The Bridge, March 17, 2016

Vermont's Race for Governor: Meet the Candidates — Page 12
M arch 17 – A pril 6, 2016

Amy Leventhal,
Zenith Studios

wellness

Lindsay Davis Braun

y C a rl a O c c a s o

health

tos b
Pho

Scott Barker,
Tennis instructor

IN THIS ISSUE:
Pg. 4 Sewage Overflow
Issues
Pg. 7 AroMed
Aromatherapy
Pg. 10 Hands-On
Gardener

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

Pg. 11 Green Mountain
Film Festival

A Quest to be Healthy and Love it

H

ow can you be healthy and love it?
I’ll tell you when I find out. But
in recent weeks I spent some time
going around to a couple of indoor fitness
facilities as well as checking out some of our
outdoor recreation attractions. And, though
I haven’t yet found something that sticks for
me, I had fun trying.

How many times have you contracted for a
year-long gym membership in January to fulfill your New Year’s resolution? And then, by
the end of March you find you haven’t been
since the middle of February? I have several
friends who signed up for memberships in
January 2015, but lost interest early on.
Why is this?
Maybe it is the time it takes to drive to
the gym. Go into the locker room. Change
clothes. Wait for the machine. Sweat. Feel
self conscious. Look at yourself in the mirror. Sweat. Vow to get a haircut. Look at the
perfectly fit person across the room. Sweat.
Feel like a blob. Dread returning. Stay home.
Open a bag of chips. Watch re-runs of The
Golden Girls. Whoa! That is the wrong direction. What is the solution?

and witnessing as you progress from longer
times on the treadmill to heavier amounts of
weight you can lift. And the loss of fat. And
the defined muscles. Maybe it inspires and
invigorates you. I went to some local facilities
seeking just such inspiration.

least the idea of the hot tub and sauna. They
look so inviting. I haven’t done either of those
in years, either, though I used to do regular
circuit training there in the 1990s. The Nautilus machines are still there, but also there is
a weight room, a pool, tennis courts, a yoga
I went for a fitness class at Zenith Studios on studio and classes.
Main Street in Montpelier. Loved the class. I got a thorough personal tour from the
First of all, the trainer/owner, Amy Leventhal owner, Mike Woodfield. Circuit training is
made me feel welcome even though I have still popular, especially among people who
not worked out regularly in years. Her class, don’t use free weights. Circuit training, for
“Strengthen, Tone, Condition.” This involved those who don’t know, involves the user going
yoga mats, weights (5 lbs and 8 lbs) and a ket- from machine to machine that targets diftle ball. Most of the class involved using the ferent muscle groups by having the user pull
whole body. The special gift Leventhal had something, push something, squat, etc. They
was being in what looks like perfect fitness are adjustable to height, weight and strength.
condition, but not making me feel terrible in First in Fitness also has ample cardiovascular
comparison. I didn’t tell her I had a hysterec- exercise machines, including treadmills, stairtomy six months ago, because I had scurried climbers, stationary bikes and cross trainers.
in late, but the ab work was challenging.
Cross trainers are fairly new, and are desirable

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

Leventhal urged those of us with physical
challenges to use less strenuous versions of the
exercises. So, while the women on either side
of me could hold one-armed planks, other
students did two-armed planks for a shorter
time. “Do something that makes you happy,”
Leventhal said more than once. We did aeroFind something you like to do and know you bic work and weight lifting work and lots
will stick with.
of ab work and movement. The only thing
Some people swear by it, though, and have keeping me from doing this regularly is my
aforementioned mental block.
the hot body abs to show for it.

Maybe it is the gym. Maybe you look for- Next I went to First in Fitness up in Berlin. I
ward to getting into your workout clothes am enticed by the hot tub and sauna — or at

State and Main
MEDIATION
27 State St., Montpelier
229-9500 incognitosalonvt.com

by Carla Occaso

Neal Rodar
94 Main St., Montpelier
802-223-0690 (O) / 802-999-5880 (C)
[email protected]
StateandMainMediation.com

because they are easier on the joints and contain programs to emulate where the user can
set the angle to increase or decrease difficulty.

Classes include Zumba, yoga, boot camp,
tennis, swimming. For those who want to
escape mud season, the pool is the place to
go. The water holds at 82 degrees Fahrenheit. “The same as if you go to a tropical
island,” Woodfield said. All the areas have
well trained staff to teach the skills needed to
use the equipment.

Continued on Page 6
The Law Office of Amy K. Butler,
Esquire, PLLC
Bankruptcy • Family Law
Estate Planning
64 Main St., Ste. 26, Montpelier
802-371-0077
[email protected]

w w w.montpelierbridge.com

PAG E 2 • M A RC H 17 – A P R I L 6 , 2 016

THE BRIDGE

Cody Chevrolet Congratulates The Bridge
On Over 20 Years of Business!

M A RC H 17 – A P R I L 6 , 2 016 • PAG E 3

T H E B R I D G E

HEARD ON
THE STRE ET
T.W. Art Gallery Upcoming Classes, Vacation and
Summer Art Camps

MONTPELIER — Spring Art Classes, April Vacation Art Camp and Summer Art Camps
are being offered at the T. W. Wood Gallery. Spring art class sessions include a four-week
introduction to acrylics lead by Jack Sabon, a six-week children’s afters-chool art class lead
by Barbara Saxe and a daylong workshop introduction to pastels lead by Marcia Hill and
Cynthia Griffith.
The gallery is holding a “Birds of a Feather,” children’s April school vacation art camp that
includes three fun days of puppet making using papier- maĉhé, games, storytelling, songs
and art. The camp includes learning about feathered friends that live and migrate to Vermont. Children will make their own bird puppet and write a poem to match!
Campers are invited to the All Species Day Parade on Sunday, May 1 in Summer Art Camp
for children ages seven to 14 will be held the weeks of July 11 to 15 and July 18 to 22 at the
Vermont College of Fine Arts and a new Artrageous Camp for kids 8 to 12 will be held at
the T.W. Wood Gallery at 46 Barre St. in Montpelier. Campers will have time to explore
different forms of art, play games and have fun. Camp will include field trips to view the
work of local artists around the capital city. For more information contact the T.W. Wood
Gallery: 262-6035, [email protected], www.twwoodgallery.org.

Onion River Kids To “Move In With Mom And Dad”
MONTPELIER — Onion River Kids, a children’s outdoor clothing and gear store located
at 7 Langdon St., is “moving in with Mom and Dad,” according to a recent email to The
Bridge. The store — an offshoot of Onion River Sports — has been in operation for about
eight years. The store has already sold most of its inventory, and then plans to move any remaining inventory into The Shoe Horn and Onion River Sports, states Onion River Sports
owner Andrew Brewer on onionriverkids.com. The Shoe Horn and Onion River Sports are
also located on Langdon Street.

Book Discussion at La Puerta Negra
MONTPELIER — Grace Gershuny will host a book discussion of her new book March
24 from 6 to 8 p.m. at La Puerta Negra.
Her book is titled “Organic Revolutionary: A Memoir of the Movement for Real Food,
Planetary Healing, and Human Liberation.” Gershuny will host a discussion of the book,
and book signing, to be followed by entertainment, beginning at 9 p.m.

Kim Goodman Joins National Life Board of Directors
MONTPELIER — Kim Goodman, a longtime financial services executive, has been elected
to the board of directors at National Life Group.

Nature Watch
by Nona Estrin

Goodman most recently served in executive positions at The American Express Company,
including president of American Express Global Business Travel, president of Merchant
Services for Americas and executive vice president of Merchant Services for North America.
Previously, she held senior positions at Dell Inc. in areas such as software and peripherals,
marketing and transactional sales and business development. Prior to that, she was a partner
at Bain & Company.

Drip, Drip; Life Emerges

D

rip! drip! drip! It's either sap
or rain, and what a change
from one to the other. We've
just had the weekend of our dreams
with sap runs and sun, and here
comes a week of rain and cloud, perhaps even snow! Still, a walk along the
edge of our neighbor's beaver ponds
reveals pussy willows, the male pollen
catkins, starting to emerge. And the
ponds fairly vibrate with pent up life
energy. Not long until they will be
loud with the "quack" of hundreds
of woodfrogs, then the din of peepers
and, finally, the trill of toads!

“We’re excited to have someone with Kim’s breadth of experience join our board,” said
Thomas MacLeay, chairman of National Life’s board. “She’s a delightful person who shares
our values and we look forward to her contributions to our board.”
“I’m honored to join a company with a 167-year history of keeping its promises to middle
America,” Goodman said. “I was attracted to National Life because of the culture it has built
over the years. The company has a cause and it shows in every relationship it builds.”
Goodman also serves on the board of the Brocade networking solutions company and previously served as a director of Alcatel-Lucent SA and AutoNation Inc.
She earned a bachelor of arts in political science and a master of science in industrial engineering from Stanford University and a master of business administration from Harvard Business
School.
Goodman replaces E. Miles Prentice, who retired earlier this month after 25 years on the
National Life board.

Watercolor by Nona Estrin

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PAG E 4 • M A RC H 17 – A P R I L 6 , 2 016

THE BRIDGE

City To Flush Out Sewage Overflow Issues

DPW Director McArdle: Cost Implications a ‘Serious Concern’
MONTPELIER — The way things are designed in Montpelier, when it rains too much
too quickly, underground pipes divert excess
raw sewage along with storm water into
certain points of the North Branch and
Winooski rivers. The Agency of Natural
Resources is seeking to stop this, but to immediately stop it completely would be nearly
impossible and unaffordable. Therefore, the
Agency is asking Montpelier to implement
“minimum controls,” which would also be
difficult and expensive to enact. That is the
word from a recent exchange of communications between the Department of Public
Works and the City Manager’s Office.
In a letter dated March 11 from Thomas
McArdle, director of the Montpelier Depart-

ment of Public Works, to William Fraser,
city manager, an earlier draft rule would
have banned all new sewer hookups into
combined sewer systems. However, following input and outcry from affected towns
(including Montpelier, Northfield, and Randolph), the rules now seek to control and
reduce “volume, frequency, and duration of
CSO (combined sewer overflow) events.”
The City of Montpelier has what is called a
combined sewer collection system. McArdle’s
letter contains an explanation that “combined sewer collection systems were among
the earliest sewers built in the United States
through the mid-20th century. Combined
sewer systems were designed to collect both
sewage and storm water in the same pipe.

by Carla Occaso

Most of the time, combined sewer systems
transport all of the combined sewage and
storm water to a wastewater treatment facility. However, during certain intense precipitation events, the volume of sewage entering
the combined sewer system can exceed capacity. Thus, combined sewer systems are
designed to have overflow points to direct
excess flow out of the system … so the treatment facility is not overwhelmed.”

e. Add screening and disinfection facilities
for the overflow.
f. Incorporate green stormwater infrastructure to reduce stormwater flow into combined sewer systems to the greatest extent
feasible and practical.

Combined sewer overflow is defined by the
Vermont Agency of Natural Resources as:
“discharges of raw sewage and stormwater
that may contain untreated human waste
and pollutants discharged by commercial
and industrial establishments, as well as
solids, metals, bacteria, viruses, and other
pollutants washed from city streets and
parking lots,” per a 2015 online document
titled “Combined Sewer Overflow Control
Policy” put out by the State of Vermont
Agency of Natural Resources, online at:
http://www.watershedmanagement.vt.gov/
ww/htm/documents/CSO.Draft.092015.
pdf.
In order to reduce or prevent pollution from
getting into local waterways, the agency is
asking municipalities that have combined
sewer pipes to take what they consider
“minimum controls” thus:

McArdle’s letter states that Montpelier is
working collaboratively with the Agency of
Natural Resources, including “an 11-year
storm sewer separation program that will
continue this year.” The public works department has reduced the number of combined sewer overflow outfall places from
25 to six (by separating sewer pipes from
stormwater) and this activity will continue.
“We are prepared to support the new rules
to the greatest extent possible utilizing all
available resources and we are confident the
City Council will continue to support these
efforts to achieve the highest possible water
quality as a matter of sound environmental policy,” states McArdle. He emphasized
that this could not be done without state
and/or federal funding in a different letter to the Department of Environmental
Conservation.

a. Reduce stormwater flows through the
separation of combined stormwater and
sanitary sewer lines.
b. Add storage tanks to hold overflow during storm events.
c. Expand the capacity of the wastewater
treatment facility.
d. Add retention basins to hold overflow
during storm events.

City Council has scheduled the next council meeting on March 23 to take up 2016–
2017 goal setting and priorities. The city
is hosting a public forum concerning the
sewer system on March 24 from 3 to 5 p.m.
at The Pavilion. Written public comments
on the rules will be taken through the end
of the day (4:30 p.m.) March 31, states a
report by William Fraser, city manager.

Municipalities will also be required to increase public notification and create a map
of the watershed path where the overflow
is flowing.

M A RC H 17 – A P R I L 6 , 2 016 • PAG E 5

T H E B R I D G E

Cancer Survivor Event
MONTPELIER — The Vermont Cancer Survivor Network will host a daylong event focused on community education around complementary and integrative medicine in cancer
care and survivorship. The event, co-sponsored by The National Life Cancer Center and
Healing Arts and writing will take place April 2 at the Vermont College of Fine Arts in
Montpelier. The event is open to the general public.
Nationally, the demand for a more integrative approach to cancer care and survivorship is
growing, and more research showing the benefits of complementary medicine modalities
is available. The event aims to introduce participants, who will include cancer survivors,
family members and caregivers, medical practitioners, as well as the general public, to the
variety of complementary medicine services available here in Vermont. Integrative medicine
involves bringing conventional and complementary approaches together in a coordinated
way. Through generous support from sponsors, this free event will provide information
to the community to help inform patients and providers about the available modalities of
complementary and integrative medicine, how they integrate with standard medical care,
and their benefits and risks. Patients use complementary medicine services to help with side
effects, support the immune system, relieve stress and feel better overall. Gabriel Cole, who
underwent extensive surgery, chemotherapy and radiation treatment for cancer, valued the
complementary medicine services he received at UVM Health Network-Central Vermont
Medical Center.

Opinion

“It was comforting to know that not every visit would be for difficult and sometimes painful treatment. Acupuncture, reiki and massage were extremely relaxing and enjoyable. They
helped me greatly in dealing with the stress of cancer and treatment.” Amy Littlefield, ND,
MSOM, FABNO, of Vermont Wellness Medicine and Integrative Oncology in Middlebury
will be a featured keynote speaker for the event. Littlefield brings a unique perspective to
the field as one of only four oncology-certified naturopathic physicians in New England.
She works with patients and oncology teams to bridge the gap between high-quality conventional medical care and naturopathic medicine. The day will also offer a variety of
workshops and hands-on demonstrations provided by physicians, acupuncturists, herbalists, nutritionists, yoga practitioners, aromatherapists, reiki practitioners, body workers and
more. A resource fair with exhibitors will be open throughout the day. Registration will
begin at 8:30 a.m. and parking is free. Participants are welcome to bring their own lunches
or to dine in one of Montpelier’s many restaurants. The Vermont Cancer Survivor Network
is a 501(c)(3), not-for-profit organization founded by cancer survivors to improve the quality
of life for anyone living with, through or beyond cancer and their caregiver.
Among the programs it operates is Kindred Connections, which provides one-to-one peer
support for newly diagnosed cancer patients. For more information about the event, or
to register, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/expanding-cancercare-exploring-choices-incomplementary-integrative-medicine-tickets-20501715182.

Exercise Should Be Fun, Not Enslaving
by Hannah Eschelbach

B

eing ‘healthy’ is such a relative term that it doesn't even seem to have a meaning.
A definition on Medical News Today, an online resource, states, "Health is a state
of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of
disease or infirmity."

But what exactly is the barometer for physical well-being? Humans, in our love for simplifying things, have developed a questionable way of measuring this: how someone looks.
Thanks to pretty much every type of media imaginable, being ‘small’ is seen as a good
thing — physically attractive by our standards — and it has become entangled in this
hazy idea of 'health.' Because many people do not truly know what 'health' is, they do
not exercise out of a fear of being unhealthy. No, the real motivation for their workouts
is the fear of being unattractive. There are too many people poking and squeezing and
sucking in before the mirror, thinking that it's all their fault. But to those same people,
contracting a cold is nothing shameful. After all, a cold is an internal thing, a state that
can't be measured by a bathroom scale.
The adage goes, “Believe half of what you see and none of what you hear.” In other words,
the eyes are very unreliable. If a skinny person has arthritis while a bigger person has the
most flexible fingers imaginable, who is healthier? Health is always more of a feeling.

P.O. Box 1143, Montpelier, VT 05601
Phone: 802-223-5112
Fax: 802-223-7852
Editor & Publisher: Nat Frothingham
Managing Editor: Carla Occaso
Calendar Editor, Design & Layout:
Marichel Vaught
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Larry Floersch
Proofreader: Garrett Heaney
Sales Representatives: Michael Jermyn,
Rick McMahan
Distribution: Tim Johnson, Kevin Fair, Diana
Koliander-Hart, Daniel Renfro
Editorial: 223-5112, ext. 14, or
[email protected].
Location: The Bridge office is located at the Vermont College of Fine Arts,
on the main level of Stone Science Hall.
Subscriptions: You can receive The Bridge by
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The Bridge, and mail to The Bridge, PO Box 1143,
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Twitter: @montpbridge
Copyright 2016 by The Bridge

When you're slumped on the couch after a massive potato-chip binge, isn’t the unpleasantness you feel more than just thinking that you're 'fat?' Isn't it this sort of sick feeling
in your stomach, an overload? It's a feeling.
Health is how you feel. Do we measure mental health in how a person looks? You can't
even see mental health. Physical health should be considered in the same way. You should
be working out because it makes you feel strong, because you like the feeling of your heart
pounding and your body working at its maximum capacity. Exercise is hard for some
people because it's seen as a chore, it’s this thing that you have to do or else you'll be seen
as lazy and unattractive. People who are serious about sports say they play for the thrill of
the game, not to get skinny. Exercise should be the same way; something fun.
When you're focused on the feeling and not just how you look, there are all sorts of possibilities for that heart-pounding, rapid-breathing, exciting feeling of a physical workout
that don't involve the clank of machines at a pricey gym. When I ride my bike, it's for
the exhilaration of speed and movement. People take yoga classes for the sense of peace
and balance they feel. Kickboxing gets out aggression. Exercise is an activity, something
personal that results in a good feeling. We should not be slaves bound to appearance.
Hannah Eschelbach (ESH-shel-bok) is tired of no one being able to pronounce her surname.

PAG E 6 • M A RC H 17 – A P R I L 6 , 2 016

Meditating in Montpelier

THE BRIDGE

by Garrett Heaney

MONTPELIER — Meditation means different things to different people. There are three
groups practicing meditation in Montpelier, and each comes from its own tradition: the
Shambhala Center, Mountains and Rivers Order (the Zen Affiliate of Vermont) and a new
community meditation space opening above Tulsi Tea Room on Elm Street. I wanted to
reach out to all three to see how they differed, what they offered and what their ultimate
goals were in meditating. I hosted a roundtable interview and garnered the following:
The Bridge: How long have you been with your particular meditation center and what is
your relationship with it?
Sarah Lipton (Shambhala Center): I have been a member of the Shambhala community
since 2000. I started out in Boulder where I went to Naropa University. I have been involved
here in the Montpelier center since we moved here a couple of years ago, after having lived
at Karme Choling (a Shambhala retreat center in Barnet). I do not have any formal leadership role currently because I just stepped down from running the international news
magazine for Shambhala called The Shambhala Times, and needed a little break
from a leadership role.

Slayton: Our Montpelier meetings, which are held every Wednesday evening from 6:30 to
7:30 p.m., offer two 25-minute periods of zazen, separated by one five-minute period of kinhin
(walking meditation) At the conclusion we chant the four Bodhisattva Vows, which are pretty
universal Buddhist vows. The rest of the meeting is silent. We are a pretty quiet bunch!
The Bridge: What sets your center apart from the others?
Lipton: The key aspect about Shambhala is that we are a society of practitioners who gather
together to work with our own minds so that we can then get up off the cushion and engage in
the larger society. We understand that all beings possess basic goodness and we work to create
a good human society. Engaging in conversation and community activities allows us to bring
our meditation practice to fruition. We are not interested in just meditating for the sake of
meditation, but rather to let it extend out and be of benefit to the world around us.
Canfield: We are unique to the other meditation centers in the
area because we are not associated with any lineage or teacher.
Meditation is such a personal journey and my hope is that
by leaving the door open people can just discover what
works best for them.

Jennifer Canfield (Community Meditation Center): The idea for a Community meditation center has been on my mind for a long time. I'm part
of a community group that meets regularly for chanting. We do short
meditation together a few times a month and I love the feeling generated by group meditation. I have my own meditation practice but I
find when I sit with others it's different. It's stronger. But there isn't
any place to go in Montpelier to meditate during the workday. It's
really simple I just wanted to provide a space for even one day a week
where anyone can go and sit in meditation.
Tom Slayton (Mountains and Rivers Order): I have been practicing
with Zen Affiliate of Vermont and attending retreats at Zen Mountain
Monastery in Mt. Tremper, New York, for something like 24 or 25 years
... more than 20 anyway. I am simply a member of the local group, and a
formal student with Geoffrey Shugen Arnold, Sensei, who is abbot of Zen
Mountain Monastery and head of the Mountains and Rivers Order. I have
taken lay Buddhist vows (Jukai) and so when asked, I identify myself as a Buddhist and a Mountains and Rivers Order student.
The Bridge: What is a typical meditation group session like?
Lipton: At the regular Wednesday evening sit, there is a person greeting new arrivals, and
there is a meditation instructor available to offer instruction to newcomers. We usually
start with some simple opening chants that pay homage to the lineage and then we practice
sitting meditation followed by some walking meditation. At the Open House, the evening
begins with sitting meditation and is followed by a talk and conversation. We also like to
finish up with tea and snacks to engage in further conversation with one another.
Canfield: The guidelines for how the space is to be used are very simple. Bring your own
cushion and sit quietly with no talking. We may offer some guided meditations but to
begin with it will just be a space where people can meditate in whatever silent form works
best for them. I am not affiliated with any group or lineage. I have worked with many
meditation teachers myself and would be happy to offer resources for folks to discover
which type of meditation works best for them. As long as children can sit quietly they
are welcome as well.

The Bridge: How does meditation help the mind,
what are the goals you hope people will garner
from practicing?
Sarah Lipton of the
Lipton: Meditation allows the mind to relax,
Shambhala Center
to open and to find its true nature. Because
our lives are so full and busy and speedy, we
tend not to know what we think or feel, and
meditation allows us an opportunity to slow
down and actually feel. Feeling allows us to
connect with ourselves and with where we are,
right this moment. This is imperative if we want
to live a deep and genuine life. Meditation can be
done in many different ways, but the best practice
is that which allows the mind to be present with things
as they are.
Canfield: My goals for offering a community meditation space
are simple. In our crazy hectic busy every day lives I often wish for a
refuge in town where I could stop even for five or 10 minutes and slow down, quiet my mind,
breathe and maybe restart myself or remind myself about being present, being mindful. Offering that to the community seems like a good idea. In my own life meditation is one of the
tools I use to deal with stress, to increase productivity, to calm my mind. Since my full-time
work is centered around sound meditation I am acutely aware that silent meditation is just as
useful a tool and often more widely accepted and well received by the public.
Slayton: Zen training calms and clarifies the mind and makes the practitioner more mindful and aware of what he or she is doing. It also helps one relate to his or her daily life and
ultimately to the larger reality of the universe ... and this response is really horribly oversimplified and reductive ... One of the chants we do suggests that the Dharma is "... incomparably
profound and infinitely subtle ..." and that is a better way of answering your question.
See the weekly events calendar on page 18 for specific times, locations and contact information.

A Quest to be Healthy and Love it
Continued from Page 1
Other indoor gyms include:
• ReHab Gym at 219 North Main St., Barre, open to the public, and they have a pool, too.
• Snap Fitness on the Barre Montpelier Road, where they have exercise equipment and classes. One
person I talked to likes this place because you can go there any time with the swipe of a card.
• Green Mountain Crossfit, located at The Confluence, 654 Granger Rd., Berlin, where they
have a rowing studio, personal trainers, yoga, barre yoga and kettlebell. I have a friend who has
a punch card to go there.
I also would like to visit one of the several yoga studios. Not infrequently do I go through town
and notice a handful of people heading in the same direction with a richly colored yoga mat tucked
under their arm or on their back.
Yoga Studios:
• Grateful Yoga on State Street in Montpelier
• Geezum Crow Yoga at Vermont College of Fine Arts campus
• Fusion Yoga at 56 East State St.
• Yoga Mountain Center at 7 Main St.
Other fitness opportunities:
I had planned to sample more places and classes and may just yet, but time ran out. In the future,
I plan to check out the following places:
Contemporary Dance and Fitness at 18 Langdon St. in Montpelier, where they offer ballet, modern, hip hop, fusion, Afro Jazz and Yoga workouts.
And let's not forget the Montpelier Recreation Department at 55 Barre St. They also offer swimming, tennis, baseball and other activities at the recreation field out on Elm Street.
I am struggling with finding somewhere to love working out. A couple of months ago I vowed to
myself I would walk into town from the office at least once a week. Since then, I have done it a
handful of times, but not even once a week. It is probably a mile or less round trip, but the hill is,
in places, steep. And I can’t say it was the cold or the snow or the ice that deterred me, though they
were factors. It is just overcoming the mental obstacle of taking an hour to go into town and back
with all the things on my “to do” list, I always feel like I don’t have time for one big long chunk
for exercise. However, I am not going to give up on the idea.

M A RC H 17 – A P R I L 6 , 2 016 • PAG E 7

T H E B R I D G E

Nurse Offers the Healing
Powers of Essential Oils
by Nat Frothingham

Lauren Andrews
Photo by Michael Jermyn
MONTPELIER — Registered Nurse Lauren Andrews is the founder and clinical aromatherapist at AroMed Aromatherapy in Montpelier.
Andrews is also an experienced psychiatric nurse who graduated from Norwich University Nursing School and her training includes 500 hours in clinical aromatherapy. She has also worked at
Vermont State Hospital and at Central Vermont Medical Center.
In a recent face-to-face interview with The Bridge, Andrews said, “I truly believe we have an innate ability to heal ourselves and aromatherapy can support that.”
Well, what exactly is aromatherapy?
Andrews describes it this way. “Aromatherapy is a form of plant medicine, closely aligned to
herbalism and chemistry. It is the therapeutic use of naturally extracted plant oils designed
to assist the body’s natural ability to balance, regulate, heal and maintain itself.”
Then Andrews provided the following spe- cific example of how chemical constituents in
the extracted plant oils support certain body systems. “For example,” she said, “the plant
chemical 1.8 cineole found in eucalyptus is very effective at supporting the respiratory system.”
Andrews went on to discuss the use of essential oils. “We are seeing aromatherapy strategies
being used in a various clinical settings — in psychiatric settings, nursing homes, emergency
departments and oncology units and practices.”
Patient reactions to the use of essential plant oils has been positive. Said Andrews, “Patient satisfaction rates are typically high. Lavender can effectively help those suffering from agitation,
anxiety or insomnia. Citrus oils can increase appetite in nursing home settings and ginger
can help those dealing with chemo-induced nausea in oncology settings with no negative
side effects.”
It was during her time at the psych unit at Central Vermont Medical Center that
Andrews discovered the efficacy of essential oils. At the time, she was doing psycho-social
work with a range of patients. These patients were contending with problems of substance
abuse and anger management. In her work with these patients, she discovered that the use
of essential oils could have beneficial results when targeted to certain systems in the body
such as the respiratory system, the digestive system, or nervous system. Andrews has seen
beneficial impacts from using essential oils to deal with respiratory illness, skin afflications,
mild depression, anxiety and insomnia.
I asked Andrews about what appears to be the increasing incidence of cancer and depression.
"Our lives can be hectic,” she replied. “And when we experience ongoing stress, we see an
increase in stress hormones in the body, which makes it more challenging for our immune
systems to work optimally. The best thing we can do to support our well-being is to find ways
to relax.” She mentioned meditation, yoga, a walk in the woods. “Many are discovering that essential oils work beautifully in this capacity,” she said.
Then Andrews went on to talk about the chemicals we are putting into and on our bodies. With
body care products, she said, “If there’s an ingredient on the bottle that I don’t recognize, I don’t
use it and I don't sell it. About 10 percent of what we apply to our skin makes it into our bloodstream and has to be metabolized. We humans co-evolved with plants. Doesn't it make sense that
we would turn to plants to address our emotional and physical concerns?"
Andrews had this warning about synthetics. “Synthetics can cause respiratory problems. Synthetics can also aggravate skin sensitization responses and hormone dysregulation in some people.”
Andrews said that her customers and students are aware of the synthetic chemicals found in
body care and cleaning products. She is convinced that these chemicals are at the core of some
of the medical issues that we face. “At AroMed,” she said, “everything we make and sell is 100
percent natural. We have blends that address pain, sleep, skin problems and anxiety. We also have
remedies that improve children’s health and women’s health.”
Andrews has over 75 organic and ethically, wild-harvested essential plant oils that she buys from
suppliers and distillers across the world. “I’ve got oils from Guatamala, France, South Africa,
India, Somaliland and more. I was uncomfortable buying from middlemen. I was concerned
about adulteration, misleading marketing slogans and overpricing. I made the decision to buy
directly from small organic growers and distillers. I want the suppliers in those communities to
benefit from my company’s purchases.”
Not unsurprisingly, Andrews reports that February and March can be difficult months for many
people. “At this time of year,” she said, “people are coming in because they have low energy.
They’re having difficulty with motivation. Essential oils can be very effective in uplifting one’s
mood, increasing energy and focus.”
Lauren has upcoming, full-day workshop on Saturday, April 9 titled “Sunrise to Sunset: Everyday Aromatherapy.”
For further information, visit AroMed’s online store at www.aromedofvt.com. The AroMed storefront
is located directly behind the fire station on Main Street in Montpelier. Hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.,
Tuesday through Saturday.

mps

PAG E 8 • M A RC H 17 – A P R I L 6 , 2 016

THE BRIDGE

personalization
community
sustainability

This page was paid for by the Montpelier Public Schools.

personalized
learning

community
engagement

shared vision

transferable
skills

Community Forum
Montpelier H.S. Library
March 23rd, 2016 (6:00-8:00pm)
Pizza Served: 5:30pm

5 High School Drive, Unit #1, Montpelier, VT 05602
Students will be capable, motivated contributors to their local,
national and world communities.

T H E B R I D G E

M A RC H 17 – A P R I L 6 , 2 016 • PAG E 9

C ol u m n

PAG E 10 • M A RC H 17 – A P R I L 6 , 2 016

Hands-on

Gardener

A

THE BRIDGE

Think Long and Hard Before You
Plant That Tree

h, the glories of mud season. As tem- sors to trim off the seed bearing tip as soon as
peratures roller coaster up and down, they come up. Trimming helps the seedlings
the snow drops are blooming, onions, stay upright and promotes stocky roots and
leeks, shallots, celery and snapdragons are stems. Keep the seedlings snipped to 4 or 5
growing under lights in the basement. A inches until they’re ready to go in the ground.
tray of spinach, arugula and lettuce is seeded This year we’re going to plant our onion crop
and will
soonverb.
be ready
to transplant
into that
/spärj/
A brewing
technique
extracts
themats from a local Central
in some
garden
the greenhouse.
is grains
almost by
time
to start theVermont
sugar fromItthe
exposing
grains company,
to water. Garden Mats in Worcesgreenhouse bound tomatoes, eggplant and ter, Vermont. Their Garden Mats are conpeppers along with zinnias, cleome, nemesia structed of polypropylene, a material that
and columbines to set out in the garden at the blocks sun but is permeable to air and water.
end of May.
They are strong enough to walk on and re-

Sparge:

Regardless of what you’re planting, always
check optimal temperature and light requirements for germination. Provide bottom heat
for tomatoes, peppers and eggplant. Celery
and lettuce seeds require light so barely cover
the seed and set these containers where daylight can reach them. Once the first seeds
sprout, remind yourself to be patient. There
are always a few that come shooting up and
get leggy. But it can take weeks for the rest
of the seeds to catch up. This happens every
year, with everything from snapdragons to
celery. Each seed has its own timetable.
If you like to grow onions from seed, use scis-

portedly will last up to 10 years. Precut holes
of varying sizes are cauterized to prevent
fraying. You choose your mat according to
the crop. A friend reports, “I’ve cut down my
weeding from about 20 hours a week to five
hours a season!” Figuring her time at a low
$10 an hour, she says, “I’ve paid myself back
for the cost of the mats after about a month.”
I still prefer to garden directly in soil and lay
mulch between the rows, but after last year’s
crabgrass infestation and a planned trip to
Newfoundland for the month of June, $80
for about 300 weed-free and work-free onions
and shallots amortized over 10 years seems

Easter Servic es

by Miriam Hansen

like a good investment. Check out
the website https://gardenmats.
com.
Living in a deer yard, fencing of
various kinds has been a necessity to cope with their marauding.
This fall we started spraying Liquid Fence — a brand of deer repellent — on rhododendrons, daphnes, heathers and azaleas. There’s
not much our deer don’t find tasty
but once we spray, the plants are
protected for about a month. Once
tulips break ground, we’ll spray
until they’re done blooming. Deer
don’t bother daffodils and grape
hyacinths so save your deer repellent for the luscious morsels.
It’s a good time to prune woody
shrubs and trim spent leaves from
hellebores and bergenia. It is also
time to pull the layer of leaves off
the Butterfly Bush we protected
last fall. We’ll see if it makes it
through. So far I’ve been pleasantly
surprised by how little winter kill
I’m seeing despite a winter with
sparse snow cover and mighty temperature swings. Of course it is
early days.
If you haven’t already done so, now
is the time to prune your fruit trees, before
their sap begins to flow and the buds start
to swell. As soon as the ground has thawed
it is also the time to move trees and other
woody plants. We’ve got a fairly large crab
apple that has outgrown the spot we planted
it in. We need to move it now before it breaks
dormancy.
As the title of this column implies, when you
plant a tree, pay attention to its height and
girth at maturity. Then think once, twice and
three times before you plant it. As the photo
suggests, moving three-year-old crab trees is
a BIG job requiring muscle, persistence and
clever use of leverage. Kudos to my husband
David who possesses all three.
After five years of writing the “Hands-On

Gardener,” I want to thank Nat and The
Bridge for being so supportive and hope you
will support them in their efforts to keep a
free community paper alive.
I’d particularly like to thank all of you for
being such avid, enthusiastic readers. It has
been great fun sharing gardening stories with
you. If you want to refer to columns past,
Google “Hands-On-Gardener” and three
years of my gardening columns will pop up.
May you always have something growing in
your yard to come home to.
Happy Gardening!
Miriam Hansen is a writer, gardener and forest
ecology enthusiast. She and her husband live
in East Montpelier where they produce most of
their own vegetables, berries and meat.

M A RC H 17 – A P R I L 6 , 2 016 • PAG E 11

T H E B R I D G E

Tour The World In Your Own Hometown

by Ashley Witzenberger
You won’t want to miss this year’s 48-Hour Film
Slam March 20, a favorite happening. The Film
Slam is an event where teams of filmmakers come
together to write, edit, produce and premiere a
7-minute short movie over the course of a weekend. The talent is amazing, and the films feature
scenes throughout picturesque Montpelier.

MONTPELIER — It’s that time of year again
— downtown Montpelier welcomes the Green
Mountain Film Festival March 18 to 27. As described on its website, the festival is presented by
Focus on Film, a 31-year-old Central Vermont
organization whose purpose is “to provide public
film showings of cultural, social and historic interest; to sponsor discussions of such films; and
to provide an opportunity for independent filmmakers to exhibit their works.”
‘The World Comes to You’ continues as the annual theme for the festival. This year's festival
features 55 feature length films, 48 shorts and
one film slam. Thirty countries are represented
this year, including Australia, Colombia, Paraguay and Hong Kong, as well as films from locations you may not even know were engaged in People line up to
film production, like “The Heavenly Nomadic” attend a film at
The Savoy Theater
from Kyrgyzstan, a country in Central Asia.

in Montpelier

This year’s short film categories include a new
category, animated, a result of all of the great submissions the festival received this year,
and all are appropriate for children and families. Additional shorts categories are professional, student, Vermont and women’s. The Vermont shorts include films either shot in
Vermont or made by Vermont filmmakers. The women’s shorts are being curated by native
Vermonter Kristina Lear, now a resident of Los Angeles.
"We are looking forward to sharing the best in international cinema to our audience. We
were so pleased with how many well-crafted animated short films we received from all
over the world; we knew an animated shorts program would be a welcome addition to our
lineup,” says Rachelle Murphy, executive director of the Green Mountain Film Festival.
According to Murphy, this year’s highlights include “In Jackson Heights,” a prolific documentary and political look into a dynamic New York neighborhood by Frederick Wiseman. After the screening, Fredrick Wiseman will Skype in from France for a discussion
about this project.
The opening night of the festival will feature award-winning film, “Krisha,” a smallbudget drama that premiered at the 2015 SXSW Film Festival and won the Grand Jury
prize and the Audience Award for narrative feature. “Krisha” is the directorial debut of
Trey Edward Shults and the movie shines a light on a family struggling with the addiction of the main character, Krisha. This subject is personal to Shults and based on
experiences in his own family. The movie is a true family affair with Shults’ aunt, Krisha
Fairchild, playing the lead role, and his mother and 90 year-old grandmother also acting
in his first feature-film.
Krisha is very timely considering the addiction issues many of our Vermont families face
every day. The lead actress will also call in after the movie via Skype to discuss the movie
and what it was like to play a character with addiction.

If you’re interested in the behind-the-scenes of
the festival, stop into North Branch Café, on
State Street in Montpelier, Saturday, March 19
at 10 a.m., for Coffee Talk. Enjoy a cup of tea
or coffee and a Q&A with Eric Reynolds, programming coordinator, and Rachelle Murphy,
executive director of the festival as they talk about
how the event was programmed and other interesting facts about the longest running festival in
Montpelier.
Reflecting on the ambitious scope of the Green
Mountain Film Festival, Coleen Kearon who is
president of the non-profit organization Focus on
Film that sponsors the annual March event said, “From the beginning of my involvement with
Focus on Film/the Green Mountain Film Festival — over 11 years ago now — I have enjoyed
being part of such a highly-regarded film festival. For such a small town, it is an impressive film
showcase and number of films, comparable to festivals in much larger cities.” Talking about the
festival’s community-wide impacts, Kearon said, “Our audiences, likewise, seem to genuinely appreciate the amount of care and effort that goes into such an undertaking, and enjoy the caliber
and variety of films we are able to bring to Central Vermont. The Green Mountain Film Festival
also brings a tremendous amount of foot traffic to Montpelier at a time of year not known for its
bustle. The downtown businesses, in turn, have been a great partner to us: promoting ticket stub
deals, acting as film sponsors and donors to the festival, and creating wonderful window displays,”
says Coleen Kearon, Focus on Film president.
The Green Mountain Film Festival ticket office is now open at 54 Main Street in Montpelier,
next to Pho Thai Express, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. Enjoy a free cup of coffee, courtesy of
Capitol Grounds. And don’t forget the Ticket Stub program; bring your ticket stub to a participating store and get deals in downtown Montpelier stores and restaurants. Sarah Jarvis, president
of the Montpelier Alive Board of Directors, observes that “the Green Mountain Film Festival
provides a welcome diversion to mud season in Central Vermont. It provides a much needed infusion of culture into the community. It also enhances the economic activity of the downtown since
many attendees of the festival also visit Montpelier’s great restaurants and stores.”
You can find out more information about the Ticket
Stub program, movie times and locations, purchase
movie tickets and more on the Green Mountain Film
Festival website, http://www.gmffestival.org. See you in
downtown Montpelier!
The writer is the executive director of Montpelier Alive.

PAG E 12 • M A RC H 17 – A P R I L 6 , 2 016

THE BRIDGE

F

our candidates seeking to become the next governor met individually with The Bridge over the past few
months. We talked about who they are, what their goals are and where they stand on pressing political issues.
Two are Democrats and two are Republicans. Other candidates may throw their hat in the ring in the future.
The profiles are in alphabetical order and edited to be roughly the same length.

Matt Dunne

M

att Dunne, a Democrat from Hartland, announced his run for governor on
September 3, 2015. Dunne told The Bridge his father was a civil rights activist and a lawyer in Vermont. His mother was the first woman to get tenure
track as a professor at Dartmouth. When Dunne was 13 years old, his father passed
away. This, Dunne said, taught him about the importance of community, as neighbors
brought over food, offered rides and made sure the Dunnes were taken care of.

Dunne served in the House of Representatives from 1992 to 1998, served as the director of AmeriCorps VISTA until 2002 and then served as a state senator from 2002 to
2006. He has most recently worked for Google, but he quit this year in order to run
for governor unencumbered.
Budget and the Economy:
Dunne told The Bridge sparking creative incentives to fund start-ups would be a strategy to “build on our strengths.” Vermont’s strengths include the quality of life, good
school systems and close proximity to metropolitan centers. Dunne asserts capital for
infrastructure to support entrepreneurial enterprises would not have to come from the
state budget. “We could become the telecommuting capital of the world. This is the
place where people can come and work for companies anywhere,” Dunne told The
Bridge. Good broadband and rail and flight service makes it possible to get to places
you need to go.
And Dunne knows about this first hand. For the past eight and a half years he has
worked as an executive for Google, but his job took him all over the world.
Dunne also said he believes government can work its way out of a budget gap — not
by cutting services to the most vulnerable citizens — but by energizing and augmenting the tech community.
Education:
Vermont has a proportionately high number of high-school graduates who do not go
on to attend college, Dunne stated. “The state college system gets infinitesimal parts
of the budget,” Dunne said, which can make it hard for students to afford college.
However, one program Dunne supports to improve this is to allow any student who
completes two years of military service to go to the University of Vermont debt free.
Elementary education could be improved using technology, according to his website
mattdunne.com. This could allow more distance learning and a reduction in redundancy, which would presumably lower costs.
Healthcare:
Dunne states our poor execution of the health care exchange website has eroded public
confidence in government’s ability to offer health care. The still improperly functioning site needs to be replaced. “We need to first fix the exchange to build back public
trust and then move quickly to change our reimbursement system,” Dunne states on
his website. The state needs to pay for “health” rather than “procedures,” Dunne states,
adding that he supports moving toward universal coverage.
Recreational Marijuana Legalization:
Dunne talked of legalization of marijuana
for recreational use as an inevitability that
Vermont must prepare for. “It (legalization) is coming one way or another. I
believe we need to get out ahead of it,”
Dunne said. Dunne believes it is important to teach prevention for people under
age 21. “We need to be very, very diligent
in preventing problems,” he said.

Gubernator

Bruce Lisman

B

ruce Lisman, a Republican originally from Burlington, lives in Shelburne after a long
stint on New York City’s Wall Street. Lisman worked as co-head of global equities for
Bear, Stearns & Co. Before that he worked for J.P. Morgan and Lehman Brothers.

Budget and The Economy:
In talking with The Bridge recently, Lisman said one of his missions in helping the economy
is to retain and expand existing businesses. “Lets keep what we’ve got. Understand who they
are and what they need,” Lisman said, explaining how important it is to build relationships
with the “indispensable companies that make up the Vermont economy. Using money as a
magnet or a weapon is usually a bad idea.”
Also, while there are a handful of very large businesses in Vermont, 96 percent have under
15 people, and those the state needs to help grow bigger. Small businesses struggle with the
high costs of simply operating a business, such as workers’ compensation, taxes and the like.
Lisman said to help these businesses stay and grow, it is important to keep close touch with
them so, if they plan to leave, it could be possible to change their minds.
The Bridge asked if he had to cut the budget, where would he chop? Lisman said, “We aren’t
talking about reducing the size of the budget, we are talking about reducing the rate of
growth.”
Education:
Lisman said Act 46, legislation which pressures school systems to consolidate, “is a very bad
piece of legislation. It is an under researched project that was not well understood by senate,
education or the governor.” The school system and the way Vermont funds schools is very
complex. “Act 46 demands consolidation as if that would bring a solution,” he said, when
in fact, it would “raise taxes in hopes of lowering them.” Vermont may have the smallest
classroom size in the country with class sizes ranging from two to three in a class up to 20.
Lisman said he proposes getting rid of Act 46 and all the “various caps.” He also suggested
collapsing some of the supervisory unions in favor of a more regional approach. This way,
according to Lisman, the technical and trade centers located throughout the state could be
used more. “We need more plumbers, welders. These are occupations that are invaluable. We
have demand without supply,” he said.
Healthcare:
“In the midst of this debate about financing we should strive for outcomes,” Lisman said. The
healthcare system, as it is now, is more about insurance reform than care itself. “When we
talk about health care, we talk about insurance. I’d get rid of Health Connect. It is probably
$200 million in and $20 to $50 million to maintain it. In my life as a manager, I oversaw
lots of IT projects. It shouldn’t have cost $200 million,” Lisman said. “And, not only did it
cost too much, but it doesn’t work well and requires more and more workers to fix the endless
problems.”
Lisman suggests putting more scrutiny on medicaid recipients to make sure everyone is eligible.
Recreational Marijuana Legalization:
Lisman opposes legalizing recreational marijuana because so far, there is no good roadside
test. Also, if Vermont legalized marijuana, the
state could be sued by bordering states, which
happened to Washington State and Colorado.
In addition, Lisman points out, the pot black
market continues to thrive in Colorado, and tax
revenues were not what was expected, Lisman
said. “I’d say, no. Not now,” Lisman said. “We
have an opiate issue that is large and overwhelming in our face. While we are struggling with
that we would open up a new market. We don’t
know enough. Why do that now?”

M A RC H 17 – A P R I L 6 , 2 016 • PAG E 13

T H E B R I D G E

ial Candidates Talk With The Bridge

Sue Minter

S

ue Minter, a Democrat from Waterbury, moved to Vermont 25 years ago. She is best
known to Vermonters for her highly visible position as deputy secretary of the Vermont
Agency of Transportation during the recovery of Tropical Storm Irene in 2011. Her job
required her to “rapidly re-deploy 700 employees to three incident command centers. Our state
was in an incredible state of crisis. Thirteen communities were cut off,” Minter told The Bridge
a few weeks ago.
“I was at the helm in Montpelier.” Her main job was to re-establish access to communities,
which she said she did — in concert with many other entities from volunteers to the National
Guard, fire and rescue departments (from Vermont, Maine and New Hampshire) and many
others. She also dealt with the aftermath and rebuilding that followed. “We lost bridges, we
lost homes and we lost people.”
Minter was elected four times as a representative in the Vermont Legislature, from 2004 to
2010.
Budget and the Economy:

by Carla Occaso

Phil Scott

L

ieutenant Governor Phil Scott, a Republican from Barre, is well known in and out of the
State House as much for his political service, his construction company (Dubois Construction) and his racecar driving at Thunder Road. He was first elected senator in 2000. He
became Lieutenant in 2011.
Scott helped remove the remains of devastated mobile homes in the wake of Tropical Storm Irene
without charging homeowners or the taxpayers, according to ltgov.vermont.gov. In addition, he
launched a program in which he works a few hours in regular jobs throughout the state from
manufacturing to ski area snowmaking.
Budget and the Economy:
Scott said state government needs to be more responsive to business owners.
“There are many good and well intentioned people, but they haven’t had to make a payroll. They
haven’t had to endure sleepless nights wondering how they are going to pay their employees.
That detachment from reality creates somewhat of an arrogance of how fragile business really
is,” Scott said.

Minter said she would focus on training workers to revitalize the economy. “I am going to
work with our technical centers. We need to fire their passion for technical jobs because they
are needed in the workforce,” Minter told The Bridge. “We have to get more young people to
come to Vermont to stay in Vermont for livable wages and that is going to be my mission. That
is what our businesses need and that is what the future of Vermont depends on.”

From a budget standpoint, the legislature has been “overly optimistic,” in Scott’s opinion. At current levels, it is unsustainable. “In a Phil Scott administration, I would not build a budget that
grew faster than the economy. If (the economy and wages) grew at 1 percent, my budget wouldn’t
grow any more than 1 percent.”

Many workers need to work two jobs to make ends meet, so Minter said she wants to help foster
higher paying jobs. Part of the problem is finding trained workers. Minter talked about how
some successful businesses are ready to grow, but have trouble finding workforce.

One third of the state budget is dedicated to education funding. The total budget for FY 16 is
$5,625,556,419.00 while the amount allotted to K–12 education is $1,868,994,305.00.

“We have so many assets,” she said. Minter said she has experience in economic revitalization
for the cities of Montpelier and Waterbury.
Education:
Minter said Act 46 causes people to “have the critical discussion” about declining enrollment
and school costs. For example, in her school system there are seven different school boards and
seven budgets where they could become one region, which would be more efficient. And, tiny
schools could be repurposed to become senior centers or for early childhood education.
Healthcare:
As for healthcare, Minter expressed concern about the current system, Vermont Health Connect. She said that she did not have problems signing up after she quit her job, but she has heard
of people having difficulty when they have a change of circumstance. “I want a top to bottom
review,” she said. “I am not ready to say we are going to to go to the federal exchange. She said,
“we would only do something that extreme if it were found necessary.” Minter said Vermont
Health Connect has more subsidies and that 96 percent of Vermonters are now insured.
The current system rewards doctors and hospitals for more visits, pills and procedures, which
Minter would like to see changed in favor of supporting healthy living.
Recreational Marijuana Legalization:
Minter supports legalization and regulation of
recreational marijuana. She said this would lead
to greater safety. “We know Vermont youth are
among the highest (pot) users in the country,”
she said. However, she believes the state should
move slowly and begin selling weed on the retail
market starting with medical marijuana dispensaries.
“As a Mom. I want to know we will be having a
very robust education and prevention program.
We have an enormous substance abuse problem
that is ruining lives and families,” she said.

Education:

Scott states that Vermont has to focus on creating a sustainable and affordable system. In order
to do this, structural reform has to happen. “For the last 20 years, we’ve been losing about 1,000
kids per year from our public school system. At the same time, fixed costs have been rising. That
means structural reform is necessary to get property taxes under control and, at the same time,
continue to invest in kids and classrooms. It’s a difficult discussion, but we have to have it. If we
don’t, we’ll have to continue to accept rising taxes or compromises in the quality of our children’s
education. And I’m not willing to settle for either,” he states.
It is necessary to use flexible learning plans, technology and to pool resources in order to improve the
situation. Act 46, an act approved by the legislature last year that encourages school districts to merge,
must be improved in order to let communities keep what they save from mergers and return savings
to local taxpayers or local schools instead of sending it to the state coffers, Scott states.
Health Care
There are public anxieties about the rising cost of healthcare, Scott told The Bridge. “When Obamacare was enacted, we were placed under the umbrella of coming up with an exchange,” Scott said. But
the Shumlin administration decided to build a custom made IT structure” that cost around $200
million and still doesn’t work. By contrast, New Hampshire spent around 8 to 10 million for their
exchange to cover twice the people. And, since Vermont is the only state with this system, taxpayers
will be responsible financially for upkeep and upgrades. If Vermont had joined in with another state,
those costs could be shared.
Recreational Marijuana Legalization:
“I don’t think legalization of marijuana should be
about money. It is far too early. I am not saying
‘never.’ It may be inevitable. But we have the opportunity to watch four or five other states that
have legalized. We have the population to see
what has happened as they move forward with
their programs. We don’t have to be one of the
first on this. I am quite content making sure when
and if we do this we have it right. Is this really the
most pressing matter before us today? I say no,”
Scott said.

PAG E 14 • M A RC H 17 – A P R I L 6 , 2 016

THE BRIDGE

Events happening March 17 – April 9
THURSDAY, MARCH 17

Brain Injury Support Group. Open to all survivors, caregivers and adult family members. Third
Thurs., 1:30–2:30 p.m. Unitarian Church, 130
Main St., Montpelier. 244-6850.
Diabetes Discussion Group. Focus on selfmanagement. Open to anyone with diabetes
and their families. Third Thurs., 1:30 p.m. The
Health Center, Plainfield. Free. Don 322-6600 or
[email protected].
St Patrick's Day Dinner with 50/50 Raffle.
Corned beef cabbage dinner with apple crisp
dessert provided by the Abbey Group. Eat-in or
take-out. Benefits Meals on Wheels Program
at TVSC. 4–7 p.m. Twin Valley Senior Center,
Blueberry Commons, 4583 Rt. 2, E. Montpelier.
By donation. 223-3322.
Survivors of Suicide Loss Support. Monthly
group for people affected by a suicide death. Third
Thurs., 6–7:30 p.m. Central Vermont Medical
Center, conference rm. 1, Fisher Rd., Berlin. 2230924. [email protected].
Grandparents Raising Their Children’s Children. Third Thurs., 6–8 p.m. Child care provided.
Trinity United Methodist Church, 137 Main St.,
Montpelier. 476-1480.
River Arts Photo Co-op. Gather, promote and
share your experience and knowledge of photography with other photography enthusiasts in an

Performing
Arts
THEATER, STORYTELLING,
COMEDY

March 18: 2nd Annual Comedy Night with
Vermont Center for Independent Living (VCIL).
Hosted by Fresh Track Farms. Benefits VCIL.
6–9 p.m.; cocktails 6 p.m.; show starts 7 p.m.
Complimentary appetizers. Fresh Tracks Farm
Vineyard & Winery, 4373 Rt. 12, W. Berlin. $20.
Tickets: http://uncorkedcomedy2.bpt.me. 2231151. [email protected]

March 18: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Legendary sleuth
Sherlock Holmes takes the stage in this witty,
fast paced production by the acclaimed Aquila
Theatre. 7:30 p.m. St. Johnsbury Academy, Fuller
Hall, Main St., St. Johnsbury. $15–29. Students
18 and under free. 748-2600. KCPpresents.org
Mar. 18: Stroke Yer Joke. Sign up in advance to
try five minutes of your best open-mic stand-up
comedy before a live audience. 8 p.m. Espresso

atmosphere of camaraderie and fun. Adults/teens.
Third Thurs., 6–8 p.m. River Arts Center, 74
Pleasant St., Morrisville. $5 suggested donation.
888-1261. riverartsvt.org.
Wild-Craft your Artwork: Participating with
the Living Landscape. Nick Neddo shares perspective on his journey of 'rewilding' his approach
to making artwork through the process of going
straight to the source. A Transition Town Montpelier series. 6 p.m. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, 135
Main St., Montpelier. 223-3338. kellogghubbard.org
Barre City Pub Crawl. Celebrate St. Patrick’s
Day at Bueno with Irish ballads! Then join us as
we make our merry way around the Granite City.
6:30 p.m. Espresso Bueno, 248 N. Main St., Barre.
Free. 479-0896. [email protected].
espressobueno.com
Songwriters’ Meeting. Meeting of the Northern
VT/NH chapter of the Nashville Songwriters
Association International. Bring copies of your
work. Third Thurs., 6:45 p.m. Catamount Arts,
St. Johnsbury. John, 633-2204.
Author Talk: Mimi Baird. Baird discusses her
memoir “He Wanted the Moon: The Madness
and Medical Genius of Dr. Perry Baird, and
His Daughter's Quest to Know Him.” 7–8 p.m.
Royalton Memorial Library, 23 Alexander Pl.,
S. Royalton. Free; open to the public. 763-7094.
[email protected].

FRIDAY, MARCH 18

Social and Support Group for LGBTQ Adults
with Disabilities. Join Laura, an A*VISTA member and Paul Audy, an active community member,
as they co-facilitate this first support group meeting. Come together to talk, connect and find support around a number of issues including coming
out, socializing, challenges around employment,
accessibility, self-advocacy, choosing partners and
anything else that you would like to discuss or
find support around. 5–6 p.m. Unitarian Church,
Fireplace Room, 130 Main St., Montpelier.
Mayo Healthcare’s “Taste of Maple.” Annual
fundraiser invites the public to come sample
dishes, featuring maple syrup, created by area chefs
in friendly competition. Silent auction. Proceeds
will help Mayo Healthcare build a new walking path for resident seniors. 6–9 p.m. Norwich
University, Milano Ballroom, Northfield. $25.
Tickets available at Mayo Healthcare, Northfield
Pharmacy and at brownpapertickets.com
International Folk Dance. Free instruction of a
variety of international folk dances in a program
presented by the Kellogg-Hubbard Library and
the Unitarian Church. All dances will be taught;
dance experience or a partner not necessary. 7 p.m.
Unitarian Church, 130 Main St., Montpelier.

SATURDAY, MARCH 19

Tea House Clinic. Get herbal nutritional suppleBueno, 248 N. Main St., Barre. Free. 479-0896.
[email protected].
March 18–20: The Importance of Being
Earnest: A Trivial Comedy for Serious People.
Cabot Community Theater presents the comedy
by Oscar Wilde. March 18, 7 p.m.; March 19,
2:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.; March 20, 2:30 p.m. Cabot
School Performing Arts Center, 25 Common
Rd., Cabot. $5 or three items for the Onion River
Food Shelf. 793-5617. [email protected]
Mar. 25: Bueno Comedy Showcase. All male
revue: Caleb Teske, Eric Dreiblatt, Kevin McTaggart, Paul Church, & Richard Bowen. 8:30
p.m. Espresso Bueno, 248 N. Main St., Barre.
$6. 479-0896. [email protected].
espressobueno.com.
March 26: The Monster Who Ate My Peas.
ArtsPower's musical tells the funny and poignant
story of a young boy who doesn't want to eat his
peas. 10 a.m. Chandler Music Hall, 71-73 Main
St., Randolph. $6. 431-0204. [email protected]
March 26: Mini Mud. This annual performance
celebrates young talent from across the region.
7:30 p.m. Chandler Music Hall, 71-73 Main St.,
Randolph. Adults $15; students $5. 728-6464.
chandler-arts.org
March 28–April 1: The Pirates of Penzance.
Students at the Initiative Waldorf High School
tour the state with a final performanceand gala in
Plainfield. Fundraiser that supports the Initiative’s accessible-to-all social finance model. March
28–31 shows are all ages. Sitter recommended for

April 1 final show and gala.
March 28: 7 p.m. Black Box Theater, Main
Street Landing Performing Arts Center, Burlington. By donation.
March 29: 7 p.m. Stearns Performance Space,
Johnson State College, Johnson. By donation.
March 30: 7 p.m. Hardwick Town House,
Hardwick. By donation.
March 31: 10:30 a.m. Town Hall Opera
House, Plainfield. By donation
April 1: Gala and Final Performance. Cocktails
and bidding 4 p.m.; dinner 5:30 p.m.; show
starts 7 p.m. Goddard College, Haybarn Theatre, Plainfield. $45. InitiativeWaldorf.org/gala
April 1: Kamikaze Comedy. Burlington based
improv troupe that has been performing together
since 1995, creating outrageous characters, overthe-top stories and games that involve the whole
crowd for an evening of hilarity. 7:30 p.m.
Chandler Music Hall, 71-73 Main St., Randolph.
Adults $15; students $5 with an adult. 728-6464.
chandler-arts.org
April 2: KCP Presents Jessica Lang Dance. New
York-based Jessica Lang is known for creating
visual feasts packed with dynamic multimedia
and emotional connectivity. 7:30 p.m. Lyndon
Institute Alumni Auditorium, 168 Institute Cir.,
Lyndonville. $15–64. 757-5559. KCPpresents.org
April 7: Extempo. Locals tell short-format,
first-person, true stories live on stage without any
notes or reading. 8 p.m. Bridgeside Books, 29
Stowe St., Waterbury. $5. 244-1441. storytelling@
extempovt.com. extempovt.com

mentation through the form of teas and/or tinctures. Herbal tea sharing with other professional
services available. Every third Sat., 9 a.m.–noon.
Tea House Exchange at Another Way Community
Center, 125 Barre St., Montpelier. Free; donations
welcome. Rosalene: 793-9371. manywordsherbs1.
weebly.com
Additional Recyclables Collection Center. Accepting scores of hard-to-recycle items. Third Sat.,
9 a.m.–1 p.m. 540 N. Main St. (old Times-Argus
building), Barre. $1 per carload. 229-9383 x106.
For list of accepted items, go to cvswmd.org.
Cabot Maple Fest. Vendors, crafters, bouncy
house and slide, silent auction at Cabot School
gym and CSPAC, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. Pancake breakfast
9 a.m.–2 p.m. and Taste of Cabot noon¬–3 p.m. at
Cabot School dining hall. Cabot Village, Rt. 215.
cabotvermont.org
Vermont State Science and Mathematics Fair.
Showcasing work of private and homeschooled
children in grades 5–12 who have local science
and math fair competitions. 9 a.m.–4 p.m.; awards
ceremony 2 p.m. Norwich University, Bartoletto
Hall and Dole Auditorium, 158 Harmon Dr.,
Northfield. 881-3226. [email protected]
Berries for the Backyard. presented by David
Merchant of River Berry Farm. 10 a.m.–noon.
North Branch Nature Center, 713 Elm St.,
Montpelier. Free; open to the public. Sponsored by
UVM Extension Master Gardeners of Central VT.
April 8–9: Willy Wonka, Jr! Join Rumney
Memorial School students for a rollicking show
featuring chocolate, Charlie and, of course,
Oompa-Loompas! April 8, 7 p.m.; April 9, 2 p.m.
and 7 p.m. Rumney Memorial School, Middlesex.
Adults $6; children $4. rumney.org

SPECIAL EVENTS

March 19–20: Cabin Fever Reliever Theatre
Workshops. Workshops for kids and teens taught
by Kailie Larkin, co-director of the Chelsea Funnery program. Workshop themes include clowning and improvisation. Ages 6–18. Chandler
Center for the Arts, 71-73 Main St., Randolph.
Sliding scale $8–20 per workshop. For more information visit the youth page at chandler-arts.org.

AUDITIONS

March 20: Auditions for Lost Nation Theater’s
summer Theater FOR Kids BY Kids. Advanced
Production Camps: Pinocchio and Chitty Chitty
Bang Bang. Two full-day intensive camps that result in public, fully-staged, professionally designed
and directed productions. Prep: One memorized
monologue and 16-32 bars of a song no longer
than two minutes total, bring a picture and
resume (if possible). Audition is for acceptance
into the camp. Callbacks for specific roles will be
held at a later date, TBA. 3:30–6 p.m.; first come,
first served. Montpelier City Hall, Memorial
Room, 39 Main St., Montpelier. 229-0492. info@
lostnationtheater.org. http://lostnationtheater.org/
production-camps

T H E B R I D G E

Live Music
VENUES
Bagitos. 28 Main St., Montpelier. Free. 2299212. Open mic every Wed. bagitos.com.
March 17: Dave & Corey Loughran (acoustic
classic rock) 6–8 p.m.
March 18: Stovepipe Mountain Band (Americana) 6–8 p.m.
March 19: Irish Session with Sarah Blair, Hilari
Farrington, Benedict Koehler, Katrina VanTyne,
Bob Ryan and others, 2–5 p.m.
March 24: Turnip Truck, 6–8 p.m.
March 25: Squirrel’s Crackers (blues/country/
bluegrass) 6–8 p.m.
March 26: Irish Session with Sarah Blair, Hilari
Farrington, Benedict Koehler, Katrina VanTyne,
Bob Ryan and others, 2–5 p.m.; Small Axe,
6–8 p.m.
March 27: Bleecker & MacDougal (folk ballads)
11 a.m.–1 p.m.
Charlie O’s World Famous. 70 Main St., Montpelier. Free. 223-6820.
Every Mon.: Comedy Café Open Mic, 8:30 p.m.
Every Tues.: Godfather Karaoke, 9:30 p.m.
March 18: Julia Kate Davis (folk) 6 p.m., Discolicious (70s) 9 p.m.
March 25: Leper Messiah (Metallica tribute) 9 p.m.

Calendar of Events
March 26: Chalice/Hessian/Zex (metal) 9 p.m.
Espresso Bueno. 248 N. Main St., Barre. 4790896. Free/by donation. events@espressobueno.
com. espressobueno.com.
March 19: Duffy Gardner (singer-songwriter)
7 p.m.
March 25: The AccaFella (crooner) 7:30 p.m.
March 26: Dan Weintraub (singer-songwriter)
7 p.m.
La Puerta Negra. 44 Main St., Montpelier. 6133172.
March 24: Chickweed (folk with jazz, blues and
Latin influences) 8 p.m. Sliding scale $5–10.
Positive Pie. 22 State St., Montpelier. $5. 2290453. positivepie.com.
March 25: Gang of Thieves, 10:30 p.m.
April 1: Michelle Sarah Band (soul/funk) 10:30 p.m
April 8: Soule Monde (instrumental funk) 10 p.m.
Sweet Melissa's. 4 Langdon St., Montpelier. Free
unless otherwise noted. Other shows T.B.A. 2256012. facebook.com/sweetmelissasvt.
March 26: New Nile Orchestra (Afro-beat
dance) 9:30 p.m. $5
Whammy Bar. 7 p.m.; Fri. and Sat., 7:30 p.m. 31
County Rd., Calais. Thurs., Free. whammybar1.com.
Every Wed.: Open mic
March 17: St. Patrick’s Day Party: Susannah
Blachley, Kristina Stukos, Michael Fullerton,
Paul Aiken
March 18: Chad Hollister (rock/pop)

M A RC H 17 – A P R I L 6 , 2 016 • PAG E 15

March 19: Stovepipe Mountain Band (bluegrass/Americana)
March 24: The Brevity Thing
March 25: Kava Express (funk/rock/soul/dance)
March 26: Oh Anleigh (Irish/Celtic)

SPECIAL EVENTS

March 17: Saint Patrick’s Day Bells. The historic
bells will be rung at noon by pipe organ builder
Michael Loris. Trinity Church, 137 Main St.,
Montpelier
March 19–20: Montpelier Chamber Orchestra:
Primavera. Spring concert under the directorship
of Anne Decker Featuring Mozart’s “Overture to
Cosi Fan Tutte”, Britten’s “Suite on English Folk
Tunes”, Andres’ “Paraphrase on Themes of Brian
Eno” and Mendelssohn’s “Symphony No. 4 in
A Major”. Sat., 7:30 p.m.; Sun., 4 p.m. Vermont
College of Fine Arts, College Hall Chapel,
Montpelier. Adults $15; seniors $12; students $10.
229-4191. montpelierchamberorchestra.org
March 20: Bach Organ Marathon. Fabulous
organists from the region will be performing works
of Johann Sebastian Bach on the Karl Wilhelm
organ. 1:30–5 p.m. Christ Church, 64 State St.,
Montpelier. Free; donations welcome. 223-3631.
[email protected]. christchurchvt.org

Capital City Indoor Farmers’ Market. Find
unique, local, farm foods you won’t find in your
local store, while getting to know your farmer and
learning the best ways to prepare them. Sample
sugar on snow. 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Montpelier High
School cafeteria, 5 High School Dr., Montpelier.
montpelierfarmersmarket.com

SUNDAY, MARCH 20

Hike/Snowshoe Bald Mountain with Green
Mountain Club. Westmore. Moderate. About
5 miles. Via the Mad Brook Trail. Contact
Michael or meeting time and place: 249-0520 or
[email protected]

Women's Writing Workgroup. Quiet, supportive
space for women to write who otherwise have difficulty finding the time or space to do so. Writing
prompts provided or bring your own projects.
Drop in first and third Mon., 6:30–8:30 p.m.
River Arts Center, 74 Pleasant St., Morrisville.
$5 suggested donation. Register: 888-1261 or
riverartsvt.org

Vermont Mountaineers annual Hot Stove
Banquet. Meet and greet the Mountaineers.
With Red Sox hall-of-famer Bill “Spaceman” Lee,
Little Fenway founder Pat O’Connor and Animal
Planet star Jake Hodgdon. Silent auction, raffle,
food, entertainment. 5:30 p.m. Capitol Plaza, 100
State St., Montpelier. Adults $46; students $26.
TheVermontMountaineers.com
Clarke Lecture Series: Bryan Pfeiffer. Migration: The New Science of Movement — understanding the science of migration. 6 p.m.
Unitarian Church, 130 Main St., Montpelier.
$15 dinner; lecture by donation. 229-1246.
[email protected]

Montpelier Rainbow Umbrella Anniverary.
This group of LGBT adults in central Vermont
is celebrating its one year anniversary with a tea
dance. All members of the public are welcome
to come and enjoy the music and dancing. Door
prizes. Drink specials. 3–6 p.m. Sweet Melissa’s, 4 Langdon St., Montpelier. By donation.
[email protected]

Bereavement/Grief Support Group. Open
to anyone who has experienced the death of a
loved one. 6-7:30 p.m. Conference Center. 600
Granger Road, Berlin. Free. 223-1878.

The Community Seed Library at Kellogg-Hubbard. Slideshow presentation about the threats
to seed diversity, the importance of preserving
heirloom seeds, and how you can contribute/
participate in this new community resource. With
Tom Sabo (Montpelier High School, Center for
Sustainable Systems) and Leroy Dill-Hall (MHS
Student). 6:30 p.m. Kellogg-Hubbard Library,135
Main St., Montpelier. 223-3338.
SciFi Plus Book Club. Ken Liu's “The Grace of
Kings.” 7–8 p.m. Bear Pond Books, 77 Main St.,
Montpelier. 229-0774. bearpondbooks.com

Film and Commentary: The White Sheik. 1950
film by Federico Fellini. Presented by The Chandler Film Society. Commentary by Rick Winston
follows. 6:30 p.m. Chandler’s Esther Mesh Room,
71-73 Main St., Randolph. $9; $5 for members
and students. [email protected]

TUESDAY, MARCH 22

MONDAY, MARCH 21

Rainbow Umbrella of Central Vermont. Rainbow Umbrella brings LGBTQ individuals from
Central Vermont together to plan and hold events

Tales, Tunes & Tots. Music program for children
ages 3–5. The program begins at 10:30 a.m. at
Kimball Library with story time and a craft, then
participants walk next door to Chandler for a
snack and an enriching interactive musical performance. Chandler’s Upper Gallery, 71-73 Main St.,

April 3: From Byrd to Bach: Music for Harpsichord and Recorder. Diane Huling, harpsichord
and Sara Lisniansky, recorder. The program spans
the entire Baroque era and includes a wide range of
styles. 3 p.m. United Church of Christ, Greensboro. $20 suggested donation. [email protected] or [email protected]
April 7: The SKY Family. Celtic Revival! High
energy Celtic/pop-rock music, dance and gospel
production. 7 p.m. Trinity Church, 137 Main St.,
Montpelier. 229-9158. [email protected]

such as bowling, discussion group, ukulele and tea
dances to foster community and increase LGBTQ
visibility in the region. Meets every other Tues.
5–7 p.m. Montpelier Senior Activity Center, 58
Barre St., Montpelier. [email protected]

Randolph. Free. Sign-up: 728-5073 or Judith@
kimballlibrary.org

League of Women Voters Lunch Discourse:
Human Trafficking Here & Abroad. Speakers
Rosalee Keech and Det. Lt. Lance Burnham will
share observations on human trafficking. 11:30
a.m.–2 p.m. Best Western Plus, 45 Blush Hill Rd.,
Waterbury. 229-4737. [email protected]. Register: https://lwvhumantrafficking.eventbrite.com

April 3: The New Black Eagle Jazz Band. Traditional New Orleans-style jazz. 2 p.m. Chandler
Music Hall, 71-73 Main St., Randolph. Adults
$20; students $5 with an adult. 728-6464.
chandler-arts.org

Tell them you saw it in
The Bridge!

Spring It On! Roller Derby Fun-Raiser. Come
party with the skate-y ladies of Central Vermont
Roller Derby: Games, prizes, trivia, 50/50 Raffle
and more! 8 p.m. Espresso Bueno, 248 N. Main
St., Barre. Free. 479-0896.events@espressobueno.
com. espressobueno.com

Alla Vita 2nd Anniversary Celebration. Free
food samples, discounts and specials. 10 a.m.–5
p.m.; free wine tasting 3–5 p.m. Alla Vita, 27
State St., Montpelier. 225-6526. allavitavermont.
com

March 30: Noon-time Concert: Penny Lane
Consort. Susan Reit de Salas, Elizabeth Newman,
Sara Lisniansky, Joy Worland, Chapin Kaynor and
Charles Mayhood will perform music from the
time of Shakespeare. Recorders, sackbut and percussion. Bring your lunch and enjoy a lovely noon
concert at the library. Noon. Kellogg-Hubbard
Library, 135 Main St., Montpelier. 223-3338

March 25: Jazzyaoke. Sing the standards backed
by a live six-piece jazz band; all lyrics provided.
7:30–10:30 p.m. Grange Hall Cultural Center,

Open House at Orchard Valley Waldorf School.
Get a taste of what OVWS can offer your child
and family. 10 a.m.–1 p.m.; sample grade 1 lesson
10:30 a.m.; grades walk-through and early childhood programs walk-throughs including Farm
& Forest school year program. Faculty and staff
available for questions. 2290 Rt. 14N, E. Montpelier. 456-7400. [email protected]. ovws.org

Families of Color. Open to all. Play, eat and discuss issues of adoption, race and multiculturalism.
Bring snacks and games to share; dress for the
weather. Third Sun., 3–5 p.m. Unitarian Church,
130 Main St., Montpelier. Alyson 439-6096 or
[email protected].

317 Howard Ave., Waterbury Center. $5. 2444168. [email protected]. wooo.tv

Medicare and You Workshop. New to Medicare?
Have questions? We have answers. Second and
fourth Tues., 3–4:30 p.m. 59 N. Main St., Ste.
200, Barre. Free, donations gratefully accepted.
479-0531. [email protected]. cvcoa.org.

Montpelier Parks Commission Meeting. 7
p.m. Montpelier Police Station meeting room.
223-7335. [email protected].
www.montpelier-vt.org/464/Parks-Commission

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23

Introduction to Ayurveda. With Lisa Olson,
Clinical Herbalist. Ayurveda is a 5,000 year old
system of health that offers accessible recommendations for living in alignment with the seasons
and achieving optimal health based on your own
unique constitution. 6–8 p.m. Vermont Center for
Integrative Herbalism, 252 Main St., Montpelier.
$12; $10 for members. vtherbcenter.org/community-classes/workshops/
Essential Oils Basics Class. Come find out
how essential oils can help you emotionally and
physically. 6–7 p.m. Call Annie Limoge for more
information and RSVP: 223-2906. Free.
Montpelier Public Schools Community Forum.
“The Future of School: What’s in a Grade?” 6–8
p.m.; pizza served 5:30 p.m. Montpelier High
School library, 5 High School Dr., Montpelier.
Make Recycled Critters, Slippers or Mittens.
With Kate Stephenson. Learn how to make your
own special something from recycled felted woolen
sweaters. Things to bring (not required): sharp
scissors, pre-felted wool sweaters or blankets. Plus
a Suncommon presentation. 6 p.m. Montpelier Senior Activity Center, 58 Barre St., Montpelier. Free.
Call Onion River Exchange to register: 661-8959.

PAG E 16 • M A RC H 17 – A P R I L 6 , 2 016

Visual Arts
EXHIBITS

Through March. 19: Salvage. Artists repurpose,
reposition and reimagine salvaged materials to
bring new meaning to found objects. Chandler
Gallery, 71-73 Main St., Randolph.
Through March 19: Roger Weingarten and
Kate Fetherston, One Show, Two Visions. The
artists share an obsession with color, texture, relentless curiosity and invention. Axel’s Gallery &
Frame Shop, 5 Stowe St., Waterbury. 244-7801.
axelsgallery.com.
Through March 26: Joelen Mulvaney, Tree
People Hiding in Plain Sight. Paintings. Jaquith
Public Library, Old Schoolhouse Common, 122
School St., #2, Marshfield. 426-3581. [email protected]
Through March 30: Annie Tiberio Cameron.
Wilderness images taken on artist’s solo camping
sojourns 1991–2006. Vermont Technical College, Hartness Library Gallery, 124 Admin Dr.,
Randolph Center.
Through March 31: Elizabeth Billings and
Michael Sacca, Close to Home. Billings will
display her site-specific installations inspired by
the elements of nature and technology. Sacca’s
exhibit of detailed photographic images marries
the two disciplines conceptually. I.D. required for
admission. The Governor’s Gallery, Pavilion Office Building, 109 State St., 5F, Montpelier.
Through March 31: Kate Gridley, Passing
Through — Portraits of Emerging Adults.
Life-sized oil portraits. Vermont Supreme Court
Book Discussion: “Dreaming in Cuban by
Cristina Garcia.” The unique family story of Celia
del Pino of how the Cuban revolution tore apart
her family. Discussion led by UVM Professor John
Waldron. 6:30 p.m. Kellogg-Hubbard Library,135
Main St., Montpelier. 223-3338. Copies of books
available.
Montpelier City Council Meeting. Second and
fourth Wed., 6:30 p.m. City Council Chambers,
Montpelier City Hall. 39 Main St., Montpelier.
montpelier-vt.org.

THURSDAY, MARCH 24

American Art: 1960s-2000s Part I. Art historian
Debbie Tait will discuss a selection of two dimensional works with the emphasis on women artists.
1–2:30 p.m. Montpelier Senior Activity Center, 58
Barre St., Montpelier. Free. 223-2518

THE BRIDGE

Calendar of Events

Gallery, 111 State St., Montpelier.
Through March 31: Legislation: Source of
Art — 40 years of Art Resource Association.
Through their art, 18 ARA artists honor legislators for protecting the interests of Vermont.
Vermont State House cafeteria, Montpelier.
223-2258. [email protected]. artresourceassociation.com
Through March 31: Abstracted Works by Maggie Neale. Rich color and texture, layered with
paint, wax, fabrics. Montpelier City Hall, 1F,
Main St., Montpelier. 279-0774. colormuse@
gmail.com. maggieneale.com
Through April 8: Tom Leytham, The Other
Working Landscape. 26 watercolor prints by
the Montpelier architect and artist. The Gallery
at Central Vermont Medical Center, Berlin.
Through April 10: Intimacy + Materiality.
Explores material and pronounces the handmade or methods of making through the lens of
contemporary studio, social and design practices.
Helen Day Art Center, 90 Pond St., Stowe. 2538358. helenday.com
Through April 10: Carole Frances Lung aka
Frau Fiber, People’s Cloth Trade Show: The
t-shirt is the problem. Through her alter ego
Frau Fiber, Lung utilizes a hybrid of playful
activism, cultural criticism, research and spirited
crafting of one of a kind garment production
performances. Helen Day Art Center, 90 Pond
St., Stowe. 253-8358. helenday.com
Through April 15: Lynn Newcomb’s Etchings:
The Power of Black Ink; Two Decades of Printmaking. Tools, bridges and abstract etchings.
Gallery hours: Mon.–Fri., 10 a.m.–4 p.m. White
River Gallery (in BALE building), 35 S. Windsor St., S. Royalton. lynnnewcombvt.com
Through April 16: Them, Us & You. A global,
invitational exhibit involving more than 24 artVermont’s Tomorrow. With democratic candidate Matt Dunne. Norwich University presents a
series of town hall style open forums with gubernatorial candidates. 4:30–5:30 p.m. Short reception
follows. Norwich University, Cabot Hall, Room
85, Northfield.
Pacem School Open House. Classes and support
for homeschoolers ages 10–18. 5–7 p.m. 32 College St., Montpelier. 223-1010. Pacemschool.org
Vermont Author Grace Gershuny. Gershuny presents her new memoir “Organic Revolutionary: A
Memoir of the Movement for Real Food, Planetary
Healing, and Human Liberation.” Q and A and
book signing. Food and beverages available. 6–8
p.m. La Puerta Negra, 44 Main St., Montpelier.
Film and Discussion: Prejudice and Pride. This is
episode 5 in the PBS documentary series Latino Americans. Discussion led by UVM Professor Luis Vivanco.
6:30 p.m. Kellogg-Hubbard Library,135 Main St.,
Montpelier. 223-3338. Copies of books available.

ists from the U.S. and around the world. Studio
Place Arts, 201 N. Main St., Barre. 479-7069.
Studioplacearts.com
Through April 23: Off The Wall. Annual exhibit
spotlighting area students grades K–12. Opening reception: March 26, 5:30–7:30 p.m.
Gallery hours: Fri., 3–6 p.m.; Sat. and Sun.,
noon–3 p.m. Chandler Gallery, 71-73 Main St.,
Randolph. [email protected]
Through April 30: Annie Rodrigue Art Exhibit.
Canadian artist exhibit of abstract contemporary
works of art. Opening reception March 18,
5–7 p.m. T. W. Wood Gallery, Center for Arts
& Learning, 46 Barre St., Montpelier. 262-6035.
[email protected]. twwoodgallery.org
Through April 30: ARA Exhibits at the Library. Collective gathering of paintings, collage
and photography of Art Resource Association
artists, celebrating 40 years. Kellogg-Hubbard
Library, 135 Main St., Montpelier. artresourceassociation.com. [email protected].
279-0774
Through May 1: Michael Zebrowski, SURVEY.
Inaugural artist-in-residence project on the
grounds of Spruce Peak at Stowe. For information: Helen Day Art Center, 253-8358, helenday.
com
Through May 2: Galen Cheney, To China and
Back. Paper constructions and paintings. The
Gallery at River Arts, 74 Pleasant St., Morrisville. 888-1261. riverartsvt.org
Through June 30: Saddle Up! Norwich
Cavalry: Training, Touring and Tactics on
Horseback. The story of the Norwich Cavalry
and its establishment is full of wonderful images
of the days when equines were part of the daily
life at the University. Norwich University, Sullivan Museum and History Center, 158 Harmon
Dr., Northfield. 485-2183. academics.norwich.
edu/museum/
Maundy Thursday at The Old Meeting House.
Intergenerational footwashing and communion
worship. 7–8 p.m. Hourly Vigil. The Old Meeting
House, 1620 Center Rd., E. Montpelier. 2299593. oldmeetinghouse.org
Maundy Thursday Service at Bethany. Open
communion and Tennebrae. 7 p.m. Bethany
Church chapel, 115 Main St., Montpelier.
bethanychurchvt.org
Green Mountain Girls: Women of the Long
Trail. With speaker Reidun Nuquist. Kathleen
Norris, Catherine Robbins and Hilda M. Kurth
(The Three Musketeers), were the first women to
hike the Long Trail’s full length in 1927. Celebrate
Vermont Women’s History Month and the pioneering roles by many women in Vermont. 7 p.m.
Green Mountain Club, Rt. 100, Waterbury. 8282180. [email protected]

Through July 19: Blue Ribbons & Burlesque:
The Country Fair Photography of Charles
Fish. Black and white photographs capture nature and nurture, theatrical illusion, the pursuit
of excellence and even the guilty pleasures of fair
food. Vermont History Museum, 109 State St.,
Montpelier. Free with admission to museum.
828-2180. vermonthistory.org/calendar

SPECIAL EVENTS

March 26: Them, Us & You Events at Studio
Place Arts. Art project led by SPA artists for
all ages, 10–11:30 a.m.; “Walk and Talk” with
exhibit curators Janet Van Fleet and Sue Higby,
1:30–2:30 p.m.; Talk by anthropologist, artist and
writer, Dana Walrath, Ph.D., MFA. “From Slavery to Syria: Art & Social Justice.” 4 p.m. SPA,
201 N. Main St., Barre. Free. Call to reserve your
space in the art project by March 25: 479-7069.
studioplacearts.com

CALL FOR ARTISTS

Langdon Street Alive Call to Artists. Langdon
Street Alive is a non-profit organization dedicated to transforming a downtown Montpelier
street into a public art space this summer. We are
seeking proposals for art installations and works
on consignment. Deadline April 1. Details at
langdonstreetalive.org.
The Museum of Everyday Life is soliciting contributions to its upcoming exhibition featuring the
mirror, which opens May 29. Accepting all kinds
of contributions including anecdotes, scholarship, art and objects consisting of or relating to all
aspects of mirrors. 3482 Dry Pond Rd., Glover.
museumofeverydaylife.org

Central Vermont 5th annual Drag Ball. Theme
is Creature of the Night. Performances by Erica B,
Major Face, Emoji Nightmare and more. With DJ
Tomgirl. Benefit for the Central VT Trans Group
and the Freeride Community Bike Shop. 7:30 p.m.
Old Labor Hall, 46 Granite St., Barre. $10 suggested donation.
Man Bites Barre. A cross between a game show,
a variety show and a talk show before a live studio
audience. 8 p.m. Espresso Bueno, 248 N. Main St.,
Barre. Free. 479-0896. [email protected].
espressobueno.com.

SUNDAY, MARCH 27

Easter Sunrise Service. 6:30 a.m. North
Branch Nature Center, Elm St., Montpelier.
bethanychurchvt.org

Green Mountain Dog Club Monthly Meeting.
Learn about the club and events. All dog lovers
welcome. Fourth Thurs., 7:30 p.m. Commodore’s
Inn, Stowe. 479-9843 or greenmountaindogclub.org.

Easter Sunday at The Old Meeting House.
Intergenerational Son-rise service, 7 a.m.; Easter
morning worship, 9:30 a.m. The Old Meeting
House, 1620 Center Rd., E. Montpelier. 2299593. oldmeetinghouse.org

FRIDAY, MARCH 25

Easter Service with Hallelujah Chorus. 10 a.m.
Bethany Church sanctuary, 115 Main St., Montpelier. bethanychurchvt.org

Good Friday at Bethany. Self-directed labyrinth
walk. All day. Bethany Church chapel, 115 Main
St., Montpelier. bethanychurchvt.org
Educators Workshop: Materials Review.
9:30–11:30 a.m. Bear Pond Books, 77 Main St.,
Montpelier. 229-0774. bearpondbooks.com
Norwich University's School of Architecture
+ Art Lecture Series. Presentation by Margaret
P. Griffin, FAIA, of Griffin Enright Architects. 4
p.m. Norwich University, Chaplin Hall, Northfield.
Good Friday at The Old Meeting House. Tenebrae service of light and shadow. 7–8 p.m. Hourly
Vigil. The Old Meeting House, 1620 Center Rd.,
E. Montpelier. 229-9593. oldmeetinghouse.org
Tenebrae Service. Live the Good Friday experience through words, music and light. 7 p.m. St.
Augustine Church, 16 Barre St., Montpelier.
223-2151

SATURDAY, MARCH 26

Montpelier Egg Hunt. Join the Montpelier
Recreation Department for a family fun egg
hunt. 10–11:30 a.m. Hubbard Park, Parkway Dr.,
Montpelier. Free. 225-8699. [email protected].
montpelierrec.org
Wildlife Open House Meeting. Hosted by the
Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department. For
hunters, landowners and anyone else interested
in Vermont’s wildlife. Meeting will also serve as
public hearing to review the 2015 moose hunting
season and to provide feedback on the number of
moose permits recommended for 2016. 1–5 p.m.
Montpelier High School, 5 High School Dr.,
Montpelier.

MONDAY, MARCH 28

Tales, Tunes & Tots. Music program for children
ages 3–5. The program begins at 10:30 a.m. at
Kimball Library with story time and a craft,
then participants walk next door to Chandler
for a snack and an enriching interactive musical performance with songwriter/educator Chris
Dorman. Chandler’s Upper Gallery, 71-73
Main St., Randolph. Free. Sign-up: 728-5073 or
[email protected]
George's Mystery Book Club. “The Unquiet
Dead” by Ausma Zehanat Khan and “The Abbey”
by Chris Culver. Noon. Bear Pond Books, 77
Main St., Montpelier. 229-0774. bearpondbooks.com
NAMI Vermont Family Support Group. Support
group for families and friends of individuals living
with mental illness. Fourth Mon., 7 p.m. Central
Vermont Medical Center, room 3, Berlin. 800639-6480 or namivt.org.

TUESDAY, MARCH 29

Walk Fayston with Green Mountain Club. Easy,
4.1 miles. A mud season road walk with some hills.
Loop starts at North Fayston cemetery, follows
Randell Rd., Center Fayston Rd., and returns via
North Fayston Rd.. Bring lunch and water. Meet
behind Dept. of Labor, next to Montpelier bike
path. Contact Reidun and Andrew Nuquist for
meeting time: 223-3550.
Film Screening and Discussion: This Changes
Everything. Documentary inspired by Naomi
Klein’s book by the same name. It presents the
impacts of climate change on communities around
the world, and Klein's ideas about how we can use

T H E B R I D G E
the climate crisis to transform our economic system. Followed by discussion. 7–9 p.m. Goddard
College, Haybarn Theatre, Plainfield. Free.
Explore The Our Future In Space. With Allen
M. Steel and James L. Cambias. 7 p.m. Bear
Pond Books, 77 Main St., Montpelier. 229-0774.
bearpondbooks.com
National MS Society Webinar & Telelearning
Series. Topic: Home Based Employment: What
Employers Want. 8 p.m. Free. http://www.nationalmssociety.org/Resources-Support/LibraryEducation-Programs/Telelearning-Program

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30

Small Farm Action Day. With a focus on "OnFarm Slaughter: Preserving a Vermont Tradition,"
and other issues affecting Vermont's small-scale
farmers. The day will include an advocacy training, opportunities to meet with lawmakers and
farmer-to-farmer networking. Vermont State
House, Montpelier. Farmer stipend applications
and RSVP: ruralvermont.org or 223-7222
CVHHH Public Foot Care Clinic. Individuals
should bring clippers, basin, towel, foot-soak powder and lotion. 9 a.m.–1 p.m. Twin Valley Senior
Center, Blueberry Commons, Rt. 2, E. Montpelier. $15. 223-1878. www.cvhhh.org/footcare
Bereavement/Grief Support Group. Open to
anyone who has experienced the death of a loved
one. 10–11:30 a.m. Conference Center. 600
Granger Road, Berlin. Free. 223-1878.
The Hubble Project: Disaster & Success. With
astronomer William Jefferys. An Oshler Lifelong
Learning Institute program. Doors open 12:30
p.m. for those wishing to bring a brown bag
lunch; program starts 1:30 p.m. Aldrich Public
Library, 6 Washington St., Barrre. By donation.
[email protected]
Essential Oils with Annie Limoge. Learn about
essential oils for emotional and physical well-being as well as for cooking and cleaning. 6–7 p.m.
Another Way (upstairs in the back of building),
125 Barre St., Montpelier. 661-8959. orexchange.org
Central VT Trans* Group. Monthly peer support
group for folks who self-identify along the trans
and gender nonconforming (GNC) spectrum.
Meets the last Wed. of the month, 7–9 p.m. in
Montpelier. Contact [email protected]
for more information.

THURSDAY, MARCH 31

Habitat Management and Coverts. Join Lisa
Sausville of VT Coverts to learn about wildlife in
your woods and the threats to Vermont’s forests.
Learn about Coverts 3-day woodland owner
training and their welcome bag project designed
for landowners and others interested in Vermont’s
woodlands. 7 p.m. Kellogg-Hubbard Library,135
Main St., Montpelier. 223-3338.

FRIDAY, APRIL 1

Death Café. Group discussion about death
with no agenda, objectives or themes. First Fri.,
11:45 a.m.–1 p.m. Twin Valley Senior Center,
Rte. 2, Blueberry Commons, E. Montpelier.
Bring your own lunch or eat at the center for
$4. 223-3322.
Morse Farm Maple Open House. With sugaron-snow, noon–4 p.m. Morse Farm Maple
Sugarworks, 1168 County Rd., Montpelier.
223-2740. morsefarm.com
Vermont’s Tomorrow. With republican candidate Lt. Gov. Phil Scott. Norwich University
presents a series of town hall style open forums
with gubernatorial candidates. 4:30–5:30 p.m.
Short reception follows. Norwich University,
Cabot Hall, Room 85, Northfield.
Coffeehouse. Enjoy live music and share your
own. Fellowship, potluck snacks and beverages.
First Fri., 7–9 p.m. Trinity United Methodist
Church, 137 Main St., Montpelier (park and
enter at rear). Free. 244-5191, 472-8297 or
[email protected].

SATURDAY, APRIL 2

National Federation of the Blind, Montpelier
Chapter. First Sat. Lane Shops community room,
1 Mechanic St., Montpelier. 229-0093
Whistlekick Martial Arts Showdown. Martial
arts competition, seminars, vendors and other
activities for adults and children. Vermont Technical Center, SHAPE Fitness Center, Randolph.
http://showdown2016.com
Morse Farm Maple Open House. Pancake breakfast, 8–11 a.m.; hot dogs boiled in sap, noon–3
p.m.; sugar-on-snow, noon–4 p.m. Morse Farm
Maple Sugarworks, 1168 County Rd., Montpelier. 223-2740. morsefarm.com
Public Auction and Breakfast. Breakfast of
breakfast casserole, muffins, juice, coffee, and

Calendar of Events

tea, 8 a.m.; public auction by Jenkins Auction
Service, 9:30 a.m. Door prizes. Benefits Bethany’s
ministries and food insecurity programs. Bethany
Church, 115 Main St., Montpelier. 223-2424.
bethanychurchvt.
29th annual Vermont State Scholastic Chess
Championships. All Vermont students from
grades K–12 are eligible to compete for State
Championships in nine divisions — each grade
K–6, Middle School (grades 7 and 8) and High
School (grades 9–12). Registration 8:30–9:30
a.m.; games start 10 a.m. Berlin Elementary
School, Berlin. 223-1948. [email protected].

Exploring Choices in Complementary Integrative Medicine. Day-long event focused on community education in cancer care and survivorship.
A variety of workshops and hands-on demonstrations provided by physicians, acupuncturists, herbalists, nutritionists, yoga practitioners,
aromatherapists, Reiki practitioners, body workers
and more. A resource fair with exhibitors will be
open throughout the day. Registration begins
8:30 a.m. Vermont College of Fine Arts, College St., Montpelier. Free; open to the public.
More information and to register: https://www.
eventbrite.com/e/expanding-cancercare-exploringchoices-in-complementary-integrative-medicinetickets-20501715182
Turkey Hunting Seminar. A-Z hunting information, including safe hunting practices, specialized
equipment, calls, site setup and other strategies for
harvesting turkeys. Hosted by the Vermont Fish
& Wildlife Department. 9 a.m.–1 p.m. Barre Fish
and Game Club, Gun Club Rd., Barre. 272-2909.
Free. Sign-up: http://tinyurl.com/gr9csxh
Capital City Indoor Farmers’ Market. Find
unique, local, farm foods you won’t find in your local
store, while getting to know your farmer and learning the best ways to prepare them. 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
Montpelier High School cafeteria, 5 High School
Dr., Montpelier. montpelierfarmersmarket.com
2nd annual Spring Shopping Extravaganza and
Benefit Silent Auction. Benefit for Drew Bernier.
25 vendors and crafts people, concessions, raffle.
10 a.m.–3 p.m. Old Labor Hall, 46 Granite St.,
Barre. [email protected]. https://www.
facebook.com/events/1709244689359580/
Osteoporosis Education and Support
Group. For those who have been diagnosed
with osteoporosis or osteopenia, have a family member who has been diagnosed or want to
learn about osteoporosis. Learn from a variety of
guest speakers and medical specialists. First Sat.,
1–3 p.m. Community National Bank, Community Room, Crawford Rd., Derby. 535-2011.
[email protected]. betterbonesnek.org.
River Rock School Mud Season Auction. Viewing and silent auction begins, 1 p.m.; live auctioneer David Rowell, 1:30 p.m. Bid on online auction
items now. Benefits River Rock School Scholarship Program. Unitarian Church, 130 Main St.,
Montpelier. 223-4700. riverrockschool@comcast.
net. View auction items at riverrockschool.org
Dreaming into the Earth: A Free Dream
Workshop. This experiential approach to your
dreams offers each person a portal to the deeper
self. Dream yourself awake to your soul and Gaia
in an afternoon of ritual, conversation and dream
theatre. 4–7 p.m. Yoga Mountain River Room,
Montpelier. Bring your dreams or send them
ahead to [email protected]. Questions: 207400-7268 or 522-6889.

SUNDAY, APRIL 3

Morse Farm Maple Open House. Pancake breakfast, 8–11 a.m.; hot dogs boiled in sap, noon–3
p.m.; sugar-on-snow, noon–4 p.m. Morse Farm
Maple Sugarworks, 1168 County Rd., Montpelier. 223-2740. morsefarm.com
Dance, Sing and Jump Around! A family dance
for all ages. Circle and line dances and singing
games, all called and taught. Live traditional
music by Kenric Kite and friends. Caller is Liz
Benjamin. Last dance of the season! 3–4:30
p.m. Plainfield Town Hall Opera House, Rt. 2,
Plainfield. Suggested donation: $5; $10 family.
No one is turned away. [email protected].
[email protected]

MONDAY, APRIL 4

Parent Meet-Up. Come meet other parents, share
information and chat over light snacks, coffee
and tea. First Mon., 10–11:30 a.m. Hayes Room,
Kellogg-Hubbard Library, 135 Main St., Montpelier. Free. [email protected].
Bereavement/Grief Support Group. Open
to anyone who has experienced the death of a
loved one. 6-7:30 p.m. Conference Center. 600
Granger Road, Berlin. Free. 223-1878.
Classic Book Club. New members always welcome. Most first Mon., 6–8 p.m. Cutler Memorial Library, 151 High St. (Rte. 2), Plainfield. Free.
454-8504. cutlerlibrary.org/resources/bookclub.

M A RC H 17 – A P R I L 6 , 2 016 • PAG E 17

TUESDAY, APRIL 5

ADA Advisory Committee Meeting. First
Tues. City manager’s conference room, City
Hall, 39 Main St., Montpelier. 223-9502.
MBAC Meeting. Meeting of the Montpelier Bicycle Advisory Committee. First Tues., 6–7:30
p.m. City Manager’s Conference Room, 39
Main St., Montpelier. Montpelier. 262-6273.
Poetry Clinic. The first hour of the clinic
will be devoted to generative poetry writing
exercises; the second hour will be devoted to respectful critiques of work you bring to or make
in class. Every first and third Tues., 6–8 p.m.
River Arts Center, 74 Pleasant St., Morrisville.
$5 suggested donation. 888-1261. riverartsvt.org

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6

Colby Military Writers’ Symposium. April
6–7. Two-day event includes author presentations, book signing, undergraduate original
research presentation, Meet the Authors
reception and dinner (ticket required), and
a moderated panel discussion on the topic
“Going to War: The Cost to Families, Communities, and Nation.” Wed., 8 a.m.–3 p.m.;
Thurs., 8 a.m.–9 p.m. Norwich University,
158 Harmon Dr., Northfield. Panel discussion
is free; Meet the Author dinner $50. 485-2811.
[email protected]. Colby.norwich.edu
Grandparents Raising Their Children’s
Children. First Wed., 10 a.m.–Noon. Barre
Presbyterian Church, Summer St. 476-1480.
Climate Change: The Wisdom to Survive.
With filmmaker Anne Macksoud. Doors open
12:30 p.m. for those wishing to bring a brown
bag lunch; program starts 1:30 p.m. Alumni
Hall, next to Barre Auditorium, Barrre. By
donation. [email protected]
CCV Open House for Adult Learners. Tour
the building including a visit to our Learning
Center and Career Center, meet with advisors to talk about program options, get your
questions answered about financial aid and
veteran's services, sit in on a class, meet CCV
president Joyce Judy, meet students, learn
about online courses and admissions process.
3:30–6:30 p.m. CCV Montpelier, 660 Elm St.,
Montpelier.
Cancer Support Group. First Wed., 6 p.m.
Potluck. For location, call Carole MacIntyre
229-5931.
U-32 School Board Meeting. Open to the
public and community members are always
welcome to attend. 6 p.m. U-32, Rm. 131, 930
Gallison Hill Rd., Montpelier. 229-0321.

THURSDAY, APRIL 7

Colby Military Writers’ Symposium. April
6–7. Two-day event includes author presentations, book signing, undergraduate original
research presentation, Meet the Authors reception and dinner (ticket required), and a moderated panel discussion on the topic “Going to
War: The Cost to Families, Communities, and
Nation.” Wed., 8 a.m.–3 p.m.; Thurs., 8 a.m.–9
p.m. Norwich University, 158 Harmon Dr.,
Northfield. Panel discussion is free; Meet the
Author dinner $50. 485-2811. llord@norwich.
edu. Colby.norwich.edu
Diabetes Support Group. First Thurs., 7–8
p.m. Conference room 3, Central Vermont
Medical Center. 371-4152.

FRIDAY, APRIL 8

Italian Traditional Village Dance. Variety of
traditional Italian village dances from many
regions of Italy — dances still being done today
in small mountain villages throughout Italy.
Couple, set, line and group dances. Easy enough
for beginners and yet challenging for intermediate and advanced dancers. No partners or previous experience necessary. 6:45 p.m.–9:15 p.m.
Unitarian Church, 130 Main St., Montpelier.
Free; donations for church accepted. 229-1490.

SATURDAY, APRIL 9

Berlin Pond. A great location for migrating
song birds, waterfowl, loons, herons and more.
7–9:30 a.m. North Branch Nature Center, 713
Elm St., Montpelier. $10 members; $15 nonmembers. Call us to register and learn about
carpooling options: 229-6206. northbranchnaturecenter.org
Educators Workshop: Poetry with the State
Poet Laureate. 11 a.m.–noon. Bear Pond
Books, 77 Main St., Montpelier. 229-0774.
bearpondbooks.com
Black and White Ball. 27th annual Helen Day
Art Center gala, inspired by Truman Capote’s
illustrious and decadent Black and White Ball.
Silent auction, complimentary drinks, hors
d’oeuvres, a seated three-course meal and a
swag bag. Sit down at a casino table to play
your favorite Vegas-inspired games for special
prizes. Live music by House Red. Enjoy our
lively auctioneer, Antique Road Show’s John
Nye. join us in honoring two local leaders Shap
Smith and Ginny Neel. Benefits Helen Day Art
Center for the continuation of art education
programs and free admission to its exhibits. 5
p.m. Stowe Mountain Lodge, 7412 Mountain
Rd., Stowe. $125. 253-8358. helenday.com

Public Forum on Homelessness. Causes,
effects, solutions. 6–7:45 p.m. Aldrich Public
Library, 6 Washington St., Barre. Free. 4764185. [email protected]
Who Stole the American Dream? Hedrick
Smith, Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter, author
and Frontline writer, chronicles four decades
of changes in Washington policy-making and
mindset, and their effect on the middle class.
Part of First Wednesdays Vermont Humanities
Lecture Series. 7 p.m. Unitarian Church, 130
Main St., Montpelier. vermonthumanities.org

Send your listing to
calendar@
montpelierbridge.com

Montpelier School Board Meeting. 7 p.m.
Montpelier High School library, 5 High
School Dr., Montpelier. 225-8000.

Send information for events
happening April 7–April 23.

Deadline for next issue
is March 31.

PAG E 18 • M A RC H 17 – A P R I L 6 , 2 016

Weekly Events
ART & CRAFT
Beaders’ Group. All levels of beading experience
welcome. Free instruction available. Come with
a project for creativity and community. Sat., 11
a.m.–2 p.m. The Bead Hive, Plainfield. 454-1615.

Calendar of Events

Wed.: Christ Church, 64 State St.,
11 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
Thurs.: Trinity Church, 137 Main St.,
11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.
Fri.: St. Augustine Church, 18 Barre St.,
11 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
Sun.: Last Sunday only, Bethany Church, 115
Main St. (hosted by Beth Jacob Synagogue),
4:30–5:30 p.m.

Lunches for Seniors. Mon., Wed., Fri., Noon.
Twin Valley Senior Center, 4583 U.S. Rt. 2, E.
Montpelier. $4 suggested donation. 223-3322.
Noontime Knitters. All abilities welcome. Basics twinvalleyseniors.org.
taught. Crocheting, needlepoint and tatting also
Feast Together or Feast To Go. All proceeds
welcome. Tues., noon–1 p.m. Waterbury Public
benefit the Feast Senior Meal program. Tues. and
Library, 28 N. Main St., Waterbury. 244-7036.
Fri., noon–1 p.m. Live music every Tues., 10:30–
Life Drawing at The Front. Draw from life with 11:30 a.m. Montpelier Senior Activity Center, 58
a model in a series of poses. Bring your own
Barre St., Montpelier. Seniors 60+ free with $7
materials. Come early to get a good seat. Every
suggested donation; under 60 $9. Reservations:
Thurs., 6:30–8:30 p.m. The Front Gallery, 6
262-6288 or [email protected].
Barre St., Montpelier. $10. www.thefrontvt.com.
[email protected]
Open Art at The Front. Create "crazy dolls" with
artist Melora Kennedy. Every Wed., 5:30–7:30
p.m. The Front Gallery, 6 Barre St., Montpelier.
$5. www.thefrontvt.com. [email protected]
Drop-in River Arts Elder Art Group. Work
on art, share techniques and get creative with
others. Bring your own art supplies. For elders
60+. Every Fri., 10 a.m.–noon. River Arts Center,
74 Pleasant St., Morrisville. Free. 888-1261.
riverartsvt.org.

BICYCLING
Open Shop Nights. Volunteer-run community
bike shop: bike donations and repairs. Wed., 4–6
p.m.; other nights. Freeride Montpelier, 89 Barre
St., Montpelier. 552-3521. freeridemontpelier.org.

BOOKS & WORDS
Lunch in a Foreign Language. Bring lunch and
practice your language skills with neighbors.
Noon–1 p.m. Mon., Hebrew; Tues., Italian;
Wed., Spanish; Thurs., French. Kellogg-Hubbard
Library, 135 Main St., Montpelier. 223-3338.

HEALTH & WELLNESS

Turning Point Center. Safe, supportive place
for individuals and their families in or seeking
recovery. Daily, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. 489 North Main
St., Barre. 479-7373.
Sun.: Alchoholics Anonymous, 8:30 a.m.
Tues.: Making Recovery Easier workshops,
6–7:30 p.m.
Wed.: Wit’s End Parent Support Group, 6 p.m.
Thurs.: Narcotics Anonymous, 6:30 p.m.
Early Bird Bone Builders Class. With Cort
Richardson. Osteoporosis exercise and prevention
program. Wear comfortable clothing and sturdy
shoes. Light weights provided or bring your own.
All ages. Every Mon., Wed. and Fri., 7:30–8:30
a.m. Twin Valley Senior Center, Rt. 2, Blueberry
Commons, E. Montpelier. Free. Cort: 223-3174
or 238-0789.
Bone Building Exercises. All seniors welcome.
Every Mon., Wed. and Fri. 7:30 a.m., 9:15 a.m.
(starting Feb. 8) and 10:45–11:45 a.m. Twin Valley Senior Center, 4583 U.S. Rt. 2, E. Montpelier.
Free. 223-3322. twinvalleyseniors.org.

Tai Chi for Seniors. Led by trained volunteers.
Every Mon. and Fri., 1–2 p.m.; Mon. and Wed.,
English Conversation Practice Group. For
students learning English for the first time. Tues., 5:30–6:30 p.m. Twin Valley Senior Center,
4583 U.S. Rt. 2, E. Montpelier. Free. 223-3322.
4–5 p.m. Central Vermont Adult Basic Educatwinvalleyseniors.org.
tion, Montpelier Learning Center, 100 State St.
223-3403.
Living Strong Group. Volunteer-led group.
Ongoing Reading Group. Improve your reading Sing while exercising. Open to all seniors.
Every Mon., 2:30–3:30 p.m. and every Fri.,
and share some good books. Books chosen by
group. Thurs., 9–10 a.m. Central Vermont Adult 2–3 p.m. Montpelier Senior Activity Center, 58
Barre St., Montpelier. Free. Register: 223-2518.
Basic Education, Montpelier Learning Center,
[email protected].
100 State St. 223-3403.

BUSINESS, FINANCE,
COMPUTERS, EDUCATION
Computer and Online Help. One-on-one computer help. Tues. and Fri., 10 a.m.–1 p.m. Waterbury Public Library, 28 N. Main St., Waterbury.
Free. Registration required: 244-7036.
Personal Financial Management Workshops.
Learn about credit/debit cards, credit building and repair, budgeting and identity theft,
insurance, investing, retirement. Tues., 6–8 p.m.
Central Vermont Medical Center, Conference
Room 3. Registration: 371-4191.
CRC Pro Health and Human Services. This
course will help participants build professional
and career skills in preparation for a variety of
entry-level positions in direct health care professions. Every Wed. and Thurs., March 23–May
18, 5:30–8 p.m. Capstone Community Action,
20 Gable Pl., Barre. Free. The enrollment code
for this course is WFE-0603-VM40.

FOOD & DRINK
Community Meals in Montpelier. All welcome.
Free.
Mon.: Unitarian Church, 130 Main St.,
11 a.m.–1 p.m.
Tues.: Bethany Church, 115 Main St.,
11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.

Sex Addicts Anonymous. Mon., 6:30 p.m. Bethany Church, 115 Main St., Montpelier. 552-3483.
Type 2 Diabetes Self-Management Program.
Education and support to help adults at high risk
of developing type 2 diabetes adopt healthier
eating and exercise habits that can lead to weight
loss and reduced risk. Every Tues., 10:30–11:30
a.m. Kingwood Health Center Conference Room
(lower level), 1422 Rt. 66, Randolph. Free. Register: 728-7714.
Overeaters Anonymous. Twelve-step
program for physically, emotionally and spiritually
overcoming overeating. Note meeting days and
locations. Every Tues., 5:30–6:30 p.m. and Sat.,
8:30–9:30 a.m. at Episcopal Church of the Good
Shepherd, 39 Washington St., Barre. 249-3970.
Every Mon., 5–6 p.m. at Bethany Church, 115
Main St., Montpelier. 223-3079. Starting April
4, the Montpelier meetings will be on Mondays, 5:30–6:30 p.m.
Tai Chi Classes for All Ages. Every Tues. and
Thurs., 10–11 a.m. Twin Valley Senior Center,
Rte. 2, Blueberry Commons, E. Montpelier. Free.
223-3322. [email protected]
Weight Loss Support Group. Get help and support on your weight loss journey every Wed., 6–7
p.m. Giffords Conference Center, 44 S. Main St.,
Randolph. Free. No registration required. Open to
all regardless of where you are in your weight loss.
Wit’s End. Support group for parents, siblings,
children, spouses and/or relationship partners of

someone suffering with addiction — whether it is
to alcohol, opiates, cocaine, heroin, marijuana or
something else. Every Wed., 6–8 p.m. Turning
Point Center, 489 N. Main St., Barre. Louise:
279-6378.
HIV Testing. Vermont CARES offers fast oral
testing. Thurs., 2–5 p.m. 58 East State St., Ste. 3
(entrance at back), Montpelier. Free. 371-6222.
vtcares.org.

KIDS & TEENS

Robin’s Nest Nature Playgroup. Outdoor
playgroup for parents, caregivers and children
ages birth–5. Spontaneous play, exploration,
discovery, song, nature inspired crafts and storytelling. Every Mon. through June 6, 9:30–11:30
a.m. North Branch Nature Center, 713 Elm
St., Montpelier. By donation. 229-6206.
northbranchnaturecenter.org
The Basement Teen Center. Safe drop-in space
to hang out, make music, play pool, ping-pong
and board games and eat free food. All activities
are free. Mon.–Thurs., 2–6 p.m., Fridays 3-10
p.m. Basement Teen Center, 39 Main St., Montpelier. BasementTeenCenter.org
Read to Clara. Sign up for a 20-minute slot and
choose your books beforehand to read to this
special canine pal. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, 135
Main St., Montpelier. Sign up ahead: 223-4665
or at the children’s desk. kellogghubbard.org.
Story Time and Playgroup. With Sylvia Smith
for story time and Cassie Bickford for playgroup.
For ages birth–6 and their grown-ups. We follow
the Twinfield Union School calendar and do not
hold the program the days Twinfield is closed.
Wed., 10–11:30 a.m. Jaquith Public Library, 122
School St., Marshfield. Free. 426-3581.
jaquithpubliclibrary.org.
Story Time for Kids. Meet your neighbors and
share quality time with the pre-schooler in your
life. Each week we’ll read stories and spend time
together. A great way to introduce your preschooler to your local library. For ages 2–5. Every
Thurs., 10:30 a.m. Cutler Memorial Library, 151
High St., Plainfield. 454-8504. cutlerlibrary.org.
Lego Club. Use our large Lego collection to
create and play. All ages. Thurs., 3–4:30 p.m.
Kellogg-Hubbard Library, 135 Main St., Montpelier. Free. 223-3338. kellogghubbard.org.
Drop-in Kinder Arts Program. Innovative
exploratory arts program with artist/instructor
Kelly Holt. Age 3–5. Fri., 10:30 a.m.–noon.
River Arts Center, 74 Pleasant St., Morrisville.
888-1261. RiverArtsVT.org.
Teen Fridays. Find out about the latest teen
books, use the gym, make art, play games and if
you need to, do your homework. Fri., 3–5 p.m.
Jaquith Public Library, 122 School St., Marshfield. 426-3581.
Musical Story Time. Join us for a melodious
good time. Ages birth–6. Sat., 10:30 a.m. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, 135 Main St., Montpelier.
Free. 223-3338. kellogghubbard.org.
Mad River Valley Youth Group. Sun., 7–9 p.m.
Meets at various area churches. Call 497-4516 for
location and information.

MUSIC & DANCE
Barre-Tones Women’s Chorus. Open rehearsal. Find your voice with 50 other women.
Mon., 7 p.m. Alumni Hall, Barre. 223-2039.
BarretonesVT.com.
Dance or Play with the Swinging Over 60
Band. Danceable tunes from the 1930s to the
1960s. Recruiting musicians. Tues., 10:30 a.m.–
noon. Montpelier Senior Activity Center, 58
Barre St., Montpelier. 223-2518.
Monteverdi Young Singers Chorus Rehearsal.
New chorus members welcome. Wed., 4–5 p.m.
Montpelier. Call 229-9000 for location and more
information.
Piano Workshop. Informal time to play,
refresh your skills and get feedback if desired
with other supportive musicians. Singers and
listeners welcome. Thurs., 4–5:30 p.m. Montpelier Senior Activity Center, 58 Barre St.,
Montpelier. Free; open to the public. 223-2518.
[email protected].

THE BRIDGE

Gamelan Rehearsals. Sun., 7–9 p.m. Pratt Center, Goddard College. Free. 426-3498. steven.
[email protected]. [email protected].

RECYCLING
Additional Recycling. The Additional Recyclables Collection Center accepts scores of hardto-recycle items. Mon., Wed., Fri., noon–6 p.m.;
Third Sat., 9 a.m.–1 p.m. ARCC, 540 North
Main St., Barre. $1 per carload. 229-9383 x106.
For list of accepted items, go to cvswmd.org/arcc.

RESOURCES
Efficiency Vermont Customer Support Office
Hours. Specialists will be on hand to provide
one-on-one energy consultations and answer
your energy questions. Every Tues., 11:30 a.m.–2
p.m. and every Thurs., 4–6 p.m. through March.
Efficiency Vermont Barre Office, 322 N. Main
St., Barre. Free. 888-921-5990. [email protected]
Onion River Exchange Tool Library. 80 tools
both power and manual. Wed., 4–6 p.m.; Sat.,
9–11 a.m. 46 Barre St., Montpelier. 661-8959.
[email protected].

SOLIDARITY/IDENTITY
Women’s Group. Women age 40 and older
explore important issues and challenges in their
lives in a warm and supportive environment. Facilitated by psychotherapist Kathleen Zura. Every
Mon., 5:30–7:30 p.m. 41 Elm St., Montpelier.
223-6564. Insurances accepted.

SPIRITUALITY
Christian Science Reading Room. You're invited
to visit the Reading Room and see what we
have for your spiritual growth. You can borrow,
purchase or simply enjoy material in a quiet study
room. Hours: Wed., 11 a.m.–7:15 p.m.; Thurs.–
Sat., 11 a.m.–1 p.m. 145 State St., Montpelier.
223-2477.
A Course in Miracles. A study in spiritual transformation. Group meets each Tues., 7–8 p.m.
Christ Episcopal Church, 64 State St., Montpelier. 279-1495.
Christian Counseling. Tues. and Thurs. Daniel
Dr., Barre. Reasonable cost. By appt. only:
479-0302.
Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. For those
interested in learning about the Catholic faith, or
current Catholics who want to learn more. Wed.,
7 p.m. St. Monica Church, 79 Summer St.,
Barre. Register: 479-3253.
Deepening Our Jewish Roots. Fun, engaging text study and discussion on Jewish
spirituality. Sun., 4:45–6:15 p.m. Yearning
for Learning Center, Montpelier. 223-0583.
[email protected].

SPORTS & GAMES
Roller Derby Open Recruitment and Recreational Practice. Central Vermont’s Wrecking
Doll Society invites quad skaters age 18 and up.
No experience necessary. Equipment provided:
first come, first served. Sat., 5–6:30 p.m. Montpelier Recreation Center, Barre St. First skate
free. centralvermontrollerderby.com.

YOGA & MEDITATION
Christian Meditation Group. People of all faiths
welcome. Mon., noon–1 p.m. Christ Church,
Montpelier. 223-6043.
Zen Meditation. With Zen Affiliate of Vermont.
Wed., 6:30–7:30 p.m. 174 River St., Montpelier.
Free. Call for orientation: 229-0164.
Shambhala Buddhist Meditation. Group
meditation practice. Sun., 10 a.m.–noon; Tues.,
7–8 p.m.; Wed., 6–7 p.m. New location: Center
for Culture and Learning, 46 Barre Street, Montpelier. Free. 223-5137. montpeliershambala.org.
Sunday Sangha: Community Ashtanga Yoga.
Every Sun., 5:40–7 p.m. Grateful Yoga, 15 State
St., 3F, Montpelier. By donation.

Ukelele Group. All levels welcome. Thurs., 6–8
p.m. Montpelier Senior Activity Center, 58 Barre
St. 223-2518.
Rock & Soul Chorus. We sing songs from the
60s–80s and beyond. All songs are taught by
rote using word sheets, so ability to read music is
not required. All ages welcome; children under
13 should come with a parent. Every Thurs.,
6:30–8:30 p.m. Church of the Good Shepherd,
39 Washington St., Barre.

Send your listing to
[email protected]
Deadline for next issue is March 31.
Send information for events
happening April 7–April 23.

M A RC H 17 – A P R I L 6 , 2 016 • PAG E 19

T H E B R I D G E

Classifieds
Text-only class listings and
classifieds are 50 words for $25.
Call 223-5112 ext. 11

Do What You Do Best.

Bookkeeping · Payroll · Consulting

802.262.6013 evenkeelvt.com

CLASSES

Rocque Long
Painting
• Insured
• 30+ years professional
experience
• local references.

802-223-0389

FRENCH CLASSES:
Eleven-week French classes for adults starting
on March 14 in Montpelier both at U32 and
Montpelier High School. We also offer classes
in Burlington and Colchester.
Please go to www.aflcr.org for more
information or contact Micheline Tremblay at
[email protected]

SERVICES
INTERIOR PAINTING
Booking now for spring and summer.
Quality work, attention to detail.
Lots of local references. Free estimates.
Contact Carolyn Morton at 802.229.0681

Design & Build
Custom Energy-Efficient Homes
Additions • Timber Frames
Weatherization • Remodeling

• New Construction
• Renovations
• Woodworking
• General Contracting

Tell them you saw it in
The Bridge!

223-3447

clarconstruction.com

Since 1972
Repairs • New floors and walls
Crane work • Decorative concrete
Consulting • ICF foundations
114 Three Mile Bridge Rd., Middlesex, VT • (802) 229-0480 
[email protected] •  gendronconcrete.com

The Center for Leadership Skills
BUSINESS & LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

Lindel James coaching & consulting
Taking You from Frustration to Enthusiasm
802 778 0626
[email protected]
lindeljames.com

Kitchens • Bathrooms • Flooring
Tiling • Cabinetry • Fine Woodwork

GREG’S
PAINTING

Metal Roof Painting
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802-479-2733
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PAG E 2 0 • M A RC H 17 – A P R I L 6 , 2 016

Opinion

C

THE BRIDGE

Act 46 Causes Loss Of Community
Investment

by Jennifer Marckres (Craftsbury School Board Member)

raftsbury Schools is a PK-12 system serving the town of Craftsbury and tuition students from several neighboring communities. We are very proud that our Academy
is the oldest and smallest high school in the state of Vermont, but that moniker
does not keep us from looking forward. Over the last five years we have enjoyed increasing
enrollment, stable budgets and an expanded curriculum. Of our 79 high school students
we have 30-35 students taking advanced placement classes, many students in more than
one class, for a total of 63 enrollments in nine subject areas. Yet even those numbers don’t
tell the whole story. We successfully serve a very diverse student population, coming from
very different backgrounds choosing to go in many different directions after our job at the
academy is finished.

Our school’s greatest pride is our dedication to not just the kind of student we are encouraging in the classroom, but more importantly, the kind of person we are encouraging period.
I would invite everyone to visit our website and look at what the portrait of a Craftsbury
graduate looks like. You will see that our small schools, and one could argue many other
small schools around the state with close ties to the greater community, offer more than
just a curriculum and that is the essential component that Act 46 is carelessly discarding.
Under Act 46 we are being asked to voluntarily give up control over the quality product we
have built for over 150 years, for a model which may or not save money, may or may not
expand educational opportunities, may or may not keep our schools open and which may
or may not deliver greater equality throughout the state, five to 10 years down the line. A
"one size fits all" set of measures does not fit Craftsbury in any way.
Craftsbury is not afraid of change. Even though Craftsbury Academy is the oldest and
smallest high school in the state, I could write a whole dissertation outlining all of the
many instances in the last 150 years our community has come together to explore creative,
forward thinking initiatives that will ensure the delivery of a quality education while keeping a realistic and watchful eye on the financial implications of that very education. The
latest was a three-year commitment to voluntarily explore merger options under Act 153
and 156. Due to the unique makeup of our supervisory union, the merger options were
deemed impracticable.

Opinion

The legislature is now asking us to turn away from what we have been building, successfully
I might add, and change course to fix something that isn’t broken. We at Craftsbury feel
we have so much to lose and nothing concrete to gain. Craftsbury would be moving from
voting on a 3.5 million dollar budget to a 25.5 million dollar district budget. Can anyone
really say that taxpayers will not feel less of a personal connection, less of an investment?
We will be giving our buildings, buildings with 187 years of history to a district that will
manage them along with all of the other school buildings across six towns. What was once
center to our towns becomes satellite to our district all in the name "of expanding educational opportunities” and possible cost containment.
The loss of local control is frequently cited as a reason for pushing back at district mergers.
That is too simple and doesn’t even begin to capture the travesty that Act 46 represents.
What people are lamenting is not the loss of local control but the loss of community investment in the school for nothing quantifiable or guaranteed in return. We don’t argue with
the Board of Education that a district board will act in the best interest of the student. We
all, whether it is state, district or local, try to act in the best interest of the student. What
we are trying to get the Board of Education and the legislators to understand is that by removing our current governance structure, you are alienating the very people that make our
education system in Vermont one of the best in the country. The students, parents, staff,
board members and administrators of Craftsbury schools are motivated to work harder
because of the energy generated by the community. The community is investing in them
monetarily AND emotionally and students are accountable to that investment. Craftsbury
will not readily abandon that relationship.
We can cite so many examples of community involvement, energy and dedication to our
school. In the last five years we have built a gym, invested in sustainable energy, boasted the
highest NECAP scores in the state, expanded our curriculum and built a local preschool at
the insistence of our tax payers. Families are moving into our isolated, rural town to be a
part of what we are building. There is so much more at stake than the future of our small
schools. We are hoping that the State Board of Education and the legislators in favor of Act
46 will take the potentially crippling ramifications into consideration.

Health Agency, School Leaders Are Wrong
On Pot Issue

L

ast issue's editorial about cannabis regulation “Slow Down, Answer the Questions —
It's about Children and Youth” lacked balance and research. The author, having had
conversations with three school-related associations and taking selective quotes from
the Health Department's “Health Impact Assessment” can hardly be described as extensive
or balanced.

The health report was seriously flawed, an assessment that is shared by many other knowledgeable professionals. It confounded association with causation (does cannabis use lead to
poor school performance OR are those who are performing badly more likely to use?), it
data mines (using old studies from distant locales while ignoring more contemporary, local
studies that are contrary to the conclusions drawn) and fails to enumerate health benefits
of cannabis regulation.
The notion of “slowing down” what is described as a “fast track” process ignores history. In
1971 the Nixon-appointed Shafer Commission recommended that personal use of cannabis
should be legalized. In the intervening years, millions of lives have been ruined by the ineffective War on Drugs policies promoted by politicians (including those who did not inhale).
One (unnamed) person is quoted “how can we ignore brain research?” Aside from the fact
that any school that sponsors football is ignoring very sound research on brain trauma,
stands the fact that this rush to using brain imaging as explanations for behavior is reductionist and fails to account for social and economic factors. Similarly, pseudo-science
was used in the early 20th Century to “prove” that non-white races were incapable of high
level intellectual thinking, a belief that, in Vermont, led to the sterilization of hundreds of
people, targeting French-Canadians, Native Americans and other racial minorities. Led
by the University of Vermont professor of zoology Henry Perkins, the work gained wide
credibility and was finally deposited in the trash bin of history when the Nazis used the

by Stuart Friedman, Middlesex

pseudo-science to justify the Holacaust.
Students identified as poor performing, adults who have legal entanglements, and families
that draw the attention of protective services are overwhelmingly people living in poverty
or near-poverty circumstances. It is poverty and inequality that, according to many studies, lead to the ills described in the Vermont Department of Health’s report, including the
misuse of cannabis and other drugs. A retreat into biological explanations further victimizes people already marginalized and deflects our attention from the profound impacts of
poverty
Finally, the report fails to acknowledge the model for a successful effort to reduce drug
misuse, the program in place for decades to reduce tobacco dependence. It was not through
a general prohibition but a population-based approach using a variety of approaches and
legal strictures that has led to the impressive reduction of tobacco use.
As it stands now, our approach to youth is “all drug use is bad,” a statement that is contradicted by students' behavior and observations. If tobacco, alcohol, cannabis, heroin,
amphetamines, benzodiazepines are all “bad” then we miss an important opportunity to
educate students about the dangers of each substance and how to use some of them safely.
Our blanket prohibition prescription undermines any credibility we might have with adolescents (and others), and fails to recognize that for millenia humans have sought to alter
their consciousness, with drugs and other means.
Hundreds of thousands of Vermonters, including physicians, legislators and newspaper editors have used cannabis with no untoward effects; outlawing it because a small percentage
of people may have problems as a result makes no sense. We don't outlaw Big Macs because
some will develop health problems as a result, nor do we outlaw lotteries or alcohol because
of problems they may cause in some. An open, democratic society demands that people be
free to make their own choices in matters that do not affect others. Cannabis regulation
fulfills that requirement.
The author is an alcohol and drug counselor. Edited for length.

M A RC H 17 – A P R I L 6 , 2 016 • PAG E 21

T H E B R I D G E

Protect Montpelier's Drinking Water Supply
by Nat Frothingham

A

s part of City Meeting on Tuesday, March 1 — citizens in Montpelier voted overwhelmingly (2,791 to 455) to support a proposed
city charter change that would give the City of Montpelier authority to regulate and protect the city’s drinking water source at Berlin
Pond.

Editorial

These are the exact words of the ballot item that calls for this charter change: “The City
shall have the authority to regulate its public water supply and public water sources in order
to protect the water supply and sources from corruption. The City’s water supply sources
include Berlin Pond in the town of Berlin.”
Both repeatedly and strenuously — over the past two or three years at The Bridge we have
argued that it is the City of Montpelier that ought — logically — to be the prime responsible party in regulating and protecting its drinking water source and supply at Berlin Pond.
In sum, the logic of our thinking is this:
First, Berlin Pond is the city’s only drinking water source.
Second, in 1884, the Vermont Legislature gave Montpelier the right to use Berlin Pond as
its drinking water source. It also gave the State Health Department control over the pond
and the Health Department, in turn, passed that control and management over to the City
of Montpelier.
Third, when compared with other larger water sources, Berlin Pond is a small body of
water — some 256 acres. Its very smallness intensifies the importance of its protection as a
drinking water supply.
Fourth, over time the City of Montpelier has purchased almost all the land that borders the
Pond. This, among other considerations, makes the city a major stakeholder in the future
of the pond and its protection.
Fifth, in 1998 the City of Montpelier built a water treatment plant to treat incoming water
from Berlin Pond. That treatment plant cost $12 million and payments on the bond will
continue until 2028.
At its construction, the plant was designed for a pond without recreational use. In 2012, the
Agency of Natural Resources threw open the pond to a range of uses. Montpelier’s Public
Works Director Tom McArdle said that the City of Montpelier is studying the facility to
determine what additional testing protocols it should follow. He said he saw the City’s
fundamental responsibility as delivering “pure water to the tap” to the thousands of people
who depend on the pond for their drinking water. McArdle acknowledged that gasoline
engines and gasoline use are prohibited on the pond. Yet he allowed that someone might
violate the gasoline prohibitions. Gasoline and a number of other pollutants are contaminants that the treatment plant can’t address, he said. Depending on what happens, there’s

at least a possibility of greater public expenses on the horizon for water
treatment, he said.
Sixth, the State of Vermont requires the City of Montpelier to have a
(Berlin Pond) Source Protection Plan. But what good is a Source Protection Plan without the authority to make it work?

Seventh, there appears to be a strong Vermont precedent for granting municipalities the
authority to manage, regulate and protect their water supplies even if the water source is
located outside of the municipality’s geographical boundaries. The City of Barre draws its
water from a reservoir in the Town of Orange and the Barre City charter gives it control of
that water source. The same situation applies to the Village of Bellows Fall. Its charter allows
it to forbid people from going onto its water source in the Town of Rockingham. The Town
of St. Johnsbury has its water source in the Town of Waterford and the St. Johnsbury town
charter gives it control of that water source.
In its 2012 ruling, the Vermont Supreme Court essentially said that it was the state legislature that could delegate powers to municipalities. “If more powers are needed, more must
be asked for,” wrote the Supreme Court in its decision. That “asking for” at the Vermont
legislature is what the City of Montpelier’s proposed charter change is all about.
The logic comes down to this. Montpelier depends upon Berlin Pond for its water. Montpelier has a major investment in its water treatment facility. Montpelier taxpayers pay for the
water and pay for the treatment facility. It therefore stands to reason that Montpelier should
manage, regulate and protect that water resource.
Logic is one thing but politics is often quite another thing.
At the moment, the proposed city charter change that would give authority to the City of
Montpelier to manage, regulate and protect Berlin Pond is about to be handed over in the
form a bill to the Vermont House Government Operations Committee. That committee is
free to do the following: take up the bill or not take up the bill. Take a vote of the committee to support the bill or defeat it. If supported, the bill conceivably could be sent to another
committee or it could go to the House floor for consideration and action. If approved by
the House, the bill could go over to the Vermont Senate for committee consideration and
possible action by the full Senate. That could lead to no action, or Senate adoption or defeat. And even if the charter change was to pass both houses, it would then go to Gov. Peter
Shumlin for his review and action — either to sign it into law or veto it.
Given what’s at stake in protecting Berlin Pond and protecting the city’s water supply and its
sizeable outlay of public money and public investments — and given the time available until
the legislative session ends in a matter now of only weeks — surely this proposed charter
change is a matter that ought to command not just public support, but the sort of public
advocacy that could lead to favorable legislative and executive action.

The Bridge publishes every 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month,
except in July when we publish only on the 3rd Thursday.
Our next issue comes out April 7.

Letters

The GOP Cannot Remain Neutral
Editor:
Make America hate again! That is the platform and rallying
cry of the new Republican party. When challenged about
this, the GOP claimed neutrality during the primary process.
Not the Democratic party. It still believes and endorses inclusion and unification. Until the GOP distances itself from this
divisive rhetoric, not one Republican candidate deserves to
win any election. By affiliation each Republican candidate
represents bigotry. Within the last 100 years, we've seen the
terrible remnants of bigotry. Millions have died in its name.
The GOP is hiding behind the label of neutrality. You cannot
be neutral about hatred and divisiveness. Until the Republican
party shows concretely that it does not support and endorse
hatred, and distances itself from candidates who defend bigotry,
Democrats are the only candidates to elect.
G. Geoffrey Lindemer, CPA, Stowe

Urge Your Reps To Vote ‘No’ On Legalizing Pot
Editor:
After doing four interviews on my cable TV show, “Vote For
Vermont” on Orca Media — two with Sam-VT and its lobbyist and two with Senator Joe Benning, I remain unconvinced
that marijuana is good for Vermont. For every report that says
it’s bad, there are reports that say it’s not so bad, for every article
that says Colorado and other states which legalized marijuana
have had negative experiences, there are articles that say not.
What this says to me is that we just don’t have enough details
yet, so why the rush?

stance abuse safety programs, diversion programs, trafficking
and drugged driving. The bill also states that all revenue will be
put back into supporting the bill — 25 percent each to prevention, treatment, illegal trade and DUI and to administration. If
this product is so benign what are we preventing, treating and
enforcing? And since we have no money, the Senate approved
the borrowing of $2M to implement the bill and to create, at
a minimum, 30 positions over a three year period. And if you
think our children won’t be watching and curious to try marijuana, you will be sadly mistaken. If you think this is a bad idea
for Vermont, call your representatives and ask them to Vote ‘No’
for legalizing and commercializing marijuana.

Remember how long it took us to find out how dangerous Pat McDonald, Berlin
smoking was from the tobacco companies? It’s the same thing
with marijuana particularly since this marijuana is much stronWhat Do You Think?
ger than the product available ‘back in the day.’ In the 60s,
Read something that you would like to respond to? We
the average content of THC was 1 percent. In 2012 it was 12
welcome your letters and opinion pieces. Letters must
percent. I think we can agree that a certain percentage of people
be fewer than 300 words. Opinion pieces should not
will become addicted to smoking marijuana just like tobacco
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and alcohol and other drugs. Not only should we be concerned
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about these folks but we should be concerned about the related
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costs of their addiction to us. If you don’t think legislators are
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