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The Cabot Chronicle

January 2011 · Issue Record

← From the Cabot Chronicle

The community record for this issue of the Cabot Chronicle, extracted from the original pages. Reprinted with permission from the Cabot Chronicle.

Original issue: Download the January 2011 pages (PDF)

Automated extraction, spot-checked. Advertisements, the business directory, and puzzles are omitted; obituaries appear as individual entries.

In This Issue

By Julia Shipley

What can you tell us about Friendship Quilts? They are made by a group of people that want to express friendship. They might be made as a fundraiser, or as a farewell to a minister, or for a wedding. Usually somebody chooses a design pattern, and they give out the instructions to all the people that want to sew a block for the quilt. There’s a piece in each block that is blank that people can sign. When I left Virginia to move to Vermont, my friends made me a friendship quilt. It was a complete surprise. It’s got lots of red and white polka dots in it, because they I knew I love polka dots.

Do you have any quilts made out of significant pieces of fabric? Well, I’ve made one out of blue jeans but gave it as a gift, and another, it isn’t finished, made out of a polyester dress from the 1970s that belonged to Libby Hale’s mother, I got at the rummage sale. You also work for the legislature— what does that job entail? There’s two parts—first is when the legislature’s in session from January to May. I staff the House Ways and Means committee, that’s the committee that writes the tax legislation. I schedule witnesses to testify, make a lot of calls, send a lot of emails, make photocopies, process bills and paperwork, and kind of make sure the legislators have what they need and get to where they need to be. It’s intense, these are fast moving days, as they try to sort out these plicated May. summer that form

me at working my ‘School pieces and school's

DEADLINE: 15th of the month prior Publisher: Cabot Coalition Executive Editor: Jeannie Johnson Coordinator: Cia Considine

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the Pieces to Fit”

very different issues, very comissues, and then go home in During the off-season, there are study committees for issues they can’t quite resolve, so they a committee to study it and make recommendations for the next year. For example there’s the Vermont Commission on International Trade and State Sovereignty that looks at conflicts between US federal trade policies that conflict with Vermont state policies. There’s the Vermont Child Poverty Council that is a 10- year effort to look at what we can do in Vermont to reduce child poverty. And there’s the Government Accountability Committee to make state government more accountable; it’s become the sponsor for the ‘Challenges for Change’ effort. The off- season work is completely different from being in the room with the committees from January to May. Are there any connections you can see between quilting and your work at the State House? (laughs) Quilting is what allows to stay sane after a fast paced day the legislature. Right now I’m on quilted lingerie bags for daughters and a quilt called Funding II’—it’s got lots of that are all discombobulated hard to fit together, just like a budget.

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OLLAGE

Left: Cabot library tree, decked in a Westerveltesque style, including tabs of book recommendations. Right: Kathleen Hoyne, librarian, Cabot admires hand-made jewelry by Meghan Walker at the Youth Holiday Market.

Right: Santa's helpers were busy at the Cabot United Church's Elves Workshop. (l to r) Solomon Jenkins, Calem Jenkins and Leo Parlo show off their creativity in making Christmas button magnets.

Left: Also at the Elves Workshop, (l to r) Wyatt Hough and Lela Jones learn the age old tradition of handrolled wax bees candle making.

Right: Mia Preston (front carrying boxes) of brownie troop # 719, distributes food items into food drop boxes with the help of troop co -leaders, Kim Mayo and Michelle Delaney.

Left: Live Creche at Long Field Farm, December 18th, left to right: Amber Bothfeld, Chandler Bothfeld (4 months), Raymon Bothfeld, Lynn Rockwell holding 'Twilight', Martha Rockwell and April (Belgian draft horse)

Right: Snow covered tree at Cabot Plains Cemetery .Tuesday, 12/28, weather spotters reported to the National Weather Service that 7.4 inches of snow fell in Cabot's post Christmas storm.

is distributed the first day of the month is provided locally free of charge. ~ Mission Statement ~ is to regularly publish local news for the residents of the Cabot Area. that will help readers become better involved in their Community.

~ Copyright 2010 by The Cabot Chronicle

without express written permission from Cabot Chronicle. Publisher is not responsible of advertising is contingent upon editor’s and publisher’s approval and agreement by loss or expense on claims based upon contents of advertising. Publisher does not assume beyond the cost of space occupied by individual item in which the error appeared.

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By Julia Shipley

When Gage Hale, a nine-year old who lives on a big hill in Cabot, was asked by Mrs. Tormey, his 4 th grade teacher, to make a map of his neighborhood, he drew the house first and the darkest, at the dead center of the paper. But before his pencil even touched down, he had to ask himself - which was the tallest part? Then, after he had established the peaks and rectangles of his home, he began marking out the fields and trees and roads. Gage made a doodle that could be read as a small pond, except, actually, it isn’t. His concentric circles are the result of his pencil, idling in the corner of his map while he imagined more details to add. “The fun part of making a map is putting in the details, ” Gage reports. And, indeed, his map is riddled with them: including the best climbing tree, a cedar by his house; the field that in spring and summer is filled with cows; the strands of barbed wire that keep the cows from ravishing his mother’s rose bushes; an X to mark his bedroom in the house; and a tiny oval over the garage-- the sign from his grandfather’s former West Winds Book Store, depicting clouds and sea. There is one detail on Gage’s map he can’t identify—he can’t remember what it is nor why he might have put it there. It looks like a snorkel sticking out of the lawn. Is it the basketball net? No. Is it the well head? No, although, for simplicity’s sake, he’d be happy to tell you that it is. Throughout the conversation in the back of Harry’s Hardware Store, Gage’s index finger flexes around the tiny mark, stroking it, as if by proximity and energy, he can prod it to identify itself. In ‘Losing Your Place,’ an essay by Sue Clifford and Angela King, founders of Common Ground, an organization that supports community mapping in Great Britain, the authors pose the existential questions that have both nothing to do and everything to do with Gage’s map. They ask: “How do we know where we are in time and space? How do we understand ourselves in the world?” Clifford and King believe the answers can be found through what they call, “local distinctiveness,” which is, as they explain, “essentially about places and our relationship to them.” In recognizing how this relationship evolves, the pair asserts: “There is much non-verbal communication between us and a place we know well. As well as responding to the obvious, we identify signs, hints, clues, traces, suggestions, gestures, intimations, and they gather further richness through juxtaposition. We respond to mosaic. We need nourishment of detail, in things ordinary as rumples in a field, detail in doors and windows, dialect, local festival days, seasonal variation in the goods on sale in a market, to subtly stimulate our senses and sensibilities.”

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Town

of place (fourth in a series).

And what does this have to do with 9year old Gage? First, let me cite another expert on cultivating a sense of place: Melisa Holbrook Pierson, author of The Place You Love Is Gone: Progress Hits Home , about the radical alteration of places in the US, including her hometown of Akron, Ohio, which no longer resembles the Akron of her childhood, warns anyone who has a beloved place: “Your home is what you see about you. It is composed only of things, which arrange themselves into visions. These visions launch you into life, holding their banner so it streams back in the air to describe an arc from past through present. When the things get erased after you have already left the ground, you are no longer certain where you might land, because behind you is no trace of the spot where you leaped.” And then even more forebodingly: ”The hunger to revisit the sensuous experiences of childhood—and the most potent are the most trivial, the things imbued with importance because we did not know they were unimportant—is increasing in proportion to our loss of them. “ So the kinds of things Gage tells you about now, when you ask him describe landmarks beyond his map, the particulars of his larger neighborhood that might help him know his way home-the pile of logs, dubbed “the X-wing” pile, because they resemble “the wing of an x-wing fighter plane from Star Wars”; and the sugarhouse down by the big, windy hill that “in spring gushes with smoke;” and the cell phone tree—a pine tree where people pull over and talk—the one place in Cabot to get reception before they put up antennas on nearby barns--these are the potent and trivial things which are helping to nourish a sense of who and where he is. And it is precisely these same fun details, these mundane, ordinary, sensuous details, which may, through their endurance in both memory and time, also provide some sense of orientation and identity later, as he travels toward the new country of adulthood.

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HARDWICK/CABOT:

Payson E. Churchill, 78, of Hardwick, formerly of Cabot, died December 14, 2010, at the Fletcher Allen Medical Center in Burlington, He was born February 7, 1932, in Hyde Park, the son of the late Fred E. and Lottie (LaPlante) Churchill. He attended Cabot public schools. He entered the U.S. Army on August 19, 1952, in Manchester, N.H. He served his country in Korea. Sergeant Churchill was honorably discharged on August 18, 1955. On September 26, 1954, he married Dorothy Jean Wellman in Cabot, where they lived most of their married life. She died August 6, 1998. Due to failing health, he moved to Hardwick in 2007 and made his home with his daughter and son-inlaw, Karen and Warren Dodge. In his earlier years, he worked on the family dairy farm. He was later employed in the concrete business, working for several area companies, including Hutch, Anderson, Miller and Lessard Concrete companies. He retired from his full-time work in the mid-1990’s and, for more than 10 years, he worked part-time for the Cabot Cemetery Association. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, yard sales, country music, family gatherings and baking pies.

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WALDEN:

Carson Russell Tilden, of Walden, died tragically in a car accident December 15, 2010. Carson was born June 17, 2003, son of Mark and Nicole Ling Tilden. He was in the second grade at the Walden Elementary School, and previously at Barre City. He loved all types of sports and working with his dad on any kind of project. Everywhere he went, he brought spunk, curiosity and a spirit of mischief. His love of learning and positive attitude touched everyone that he came in contact with. Even though his time was too short, we will always feel the love he filled us with. Carson is survived by his parents, siblings Jay, Sadie, Jamie and McKinley; grandparents Dexter and Beth Tilden of Post Mills, Arthur and Sharon Ling of Hardwick, and Deborah Finnegan-Ling of Greensboro; several aunts,uncles and

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CABOT:

Wendell A. Wheeler, 79, died Tuesday, Dec. 14, 2010, at the Berlin Health & Rehabilitation Center in Berlin. Born in Cabot Dec. 2, 1931, he was the son of the late Henry and Bertha (Spencer) Wheeler. He attended schools in Cabot. After his schooling, he was employed at various jobs such as a farm hand and also worked at the Saw Mill. His last employment was for Granite Industries, Inc., where he was employed as a polisher until his retirement. He made his home for many years with his companion, Myrlene Hewett. She died in 2006. He then made his home with Myrlene’s daughter, Phyllis Hewett. He was a member of the United Church of Cabot, where he enjoyed the Senior Citizens Program and dinners. His hobbies were fishing and doing jigsaw puzzles. Survivors include one sister, Evangeline Jillson of North Barre Manor; nieces, nephews, and cousins, as well as the family of Myrlene Hewett. He was predeceased by five brothers, Joseph, James, Spencer, Ivan and Oliver Spencer. Family and friends paid respects at the Pruneau-Polli Funeral Home in

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January 2011 ~ page 3

Survivors include a daughter: Karen Dodge, and her husband, Warren, of Hardwick; three sons: Brian Churchill and his wife Sandra of Barre; Jason Churchill and his wife, Stephanie, of St. Johnsbury; and James Churchill and his companion, Cristie Arguin, of Northfield; seven grandchildren: Trulie McAllister and Barry Cadorette, both of Hardwick; Amanda Churchill of South Burlington; Amy Churchill of Berlin; Kristy Durand of Cabot; Amanda Durand and Kayla Churchill, both of Marshfield; 5 great grandchildren: Emma Durand of Cabot; Christopher Bagley, Hunter, Hanna and Shannon McAllister, all of Hardwick; two sisters: Martha Laber of Nashua, N.H.; and Mavine Huntington of Washington, Vt.; and several nieces, nephews and cousins. In addition to his wife, he was predeceased by twelve siblings: Paul, Philip, Percy, Porter, Perley, Mary, Madeline, Maude, Margaret, Mabel, Marjorie and Mavis. A Graveside Service will be held in May of 2011 in the Durant Cemetery in Cabot. In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to the Lamoille

Elmore, Vermont 05657. Arrangements are under the direction of Dian R. Holcomb of Northern Vermont Funeral Service, 60 Elm Street, Hardwick. cousins, and special family friends, the Bassett and Baker family. It's comforting to know that he was welcomed in heaven by familiar family members who preceded him in death. The family received friends at the Walden Elementary School. A funeral Mass was celebrated at St. Augustine Church in Montpelier. Two funds have been set up for the Tilden family. The first is for the family during this difficult period. called the Carson Tilden Fund. The second is in memory of Carson, and will be used to fund the sports and literacy programs that meant so very much to Carson at Walden Elementary School, called the Carson Fund. Please send contributions to either fund c/o Charles Bucknam, 434 Eastman Road, E. Hardwick, VT 05836, and designate which fund you wish to contribute to. Arrangements are in the care of des Groseilliers Funeral Homes Church St., Hardwick. Barre Saturday, Dec. 18, 2010, from 2 to 4 p.m. A later graveside service will be held in the spring, to be announced, in the Durant Cemetery in Cabot. Entombment will be in the Elmwood Vault in Barre. Arrangements are in the care of the Pruneau-Polli Funeral Home, 58 Summer St., Barre.

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Lisa White - Organix

Lisa White offers cuts, colors, curls and Street in Cabot One step in the door, and you know Organix is different. Lisa White has filled her shop with hand-made jewelry, pictures of dogs and wolves, and a comfy, spa-like atmosphere, complimented by old wood and greenery. Ask her about the products she uses, and she’ll enthusiastically tell you how she researched numerous vendors before choosing the Organic line with only safe and natural ingredients. The color system contains certified organic extracts and natural ingredients that maintain hair’s essential moisture and protein levels, so hair is not damaged by the coloring process, leaving it healthy, shiny and natural-looking. The curl system is an innovative perm that is completely free of ammonia and thiogly-

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By Jeannie Johnson

Who are the organizations and groups that make up our Cabot Community? What is their work? Our new feature, ‘Cabot Community Close-Up’, will profile the groups we can identify and will be available collectively through our Cabot Chronicle website. Chronicle: What is your group’s name and mission? CS: Cabot Skylighters Snowmobile Club. Our work is to create and maintain a trail for snowmobiles within the town of Cabot. (On the Skylighters’ website, it states “The mission of this club is to promote and encourage family participation in snowmobiling, and to promote and encourage the safe responsible use of snowmobiles and development of the sport within the state.”) Chronicle: What do you and your volunteers do? CS: Get out and clear trails, put up signs at the beginning of the season and take them down at the end, rebuild bridges, obtain landowner permission slips. All the work needed to maintain the 29 miles of trail we are responsible for. Chronicle: When do you meet? CS: First Tuesday of the month at 7:30 p.m., unless it is the first day of the month, then it’s the second Tuesday. We usually meet from October to May; we meet in the summer if we have something special we’re working on. Chronicle: Where do you meet? CS: Selectboard meeting room in the

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Hair Studio

waxing at her "Organix" salon on Main

colates, and leaves hair closer to its natural pH level, so it is undamaged by the perming process. Rich in corn, soy and wheat proteins, it conditions hair, creating a healthy bounce and shine. Lisa offers shampoo and cut, style, iron, set, organic curl system, organic color system and the most popular waxing services at the salon on Main Street, kitty-corner to the Willey Building. Creating highlights and lowlights is one of her favorite services. Business hours are: Tuesday by appointment; Wednesday 9 a.m.—5 p.m.; Thursday 11 a.m.— 7 p.m.; Friday 9 a.m.—5 p.m.; and Saturday 9:00 a.m.—2:00 p.m. Call 5632275 to book an appointment, or stop by to view her jewelry.

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Snowmobile Club

Willey Building. Chronicle: involved? How does someone get

CS: Come to a meeting or contact a volunteer. Chronicle: What else would you like our readers to know? CS: Discounted TMAs are available to volunteers who contribute 24 hours of work. More help is always needed, and volunteers are welcome at meetings and work groups.

Cabot Skylighters club officers and contact information: President: Jim Ackermann—802-5632440 Vice President: Ted Domey - 802-5633147 Treasurer: 9907 Wendy Barnett—802-563-

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By Will Ameden

The internet has no lack of voices portrayed in blogs. The Cabot Chronicle would like to spotlight excerpts from blogs that are written by Cabot folks, or blogs that refer to our town. This blurb is taken from Will Ameden’s blog http://catamountaviation.word press.com/. One thing that is truly interesting about milling a piece of lumber on my saw mill, is this; “you never know what you will find when you open up the log”. I cut boards or beams or clapboards or shingles and as I load a log onto the mill to make the first cut, these are just a few things running through my mind: What am I hoping to extract in lumber out of the log? Which side (face) of the log has the highest quality? How straight is it? Where are the defects in the log that I need to consider? The first cut is an educated guess. The log, once opened, reveals a story of its own.

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By Libby Hale

After a brief respite following soccer, the Recreation Department is back in full swing with 3 rd through 6 th grade basketball underway and the primary program starting soon. rink should be in place The skating and useable by now, weather permitting, and the trail work is underway with repairs being completed. Thanks to the generosity of many property owners, new trails are in the planning and marking stages. The Rec. Dept. will be hosting some guided snowshoe outings throughout the winter for all who are interested. There will be notices around town and through the internet when they are planned. In addition, the Rec. Dept. is proud to be home of the first cheerleading squad since the ‘70s!!! Currently, there is a small group of cheerleaders who would benefit from a few more to cheer with. If you are 5 th grade through 12th and want to join in the fun and support your teams while getting some exercise let us

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(excerpt)

Ash can be very surprising (and dangerous). For some reason, ash has a lot of stress in it, because of the grain and the way that it grows. Think of a tree growing on the side of a hill and for its whole life the branches are growing up towards the sun, they are always growing against the way the tree wants to grow. So when you get the log to your mill, it has all that tension inside, and it’s hard to tell how much tension is there. I was once sawing a 10 foot ash log and as I finished the first cut, the slab sprang away and came flying off the mill like shot from a gun! I sawed through a horse shoe that must have been hung on a branch 40 years earlier. I wonder what the story was? I have sawn through many nails and spikes, colonies of ants, squirrel nests, and once a bunch of baby mice came running out of a hole I opened up! Read this complete blog entry and o t h e r s a t h t t p : / / catamountaviation.wordpress.com/

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News

know! You can even play a sport as well as cheer. The format is designed to be flexible so athletes don’t have to choose, and non-athletes can participate in whichever seasons they want. Another endeavor that is in the organizing stages is the development of an area team that will be part of the statewide Vermont Soccer League. The team is called the Northeast Kingdom Warriors and will encompass several surrounding towns, but will have Cabot as home. This team will make soccer available for more than one season for those who are interested, and will enhance skills for varsity-level play. Look for more on this in the February issue. For all this to happen, there are a lot of people involved and many, many hours of time donated. Without getting into specifics (because we’d likely forget someone and feel really badly) the Rec. Dept. wants to thank all who are making these programs possible and run smoothly in such a great community. W GO CABOT! GO HUSKYS!

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By Chronicle Staff

The open positions listed below will be filled at Town Meeting 2011, on Tuesday, March 1. The listing of duties comes from the Vermont Secretary of State, Vermont School Board Association and other sources, and is not intended to be complete, but a guide for the type of responsibilities involved. For further information, confirmation of requirements and deadlines and to pick up petition forms, contact the Cabot Town Clerk during office hours at the

tcocabot@fairpoint.net.

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Who May Run for Election

You must be a legally-qualified voter, a citizen of the United States, a Resident of Vermont, have taken the Voter’s Oath and be 18 years of age or older. If you spend more than $500 in your local election bid (a very rare occurrence in Vermont), you will have to file with the Town Clerk a campaign finance report 10 days before and within 10 days after the election. Check with the Cabot Town Clerk and Vermont Secretary of State’s office for legal responsibilities under Vermont campaign law if this paragraph applies.

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Requirements for Positions Elected

by Australian Ballot To have your name placed on the Australian ballot for election on Town Meeting Day, advance planning is required. After researching the responsibilities and time commitment involved in holding a municipal officer position, the next step is securing town voter signatures on an appropriate petition form. The Vermont Secretary of State requires petitions to be filed with the Town Clerk no later than 5:00 p.m. on January 24, 2011. Forms are available at the Cabot Town Clerk’s office or you can use the information in Vermont Statutes Online local elections law, which identifies requirements: http:// www.leg.state.vt.us/statutes/ fullsection.cfm?Title=17&Chapter= 055&Section=02681. At least thirty valid signatures of voters, or one percent of the legal voters of the municipality, whichever is less, is required. In Cabot, that means a minimum of eleven voters, but Town Clerks recommend you obtain more signatures than required, because all signatures must be certified as belonging to registered voters within the municipality, and often some signatures must be rejected because they are unreadable, the voters aren’t registered, the signature is not complete enough to be clear which voter signed the petition, or other issues that don’t allow it to be counted in the total. Fifteen to twenty signatures would be smart, and it’s a good idea to submit your petition early; if too many signatures are rejected, you’ll have time to obtain more to meet the minimum in time. No later than two days after the petition deadline (Wednesday, January 26, 2011), you will also need to sign a consent form with the Town Clerk to put your name on the ballot. The candidate shall indicate clearly on the petition form which office he or she is seeking. Each petition form shall contain the name of only one candidate. A voter shall not sign more than one petition for the same office, unless more than one nomination is to be made, in which case the voter may sign as many petitions as there are nominations to be made for the same office. Only regis-

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Municipal Officers Elected by Aus-

tralian Ballot A list of responsibilities for each position can be found at

complete information, For more consult the League of Cities and Towns (VLCT) (www.vlct.org), the Secretary of State municipal division (http:// www.sec.state.vt.us/municipal/), Vermont School Boards Association (www.vtvsba.org) or a current officeholder. You can, most likely, expect the work to go beyond what is listed.

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Town Clerk

Records, preserves and certifies the public records of the town, issues dog, marriage, civil union and hunting and fishing licenses and motor vehicle renewals. Runs the local elections, serves as clerk of the Board of Civil Authority, and hears tax abatement requests and tax appeals. Should have the patience of a saint and be a good ambassador for the town. 17 V.S.A. § 2646(2). See VLCT’s Handbook for Vermont Municipal Clerks for further detail.

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Town Treasurer

Keeps the town and school’s accounts (unless a separate school treasurer is elected), invests money (with the approval of the legislative body,) keeps a record of the taxes voted and pays orders drawn on him or her. Should be very precise, detail oriented and good at math. 17 V.S.A. § 2646(3).

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One Selectperson

General supervision and control over town, enacts ordinances, regulations and policies for town, oversees town property and personnel, prepares, presents and manages budget, oversees roads, including laying out, discontinuing and reclassifying roads. Sits as local board of health, liquor control commission and sewer commission. Should know the town well, be able to understand all sides of complex issues, and have very thick skin. 17 V.S.A. § 2646 (4); 17 V.S.A. § 2649. See VLCT’s Handbook for Vermont Selectboards for more information.

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Two School Directors

Schools and school boards are governmental entities separate from cities, towns and villages. As part of its duties, the local board of school directors enters into contracts with supervisory unions for joint services, determines educational policies, cares for and manages school property, draws orders for loans to the town’s general fund, makes regulations, reports to the state and to the town school district regarding expenditures, recommends a budget, fixes the number of hours that shall constitute a school day, determines the legal residence of pupils, prepares the school census, establishes policy related to student discipline, controls and regulates the transportation of pupils, provides certain health and nutrition services for children of indigent parents, and enters into contracts with teachers. See the Vermont School Board Association’s (VSBA) Handbook for New and Not So New School Board Members for more information. The VSBA offers information for community members considering running for the school board, including qualifications, duties and the process involved to become a school board member at http://www.vtvsba.org/.

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First Constable and Second Consta-

ble In some towns, the constable is the town’s local law enforcement officer, with all powers of search, seizure and arrest within the town. In other towns, the constable only has the power to serve civil process, assist the health officer in the discharge of his or her duties,

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By Kitty Toll

The 2011 Legislative session is upon us. Many serious challenges face state governments across the country. Even though Vermont is in much better shape than many other states, there are many critical issues that must be addressed and resolved this year. This year it is important that we again end the session with a balanced budget, one that is sustainable and responsible. Continued difficult economic times has contributed to another gap in the budget that must be filled. At this time the gap is estimated to be approximately $112 million and an increase may be seen depending on results from Challenges for Change. The Vermont State Legislature has always passed a balanced budget and many difficult decisions will have to be made to balance this year’s. Committee assignments will be announced at the start of the session. In December, House members were given the opportunity to identify their top five

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Law Agent

The law agent, or town agent, used to prosecute and defend civil suits not of a criminal nature. The selectboard now has that authority. Thus, the law agent’s duty consists merely of assisting when litigation is in progress at the request of the selectboard. (Generally not a very active position.) 17 V.S.A. § 2646 (11).

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Outlook

committee choices to ultimately be determined by the Speaker of the House. Whether working on tax policy and budgetary matters; improving our business climate; designing affordable health care options; or helping to preserve our agricultural heritage and rural landscape, all work impacting Vermont and Vermonters must be carefully considered and crafted to guarantee a prosperous and secure future. To the voters in Cabot, Danville and Peacham, I would like to express my sincere gratitude for re-electing me as your voice in Montpelier. I will continue to listen to all sides of issues and work hard when making decisions. Please feel free to contact me anytime with concerns: State House: Home: Email: Mail: VT 05828 ktoll@leg.state.vt.us

Best wishes for a happy and healthy 2011!

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Winter Trails Day @ Smuggler's

Notch , South Cambridge. Spend the day snowshoeing and cross country skiing for free. Smugglers' Nordic Ski and Snowshoe Adventure Center will provide free rentals and offer short instructional sessions from 12:00 noon until 4:00 p.m. for first time snowshoers and cross country skiers. Information: 6441173.

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Crafty Saturdays @ Vermont His-

torical Society Museum , Montpelier, 1:00 - 3:00 p.m., ages 6-12, free with admission to the museum: $12 families|$5 adults|$3 students and children 6-17. Create your own portrait of Ethan Allen; no portrait or sculpture was done of Ethan during his lifetime, so we don't know what he looked like. Create your own portrait of Ethan using descriptions from people who knew him. Information: or www.vermonthistory.org.

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Second annual Great Ishkabibble

Ski Tour , Highland Lodge, Greensboro. Come Ski the magnificent Great Circle with your family and friends. All participants will be treated to Ishkabibble upon returning to Highland Lodge Ski Shop! (finish by 4 PM). Pack your own lunch and water—no support services on the route. Please call to sign up:

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Burke Mountain Sled Dog Dash ,

Burke Mountain Ski Area, 9:00 a.m.4:00 p.m.. Family-oriented event for pet enthusiasts: see competitive sprint racing Hot teams food served compete at against the race each site, other. chil-

dren's games and activities, scenic trail viewing areas with high-peak and Willoughby Gap backdrops will be accessible by snowshoes. Information: skiburke.com.

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Ice on Fire @ North Branch Nature

Center , Montpelier, 2:00 - 5:00 p.m., donation. This is a huge winter festival in the open fields of the North Branch Nature Center, including: parade at 2:00 p.m., storytelling, winter games, songs, outdoor theater, and bonfire at 5:00 p.m. Bring XC skis, snowshoes and sleds.

www.northbranchnaturecenter.org (Continued on page 7)

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Martin Luther King, Jr., Day Pro-

gram: We Share Our World, 12:00 noon at the Vermont History Center, Barre, 7:00 p.m. at the Vermont History Museum, Montpelier. Celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Vermont Refugee Resettlement Program, VHS presents a program that includes stories from recent immigrants, as well as an exhibit of art and artifacts. Please call

tess.taylor@state.vt.us.

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Ongoing:

The Girl Scouts of Cabot will be taking orders for Girl Scout cookies from January 1st to February 7th, with delivery expected March 5th. Cabot Playgroup , Every Wed. 9:30 through 11:00 a.m., Cabot United Church basement, free, ages 0-4. Snacks provided, all are welcome. In-

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Cabot Recreation Dept monthly

meeting , second Tuesday of each month, Willey Building, Cabot, 6:00 p.m. Story Hour , Cabot Public Library, Tuesdays 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. Join us for a book or two followed by a craft project. For the preschool-aged patron. Game Club at the Cabot Public Library, Wednesdays 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. Join us for a game, play one of ours or bring your own. vided. Snack will be pro-

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OU IDN T

The winds last month blew trees down all over Cabot. A tree that fell on the electrical wires on Churchill Road caused a multi-colored light show in the sky and ignited some small ground fires. Washington Coop customers lost their power on West Hill for about a day, more or less. Many folks were caught off guard. Word is the Selectboard resumed their meeting despite the darkness—bathed in the emergency light in the stairwell. Hourihan’s new greenhouse - under construction, but with the plastic in place was shredded in the recent windstorm. It seemed nothing could hold down the flapping plastic except full-sized logs! A premier of a locally-made film was debuted at the CSPAC building over the Thanksgiving Holiday. Area actors, the screenwriter, editor and director enjoyed a reception with a small private clientele. Watch for it on You Tube. The title, “A Mysterious Find”. Rated ’G’ for all audiences. Welcome Home is in order for all the soldiers returning from Afghanistan these past weeks. May they all enjoy the comfort of being with their families. Thank you to all the Mentors and the volunteers of the Cabot Connects Mentor Program. Your service goes a long way and is greatly appreciated. January is National Mentoring Month. The Cabot Girl Scouts will be starting their annual Cookie Sale starting January 1st and taking orders through February 7th. Delivery is expected March 5th. If you don’t know a Girl Scout and want your cookies, contact Cecilia Gulka,

If you were up all night celebrating the Winter Solstice, you would have enjoyed a total eclipse of the moon. An exceptional total eclipse could be seen throughout North America very early on the 21st, the first day of winter, ET. The eclipsing began around 1:32 AM and was total by 2:40AM. The official time of the beginning of winter on the 21st is 6:38PM. If you missed it, the next total lunar eclipse will be June 15th, 2011. Dance enthusiasts have been traveling to Woodbury in order to partake in the latest movement craze, “Zumba”, a type of dance/cardio workout that incorporates all types of dance from Cha Cha to Modern Jazz. How will Cabot Contra that? Contra dancing? What is that exactly? Well we are told that it is not the same as country line dancing. Contra dance groups receive absolutely no funding from Oliver North, No classes are required, or even offered (in general), except for a nonrequired half-hour or fifteen minute introduction to contra dance before the dance No particular style of clothes are required

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Family Contra & Square Dance ,

First Friday of each month. Danville Town Hall, 8:00 p.m., donation requested. Chip Hedler will do the calling and David Carpenter will lead the band. The dances are taught and are easily learned by young and old. The Danville Family Contra and Square Dance is held on the first Friday of the month through May. Information: 563 -3225 or email samlyman@sover.net. Just Parents , Mondays 7:00 p.m., meet with parents and discuss concerns for drugs and kids, Parent Child Cen-

Planetarium Show , Fairbanks Museum, St. Johnsbury, Saturday and

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EAR T ROM E

and very little footwork is required in contra dance. The most common type of movement is a smooth walking step. Contra dances are a place where people from many walks of life come together to dance and socialize. Hm. Be aware that area residents may be asked to participate in the National Survey on Drug Use and Health that is being administered through the department of Health and Human Services. This is the Federal Government’s primary source of national data on the use of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs, health, illegal behaviors and other topics associated with substance. Randomly chosen individuals have been contacted in our area and received the $30.00 incentive for taking the online survey. The Cabot Coalition was only made aware of this survey by word of mouth from some local residents that participated. More about this study at http://nsduhweb.rti.org. Special thanks to the Cabot Creamery for partially sponsoring the recent CliF Book presentation to our elementaryaged Cabot students. Thank you to those who purchased wreaths from the Chronicle’s Wreath Sale. Your support is greatly acknowledged. After the lovely Community Chorus performance, it was heard that Lynn Maxfield’s solo rivaled the tones of Susan Boyle! She is currently deliberating about when to launch her first CD. Thank you, also, for all the newsworthy submissions from faithful community groups and individuals, as we continue to promote a healthy connected community through consistent communication. Thank you to Karen Mueller-Harder for her work with the Cabot Community Theater. The Participants appreciate her patience and direction. Amanda Legare says, “As far as I know, Palmer is OK. The group of peasants he works with did get their cardamon harvest in, which is a very good thing. One Mayan leader has been seriously injured and the three communities he supports are still under attack. He is spending Christmas with his Guatemalan friends, but he has promised me he will be back in Cabot for Easter! Palmer has a page on Facebook where he posts about his activities.” The following hunters shot their deer after our deer report of last month and deserve congratulations! Andy Luce in Cabot, 123 pounds and 3 points. Rick Smith in Cabot, 135 pounds and 5 points. Tylor Stecker in Cabot, 164 pounds and 7 points. Mark Codling in Cabot, 152 pounds and 8 points. Paul Celley in

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By Michael Socks

As reported in the Chronicle, energy audits for the Willey Building, Masonic Hall, and Wastewater Treatment Plant were performed in August. The results are in. And how do Cabot’s buildings compare to others in central Vermont? Based on a review of energy bills spanning several years, the Willey Building and Masonic Hall were found to consume 50% to 60% more heating fuel per year than a sample of comparable buildings in other towns in the region. Electricity use for both buildings was about average based on such factors as annual hours of use and square footage. The reasons for high fuel use were investigated by conducting a blower door test, in which a large fan is positioned in a doorway and used to create air movement from indoors to outdoors. During the test, all the leaks and cracks in the building exterior reveal themselves. The audit reports contain an extensive list of air leaks, including photographs of problem areas. For the Willey Building, the primary recommendations for improvement are additional attic and wall insulation and air sealing. Addressing these issues could save 40%, or over 1,200 gallons, of the fuel oil consumed each year. While the Masonic Hall also needs insulation and air sealing improvements, the auditors noted an additional moisture issue in the basement. Excessive moisture may lead to rot and mold issues, and a vapor barrier and possibly a dehumidifier were recommended. In addition to energy savings, these steps would improve building durability and reduce maintenance costs by avoiding major structural issues in the future. Insulation and air sealing measures in the Willey Building and Masonic Hall would save the town an estimated $4,200 per year at current fuel costs. At the time of the report, the Cabot Wastewater Treatment Plant was the only building of its type visited by the auditors, so no comparison could be made. itself, The water treatment process, is very energy intensive, consuming more electricity than forty typical central Vermont homes. The auditors noted that the “open tank” design of the treatment plant requires a steady stream of outside air to evacuate mois-

Cabot 130 pounds and 3 points. Sam Mattson in Cabot, 124 pounds and 3 points. There are also some young budding artists preparing for their Green Mountain Nutcracker performance at the Barre Opera House. They are Maya Morse, Gala Morse, Mazie O'Connor, Clementine O'Connor and Nora Krumperman. In fact, Nora’s mom, Christine Harris is the director/choreographer of the performance and also a recent newcomer to Cabot. We stand to offer a salute of respect and gratitude for all the townspeople who have served as Village Trustees through the years. A moment of silence is offered for the passing of the political entity known as the Village of Cabot. Vermont House Bill 794, “An Act Relating to Approval of the Merger of the Town of Cabot and the Village of Cabot,” which became Act M024 upon passage, ratified the plan of merger as approved by the voters of the Town of Cabot and the voters of the Village of Cabot on March 2, 2010, effective as of midnight at the end of December 31, 2010. The terms of all officers of the Village of Cabot terminate on the effective merger date. We pass into a new era. To see details of the legislation, go to: http:// www.leg.state.vt.us/docs/2010/Acts/ ACTM024.pdf.

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Interpreted

ture from the building. According to plant operator Jim Brimblecombe, the interior space must also remain above 58 degrees Fahrenheit to maintain the effectiveness of the treatment chemicals. In effect, as much as 50% of the heat added to the building is quickly lost to the outdoors through ventilation. Possible solutions are enclosing the treatment tanks and reducing ventilation requirements or installing heat recovery equipment in the ventilation air stream. Building Energy also suggested solar photovoltaic (PV) panels for the Wastewater Treatment Plant, because of the south-facing orientation of the roof. A grid-connected 25 kW system would generate about 13% of the electricity consumed by the Treatment Plant. By displacing electricity use and taking advantage of a solar electric purchase program available through Green Mountain Power, the system could generate about $5,500 per year for the town. While solar panels and other forms of renewable energy may be a hotter topic, plain old efficiency offers a pretty good investment, as well. The complete energy audit reports are available from the Town Clerk’s Office. For those interested in a broader understanding of these energy issues, the Cabot Planning Commission will be hosting a Town Plan input session on the topic of Energy on February 7th at the Willey Building. All members of the community are invited.

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Additional information sources:

Green Mountain Power SolarGMP http://www.greenmountainpower.com/ solar_GMP.html Washington Electric Cooperative Understanding Electricity Usage http://www.washingtonelectric.coop/ pages/understand.htm U.S. Department of Energy Estimating Energy Cost Savings for a Net-Metered Photovoltaic System http://www.energysavers.gov/ your_home/electricity/index.cfm/ mytopic=10860 Michael Socks is a Senior Energy Consultant at the Vermont Energy Investment C Corporation and a resident of

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By Chronicle Staff

MLK Day is a chance to start the year off right by making an impact in your community. Each year, the Corporation for National and Community Service honors Rev. Martin Luther King’s legacy by asking Americans to take action by helping their neighbors and communities on the King holiday. Get involved today by joining a working group or planning a project in your community.

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What is the MLK Day of Service?

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., once said, "Life's most persistent and urgent question is: 'What are you doing for others?'" Each year, Americans across the country answer that question by coming together on the King Holiday to serve their neighbors and communities. The MLK Day of Service is a part of United We Serve, the President's national call to service initiative. It calls for Americans from all walks of life to work together to provide solutions to our most pressing national problems. January 17, 2011, will mark the 25th anniversary of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., federal holiday. This milestone is a perfect opportunity for Americans to honor Dr. King’s legacy through service. The MLK Day of Service empowers individuals, strengthens communities, bridges barriers, creates solutions to

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By Irene Nagle

Despite the snowy weather, several Cabot residents turned out for the December 13 th work session held by the Cabot Planning Commission. They shared cookies and cider and reviewed the draft goals and implementation strategies contained in the draft Land Use section. Although both Land Use and Natural Resources were on the agenda, the Land Use section generated so much discussion that the meeting ended before a complete review of the Natural Resources section could commence. However, there will be future opportunity to revisit this section, as two public hearings must be held on the entire draft Town Plan prior to adoption by the Selectboard. The work session on December 13 th began with a recap of the planning process. Among the benefits of having the

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At The...

at Cabot School in Cabot, Vermont. He grew up on a farm in Cabot, but now lives He has always loved to draw and, in fact, takes classes at Cabot School specifically and design. Wyatt's dream was to have his comics in a newspaper. Now, that dream talent and the Cabot Chronicle is proud to premiere this local artist.

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TO DO IT ALONE

most endless. Have you ever wonAn opportunity to allow Cabot's dered why someone doesn’t do something about—you fill in the blank. Do you love reading? Consider volunteering at the Library. Are you the outdoors type? The Recreation Trail group or the Skylighters Snowmobile Club could really use volunteers. Do you like helping other people? Faith in Action needs volunteers once or twice a month to help at the food bank distribution or to assist with their other programs. Do you love history? We have a Historical Society. Are you fun to be with, do you like spending time with kids? We have a mentor program. Are you a Huskies fan? The Booster Club and PTSO could be a match for you. You don’t need to leave Cabot to be part of the movement. But if you prefer to join in on a larger level, you can find out what’s going on around the country at the web site dedicated to this initiative. Go to http://mlkday.gov to learn more about MLK Day and how you can participate. You can find action guides and tips and tools, register your project or sign on to a project. It is said: If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem. Take the opportunity to get out and help.

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Wiley Building

Desert and cofe wil be served There is tremendous potential in working together to ease the amount of work we all do and improve our community. Sponsored by the Cabot Chronicle and the Friends of Cabot Library.

Learn more about the 40+ organizations in town Mark your calendar now, and please plan to join us.

Cabot’s existing residential and com- Promote pedestrian access for all develmercial development nodes: Cabot opment in village centers. Village and Lower Cabot Village. Retain important scenic resources Town Plan approved by the Regional Planning Commission are that Cabot can adopt new or revised land use regulations, is eligible to receive grants only available to Towns with approved plans, and has greater influence over Act 250 Decisions, since the District Environmental Commission must give weight to approved local land use plans. In order to be approved by the regional planning commission, the Town Plan must be consistent with the state-wide planning goals and compatible with the plans of other towns in the region. After a brief presentation regarding the purpose and benefits of having an approved Town Plan, discussion at the work session commenced on the eight draft land use goals and accompanying implementation strategies. The goals are: Encourage future residential and commercial development to locate in Preserve existing Town common as the visual centerpiece of community life and commercial development in Cabot, and encourage preservation and adaptive reuse of historic structures in Cabot Village and Lower Cabot Village Use land in a way that fosters economic development, affordability and selfsustainability. Guide the development of land in a way that retains working farms and productive forest land as major land uses in the Town, and protects natural, historic and scenic resources. Encourage new development in areas served by existing infrastructure, including utilities and roads, while ensuring that the uses and the rate and scale of development is in keeping with Cabot’s existing character, and that property values are preserved. Administer the Town’s Land Use Regulations in a fair and consistent manner The public discussion of the best ways to implement these goals was extremely productive, and the Land Use draft is in the process of revision to incorporate comments made at the meeting. The next work session, on the Energy and Transportation sections, is scheduled for February 7, 2010. Preliminary drafts of these two sections will be available for review the week prior to the work session. Although an RSVP is not required, it is appreciated. If you plan to attend, please send an email to cabotplanning@gmail.com. As always, public engagement is critical to the long-term success of the Town Plan. We hope to see you there!

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By Kathleen Hoyne

Cabot Connects Mentoring, a project of the Cabot Coalition, is celebrating its 5th anniversary. In five years we have provided essential support to youth in our community and a meaningful volunteer opporunity for adults. Cabot Connects sends out a heartfelt thanks to all the mentors and advisory board members that have given years of their time, good energy and care to the children in our community. Please thank them when you see them around town. Mentors can serve youth and the community in three different ways. Community based mentors meet with their youth partner 2 or 3 times a month and build a friendship based on common interests such as horseback riding, arts and crafts, fishing, farming, watching movies, baking, hiking or just hanging out together - the list is endless. School based mentors spend time with a young person at school, also having fun together playing games, having lunch together, going for walks and just talking about life. Literacy based mentors help children practice their reading skills in their classrooms during class reading time. However it happens, mentoring is fun and it’s shown to really make a difference in the life of a child. We’ve seen time and time again children's lives changed by a mentor. Youth develop a much needed relationship with and adult other than a parent, they are enthusiastice about their time together, the are able to get along better with all the people in their lives, they have the confidence to try new things such as a sports team or outings away from home and they are doing better at school. In fact, research states that the more caring adults involved in a child’s life, the more likely it is for that child to be happy, self-assured and able to reach their goals. In honor of National Mentoring Month, Cabot mentors will be invited to our annual Mentor Appreciation Breakfast. And to celebrate the many years of service that volunteers of the Cabot Coalition and the Cabot Connects Mentor Program have given to our community, we have a special Community Contra Dance planned on Saturday February 12th, thanks to David Carpenter, April Werner, and Ben Bergstein. Please look for more information in the February edition of the Cabot Chronicle. To volunteer to serve as a mentor or refer a child to the program, please contact Cabot COnnects Coordinator Kath-

nects@hotmail.com.

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Cabot Connects List of Mentors

and Advisory Board Members Susan Alexander Community Mentor – 3 1/2 years Sarah Antoniello Community Mentor – 1 year Lori Augustyniak – Literacy Mentor – 1 1/2 years Raquel Bigelow – Literacy Mentor – 1 1/2 years Sheila Booth – Community Mentor – 2 years Amy Bothfeld – Community Mentor – 5 years Deb Bothfeld – School Mentor – 5 years Judy Boucher – Community Mentor – 2 years Mark Bromley – Cabot Roamers – 2 years Jacie Bromley – Advisory Board Member – 1 year Greg Burtt – Community Mentor, Advisory Board Member – 1 ½ years Steph Burtt – Community Mentor – 1 ½ years Richard Bushey – Community Mentor, Advisory Board Member – 5 years Mark Christensen – Welcome! New Community Mentor Jennifer Churchill – Community Mentor – 2 ½ years David Creighton – Welcome! New Community Mentor Ben Davis – Welcome! New Community Mentor Michelle Delaney – Community Mentor – 2 years Jim Goodrich – Community Mentor – 3 years Gail Greaves – Community Mentor – 4 ½ years John Hammer – Community Mentor, Advisory Board Member – 4 ½ years Kathleen Higby – Community Mentor – 5 years Connie Hourihan – Advisory Board Member – 5 years Amber Ksepka – Community Mentor – 4 years Ashley Ksepka – Community Mentor – 4 years Cathleen Maine – Literacy Mentor- 1 year Tracy Mauck – Advisory Board Member – 3 years Karen Mueller-Harder – Community Mentor – 2 ½ years Ed Pcolar – Welcome! New Mentor Leonia Pike – Advisory Board Member – 5 years Lynn Rockwell – Advisory Board Member – 1 ½ years Tara Rogerson – School Mentor – 1 ½ years Cynthia Russell – Community Mentor – 1 year Linda Savoca – Literacy and Community Mentor – 1 year Christa Scholz – Literacy and Community Mentor - 1 year Jackie Scribner – Community Mentor – 2 ½ years Susan Tobias – Community Mentor – 3 years Connie Withers – Literacy Mentor – 1 ½ years

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Tested Positive for Drugs

- New Traffic Fatality Analysis Reveals High Percentage of Drivers Killed Had Drugs In Their System; Percentage of Victims Testing Positive Increasing Even As Overall Number of Fatal Crashes is DecliningWashington, DC – Today, Gil Kerlikowske, Director of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), called attention to the alarmingly high percentage of fatalities on our Nation's roadways involving drivers that had drugs in their system and called on communities to act immediately to prevent drug use before it starts in light of a new traffic fatality analysis released by the National Highway Transportation (NHTSA). Safety Administration

While national data focusing on the danger of driving under the influence of alcohol is readily available and often cited, less is known or discussed about drivers under the influence of other drugs. However, according to the first-ever analysis of drug involvement from NHTSA's Fatal Accident Reporting System (FARS) census, one in three motor vehicle fatalities (33 percent) with known drug test results tested positive for drugs in 2009. Additionally, according to the new analysis, the involvement of drugs in fatal crashes has increased by five percent over the past five years, even as the overall number of drivers killed in motor vehicle crashes in the United States has declined. “Drugged driving is a much bigger public health threat than most Americans realize and unfortunately, it may be getting worse," said Director Kerlikowske. "It is critical that communities across the Nation address the threat of drugged driving as we redouble our efforts to make America's roadways safer by increasing public awareness, employing more targeted enforcement, and developing better tools to detect the presence of drugs among drivers." These new data from NHTSA's FARS census reports the presence of narcotics, depressants, stimulants, cannabinoids (marijuana), hallucinogens PCP, anabolic steroids, and inhalants among drivers fatally injured in car crashes over the past five years. Drugs recorded in FARS include illegal substances as well as over-the -counter and prescription medications, which may or may not have been misused. Alcohol, nicotine, aspirin, and drugs administered after the crash are excluded from these results. Additionally, drug involvement means that drugs were found in the driver's system and does not imply impairment or indicate that drug use was the cause of the crash. However, research shows that drugs have adverse effects on judgment, reaction time, motor skills, and memory – critical skills for safe and responsible driving. These data build upon other recent reports confirming that there are far too many Americans driving on our roadways with drugs in their system. According to a 2007 NHTSA Roadside Survey of Alcohol and Drug Use by Drivers, 1 in 8 nighttime weekend drivers tested positive for an illicit drug. This number rises to 1 in 6 when you include illicit drugs and pharmaceuticals. Additionally, according to the most recent Monitoring the Future report - the Nation's largest survey of drug use among young people - one in ten high school seniors reported that in the two weeks prior to the survey they had driven after smoking marijuana. President Obama has made combating drugged driving a drug control strategy priority and has set a goal of reducing drugged driving prevalence by 10 percent by 2015. To achieve this goal, the Obama Administration is encouraging states to explore legal responses, such as per se laws that make it illegal for individuals to

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January 2011 ~ page 9

drive with illicit drugs in their system. Already, 17 states in the United States have per se or zero tolerance statutes. In these states, it is a criminal offense to have an illegal drug in one's body while driving. Additionally, ONDCP is providing increased training to law enforcement to identify drugged drivers and is working with the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to develop standard screening methodologies for drug-testing labs to use in detecting the presence of drugs among drivers. The Obama Administration is committed to restoring balance to U.S. drug control efforts by coordinating an unprecedented government-wide public health approach to reduce drug use and its consequences. This effort includes increasing funding for drug prevention by $203 million and treatment programs by $137 million, placing a heavier emphasis on early intervention programs in healthcare settings, aligning criminal justice policies and public health systems to divert nonviolent drug offenders into treatment instead of jail, funding scientific research on drug use and expanding access to substance abuse treatment. ONDCP has also revamped the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign to include a broader focus on substances most often abused by American teens, including prescription drugs, marijuana, and alcohol, and partnering with communities to reach at-risk youth populations in rural, suburban, and urban communities. To download more information on drugged driving, including resources parents and communities can use to prevent drugged driving among young people visit www.TheAntiDrug.com. The Office of National Drug Control Policy seeks to foster healthy individuals and safe communities by effectively leading the Nation's effort to reduce drug use and its consequences. For more information about the Office of National Drug Control Policy and it programs visit: www.WhiteHouseDrugPolicy.gov The Super Bowl – A Great Time to

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Talk About Alcohol Advertising

Approximately 106 million Americans watched the 2010 Super Bowl, once again smashing records for the largest viewing television audience ever. As all Super Bowl viewers know, alcohol ads are very popular, and those advertisers work hard to make their ads memorable. And it works – among the 19 million American youth under age 21 who tune in to the big game, their top favorite and most-recalled commercials were for alcoholic products. Anheuser-Busch remained the reigning champ as the Super Bowl’s “top advertiser,” with more commercial time than any other advertiser. A national study published in Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine concluded that greater exposure to alcohol advertising contributes to an increase in drinking among underage youth. Specifically, for each additional ad a young person saw (above the monthly youth average of 23 ads), he or she drank 1% more. For each additional dollar per capita spent on alcohol advertising in a local media market (above the national average of $6.80 per capita), young people drank 3% more. The Center for Alcohol Marketing and Youth at Georgetown University (CAMY) released a special report that youth exposure rose by 38% between 2001 & 2007: • 40% of youth exposure to alcohol advertising on television comes from ads placed on youth-oriented programming. • Almost two-thirds (63%) of these overexposing ad placements are on cable (See Ponder This… Page 12)

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FIGHTS CABIN FEVER

Twin Valley Senior Center wants to thank everyone in the community who responded so generously to our request for donations. We’ll be publishing the entire list of donors in our newsletter this month. Your generosity has been overwhelming, and we’re closer to ensuring that no Central Vermont senior goes hungry. It’s warmed our hearts that, in these tough times, people still have been able to help us. If you haven’t yet sent in a donation, please take another look at our mailing and consider helping us. Every penny donated goes directly to our Center and our Meals on Wheels program. Thank you, again, to the generous souls in our towns. Twin Valley Seniors would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a very Happy, Healthy and Safe New Year. We, at the center, want each of you that has so generously supported us in one way or another, to know how much we truly appreciate all you have done. Many thanks, also, to the people who donated items for the Silent Auction that we held at the Twinfield School’s annual Bazaar. There are many to thank and not enough room to acknowledge everyone individually, but, you know who you are, and we appreciate so much your donations which helped us have a very successful auction. January usually socks us in and makes everyone a little stir crazy. Dark comes early and there seems to be no end in sight to the snow and ice. Twin Valley Senior Center is working hard to

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Friends of the Cabot

HAPPY NEW YEAR! The holidays are over, ski season is here, and the Friends are busy getting ready for our first fundraiser of 2011 – the 3rd Annual “SOUPFEST”. Mark your calendars for Thursday, February 17, as the day to take a break for dinner, as the Soupfest will be held from 3:00 – 7:00 p.m. in the Willey Building Meeting Room. We will have a variety of homemade soups, stews, and/or chilis to warm you through, along with a few other goodies to round out your meal. This year, we’ll also share recipes in our Cabot “SOUPFEST” Cookbook. so you can enjoy your favorites all year round. If you would like to share some of your great soup recipes with everyone by donating them to our book, please send them to CabotLibraryFriends@gmail.com by January 10. Pre-orders for soups and recipe books will be taken this year to ensure you get in on this great deal-of-a-meal. If you are interested in pre-ordering, forms will be available at the library beginning February 1 (payment will be required at time of ordering), with the order cut-off date as February 10. Don’t miss this great annual event!

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January 12 th Cindy Bruzzese, Execu-

tive Director of the Vermont Ethics Network, will be here to teach us about how you can have a say in your own health care if you become unable to speak for yourself. She’ll talk about your rights and how to make your wishes known beforehand through Advance Directives. On January 24 th

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Funeral Consumers Alliance of Ver-

mont , will teach us about different types of burial, funerals, memorial services, organ donations, veterans benefits, and many other topics “that are usually avoided in polite company”. She brings information and humor to a subject we all think about. All of these programs are free and start at 1 pm. As always, we have our Qi Gong classes every Wednesday from 9:45 to 10:45 a.m. (there is a $5 fee) and our free Healthy Aging Exercise Program every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning. more information about our exercise programs. You’ll need a note from your doctor, and this is a perfect time to talk to him or her about the need for exercise in the winter. Bingo Fridays are going strong with heated laughing competition! Don’t forget to keep an eye out for

tance and preparation service. With the snowy roads, its sometimes difficult to get about. Twin Valley Senior Center wants to remind you that we can provide free door to door transportation for seniors in our 6 towns who want to participate in our lunch or other programs. Just give a call to 4263447 to make arrangements. We look forward to seeing you and serving up some hearty food and genial laughter and friendship.

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Library News

As reported last month, the Friends continue to add to the library’s DVD collection by donating recent (as well as classic) movies for all to see. Help take the bite out of your monthly entertainment or TV bill by renting movies at the library instead – where they’re always FREE! Plus, take advantage of this year’s “Winter Special” – get some fresh popped popcorn when you come in to get your movies on Wednesday afternoons all winter long! Stay warm! The Friends of Cabot Library Team

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Libri Books have arrived. Come on in

and check out our 77 new books from the Libri Foundation! These books were available through the “Books for Children” program. The Cabot Community raised $175 and an additional, $175, was matched by the Friends of the Cabot Public Library. This money allowed us to pick out $1,053.67 worth of children’s books. The Libri Foundation received a generous donation from Mrs. Margaret Nelson that they used to match our locally raised funds. The books are in a wide range of subjects, including both fiction and non-fiction titles. There is even a board book for our youngest patrons. We were also able to select $363.50 worth of math and science books due to a generous donation from Hal Berenson & Laura Ackerman. These are all beautiful, wonderful books and a fantastic resource for the community. Come in and check them out!!

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Surprise Visit

On Thursday, December 9 th , the Library was host to a surprise visit from Dr. Burnett Rawson and his advisor, Mr. Thomas Smith. Dr. Rawson is the generous benefactor behind the Winnie Belle Learned Grant. The Library received a grant in 2008 for $2,000. We used the money to update our children’s non-fiction collection. Each of these books has a bookplate in the front of the book that states “This book was purchased by the Cabot Public Library with the Winnie Belle Learned Grant, 2008”. The Vermont Library Association has a webpage, “http:// www.vermontlibraries.org/new-winniebelle-learned-grants-available-for-publiclibraries,” detailing the background and biography of this fund. To paraphrase this information, Dr. Rawson set up the fund in honor of Winnie Belle Learned, who was a Vermont educator and his benefactress. She took notice of Burnett Rawson, a distant relative, and, through her generosity, he was able to attend the University of Vermont and the UVM Medical School. Dr. Rawson’s goal for the grants is “to help small public libraries in Vermont foster their local communities: literacy, the love of learning, skills and opportunities for critical analysis, and intellectual exploration.”

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Website

Please check out our website by either googling: Cabot Public Library or typing: http://sites.google.com/site/ cabotpubliclibrary/. Keep in mind it is still a work in progress, but currently it is possible to access our on-line catalog through this website. You may also email us at: cabotlibrary@yahoo.com if you have any interlibrary loan requests or have other suggestions.

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IndieBound

On the website, there is a link to our wish list at the IndieBound website. This is in collaboration with the Galaxy Bookshop in Hardwick, Vermont. The link is: http://www.indiebound.org/users/Cabot% 20Public%20Lib/lists or just click on Cabot Public Lib’s Book Lists and go directly to our wish list.

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Materials Suggestions

If you have suggestions for materials you would like us to consider purchasing, please feel free to either come in during library hours and tell us, or if you would rather make suggestions anonymously, please leave ideas in our drop box located at the front door of the Willey building. Thanks!

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Community Outreach

If you or someone you know has difficulties getting to the library and would like to receive home deliveries of library materials, please let us know. We would be happy to arrange for home library services to any patrons in the Cabot area. You can

brary@yahoo.com.

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Holidays! Alicia Feltus, $10.00/session

or $40.00 for all 5 sessions of Yoga to be held at the Cabot Public Library. (This is a continuation from December, but each session is unique, so join us at any time.) Boost your energy and immune system with yoga, core strengthening, breathing practices and guided relaxation. Alicia will also share nutrition and exercise tips to nurture you during the holidays and make 2011 a year of vibrant health! Alicia Feltus, Certified Yoga Instructor and Reflexologist, has 17 years experience leading classes and workshops in all aspects of health, and is currently enrolled in a Wellness Coaching program. To register and for more information contact Alicia

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Michelle Delaney

Have you ever made a New Year’s Resolution and kept it? Come and discover some time-tested techniques to keep your resolutions with Michelle Delaney. Michelle is a coach and has nutritional training. She keeps up with current research in fitness and nutrition related topics. Find ways to get over the hurdles that hold people back from attaining their goals. Discover your “why” and find the time in your day to do the things that will produce results.

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Blachly and Patti Casey – In Concert

at the Cabot Public Library! Described as "a master composer and performer of many styles of music" by Robert Resnik (VPR), Susannah Blachly has been writing songs and playing the fiddle for nearly 10 years. During that time, she's recorded four solo albums, two of which were named among the top ten albums of the year by Seven Days , Vermont's premier arts newspaper. The Times Argus described her newest recording, All The Colors , as her best recording yet. Her song, " The Line Between ," was chosen Song of the Year by Vermont Public Radio in '05. That same year, Sing Out! Magazine featured one of her songs in their summer issue. Two of Susannah's songs were featured on the score of the hit musical, " Shout It Out!" and several Vermont musicians have recorded her songs on their own albums. Susannah is a member of the band Two Shoes Off. She currently works as a therapist in Barre and lives in Marshfield with her son, Adam, and husband Tom. “ Music that isn’t afraid to get its hands dirty on the backroads of life” — Native Vermonter Patti Casey has been called ”...the voice of Vermont contemporary music” by the Times Argus . With a voice that’s strong and sweet, a catalog of timeless songs, and a history of penning classic songs that have found their way into the folk music world across the United States, Patti has become the vocal backbone for many of our region’s finest musical productions. Her list of awards includes Kerrville Folk Festival Songwriting Contest winner, Chris Austin Song Writing Contest winner, South Florida Folk Festival Songwriting Competition finalist, A Prairie Home Companion “Talent From Towns Under 2,000” winner, and Telluride Songwriting Competition Finalist. Patti has written and directed music for Burlington’s Vermont Stage Company, and has produced five independent label recordings of her music. See http://www.patticasey.com.

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Cabot School Board

As part of our budget development process this fall, the Cabot School Board was required to notify the Vermont Commissioner of Education by December 15 whether Cabot School would be able to reduce its education spending for the 2011 -2012 school year by 2%. Each school district in the state was required to consider some level of reduction, as part of the Challenges for Change initiative enacted by the Vermont Legislature earlier this year to address statewide revenue shortfalls. Here in Cabot we held three community forums to discuss and get input on the issue, and looked carefully at the impact of making reductions of the size necessary to reach that 2% target on our school. At our meeting on December 6 th , the Cabot School Board decided against making across-the-board staffing cuts in the high school that would have brought us close to meeting the state’s target. Over 100 people turned out to participate in the community forums in October and November, and the ideas, concerns and specific suggestions that came out of those meetings were really valuable as our board weighed how to respond to the state’s request. The discussion at the first forum centered on what’s working well and what needs to be improved at the school, and produced some great ideas on how to improve it. At the second forum Nancy Thomas, our new superintendent for our Washington Northeast Supervisory Union, led a discussion of the two pieces of legislation enacted earlier in the year that affect Cabot. In addition to Act 146 (the Challenges for Change legislation), Nancy outlined the “voluntary merger” bill, in which schools can receive state funding to research the benefits of forming a “regional educational district” with neighboring school districts (Twinfield, Danville, etc.) that could potentially improve programs and reduce costs. Prior to the third forum, our board asked our school administration to recommend where we might reasonably trim our school spending to reach or approach the spending reduction targets suggested by the state. Given the low student numbers in many high school classes this year, our principal Karen Stewart developed a budget proposal that would have reduced spending by over $150,000 through reductions in busing and by reducing each teaching position in the high school by

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By Nancy Thomas

Parents play a vital role in the education of their children. One of the best ways for parents to assure that their child is successful in school is for them to be sure that their child is in school and in class every day throughout the school year. Good attendance is an important key to learning. Last year the state legislature addressed issues of poor attendance and truancy by passing a new law with specific guidelines and consequences. Each of our school boards has amended their attendance policy and adopted the Washington County Truancy Protocol, as required by that new law. The protocol includes support, but also clear steps for schools to intervene to address persistent unexcused absences. After five unexcused absences, the school will begin to implement the protocol which is designed to encourage and support students and their families in coming to school. This will include personal contact with the parent/guardian and offer of support services. After ten – fifteen days, an Intervention Team will meet with the child and family to develop a plan. The Department of Children and Families will

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Update

approximately 25%. At our third forum on November 15 th , Ms. Stewart outlined that proposal along with its ramifications for high school classes next year. For over an hour afterward, community members in attendance raised a variety of concerns about the proposal, ranging from questions about staff turnover and program quality to ongoing concerns about the school’s cost and the community’s ability to sustain it. At our December 6 th board meeting, we talked about the challenges of maintaining a strong high school program for a relatively small number of students, as well as the negative effects that might result from making our entire high school teaching staff part-time. We also voted to eliminate busing of students to and from school as a way of reducing costs. After a lengthy discussion, we made the decision to keep high school staffing for the time being at its current level, and to devote a significant amount of time and energy this school year to finding ways to substantially improve our high school program. We have a great deal of confidence in our new principal Karen Stewart and in the commitment and resourcefulness of our staff as they work this year to craft a stronger high school program that will provide our students with the skills they will need in this 21 st century. A recurrent message that our board has heard at community meetings about the school budget, both this year and last, has been to keep our Cabot School going, but to do it in a way that people in our community can continue to support and afford. The decision made by the Cabot School Board in early December not to make significant cuts in high school staffing will certainly translate into higher local property tax bills than had those cuts been made. Given the times and the input we’ve received, that’s not a decision that we arrived at quickly. But as a board we felt strongly that keeping our high school faculty at full time while working to improve that part of our school will be, in the long run, of greater benefit to both our school and town. We will make a final decision about the size of the Cabot School budget for the 2011-2012 school year in mid-January. We are very appreciative of the input we’ve received from community members this year. In 2011 our school board meetings will continue to be held in the school library on the first and third Mondays of the month, at 6PM.

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Corner

be notified as well as the Truant Officer. After fifteen to twenty days, the school is obligated to again notify the Department of Children and Families, the Truant Officer and also the State’s Attorney. When a child needs to be out due to illness, a medical or dental appointment or serious illness or death in the family, the parent or guardian calls or sends a note in explaining the cause of the absence. If the illness extends beyond 3 – 5 days, then a doctor’s note is also required. Absences will be considered unexcused unless valid explanations are presented to the attendance secretary. If a student needs to be out for more than 10 days for medical reasons, then the school will arrange for tutoring to help the child catch up with their academic studies. For planned absences, up to 10 days, such as visits to colleges, Vermont Law allows the superintendent to excuse the student. It is important that everyone understand the seriousness and possible consequences of extensive unexcused absences. Regular attendance and clear communication with the school is the goal. Working together parents and school staff can assure that the protocol will never be needed for most students.

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By Anthony Willey

There are many fun and exciting activities to start off the new year! Through experience and collaboration, the teachers at TLC are happy to provide engaging, creative, hands-on activities for K-6 children. TLC is the afterschool enrichment program that serves Cabot and Twinfield schools. We provide a safe, stimulating learning environment for our students. Children are encouraged to explore through science, outdoor adventure, the arts, fitness, cooperative games, cooking, music, and more! Students can sign up for programs each day, or attend specific days based on interest and need. A typical day at TLC includes: recess, a healthy snack, enrichment activities, homework/quiet time, and free play. The Cabot site is open Monday through Friday from 2:45 p.m.- 5:30 p.m. For more information on programs

233, or email anthonywilley@washnesu.org. We look forward to meeting you!

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Farm to School Coordinator

The first graders at Cabot School made Pumpkin Cookies for a school-wide taste test last month. Some of the middle school students came over and helped out. Their teacher, Lynn Talamini, brought in mashed pumpkin from her garden. The cookies were pretty popular. 125 students tried them and liked them, and 122 would eat them again, without raisins. One person suggested using chocolate chips instead. Here’s the recipe, from allrecipes.com, in case you’d like to try them at your house:

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Ingredients:

8 ounces butter, softened 1 cup white sugar 1 cup packed brown sugar 1 egg 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup pumpkin puree 1 cup rolled oats 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup raisins 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

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Hunter and Heath making Pumpkin Cookies together for a school-wide taste test.

2.Cream together butter, white sugar and brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg, vanilla and pumpkin. 3.In a separate bowl, mix together the oats, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, raisins and flour. Stir into pumpkin mixture. 4.Drop cookies by the heaping teaspoonful onto cookie sheets covered with parchment paper. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until slightly browned around edges. 5.Remove from oven and place on cooling racks. Frost with your favorite powdered sugar glaze or leave plain.

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Letters:

Articles, The Chronicle welcomes the thoughts and opinions of its readers. letters, your responses-good or bad. Let us hear what you have to say. Articles: Any writing that is connected with Cabot is a top priority. If you like to write and even if you don't, we will help you or your organizations get your thoughts and news printed. Photos: Send us your photos of Cabot, its people, events and scenery. Announcements: Births, weddings, engagements and obituaries are welcomed always FREE!

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← From the Cabot Chronicle