Monthly Archives: March 2010

By Senator Alice Nitka, Windsor County, March  26, 2010

Many of you who attended Town Meetings earlier this month may have had a chance to pick up a Doyle Poll survey form. Senator “Bill” Doyle who has been polling Vermonters since his first year in the Legislature some 41 years ago was at it again this year. He is currently tabulating the returns and has about 9000 surveys counted out of the twelve or thirteen thousand expected. Last year 15,000 were received.  

Senator Doyle started polling the year then Governor Dean Davis, a Republican, proposed the first sales tax for VT as an alternative to increasing the income tax. The state had a deficit that needed to be addressed and Senator Doyle, himself, thought the income tax would be the better choice of the two. Senator Doyle sent to 1500 of his constituents in Washington County a survey with a stamped return envelope.  He was surprised when the citizenry responding to his poll reported otherwise.  Some letters that accompanied the returned surveys stated that they preferred the sales tax because everyone would share in the burden. Others said they were used to paying a sales tax in other states so it would be reasonable to have it here. Thus began the annual survey.

Governor Davis did get the 3% sales tax exclusive of food and clothing and went on the road to justify the tax and win his own re-election. His ad campaign showed him standing in a boat named VERMONT with a pail in hand and a voice over touting something like  “Bailing out the Ship of State”. It was a very successful ad campaign and the Governor was elected to a second term. Governor Davis’ renown in Vermont, however, is not about the sales tax but about his environmental initiatives, including Act 250.

In Windsor County, thus far 18 towns have submitted enough responses to be tabulated as well as the Hartford Memorial Middle School 7th and 8th grade Social Studies classes. Generally about 14 or 15 towns out of the 24 Windsor County towns respond. The poll while not scientific provides some very good numbers as to how the state’s citizens are feeling about the frequently reported topics in the news. Some questions are on the poll annually while others are one timers.  2008, 2009 and 2010 all had a question about extending VT Yankee/Entergy’s License beyond 2012.  In 2008, 4888 responses were yes, 3521 were no and 2849 were not sure. In 2009, responses were 40% yes, 40% no and 18.85%, not sure.  In 2010, out of 9,116 counted thus far, 2899 were yes, 4722 were no and 1307 were not sure.

Some other questions of interest with statewide results were:

Ban texting while driving?
  Yes  8691,   No  297,  Not Sure  57
Ban cell phones while driving?
  Yes  6725,   No  1856,   Not Sure  436
Pass a law to limit car and truck idling? 
  Yes  4684,  No   3123,  Not Sure  1147
Are you satisfied with your health insurance and cost?
  Yes  3686,  No  4891,  Not Sure  379
Are local food and farmers’ markets important?
  Yes  8078,  No  559,  Not Sure  404
Reduce prison population through alternatives for non-violent offenders?
  Yes  6064,  No  1795,  No Sure  1122
Is President Obama doing a good job?
  Yes  4897,  No  2897,  Not Sure  1198

If you would like results for your town or results for the other questions, please feel free to give me a call.

Bills are moving around fast and being changed as they go from committee to committee. The changes aren’t available on the web site until the bill goes to the floor. 

View daily committee schedules, the House and Senate floor calendars and all the bills at www.leg.state.vt.us   Please feel free to contact me at home, 228-8432; at the State House, 1-800-322-5616; at anitka@leg.state.vt.us  or at PO Box 136, Ludlow, VT 05149.

Submitted by Laurie Marechaux

 

Fletcher Farm School for the Arts and Crafts in Ludlow, Vermont invites you to join us in our Young Artists Day Camps. Boys and Girls ages 6-17 are welcome, plus parents can also join their youngster in theses classes. Please note that these are not Drop-in classes. Students must be registered for the entire session. Be sure to sign up early as class space is limited.

July 5, 6, 7, 8-Nature Drawing and Journaling
Ages 7 & up-Mon.-Thu. 9:00am-3:00pm
This class integrates Science with Art! Have you ever really observed a bug long enough to be able to draw it? We will take time to sit in a meadow and observe the kinds of flowers that grow there, and the tiny bugs that make these flowers their home. We will also explore the life in a nearby stream or pond by actually getting into it.   Field microscopes and computer projection of these living organisms will be used in the classroom to spy on a very different world than the one we inhabit. Students will record their observations in a nature journal similar to the ones made by Lewis and Clark on their journey across the continent.

July 5, 6, 7, 8, 9- Folk Art Crafts
Ages 6-11-Mon.-Thu. 9:00am-3:00pm, Fri. 9:00am-2:30pm
Discover the way our forefathers handcrafted folk art as we construct a wooden game board, sew a functional pouch with an Early American penny rug design, and weave a small market basket and maybe even put together a cloth figure. The origin of each functional object will be discussed. We will close the week with a Folk Art Crafts, Open House in the classroom to show other students and instructors on campus what we have learned and accomplished.

July 12, 13, 14, 15, 16- Rug Hooking Camp
Ages 8-11-Mon.-Thu. 9:00am-3:00pm, Fri. 9:00am-2:30pm
Pillows, Purses, "Mug Rugs", and more! We'll learn punch needle rug hooking by making our very own pillows! Draw a simple picture of your favorite thing… your pet… your house? Turn it into a cushy "picture pillow". You'll get an easy-to-use tool and a simple frame to take home, plus loads of colorful yarn, fabric and stuffing to make your pillow in the class. Students will leave class at the end of the week with all tools, skills, and samples you need to continue having lots more rug-hooking fun at home.

July 17, 18- Lets Make Fairy Houses
Ages 6-17-Sat. & Sun. 9:00am-3:00pm
ALL AGES WELCOME AND PARENTS TOO! Tap into your inner child for a weekend of whimsy and fairy-lore. We'll be exploring the fairy lands around Fletcher Farm School to find inspiration and materials to create inviting and magical fairy houses for the little visitors around your garden, backyard and even your house. Your imagination will be stretched and you'll see the nature around you in a completely different way. We'll use twigs, leaves, pine cones, pebbles, feathers… anything we can find to build with. Ages 6 to 9 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

July 19, 20, 21, 22, 23- Drawing and Painting
Ages 10-14-Mon.-Thu. 9:00am-3:00pm, Fri. 9:00am-2:30pm
This class is designed for the student who would like to focus on drawing and painting. This one week class provides children with diverse experiences in various art mediums. Observation and detail drawing will be the primary focus. The class will be working both inside the classroom and outdoors, students will go home with many completed projects.

July 26, 27, 28, 29, 30-Basket Cases
Ages 10-17-Mon.-Thu. 9:00am-4:00pm, Fri. 9:00am-2:30pm
This class is designed to give students the opportunity to learn a variety of basket making techniques. The children will make many different baskets during the course of the week. Children do not need to bring any tools; the instructor will supply the tools for the students to use.

July 26, 27, 28, 29, 30-Jewelry Camp for Young Artists
Ages 11 & up-Mon.-Thu., 9:00am-4:00pm, Fri., 9:00am-2:30pm
PARENTS WELCOME! This class is geared for a parent and young artist to learn together the fun and simple forms of Silver Fabrication. Sterling Silver will be the primary medium. Other metals and methods of jewelry fabrication will be explored. Young adults love jewelry and now they can learn the basics. Students do not have to be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Aug. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6- Kids Art Camp
Ages 7 & up-Mon.-Fri. 9:00am-2:00pm
Each day students will be working in a different media to give kids the chance to experiment with new materials. Explore drawing, creating crayon resist watercolor painting, 3-D sculpture with self hardening clay, and mixed media. If you are serious about art this is the perfect class for you!

Aug. 7, 8- Woodcarving Camp
Ages 10-17-Sat. 9:00am-5:00pm, Sun. 9:00am-2:30pm
PARENTS WELCOME! This course will give beginning carvers the opportunity to carve and finish a basic carving project. These projects will include a variety of different items. Most of these will be simple “whittling” type projects (i.e. dog, bear, spoon, or snowman) which you can complete with a minimum of tools. You will learn about the different types of carving tools and how to sharpen them safely, and how to make basic knife cuts. 

Aug. 9, 10, 11, 12, 13-Arts and Crafts Extravaganza
Ages 8-13-Mon.-Thu. 9:00am-4:00pm, Fri. 9:00am-2:30pm
Bring on the fun! Introduce your young artists to the fascinating world of arts and crafts. A variety of creative adventures including book- art, one-of-a-kind painted T-shirts, solar painted windsocks, flags and more. We will explore, rubber stamping, nature art and more! This class is taught by our very talented Board members! Boys and girls will have so much fun in this creative class.

Please call for tuition pricing.  A materials fee is paid to the instructor in class and most courses also have a Supply List which are items which students should bring to class.

View all of these classes and more on our website at http://www.fletcherfarm.orgfor more information. One-on-one instruction is always emphasized in all of our classes. If you are a Ludlow, Cavendish or Proctorsville resident (age 7 & up) you are entitled to 50% off one class per calendar year. Register online or for a copy of our fall flyer call 802-228-8770.

Black River Good Neighbors (BRGN) of Ludlow started in concept and design phase for its new armory "tank barn" facility Monday, March 22, with a meeting with officials from Efficiency Vermont.
 
According to BRGN Chairman Jim Fuller, this was the first step – in a series of long steps, that the group will be taking to convert the empty barn, once used to house military tanks, into an enlarged and user-friendly clothing, food shelf, and administrative facility to serve area clients.
 
With Fuller at this first step was Audrey Bridge, BRGN Director.  She noted, "This is the very first step in designing a facility that will make it much easier and more private for our clients.  We'd like to be able to move in tomorrow but, like all well-planned endeavors, its going to take some time before that can happen."   She alluded to the need to work with the town of Ludlow, the LPC-TV staff who will also be using the building, and the architect and construction teams to turn the "empty tank barn into a vibrant and useful source of help to the area."
 
"In the meantime," Bridge concluded, "its still business as usual at our 105 Main Street building."
 
Both Fuller and Bridge thanked the voters of Ludlow for approving the bond issue that will make the new location a reality.
 
Pictured above are Jim Fuller and Peter LaBelle, President and Vice President of Black River Good Neighbors, as they discuss the heating needs of the proposed BRGN facility in the "tank barn" facility in the Ludlow armory complex with Gary Swindler and Bob Beardmore, representatives of Efficiency Vermont .  BRGN, in asociation with the town and LPC-TV, the other tenant of the tank barn, is in the development phase to convert the cavernous space of the barn into a user-friendly area where all of BRGN's facilities are housed.