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Preserving the history of Cabot, Vermont · Founded 1965

The Cabot Chronicle

June 2014 · 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 June 2014 pages (PDF)

Text extracted from the original pages and checked for reading order. Advertisements, listings, the calendar and puzzles are omitted. Where part of a story could not be converted cleanly, it is marked and the full story is in the PDF.

In This Issue

Race to Read Comes to Cabot!

“An estimated 30 million Americans over 16 years old cannot perform simple and everyday literacy activities.” “Approximately 50% of the nation’s unemployed youth aged 16-21 are functionally illiterate, with virtually no prospects of obtaining good jobs.” “60% of prison inmates are functionally illiterate and 85% of all juvenile offenders have reading problems.” “Seven out of eight students with reading problems in first grade continue to struggle with reading in ninth grade.”

Scott St. John, Cabot Food Services Director, has organized this event in conjunction with the summer breakfast/lunch program, which begins Monday, June 16. The summer food program, sponsored by Hunger Free Vermont and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, provides breakfast (8:00 -10:00 a.m.) and lunch (11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m.) Monday through Friday throughout the summer, and is free for everyone under 18 regardless of residency. Adults may have a meal for $4.00. Everyone is welcome to stay for lunch after meeting with Troy. Also on hand will be Kathleen Hoyne from the Cabot Public Library, who will be available to help kids get signed up for the Summer Reading Program: “There will be all kinds of fun incentives for helping youth of all ages keep on reading this summer

– we have t-shirts, prizes, an excellent line up of great science-related programs, and a chance to win gift certificates to a local bookstore – see you on the 17!”

Jack Daniels-Chair, Cabot Select Board

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Continued Progress on Cabot Town Garage Project

BIG AND VERY WELCOME NEWS:

The Environmental Review was accepted as complete on April 20. We also received official notification that the Federal Release of Funds has been issued which will allow us to do two things:

1. Purchase the land for the town garage without jeopardizing grant eligibility; and, 2. Submit a grant application seeking funds for the town garage project. We plan to “Close” on the purchase of the property for the new town garage on June 4 or June 5. In the best of all possible worlds, the eight acres of land that the Cabot voters authorized us to purchase at Town Meeting will belong to the town not later than June 6, 2014. And, last but not least, we have hired a consultant---paid for with a Development Grant approved by the UDAG/Community Investment Fund Committee---to write the grant application, Classifieds:

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RUMMAGE SALE DONATIONS NEEDED

Cabot PTSO is looking for donations of

clothing and good clean furniture for the Fourth of July rummage sale.

Volunteers will be at Cabot School Gym to receive donations from:

For questions or to arrange pickup

of your items before July 1, please call 279-6818.

Cannot accept computers, TVs, printers, encyclopedia, mattresses.

Rummage sale proceeds benefit

Cabot PTSO programs. Your support is appreciated.

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ADVICE FROM THE TREE WARDEN

By Roland (Slim) Payne

Thursday, May 1, I went to Burlington and picked up ten trees. In the afternoon, I staked out tree locations by the Town Hall. Monday, I called Dig Safe and had to wait until Thursday, May 8, to dig any holes. On Friday, May 9, I had Deb Bothfeld and 12 students from Cabot School to dig holes and plant trees. They worked really well, planting eight trees in two-and-ahalf hours. Saturday, Richard Eno, Declan O’Connor, my son Roland, Jr., and I planted the last two trees May 10. Declan is a small boy with a big ambition; he is Richard Eno’s mentee. Volunteering together is something good other mentors and mentees can do. I want to give a big thanks to each and every one of them—it made planting easy this year, thanks to all the help. I still have to clean up and mulch the trees. I have been driving around town some, and I am amazed at how much bush honeysuckle is growing in this town; it is everywhere, and Cabot is not the only town with a lot of it. I will keep checking the giant hogweed on Elm Street to see how much comes back this year. Watch for ticks. Garlic was one foot tall already by May 15.

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OBITUARIES & MEMORIALS

Logan Allan Cookson On May 24, 2014, the skies opened up and took a beautiful angel home, Logan Allan Cookson. Logan was born on May 11, 2004, in Berlin, the youngest child of Scott and Tammy Cookson of Cabot. He formerly resided in East Barre and attended Central Vermont Catholic School. The last two years, he attended Cabot School. Logan touched many people in some small way throughout his short yet memorable life. Logan’s life would seem too short to many, but those who were touched by him understood that the quality of existence far exceeds the quantity of time one lives. He was a country boy at heart. He loved everything from exploring the woods to hunting, camping, mowing the lawn, and stacking wood with his Dad. He always looked for something to fix or take apart. He also enjoyed playing basketball, soccer, hockey, and chess. Since moving to Cabot, he enjoyed guiding his mom through the woods, showing and teaching her the wonders of nature. Logan and his brother, Brock, mentor and best friend, were inseparable. They enjoyed animals, farming, and playing outside. Logan spent many hours on the floor playing with his army men and wrestling figures. He also loved to talk on the phone. He had a passion for party planning. He would often make calls to family and friends to arrange get-togethers. Logan was especially proud of his greatest accomplishment, passing the hunter safety course. Family members that live on to honor and remember Logan’s life include his parents, Scott and Tammy Cookson; his best friend and brother, Brock “Brockie”, also, brother, Shayne of Burlington and sister, Shantal Cookson of Barre; maternal grandparents, Kenneth Allan Adams and Jacqueline Bissonnette Adams of Berlin; paternal grandmother, Connie Martin Murray of Waterbury; and great- grandmother, Elva Martin of Waterbury. Aunts and Uncles include Maureen Adams and companion, Ron Lackey of Stowe, Jody and Jaime Fewer of Barre Town, Andrew and Karen Adams of Cabot, Nancy McLaney of Crestview FL, John Cookson and companion Shannon Buziak of Cabot, Dan Cookson of Waterbury, Tammy and Kevin Johnson of East Calais, Dawn Cookson of New Hampshire, and Angela and Gary Ward of Cabot; a nephew, Trenton Cookson of Plainfield; cousins include Spencer, Camryn, Julia, and Seth Fewer of Barre Town, Karissa, Lindsay, and Kaden of Crestview, FL, Courtney Cookson, Christopher, and Kyle Johnson of East Calais, and Garan Ward of Cabot. He was predeceased by his paternal grandfather, John Cookson. He also left behind his pets, three chickens and a bunny. With Logan’s passing, we remind others that his life is one to be celebrated. Although we will miss him every day, he will forever remain in our hearts. In his short ten years, we were able to create many wonderful memories, and it has been a privilege and a blessing from God to be his parents. Calling hours will be held on Friday, May 30, at the Hooker and Whitcomb Funeral Home, 7 Academy Street, Barre from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. A mass of celebration in honor of Logan’s life will be held on Saturday, May 31, at 1:30 p.m. at Saint Monica Catholic Church in Barre. In honor of Logan and his country ways, we ask that those that attend dress casually, either in denim or in camouflage. Those who wish to make donations in Logan’s memory may contribute to the Cabot School, Main Street, Cabot, VT 05647, Central Vermont Catholic School, 79 Summer Street, Barre, VT 05641, or Vermont Fish & Wildlife, 1 National Life Drive, Davis 2, Montpelier, VT 05620.

Drafting Zone Regulations

Following is a letter I wrote to the Planning Commission and posted on their website soliciting feedback about the Draft Zoning Regulations, which are near completion.

Dear Cabot Planning Commission, I feel badly that I’ve flooded this website with comments, questions, and concerns. I know that wading through them all means an extra work load for the commission. I have also been disappointed often with the responses to citizen concerns aired here and at the public hearing. So, I’m just going to make a few general statements and be done with it. First of all, I apologize that by criticizing this document, I am probably hurting the feelings of the people who have worked on it for the past year. I know it took hours and hours, and was very, very tedious. I am really sorry about that. However, I would like you to weigh all that time and energy against the amount of time, energy, and money that these regulations will cost the generations of landowners who will have to live under them. In that light, the effort involved may be worth it. When I moved to Cabot and read the zoning regulations, I thought that most of them seemed reasonable. I’m not a lawyer, but I felt like I could understand them. I trust that a roomful of townsfolk could generally agree on what they said. These proposed regulations are way too complicated. How would an interested buyer figure out what would be permitted on the land they want to buy? Would they need a lawyer to figure it out? Or would the town need to pay a ZA full time to offer interpretations of what the DRB “may” allow? HAUR Development Review Board is a new quasi-judicial board proposed by the Town Plan and draft zoning regulations.] Are we really against "development" as it currently stands in Cabot? How many current structures will become “noncompliant” if these regulations are passed? Do you have an estimate? There could be severe repercussions for folks who fall into that category. With all the regulations, it seems most folks would be out of compliance with them for some reason or another, and the proposed grandfather clause is not nearly inclusive enough. As I look at Cabot’s Census data, I see our homeowner housing costs are higher and our incomes are lower than the county and state averages. These proposed regulations greatly increase the need for permit fees, site visits, engineer plans, surveyors… for nearly every project a homeowner needs to do. Have you estimated how much the associated costs would go up for the average landowner, and what this added hardship would mean for families? I’m also confused about the intention of the proposals. I was taught that it is not the role of government to make us safe. That is our job. A lot of regulations could be passed in the name of public safety. The risks to safety do not seem to balance with the added burdens and costs these proposals will put on landowners. Especially when there are already state, federal, or other rules (like insurance policy regulations and inspections required for mortgages) that cover those concerns. Why should every landowner pay the town to enforce regulations which already exist elsewhere? It’s impossible to protect the “rural character” and water quality, if we can’t make any regulations limiting the big polluters of the world. There aren’t any real polluters in Cabot, as far as I can see. Just people living and loving their land, trying to make a living, in the way they see fit. If folks already are out of compliance, and things are fine, then what are we worried about? If the FEMA maps need to be included because, if they’re not, we will lose FEMA funding in case of a disaster, I can see where folks would feel threatened by that. How many of the proposed changes are connected to offers of funding from the government, or other grantors? Will the costs to landowners outweigh the benefits of some of these monies? Yes, the document allows a lot of exceptions for things, but extended permit processes are needed for most of them. Also, permission would be under the jurisdiction of a DRB and a ZA who “may” grant us a permit. I couldn’t count the number of times this document uses the words “may,” “will strongly encourage,” and “will consider” to how decisions would be made. This gives a lot more leeway to the ZA and the new DRB in a lot more situations, than exist in the current regulations. The idea of relinquishing our current two-board system (P.C. and ZBA) for a one board system feels like we are surrendering local control. I like the idea of keeping the check and balance system here, with my neighbors. I can’t imagine that the boards we have now are so swamped with permit applications that they can’t keep up. If that’s the case, then a two-board system still makes the most sense- more hands mean lighter work. Finally, what’s the rush? Regulations such as these are being passed all around Vermont, the U.S., and the world. Why not wait awhile and see how it goes for the others? Let them work out the bugs and constitutional issues. Why make our townspeople fight those fights? I could go on and on about the ways this document puts excessive burdens on landowners, while not even accomplishing the intentions it claims to. I apologize for making so many comments on this website. I know it makes me sound burdensome, myself. However, this document seems to open the door for great abuses of power, and seems to go against our very constitution. That is probably why the town has to submit, willingly, to these regulations. If passed, we will end up not only living under these restrictions, but paying for their enforcement against us through our local fees and taxes. If we have a choice in the matter, and can return the decision to approve regulation changes to the voters, I suggest we take it. Thanks for your consideration.

Amy Hornblas

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COMMUNITY COMMENTARY

A Need for Safety Dear Editor, We write to share our feelings of anger, frustration and sadness that some voters of Cabot did not support safe passage in town when they voted down the expansion of the village sidewalk to extend to the recreation field. Some argued that there is not a safety issue, and it was merely an issue of property values, even after hearing from our youth that they do not feel safe walking on the side of the road to go to the recreation field for athletic games and practices. Unhappily, we share with our Cabot community a clear example of the safety risk a lack of safe sidewalks presents. Our daughter, when walking home from school, was on the bridge before the recreation field when a garbage truck and a car both drove onto the bridge from opposite directions. Our daughter was almost struck by the truck and had to cling to the railing to avoid being hit. Unfortunately, something from the truck flew off and hit our daughter in the head, resulting in a concussion. It would be a tragedy for another child to have the same experience our daughter had, or worse. Even a near miss is unacceptable when considering the safety of our children. No parent should have to experience the anxiety and fear that we have felt since this event. Every day we now worry about whether or not she will make it home safely. Does another child need to be injured before we, as a community, recognize the need for safe passage for our youth? Sincerely, Lynn and Todd Jones

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PLANTING A GARDEN?

Consider planting a row for the Cabot Christmas Dinner Last year, many people donated items from their own vegetable gardens for the Community Christmas Dinner organized by the Ducharmes and friends at the school dining facility. Please consider thinking ahead and planting something extra in your garden to contribute to the local mix, such as - Potatoes Carrots Onions Squash Cabbage Beets Sweet Potatoes

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Two Joe’s Pond IceOut Winners

The ice is out! The iceout date was 4/29/2014, and the time was 10:06 am. Photo by Diane Rossi .

By Jane Brown

We had two Ice-Out winners this year, Kelsey Phillips, who lives in Iowa City, Iowa, the eight-year old granddaughter of Chris and Dot Wilson, who have a cottage on West Shore Road. Grandpa Chris purchased a ticket for each of his three granddaughters, and Kelsey's had the exact date and time, April 29 at 10:06 a.m. The other winner, William "Bill" Brochu, was brought up in the Hardwick area and is the nephew of Jane and Garey Larrabee (Hastings Store) in West Danville. When I talked to Bill on the phone to let him know he was a winner, he told me he almost didn't get in the game this year. Apparently, he had tickets, but forgot about them until April 1, when the contest closes, and didn't have time to get them to the post office. That evening, he went to the pay on line ticket site on the Joe's Pond website, www.joespondvermont.com, and made out ten tickets, getting them in the contest just under the wire before 11:59:59 p.m. Luckily, one of those ten tickets was for April 29 at 10:06 a.m. It isn't rare to have more than one winner; we have had as many as four people select the exact date and time, in 2002 and again in 2008. We had three winners in 2006. This year, each of our two winners received over $2,900.00. In recent years there have been local winners, and we were able to have a brief presentation ceremony, but this year, since both winners are out of state, that wasn't possible. But each will receive an Award Certificate along with the check.

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Cabot Community Association New Hours!

The Cabot Community Association (CCA) office will be open to the public from 9:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. on Mondays beginning in June. Debra Zimmerman, the Cabot Community Association Coordinator, will also be available by appointment. Call 802-563-3338 to schedule. The Cabot Community Association office is located in the Willey Building on the first floor, shared by The Cabot Chronicle and Cabot Connects mentor program (which also has space at the school).

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VT Moose Permit Lottery Application Deadline is June 10th

Vermont's moose hunting permit lottery application deadline is June 10, and the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department is urging hunters who plan on entering to do so now online. The application is quick and easy to fill out on the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department's website by clicking http://www.vtfishandwildlife.com/hunttrap_mooselottery.cfm. Five moose hunting permits also are offered in an auction with a bidding deadline of August 15. Bids must be submitted on the department's moose permit bid form available from Fish & Wildlife at 802-828-1190.

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Cabot Community Service Award

In an effort to celebrate the valuable contributions made by many people to our community, the Cabot Select Board and the Cabot School Board are soliciting nominations for the 2014 Cabot Community Service Award. This award will recognize a Cabot resident whose contributions of time, talent, and energy over a number of years have had a significant positive impact on Cabot School and/or the larger Cabot community. Previous recipients of this award have contributed to the strength and vitality of our community in a variety of ways: through planting trees, coaching, mentoring, organizing and helping with community-wide activities, and serving on various boards and committees. Last year’s recipient of the Cabot Community Service Award was Roland “Slim” Payne.

If you know of an individual welldeserving of this award, please send a letter of nomination prior to June 4 that describes his/her contributions, to either the Cabot School Board or the Cabot Select Board at the addresses listed:

Cabot Select Board Jack Daniels, chair c/o Town Clerk’s Office Willey Building Cabot, VT 05647

Cabot School Board Chris Tormey, chair c/o Cabot School 25 Common Rd. Cabot, VT 05647

Thanks very much!

Chris Tormey Chair, Cabot School Board

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June 2014 Schedule

HOME GAMES - 6:30 pm AWAY GAMES TO BE ANNOUNCED SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT 15 Sanford @ VM

22 Ocean State @VM

29 Danbury @VM 2 9 VM @ Sanford

16 23 30 3 10 N. Adams @ VM

17 Keene @VM

24 Plymouth @VM 4 11 VM @ Holyoke

18 VM @ Laconia

25 VM @ Sanford 5 VM @ Holyoke

12 19 26 VM @ Keene 6 VM @ Laconia

13 VM @ Plymouth

20 Laconia @VM

27 Sanford @ VM 7 Holyoke @VM

14 VM @ Danbury

21 VM @ Holyoke

28 N. Adams @VM Mountaineers Baseball Tickets will be on sale at the Montpelier Recreation Department and other locations listed on the team website at www.thevermontmountaineers.com.

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WEBSITE VOLUNTEER NEEDED NOW

The Cabot Chronicle needs someone to update the paper's website each month, starting right away. Work involves uploading approximately thirty articles at the beginning of each month, removing outdated material, and occasional midmonth updating when special events are going on, such as the community map for the townwide lawn sale.

The need is continuous, but even if you can only help for a month or two,

WE NEED YOU NOW! It would be a real help to the community.

Please call 802-563-3338 or

Part of this story may be missing here. See the original pages, page 9 onward.

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Richard Danner at the Museum

Peter MacLeod, a historian from the Canada War Museum in Toronto, Ontario, left, talks to Richard Danner of Cabot after his speech at the Connecticut River Museum's dinner talk about the War of 1812 recently. MacLeod spoke at the Old Lyme Country Club in Old Lyme, Connecticut. Danner, a member of the Connecticut River Museum, went to hear about Vermont's involvement in the war. MacLeod said Vermonters provided a lot of food to the Canadians during the war. Photo by Will Walters

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FROM THE CABOT PUBLIC LIBRARY 2014 Cabot Public Library’s Summer Reading Program This summer’s theme is science.

All programs are free and open to children and adults of all abilities. Sign up for the summer reading program and win prizes, t-shirts and

enter our raffle to win a $25.00 gift certificate for The Galaxy Bookshop. The Thousand Page Club continues.

Sign up as soon as school is out!

Evening Programs: (Days and times vary.)

Tuesday, June 17th – 6:30 pm – Fizz, Boom, Read! Kickoff with Ken Klingler!

Pizza and Ice Cream for everyone! Sign up for the Summer Reading Program and check out the array of prehistoric artifacts from the Paleolithic period, the Archaic stage, and the Woodland period from Ken’s collections. Ken will present information and artifacts pertaining to these 3 periods in human history. Ken is an artist, sculptor, an avocational archaeologist, and an Associate with the Vermont Division of Historic Preservation.

Thursday, June 19th – 7:30 pm - What’s Up! The Sky at Night with Brad Vietje and Mazie O’Connor These educators with the Northern Skies Observatory, will guide us through the stars, planets, galaxies, and comets. Using globes, planispheres, models, and planetarium software, your tour guides to the universe will help children understand what’s up at night, getting to know the constellations, and learning to recognize the bright stars, and the visible planets. Tuesday, June 24th – 6:30pm - The Science of Archaeology with Scott McLaughlin This program engages kids of all ages in a simulated archaeological dig based on an actual archaeological site. Participants examine artifacts and features found on the surface level and then “excavate” the site to discover what the site’s function was and what life was like 100 years ago.As the mystery unfolds, participants are provided with resource materials to help them interpret the life and times associated with the site.

Thursday, June 26th -6:30pm - Middle School Pizza Party!

Come for a reunion of your school buddies and pick up your books for the summer! The middle school has a required reading list and books will be available for your children to pick up.

Tuesday, July 1 – 6:30pm - Project MICRO with Janet Schwarz Remember the first time that you looked through a microscope??? Project MICRO (Microscopy in Curriculum, Research-Outreach) exposes Vermont youth to the wonders of their microscopic world. They may observe bizarre bugs, “filch” fingerprints and be mesmerized by miniscule pond water inhabitants. We bring all of the microscopes (both dissecting and compound), eye loupes, and pocket microscopes. Project MICRO is sponsored by the UVM College of Medicine Microscopy Imaging Center and is largely dependent upon volunteers. Suggested age: 8 and up.

Tuesday, July 8th – 6:30pm - The Biology and Management

Cedric Alexander, Moose Project Leader, Vermont Fish and Wildlife Dept., will review the history of the presence of moose in Vermont, the extrication and restoration, current status, management, and future projections of their health.

Part of this story may be missing here. See the original pages, page 10 onward.

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TWIN VALLEY SENIOR CENTER

4583 U.S. Route 2 P.O. Box 152 East Montpelier, VT 05651 Twin Valley Senior Center News By Rita Copeland

ABOUT OUR NEW HOME

Twin Valley Senior Center moved to its new home on May 14. See our new contact information in the box on this page. This would have not happened without each of you in the community support in each of the towns that we serve, which are Cabot, Marshfield, Plainfield, Woodbury, Calais and East Montpelier. Special thanks to the Woodbury Foundation, Harris & Francis Block Foundation of Marshfield and The Home Depot of Williston. There was also a grant from Senator Bernie Sanders' office which enabled us to get the stove, dishwasher and freezer for the Meals on Wheels program. I personally know that the new space would not be as functional as it is without the dedication, guidance and carpentry work of Stanley Fowler and son Denis Fowler of Plainfield. They have been two great assets during this project that I never could have done without. They both worked so closely with us throughout this whole project for months. They have contributed so much time, thought and knowledge to this project for everyone to enjoy. I really have grown very fond of both of them and have enjoyed our close contact just about every day for the last few months. They have received hardly any compensation for their time, knowledge and hard work. Please, when you meet them, say “thank you” for all they have done for the seniors and the community. I cannot find enough words to thank them and tell them how much I have appreciated them all the way through this whole project. Bob Morse of the Colburn Road in Plainfield has also been a terrific help to each of us through this project by volunteering his time and help whenever needed. There are many, many more thank yous and recognition that I will certainly pursue as time allows. Everyone that has attended the center seems very pleased with the outcome. Some are sad we left the Marshfield space. There was no choice, as there was not room at the Old School House Common to grow as we have strategic plans to do. Our new center allows us to be more efficient, comfortable and accessible to the towns that we serve. We are pleased to have fundraising projects on site and room for future growth. TVSC will be open on the same schedule as always to begin, with the three days from 9:00 a.m. -2:00 p.m., Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. However, lunch has been changed from 12:00 p.m. to 12:15 p.m. to accommodate in-service programs that we want to present. We still have door-to-door transportation, free of charge to all six towns with no annual dues. Our first strategic plan is to open five days a week, and in the near future expand to bring programs that can be done on evenings and weekends. However, before we can accomplish that, we need to recruit new volunteers to help us do the things we want to do. We are asking you to join us, giving some of your free time to help. We are looking for volunteers (any amount of time you could give) for the following areas:

Meals on Wheels: Readying the meals on wheels for different delivery routes by packaging, labeling and keeping logs.

Activities: Planning in-house activities, picnics and day trips Dining Room Hostess: Greeting and helping seniors, setting up tables for lunch, pick-up of lunch plates, etc., readying for dessert, clearing and cleaning tables. Visiting with seniors and playing different games that they would like to play.

Director Assistant: Helping with paperwork, phone calls, etc. as needed.

Overall Volunteer: Learning the overall functions of the center to be a back-up person as needed.

Exercise Leader: Be trained to fill in and maybe be a leader for future classes of exercise programs. No matter how much time you can spare on weekdays, nights or weekends, there are a lot of functions that take place at TVSC that we can find to fit your schedule. As we move forward, we will be looking for local talent, programs, etc., that we want to bring into the center for all community members to enjoy. Please contact Rita at 223- 3322 or email me at [email protected] if you are interested in becoming part of the family at TVSC or want to bring new projects for everyone to access in the communities.

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Twin Valley Senior Center UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Photo by Will Walters Rita Copeland, second from right, executive director of the Twin Valley Seniors, stands next to Bob Zita of KBZ Enterprises of Barnet at the new Senior Center at Blueberry Hill on Route 2 in Plainfield. Second from left is Joyce Fowler, a Twin Valley volunteer. They stand with the Home Depot of Williston volunteers who came to paint the interior as part of a Home Depot Foundation grant to the Senior organization.

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Friends of the Winooski River

Cabot students at the end of the day. In early May, the Friends of the Winooski River and its volunteer partners planted trees on the banks of the Dog and Winooski Rivers in Berlin, Cabot and Marshfield, kicking off the spring season with a series of successful restoration events. On May 6 and 7, students from the Cabot School and then volunteers from Cabot Creamery joined the Friends for plantings in Cabot. The Cabot Creamery sponsored these events. “It is great to be able to get out and have so many volunteers help protect the shores of these rivers,” said Ann Smith, Executive Director of Friends of the Winooski River. “Riparian restoration is key to the health of any river. The small trees and spikes we planted over the past week will help protect the water quality of the Dog and Winooski Rivers by controlling erosion and reducing water pollution.” This year, the Friends will plant a total of 1,800 trees, including a mix of native floodplain species of willows, dogwoods, alders, elderberry, maples and other species. Over the past eight years, the Friends have planted 14,000 trees and shrubs on 35 acres throughout the Winooski watershed.

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Kingdom Animal Shelter

By Helen Morrison Bella is a friendly eight-year-old spayed female. Her elderly owners had to go into senior housing and they weren't allowed to take her. Bella likes to cuddle, sit on your lap, and sleep with you in bed. She loves to have her head and nose softly petted and massaged. Bella also loves the sun and loves when her bed is placed in front of a warm place. Bella is an amazingly sweet girl and manages to acquire an amazing purr when she is relaxed! Bella is very sad that her owners had to leave her and is wanting a good, loving, and quiet home. If you would like to meet Bella, come to Kingdom Animal Shelter on Memorial Drive in St. Johnsbury. Check our website for adoption hours: www.kingdomanimalshelter.com.

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The Hidden Price of Tail-less Cats

By Helen Morrison All of us are aware of domestic tailless cats. Many of us know them as Manx cats. They are appealing to some folk, mainly for their unusual lack of a tail. These cats exist mainly due to breeders crossing cats who have shorter and shorter tails until they get kittens who have no tails. But here is the rub. In a litter where you may have one or two healthy manx kittens, there can be others with serious genetic and physiological abnormalities. They are born with a condition called sacrocaudel dygenesis. Their tail bone is not only missing but the backbone up into the body and the sacrum are missing or deformed, along with the nerves coming from that part of the spine. The kittens appear to be normal for about a month. The mom takes care of any fecal matter or urine by licking and cleaning them. But as they begin to grow and move about, it becomes clear that something is deeply wrong. They cannot defecate normally; their back legs often do not work. And if you cannot find someone willing to help them express their fecal matter several times a day and help them move about, then they need to be euthanized. And it is hard to find someone willing to take on this extra care. At the Kingdom Animal Shelter, we received a surrendered family of cats ... a mom and five kittens, all a beautiful coal black. The mom's tail was normal in length. One of the kittens' tails is normal, two have bob tails, and two have no tails. They are sweet, sweet. One of the bobtail kittens suddenly lost all ability to move, and needed to be euthanized. As I said to the foster parent, with one genetic abnormality, there may be more, and perhaps that is what happened to this kitten. And now that they are beginning to try to walk, one of the tailless kittens' back legs don't work properly. His back legs move like a frog's legs move. It does not bode well, not only for walking, but also for the ability to eliminate. Meanwhile, there is a kitten at one of the vets we use who is an absolute sweetheart, long black silver fur, friendly, playful, loving his food. He was found as a stray. But he can't eliminate and his back legs don't work properly. He is tailless. If there is a vet tech or someone willing to work with him, help him eliminate daily, maybe fashion something for him to walk, he could have a good and happy though challenging life. I have heard of a vet tech who took such a kitten, kept it in diapers, and it lived a good life for 8 years. But it takes a special person willing to tend to the special needs. So, there appear to be some pockets of cat communities in the area that have the genes for shorter tails, and this is leading to a number of kittens with sacro-caudel dysgenesis. It is particularly hard for me to understand why we must cross breed and cross breed to get a particular trait that is really a genetic abnormality and which leads to who knows how many kittens being thrown away to get a few that are viable and healthy and able to be sold. Here are these beautiful little beings, trapped in bodies that don't work, all because we are after some peculiarity, some novelty that may sell. It is extremely unfair. If you think you might be a person who could take on the care of one of these special needs kittens, give me a call at 563-2488.

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School Board Update

By Chris Tormey, Cabot School Board Chair

At our May 5 meeting, the Cabot School board approved the hiring of Gail Curtis as the interim Principal of Cabot School for the 2014-2015 school year. A longtime resident of Proctor, Vermont, Ms. Curtis was chosen from a group of applicants by a selection committee comprised of parents and school staff. Ms. Curtis has worked as a teacher or administrator in Vermont schools for over three decades. She has spent much of her career as a classroom teacher in the upper-elementary grades, and has also worked extensively with other teachers to improve teaching methods and students’ success. In addition, she has experience as a principal at the elementary and middle school level. Ms. Curtis brings a broad range of valuable skills and experience to our school, and we are excited to welcome her to Cabot. High school graduation will take place this year on Friday, June 13, in the school gymnasium beginning at 6:00 p.m.. Fifteen graduating seniors will receive their diplomas on that evening. We’re pleased to welcome former Vermont governor Madeleine Kunin as our graduation speaker this year. Ms. Kunin was asked to attend by one of our graduating seniors, and we’re excited that she has accepted the invitation to join us. The Baccalaureate ceremony for Cabot’s graduating seniors (along with their friends and families) will once again be sponsored this year by the United Church of Cabot. That program will be held at the Church on Sunday, June 8. Eighth-grade graduation will take place this year on Thursday, May 12, at 5:30 p.m. in the Cabot School Performing Arts Center. The eighth grade students recently returned from their endof- the- year trip to Washington, D.C. A great deal of learning takes place in a short time for those students during that week-long visit, and the trip could not happen each year without the combined energy, organization, and fundraising efforts of the middle school teachers and parents. May is a time of students completing this year’s courses and of teachers and administrators planning courses and the schedule for next year. This year, high school students are taking exams in advanced-placement calculus and biology, and seniors are completing their Senior X internships and projects. Next year, students in a marine biology/anthropology class will travel in the spring to Belize on the Caribbean coast of Central America to study in the rain forests and coral reefs. It’s challenging to schedule within a small school, and we appreciate the work of our school staff in making the varied courses that comprise our kids’ experience fit together and work. Finally, on a financial note, the Vermont Legislature has, in the 2014 session just recently concluded, taken action that will affect the size of Cabot residents’ school property taxes this year. Just prior to its adjournment, the Legislature set the statewide base property tax rate at 98 cents per $100 of assessed homestead value. Since this is a reduction of three cents from the $1.01 expected rate from which we built our 2014-2015 Cabot School Budget, it means that the budget passed by Cabot voters on Town Meeting Day will now result in a lower Homestead Tax Rate for Cabot property owners. That rate will now stand at $1.5736, rather than the $1.6050 figure that was approved at Town Meeting. Boiling all that down, it means that school taxes for the coming year will be 2.4% higher than this year’s, rather than the 4.5% increase we had expected it to be at Town Meeting time.

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CABOT SCHOOL CHILD DEVELOPMENT INFORMATION DAYS PRESCHOOL SCREENING

For 3 and 4 year olds Developmental screening will be held for all three and four year old children in Cabot at the CABOT SCHOOL PRIMARY BUILDING. The purpose of the screening is to assess overall development, identify children who may be in need of services, and talk to our Early Education Staff.

Call 563-2289 EXT 210 after May 14 For an appointment

Part of this story may be missing here. See the original pages, page 11 onward.

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