney was 22. Her 2-year-old son stayed with hermother and stepfather for the year that sheslept, ate and worked at a small aid stationat Logistics Base Seitz outside Abu Ghraib,Iraq. Since this station was the closest to AbuGhraib, a city of almost 200,000, she and hercolleagues were the first line of medical care.

Putney worked on a team of about sixmedics and one doctor. hey took care of“anybody injured who came through theirgate,” she says. hey didn’t have much spe-cialty medical equipment, so they focusedon stabilizing the patients or, if the trauma was beyond their capabilities, air-evacuatedthem. “We treated soldiers, civilians, enemycombatants, kids, elderly,” Putney says. But

“we saw mostly soldiers” wounded from gun-shots and improvised explosive devices.

Putney put in long hours almost every daythat year with the exception of the week shetook to visit her family. On her days off,it was hard to ignore emergencies since herteam lived in the same building as the aid sta-tion. If a “trauma” came in, everyone worked.

Once, a pregnant Iraqi woman, with herhusband and baby, heading for the doctor’s of-fice, arrived mistakenly at the aid station. he woman was nine months pregnant, due fora caesarean section in the next few days andvery anxious. Due to custom, she wanted onlyto speak to another woman; yet the doctor onduty was a man. Putney was the only womanin the aid station with enough experience to

help her. But she didn’t speak the language.he team devised a plan. Putney stayed

in the room with the pregnant Iraqi woman,the translator and the male doctor behinda curtain. “I would ask a question,” Put-ney explains, “the translator behind the cur-tain would translate, [the pregnant woman] would answer, the translator would tell thedoctor, the doctor would tell me what to do,and I would treat the patient.”

he team also offered more than imme-diate medical care; when the baby neededdiapers, not supplied at the station, themedics improvised. Putney soon gained theconfidence of the Iraqi woman, who in turnshared photos of her older son with Putney.

he experience moved Putney deeply. “We

were able to respect her needs and take care ofher. It reinforced in us that not every person inIraq are evil insurgents. here are plenty of nor-mal people caught in this [hardship of conflict],living their lives and raising their families.”

Yet, although she is deeply empathetic with her patients, Putney minimizes her ownexperience in Iraq. “In Iraq,” she says, “yeah, we’re getting shot at every day. But,” she adds with a chuckle, “they have terrible a im. I’mlike, ‘I’m trying to take a shower. I’m tryingto eat my dinner.’ It’s like, ‘Really?’”

Because of the incessant bombing, Putneyand her team rarely ate in the base’s chow hall where they would have to evacuate and skipthe meal if the alarm sounded. Instead, theybrought their food back to the station wherethey didn’t have to evacuate and could—al-beit not always peacefully—at least, eat.

“People asked me ‘Wasn’t I scared?’ Notreally,” Putney remembers. “But that’s what’sscary now. I should have been scared.”

Putney returned from Iraq a specialist and was promoted to sergeant. She took the re-quired warrior leader course and trained to be-come a flight medic so she could work on he-licopters. After nine months, sooner than shehad expected, she deployed to South Korea. Again, she left her son with her parents. Shehad hoped to spend more time with him.

“It was harder to be in [South] Korea becauseI was on my own,” Putney says. “It was me in

the back of the helicopter. In Iraq, there werefive or six of us. In Korea, it’s on you, solely.”

Putney was also the only female air medic

for all of South Korea. Again, she laughs ather situation: “People would remember meand ask about me. Who was the chick?”

he responsibility of the job was intense.On the surface, the job seemed easier thanIraq. here were no bombings; she had daysoff and could eat dinner off base. But Putneysaw a lot of action. “It’s like working on anambulance, but you are up in the air,” shesays. “You are on call for 48 hours . . . we were the only helicopters doing this [work]on the whole peninsula.”

And, unlike Iraq, she wasn’t workingclosely with a medic team for support or todebrief after critical cases. She was it. “I re-ally took it personally. I was given all of thistraining, this medical training . . . you gountil the patient lives,” she said.

After a year in South Korea, Putney re-turned to Fort Drum in New York. “We weregetting ready to deploy to Afghanistan,” sherecalls. “We were doing a simulation training. You go into this room. It’s made to look like Afghanistan. here’s sand on the ground; theycan put smoke in there and turn the lights onand off. hey put ‘patients’ in there—fakes,dummies. I had to go do this training. And Icould not go into the room.”

It was her first panic attack. Her heartraced, her breath became rapid, her bodyshook. She was sweating. “It makes me un-comfortable,” she tells me now, “just to thinkabout it.” Eventually, though, she went into

the room and “did what [she] had to do.” Butafterward she felt something wasn’t right.She explained what happened to someone at

Fort Drum and said she didn’t think she coulddo this work anymore. “he number one thingI said was, ‘It’s not fair for whoever I wouldtreat in Iraq or Afghanistan because I don’tthink I could take care of them. hey deservethe best.’ And I was not the best anymore.”

But when she was medically retired fromthe military for PSD and depression, theblow was hard. Putney says her mother put itbest: “It’s like the army divorced you and youdidn’t want a divorce.”

We had talked too long and I had madePutney late for her class. She had a full dayahead, but she wasn’t jumping up to go. “It

was good to ta lk about it,” she says, “withouthaving to discuss all the feelings.” When asked how she’s regaining her self-

esteem she replies: “I’m looking at the goodthings I did, knowing it’s not my fault that Ireacted in the way I did. I’m spending a lot oftime talking to people about my feelings . . .I’ve spent five years on medication.” She addsthat her current husband has played a hugerole in her healing.

When she started at Norwich, she cou ldn’teat in the chow hall. Memories of LogisticsBase Seitz kept her away. But she’s settinggoals to slowly overcome psychological mine-fields. Now she’s eating in the chow hallagain. And her son loves it when he’s invited.

An Interview with LoganPotskowski

Husband, NorwichStudent, Veteran

of Iraq War

by Amy Brooks hornton

Logan Potskowski enrolled at NorwichUniversity as a cadet from 1998–2001.In 2001, he enlisted in the army and

served 12 years. Potskowski served as an in-fantry sergeant in a reconnaissance troop inIraq, “the eyes and ears on the battlefield,” hesays. In 2013, he was honorably dischargedand voluntarily signed onto the Vermont Na-tional Guard. He is now enrolled at Norwichas a full-time student and English major.Potskowski is 33 and lives with his wife ofnine years and their four dogs in Barretown,Vermont.

On leaving the military

“I feel like my wife has sacrificed her careerfor a decade moving from one duty station to

another. You really can’t establish a profes-sional career when you are always moving. We always sa id we would retire in Vermont.hree years ago she was offered a job at Nor- wich. She accepted it and absolutely loved it.I decided to get my honorable discharge andlet her grow her career.”

On returning to school

“I’m a full-time student. his is my secondsemester back. I’m an English major . . . I wasa business major when I first started in ’98 . .. I seem to be better at writing an essay thanstudying macroeconomics.”

On the why

“It’s hard to get anyone to realize the bigpicture when really all we’re thinking of—asa leader my biggest concern, and I don’t

know if this is right or wrong, my soldiers would say it’s right, the generals might sayit’s wrong—is getting everyone back home. We just wanted them to get home sa fe . . . Idon’t think we focused enough on the why.o explain to the soldiers what the overarch-ing reason is, what’s the strategy.”

On coming home

“I think coming home was difficult be-cause unrealistically I expected America topause. But life moved on while I was gone.My wife became a lot more independent.I came back to a wife who is accustomedto doing the finances without me. While I was hoping for everything was going to bepaused, things change. No matter your ex-

perience, whether you were on the FOB [forward operating base] or your job was [suchthat] you never left the “wire”—the concer-tina wire surrounding the base—I don’t thatanyone could come back the same person.”

On freedom

“I can honestly say that . . . getting outof the army for me was like taking a heavyrucksack off my back after a long foot march. . . Since getting out, I truly know what itmeans to be an American. It’s so refreshing. Iappreciate freedom now more than my wholeadult life. My whole adult life I was in thearmy: you are always being scrutinized bythe privates sector or other guys in your unit,you’re always told what you can wear, whatyou can say. You go to countries that haven’texperienced freedom as we know it. And for

me to transition out of the army and be ableto sleep in, to be able to stay in my pajamasall day if I want to, to be able to take vacation with my wife without having to fill out 10different documents, it’s a pretty good deal.”

On appreciation

“I appreciate everything a lot more. It wasn’t li ke that at first. When I first cameback from Iraq, I was angry at Americanculture, I was angry at McDonald’s, BurgerKing, rowdy television, angry about all theconsumerism. Maybe I thought that wedidn’t appreciate it, we took everything forgranted [after] seeing the level of poverty theIraqis were living in. It took me a couple ofmonths to appreciate all of the freedoms wehave and how great America is. I think one

of our biggest faults is we take everythingfor granted. hank God we are in a society where we can debate how we are going to payfor medical care.

“I’m really thankful that we’re in an era where I didn’t get spit on, or called a babykiller. Different generations of veterans werenot as fortunate as we are. A lot of Vietnamand cold war veterans feel disenfranchised,unappreciated. On Veterans’ Day . . . thankan older vet for their service for the tough jobs that no one wanted to do. I wasn’tdrafted. I volunteered. I would hope thatcentral Vermonters can to be grateful forhow awesome central Vermont is, and thatit’s really not a bad deal to be an American.”

Rachel Putney, continued from Cover

P h o t o c o u r t e s e y o f R a c h e l P u t n e y

P h o t o b y A m y B r o o k s T h o r n t o n .




continued on next page

A Different Story

A Message from City HallThis page was paid for by the City of Montpelier.

by William Fraser, city manager

W hat could be a juicier local story than a mayorusing his public authority to protect his big bankcorporate lobbying interests by constraining the free

speech rights of a hard-working public servant? oss in a “smok-ing gun” e-mail, and you’ve got everything! Except the truth.

Publicity

I have never discussed personnel issues in a public forumbefore. In this case, however, the city’s planning director,

Gwendolyn Hallsmith, unilaterally brought this issue to themedia. Hallsmith told the press that she was being “punishedfor speaking out on public banking” and that Mayor JohnHollar, driven by his own conflict of interest, was “using hisinfluence” to silence her.

I found myself in the distasteful position of either re-sponding with an accurate account or leaving Hallsmith’sallegations unrebutted. With two exceptions, all documentsreleased publicly to date (November 4) have come f rom Hall-smith. I released a complete memo after she sent the mediaonly a portion of the document. he second exception is theportion of an e-mail I wrote to Hollar, which is includedin this article. he city is in the process of responding to apublic records request from the imes Argus.

The Mayor

he allegations against Mayor Hollar are simply not

true. First, Hollar has no role in personnel decisions and,therefore, is not in a position to take any action against anemployee. Second, Hollar did not send any memos or makeany comments to Hallsmith, contrary to the initial story inthe imes Argus. hird, Hollar did not ask me to take anyspecific action with regard to Hallsmith. And fourth, Hollaremphatically did not seek to restrict Hallsmith’s protectedfree speech rights.

During the week of September 16–20, Hollar called meto relay concerns brought to him by Kim Cheney, the chairof the Planning Commission, about the role of the planningdirector in the lack of progress with the rezoning effort. OnFriday, September 20, I sent the following e-mail to Hollar:

Am following up with Gwen today in writing, will tell herto back off on the PC [Planning Commission], am putting [As-sistant City Manager] Jessie [Baker] in charge of her dept and

her, telling her the concerns and telling her to join our Mondaymeeting on the 30th. I’ ll send you and the council confident ialcopies of the memo. I’ve asked Kim [Cheney] when a good timeto talk with him is and will call Jon [Anderson] as well. [An-derson is vice chair of the Planning Commission.]

My decision to alert Hallsmith, in writing, of serious issues was already made at that point. I suggested having Hollar join a meeting with Hallsmith and me to talk over concerns.

Nearly two hours later, Hollar responded to me with thee-mail, which forms the basis for Hallsmith’s allegationsagainst him. He forwarded information that had been sentto him about a city ballot petition campaign by an organi-zation, of which Hallsmith is the founder, to consolidateseveral existing state agencies and form a state bank. In hise-mail to me, Hollar said the following:

I would like to know 1) how Gwen manages to run her nonprofit and pursue th is init iative while maintaining her obliga-tion to the City; and 2) how this campaign is consistent with theCity’s economic development policies and her job description.Why in the world would the city want to take a position insupport of consolidating the agencies below (and antagonizingsome of the most senior economic development officials in thestate)? More importantly, this is something the council has neverdiscussed . Gwen obviously can pursue interests on her own time,but as the city’s chief economic development officer, her positionon these issue can’t be distinguished from her official positionwith the city.

Between this and the planning commission fiasco, this reallycan’t continue. I’m not sure I see the point in my meeting withher to outline these concerns. I’ve raised them before with you,I assume they’ve been communicated to her, and nothing haschanged.

Hollar did not ask for any personnel action, stated clearlythat Hallsmith can pursue her own interests on her owntime and chose not to attend the meeting dealing with thepersonnel conflicts, instead leaving that to me. Hollar didask about use of her time and noted that the city had nottaken a position on the issue of consolidating agencies. Hol-lar made it clear to me that what “can’t continue” was theconfusion between Hallsmith’s public and private roles andthe ongoing conflict between the Planning Commission andher. Hollar could not have influenced my action because, asdocumented above, my decision was already made.

Concerns about the commingling of the planning direc-tor’s city duties and the potential use of city resources tosupport activitie s have existed for a number of years, datingback to the former mayor and former City Council members.he concern about conflict and confusion between Hall-

smith’s roles as the city’s planning and economic develop-ment officer and her outside advocacy is real.

For one example, in December 2012, Hallsmith organizedan all-day conference in Montpelier entitled Vermont’s NewEconomy. his event was sponsored by two nonprofit or-ganizations with which Hallsmith is closely affiliated butnot by the city. Hallsmith was a conference speaker and wasidentified as an author, not a city official. For the conferenceday itself, however, Hallsmith’s signed time sheet listed eighthours of paid city work time. She also assigned city staff to work at the conference as part of their normal work day. Ad-ditionally, in an August e-mail sent from her city position,she invited the mayor to speak at this conference, advocatedfor creation of a city economic development committee andurged the mayor to announce this new city initiative at hernoncity conference. Hallsmith confused the roles and createdthe conflict between her job and her independent interests.

Public employees have a right under the First Amendmentto speak as citizens on matters of public concern. hat rightis limited in law, however, by the legitimate interest of theemployer to ensure that the employee’s speech is clearly inde-pendent and does not impair the effectiveness of the publicservices promoted by the employer.

City Manager

As city manager, I handle all personnel issues. he charterprohibits council interference in this process while allowingme the option to consult with council members. his systemis in place to assure that personnel matters are handled ona professional basis and not subject to political interference.It is my regular practice to keep the mayor and councilinformed of personnel matters. In my nearly 19 years inMontpelier, no mayor or council member has ever attemptedto direct me to take any personnel action.

Performance issues, including problematic relationships with boards and board members, conf licts and complaintsfrom subordinates, conflicts with outside agencies, and otherpublic concerns and complaints, have been discussed be-tween the planning director and me on several occasions overthe years. After learning of the September concerns expressedby the Planning Commission, I decided that it was time toput something in writing. My goal was to take steps that would help the planning director succeed. I did not initiateany disciplinary action, demotion, punishment or change ofpay at that time.

If anyone could be accused of restricting speech, it is me. As noted above, I was already taking action when Hol lar’se-mail arrived. He had informed me verbally that he could beperceived as having a conflict of interest about public banks

and he, therefore, could not get involved with that topic.On September 27, I gave a memo to the planning director, which included the following:

You have lost the confidence and support of the City Council.You have lost the confidence and support of the Planning

Commission.I have lost trust in your ability to communicate effectively

when carrying out your official duties.Your extensive non-profit corporation work and other non-

city work continues to raise questions about your commitment tothe city and your allocation of time.

Despite multiple conversations that we have had, you con-tinue to be involved with and/or take public positions on politi-cal matters that may not reflect city policy and may, in fact, bein direct opposition to the city’s economic development goals.his has diluted your credibility as a city official.

I then outlined the following to address my concerns:

Effective Monday, September 30th, Assistant City Manager Jessie Baker will become your direct supervisor and will assumean active role in the Department. She will attend departmentstaff meetings and, as necessary, Planning Commission andother meetings.

he Community and Economic Development portion of thedepartment will continue to be housed in its present location butKevin Casey will report directly to the Assistant City Manager.

You are to draft and prepare zoning regulations in the man-ner requested by the Planning Commission without adding yourown priorities or ideas. You have provided your ideas and con-cerns to the Commission, it is their role to draft the regulationsas they desire. If you feel that they are doing so in a way that iscounter to the Master Plan or the Council’s goals, please inform

Jessie and me with specific examples and we can help you addressthat in a productive manner.

You will refrain from involvement in external political issuessuch as public banking which may impact your effectiveness as a

Montpelier Ci ty off icial.

My intent was to address only those external activities thatimpacted Hallsmith’s effectiveness in her city role. I usedpublic banking as an example because it was the most recentissue of which I was aware. During our September 27 meet-ing, I shared a copy of Hollar’s e-mail to me to reinforce thenotion that concerns about her conflicts existed in the com-munity. I deeply regret that my actions and choice of words were used to create undeserved allegations against the mayor.

On September 30, Hallsmith met with me, gave me amemo and clearly outlined her objections to restrictions onoutside speech. I listened to her concerns and, on October 9,

issued a new memo which stated in part:

My view is that some of your outside political/advocacyactivities are contrary to the best interests of the city becausethey impair your credibility and effectiveness in promoting andimplementing city policies. I understand, however, that youhave a qualified right to speak on matters of public concern,and I respect that. herefore, I am rescinding directive 4 frommy September 27th memo and replacing it with the following:

• You will clearly identify when you are representing the cityand when you are representing yourself or some other group.When the latter is the case, you will actively be clear that

you are NO repre senting or speaking for th e cit y gov ern-ment or as a city official in any way. In such appearances,

you will not engage in di scussions about city matters even ifasked in order to reduce confusion about your roles.

• You will make public disclosures at any city meeting when-ever topics arise in which you have an outside interest or

you have taken an independent position. his will allowothers involved in the discussion to weigh your independentinterests against those of the city when considering the issue.

• No agency or individual with whom you have an outside financial or professiona l rela tionship may do busine ss withthe city in any form.

• You will inform me in advance of all such events, confer -ences, activities and appearances which may require yourabsence from work during normal business hours, or which

present or could present a conflict wi th your ci ty role.• You will not work on any such activities during normal

city work hours except as addressed above or during lunch

a N N I e T I b e r I o C

a m e

r o N




Tell them you saw it in he Bridge !

by Nat Frothingham

In the 1960s, when the first Russian and American astronauts soared into space,

what they saw when they looked back wasour green-blue planet earth floating in a seaof universal darkness—the earth as a won-der of creation, infinitely lucky, fragile andvulnerable.

It is this reverence for life that infusesthe recently released (October 2013) 61-pagereport from the Vermont nonprofit organiza-tion Vermonters for a Sustainable Populationcalled “What is an Optimum/Sustainable

Population for Vermont?”he spirit of the report is one of serious

inquiry with contributions from 16 perspec-tives. Some of the contributors are academ-ics. Others are experts working in Vermontgovernment. Still others are citizens andthinkers who have thought deeply about theimpact of human numbers on a state likeVermont.

At least two things a re notable about thereport. First, there’s no actual consensusamong the 16 contributors about what theoptimal population for Vermont ought tobe. And second, this want of consensusdoesn’t really matter. What matters is thatthe question is being asked and answeredand a long-delayed discussion of the issue

is now in play.One commentator puts Vermont’s current

2012 population at 626,011. he lowest sug-gested optimum population was 150,000,put forward by Carmen Howe, who is atechnical writer and system analyst, writingfrom the perspective of Vermont’s ecologicalfootprint. Howe asked us to consider howmany people can be sustained in Vermontgiven our natural resource base of land and water and what we humans require as rawmaterials to support our lives. he proposedhighest end of the optimum population spec-

trum came from Valerie Esposito, direc-tor of the Environmental Policy Programat Champlain College. Esposito noted that when Vermont is compared to other states , itconsistently receives the high national rank-ings when such matters as health, educationand environmental quality are measured.Because Vermont enjoys a number of high-ranking quality-of-life measures, she sug-gested the state could support up to 700,000people.

Forty or 50 years ago there was an intensepublic interest in population issues and agenuine public concern about what the world

would look like if human numbers grewunchecked. But since the 1960s and 1970s,public zeal has faded. hat zeal has fadedfor many reasons including the longtimeopposition to birth control from the RomanCatholic Church, the heightened controversyover abortion between prolife and prochoiceforces, and the embarrassing recognition thatpeople in the rich, developed world are quitehappy to make exaggerated claims on the world’s finite resources of oil, minerals, land, water, food and the like.

As I read the report from Vermonters for aSustainable Population, I didn’t see any ref-erence beyond Vermont. It was as if our tinymountain state were an island. But it’s not anisland. When you look at the map of the eas t-

ern United States and Canada, you quicklyfigure out that 50 to 70 million people live within a day’s drive of Vermont. We’re not asolitary kingdom, and we’re not unaffectedby these population numbers.

Perhaps this observation is a quibble. What’s truly signif icant here is that Vermontis the first state to assemble a group of seriouscommentators to tackle the question of howmany people Vermont can support. hat thisquestion is now being asked and answeredand thoughtfully considered is something tocelebrate.

What Is a SustainablePopulation for Vermont?Report by Vermonters for a Sustainable

Population Explores the Question

Note to Advertisers:Special 20th Anniversary Issue

on 12/12/13

he Bridge is celebrating its 20th Anniversary with a specialissue of the paper to be published on Thursday, December 12.

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Ad reservation deadline: Wednesday, December 4 (5 p.m.)

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THE BRIDGE Novemb er 7–Nov embe r 20, 2013 • page 11

by Richard Sheir

he city of Montpelier’s Downtown Improvement District Committee issued request for proposals for suggestions on how to spend thefirst year’s allocation of downtown improvement district taxes. A number of spending recommendations came in and will be evaluated

by the committee. Funding recommendations will be made to the council for evaluation and eventual funding. he recommendations areto be approved at the next City Council meeting.

Christ Church Courtyard improvements $30,000.00

Green Mountain Film Festival Banners for light poles $2,000.00

Green Mountain Film Festival Website for announcing events $10,000.00

Montpelier Alive City branding study $17,000.00

Montpelier Alive Flowers 2013, reimbursement $4,619.90

Montpelier Alive Flowers 2014 $2,500.00

Montpelier Alive Park Benches $8,438.50

Montpelier Property Management Juried makers market in vacant Main Street lot $46,424.00

Montpelier Property Management Parklet of State Street $7,600.00

ORCA Videos on downtown businesses $4,000.00

Megan Schulz Sunday festivals $48,000.00

Summit Music School Montpelier traditional music festival $17,000.00

City Council to Consider Proposals forImproving Downtown Montpelier

Tihar andDiwali

Festival of

Lights photos by Lennette Boner

Tihar, the festival of lights, one of themost important festivals in Nepal, was

celebrated this past Sunday, November 3.Each of the days of Tihar is important: thefirst celebrates crows, the second dogs, andthe third cows. On the second day, Nepal-ese adorn the dogs—even the strays—withflower garlands, put red tikas on their fore-heads and give them good food.

The third day gratitude is given to Laxmi,Hindu goddess of wealth and prosperity(both material and spiritual), by lighting

oil lamps in every house. At night, girlsand boys visit all the homes in the village,singing and dancing and playing musicalinstruments. The city is ablaze with lightsand candles on this most auspicious andfestive time.

Bhai Tika, the fifth and final day of thefestival, was celebrated this past Tuesday.On Bhai Tika, sisters give gratitude to theirbrothers and wish them a long and healthylife.

In India, the festival of lights is calledDiwali. It was celebrated by Hindus, Jainsand Sikhs this past Sunday, November 3. Itis the end of the Hindu year and, thus, theend of the Hindu financial year.




Upper left, portrait of a woman by Kathy Kilcourse; middle (unknown); below left, installationby Joy Spontak; below, visitors view the exhibit at 43 State Street. Photo by Linda Hogan.

What Does Domestic Violence Look Like? What

Does the End of It Look Like?Central Vermont Artists Respond

at One-Day Exhibit by Joyce Kahn

October was Domestic Violence Awareness Month. To herald themonth and raise awareness of

domestic violence in Vermont, a one-daygroup exhibit, called What Does DomesticViolence Look Like? What Does the End ofIt Look Like?, was on display at 43 StateStreet, on October 4, during Montpelier’sart walk. Artist Joy Spontak, curator ofthe show, invited local artists to contributeartwork on the theme of domestic violence.

About 14 artists enthusiastically responded,creating work in a variety of mediums andstyles. Also during the exhibit were a danceperformance, music and poetry readings, allon the domestic violence theme.

Spontak has worked for the past 12 years with pregnant teens and teen parents at the Washington County Youth Service Bureauand is clearly someone who loves her work, which she regards as her spiritual vocation.he exhibit was a testament to her devotion to women’s struggles for autonomy and equality,to her horror at the abuse all too many womenand children face in their daily lives, and toher artistic sensibilities and vision. Althoughthe exhibit was a one-day event, the abusethat too many women and children face is,

unfortunately, a daily occurrence.Spontak optimistically noted, “Everyone

has struggles in society, and the agenciescan help.” She is on the board of Circle,formerly known as Battered Women’s Ser-vice, and Shelter, the Washington Countyorganization that, according to its website,“provides support and services to victimsand survivors of intimate partner violence.”The concept for the art exhibit came fromCircle. The execution of the concept wasdue to Spontak’s willingness to volunteer,harness her talent and energy and call uponher numerous artist connections in centralVermont to put together a powerful show.

Spontak’s powerful installation expressedher own artistic and human sensibilities. Its

subject was the brain damage and delays thatfamily abuse causes in babies. Central tothis installation was a doll wrapped in news-paper and magazine articles about abuseand brain damage, with a knife through itsheart. A small toy gun, frogs, pandas andbumblebees shared the stage with the doll,

all examples of the destruction of the earththat results from not caring: babies and na-ture are the victims.

Artist and photographer Linda Hoganhadn’t painted in years but started sketch-ing again when Spontak called and in-vited her to participate in the show. Over atwo-month period, Hogan worked on twopieces created expressly for this exhibit. Inher painting of a woman with an unseenman approaching from the rear, Hoganpurposely chose bruise colors. The porce-lain faces on her subjects remind us of how

fragile we are. Hogan had been watchinga movie with a woman being attacked andafterward did a painting of a woman withan open mouth. She had been thinking thatpsychological abuse is not in your face, it’smore subtle, that things are blurry, and herpainting suggests these ideas.

Barbara Scotch decided she could nothonor such a dark subject and give it powerby creating beautiful art. Instead, she cre-ated three collages, a new form for her, totell a story. In the first, a woman is sitting with her back to the viewer in a house witha beautiful interior, because abuse is not amatter of economics. The perpetrator, anominous hazy black figure painted on dryersheets, because they must be thrown away,

looms over her. In the second, set againsta backdrop of woods and dark gray sky,the woman has left her oppressor, who isstill large and present. The woman is witha friend, whose arms are around her, butneither figure has hands or feet because, likeso many women who have the strength toextricate themselves from their oppressors,they are still at risk, subject to the man’srage. In the third scene, the woman is ina beautiful setting, free of stress, occupied with her knitting.

Vermont is a beautiful place to live formany. For the most vulnerable among us,however, life can be a nightmare. Joy Spon-tak and the Vermont artists who contributedto this exhibit performed a huge community

service by presenting their artistic responsesto domestic violence while raising publicawareness, with the hope that more womenand children will receive the help they need.The hope is that this valuable exhibit willtour Vermont, enabling its message to reacha broader audience.



THE BRIDGE Novemb er 7–Nov embe r 20, 2013 • page 13

Tell them you saw it in

he Bridge !

Vermont Teens are listening to . . .

ARTISANS HANDContemporary Vermont Crafts

89 Main at City Center, Montpelierartisanshand.com

Facebook for more images

35 YEARS!

Birthday SALE 20% off! November 8, 9,10

Friday 10-8, Saturday 10-6 , Sunday11-5 Blown glass by N Kekic; Ember Photography

compiled by Amy Brooks hornton

On Facebook, I asked my Vermontteenage friends to pick their favoriteentire album. One album that sang

to their soul from beginning to end, one they

felt was impeccably produced, containingsongs they could listen to over and over againeach song leading to the next. Like reading agreat novel. Here’s what they said:

David: Ready to Die by Notorious B.I.G.

Zoe: N.: Love It Love It by Nana Grizol

Tristan: All hings Bright and Beautiful byOwl City

Julia: Electro-Shock Blues by the Eels. It’shonestly not my favorite music per se, butthe album is this beautiful story aboutovercoming mental illness and findingmeaning in life and all that good stuff. Whenever I listen to it, I listen to it begin-ning to end.

Liam: How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb

by U2Zoe B.: My all-time favorite album mustbe Collide with the Sky by Pierce The Veil. Ilove their work, their progression throughthree albums, and them as human beings.Beautiful lyrics and lovely poetry.

Ian: An Awesome Wave by Alt J, Acid Rap by Chance the Rapper, he Anthology by ATribe Called Quest, etra by C2C, Polish-ing Peanuts by Deluxe (choice seconded by Julian), he Very Best of oots and the May-tals by Toots and the Maytals.

Julian: God’s Son by Nas, Random Access Memories by Daft Punk, Raw by Hopsin(Raw seconded by David Fischer).

Eli: Houses of the Holy by Led Zeppelin,in my mind, is perfection. There is nevera 30-day period I live without listening

to that album front to back. Whether it’s jamming out to “D’yer Mak ’er” and “TheOcean,” or if I’m grooving along to thesweet sounds of “Over the Hills and Far Away,” it’s gonna be in my life and it’sgonna be loud. Houses isn’t just eight songs;it is a new, exciting and radical experienceeach and every time.

And for our token adu lt:

Colin: I would have to say the Who’s 1971release Who’s Next. The record was therefor me when I became an independentyoung teen. I had my license, was finallyplaying gigs for money, and drove a pickuptruck with a cheap cassette player. I justlet it loop. The record is actually very

American sounding to me, lots of drivingand road imagery. The band was at theirmusical peak, and the production by Glyn Johns was amazing. The synthesizer sounds were, at the time, completely novel, but tome they were played masterfully and neversound dated or gimmicky. Keith Moon’sdrumming is astonishing; his musicality,the diversity of his sonic palette and thepure power of his attack all make me shakemy head.

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Note to Advertisers: Special 20th Anniversary Issue on 12/12/13he Bridge is celebrating its 20th Anniversary with a special issue of the paper to be published on Thursday, December 12.

For information about special rates and discounts, please contact Liz at 229-9630 or by e-mail at [email protected]. Ad reservation deadline: Wednesday, December 4 (5 p.m.).

Design & Build

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68 Main St., Montpelier 223-7752

Community Herbalism WorkshopsClasses are at Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism, 252 Main St., Montpelier;

224-7100; [email protected]. Pre-registration is required, details at vtherbcenter.org.

STRESS RELIEF FROM YOUR KITCHEN AND GARDEN:GROWING AND USING ADAPTOGENS

with Denise Quick, VCIH Clinical InternThursday November 7, 7-9 pm$17/$15 for members (includes a $5 materials fee)

HERBS FOR CHILDREN, PART II: FEVER, FLU, AND DIARRHEA with Shona Richter MacDougall, Clinical HerbalistMonday November 11, 6-8pm. $12/$10 for members

EMBRACING BITTERS with Sarah Corrigan, VCIH Clinical Intern Wednesday November 13, 6-8 pm. $12/$10 for members

A BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO HERBAL EMMENAGOGUES with Emer McKenna, VCIH Clinical InternMonday November 18, 6-8 pm. $12/$10 for members

HERBAL CARE FOR TRAUMA AND PTSD with Elliot Lloyd, VCIH Clinical InternMonday December 2, 6 -8 pm. $12/$10 for members

F o r w o r k sho p d e sc r i p t i o ns v i si t w w w .v t he r b c e nt e r .o r g

The Center for Leadership SkillsBUSINESS & LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

Lindel James coaching & consultingTaking You from Frustration to Enthusiasm

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229-6575




NOV. 8

Foot Clinic. Nurses from Central VermontHome Health & Hospice clip toe nails, cleannail beds, file nails and lotion feet; 15-minuteappointments. 9 a.m.–1 p.m. Montpelier Senior

Activity Center, 58 Barre St. $15. Reservat ionsand information: 223-2518.

Five Women Witness: Two Weeksin Palestine/Israel. Lecture and slidepresentation by five New England Episcopalianmembers of the Society of the Companionsof the Holy Cross, offering insights throughpolitical context and personal stories. 5 p.m.Christ Episcopal Church Parish Hall, 64 StateSt., Montpelier. 223-0877.

Contra Dance. Peter Johnson caller. Musicby Joanne Garton and Brendan aaffe. Nopartner or experience necessary. Beginners’ sessionat 7:45 p.m. 8 p.m. Shelburne own Hall, 5376Shelburne Rd., Shelburne. $8 adults; under 12free. 371-9492. 343-7165. queencitycontras.org.

NOV. 8–9

Annual Christmas Sale. Santa’s workshopsale at Waterbury Center Community Church:new and old decorations, crafts, gifts, homemadepies, baked beans, candies and more. Nov. 8:

9 a.m.–6 p.m.; Nov. 9: 9 a.m.–3 p.m. WaterburyCenter Community Church, Rte. 100, next toCold Hollow Cider Mill. 244-8089.

Gifford Annual Craft Fair. Support theGifford Adult Day Program and shop for theholidays. Handcrafted jewelry, homemade bakedgoods and foods, woodcrafts, hand-paintedChristmas ornaments and more by area crafters.Nov. 8: 11 a.m.–5 p.m.; Nov. 9: 9 a.m.–3p.m., Gifford Medical Center, 44 S. Main St.,Randolph. 763-8828.

NOV. 9

Craft and Food Bazaar. Featuring local andinternational handcrafts, baked goods, preserves,vintage treasures. Raffle tickets. 9 a.m.–3 p.m.

United Church of Northfield, 58 S. Main St.,Northfield. 485-8347.

Yoga Mountain Center’s 10th AnnualOpen House. Free classes 9 a.m.–6 p.m. YogaMountain Center, 7 Main St., Montpelier.yogamountaincenter.com.

Community Class: Living withAlzheimer’s for Middle Stage Caregivers. Caregivers and professionals discuss helpfulstrategies to provide safe, effective andcomfortable care in the middle stage of

Alzheimer’s. Lunch provided. 9 a.m.–2:30 p.m.

Central Vermont Medical Center, 130 FishersRd., Berlin. Free. Registration requested: 800-272-3900.

Celebration of Writing and Anthology5 Release Party. Poetry, digital storytelling

and prose workshops, keynote, readings andrelease of Young Writers Project Anthology 5 .9 a.m.–6 p.m. Vermont College of Fine Arts,36 College St., Montpelier. Register online atyoungwritersproject.org/celebration2013

Practice Day: The Four Foundations ofMindfulness. With Ven. enzin Chogkyi.

Ways to overcome negative patterns of thoughtand behavior and develop awareness and focus.9:30 a.m.–4 p.m. Milarepa Center, 1344 Rte. 5S, Barnet. By donation. 633-4136. [email protected]. milarepacenter.org .

Hunger Mountain Coop’s 20th AnnualFood & Wellness Expo. Local healthpractitioners, bodywork and massage t herapists,food samples. 10:30 a.m.–3 p.m. City Hall,Main St., Montpelier.

Cash Mob Downtown Montpelier. Cash

mob to support construction-weary Montpelierbusinesses. Meet at the State House steps at2 p.m.; bring $20 cash or more. Sponsored byVibrant and Affordable Montpelier.

Alzonzo B. Valentine and Vermont’sSwedish Colonists. alk by Lyndon Stateprofessor Paul Searls. Second Sat., 2 p.m.Vermont History Center, 60 Washington St.,Barre. 479-8500.

Father Figures Skate with Rockin’ Ronthe Friendly Pirate. Children of all ages areinvited to skate with their dads (or grandpa,uncle, special friend). 3 p.m. Central VermontMemorial Civic Center, 268 Gallison Hill Rd.,Montpelier. Free. Preregistration required: 595-7953. goodbeginningscentralvt.org.

Shape Note/Sacred Harp Sing. No

experience needed. All welcome. SecondSun., 5–7 p.m. Plainfield Community Center(above the co-op). By donation. 595 9951 [email protected].

Film: Silver Linings Playbook. WithRobert DeNiro and Jennifer Lawrence. MSAC& Dharma Film Series. 6:30 p.m. MontpelierSenior Activity Center, 58 Barre St. Suggesteddonation $3. 224-1001.

NOV. 9–10

VT Crafts & Products Fair. Handmade

Vermont artisan crafts Nov. 9: 9 a.m.–3 p.m.;Nov. 10: 10 a.m.–3 p.m. St. John Church Hall,206 Vine St., Northfie ld. 485-8313. [email protected].

NOV. 10

Bingo Benefit. Waterbury American LegionPost 59 Auxiliary. Fundraiser to benefit projectssponsored by the Waterbury American Legion.Doors open 11 a.m.; games start 1 p.m. Lunchavailable. Waterbury American Legion Post 59

Auxil iary, Stowe St., Waterbury. 244-8404.

Hunger Mountain Coop Member-OwnerAnnual Meeting and Brunch. Free co-op-catered brunch with music by Doug Perkins.Local vendor demos and great raffle prizes.Hunger Mountain Coop member-ownersonly. 11:15 a.m.–2 p.m. City Hal l, Main St.,Montpelier. Preregister by Nov. 6: 223-8000 [email protected] .

Restorative Yoga. With Anjali Budreski.1–3 p.m. Yoga Mountain Center, 7 Main St.,Montpelier. $25/$20. Preregister: 223-5302 or

yogamountaincenter.com.

NOV. 11

Sign Up Your Children for Toys for Tots. oys for ots and the Salvation Army haveteamed up to supply and distribute Christmastoys. Sign up to receive toys, clothes andfood for Christmas at the Salvation Army,25 Keith Ave., Barre. 10 a.m.–noon and 4–6p.m. Vtoysforots.com. fac ebook.com/VtToysforTots.

Montessori Elementary Open House. Come see what a Montessori Elementaryprogram i s about. 11:15 a.m.–12:15 p.m.Montessori School of Central Vermont, 89 KarlCircle, Berlin. Call to schedule an appointment:223-3320. [email protected]. www.mscvt.org.

NOV. 12

Sign Up for Toys for Tots. See Nov. 11 formore info. Sign up at the Salvation Army, 25Keith Ave., Barre.10 a.m.–noon. Vtoysforots.com. facebook.com/VtToysforTots .

Home Share Now: Matching People andHomes. Joel Rhodes, Americorps member withHome Share Now, answers questions. FEASmeal at 1 p.m. followed by talk and Q&A.Montpelier Senior Activity Center, 58 Barre St.

MusicVENUESBagitos. 28 Main St., Montpelier. 229-9212.bagitos.com. Nov. 14: Dark Green Folk with Josh (folk/rock traditionals) 6–8 p.m.

Nutty Steph’s Chocolaterie. Rte. 2,Middlesex. Bacon Turs.: 6 p.m.–midnight.229-2090. [email protected]. Nov. 7: Miriam Bernardo and Seth Eames. Nov. 14: Andric Severence. Mustache night:$1 off all drinks if you wear a mustache. Nov. 21: Andric Severence.

Positive Pie. 22 State St., Montpelier.10:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 229-0453.positivepie.com.

Nov. 9: Abraxas.

Skinny Pancake. 89 Main Street, Montpelier. Wed., 6–8 p.m. Jay Ekis and ex tremely specia lguests. 262-2253. skinnypancake.com.

Sweet Melissa’s. 4 Langdon St., Montpelier.Free unless otherwise noted. 225-6012.facebook.com/sweetmelissasvt. Nov. 7: Zach Nugent of Cats Under the Stars8 p.m. Nov. 8: Joe Moore Band 9 p.m.; Honky onkHappy Hour with Mark LeGrand 5 p.m. Nov. 9: Chris Robertson and the SocketRockets, CD release party 9 p.m.; Andy Pitt5 p.m.

Nov. 12: Open Mic Night 7 p.m.; Andy Plant5 p.m. Nov. 13: Bob Wagner & D. Davis 8 p.m.; Wine Down with D. Davis 5 p.m. Nov. 14: im Brick 8 p.m. Nov. 15: Te Northstar Session 9 p.m.;Honky onk Happy Hour with MarkLeGrand 5 p.m. Nov. 16: Dave Keller Band, CD release party8 p.m. and 10 p.m, cover; B lue Fox 5 p.m. Nov. 19: Open Mic Night 7 p.m.; Live Music5 p.m. Nov. 20: Open Bluegrass Jam 7–10 p.m.; Wine Down with D. Davis 5 p.m. Nov. 21: Seth Eames a nd Miriam Bernardo8 p.m. Nov. 22: Brian Gatch Band 9 p.m.; Honkyonk Happy Hour with Mark LeGrand 5 p.m. Nov. 23: ennessee Jed Band 9 p.m.; AndyPitt 5 p.m. Nov. 26: Open Mic Night 7 p.m.; Live Music5 p.m.) Nov. 27: Tanksgiving Jam 8 p.m.,; Wine

Down with D. Davis 5 p.m. Nov. 29: Abbey Jenne and the Enablers 9p.m.; Honky onk Happy Hour with MarkLeGrand 5 p.m. Nov. 30: Michelle Sarah Band 9 p.m.; BlueFox 5 p.m.

ARTISTS & SPECIALEVENTSNov. 10: Mark LeGrand and SarahMunro. Duo perform second Sun. 9:30 a.m.Coffee served. Bethany Church, 115 Main St.,Montpelier. Free.

Nov. 16–17: The Montpelier ChamberOrchestra Concerts. Featuring violinvirtuoso Mary Rowell, performing works by

Saint Saens, Stravinsky, Eve Beglarian andMichael Sahl. Nov. 16: 7:30 p.m. Nov. 17: 4p.m. Unitarian Church, Main St., Montpelier.$15 adults; $12 seniors; $10 student s. 578-3536or MontpelierChamberOrchestra.org.

Dave Keller: CD Release Parties. For Memphis Soul CD. 229-2737. [email protected]. davekeller.com Nov. 16: Sweet Melissa’s, 4 Langdon St.,Montpelier 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. $8. 225-6014.facebook.com/sweetmelissasvt . Nov. 21: upelo Music Hall, 188 S. Main St., White River Junction. Doors 7p.m.; show 7:30p.m. $8 advance; $10 day of show. 698-8341.tupelohallvermont.com.Dec. 6: River Arts, 74 Pleasant St.,Morrisville. Soul food available for purchaseat 6 p.m.; show at 7 p.m. $10. 888-1261.riverartsvt.

Nov. 9: Grammy Award–winner MavisStaples. Gospel, soul and R&B legend Staplesand her band perform. 8 p.m. Barre Opera

House, 6 North Main St., Barre. $22–$42.ickets: 476-8188 or barreoperahouse.org.

Nov. 9: The Ira Friedman Quartet. Anevening of original jazz, with Seth Eames, PhilCarr and Giovanni Rovetto. 7 p.m. Optionalpotluck at 5:30. Adamant Community Club.$10 advance; $15 door. Part of the Adamant

Winter Music Series.

Nov. 9: Guitarist Peter Mulvey. Singer/songwriter performs. 7:30 p.m. Chandler MusicHall, 71-73 Main St., Randolph. Adults: $20zadvance, $23 door; students $15. ickets: 728-6464 or cha ndler-arts.or g

Nov. 12: Canadian Guitarist Bob Ardern. Finger-style guitarist and songwriter Ardernperforms in support of his latest release WiresRosewood & Roots . 7:30–10 p.m. Te Bee’sKnees, 82 Lower Main St., Morrisville. Free.

Nov. 15: Poetic Licen se. Vermont Virtuosiperforms music by Astor Piazzolla, JohnCorigliano, oru akemitsu, Heitor Villa-Lobos and Louis Moyse, plus a world premiereby Vermont composer Dennis Báthory-Kitsz.7:30 p.m. Bethany Church, 115 Main St.,Montpelier. Suggested donations: $10 generaladmission; $5 students and seniors. 881-9153.laurelannmaurer.com.

Nov. 16: Country Jamboree. Countrymusic. 7 p.m. Barre Opera House, 6 NorthMain St., Barre. ickets: 476-8188 orbarreoperahouse.org.

Nov. 22: Della Mae Concert. 8–10 p.m.Haybarn Teater, Goddard College, 123 PitkinRd., Plainfield. $15 advance; $20 door. 454-8311. goddard.edu.

continued on page 17

Singer-songwriter Peter Mulvey, performingat Chandler Music Hall.

illie Quattrone and Silas Miller as Madame and Monsieur henardier in U-32 High School’s production of Les Miserables. November 7, 8 and 9 at 7 p.m. and November 9 at 2 p.m. ick-ets available by calling 229-0321 ext 5561. $10 adults; $8 students and seniors.




Visual ArtsEXHIBITS

Ongoing: Glen Coburn Hutcheson,

Talking Portraits and Two-PartInventions. An evolving show of experimentaldrawings, paintings and the occasionalsculpture. Storefront Studio Gallery, 6 Barre St.,Montpelier. Hours: ues.–Fri. 8–10 a.m., Sat.10 a.m.–3 p.m., or by appointment. 839-5349.gchfineart.com.

Through Nov. 9: Brenna Colt. Photographs,paintings and drawings. Downstairs Gallery,Chandler Center for the Arts, 71-73 Main,Randolph. 728-9878. Hours: Fri.–Sat, 3–5p.m.; Sun. noon–2 p.m.

Through Nov. 9: David Smith,Differences in Moments. Landscape oilpaintings. Furchgott Sourdiffe Gallery, 86 FallsRd., Shelburne. fsgalleryvt.wordpress.com.fsgallery.com.

Through Nov. 10: Points of View. Exhibitof portraits by seven Vermont artists: AgatheMcQueston, Lark Upson, Sande French-Stockwell, Judith Beckett, Liesi Hebert, MarciaHammond and Joan Feierabend. ChandlerMusic Hall and Gallery, 71-73 Main St.,Randolph. 728-6464. 728-9878.

Through Nov. 11: Liz Le Serviget,Whimsy at the Café Latina. Colorful cats,dogs, toothy crocodiles, flying pigs a nd magicalkingdoms expressed in a variety of mediaincluding fine art on canvas, stone assemblage,fiber art, painted ceramics and furniture. CafeLatina, 407 Mountain Rd., Stowe. [email protected].

Nov. 13–Dec. 18: Celebrate. Annua lholiday season show; wide variety of fine artand crafts created by SPA member artists.

Reception: Nov. 16, 4:30–6:30 p.m. Hours:ues.–Fri. 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Sat. noon–4 p.m.

Through Nov. 24: Nancy Dwyer andSteve Buddington, I Am Always YourContext. Collaborative installation of

wallpaper and painting s by Dwyer andBudington. East Gallery, Helen Day Art Center,90 Pond St., Stowe. Hours: Wed.–Sun. noon–5p.m. and by appointment. 253-8358.

Through Nov. 24: Puente: An Exhibitionof Cuban Artists. Main Galleries, HelenDay Art Center, 90 Pond St., Stowe. Hours:

Wed.–Sun. noon–5 p.m. and by appointment.253-8358.

Through Nov.: Missy C. Storrow,Interpretations. Watermedia paintings andmonoprints. Coffee Corner Restaurant, 83 MainSt., Montpelier. 279-6349carystorrowart.com.

Through Nov. 30: Aviary. Group show of

bird carvings, paintings and other depictionsof birds. Bigown Gallery, 99 North MainSt., Rochester. Hours: Wed.–Fri. 10 a.m.–5p.m., Sat. noon–5 p.m. 767-9670. [email protected]. bigtowngallery.com.

Through Nov. 30: Patricia Lyon-Surrey,Season of Transition. Photographs. DrawingBoard, 22 Main St., Montpelier. Hours: Mon.–Fri. 10 a.m.–6 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Sun.11 a.m.–3 p.m.

Through Nov. 30: Linda Maney, AbstractThinking. Watercolors and acrylics. First andsecond floors, Kellogg-Hubbard Library, MainSt., Montpelier.

Through Nov. 30: Steffany Alexis Yasus,Caras. Photographs, digital and 35 mm. GreenBean Visual Art Gallery, Capitol Grounds,Main St., Montpelier. [email protected]. facebook.com/#!/pages/Fans-of-Green-Bean-Visual-Arts-Gallery/176207625774864.

Through Dec. 1: Benjamin Barnes,Recent Works. Paintings focus on theagricultural landscape: tractors, trucks, barns,and outbuildings. Reception Oct. 4, 4–6 p.m. ulsi ea Room, 34 Elm St., Montpelier. Hours:ues.–Sat., 7 a.m.–6:30 p.m. 223-0043.

Through Dec. 2: Doug Haley, It’s graffitiand more cross-processed! Photography.Contemporary Dance and Fitness Studio, 18Langdon St., Montpelier. Hours: Mon.–Fri.,3:30–8 p.m.; Sat. 9 a.m.–2 p.m. 229-4676.cda ndfs.com.

Through Dec. 16: Small Works. Artworkby students, faculty, staff and a lumni ofCommunity College of Vermont. CCV, 660

Elm St., Montpelier.

Through Dec. 20: Annie TiberioCameron, Robert Frost in Images. Montpelier photographer pairs photographs

with poetr y from Robert Frost. ReceptionDec. 6, 5–7 p.m. Montpelier Senior ActivityCenter, 58 Barre St. 223-2518. 223-2204.

[email protected]. ann [email protected]. montpelier-vt.org/msac. anniecameronphotography.com.

Through Dec. 20: Round. An exhibit ionof objects of circular shape, from the SullivanMuseum collection. Sullivan Museum andHistory Center, Norwich University, 158Harmon Dr., Northfield. 485-2183. Norwich.edu/museum.

Through Dec. 20: These Honored Dead:Private and National Commemoration. Stories of Norwich alumni from both sidesof the Civil War conflict in 1863. SullivanMuseum & History Center, NorwichUniversity, Northfield. 485-2183. norwich.edu/museum.

Through Dec. 27: Georgia Myer,Authenticity. Abstract oil, pastel, charcoaland watercolor. Te gallery will be open forthe Montpelier Art Walk, Oct. 4, 4–7 p.m.Governor’s Gal lery, 5F, Pavilion Office,Montpelier. Hours: Mon.–Fri., 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

Through Dec. 27: Works by Jen Morris.

Photography by Landmark College Art Professor Jen Morris. Reception Dec. 6, 5–7 p.m. VermontSupreme Court, 111 State St., Montpelier. 828-0749. [email protected].

Through Dec. 31: Lisa Forster Beach. Watercolors and acrylic s. Festival G aller y, 2Village Square, Waitsfield. next to the empestBook Store. Galler y Hours: Mon.–Fri., 10a.m.–3 p.m.; Sat. by appointment. 496-6682.vermontartfest.com.

Through Jan. 2: Paul Gruhler. Abstractpaintings. Gallery at River Arts, River ArtsCenter, 74 Pleasant St., 2F, Morrisville . Hours:Mon.–Fri., 10 a.m.–2 p.m. 888-1261.riverartsvt.or g.

Through Jan. 2: Chris Stearns, Vermonton Aluminum. Photographs of landscapesprinted on sheets of aluminum. Gallery at River

Arts , River Art s Center, 74 Pleasant St., 2F,Morrisville. Hours: Mon.–Fri., 10 a.m.–2 p.m.888-1261. riverartsvt.or g.

SPECIAL EVENTSNov. 8: Reception for Maggie Neale,Discovery. Light refreshments. 5–7 p.m.City Center, Main St. Montpelier. [email protected]. maggieneale.com.

Nov. 9: Storrow & Maney Open Studio. Mixed-media paintings, photography and cards

for sale. Noon–5 p.m. Storrow & Maney Studio,104 Main St., Montpelier.

Nov. 9: Second Annual Exhibition ofWorks in Clay. Students of sculptor. BenjaminDavis. 3–5 p.m. Hermitage Gallery, 365 EagleLedge Rd., Worcester. 229-6297. hermitage-gallery.com.

Nov. 9: Unique Experience 2013. Fundraiser to benefit River Arts. Silentauction with unusual items. 6–10 p.m. River

Arts Center, 74 Pleasant St., Morrisville.$75. ickets and information: 888-1261 [email protected] . View auction itemsat riverartsvt.org/upcoming/experience.

Sunrise. Photo printed on aluminum by Chris Stearns. On display at the Gallery at River

Arts, Morrisville.

PerformingArtsDANCENov. 9: Vermont ChoreographersShowcase. Four local choreographers (IsadoraSnapp, Hanna Satterlee, Heather Bryce andClare Byrne) present works in progress. 6:30p.m. Contemporary Dance and Fitness Studio,18 Langdon St., Montpelier. $10 donation. 229-4676. cdandfs.com.

Nov. 16: Faculty/Student Showcase.

Featuring choreography by faculty and studentsat CD&FS. 7 p.m. Contemporary Dance andFitness Studio, 18 Langdon St., Montpelier. $10donation. 229-4676. cdandfs.com.

Nov. 24: Kyle Abraham MasterClass Workshop. Abraham, dancerand choreographer, leads a technique

class emphasizing exploration, musicality,abandonment and intuition. Intermediate–

advanced dancers. Noon– 2 p.m. ContemporaryDance and Fitness Studio, 18 Langdon St.,Montpelier. $18 or four punches. Preregistrationrequired: 229-4676. cdandfs.com.

THEATER, STORYTELLING& COMEDYNov. 24: Alexander and the Terrible,Horrible, Very Bad Day. Teatreworks USApresents a one-hour musical adaptation of thebest-selling children’s book. Pre-K throughgrade 3. 10 a.m. Chandler Music Hall, 71-73Main St., Randolph. $6. ickets: 431-0204 [email protected].

Nov. 14–16: Into the Woods. Music andlyrics by Stephen Sondheim, based on the bookby James Lapine. Nov. 14 and 15: 7 p.m; Nov.16: 6 p.m. Lyndon Institute Teater Company,168 Institute Circle, Lyndon Center. Admissionby donation. 626-5320. [email protected].

Nov. 15: Laugh Local VT Open MicComedy Night. Jokesters ta ke advantage ofa lighthearted atmosphere and perform brief

material before a live audience. Sign up 7:30pm; show 8 p.m. American Legion Post #3, 21

Main St., Montpelier. Free, but dough nation$ welcome. 793-3884.

Nov. 15–16: An Evening of One Acts. Young actors perform Sure Ting, Actor’sNightmare, rifles, Philip Glass Buys Loaf ofBread. Presented by Whitcomb Drama Club.7 p.m. Bethel own Hall, Bethel. Admissionby donation. 234-9966. [email protected].

Nov. 22–23: In the Heights. Te Sharon Academy presents their all-s chool productionof 2008 ony-award winning musical In theHeights. 7:30 p.m. Chandler Music Hall, 71-73 Main St., Randolph. ickets: [email protected].

SPECIAL EVENTSNov. 15: Ruckus: A Cirque Spectacular.Veterans of Cirque du Soleil, Ringling Brothersand the Big Apple Circus perform. 7 p.m.Barre Opera House, Main St., Barre. $15–$25.ickets: 476-8188 or barreoperahouse.org.

Dancer Kyle Abraham. Photo by Abra-ham.in.Motion.




Weekly EventsART & CRAFT

Beaders’ Group. All levels of beadingexperience welcome. Free instruction available.Come with a project for creativity andcommunity. Sat., 11 a.m.–2 p.m. Te BeadHive, Plain field. 454-1615.

Life Drawing Sessions. Usually brief,dynamic poses. Wed., 7–9 p.m. StorefrontStudio/Gallery, 6 Barre St., Montpelier.$15 suggested donat ion. 839-5349. [email protected] .

BICYCLING

Open Shop Nights. Volunteer-runcommunity bike shop: bike donations andrepairs. ues., 6–8 p.m.; other nights. FreerideMontpelier, 89 Barre St., Montpelier. Bydonation. 552-3521. freeridemontpelier.org .

BOOKS & WORDS

English Conversation Practice Group.For students learning English for the first time.ues., 4–5 p.m. Central Vermont Adult BasicEducation, Montpelier Learning Center, 100State St. 223-3403.

Lunch in a Foreign Language. Bringlunch and practice your language skills withneighbors. Noon–1 p.m. Mon. Hebrew, ues.Italian, Wed. Spanish, Turs. French. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, 135 Main St., Montpelier.223-3338.

Ongoing Reading Group. Improve yourreading and share some good books. Bookschosen by group. Turs., 9–10 a.m. CentralVermont Adult Basic Education, MontpelierLearning Center, 100 State St. 223-3403.

BUSINESS & FINANCE,

COMPUTERS

Personal Financial ManagementWorkshops. Learn about credit/debit cards,credit building and repair, budgeting andidentity theft, insurance, investing, retirement.ues., 6–8 p.m. Central Vermont MedicalCenter, Conference Room 3. Registration: 371-4191.

Computer and Online Help. One-on-onecomputer help. ues. and Fri., 10 a.m.–1 p.m.

Waterbury Public Librar y, 28 N. Main St., Waterbury. Free. Registrat ion required: 244-7036.

DANCE

Ecstatic Dance. Dance your heart awake.No experience necessary. Every Fri., 7–9 p.m.,Christ Church, State St., Montpelier. First andthird Wed., 7–9 p.m., Worcester own Hall,corner of Elmore and Calais roads. Second andfourth Wed., 7–9 p.m., Plainfield CommunityCenter (above the co-op). $10. [email protected] .

Dance or Play with the Swinging’ over60 Band. Danceable tunes from the 1930s tothe 1960s. Recruiting musicians. ues., 5:30–7:30 p.m., Montpelier Senior Activity Center,58 Barre St., Montpelier. 223-2518.

FOOD

Barre Farmers’ Market. Local produce,meats, poultry , eggs, honey, crafts, baked goodsand more. Wed., 3–6:30 p.m. City Hall Park,Barre.

Community Meals in Montpelier. All welcome. Free.

Mon.: Unitarian Church, 130 Main St., 11a.m.–1 p.m.ues.: Bethany Church, 115 Main St., 11:30a.m.–1 p.m.Wed.: Christ Church, 64 State St., 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m.Turs.: rinity Church, 137 Main St., 11:30a.m.–1 p.m.

Fri.: St. Augustine Church, 18 Barre St., 11a.m.–12:30 p.m.

Sun.: Last Sunday only, Bethany Church, 115Main St. (hosted by Beth Jacob Synagogue),4:30–5:30 p.m.

Noon Cafe. Soup, fresh bread, good companyand lively conversation. Wed., noon. TeOld Meeting House, 1620 Center Rd., E.Montpelier. By donation. oldmeetinghouse.org.

Senior Meals. For people 60 and over. Mealsprepared by Chef Justin and volunteers. ues.and Fri., noon–1 p.m. Montpelier Senior

Activity Center, 58 Barre St., Montpelier. Free.Under 60: $6. Reservations and information:262-2688.

Takeout and Café Meals. Proceeds benefitthe senior meals program. Turs., 11 a.m.–1p.m. Montpelier Senior Activity Center, 58Barre St., Montpelier. $4–$8. Reservations

appreciated: 262-6288.

HEALTH & WELLNESS

Affordable Acupuncture. Acupuncturesessions with Chris Hollis and rish Mitchell.Mon. and Wed., 2–7 p.m.; Fri., 9 a.m.–2p.m. 79 Main St., suite 8 (above CoffeeCorner), Montpelier. $15–$40 sliding scale.

Walk in or schedule an appointment atmontpeliercommunityacupuncture.com.

Herbal Clinics. Student clinic: Mon., 1–5p.m. and ues., 4–8 p.m. $0–$10. Professionalclinic: ues.–Fri. $0–$100. Vermont Centerfor Integrative Herbalism, 252 Main St.,Montpelier. Consultations by appointmentonly: 224-7100 or [email protected] .vtherbcenter.org.

HIV Testing. Vermont CARES offers fast oral

testing. Turs., 2–5 p.m. 58 East State St., suite3 (entrance at back), Montpelier. Free. 371-6222. vtca res.org.

KIDS & TEENS

Mad River Valley Youth Group. Sun., 7–9p.m. Meets at various area churches. Call 497-4516 for location and information.

The Basement Teen Center. Cable V,PlayStation 3, pool table, free eats and funevents for teenagers. Mon.–Turs., 3–6 p.m.;Fri., 3–11 p.m. Basement een Center, 39 MainSt., Montpel ier. 229-9151.

Story Time at the Kellogg-HubbardLibrary. Stories, songs and special guests.Birth to age 5. ues. and Fri., 10:30 a.m.Kellogg-Hubbard Library, 135 Main St.,

Montpelier. 223-4665. kellogghubbard.org.

Story Times at the Waterbury PublicLibrary. Baby/toddler story time: Mon.,10 a.m. Preschool story time: Fri., 10 a.m.

Waterbury Public Librar y, 28 N. Main St., Waterbury. 244-7036. waterburypubl iclibrar y.com.

Forest Preschool. Outdoor, exploratory,play-based drop-off program for children age3.5–5. Trough Nov. 21. ues. and Turs., 9a.m.–12 p.m. North Branch Nature Center, 713Elm St., Montpelier. $420 for one day, $800 forboth days. 229-6206.

Story Time at the Jaquith PublicLibrary. With Sylvia Smith, followed by playgroup with Melissa Seifert. Birth to age 6. Wed.10–11:30 a.m. Jaquith Public Library, 122School St., Marshfield. 426-3581.

Lego Building Club. With Mike Maloney.Trough Dec. 4 (not meeting Nov. 27). Wed.,3–4 p.m. Waterbury Public Library, 28 N.Main St., Waterbury. Registration required:244-7036.

Read to Coco. Share a story with Coco, theresident licensed reading therapy dog, who lovesto hear kids practice reading aloud. Wed., 3:30–4:30 p.m. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, 135 MainSt., Montpelier. Sign up ahead: 223-4665 at thechildren’s desk. kellogghubbard.org.

The Dark Knight Comics Club. Withcofacilitators Ben T. Matchstick and AshBrittenham. Comic book enthusiasts and

artists draw, write and collaborate on their

own comics. Age 7–17. Through Nov.20. Wed., 3:30–5 p.m. Kellogg-HubbardLibrary, 135 Main St., Montpelier. 223-4665.kellogghubbard.org.

Vermont History for Homeschoolers. Te Vermont Historical Society offerseducational sessions for homeschoolers, age8–12, in Montpelier and Barre. Wed. andTurs., 1–3 p.m. Vermont History Museum,109 State St., Montpelier, and Vermont HistoryCenter, 60 Washington St., Barre. $5 per child;$4 per child for three or more participatingchildren or VHS members. Preregistrationrequired: 828-1413. For schedule go tovermonthistory.org/homeschoole rs.

North Branch Trekkers. After-schoolprogram with teacher-naturalist Ken Benton.Explore the green spaces of Montpelier while

practicing outdoor living skills, tracking and wildli fe monitoring. Grades 4–7. TroughDec. 5. Turs., 3–5:30 p.m. North BranchNature Center, 713 Elm St., Montpelier. $375,membership included. 229-6206.

Drop-in Kinder Arts Program. Innovativeexploratory arts program with artist/instructorKelly Holt. Age 3–5. Fri., 10:30 a.m.–noon.Starts Sept. 27. River Arts Center, 74 PleasantSt., Morrisville. 888-1261. RiverArtsV.org.

Write On! Are you full of ideas? Lookingto spin a story? Willing to play with words?Drop in once or join us for the series. Age6–10. Fri., 3:30–4 p.m. Kellogg-HubbardLibrary, 135 Main St., Montpelier. 223-4665.kellogghubbard.org.

Forest School. Drop-off program forstudents, using seasonal and emerging

curriculum. Age 6–8. Trough June 6, 2014.Fri., 9 a.m.–2 p.m. North Branch NatureCenter, 713 Elm St., Montpelier. $1,560members; payment plans available. 229-6206.

RECYCLING

Additional Recyclables CollectionCenter (ARCC). Bring in odd and sundryitems for reuse, upcycling and recycling,including toothbrushes, bottle caps, cassettetapes, books, textiles, batteries and more.Mon. and Fri., 12:30 p.m.–5:30 p.m. ARCC, 3

Willia ms Ln., Barre. $1 per car load. Completelist of accepted items at 229-9383, x106 orcvswmd.org.

Free Food Scrap Collection. Compost yourfood waste along with your regular trash andrecycling. Wed., 9 a.m.–5 p.m.; Sat. 6 a.m.–1

p.m. DJ’s Convenience Store, 56 River St.,Montpelier. cvswmd.org.

SPIRITUALITY

Christian Science. God’s love meetinghuman needs. Reading room: ues.–Sat., 11a.m.–1 p.m.; ues., 5–8 p.m.; Wed., 5–7:15p.m. estimony meeting: Wed., 7:30–8:30 p.m.,nursery available. Worship service: Sun., 10:30–11:30 a.m., Sunday school and nursery available.145 State St., Montpelier. 223-2477.

Shambhala Buddhist Meditation. Groupmeditation practice. Sun., 10 a.m.–noon;ues., 7–8 p.m.; Wed., 6–7 p.m. ShambhalaMeditation Center, 64 Main St., 3F, Montpelier.

Free. 223-5137. montpeliershambala.org.

Deepening Our Jewish Roots. Fun,engaging text study and discussion on Jewishspirituality. Sun., 4:45–6:15 p.m. Yearning forLearning Center, Montpelier. 223-0583. [email protected].

Christian Meditation Group. People ofall faiths welcome. Mon., noon–1 p.m. ChristChurch, Montpelier. 223-6043.

Zen Meditation. With Zen Affi liate ofVermont. Wed., 6:30–7:30 p.m. 174 River St.,Montpelier. Free. Call for orientation: 229-0164.

Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. Forthose interested in learning about the Catholicfaith, or current Catholics who want to learnmore. Wed., 7 p.m. St. Monica Church, 79Summer St., Barre. Register: 479-3253.

Introduction to the Eastern OrthodoxChurch. A series of talk s and discu ssions.Trouhg Dec. 1. Sun., 12:15–1 p.m. St. Jacobof Alaska Orthodox Church, 376 Rte. 12,Northfield. Free. 754-6206. [email protected] .

SPORTS & GAMES

Coed Adult Floor Hockey League. Women and men welcome. Equipmentprovided. Trough Dec. 8. Sun., 3–6 p.m.Montpelier Recreaction Center, Barre St.$58 for 10-week season. Preregisterationrequired: [email protected] orvermontoorhockey.com.

Apollo Duplicate Bridge Club. All welcome. Partners somet imes avail able. Fri.,

6:45 p.m. Bethany Church, 115 Main St.,Montpelier. $3. 485-8990 or 223-3922.

Roller Derby Open Recruitment andRecreational Practice. Central Vermont’s

Wrecking Doll Soc iety invites quad skaters age18 and up. No experience necessary. Equipmentprovided: first come, first served. Sat., 5–6:30p.m. Montpelier Recreation Center, Barre St..First skate free. centralvermontrollerderby.com.

YOGA

Yoga with Lydia. Build strength andflexibility as you learn safe alignment ina nourishing, supportive and inspiringenvironment. Drop-ins welcome. Mon. 5:30p.m., River House Yoga, Plainfield (slidingscale). Wed., 4:30 p.m. Green Mountain GirlsFarm, Northfield (sliding scale). ues. and Fri.,

noon. Yoga Mountain Center, Montpelier. 229-6300. saprema-yoga.com.

ABSolute Transformation: Yoga for CoreStrength Series. With Lori Flower. TroughNov. 22. Fri., 10:45 a.m.–noon. Yoga MountainCenter, 7 Main St., 2F, Montpelier. $84.Register: 223-5302 or yogamountaincenter.com.

Community Yoga. All levels welcome tothis community-focused practice. Fri., 5–6p.m. Yoga Mountain Center, 7 Main St.,2F, Montpelier. By donation. 223-5302 oryogamountaincenter.com.

he Stone Cold Roosters. Photo courtesy of Colin McCaffrey.




Class listings and classifieds are 50 words for $25; discounts available. To place an ad, call Carolyn, 223-5112, ext. 11.

Tell them you saw it inhe Bridge !

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Make a Difference at theKellogg Hubbard Library! We are seeking community members from CALAISand BERLIN to join our Board of rustees.Tis team of volunteers guides and governs the missionand direction of this wonderful community resource.Interested candidates should contact Karen Andresen,

Board President, at: [email protected]

Green Mountain Transit Agency Now accepting applications for Seasonal Drivers in Stowe and SugarbushGMTA is looking for part-time bus drivers with excellent customer serviceskills, great driving record and a positive team attitude to join our team ofseasonal drivers. Seasonal Drivers provide transportation for the Stowe andSugarbush ski resorts.

A Commercial Driver License (CDL) with passenger and air brake endorse-ments, clean driving record, and the ability to pass a background checksare also required. GMTA is willing to train the right candidates for their CDL.Several positions are available mid-December through early April, up to40hrs/week. Weekend availability is required. Hourly rate: $15.85 and freeseasonal ski passes are available based on eligibility.

To apply for this position, please download an application from gmtaride.org. Submit the application, along with a cover letter and resume; in one ofthe following ways (no phone calls please):

via email to: [email protected],via fax to: (802)864-5564, orvia mail to: GMTA, 15 Industrial Parkway, Burlington, VT, 05401

Attn: Human Resources

GMTA is an equal opportunity employer and is

committed to creating a diverse workforce.

ClassifiedsSERVICESARTIST, MUSICIAN STUDIOS Solo or to sharestarting at $150 monthly. Larger spaces of vari-ous sizes available full-time or time-shared. Joinus as we transform a historic convent and schoolat 46 Barre Street, Montpelier, into a unique cen-ter for the arts, music and learning. Call Paul fora tour at 802-223-2120 or 802-461-6222.

IS YOUR WARDROBE READY FOR WIN-

TER? SOMETHING SEW RIGHT CAN HELP.Professional clothing alterations and repairs oneverything from formal attire to leatherworksince 1986. 250 Main St. suite103 (former n.e.c.i.building , top of the hill) 802-229-2400 10-5mon-fri Patty Morse [email protected].

FIRST CHURCH OF CHRIST SCIENTIST,

MONTPELIER at 145 State Street will be hold-ing their annual Tank sgiving Day Service from10:30-11:30AM on Tursday November 28th.Te Christian Science church celebrates the loveof this special day with a service of gratitude andinspiration. Please join us on Tanksgiving Day.802-223-2477.

FOR SALE195/60R/15 FOUR SNOW + 2 SUMMER

TIRES. wo snows have only a few hundred

miles, 2 have one winter of wear: all studded:$290/for 4. Summer tires are decent: $40/[email protected].

HOUSINGLOOKING FOR A PLACE TO LIVE AND

PAINT. I a m a local art ist, retired Frenchteacher, master gardener, non-smoker withoutpets looking for a place to live and paint indowntown Montpelier mid-December - Febru-ary, possibly March. I am interested in renting,house/apt. -sitting, bartering for French lessons,artwork...or any combination that might workfor you. Liz Le Serviget 253-3046/ [email protected]/ www.oinkink.com

HELP WANTEDYRC FREIGHT IS HIRING FT CASUAL

COMBO DRIVERS/DOCK WORKERS!Burlington location. Great pay and benefits!CDL-A w/Combo and Hazmat, 1yr / exp,21yoa req. EOE-M/F/D/V. Able to lift 65 lbs.req. APPLY: www.yrcfreight.com/careers

(802) 595-2551 • Servicing Montpelier, Barre, and Calais

Greg’s Domestic ServicesA personalized home cleaning service

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• Weekly / Bi– Weekly• Residential and

Commercial Cleaning

CLASSES ANDWORKSHOPSWRITING COACH. Struggling with beginning,continuing, finishing? Need tools to start you upand keep you working from concept to comple-tion? Art is long, and life short. WR IE NOW is

what we have. Tirt y years working in film, V,theater and prose, coaching writers in all genres.Free initial consultation. [email protected] 802-225-6415.




by Emily Overmyer

La Brioche, 6:30 a.m.I’ve been standing at the butcher-block

bench for over an hour already, the typicalstart to a die-hard’s day. I’ve been scalingingredients for Amish white dough, mixing,and then letting it rest for its hour of fermen-tation. Knowing, dreading, that I must waitbefore I can further manipulate its protein

structure, I begin other tasks. Still, the pro-cess continually runs through my mind.It’s like clockwork to a person with white

dust up to his or her shoulders. One: scalethe ingredients. wo: mix the dough. hree:allow floor fermentation. Four: punch downto relieve excessive air. Five: scale the dough.Six: round and preshape. Seven: bench rest.Eight: shape into final form. Nine: proofuntil doubled in size. en: bake. Eleven:let cool and rest. welve: package, sell andconsume.

he science of bread making: these arethe steps that all artisans in this field un-derstand. Although this process is no longernew to me, still I grow with excitement asthe hour of rest comes to a conclusion. I

wait eagerly at the a lready floured table withbench knife in my right hand with the sameanticipation of waiting for your first realdate in high school. My internal timer goesoff, and I dig in. I swiftly lift the dough tubupside down, spilling its raw contents out onto the bench. My glasses already have a thinfilm of flour over the lenses—all part of theuniform.

Mechanically, I cut into the dough, dropa section onto my scale: spot on. Nextpiece, my bench knife flows to an unspokenrhythm that echoes like a song. he dough issoft, so intensely delicate. If I am too rough,the dough will tear, causing its proteins tobecome misaligned. his results in a tough,unpleasant product—nothing but discour-

aging to the consumer. However, I must beefficient. I move as quickly as my hands willallow, making the dough do what is neededof it. o any spectator, it looks as though Iam punishing my creation! But I know that without a little force, a little bending anddiscomfort, the desired outcome of flawlessexcellence could never be achieved.

With each scaled piece of dough, I amgenerous with flour and elbow room. Istretch its sides and fold in, over and again,apply pressure in a circular motion with

cupped hands and set aside: one of dozensdown. Each portion must be handled withsuch detail; each of the products must be aconsequence of passion, as beautiful as theprevious.

Yet more wait ing must be done, only thistime the wait isn’t quite as wearisome. Fif-teen minutes and the items are ready to beshaped into their final phase, covered andplaced in the proofer. Once each has reached

the appropriate size, they can be baked. What is taken from the oven is the gloryof the baker. Most importantly, that bakerintimately knows that bread made with pas-sionate hands will sing to you if you listenclosely. Be it shame or pleasure, artisans willnever be able to hide the evidence of whatoverflows from their heart as they hear their work resonate with new life.

Left-brainers may have trouble compre-hending the sensitive connection that anartisan has with his or her work. With eachsection of dough cut, each roll shaped, Ifeel a natural worship of glorious song andpraise pouring through my fingers onto thebench, not a word uttered from my mouthfor hours. Our culture seems to believe pre-

dominantly in vocal or lyrical praise—praisethat manifests in song or statement. Onething we have forgotten is that fingers, lipsand feet will respond to the teeming of yourheart, whether your voice checks in or not.hrough my short existence of 20 years onthis earthy home, I have learned that it is not worth doing if your heart does not resonate with joy in response. Your heart longs formore than just a mechanical repetition ofthe must-do’s of the day. Whether we acceptthis or not, the heart is a part of the humancondition and must be venerated, the way ofthe heart must be lived.

Emily Overmyer, a student at NECI, is pursuing her AOS (associate in occupational

studies) degree in baking and pastry arts.

Living a Life of Artful Bread

Our 13th Year

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THE BRIDGE Novemb er 7–Nove mber 20, 2013 • page 21

A D V E R

T I S E

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H u r S D a Y ,

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used clot-busting drugs and a new procedure that literally grabbed the clot and removed it, starting her on the road

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- - - . :

SoulChangesDave Keller’s

New CD by Chip Wilson

Dave Keller’s Soul Changes is his follow-upto his 2011 release, Where I’m Coming

From, and continues his process of morphingfrom North Country blues guitar gunslingerto full-fledged soul singer. he sessions wererecorded in Brooklyn with he Revelations, who worked with Keller on his previoussoul music exploration, and in Memphis, with some A-list cat s from A l Green’s the HiRhythm Section, doing what they do best.

Soul Changes adds a new level of vocalbackup to the funky mix, and Keller’s vocalperformance has found that catch-in-the-throat-singing-through-tears quality thatcomes with experience and maturity. And

that’s a good thing, because most of thesesongs smack of relentless heartbreak. On thisouting, Keller has also added some of his ownmaterial to classics like Smokey Robinson’s“Don’t Look Back.” His “I Wished We’dKissed” and “Lonely and I” sound radio-ready, with lyrical hooks as strong as any ofthe classic covers.

Check out Dave Keller at his Soul ChangesCD release party on November 16, with twoshows at Sweet Melissa’s, 4 Langdon Street,Montpelier. Showtimes are 8 p.m. and 10 p.m.




Montpelier City Council Support

Mayor and City Manager

o Editor:he Montpelier City Council expresses

its unanimous and unequivocal support forMayor John Hollar and City Manager BillFraser. As the elected representatives of ourcommunity, we consistently work to providethe most ethical, effective and efficient gov-ernment possible.

he council believes the ethics of both themayor and the manager are above reproach,and we are dismayed at the allegations cre-ated by the partial disclosure of internalpersonnel documents.

Much of the recent press coverage has fo-cused on the mayor’s perceived role in whatis an internal personnel matter of the city.

Aside f rom raising legitimate quest ions withthe city manager about conflicts betweenthe planning director’s outside advocacy andher job responsibilities to the city, the mayorhas had no role whatsoever in this personnelmatter. he mayor, like the rest of the coun-cil, recognizes that sole responsibility forstaffing resides with the city manager, as perthe charter, and takes no action to interferein staff management. In addition, the mayorand council adopt a clear and concise ethicspolicy every year, and particularly because ofthe small and connected nature of Vermont, we hold each other to a st rict interpretationof that policy to avoid any hint of influenceother than the best interest of our city.

We are concerned that the planning direc-

tor’s recent unfounded allegations are in-tended to mask dysfunction within the Plan-ning Department, and the distraction may jeopardize important and neces sary projects.

Montpelier needs a strong and unifiedPlanning Department to effectively com-plete the many ongoing projects includingthe zoning revision, the transit center con-struction and the completion of the districtheat utility. he council has been concernedabout the efficacy of the Planning Depart-ment for several years, and two of thoseconcerns were highlighted in the 2011 reporton city operations conducted by the indepen-dent Matrix Consulting Group. From thatstudy, the Planning Department staff reg-istered far lower employee morale than any

other department, with a 55 percent positiveresponse rate versus the citywide average of84 percent. he study also included concern with initiatives originating within the Plan-ning Department taking priority over statedcouncil goals and objectives.

he city has important work to do, andMayor Hollar and City Manager Bill Fraserdeserve our community’s support.

Jessica Edgerly -Walsh, om Golonka, hi-erry Guerlain, Andy Hooper, Anne Watson,and Alan Weiss, Montpelier City Councilors

Mayor and City Manager

Acting with Integrity

o the Editor:

I am writing as a taxpayer in Montpelierto voice my full and unequivocal support forMayor John Hollar and City Manager BillFraser. I have confidence that both Mr. Hol-lar and Mr. Fraser are handling what appearsto be a very difficult personnel matter withgrace, integrity and professionalism.

Nothing from what I have read in theimes Argus recently has concerned me inthe least regarding their roles and actionsin performing their duties as our mayor andcity manager. I have always observed theirbehavior and statements to reflect an obviouscommitment to the well-being and overallfunctioning of our city government.

Kate Vanden Bergh, Montpelier

Planning Director Needs to

Accept Direction from

Planning Commission

o the Editor:In view of the recent discussion concerning

the professionalism of city leadership, it is ourduty to let folks know that we related to the citymanager and the mayor our concerns about theplanning director’s refusal to accept directionfrom the Planning Commission some timeago. he Planning Commission reorganizedits leadership in early June, with Kim Cheneybecoming chair and Jon Anderson continuingas vice chair. At that time, we discussed a needto work behind the scenes with the planningdirector to help her be effective by accepting di-rection from the Planning Commission. Also,at that time, in response to a question from

the city manager about the planning director, Jon said he believed that, if asked, a substantialmajority of the Planning Commission wouldrecommend not to retain her.

On July 25, 2013, in response to a questionfrom Mayor Hollar about how to organizefor community development, Jon expressedto Mayor Hollar our concerns with the Plan-ning Director’s refusal to accept our direc-tion and our efforts to resolve those concerns.

On August 5, 2013, Kim and Jon metprivately with the planning director. Our mes-sage was very simple: the planning directorneeded to accept the chair’s leadership. Weasked her to direct her talent and energyin concert with the Planning Commission.hrough the late summer and fall, the results

were mixed. When the planning director ac-cepted direction from the Planning Commis-sion, we progressed; regrettably, there wereoccasions when the inverse occurred.

On September 18, 2013, Jon received amemo from the city manager’s assistant ask-ing if Jon wished to be considered for anotherterm on the Planning Commission as histerm was ending. Discouraged, Jon told Kimthat this might be a graceful way for Jon to“go quietly into the night.” Kim was con-cerned that this would result in mass resigna-tions from the Planning Commission and soinformed the mayor and city manager.

his left the city manager with no choicebut to confront the issue. All we have ever wanted is for the planning director to accept

direction from the Planning Commission.Kim Cheney, chair, and Jon Anderson, vice

chair, Montpelier Planning Commission

Support Montpelier Businesses

o the Editor: We are looking forward to the end of dis-

trict heat construction in downtown Mont-pelier. I would like to thank everyone fortheir patience and for accommodating thisinnovative energy project in its initial stage. While Montpelier A live has continued withits normal slate of cultural offerings to thecommunity these past six months to encour-age a vibrant downtown, the negative eco-nomic impact of this construction phase has

been discouraging to many retailers.I’d like to remind Bridge readers that

Montpelier has been and will continue to beopen for business throughout the construc-tion. Our merchants rely very much on theregulars that walk the streets and visitors who drive into town. Please help us to keepMontpelier strong now and throughout theholiday season by shopping downtown asoften as possible.

If we value what we love, a truly walkableand vibrant historic district, then we have tocontinue to support it. I hope to see you alldowntown for Moonlight Madness, FlannelFriday and every day.

Jon Anderson, president , Montpelier Aliv e

LettersEditorial Veterans Day: November 11Our modern observance of Veterans Day,

a day that honors the men and womenof our military service in all wars, goes all the way back to November 11, 1918, when theexhausted armies on both sides of World WarI agreed to a temporary cessation of hostili-ties. It is hard to even begin to write about,much less to fathom, the immense destruc-tiveness of World War I—a four-year-plusspasm of violence and death that left 16 mil-lion dead and 20 million wounded, amount-ing to one of the bloodiest wars in humanhistory. When the U.S. Congress established Armistic e Day as a legal holiday on June 4,1926, the words employed in their concur-rent resolution suggest that the memory of

World War I was still pa infully f resh. Whereas the 11th of November 1918,

marked the cessation of the most destructive,sanguinary, and far reaching war in humanannals and the resumption by the people of theUnited States of peaceful relations with othernations, which we hope may never again besevered, and

Whereas it is fitting that the recurring an-niversary of this date should be commemoratedwith thanksgiving and prayer and exercisesdesigned to perpetuate peace through good willand mutual understanding between nations;and

Whereas the legislatures of twenty-seven ofour States have already declared November 11

to be a legal holiday: herefore be it Resolved bythe Senate (the House of Representatives concur-ring), that the President of the United States isrequested to issue a proclamation calling upon theofficials to display the f lag of the United States onall Government buildings on November 11 andinviting the people of the United States to observethe day in schools and churches, or other suitable

places, with appropriate ceremonies of friendlyrelations with all other peoples.

As a boy growing up in Chicago, I re-member the Armistice Day observance whentraffic in the street and normal business was stopped for two minutes on the 11thhour of the 11th day of the 11th month of

each year. here was something both awe-some and fitting in the silent remembranceof military dead and wounded—and of theprayerful hope that someday war itself canbe abolished.

As we come up to this yea r’s Veterans Dayobservance, we honor the men and womenin our military service past and present whohave separated themselves from their familiesand served; who have often suffered in body,mind and spirit; and who have sometimesdied in the service of their country. heprofiles and interviews of two veterans ofmodern conflicts in this issue—Rachel Put-ney and Logan Potskowski—are meant togive further understanding of what it meansto serve our country in uniform.

Contributing to theMartin Veit Fund

Nancy Schulz, executive director of theVermont Bicycle and Pedestrian Coali-

tion writes that a modest fundraising drive isgoing forward to collect donations to benefittwo bicyclists hospitalized after being struckby an impaired driver in Shoreham at aSeptember 15 our de Farms event. hatfundraising drive has already raised $1,225toward an overall goal of $1,500.

According to the bike/ped coalition, this is

what happened: “Around 11:30 a.m. on Sun-day (September 15) a motorist from Shore-ham traveling east on Route 74 struck threecyclists riding single file and heading weston Route 74 near Douglas Orchards.” hedriver in question, Brian Miller, age 54, is

alleged to have been impaired and is facingseveral felony counts for “driving under theinfluence” and “gross negligence,” as well asa number of misdemeanor counts of “violat-ing the conditions of his release.”

Martin Veit and Sophie Gerry were thetwo bicyclists who were hospitalized. If thefundraising drive succeeds, Veit will get areplacement bicycle and Gerry will receive afinancial gift. o make a contribution to the

fundraising drive, please write a check pay-able to “Stephen Znamierowski” and write“Martin Veit Fund” on the memo line. Sendthe check to: Stephen Znamierowski, Mar-tin Veit Fund, 42 Collins Mountain Road,Richmond, V 05477.

20th Anniversary Campaign

Please Continue to Support he BridgeOn behalf of everyone at he Bridge, please accept our sincere thanks for the early fi-nancial support we have received to date. As part of our 20th Anniversary Campaign,he Bridge is seeking to raise $50,000 to achieve the following objectives.

• First, to support our work with students, interns and journalists in training.

• Second, to support over coverage of neighboringcommunities and to expand our advertising outreach.

• Third, to strengthen our the paper’s web site presenceon the worldwide web.

his is a dynamic moment in the history of he Bridge, and your financial support iscrucial to our meeting our objectives. o make a contribution to the campaign, pleaseeither drop off a check at he Bridge office located on the lower level of SchulmaierHall on the Vermont College of Fine Arts campus, or mail your contribution to thisaddress: he Bridge, P.O. Box 1143, Montpelier, V 05601.

hank you sincerely for your indispensable help.




by Heather Kralik

A

bout a year and a half ago, I was con-sidering changing jobs and retiring as

the librarian at the Barre own School. Isearched want ads, Craigslist and he World for possible jobs that might fit my specificskills. As a librarian, I knew a great dealabout children’s books, but I also had man-agement skills, could stage events and knewhow to use resources. Luckily, I landed aninterview as the receptionist at the ReachService Exchange Network, a time bank. Within a month, I became the outreachcoordinator, which meant I had to amp upmy learning curve and learn new computerapplications as well as how to navigate socialmedia. Since then, Reach has merged withthe Onion River Exchange. We have gainedover 175 members, exchanged over 20,000hours in the past five years and retooled the way we do business so members are increas-ingly engaged.

But it wasn’t the new ski ll set that cha ngedmy life, it was being a time bank member.hrough my time-banking exchanges, Ihave learned my community is amazinglyabundant and resourceful with skills, ser-vices and talents to share. I know I can relyon Cecile for business advice, go to Rebecca when I am achy and in need of a massage,get my computer fixed by Stan, and recently

Bernadeth made Sri Lankan food for myhappy birthday dinner. I have tutored mytown’s crossing guard how to upload photos,created a watercolor to be used for thank-

you cards, dusted Jen’s house after a post-construction mess and weeded Elizabeth’sgarden. ime banking has changed the wayI engage and experience my community. Iam meeting people that I never would havemet otherwise, helping others and savingmoney. When I walk down the street, I seemembers of the community whom I havemet through the time bank and know howeach of us has made a difference.

A few Onion River Exchange facts:• There are over 400 members in cen-

tral Vermont or what is known as theOnion River Valley.

• Anyone can join and joining is easy.Members include individuals, busi-nesses and organizations.

• You may donate your exchange hoursto another member or organization.

• Time banking is fluid and flexible. You use time banking as is needed.

Want to learn more about time bank-ing and the Onion River Exchange? Formore information, call 552-3040 or [email protected]. Our business hoursare 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., uesday, Wednesdayand hursday. We are located at 46 BarreStreet, Montpelier.

How Time BankingChanged My Life

Keep the Farmers’ Market

Downtown

o the Editor: Another summer farmers’ market season

has come and gone. From my perspectiveas a pretty regular farmers’ market shopper,the synergy between the market and otherdowntown activity has never been clearer. Ithink it would be unfortunate if the market were moved out of the downtown core. Ihave heard the Vermont College green men-tioned as a site, and while the grassy spaceand historic surroundings have a strong al-lure, I think keeping the market downtownis important not only for the market’s sake,but also because of the spin-off business andgeneral buzz it generates downtown. I thinkthe more activity downtown, the better!

Jake Brown, Montpelier

Support GMUW, a Worthy

Local Organization

o the Editor:Over the past few years, I’ve been volun-

teering my time for Green Mountain United Way (GMUW), serving a s a board member,assisting with special events, and most re-cently, as the new board president. GMUWis a nonprofit organization whose missionis to “mobilize communities to create last-ing changes in local conditions that willimprove lives.” It serves five counties from

Washington and Orange, and a ll the way toCaledonia, Essex and Orleans in the North-east Kingdom. GMUW serves these areas innumerous ways through four impact areas:income, health, education and basic needs.It partners with other organizations, com-mittees and coalitions to provide fundingthrough community impact grants, humanresources education to businesses, trainingon financial literacy, and resource informa-tion on food shelves and prescription dis-count cards, just to name a few. GMUW alsomaintains a volunteer network, providinginformation about volunteer opportunities within communities.

GMUW’s work is amazing and helps to

make our communities stronger. However,it comes at a price. his year the fundraisinggoal for GMUW has been set at $600,000. Ihope that when you think about all the waysGMUW is available to assist you and yourneighbors, friends and family, you will seethat a donation to GMUW is an investmentin your community.

Kevin Lunn, GMUW board president, Montpelier

Fight for Vermont’s Universal

Health Care System

o the Editor: With the current confusion surrounding

the national health care system, it is impor-

tant to clarify what is actually happening inVermont. Americans will soon be requiredto have health insurance under the Afford-able Care Act (ACA). I run a small farm inthe Northeast Kingdom. Because of my lowincome, I currently receive coverage underVHAP, Vermont’s Medicaid, like many ofmy friends and their families. his is goodcare at a reasonable cost. Under the ACA,our costs will rise and our care will decrease.

However, I am not writing to critique thenational system. What matters is that we rec-ognize what is happening and fight for ourstate universal health care system. Vermont isthe first state in the nation to pass a universalhealth care system, going into effect in 2017.he ACA and universal system are being

consistently conflated in the media, and thisis misleading. Under the universal system myfriends and my own health care will returnto the fees and quality of care as before, ifnot better. More importantly, everyone willhave health care, rather than being fined andforced into the marketplace.

hough this universal legislation haspassed, we must ensure we get the system weneed. he Vermont Workers Center is keep-ing up the fight. Please attend the health careforum at the Church of the Good Shepherdin Barre, on December 3. here are otherimportant ways to get involved, found at workerscenter.org.

Chris Schroth, Glover

by Armando Vilaseca

V ermont, along with 44 other states,adopted a common set of educational

standards called the Common Core StateStandards (CCSS), which will be used toarticulate what we expect our students toknow and demonstrate in grades pre-K to 12.Vermont’s current Framework of Standardshas been in place for over a decade and hasserved us well. As society’s needs changeand the expectations for schools change, ourstandards must also be adjusted.

CCSS provide all of the participating statesa common platform to build their local curri-cula. It’s important to point out that the localschools and teachers still decide how they

want to teach and what curriculum they use;the standards provide the schools and teach-ers with a framework. hese standards arean evolution of our current standards and are written to prepare a ll students to be collegeand career ready by the time they graduatefrom high school. Vermont played an activerole in the adoption of these standards as for-mer governor James Douglas (then chair ofthe National Governors Association) worked with President Obama to initiate this work.Vermont has experience working across statelines, as we were a founding member ofthe New England Common AssessmentProgram (NECAP); we collaborated withNew Hampshire, Maine and Rhode Islandto develop rigorous common standards and

uniform assessments. Our New England ex-perience was used as a model for the CCSS.

For many years, as a Vermont educator, Icould never understand why, as a nation, wehad 50 sets of standards and why each statehad different sets of goals for its students tomeet. I understand and support the conceptof states’ rights, but this idea no longer makessense when we have become such a mobileand transient society. Often these movesmean students miss information or have les-sons repeated because of the incongruence ofstate standards. Additionally, the assessmentsaligned to these standards are used to com-pare states even though the standards havevarying levels of diff iculty.

Recently, there has been much discussion

at the local and state level about the adop-tion of these new standards. he CCSS were wr itten by states for states to meet ourcountry’s needs in the future and are notfederal standards. Some will argue that thesestandards are not needed, or are not rigor-ous enough, or are too rigorous, or are beingdriven by foundations or big monies. It istrue that many national organizations havesupported the writing of these standards, butit was not the big corporations driving thedecision to adopt the standards, rather it wasour states that led this charge.

Vermont was involved in developing thesestandards, and we have also been instrumen-tal in working on the assessment that willmeasure our new standards. Vermont and

our bordering New England states have allbeen actively engaged in this work; we all seethis as the logical evolution of our currentstandards.

You may have heard arguments againstthese standards by an array of individualsand groups. Are these standards perfect?No, but they are an improvement from ourcurrent standards. hese standards are morereflective of Vermont’s and our country’sneeds, both now and in the future. Work-ing among states requires some collaborationand compromise. It is a testament to ourgovernors and our states’ educational lead-ers to have come up with such a forwardthinking concept. I applaud the legislatorsand state boards of education for supporting

and adopting these new standards when ourpolitical process in Washington seems para-lyzed by partisan gridlock.

Governor Shumlin and I have advocatedfor raising math and science graduation re-quirements for some time—doing so willalign our graduation requirements with thesenew standards. For many of you, this infor-mation is new, and I hope that it has beenhelpful in providing you some perspectiveon what the Common Core is and why it isimportant not only to Vermont but for ourentire country.

Armando Vila seca is secretary of education ,Vermont Agency of Education, and lives inWestford, Vermont.

Common Core: What IsIt and Why Did Vermont

Adopt It?

he owners of hree Penny aproom were recently honored for focusing on accessibility whenthey renovated and expanded the business. On October 24, the Vermont Center for IndependentLiving presented them with the Rosemary J. Miller Dining for All Award. Stauffer Woodwork-ing of East Calais did the renovations to the restaurant. From left are Jesse Cooper of StaufferWoodworking, Zachary Hunter of Stauffer Woodworking, Eyrich Stauffer, owner of StaufferWoodworking; Kevin Casey of Montpelier, who nominated hree Penny for the award; hreePenny co-owners Scott Kerner, Wes Hamilton and Matt McCarthy; Rosie Miller; VCIL Execu-tive Director Sarah Launderville and VCIL Civil Rights Manager Kim Brittenham. Photocourtesy of VCIL.

continued from page 15




Tell them you saw it in he Bridge !

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Local vegetables and other foods that work together. You’ll receive

about a 50/50 mix of vegetables and other local products. Joe Buley, chef-farmer, is

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Pick-up sites that work for you. Two sites in Montpelier and others at local

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Mary Rowell, violin Stravinsky Pulcinella Suite

Saint Saens Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso

Eve Beglarian Umbrella

Michael Sahl Milltown Gypsy Ball

SAT / NOV 16 / 7:30PM

PAUL GAMBILL, Conductor

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SAINT SAENS / Introduction & Rondo Capriccioso

STRAVINSKY / Pulcinell a Suite

SAT / NOV 16 / 7:30 PM

SUN / NOV 17 / 4:00 PM

Unitarian Church of Montpelier

MontpelierChamberOrchestra.org

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the bridge, november 27, 2013

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