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Preserving the history of Cabot, Vermont · Founded 1965

The Cabot Chronicle

December 2018/January 2019 · 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 December 2018/January 2019 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

Centurion Charles Bothfeld

by Amanda Legare Charlie Bothfeld will celebrate his 100th birthday December 13. At his home on Coits Pond Road, he tends to a huge garden and lawn in season and trims the trees to keep the shade away from his growing area. He does his own housekeeping, getting help in once a month. His neighbor across the road, Bill Wheeler, keeps an eye on him and helps out on occasion. “Come the winter, I have lots of free time,” he said. One of his winter pastimes is caning chairs. He reads magazines, newspapers and books. Norma Bothfeld, his wife of 71 years, died in 2013. Relatives keep him busy these days, and three times a week he and his brother, Walt Bothfeld, enjoy lunch and cribbage at the Twin Valley Senior Center in East Montpelier. He is a World War II veteran, and this September, through the efforts of Rep. Kitty Beattie Toll, he was able to join other vets in an “honor flight” to Washington DC. “That was the biggest recognition of my service I have ever had,” he said. “I was honored to be honored.” The group left from the airport in Manchester, NH, where Charlie led a parade of vets. “There were more than 300 people wishing us well in New Hampshire, and another several hundred to greet us when we arrived in Baltimore.” Buses with police escorts took the vets to the National Mall and to all the different war memorials. They also saw the changing of the guard at the Arlington Cemetery. The visit took more than six hours and the group didn’t return until midnight to New Hampshire. More recently, his wife’s nephew, Chester Miller of Wallingford, CT, arranged a trip to the American Heritage Museum in Hudson, MA. Charlie and his brothers Walter and Clark drove down from Vermont. Charlie had been the motor officer in charge of keeping the tanks running in his company, and this museum has a huge collection of armored vehicles from many wars. As his birthday approaches, Charlie doesn’t think it’s anything special. “I don’t understand what the big deal is,” he said. I still do everything I used to do, I just am a lot slower.” Cards can be sent to: Charlie Bothfeld, 364 Coits Pond Road, Cabot VT 05647.

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���SAVE THE DATE!

��� Come join us for our Holiday Festival and Outdoor Market, in the style of a traditional German Weihnachtsmarkt. We aim to envelop you in holiday cheer with food and art vendors, holidays decorations, comfort food, pretzels, and of course beer. Warm your bones with our homemade glühwein (mulled wine) and hot cider. Our friends from Calendonia Spirits will be there too, with spirits and a featured cocktail. Come for the food, come for the treats, or come for great beer and music. Music will begin this year around 3pm with Allison

Rogers, Stovepipe Mountain Band, and Jaime & the Red Axe. We are proud to announce that our big headliner will be

He will go on stage at The Den around 7:30pm.

CHAD HOLLISTER!

This event was all we ever dreamed of and more last year, and we would love to have you join us this year as we carry on the tradition.

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Cabot Town-Wide Reappraisal is Around the Corner

Why should you care?

Well, there are two things you should know.  It doesn’t necessarily mean your property taxes will go up. Because property value is a formula intended to share the tax burden of municipal government and education, even if your property value goes up, if equivalent properties in town go up similarly, the share of the tax burden will remain approximately the same. It all starts with “the whole pie” of the cost of municipal services, and then is divided up according to property value. So, the share of the tax burden by similar properties should remain similar and equal to one another. The purpose of the Grand List is to divide the cost of government and education equally and fairly.  In order to perform the reappraisal, the professional reappraisers and Board of Listers need access to your parcel and structures to fairly evaluate them. In this day of cell phones, the land line phone numbers we have on file are mostly out of date. We need a way to contact homeowners to let them know when the appraisal team will be in their neighborhood. We would appreciate you letting us know your preferred method of communication; we can email you or call whatever phone you prefer. You can update us by email – [email protected], telephone – 802-563-3139, or leave us a note anytime you have business in the Town Clerk’s office. Of course, a personal visit to the Listers is always welcome, and we’d be delighted to sit with you to review the data on your parcel’s Cost Sheet to ensure everything is correct.

The reappraisal is necessary according to State regulation, but it is also critical to ensure fairness to all property owners. Cabot’s last town-wide reappraisal was conducted in 2005/2006, so we have definitely received our money’s worth from that investment. The State actually recommends reappraisal on a five-year cycle. By going thirteen years between reappraisals, the “inventory” becomes stale, and that is unfair to property owners because some have had their data refreshed during that time (often due to home improvements made that require inspection and update of the record). Many other parcel records have remained untouched over that period even though they may have improved or deteriorated during that time, without that change being reflected on the Lister Cost Sheet. That does not support equity among property owners, and it is largely for that reason that this 2019 reappraisal is conducted. Cabot’s contract with Vermont Appraisal Company will begin July 2019, and we expect to start with the Joe’s Pond area, because many of those parcels are seasonal, and continue through the town until April 2020. The changes will be reflected in the 2020 tax bills. If you have questions or concerns about the planned reappraisal or your property values, please contact the Listers, who would be happy to talk with you.

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CABOT ♦ DANVILLE ♦ PEACHHAM

by Representative Catherine “Kitty” Toll The 2018 Election season has come to an end and I sincerely thank the voters in Cabot, Danville and Peacham for your continued support in this year’s election. It is truly an honor to represent you and our communities in Montpelier. As we move into the 2019 legislative session, I look forward to hearing from you as bills of interest take shape and decisions are made that impact all of our lives. Committee assignments for House members are assigned by the Speaker, and I am hoping for the opportunity to return to the Appropriations Committee. My focus would continue to be on managing the rate of growth of the state budget, aggressively paying off debt obligations, building reserves in preparation for the next dip in the economy, and prioritizing investments to support policies and programs. When returning in January, the legislature will begin its annual budget adjustment process. The 2019 state budget runs from July 1, 2018, through June 30, 2019, and each year, in January, midyear adjustments are made to keep expenditures and revenues in balance. First quarter revenues have exceeded targets in both the General Fund and Transportation Fund. The Education Fund is running just below targets. In the first quarter of the fiscal year, sales tax, which supports the Education Fund, came in below projections, but has been partially off-set by strong lottery sales and the rooms and meals tax, which both came in higher than forecasted.

For additional information on any bill or action taken by the House or Senate or standing committee, please visit: www.leg.state.vt.us. These are live pages and are updated regularly. Please contact me directly with your questions and concerns. As always, it is an honor to represent our communities at the State House.

[email protected] [email protected] PO Box 192 Danville, VT 05828 802-684-3671 (Home) 802-828-2228 (State House)

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Selectboard Update

The Selectboard meets the first and third Tuesday of each month at 6:00 p.m. This summer and fall, we have had more folks show up for our meetings expressing interest in town affairs. I think this is good for democracy, and I hope we have more discussions of this type. The town is half way through its first fiscal year, which began July 1, 2018, and goes through June 30, 2019. Once we get a full year of financial reporting, it will make next year’s budget process more easily comparable. Preparing the 2019-2020 budget for Town Meeting Day March 2019 is currently underway. The Selectboard meets with all the committees and departments who request appropriations and discusses their needs for the upcoming year. We have been meeting at 5:00 p.m. prior to the regular Selectboard meeting. This has been a busy year, with many projects started, completed, and some postponed. Here is the status of those projects.

 Danville Hill Water Line: This project was worked on throughout the summer to replace the main service line. As with any project, there were some delays due to road closings. We think the contractor did a very good job replacing a line that was leaking thousands of gallons of water. The project is complete, with some small items to finish.  Wastewater Plant: In the process of replacing an older control panel whose components are no longer available.  Cemetery Tree Removal: The Cemetery Commission and the Selectboard discussed removal of trees from the various town cemeteries. A first group of trees have been cut down at the Durant Cemetery. There are others that have been tagged for removal and will be removed in the spring of 2019. We hope to put some monies aside in the next budget to compete that task.  Old Route 2 Reconstruction: The Route 2 multi- year reconstruction project has used Old Route 2 in moving materials and has caused some damage to the road surface. The Selectboard met with Contractor J.A. MacDonald, Agency of Transportation and home owners who use the road. We are working with VTrans to obtain funds to fix the road and to repair and replace the culverts. This is an ongoing process, discussing various approaches to repair the road. This work will begin in 2019.  Porter Road Culvert: Replacement of existing culvert in spring 2019 will be paid for under a FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant.  Sawmill Dam: We have had various meetings over a long period of time with the Department of Environmental Conservation and Ottauquechee Regional Planning- Community Development Block Grant folks on a project to remove the collapsed buildings on the sawmill dam site as a beginning phase, and eventually through other funding to remove the dam to lessen upstream flooding. After meetings with concerned citizens, adjoining land owners and state officials, the Board voted to not go forward with the project. There are other outside groups who may want to pursue this in the future.  Sawmill Yellow House: Possible site for redevelopment. The Town would need grant funds to pursue any kind of renovation.  Lower Cabot Store: A recommendation from Department of Environmental Conservation as a potential buyout project. Landowner is working with FEMA. It could take years before there is any availability of federal monies.  Proposed Fire Department/Ambulance Facility: The working group is meeting monthly on the last Thursday at 6:30 p.m. and making progress. There is an article in the current Cabot Chronicle addressing various issues. I urge you to speak to fire department and ambulance volunteers with any questions regarding the need for this facility and the ongoing problems with the current location. All are welcome to the monthly meetings.  GMP Project: The Town, along with Marshfield and Plainfield, are participating in the Green Mountain Power project at Marshfield Dam. Information on this project can be found on the town web site.  Budget: FY 2019-20 budget development is under way. The Board will make every effort to produce a responsible budget that meets the needs of Cabot.

If you have any questions, please free to call us or stop by the Town Clerk and leave a message.

email [email protected]

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Planning Notes

Winter Parking Ban Just a few reminders as the winter season approaches. The Town's winter parking ban is now in effect; parking on municipal roads and or in the road right of way is prohibited from 11:30 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. daily until April 15. Municipal parking areas are also off limits during these hours. If you have a driveway with a pull off by the road where you leave vehicles in the winter, please coordinate with the road crew about an appropriate location that will not impact plowing. Turn-offs and pull-offs along town highways should also remain clear - these areas are necessary to turn equipment around when clearing roadways. Garbage cans and bins for collection days and other containers should also not be located in the road. Please leave these containers in your drive or off to the side. They are a hazard for plowing and pushing back the banks of snow. When snow blowing or plowing your walkway or drive, please take care to not put this snow into the roadway. If you cannot avoid it, please clear it from the roadway when complete. This snow freezes in the road, leaving ridges and hazards for other travelers and makes plowing treacherous. The road crew takes time to move the snow and banks back from the edge of the roadway to make travel safer. Winter sand is available for Cabot Residents at the Town garage outside the gate. This sand is replenished as needed. Per insurance requirements, residents are reminded they are not allowed to access the main sand pile at the Town garage. Snow plows are large vehicles, please use caution on the roadway when in the vicinity of these trucks, they take time and space to stop. Remember, use caution on winter roadways and plan for extra time during this season. Your cooperation is appreciated.

Village District Zoning

As recommended by the Village revitalization study, the Planning Commission has reviewed village zoning based on current settlement patterns in the Village. This will assist in strengthening the village center to allow a more traditional center, encouraging development of additional housing within the core of the village through smaller lot sizes, while keeping community needs and services within that historic Under the current zoning regulations, the village setbacks do not match the built environment in the village. A study of existing structures revealed that every structure along Main Street, with the exception of two buildings, does not meet the required zoning setbacks. This means that new structures must sit further back from the edge of the road and limits a landowner's use of their property. The proposed setbacks would align with the existing/historic layout and give landowners more flexibility. The proposed changes also acknowledge that the Town water and wastewater system can allow for smaller lots where there is access to both systems, and reduced lot sizes with access to just one. The revised village zone regulations would allow for more flexibility in placement of buildings and uses, as well as smaller lot sizes when the property is connected to Town water and wastewater. The proposed parking requirements are also more flexible to encourage development in the Village center. The Planning Commission will hold an informational hearing on the proposed zoning revisions in December, A second public hearing will be held in January with the vote on the zoning amendment to occur at town meeting in March. These zoning changes will affect residents only within the Village of Cabot and Lower Cabot. If you are unsure if these changes affect you, please contact the Zoning Administrator. Landowners within this zone will be sent a letter with the proposed changes included. Copies of the draft will also be available online and at the Town clerk’s office.

Beginning in February 2019, voters will be notified by

Part of this story may be missing here. See the original pages, page 3 onward.

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Town of Cabot Annual Report Distribution

Message to Cabot Residents from Elected Town Auditors

At the 2018 town meeting, the voters of Cabot agreed to change the way the annual town report is distributed.

Part of this story may be missing here. See the original pages, page 3 onward.

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State Education Board decides against Cabot/Danville Merger

by Cabot School Board At its meeting in Clarendon in November, the Vermont State Board of Education rejected an earlier proposal by the Vermont Secretary of Education and voted not to force the school districts of Cabot and Danville to merge into a single, unified district. Following the passage of Act 46 by the Vermont Legislature in the spring of 2015, school board and community members from the Cabot, Danville, and Twinfield school districts researched and discussed for the better part of two years the potential benefits and downsides of consolidating into one large district. Those discussions culminated in May 2017 with a merger proposal that would have closed Cabot High School and allowed high school students in the merged district to attend either Danville or Twinfield High School. The following month, the merger proposal was soundly defeated by voters in both Danville and Cabot. Last fall, our school board prepared and submitted to the State an “Alternative Governance Structure” proposal describing how Cabot School planned to meet the goals of Act 46 while remaining an unmerged, independent, preK-12 district. That proposal, as well as a recent addendum to it, are on the Cabot School website (cabotschool.org). Assuming that the State Board of Education retains its decision not to force a Cabot/Danville merger as part of its final Statewide Plan of school districts due to be finalized by November 30, their decision this week marks an end to a long and challenging process for our school and community. In our case, at least, it seems that the State Board recognized that merging school districts into larger ones may not necessarily be an improvement for those districts’ students or for the communities that support them. With the large question posed by Act 46 about our school’s future hopefully finally answered, we have no shortage of work ahead this fall and winter. Spreading the word about our school’s high-quality programs, drawing new students and families to our school and community, and developing a budget that can be supported by Cabot voters: we look forward to your input and help with the challenges of remaining a small, independent school district.

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Cabot High School Launches New Curriculum

by Chris Tormey As part of this year’s re-designed curricula at Cabot High School, students registered in August for multidisciplinary “studios” in topic areas ranging from small business start-ups to sci-fi film production to exploring the interaction of music, physics, and biology. Now, one quarter into the school year, both students and teachers are enthusiastic about the approach, and students are getting ready to present their progress on their chosen projects to the community this month. Cabot has been a statewide leader in progressive and personalized learning for decades. In recent years, Cabot teachers have developed proficiencydriven, project-based curricula in the arts and humanities - prompting visits of staff and teachers from interested schools in the region, and invitations to share this work at national conferences. Designed by Cabot High School faculty last spring, the new program takes the prior work one step further. “In a nutshell,” according to Cabot’s Principal Glenda Cresto, “the new program provides a rigorous authentic learning experience for our students. We want our students to apply what they are learning in studio to realworld issues or problems, creating a project or product that will actually impact the world beyond the school community.” Several of the school’s core values (curiosity, creativity, and design) inform the new approach, according to Brian Boyes, who serves as the high school team leader at Cabot and helped to design the program. “At the heart of an authentic learning experience is curiosity. From there, our curiosity can spark creativity to create new work that has meaning and relevance.” Boyes is also convinced that the skills developed in the learning model itself will benefit Cabot students after they graduate. “The world runs on projects.” says Boyes. “From business to engineering to the arts,+ work in the professional world is project-based, requiring essential lifelong skills such as collaboration, communication, and critical thinking.” Open to students in grades 9-12, each studio integrates at least two disciplines. Students enrolled in the “Sounds of Science” studio, for example, will explore the physics of sound, the biology of hearing, and the art of making music. After studying acoustics and musicology to build an understanding of how different sounds are produced, students will use their knowledge to create new instruments. Next, students will explore how the brain interprets sound. As a culminating presentation, the public will be invited to hear the students’ own compositions played on the instruments that they designed and built. Students in each of the studios will have an opportunity to present either a finished product or a work-in-progress to students and the larger Cabot community at some point this year. At the “Sci-Fi Script Slam and Exhibition” at the Cabot School Performing Arts Center on November 8, students in the Sci -fi Film Production studio displayed the screenplays that they had produced and were available to answer questions and provide information to the public about their scripts and the process of creating them. They then performed a single scene of the script that they had written for a panel of judges who determined which screenplay will be filmed in the next trimester. In addition to local director Karen Mueller-Harder of Cabot Community Theater and our Principal, Glenda Cresto, filmmakers Jay Craven and Bess O’Brien were part of the panel that listened to and gave feedback on the students’ work. Information about future presentations of student learning to the community (from the new high school curriculum, as well as from other grade levels) will be posted on the Cabot School website. Whether you’re a parent of a current Cabot School student and/or a community member interested in the quality of education that the school is supporting, please consider attending one or more of this year’s presentations.

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Cabot Mentoring: “Having” Time vs “Making” Time

by Susan Socks All of us fill our schedules in our own way. I don’t know of anyone who leaves big gaps in their day where they do absolutely nothing. So, the answer to “Do you have time to be a mentor?” will generally be “No, I’m already busy.” So, instead, I ask this…“Will you MAKE time to be a mentor?” While it sounds similar, it is a very different question. What I’m really saying is “I know you are busy. But do you value community? Do you value youth? Would you be willing to prioritize these values, and create space in your life for them?” I know about busy. I’m a mother to two teens. I work as a farmer, and as the mentoring coordinator. I’m the volunteer coordinator for the rink, and sometimes volunteer for other small town and school tasks. I definitely do not “have time” to be a mentor! But I decided to “make time”. And it was a great decision. I look forward to spending time with my mentee, because she’s a great person and a lot of fun. We learn from each other, and our time together makes both our lives better. I’m proud to be a part of her journey towards adulthood, and very glad that I made the time to be a mentor. If a strong community matters to you, consider making time. If supporting the youth of Cabot matters to you, consider making time. And if you would like to make a new friend, connect with the upcoming generation, and have fun while doing something important…consider making time. You’ll never “have” time, but you might just be able to “make” some! I would like to thank all the great mentors in Cabot who found that space in their lives during 2018: Greg Burtt, Ellen Cairns, Mark Christensen, Wayne Fisher, Gwendolyn Hallsmith, John Hammer, Michelle Leclerc, Lynn Rockwell, Kris Schmitt, Susan Socks, Lynn Talamini, Mary Ann Tormey, Mark Tucker, Beth Wade, MJ Wright. And thank you to the great mentors-in -progress who are in the process of being matched with Cabot youth. To learn more, visit us at www.cabotmentoring.org, or call 563- 2289 ext 204.

(Photos l to r: John Hammer and Zayn, Kris Schmidtt and Adrianna, Lynn Rockwell and Dezi. Photos by Susan Socks)

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OBITUARIES & MEMORIALS

Ethel Gene (née Sisson) Reed Ethel Gene Sisson Reed, who was known as Gene, died after a short illness on September 14, 2018, in Montpelier, VT, at the age of 98 years. Gene was born on July 13, 1920, in Vergennes, IN, the third of eight children of Sivert Ulness Sisson and Maude Ethel (Young) Sisson. She graduated from Taylor High School in Cleves, OH. She had a scholarship to the University of Cincinnati, where she studied math. She was walking several miles to get the bus to Cincinnati when she was offered a job as a nanny to the family of a professor. Robert Johnson Reed (Bob) was their son, and it was love at first sight. They were married on November 30, 1940. He was a pilot in the Army Air Corps, and as they were driving across country to his base in California, they heard the announcement of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. So he proceeded west and she came back to Cleves and her studies. She eventually followed him to MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, where they lived until he deployed overseas. He taught her to fly! She enrolled in the University of Tampa as a Botany major and got a pilot’s license. She became an officer of the Ninety Nines, an international organization of female pilots, flying missions for the Civil Air Patrol, looking for U-boats off the coast of Florida. She was later an air traffic controller. During WWII, she attended both the University of Cincinnati and the University of Tampa, quitting them whenever Bob was back. She eventually graduated Magna Cum Laude from UC, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Botany. After the war, she and Bob moved to Indiana and they began their family. They had five children and remained together for 62 years until his death in 2002. Bob and Gene were longtime residents of Macedonia, OH. They both loved singing and were active members of the Barbershop community. She was a member of Sweet Adeline’s for 25 years. She was also active in the PTA, President for many years, Girl Scout Troop Leader, Education Director for the Presbyterian Church, and active in other organizations. She taught craft classes of all kinds, for all ages, out of her home studio. So many children remember her for the fun activities she presented, not only to neighbor’s children but to all her nieces and nephews and all of their children. In 2009, she moved to Vermont, where she found a happy home at Cabot Commons, near to her daughter, Annie. She was nurtured by the Twin Valley Senior Center, where she went three times a week to be with her friends, doing Bone Strengthening, lunch, presentations (Bernie came and talked to them more than once), and Tai Chi. She moved to Heaton Woods in 2016 and flourished, with so many friends, activities and excellent care. In all her married life she went to “Paradise” in Minnesota, and even in her last year, still gloried in getting together with extended family there. She got to have a meal with her Macedonia friends; on her drive out this year, ten came to a dinner party and had a chance to visit. Several of our lifelong friends got to visit this past summer, as well, and it was clear that she will remain in their hearts. Gene will be remembered by her surviving children; Nancy (Mark) Lieberman, Anne Reed, Robert (Eri) Reed, and William (Jody) Reed; and her grandchildren; Carolyn Lieberman, Bobby Reed, and Adam and Lindsey Reed. She is survived by her sister Nancy (Sisson) Campton, and sisters-in-law, Marty (Reed) Bushey, Jeanne Sisson, and Peggy Sisson. Gene was predeceased by her husband, Robert J. Reed, and her youngest daughter, Janet Elizabeth (Reed) Boudart. A memorial celebration was held in Vermont on November 18, 2018, at the Plainfield Opera House in Plainfield. Her interment will be in Minnesota on May 19 at the Greenwood Cemetery in Nisswa. Gifts can be made to Twin Valley Senior Center, P O Box 152, East Montpelier VT, 05651 in her name and with many thanks. twinvalleyseniors.org.

Susan Remington In memory of Susan Sherman Remington, who passed peacefully at her home in Cabot, on November 6, 2018. She was a mother to three, a mentor to many and a generous friend to all.

Suzy was born in Auburn, NY, on May 29, 1944. Growing up in upstate New York and then Florida, Suzy was an honor student, a National Girl Scout and a musician. She was an artist, educator and dedicated mother. She had a lifelong love for learning and achieved her master's degree from Goddard College. She was always a tireless advocate for children, animals and the underdog. She was involved in children’s art and education for more mals of all kinds is threatening our food supply and, thus, our lives. What can we do here in Cabot to promote a healthy pollinator population? We can create habitats that invite bees and other pollinators and help them thrive again. We can become more aware, for instance, of when to cut our lawn. We can wait until the dandelions have bloomed in the spring and leave the goldenrod in the fall, both essential wild food sources for bees. We can plant more flowers that attract bees and reduce chemical gardening and lawn care practices. All the actions we can take are too numerous to mention here. So we invite you to attend our movie and workshop, and hear about what we can do on a personal and town-wide level to help bees and other pollinators return and thrive again:

The Greater Cabot Working Landscape Network would also like to do what many towns across the country have done, or are doing, and introduce a non-binding Pollinator Protection Resolution at our upcoming Town Meeting in March. Please come join with us in learning about this important project which affects our food supply here in Cabot and throughout the world.

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Pollinators and Their Decline

By Sjon Welters Why is this a Problem & What Can We Do about It? Come to a Movie and Workshop at the Cabot Library

Cabot's Working Landscape Network will be showing the captivating documentary “Queen of the Sun – What Are Bees Telling Us?” on January 8 at 7:00 p.m. at the Cabot Library. We have also organized a workshop with beekeeper John Hayden from The Farm Between, a nursery and fruit farm in Jeffersonville, VT. After noticing a significant decline of the native bee population on their farm, they created a 14-acre Pollinator Sanctuary, a biodiverse habitat for a variety of pollinators. We'll announce the workshop date and time on FPF as soon as it is firmed up. But what are pollinators? Pollinators are animals that pollinate or fertilize flowers. Pollinators like bees are responsible for the pollination of about onethird of our food supply. As you can see, our lives depend greatly on pollinators, especially bees. And it is not bees alone. The World Wildlife Fund found that, since 1970, our planet has lost 60% of its vertebrate animal population. (Is that why it has become so quiet in the woods?) German scientists found a dramatic and alarming decline of 75% in insects in certain areas they studied over a period of 27 years. (Is that why our car’s windshields are not covered by smashed insects any longer like they used to be?) This steep decline in anithan 40 years, both here and in the Virgin Islands. Her early years as a Girl Scout sparked her love for living close to the land. That eventually led her to Vermont in the 1960s and to a rural lifestyle with an emphasis on living in harmony with Mother Nature. Suzy’s greatest gift was recognizing good in others and encouraging their light to shine. She loved traveling and was a gypsy at heart. She leaves behind four younger siblings: Miranda, Lucinda, Sara and Russell; three children, Aubrey, Torey and Lucy; four grandchildren, Isaiah, Liliana, Tyree and Zion; and many, many friends who loved her. A Celebration of Life was held at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Montpelier on November 17. Suzy’s warmth, love and acceptance will be missed by us all.

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Deb Bothfeld’s Retirement

Family, Friends, and members of the community gathered at Goodrich's Maple Farm on Saturday, November 3, to celebrate Deb Bothfeld's retirement from Cabot School after 33 years of service. Deb served the community as teacher, coach, bus driver and so much more. Many shared their past experiences as students, co-worked and friends and all wished her well in her future endeavors. Frank Kampf photo.

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Local Resident Opens Acupuncture Healing Practice in Cabot

by Sandy Ducharme Licensed acupuncturist and local healer, Christina Ducharme L.Ac., MAOM, a multigeneration resident of Cabot, is bringing her healing skills to the local community.

She currently offers treatments from her home in Cabot as well as her office, Blue Heron Acupuncture, LLC, at Railyard Apothecary in Burlington. On August 11 she was found at The Den’s anniversary party in the village offering ear acupuncture demonstrations for stress relief, on the front porch of the Hardware store in the comfortable Adirondack furniture supplied for the event by Christina’s father, Richard Ducharme of Hillcrest Adirondack Furniture. “I was so scared of needles,” said an 11 year old child, “but it didn’t hurt at all! I’ve been really sad, because my grandmother just died, and now I feel a little better.” Locals lined up to talk to her about acupuncture and her journey through acupuncture school. Her son Nathaniel was on hand to talk about his experiences with moxa, acupuncture, and healing and to meet and greet the crowd.

When asked why she wants to stay in Cabot and offer treatments to locals, Christina responded, “this is my community. Wherever life brings me, I always come back home. I want to give back to my community, and what better way than through healing?” Christina continues to explain that it is her desire to eventually open an integrative healing center in Cabot. When asked what got Christina Ducharme interested in the healing arts, she replies, “I have a deep compassion for people, and I want to help them find ease and balance in their lives. I think my background as a scientist, educator, and social worker all combine to make me an effective healer. I look at healing from an ecological perspective. For example, if there is a decrease in the diversity of a fish population in a river, you look at the entire watershed to discover the cause. It’s the same with health. If someone has a headache, the treatment isn’t just to stop the pain, but to treat the underlying cause of the headache to stop its reoccurrence. This could be a structural issue with the neck, chronic stress, or in Chinese medicine, a whole host of different patterns.”

When asked what makes her stand out from the other practitioners in the area, Christina Ducharme, L.Ac. replies, “There are a few things that set me apart. My deep compassion for people and ability to sit with the difficult emotions is very important. I also combine my unique and very extensive skills as an energy healer and knowledge of the body’s energy field with the Chinese meridian system to take healing from an area of managing pain and symptoms to one of deep transformational healing.” One of her clients had this to say about her experiences with Christina Ducharme: “When I met Christina, I was drawn to her inviting and nurturing energy. She is genuine, humble, and uplifting. I felt fully listened to and supported while under her care. Christina knows how to hold a space where you can naturally allow yourself to be vulnerable and cultivate wholeness. She helped me through my anxiety and menstrual issues. It’s obvious how deep Christina’s passion is for this medicine. She is an exceptional practitioner whom I highly recommend!" Christina Ducharme owns and operates Blue Heron Acupuncture, LLC, with two locations. The Burlington office is located at Railyard Apothecary at 270 Battery Street. In Cabot, she can be found at her home office at 217 Urban Road. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please v is it ww w . b lu e h er o na cu pu nc turevt.com, email at christina@blue heronacupuncturevt.com, or call at 802-595-2248.

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Received from Amanda Legare

“He sent to California for a bride. They corresponded and she came. And it was right in the middle of winter and he went down and got her in Cabot Village, and there was a big snow storm, and he couldn’t get back up the hill. And he went and got Dick Bothfeld out of bed. Dick got his oxen and went down and hitched on and pulled the car and all out to where he lived, which was way out beyond Sam Diego’s. Here we are in the middle of winter and here’s this woman from California. And she opened the door and stepped out into the snow clear up to her whatever, and Dick said he laughed so that he could hardly stand it. She looked at George and said, ‘Well honey, where’s the sidewalk?’ But I guess she got used to it. They were still living there long after I came to town.”

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Cabot Conservation Committee Emerald Ash Borer

By Chris Duff By now, most folks have heard that the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) has now been found in Vermont. The question now is, ‘what can I do about it?’ For the last few years, purple triangle boxes could be seen hanging up in trees above our back roads. Those boxes were part of a study to determine whether the EAB had arrived in Vermont. Last winter it was found in parts of southeast Washington County and northeast Orange County. One outbreak was found in Plainfield, and that’s not too far from Cabot. And yet another outbreak has been found in Grand Isle County this summer. It was to be expected, as the EAB has already been found in 24 states, including our neighboring states New Hampshire, New York and Massachusetts, and it has also been found in some areas of Quebec. The EAB was first identified in Michigan in 2002, suspected of having arrived in pallets shipped from China several years earlier. It has wreaked havoc in many of the states it has been found in. Some municipalities have spent millions of dollars to remove all the ash trees in their jurisdiction and millions of ash trees have been killed. Some biologists suggest that unless some natural predator steps up, we may not have any ash trees around in the future. The flying adult (bright green and ¼

- ½ “ long)(note: there are many look-a -likes) lays its eggs in the bark of the ash tree and the resulting larvae will bore into the cambial layer of the tree and eat its way around the tree leaving tunnel excavations. The adult will emerge in 1-2 years and bore a D shaped hole out of the ash tree. This process will eventually kill the tree. To identify an outbreak in your woods, look up at the health of the tree’s crown; are there dead branches? Does the tree look stressed? Are there many leaves on the tree? And then inspect the bark of the tree; look for woodpecker activity on the tree, look for increased woodpecker activity in the area, look for small D shaped exit holes on the trunk. For a better description of the biology and identification of the EAB go to the USDA site: https://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/disturbance/invasive_species/eab/biology_ecology/planipennis/. So the question remains, what to do? Most foresters are suggesting that if you are going to harvest your trees, leave any trees with a diameter of 6” or less standing. This may allow another potential generation of ash trees if the borer infestation abates. If you do choose to harvest your ash trees for saw logs or for firewood there are restrictions on handling that wood if they are cut in a quarantined area. The entire state of Vermont is now in the ‘quarantine boundary’, which means firewood cannot leave that boundary and saw logs must receive a ‘Compliance Agreement’ from the USDA. For a better look at the description of the quarantine and the boundary areas, go to https://vtinvasives.org/land/emerald-ash-borer-vermont, the Vermont Forest Parks and Recreation department. So when you go to cut and sell your logs or firewood this winter, inspect them carefully for EAB damage and follow the protocol of the USDA recommendations. It would be a terrible loss to lose the beautiful ash tree, it has so many great uses, not the least baseball bats and Hillcrest Adirondack Chairs!!

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~ DECEMBER ~

Saturday 12/1 Burklyn Arts Council Christmas

Market Annual Craft Fair. 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Lyndonville. Over 50 juried craftspeople, seasonal entertainment, raffle, children activities and luncheon at the Lyndon Town School, 2591 Lily Pond Road. Handicap Accessible.

Keeping it All in the Fam Holiday

Show 7:00 p.m. Greensboro. Live performance of musical mastery and humor by legendary fiddler Darol Anger and singer songwriter partner Emy Phelps and mandolinist Matt Flinner at the Highland Center for the Arts, 2875 Hardwick Street. Tickets $10.00- $35.00.

2nd Annual WFD Holiday Vendor and Craft Fair. 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Williamstown. Williamstown Fire Department building will have 30-40 vendors and luncheon served 11:30 a.m. 1:30 p.m.

Sunday 12/2 Burklyn Arts Council Christmas

Market Annual Craft Fair. 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Lyndonville. Over 50 juried craftspeople, seasonal entertainment, raffle, children activities and luncheon at the Lyndon Town School, 2591 Lily Pond Road. Handicap Accessible.

Saturday 12/8

Kids Trade and Play 9:30 a.m.- 11:30 a.m. Berlin. A clothing exchange at the central Vermont Capitol City Grange. Kids clothes newborn to Junior size 12. Bring what you no longer need and take home what you do. 6612

Part of this story may be missing here. See the original pages, page 7 onward.

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~ JANUARY ~

Thursday 1/24 - Sunday,1/27, 2019 Spice on Snow Winter Music Festival Montpelier. Cajun and old-time musicians four day celebration in city-wide Montpelier. More information on start times and schedules go to www.summit-school.org.

Sunday 1/27, 2019

YingQuartet 3 : 0 p . m . St.Johnsbury. Music selections from Beethoven and Tchaikovsky. Tickets Adults $18.00, Seniors $16.00, Students $6.00. South Church, 1052 Main Street.

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Holiday hours

Thursday - Saturday

10 - 6 pm, Sunday 12 – 4 pm, with extended Sunday hours on

December 23, 10 -6 pm. Christmas Eve Day 10 - 6 pm.

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ELECTIONS DIVISION OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE

REPRESENTATIVE TO CONGRESS Vote for not more than ONE

CRIS ERICSON

LAURA S. POTTER

ANYA TYNIO

PETER WELCH

TOTAL WRITE IN COUNTS

SHAWN EVEHART (write in)

OTHER WRITE IN COUNTS

OTHER VOTES

BLANK VOTES

TOTAL VOTES COUNTED GENERAL ELECTION (11/06/2018)

Town CABOT

District CAL-WAS 1. Total Registered Voters on checklist for this polling place

2. Total Number of Voters checked off on the entrance checklist (this includes absentee ballots)

3. Total Number of absentee ballots returned: (Include this count in Line 2)

4. Total number of ballots voted by the Accessible Voting System

5. Total number of DEFECTIVE ballots (not counted but name checked off checklist): (Enter the Total Defective ballots from the Defective Ballot Envelope -- DO NOT include REPLACED ballots.)

6. TOTAL BALLOTS COUNTED: (Number of voters checked off checklist minus defective ballots.)

6.1 Total Number of Ballots Counted at Polls:

7. Total number of PROVISIONAL ballots (to be sent to the Secretary of State)

168 1,126

695 0

19

695

LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR Vote for not more than ONE

MURRAY NGOIMA

DON TURNER JR

DAVID ZUCKERMAN

TOTAL WRITE IN COUNTS

CALEB PITKIN (write in)

HOLLY LEACH (write in)

OTHER WRITE IN COUNTS

UNDERVOTES

BLANK VOTES

TOTAL VOTES COUNTED 695

0 LIBERTY UNION POMFRET 16

282

382

2 REPUBLICAN MILTON

PROG/DEM HINESBURG 695

0 1

1

0 Name on Ballot Party Town of Residence Vote Cast US SENATOR Vote for not more than ONE

FOLASADE ADELUOLA INDEPENDENT SHELBURNE

RUSSELL BESTE

BRUCE BUSA

EDWARD S. GILBERT JR INDEPENDENT BARRE TOWN

REID KANE

BRAD J. PEACOCK

BERNIE SANDERS

JON SVITAVSKY

LAWRENCE ZUPAN

TOTAL WRITE IN COUNTS

DWAYNE TUCKER (write in)

OTHER WRITE IN COUNTS

UNDERVOTES

BLANK VOTES

TOTAL VOTES COUNTED 6

0

1

6

6

8

451

2

194

1 0

13

695 INDEPENDENT BURLINGTON

INDEPENDENT READSBORO STATE TREASURER Vote for not more than ONE

RICHARD MORTON

BETH PEARCE

TOTAL WRITE IN COUNTS

DOUG HOFFER (write in)

OTHER WRITE IN COUNTS

UNDERVOTES

BLANK VOTES

TOTAL VOTES COUNTED REPUBLICAN BRATTLEBORO

DEMOCRATIC BARRE CITY 220

432

1 LIBERTY UNION HARTFORD INDEPENDENT SHAFTSBURY

INDEPENDENT BURLINGTON

INDEPENDENT BRIDPORT

REPUBLICAN MANCHESTER 1

0 1

0

42

695 SECRETARY OF STATE Vote for not more than ONE

JIM CONDOS

MARY ALICE HEBERT

H BROOK PAIGE

TOTAL WRITE IN COUNTS

OTHER WRITE IN COUNTS

UNDERVOTES

BLANK VOTES

TOTAL VOTES COUNTED 0

20

695 DEMOCRATIC MONTPELIER

LIBERTY UNION PUTNEY

REPUBLICAN WASHINGTON 430

21

213

0 GOVERNOR Vote for not more than ONE

TREVOR BARLOW

CRIS ERICSON

CHRISTINE HALLQUIST DEMOCRATIC HYDE PARK

CHARLES LARAMIE

STEPHEN MARX

EMILY “EM” PAYTON

PHIL SCOTT

TOTAL WRITE IN COUNTS

KEITH STERN (write in)

OTHER WRITE IN COUNTS

UNDERVOTES

BLANK VOTES

TOTAL VOTES COUNTED INDEPENDENT CAVENDISH

INDEPENDENT CHESTER 7

4

276

1

4

8

382

2 0

31

695 INDEPENDENT FAIR HAVEN

EARTH RIGHTS STRAFFORD

LIBERTY UNION PUTNEY

REPUBLICAN BERLIN STATES ATTORNEY Vote for not more than ONE

RORY T. THIBAULT

TOTAL WRITE IN COUNTS

RORY T. THIBAULT (write in)

OTHER WRITE IN COUNTS

UNDERVOTES

BLANK VOTES

TOTAL VOTES COUNTED DEM/REP CABOT 2

0

11

695 1 0 575

1 0

119

695

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ASSISTANT JUDGE Vote for not more than TWO

MIRIAM “MUFFIE” CONLON DEMOCRATIC MONTPELIER

OTTO TRAUTZ

TOTAL WRITE IN COUNTS

ROSEMARIE JACKOWSKI (write in)

OTHER WRITE IN COUNTS

UNDERVOTES

BLANK VOTES

TOTAL VOTES COUNTED Town of Residence Vote Cast DEM/REP CABOT 31

380

224

0

60

695 0

627

1,390 SHERIFF Vote for not more than ONE

W. SAMUEL HILL

TOTAL WRITE IN COUNTS

ANTHONY MAZZILLE (write in)

MARK HUGHES (write in)

TYLER PRUE (write in)

OTHER WRITE IN COUNTS

UNDERVOTES

BLANK VOTES

TOTAL VOTES COUNTED REP/DEM DANVILLE 431

22

205

1 0

36

695 1

1

0 503

3 0

189

695 HIGH BAILIFF Vote for not more than ONE

MARK HUGHES

MARC POULIN

TOTAL WRITE IN COUNTS

DANNY ABBOTT (write in)

EMILY PEYTON (write in)

JON VARA (write in)

STATE SENATOR Vote for not more than THREE

KEN ALGER

CHRIS S. BRADLEY

ANN CUMMINGS

ANDREW PERCHLIK

ANTHONY POLLINA

DWAYNE TUCKER

BARRY WADLE

TOTAL WRITE IN COUNTS

RICHARD DUCHARME (write in)

OTHER WRITE IN COUNTS

UNDERVOTES

BLANK VOTES

TOTAL VOTES COUNTED INDEPENDENT MONTPELIER

REP/DEM 181

192

327

283

320

197

48

1 218

316

3 BARRE TOWN 1

1

1 OTHER WRITE IN COUNTS

UNDERVOTES

BLANK VOTES

TOTAL VOTES COUNTED 0

536

2,085 0

158

695 STATE REPRESENTATIVE Vote for not more than ONE

CATHERINE “KITTY” TOLL DEMOCRATIC DANVILLE

TOTAL WRITE IN COUNTS

ANGELA OGLE (write in)

CHRIS BRADLEY (write in)

DWAYNE TUCKER (write in)

JESSICA MILLER (write in)

LARA DELUCCA (write in)

MATT PRESTON (write in)

THERESA LAY-SLEEPER (write in)

OTHER WRITE IN COUNTS

UNDERVOTES

BLANK VOTES

TOTAL VOTES COUNTED

(JUSTICE OF THE PEACE continued on page 10)

1

1

1

2

1

1

1 566

9 PROBATE JUDGE Vote for not more than ONE

JEFFREY P. KILGORE

TOTAL WRITE IN COUNTS

DWAYNE TUCKER (write in)

MARK HUGHES (write in)

ROSEMARIE JACKOWSKI (write in)

TYLER PRUE (write in)

OTHER WRITE IN COUNTS

UNDERVOTES

BLANK VOTES

TOTAL VOTES COUNTED DEM/REP WATERBURY 1

1

1

0 486

4 0

205

695 1 0

120

695

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Cabot Arts Presents….

Katie Trautz CD release concert for her new album, “Passage” Sunday, January 20 at 4:00 p.m. At the Landmark Schoolhouse 1643 Route 215 in Lower Cabot, VT Tickets: Advance $16, $20 at Door Potluck snacks and BYOB Doors Open at 3:30 p.m. - Music Starts at 4:00 p.m. To reserve your seat visit: http://www.robinsongs.com For Info call 802-793-3016 or email: [email protected] Katie’s Website: www.katietrautz.com Katie Trautz’s new album

‘Passage’ is a collection of original music written over the past decade, with echoes of Honky-tonk, Appalachian music, and modern Americana that give the album an eclectic and creative sound. In the wake of profound life changes, and experiencing death and birth first hand, music became an outpouring of expression, thought and feeling during a tumultuous time. The decision to create an album that reflects the complicated passage between childhood and adulthood was a deliberate one, closing a chapter of songwriting, and turning the page to open a new phase of creativity. This is Katie’s eleventh album, including at least four with ‘Wooden Dinosaur’, and three with ‘Mayfly’. ‘Passage’ is her second solo album, but the focus on original music sets it apart from Katie’s previous records.

‘Passage’ includes songs accompanied by country-style guitar, dobro, ethereal harmony, and a warm, steady rhythm section. The musicianship is excellent, bringing a cohesive and creative sound to the studio. Katie’s musical compadres include Michael Chorney, Rob Morse, Dan Davine, Asa Brosius, Mike Roberts, Julia Wayne and Will Andrews. The history Katie has with these musicians is long, adding to the depth and sensitivity of the material. She has worked with many of them in previous projects, and has stayed personally connected over the years, often looking to them for inspiration in her own music. With the help of Michael Chorney as producer, the album has been able to bend the borders of folk music, and live outside of any specific genre. As life’s journey can be unexpected, dark at times, and somehow always warm at the core, ‘Passage’ is reminiscent of all of that.

In December, the album can be found on iTunes, amazon.com, CDbaby, and www.katietrautz.com, as well as local stores in the Central Vermont area. Katie Trautz is a native Vermont fiddler who has toured nationally and internationally, sharing traditional music and original folk songs. Katie also plays the guitar and banjo, crossing genres with her numerous ensembles. Katie is the co -founder of the Summit School of Traditional Music and Culture based in Montpelier, VT. Following her eight-year directorship at the Summit School, she became the Executive Director of Chandler Center for the Arts in Randolph, VT. In the fall of 2016, she decided to return to teaching music to children, while raising her new baby son.

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Phantom Toll Booth coming this spring!

by Karen Mueller-Harder

Cabot Community Theater announces our spring 2019 play:

The Phantom Tollbooth!

Based on the wonderful book by Norton Juster, the play tells the story of Milo, who is perpetually bored until he accidentally travels to a remarkable and fantastical world where he discovers the wonders that have been around him all along. There are over 30 speaking roles ranging from comic to serious, from brief to extensive, and various nonspeaking roles for younger and/or shyer performers, so we hope to have a lot of people in the cast: adults, teens, and kids. We plan to have a few (3-4) different kids (any gender) playing Milo in various scenes, to give multiple people the chance for a central role. Auditions will be held on December 2 and 8 from 2-5:00 p.m. in the Cabot School Performing Arts Center; come any time (no appointment needed) for about 30 minutes, and we’ll have you read some scenes from the play. No preparation is necessary, although if a person is not a good sight-reader, they are welcome to prepare a short monologue if they feel that will demonstrate their acting skills better. If you are interested in only a non-speaking part, please come by and let us meet you, though you won’t need to read. Everyone is welcome, from Cabot, as well as nearby Vermont communities. In our continuing mission to foster leadership within our community, we will be offering opportunities for teens and adults to assist or apprentice under the directing or design staff. This would be a chance to learn the ropes and perhaps have an opportunity to direct a scene or portion of the play. (And all of these would count for community service hours for Cabot High School, and possibly at other schools as well.) Please let us know if you or your offspring would be interested in any of these opportunities, or in a design or coordinating position--we need lots of people to help make this show a success! Rehearsals will begin in early January, and performances will be the last weekend in March. Hope to see all of you at the show!

CCT statement of inclusion:

Cabot Community Theater enthusiastically welcomes participants of all ages, races, religions, genders, gender expressions, sexual orientations, abilities, and levels of experience. We have a demonstrated history of inclusivity and flexibility in casting, and strive to foster an accepting and supportive environment, both within our group and in the wider community.

Volunteers building the Cabot Ice Skating rink. Photo courtesy Susan Socks.

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Is Your Water Safe to Drink?

by Frank Kampf We recently had a new well drilled, and I did not think I would have any problems, but for peace of mind, we tested the water as a matter of routine. I was surprised when I got the results, and learned something new about what dangers lurk in drinking water. On the Vermont Department of Health’s website I found this stated:

“About three out of 10 Vermont households drink water from private residential wells. Drinking water primarily comes from deeper bedrock wells, but can also come from shallow dug wells and springs. The water contains naturally occurring chemicals like calcium that can cause hard water and iron that can cause rusty red stains on your laundry. However, most of the chemicals in your water you cannot see, smell or taste, and they can affect your health. Private wells that supply residential houses for household use are not currently regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or the State of Vermont. Private well owners are responsible for testing the quality of their own drinking water and maintaining their own wells.” In Cabot, if you live outside the village, you probably have your own water supply, either a drilled or dug well. We have lived in places with dug wells and springs in the past and have learned that small cracks in the well casings can allow surface water to leach into the well and contaminate it with bacteria. Commonly, people worry about bacterial contamination of their water, specifically E. Coli or Coliform, because it can make you sick. Even though this is a common problem, and the most often tested for, this is not the only contamination you should worry about. There can be contaminants in your water that can affect your health after drinking the water for a long time.

The Vermont Department of Health recommends homeowners test their private water well annually for bacterial contamination, and every five years for inorganic chemicals: arsenic, chloride, copper, fluoride, hardness, iron, lead, manganese, nitrate, nitrite, sodium and uranium, as well as for Gross Alpha Radiation. We were surprised when the result of our gross alpha radiation test was above the recommended maximum level. Alpha radiation is generated by minerals, such as uranium and radium, that are contained in the bedrock and can vary across the region. We have a lot of granite around here and all types of granite contain uranium, and some contain radium. Alpha Radiation is generally harmless because it cannot penetrate your skin. However, when you ingest minerals that emit alpha radiation, it can be harmful. According to the Vermont Department of Health: “Over a long period of time and at elevated levels, radium increases the risk of bone cancer and uranium increases the risk of kidney damage. There are no immediate health risks or symptoms from drinking water that contains gross alpha radiation.” The good news is that both radium and uranium can be removed from water. An under the sink reverse osmosis filter will remove both minerals and is not very expensive. Alternatively, water softeners will also remove the minerals. Testing the water you drink is very important for your health, and your family’s health. For more information, visit the Vermont Department of Health’swebsiteathtp : / /www.healthvermont.gov/environment/drinking-water or call 800-439-8550. There is a cost for each of the tests, ranging from $14 to $100. To order drinking water test kits, call the Vermont Department of Health Lab at: 802-338- 4736 or 800-660-9997 (toll-free in Vermont) or go to the lab's webpage at http://www.healthver mont.gov/lab/drinking-water.

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Cabot Rink Gearing Up!

by Susan Socks The Cabot rink frame will be built in mid December, and filled and frozen late December/early January. We are looking forward to several improvements this year: better storage for loaner skates, a dedicated snow blower, and new hydrant for easier filling. Our rink, and the volunteer crew that keeps it going, is a real point of pride for the town of Cabot. We get lots of visitors from neighboring towns, even those with their own community rinks, because our rink is AWESOME! So, why does the Cabot Rink work so well? VOLUNTEERS. We have a great group of volunteers! In fall, they build the frame, haul benches and supplies, and flood the rink. All winter they shovel and monitor the area for tidiness. In spring they break down the frame, and store everything till next year. As lead volunteer, I make sure supplies and work crews are at the ready. LOANER EQUIPMENT. We have an excellent supply of loaner skates, almost all of which are donations. This is enormously important in enabling kids to skate; skates are expensive, and feet grow. Goals, pucks, milk crates, and shovels are also available, making the rink more accessible to more people. SUPPORT OF TOWN AND FIRE DE- PARTMENT. The Town of Cabot provides annual funds to pay for supplies: rink liner, annual skate sharpening, shovels, and lumber replacement. The fire department provides hoses and use of the hydrant system for rink flooding. The Town also allows us to use the Common space, which leads to the next point…. GREAT LOCATION. We have a perfect place for a community rink. It’s next to the school, highly visible to anyone passing through town. It also has plenty of parking. RINK PATRONS. People in Cabot skate! If we didn’t have so many people using the rink, it wouldn’t be worth the time or money to have a rink. Seeing people using the rink keeps our volunteers energized, and the Town and Recreation Department willing to continue their support. A rink full of people on a lovely winter day makes all the work worthwhile. Clearly, our town rink is more than a rink. It represents a community-wide effort, and I’m grateful to everyone for the roles they play. Would you like to help? Please contact me at [email protected]. Looking forward to another great season!

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Cabot Girl Scout Recognized at Young Women of Distinction Ceremony

At a Veterans’ Day ceremony in Concord, NH, Cheyenne Herdling of Cabot was recognized at the Women of Distinction Ceremony as one of the council’s five top cookie sellers for the Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains. Girl Scouts offers the best leadership development experience for girls in the world – one that is designed with, by, and for girls. No other organization combines the time-tested, research-backed methods with exciting, modern programming that speaks to today’s girls and is designed to cater to the strengths of girls’ leadership development. Gold Award Girl Scouts earn college scholarships, enter the military at a higher ranks, and are committed to creating a better future for their entire community.

Information provided by Ginger Kozlowski Communications and Public Relations Manager Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains Serving New Hampshire and Vermont Any color is accepted. Bubble wrap IS accepted. No Ziploc or nylon woven bags. No snack bags or candy wrappers. A variety of special wastes are collected: #1 Propane Tanks, aerosol cans, hard cover books, tires (for a fee), electronic wastes, batteries, compact fluorescent bulbs, scrap metal, and waste oil. For a complete list of what is accepted for recycling at the Cabot Recycling Center, visit the NEKWMD website at nekwmd.org. Follow the links to Recycling in Your Community and click on Cabot.

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Cabot Fire Station - Public Safety Building FAQs

Why is the Cabot Fire Department seeking a new facility? The current building was built in 1966, with renovations in 1972 and again in 1992. A new facility is being planned to meet the needs for 2018, as well as envisioning the needs through another 70 years, to 2088. The existing facility violates current standards through VOSHA/OSHA (Vermont Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration), NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) and the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act). After consultation with two third-party contractors, it is not feasible to do any additional add-ons: the foundation is unable to support the additional load for a second story; the Agency of Natural Resources (ANR) stated the building footprint could not expand due to current regulations; and the lot does not have any space for additions (note the steep river bank in back and the road in front and on the side, as well as the Creamery truck lot).

Why was the land purchased for a new facility? Emergency services need to stay centrally located to respond to each part of Cabot.

A centrally located building can decrease the time for members to respond to the facility, and for equipment to make it to a scene. This lot will ensure greater safety for the members and the people of Cabot, and a greater chance to continue to protect property. Fire Insurance ratings like Insurance Service Office (ISO) for each household (and Town buildings) will be negatively impacted if a facility were located on the outskirts of town. It is a priority of the Select Board and the Department to keep the facility centrally located to help maintain lower insurance ratings. It is rare for a land lot that could house such a facility, with town water, sewer, and three-phase power, as well as being flat, to become available in town.

What benefits are there to building a new facility for the Town of Cabot?

Sprinkler system to protect the Town’s investment in fire apparatus and equipment (almost 1 million dollars’ worth). ADA compliant emergency shelter for winter, heat, flooding, etc., extreme events. A common room for rent- possible income generator, classroom/training space, kitchen, offices. A public safety building to house Fire, Ambulance, possible VSP/Sherriff/Constable outreach post, and Health Department office-- can help with coordinated efforts to best serve all. Decontamination area for personnel, gear. Safe storage for confidential documents, as required by law. Compliance with NFPA and VOSHA/OSHA standards. A safer environment for the members.

How will this project be funded?

The Town will apply for federal and state grants and seek donations. Taxpayers will have to contribute to a portion of the cost, How can a person get involved in this ongoing conversation and planning? All meetings are open to the public and community comment is always welcome. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the Building Committee, or email us at [email protected]. Building Committee members are Skip Bothfeld, Dean Deasy, Jeff Durgin, (Fire Department Representatives), and Andy Luce (Cabot Ambulance representative).

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Cabot Recycling

New Rules for Glass

The Northeast Kingdom Waste Management District (NEKWMD) serves 47,500 residents in 49 member towns in Caledonia, Essex, Orange, Orleans, and Washington counties. The District operates recycling centers where a wide variety of recyclable materials are collected. The NEKWMD operating budget comes from sale of recyclable materials and a surcharge on trash sent to Coventry landfill. The Cabot Recycling Center is located on Saw Mill Road in Lower Cabot. Hours of operation are every Saturday from 8:00 a.m. until noon. An attendant is present to assist you. Trash and tires are collected for a fee. Of note - recent changes in glass recycling: Any color bottle or jar is accepted. Metal rings must be removed. NO porcelain, Pyrex, window, crystal, lids, or light bulbs. All containers must be rinsed. Not all plastic bags are recyclable. They must be labeled #2, #4, or #5.

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The Adventures of Woody Woodchuck

by Frank Kampf Episode 1 Woody was mucking out stalls in his barn when he heard Teddy, his Bernese Mountain Dog, barking. It was strange, he wasn’t barking at the end of the driveway, but rather in the front yard. Tenderloin, one of Woody’s steers, had somehow gotten out of the pasture and was grazing on the lawn. Teddy’s overture had limited Tenderloin to the side yard, and prevented him from wandering up the driveway.

Tenderloin had gone exploring, but when Woody opened the pasture gate, he rushed back in. The grass may have been greener on the other side of the fence, but there is no place like home, Woody thought to himself. He had never explored the world outside of Vermont, and like Tenderloin, he should sample some grass beyond the horizon. He wondered, how could he choose where to go, travel would be new to him. He dug through his attic and found a large dusty map of North America, which would at least give him a view of his choices. Then it struck him, a simple solution would be to have Gertrude decide. Woody spread the map on the barn floor, and then he placed his prized hen upon it. Where she first left a dropping was where he would travel. After about 15 minutes of pecking around, Gertrude plopped somewhere in the Canadian Northwest Territories. Woody looked carefully, and after a little scraping, he was able to read the name Nahanni National Park. A trip down to the Cabot library to use their computers, and with a little help from the librarian, he was able to find a guided canoe trip down the Nahanni River. He thought his skills canoeing on Molly’s Falls Pond Reservoir and the Winooski River would suit him well on the trip. When he called the outfitter for the trip, he was assured that, as long as he knew how to canoe, he could manage paddling the 12-day trip down the remote river. Woody had never flown before, and the trip to the national park would require several flights, and then a flight on a bush plane into the river. This would be a real adventure just getting there. After a couple days of flying, Woody found himself stuffed into a small twin engine bush plane with pontoons for wheels, along with six others, three canoes, and all the gear needed for two weeks on a remote wilderness river. There was no room to move as the engines droned and Woody could see nothing but white. The clouds had been enveloping the little plane for the last two hours. Woody kept thinking about the co-pilot being very clear about turning left when they got off the plane. Noone wants to walk into the spinning propellers.

Suddenly, there was a break in the clouds, and Woody could see tops of mountains. He quickly forgot what the co-pilot has said at the beginning of the flight. The mountains were not below the plane, as he had expected, but straight out the window. They were flying at the same level as the mountain tops. The plane started getting lower and lower, and the mountains started to rise high above the plane. The plane was well below the clouds now, and Woody could see the mountainsides in detail, since they were not that far away. At first, he saw small white dots, and as they flew closer, he realized they were animals. The guide, Kathy, was sitting in front of Woody and she turned to point at the white animals, exclaiming they were Dall Sheep. They have horns like big horn sheep, but fur like mountain goats. Woody looked closer and could see the big curved horns of the male sheep. He had never seen anything like it before, except on television. In some places, they appeared to be standing on sheer cliffs. The plane lumbered on, following the valley a little further before suddenly diving down close to a river that was at the bottom of the valley. With a swoosh and a quick slowdown that pressed the seatbelt into Woody’s lap, the plane came to a stop on the river. Woody thought that was an impressive landing, no bouncing and a real fast stop. He never expected a water landing to be so smooth. The plane maneuvered on the river like it had a rudder, and then reversed engines to back the rear of the pontoons onto a beach. The pilot stayed in the pilot's seat as the co-pilot jumped out the other side. He walked around behind the plane and opened the rear door of the main cabin. Woody was the first to get out, and he noticed a strong breeze pulling him towards the front of the plane. To keep his balance, Woody turned right and began to walk along the pontoon. …continued in future edition of The Cabot Chronicle….

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Holiday Activities

Please note:

There will be no Christmas Tree lighting on the Common nor Memorial Light sales due to the electrical service line being cut

We hope to bring back that long-standing tradition next year.

Part of this story may be missing here. See the original pages, page 13 onward.

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CABOT PUBLIC LIBRARY HAPPENINGS!

by Kathleen Hoyne, Librarian

We have lots to look forward to this winter! Preschool Story Hour with Beth Wade and Mary Lou DeLacy is every Tuesday morning starting at 10:00 a.m. and follows the school schedule. Contra Dances continue and are held the second Saturday of the month at 7:30 p.m. from September through May – mark your calendars for December 8 and January 12 for the next two dances. Wednesday, December 12, from 3-4:40 p.m., we’ll have our annual Holiday craft making workshop for kids wanting to make some of their own holiday presents for friends and family. Book group will meet Wednesday, December 19, at 10:30 a.m., and will be discussing A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman – copies of the book can be picked up at the library. Stay tuned for more information on a new book/discussion reading series led by Fran Cerulli from January through April. Kundalini Yoga classes are held every Sunday morning with Sevak-Karan from 10-11:30 a.m. until the end of the year – all are welcome and donations are gratefully accepted. Meditation will be suspended from December – April – many thanks to Daria Babbitt for providing this welcome service to our community. We have lots of new books, audiobooks, etc., in the library – and if we don’t have it, ask to use our interlibrary loan system. Take time this holiday season to pick out a book you’ve been meaning to read. Consider reading a book together with your family this year. Make a New Year’s resolution to get your kids their own library card and ask for a tour of the library. If you have a particular interest/skill you’d like to share with the community, we’d love to schedule a program. We have books for your interests, audiobooks, DVD’s, a variety of magazines, etc. Also – ask us how you can download free audio and e-books through Listen Up Vermont using the new Libby App. Thanks so much to Susan Dineen for her years of dedicated service to the Library Board of Trustees – her energy, thoughtfulness and kindness will be remembered. Thanks so much to Lilly Talbert for organizing the Grand Opening of the play structure – the balloons, treats and games made for a festive time! Many thanks also to Niall and Jeannie McCallum for their help with fundraising for the library. Special thanks to Sally Stoddard for the many Arts/Activities programs offered this fall for youth. See you at the Library!

Kathleen Hoyne, Director Cabot Public Library PO Box 6, 3084 Main St Cabot, VT 05647 802-563-2721 [email protected]

Library Hours: Tuesday – 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. Wednesday – 2-6:00 p.m. Thursday - 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. Saturday – 9:00 a.m.-noon

Part of this story may be missing here. See the original pages, page 14 onward.

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TWIN VALLEY SENIOR CENTER

4583 U.S. Route 2 P.O. Box 152 East Montpelier, VT 05651 Sharing Information from DAIL (Department of Disabilities, Aging and Independent Living)

Social isolation is a core human problem we all share. Social isolation is the absence of social interaction, contacts and relationships with family and friends, with neighbors on an individual level and society at large. Vermont is ranked 17th in the country for risk of social isolation among older adults.

Some common risk factors for social isolation include living alone, mobility or sensory impairment, lower social economic status, living in a rural area, divorce, separation or widowhood and having little or no transportation. Social isolation is a risk factor for illness and morbidity, especially hypertension and cardiovascular disease. Chronic loneliness is associated with a higher incidence of chronic illness and depression. Some solutions to increase connectedness is to encourage your older friends, family and neighbors to own a pet, join clubs, volunteer, learn technology to connect with loved ones, and attend events. I am asking you to talk to your family, friends and older neighbors about their local senior center, where we have many activities, healthy meals, exercise programs and much more. They will be surprised how many attendees at the center they have known for years, and how many new friends they will make. Winter months are long, here in Vermont, and attending the center will help break up the time and can only benefit their health and sociability.

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ADVICE FROM THE TREE WARDEN

by Roland (Slim) Payne The trees are looking good, even though we had some dry spells. It is time to trim some of the trees - the elms and the miniature maples as soon as the leaves turn colors or fall off. I have seen some apple trees and I also have one where the apples are rotting on the trees. I don’t know if it is the weather or they were damaged by hail, maybe. I will take a better look when they start to drop. I hope no one has had tick problems this summer. I had two ticks in early June in one day, but none on me since - I don’t know what kept them away, but I am not complaining. Now Emerald Ash Borer (EAB): we stayed free of it for quite a while, and so did Maine and New Hampshire, but now we all have it. What to do? There are several ideas. One is to do nothing. One is to cut all of it. One is to wait and see and collect seed so, if this goes by and the bugs die out, they can be replanted for a new crop. One is to save all trees 1” and under, as they don’t seem to touch them. One is to girdle the trees with one ring to stress it, as the AEB seem to go after stressed trees. Will any of these things work? I am sure, with the amount of people working on this, this list will grow, and maybe someone will come up with a winner. The guess is they can travel three to five miles a year, but sometimes, if they get on a wind current, could go who knows, 20 or 30 miles or more. Stay tuned, a lot of people are working on this.

Wishing everyone a great fall.

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Are Those Saguaro Cacti?

Trees in Durant Cemetery were trimmed and felled by Alexander Tree Service of Cabot under contract with the Town of Cabot Cemetery Commission, in order to prevent tree damage to headstones. Trees will be replaced with new plantings in the spring. Photos by Amanda Legare.

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Humor from the HELPER

The Montpelier district attorney called his first witness, an elderly grandmother, to the stand. He approached her and asked Mrs. Johnson, “Do you know me?” She responded, “Why, yes, I do know you, Mr. Larochelle. I’ve known you since you were a young boy, and frankly, you’ve proven a big disappointment. You lie, sneak around on your wife, manipulate people and talk about them behind their backs. You think you’re a big shot, when you haven’t the brains to realize you never will amount to anything more than a two-bit paper pusher. Yes, I know you.” The lawyer was stunned, not knowing what else to do, he pointed across the room and asked Mrs. Johnson, “Do you know the defense attorney?” She replied, “Why, yes, I do. I’ve know Mr. Schmidt since he was a youngster. He’s lazy, bigoted, and drinks too much, and his law practice is one of the worst in Vermont, not to mention he cheated on his wife with three women, including your wife. Yes, I know him.” The defense attorney turned white. The judge ordered both lawyers to approach the bench: in a quiet voice, he said, “If either of you two clowns asks her if she knows me, you’ll be in solitary confinement so fast your head will spin!”

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Foster Bridge Reconstruction

Bridge repaired just before snow fall. Photo by Jeanne Johnson. > Foster Bridge was taken down and reconstructed, completed just in time for snowfall on Cabot Plains.

< Reconstructed Bridge being replaced. Photo by Paul Wade.

< Workers fix and reinforce the historic bridge. Photo by Jeanne Johnson.

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